TAMEST Announces Inaugural Mary Beth Maddox Award and Lectureship in Honor of Former Executive Director
TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) is excited to announce that nominations are now open for its newly created Mary Beth Maddox Award and Lectureship.
The new award and lectureship recognizes women scientists in Texas bringing new ideas and innovations to the fight against cancer. It was named in memory and honor of former TAMEST Executive Director Mary Beth Maddox, who passed away in 2018 after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer.
“I can’t think of a better way to honor the memory of Mary Beth Maddox, one of the strongest women I had the pleasure of knowing, than with this award empowering women fighting cancer through research,” said TAMEST Board Past President and Honorary Chair of the Mary Beth Maddox Award and Lectureship Committee Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H. (NAM), UT Health San Antonio. “Mary Beth was an extremely positive person who followed her passion for promoting women in research, even as she bravely fought her battle with cancer. I can’t wait to see the reach this award will have in highlighting women and their transformative research in the state of Texas and hopefully someday eliminating cancer.”
In January, the inaugural recipient will be recognized at the TAMEST 2022 Annual Conference: Forward Texas—Imperatives for Health. They will present their research to attendees and receive a $5,000 honorarium and award. The 2022 Annual Conference will be held June 20-22, 2022 at The Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio, Texas.
“Mary Beth was a highly effective and engaging leader and she never let her own battles with cancer stand in her way from promoting research in Texas and highlighting female researchers transforming our state,” former TAMEST Board President and Founding Chair of the Mary Beth Maddox Award and Lectureship Committee Gordon R. England, Dyno-Tech (NAE) said. “Her passing left a void in all of us, and I am so pleased to see TAMEST utilizing the Mary Beth Maddox Excellence Fund to highlight innovative cancer research and showcase the women in Texas making it happen. Our state is better because of Mary Beth, and it seems fitting that her memory will continue to touch and help others by encouraging and recognizing women in research.”
The award recipient must have spent the past two years performing primarily cancer-based research in Texas and be within ten years of their first faculty appointment or 15 years from their first full-time industry-affiliated position. TAMEST members are not eligible for nomination.
In addition to being recognized at the 2022 Annual Conference, the recipient will promote their work and discoveries across the state through a series of three lectureships at TAMEST member institutions. The award covers travel and lodging for the lectures.
“The progress being made in cancer research every day is amazing,” said TAMEST Member and Awards Committee Member Ellen R. Gritz, Ph.D. (NAM), Professor Emerita, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “TAMEST is committed to showcasing strong cancer research in Texas and recognizing women’s significant contributions to the field.”
Award nominators may be TAMEST members, university presidents, chancellors, deans, provosts, vice presidents for research, and past Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards recipients. Multiple nominations from a single institution or organization will be eligible.
Read our Mary Beth Maddox Award and Lectureship Nomination Guide for the full nomination process and award eligibility.
Nominate a woman changing the face of cancer research today. The nomination deadline is October 25, 2021.
