TAMEST Member News Roundup – May 2026

TAMEST In The News

Houston Public Media: NASA Astronaut Among 2026 Texas Aviation Hall of Fame Inductees, TAMEST Member Bonnie J. Dunbar, Ph.D. (NAE), Texas A&M University

Oxy: Occidental Announces CEO Succession, TAMEST Member Vicki A. Hollub (NAE), Occidental Petroleum Corporation

SciTechDaily: How Quantum Mechanics Went from Baffling Theory to Revolutionizing Modern Technology, TAMEST Member Marlan O. Scully, Ph.D. (NAS), Texas A&M University

Bioengineer: Discovering a Spectrum of Quantum Phases in Semiconductor Moiré Superlattices, TAMEST Member Allan H. MacDonald, Ph.D. (NAS), The University of Texas at Austin

TIME: TIME100 Philanthropy 2026: Lyda Hill, Science as a Solution, 2025 Kay Bailey Hutchison Distinguished Service Award Recipient Lyda Hill and Lyda Hill Philanthropies

SciTechDaily: Researchers Discover Boosting a Single Protein Helps the Brain Fight Alzheimer’s, 2024 O’Donnell Award in Medicine Recipient Benjamin Deneen, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine

San Antonio Report: Space Force-Funded Refueling Satellite Takes Shape Inside San Antonio Research Facility, Southwest Research Institute

Texas Monthly: Texas Biomedical Research Institute Celebrates 85 Years of Bold Discovery, Texas Biomedical Research Institute President and CEO Larry S. Schlesinger, M.D.

Member Briefs

TAMEST mourns the loss of beloved TAMEST Member Richard A. Tapia, Ph.D. (NAE), Rice University. He was a pioneering mathematician and an early board member of TAMEST. Dr. Tapia’s leadership in research, diversity and mentorship strengthened Texas science and engineering. His work earned him international recognition in computational mathematics and established him as a national leader in expanding opportunities for underrepresented minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). His influence will continue to shape computational mathematics and broaden participation in STEM for decades to come. Dr. Tapia’s vision, generosity and unwavering commitment leave an enduring legacy on Texas research, on TAMEST and on the many lives he touched. Read More

Luis Rafael Herrera-Estrella, Ph.D., Elected as Fellow of the Royal Society

Over 90 outstanding researchers from across the world have this year been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS), the UK’s National Academy of Sciences. This year’s cohort includes pioneers and leaders across a range of scientific fields, from astronomy and cancer research to mathematics and biotechnology. Among the newly elected Fellows is TAMEST Member Luis Rafael Herrera-Estrella, Ph.D. (NAS, FRS), Texas Tech University. Dr. Herrera-Estrella is one of the foremost plant molecular biologists in the world and is a pioneer in the development of plant genetic engineering. Read More

UT Southwestern Molecular Biologist Kim Orth, Ph.D., Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

TAMEST Board Secretary Kim Orth, Ph.D. (NAS), UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the most prestigious honorary societies in the world. Dr. Orth is internationally known for advancing the understanding of basic biochemical mechanisms underlying many bacterial infections. Her research, conducted over 25 years at UT Southwestern, has identified new ways that invading bacteria hijack and deregulate a cell’s signaling systems. Read More

Jennifer Wargo, M.D., Elected Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research Academy

TAMEST Member Jennifer Wargo, M.D. (NAM), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been elected to the 2026 class of Fellows of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy in recognition of her pioneering work to define interactions between the microbiome, cancer biology and treatment response. Dr. Wargo, who joined UT MD Anderson in 2013, has devoted her career to uncovering mechanisms responsible for regulating response or resistance to cancer treatments, including targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Read More

Addressing Infant Mortality and Maternal Health Disparities in Rural Areas: A Webinar Series

The National Academies recently hosted a public webinar featuring TAMEST Member Catherine Y. Spong, M.D. (NAM), UT Southwestern Medical Center, that explored strategies for improving maternal and infant health in rural areas of the United States. Four hundred attendees learned about evidence-informed solutions for diagnosis and care spanning the period before pregnancy, throughout prenatal and perinatal care, and during the postpartum and early infancy stages, with attention to system capacity, access to services, policy approaches and the community conditions that influence health outcomes in rural settings. Read More

National Academy of Engineering Members Appointed to President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

