The TAMEST 2025 Annual Conference: Transformational Breakthroughs will take place February 4–6, 2025, at the Westin Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas. Learn more about our conference sessions and speakers by viewing the agenda below.
Tuesday, February 4 | 6:30–10:00 p.m.
Opening Reception
The opening reception will take place the evening of Tuesday, February 4, 2025, in the Harmony Ballroom at the Westin Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. Programming begins at 7:00 p.m.
- Welcome from TAMEST Board President Ganesh C. Thakur, Ph.D. (NAE), University of Houston
- Kay Bailey Hutchison Distinguished Service Award Presentation
- Hill Prizes Ceremony
- TAMEST Welcomes New Members
Wednesday, February 5 | 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Conference Programming
Harmony Ballroom, The Westin Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, 400 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving, Texas
(subject to change)
Wednesday Morning Sessions
8:00–9:00 a.m.
Conference Breakfast
9:00–9:05 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Ganesh C. Thakur, Ph.D. (NAE), TAMEST Board President
SCIENCE SESSION
Emcee: Walter E. Voit, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering; Director, Center for Engineering Innovation, The University of Texas at Dallas
9:05–9:35 a.m.
Speaker: Julia R. Greer, Ph.D., Ruben F. and Donna Mettler Professor of Materials Science, Mechanics and Medical Engineering; Fletcher Jones Foundation Director of the Kavli Nanoscience Institute, Caltech
9:35–10:05 a.m.
Speaker: Matthew McDowell, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Carter N. Paden, Jr. Distinguished Chair, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Tech
10:05–10:35 a.m.
Speaker: Richard G. Baraniuk, Ph.D. (NAE), C. Sidney Burrus Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University; Founding Director, OpenStax and SafeInsights
10:35–10:50 a.m.
Break
10:50–11:20 a.m.
2025 O’Donnell Award Presentation: Biological Sciences
11:20–11:45 a.m.
2025 O’Donnell Award Presentation: Physical Sciences
11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Mary Beth Maddox Award Ceremony and Recipient Presentation
Wednesday Afternoon Sessions
12:15–1:00 p.m.
Lunch
12:30–1:00 p.m.
Lunch Speaker: John L. Anderson, Ph.D. (NAE), President, National Academy of Engineering
1:00–1:30 p.m.
Special Programming: Featuring a performance by conference speaker and concert pianist Julia R. Greer, Ph.D.
TECHNOLOGY SESSION
Emcee: Nicholas Skytland, Chief Technologist; Director, Business Development & Technology Integration Office, NASA Johnson Space Center
1:30–2:00 p.m.
Speaker: A.C. Charania, Agency Chief Technologist, NASA
Interviewed by Nicholas Skytland, Chief Technologist, NASA Johnson Space Center
2:00–2:30 p.m.
Speaker: Jason P. Rolland, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Materials, Carbon, Inc.
2:30–3:00 p.m.
Speaker: Timothy P. Crain, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, Intuitive Machines
3:00–3:25 p.m.
2025 O’Donnell Award Presentation: Technology Innovation
3:30–4:30 p.m.
Break
3:30–4:30 p.m.
TAMEST Protégé Poster Challenge: Judges’ Viewing Only
4:30–6:30 p.m.
TAMEST Protégé Poster Challenge: Viewing and Cocktail Reception
6:30–10:00 p.m.
2025 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Ceremony and Dinner
Thursday, February 6 | 7:30 a.m.–1:45 p.m.
Conference Programming
Harmony Ballroom, The Westin Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, 400 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving, Texas
(subject to change)
Thursday Morning Sessions
MEDICINE SESSION
Emcee: Samuel Achilefu, Ph.D. (NAM), Professor and Lyda Hill Distinguished University Chair in Biomedical Engineering, UT Southwestern Medical Center
7:30–9:00 a.m.
Conference Breakfast
8:30–9:00 a.m.
Breakfast Speaker: Clive Svendsen, Ph.D., Executive Director, Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
9:00–9:30 a.m.
Speaker: Jun Wu, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center
9:30–10:00 a.m.
Speaker: Ryan Spitler, Ph.D., Program Manager, Health Science Futures, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
10:00–10:20 a.m.
Break
10:20–10:45 a.m.
2025 O’Donnell Award Presentation: Medicine
ENGINEERING SESSION
Emcee: Jane Stricker, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Houston Energy Transition Initiative, Greater Houston Partnership
10:45–11:15 a.m.
Speaker: Rita Baranwal, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Energy Systems, Westinghouse Electric Company
11:15–11:45 a.m.
Speaker: Leah Ellis, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Sublime Systems
11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Speakers:
Trevor Best, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Syzygy Plasmonics
Naomi Halas, Ph.D., D.Sc. (NAS, NAE), University Professor and Stanley C. Moore Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University
Thursday Afternoon Sessions
12:15–1:15 p.m.
Lunch
12:45–1:15 p.m.
Lunch Speakers: TAMEST Protégé Poster Challenge Finalist Presentations
1:15–1:40 p.m.
2025 O’Donnell Award Presentation: Engineering
1:40–1:45 p.m.
Closing Remarks and 2026 Conference Preview
Ganesh C. Thakur, Ph.D. (NAE), TAMEST Board President
Sponsors
