News from the Board of Governors: April 2026

Brooke Maslo , an associate professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, has been named the inaugural holder of the Joanna Burger Endowed Legacy Professorship .

Maslo's appointment is supported by a gift from Joanna Burger , a Distinguished Professor with appointments in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the School of Arts and Sciences, and Michael Gochfeld , professor emeritus in the Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, to establish the professorship in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

"I am beyond honored to be selected as the Inaugural Burger Endowed Legacy Professor," Maslo said. "Dr. Burger was instrumental in shaping my academic career trajectory so many years ago, and through this endeavor, she is continuing to promote both wildlife conservation and women in science. I am truly grateful for her mentorship, as well as Dr. Gochfeld's generosity in supporting this professorship."

In this role, Maslo will continue her research on the complex interactions between environmental change and species' evolutionary, behavioral and physiological characteristics. As an applied ecologist, her work spans coastal ecosystem responses to sea-level rise, wildlife management in the face of emerging infectious diseases and restoration of ecosystem function in vulnerable habitats.

This is the first legacy professorship established within the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences . Legacy professorships, approved by the Rutgers Board of Governors in 2020, enable current, emeritus and retired faculty and their families to create endowed positions that honor their legacy.

Read full release.

-Megan Schumann