Ten KGI faculty members are recognized as endowed professors. These endowed professorships were made possible by the generous support of donors who provided gifts to support faculty salaries for professors who meet criteria such as research focus, service commitments, or administrative contributions. Each named professor will hold their position for a four-year term and it can be renewed.
Henry E. Riggs Professor of Management
The Henry E. Riggs Professor of Management was established at KGI in 2006 by Stanford (“Stan”) N. Phelps, former member of the KGI Board of Trustees.
Stan Phelps had a distinguished career in commercial banking, investment banking, and portfolio management, restructuring over 100 companies. Alongside these accomplishments, Stan and his wife, Betsy, made a significant contribution to Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) byestablishing the Henry E. Riggs Professor of Management endowment. This endowment honored Hank Riggs for his exceptional work in founding KGI and acknowledged his long-standing friendship with the Phelps family. Stan, who had been a member of KGI's Board of Trustees since 2001, also served on several key committees, demonstrating his commitment to supporting KGI's mission and growth.
Hank Riggs served as the president of Harvey Mudd College before founding Keck Graduate Institute (KGI). He believed in thinking big, setting goals, and trusting in our abilities to achieve them. Riggs established KGI to provide biotechnology graduate students with rigorousacademic training and business acumen, preparing them to become leaders in their fields. His vision for KGI, supported by a $50 million founding gift from the W.M. Keck Foundation in 1997, aimed to create an innovative institution that would benefit society by addressing critical problems in biotechnology. Riggs retired in 2003 after eight years of guiding KGI's development.
Weinberg Professor of Health Sciences
The Sidney J. Weinberg, Jr. Professorship was established in 2005 through a generous gift by KGI Co-Founder and Board Chair Emeritus, Sidney J. Weinberg, Jr.
Sidney J. Weinberg, Jr. served as the founding chair of the KGI Board of Trustees from 1997 to 2001. He played a crucial role in KGI's development, particularly in establishing 10 endowed scholarships. Inspired by his children's attendance at The Claremont Colleges, Jim became a dedicated advocate and leader, generously giving his time, talents, wisdom, and resources.
Jim's experience as a senior director at Goldman Sachs was instrumental in establishing KGI's financial foundation. His dedication to philanthropy through the Sidney J. Weinberg, Jr. Foundation significantly elevated KGI's caliber and reputation, moving the institute toward its goal of becoming the nation's premier graduate program bridging bioscience and industry.
Keck Foundation Professor of Biopharmaceutical Sciences
William Myron Keck, often known as W.M. Keck, was a prominent American businessman and philanthropist.
His success in the oil industry allowed him to establish the W.M. Keck Foundation in 1954. As one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the United States, the foundation supports pioneering scientific, engineering, and medical research, as well as projects that enrich people's lives. A notable beneficiary of the foundation's generosity is KGI, which was founded with the help of a generous $73 million grant. The foundation continues to uphold Keck's legacy of bold and creative grantmaking, aiming to generate far-reaching benefits for humanity.
Henry E. Riggs Professor of Biomedical Engineering
The Henry E. Riggs Professor of Biomedical Engineering was established in 2014 by Henry "Hank" E. and Gayle Riggs.
Hank Riggs and his wife, Gayle, met as undergraduates at Stanford and shared a 60-year journey together, raising three children and six grandchildren. Hank Riggs was a family man and visionary leader. In 2014, Hank and Gayle Riggs made a gift to ensure that a regular biomedical engineering faculty member be appointed and associated curriculum developed at KGI.
George B. and Joy Rathmann Professor
Loren Martin
Associate Vice Provost of Research, Innovation, and Partnerships
The Rathmann Professorship was established in 2005 by Dennis and Linda Fenton to KGI to honor George Rathmann's legacy and support the institute's mission.
Dr. Dennis M. Fenton is a former executive vice president at Amgen Corporation, which he joined in 1982 as a research scientist. He is a member of the American Society for Microbiology, the Society for Industrial Microbiology, the American Chemical Society, and the Parental Drug Association. He sits on a number of public and private corporate boards. Dr. Fenton previously served as the Vice Chair of the KGI Board of Trustees and is currently a member of the Amgen Bioprocessing Center Advisory Board. He and his wife, Linda, have focused their philanthropic energies on scientific education and childhood literacy.
