Kenneth W. Gow, MD, MHA, FACS, FAAP, Chief of the Department of Surgery's Division of Pediatric Surgery, was among eleven Stony Brook faculty members that were formally installed at an investiture ceremony held at the Charles B. Wang Center Theater on October 25, 2024. Dr. Gow was honored with the Knapp Swezey Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be named the Knapp Swezey Endowed Chair of Pediatric Surgery," said Dr. Gow. "This role is not only a tremendous gift but also a profound responsibility, one that I hope to earn through my dedication to our patients, their families and our community. My commitment is to use this opportunity to advance the care we provide to children across the region, ensuring that every child has access to the highest level of surgical expertise, compassion and support, right here close to home."
An endowment is one of the highest career honors for a faculty member, and is also a tribute to the benefactors who establish them. The Knapp Swezey Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery is among the many endowed positions the Knapp family has created over the past few decades. In addition, other medicine-related programs they have supported include the Renaissance School of Medicine and the Stony Brook Children’s Hospital (including the pediatric emergency department expansion), plus their involvement with the Stony Brook Foundation Board, the Stony Brook Medicine Advisory Board and the Stony Brook Children’s Hospital Advancement Council.
"Through this endowment, I look forward to expanding our outreach, strengthening our research initiatives and fostering innovation in pediatric surgery so we can improve outcomes for each child who needs our care," said Dr. Gow.
Members of the Knapp Swezey Foundation were in attendance at the event, including William Knapp ('78), Michele and Dave Knapp, Danielle Knapp-SanGiovanni ('20) and Allison Knapp. Each of the philanthropists were presented with a medal as recognition for their dedication and continued support of Stony Brook.
Commenting on his plans for this honor, Dr. Gow said, "Through this endowment, I look forward to expanding our outreach, strengthening our research initiatives and fostering innovation in pediatric surgery so we can improve outcomes for each child who needs our care. This is a collaborative journey, and I am grateful to be surrounded by such a dedicated team and supportive community. Together, we will honor the legacy of the Knapp Swezey Endowment and work tirelessly to bring hope and healing to the children and families who place their trust in us. Thank you for this incredible honor and for the privilege to serve in this way.”
Each of the invested faculty members at the ceremony was presented with a medallion by their school's dean. In addition to Dr. Gow, the following faculty members were invested:
- Ivet Bahar, PhD - Louis and Beatrice Laufer Endowed Director and Chair in Physical and Quantitative Biology
- Michael Bender, PhD - John L. Hennessy Endowed Professor in Computer Science
- Lina Carlini, PhD - Laufer Family Endowed Professor of Physical and Quantitative Biology
- Manisha Desai, PhD - Empowerment Charitable Trust (ECT) Endowed Professor in Global Citizenship
- Ken A. Dill, PhD - Laufer Family Endowed Chair of Physical and Quantitative Biology
- Stephanie Dinkins, MFA - Yayoi Kusama Endowed Professor of Art
- Petar Djuric, PhD - Savitri Devi Bangaru Term Professor in Artificial Intelligence
- Christopher J. Gobler, PhD - Endowed Chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation
- Carlos Simmerling, PhD - Marsha Laufer Endowed Professor of Physical and Quantitative Biology
- Sthaneshwar Timalsina, PhD - Nirmal K. and Augustina Mattoo Endowed Chair in Classical Indic Humanities
To watch a video of Dr. Gow's investiture, please visit this YouTube page.