Gift to N.C. A&T Establishes Endowed Professorship in Bioengineering

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Nov. 15, 2024) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has received a gift of $250,000 to establish the Dr. Leonard C. Uitenham and Dr. Daniel T. Weidenthal  Endowed Professorship in Bioengineering in the Department of Chemical, Biological and Bioengineering in the College of Engineering (COE).

Daniel Tilles Weidenthal, M.D., (pictured above, right) an ophthalmologist in Beachwood, Ohio, committed the gift to honor and celebrate the work of his lifelong friend and mentee, Leonard Curtis Uitenham, Ph.D., ATP, CFI, a professor emeritus of chemical, mechanical and bioengineering at A&T.

“We are deeply honored by and grateful for Dr. Weidenthal’s tremendous investment in the College of Engineering and its faculty,” said COE Dean Stephanie Luster-Teasley Pass, Ph.D. “Dr. Uitenham has been a transformative leader and professor whose impact on the college and A&T will be felt and seen for generations to come. We are proud to pay tribute to his service and cement his legacy through this professorship.”

The gift qualifies for a one-to-one match from the state’s Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund (DPETF), increasing its value to $500,000 to help the university attract, retain and reward exceptional professors whose work exemplifies continued excellence in their field and advances the university’s mission.

Weidenthal is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He was a resident in ophthalmology at the Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit, then studied ophthalmic pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C.

Weidenthal completed a fellowship in diseases and surgery of the retina at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear lnfirmary and the Schepens Retina Research Foundation in Boston. He is a pioneer in the field of retinal surgery, developing new techniques for repair of retinal detachment and contributing to the ophthalmic literature. He served as chair of the Division of Ophthalmology at St. Luke's Hospital in Cleveland. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a charter member of the Retina Society and the Macula Society.

Weidenthal, 92, has more than 65 years of experience in the medical field and still lives and practices in Cleveland, Ohio.

“It is an honor to have our names linked in such a meaningful way through this professorship,” Weidenthal said. “I have known Leonard Uitenham for most of his life and he is a great source of inspiration and pride for me. He has certainly realized his immense potential and I am proud to be a part of that evolution.”

Uitenham (pictured above, left) is the founding chairman of A&T’s bioengineering program in 2007, which was accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology – the first at a historically Black university. The bioengineering program was a critical commitment associated with A&T’s National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials. For his efforts, Uitenham was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows in 2021, the organization’s highest distinction.

Uitenham has had an extensive career in service and education, serving 31 years in the Marine Corps and as a naval aviator for 16 years. He is a licensed Federal Aviation Administration Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) and FAA Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). He also served as department chair of chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and bioengineering and interim chair of applied engineering and technology in A&T’s College of Science and Technology, teaching courses in each of these departments.

Uitenham holds a B.S. in polymer science and engineering and an M.S. and Ph.D. in macromolecular science from Case Western Reserve University. He also holds an M.S. in strategic studies from the Army War College. His research interests included aircraft performance and polymer properties structure relationships.

“It’s difficult to express how much Dr. Weidenthal has meant to me and my family over our more than 50-year relationship,” Uitenham said. “His support, guidance, mentorship, kindness and encouragement made a profound difference in my life, and I am so grateful for all he has done.  This professorship is a tremendous gift that enables us to share and safeguard our legacies in a way that will continue to touch people’s lives.”

About the Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund

The Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund was established in 1985 by the North Carolina General Assembly to enable each constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System to receive and match challenge grants to create endowed chairs for selected distinguished professors. The program aims to strengthen the faculties and promote excellence across the university's 17 campuses. The funds can be used for a variety of purposes, including salary supplements, travel and research expenses, and stipends for teaching and research assistants. Distinguished professorships can be awarded to either current or newly hired faculty. As of November 2023, the DPETF will only match new distinguished professorships established in STEM disciplines.

About North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is the nation’s largest historically Black university, as well one of the top 25 “Most Innovative” universities in America (U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2024). North Carolina A&T is a land-grant, doctoral research university and a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System. A&T is widely recognized for its leadership in producing graduates in engineering, agriculture and other STEM fields. The university was established in 1891 and is located in Greensboro, North Carolina.