Rathmann earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton in 1951 and held significant roles at 3M, Litton Medical Systems, and Abbott Laboratories. After learning gene-splicing technology at UCLA in the late 1970s, he joined Amgen in 1980, becoming its first CEO and leading the company through the development of groundbreaking drugs. After leaving Amgen in 1990, Rathmann co-founded ICOS Corp., where he served as chairman until 2000. Rathmann is survived by his wife, Joy, their five children, and 13 grandchildren. He is widely regarded as one of the founders and senior statesmen of the biotech industry.
Joe and Vi Jacobs Professor of Ethics
Joshua Morris
Associate Vice Provost of Educational Effectiveness and Faculty Development
The Joe and Vi Professorship was established in 2003 through the generosity of Dr. Joseph J. Jacobs and his wife, Violet. Their gift to KGI supports bioscience ethics, teaching, and research.
Joe and Vi Jacobs co-founded Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. in 1947, which has grown into a global firm with expertise in multiple STEM disciplines across 250 offices in 30 countries. Their entrepreneurial success enabled them to establish the Jacobs Family Foundation, supporting numerous charities and civic and educational organizations. Dr. Jacobs, a prominent chemical engineer, and Vi, an active partner in their philanthropic endeavors, have left a lasting legacy through their contributions to education and community development.
Finnigan Professor of Applied Life Sciences
The Robert E. Finnigan Professorship was established at KGI in 2002 by donors to KGI, Doug and Shawn Mackenzie.
Doug Mackenzie, an experienced venture capitalist, has made significant contributions to the software sector through his investment activities. His connection to Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) is highlighted by the establishment of the Robert E. Finnigan Professorship in March 2002, alongside his wife, Shawn, in honor of her father, Dr. Robert E. Finnigan. The idea for the professorship emerged from a triad of strong relationships: Doug was a teaching assistant under KGI’s founding president, Hank Riggs, who was then a Stanford professor; Dr. Finnigan came to know Riggs during his tenure as director of the Finnigan Corporation, and they maintained a warm friendship over the years. This professorship underscores Doug's commitment to KGI and his respect for Dr. Finnigan's pioneering work in environmental chemical testing methods.
Robert Emmet Finnigan was a pioneering scientist and entrepreneur who significantly advanced the field of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). After developing an early fascination with electronics at the United States Naval Academy, he pursued a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and contributed to nuclear ramjet reactor research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to found the Scientific Instruments Division at Electronic Associates, Inc., where he produced the first commercial quadrupole mass spectrometer. Later, he co-founded Finnigan Corporation, where he integrated computer systems with GC/MS technology, revolutionizing environmental monitoring and process control. His innovations were adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, underscoring his impact on science and industry. Finnigan's career exemplifies the fusion of scientific inquiry and entrepreneurial vision, making him a fitting namesake for this professorship.
Henry E. Riggs Professor of Business and Bioscience Ethics
Gayle Riggs (nee Carson) is a graduate of Stanford University and the widow of KGI’s founding president, Dr. Henry (“Hank”) Riggs.
Gayle’s interest and affection for the students at KGI led to her to develop lasting relationships with several alumni. She has many fond memories of hosting students as first lady of KGI. Students considered Hank and Gayle’s house as a “home away from home” which inspired her to support the Gayle Riggs Student Center. She enjoys traveling with her family with their most recent trip to KGI’s campus in 2019. She currently resides in Palo Alto.
Norris Professor of Clinical Sciences
The Norris Professorship of Clinical Sciences was established in August 1999 through the generous funding of the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation.
The Foundation, established in 1963, was founded on the belief that giving back to the community was an obligation. The Norris family's wealth originated from Kenneth T. Norris, Sr. who in 1930 started Norris Industries with a metal stamping business. He prepared for peace and prosperity by acquiring companies that produced household goods. Initially, the Foundation focused its grantmaking on medicine and private education in Southern California, aiming to maximize the impact of its resources. Over the years, the Foundation expanded its support to include community and youth programs, science, and the arts. This broadened focus allowed the Foundation to shape impactful results across a diverse range of nonprofit organizations. The Norris Foundation values its long-standing partnerships and remains proud of its history, looking forward to the future with optimism.
Keck Foundation Professor of Systems, Computational, and Molecular Biology
William Myron Keck, often known as W.M. Keck, was a prominent American businessman and philanthropist.
His success in the oil industry allowed him to establish the W.M. Keck Foundation in 1954. As one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the United States, the foundation supports pioneering scientific, engineering, and medical research, as well as projects that enrich people's lives. A notable beneficiary of the foundation's generosity is KGI, which was founded with the help of a generous $73 million grant. The foundation continues to uphold Keck's legacy of bold and creative grantmaking, aiming to generate far-reaching benefits for humanity.