TAMEST Member Lisa T. Su, Ph.D. (NAE), AMD, is among the National Academy of Engineering members appointed by President Trump to his President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). PCAST brings together the country’s foremost luminaries in science and technology to advise the president and provide recommendations on strengthening American leadership in science and technology. Read More

Texas A&M University Opens World’s Largest Academic Controlled-Explosions Lab

Texas A&M University has officially opened the world’s largest academic-controlled explosions lab, the Detonation Research Test Facility. At the facility, researchers, including TAMEST Members Elaine Oran, Ph.D. (NAE, FREng) and Rodney D.W. Bowersox, Ph.D. (NAE), and 2022 O’Donnell Award in Engineering Recipient Jodie L. Lutkenhaus, Ph.D., will turn raw energy into physical breakthroughs that could reshape industrial safety, enable hypersonic flights, advance materials and deepen our understanding of the universe itself. Read More

Francisco G. Cigarroa Named International Citizen of the Year

TAMEST Member Francisco Gonzalez Cigarroa, M.D. (NAM), The University of Texas at San Antonio, has been named the 2026 International Citizen of the Year by the World Affairs Council of San Antonio. The recognition is presented to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to cultivating international understanding and engagement. Read More

Recognized Energy Storage Leader Joins Jonsson School at UT Dallas

TAMEST Member Babu R. Chalamala, Ph.D. (NAE), The University of Texas at Dallas, a leading figure in grid energy storage research, has joined the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at UT Dallas as a professor of materials science and engineering and of electrical and computer engineering. With more than three decades of experience spanning fundamental research, industry leadership and energy policy, he is positioned to help define UT Dallas as a national leader in battery storage and the future electric grid. Read More

Celebration of Research: Five UT Austin Faculty Members Honored for Transformative Contributions

TAMEST Member Brian A. Korgel, Ph.D. (NAE), The University of Texas at Austin, was recognized with the Career Award at UT Austin’s annual Celebration of Research. The event, hosted by President Jim Davis, recognized recipients of two prestigious awards: the President’s Research Impact Award, honoring researchers whose work has fundamentally changed lives and perspectives, and the University Research Excellence Awards, celebrating career-long accomplishments, creative research endeavors and groundbreaking research papers. Read More

Putting the SPARC in Genomic Research

UT Southwestern Medical Center is building one of the largest biobanks in the country, with a goal of redefining how genetics research informs clinical care. The Sequencing Populations to Accelerate Research and Care (SPARC) program will aim to help unlock the future of medical research by uniting genomic sequencing with real-world clinical data. SPARC will be under the leadership of TAMEST Member Ralph DeBerardinis, M.D., Ph.D. (NAM, NAS) and Alexandre Bolze, Ph.D., and hopes to accelerate the translation of research findings into clinical application on an unprecedented scale. Read More

The Making of Texas A&M University’s Hagler Institute for Advanced Study

Providing a catalyst for high-quality, innovative research across the multiple disciplines represented at Texas A&M University, the Hagler Institute for Advanced Study enhances the intellectual climate of Texas A&M in multiple ways. Now out, a book entitled, Advancing Excellence: The Making of Texas A&M University’s Hagler Institute for Advanced Study, details its creation and success. By affording faculty and students the perspectives of Nobel Laureates and winners of various awards from the National Academies, the Hagler Institute continues to reflect the vision of its founding director, TAMEST Member John L. Junkins, Ph.D. (NAE), Texas A&M University, enhancing the academic reputation and innovative leadership of the university. Read More

TAMEST Executive Director Visits Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to Strengthen Research Collaboration

Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center welcomed TAMEST Executive Director Terrence Henry on May 6 for a campus visit aimed at strengthening partnerships and expanding research engagement opportunities across Texas. TTUHSC Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation, Lance R. McMahon, Ph.D., said as one of TAMEST’s 23 member institutions, TTUHSC was pleased to welcome Henry to campus. “This visit provides an important opportunity to align with TAMEST’s mission to increase representation of Texas faculty in the National Academies,” Dr. McMahon said. “Direct engagement with our research leadership and faculty offers a firsthand look at innovation and expertise across West Texas. It also strengthens dialogue, increases visibility and creates opportunities to build lasting partnerships that advance shared goals in research, innovation and workforce development. These efforts are critical to expanding research capacity across our region.” Read More