A generous $8.3 million gift from the Herbert and Florence Irving Foundation will establish two new professorships at Barnard, advancing the College’s commitment to scientific discovery and excellence in both research and teaching. The gift will create the inaugural Herbert and Florence Irving Professorship of Computer Science and the Herbert and Florence Irving Professorship of Biology and Biophysics.
“This generous gift from the Herbert and Florence Irving Foundation creates permanent opportunities for cutting-edge cancer research at the intersection of computer science, chemistry, and biology," said President Laura Ann Rosenbury. “As we continue to expand Barnard’s full-time faculty, we look forward to welcoming our first Herbert and Florence Irving Professors, who will lead in their disciplines and mentor the next generation of women in science.”
During the 2026-2027 academic year, Barnard will search for both positions, one focused on computational approaches in cancer research and the other on approaches at the intersection of chemistry and biology in cancer research. The new professorships further strengthen Barnard’s dedication to advancing interdisciplinary research and scholarship, and fortify the sciences as an important component of a liberal arts education in which students further develop experientially their analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
“Barnard students have been conducting research with Columbia faculty at the Irving Cancer Centers for many years,” explained Provost and Dean of the Faculty Rebecca L. Walkowitz. “The new Irving Professorships will mean that Barnard students interested in cancer research can now work with Barnard faculty, who will be affiliated with the Irving Centers and can serve as ongoing mentors in cancer-related research fields across the science disciplines.”
Photo courtesy: Columbia University, Credit: Charles E. Manley.
Herbert Irving was a co-founder of Sysco Corporation, while Florence, his wife, served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Irvings were ardent supporters of Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian, and have given nearly $1 billion to the research and advancement of clinical programs for cancer treatment. In September 2016, Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian named the medical center in honor of the couple: Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Herbert passed away on October 3, 2016. Florence passed away on July 25, 2018.
“I am delighted that two new professorships for faculty engaged in cancer research will be named in recognition of my mother, Florence Irving. My parents were partners in all their philanthropic endeavors, with a decades-long commitment to clinical care and research at Columbia University’s medical center,” said Ron Irving. “Many of the center’s faculty and staff would become their closest friends, deeply enriching their lives. Given Mom’s keen interest in the development of the next generation of women leaders in medicine, this honor is especially appropriate.”
The Herbert and Florence Irving Professorship of Computer Science will hold an appointment in the Department of Computer Science. The Herbert and Florence Irving Professorship of Biology and Biophysics, bringing together research across several disciplines with a focus on chemical biology, will hold an appointment in the Department of Chemistry. The positions may be held by a faculty member at the assistant, associate, or full professor rank whose scholarly credentials qualify them for membership in the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center or the Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics.
“These endowed faculty positions will build on Barnard’s strengths in computer science and in the molecular biosciences by adding new areas of expertise among our science faculty and invigorating new areas of collaboration across the science departments,” said Dean of Science Dina C. Merrer. “We are excited by the expanded curricular and research opportunities for Barnard students that these direct connections to the Irving Cancer Centers will bring.”
The Irving Professorships reflect Barnard’s continuing investment in scientific discovery, research, and student engagement. Recruiting these scholars to campus will expand opportunities for students to participate in groundbreaking research and develop women leaders in STEM while strengthening Barnard’s role as a beacon for future innovators.