The Dell Medical School established a faculty chair to honor Austin physician Dr. Robert Askew, who graduated from UT and completed his residency at UT Medical Branch-Galveston in 1959.

The Shivers Cancer Foundation contributed $1 million to establish the Askew Chair in Oncology. The foundation commemorated the donation Friday, after Askew passed away in July. The gift represents one of the largest contributions associated with the foundation.

According to Clay Johnston, dean of the Dell Medical School, the chair will help the school maintain qualitative standards in treating patients and training doctors.  

“The gift will help ensure that the Dell Medical School has a top-flight physician providing cancer care to Travis County residents and training the next generation of doctors,” Johnston said in a statement.

Johnston also said the chair will be in charge of recruiting top faculty members to help maintain a high standard for the school.

“The Askew Chair in Oncology will also be a model for how we recruit and retain the best faculty members and shape the Dell Medical School into a world-class institution,” Johnston said.

This is the second chair to be established within the school — the first being the Chair for the Department of Medical Education, which Susan Cox currently holds.