Registration Now Open for the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Summit
Registration is now open for the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Summit: Celebrating 20 Years of Impact and Innovation, taking place Thursday, September 10, 2026, in Austin, Texas.
This milestone one-day summit will highlight the remarkable achievements and discoveries of past O’Donnell Awards recipients and celebrate the awards significant and lasting influence on the Texas research community. It will be held at the Crum Auditorium in Robert B. Rowling Hall at The University of Texas at Austin.
“For 20 years, the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards have not only honored individual brilliance from up-and-coming research talent in Texas but have also fundamentally strengthened the culture of discovery across our state,” said TAMEST Board President Ganesh Thakur, Ph.D. (NAE), University of Houston. “This summit isn’t just a retrospective of our rich history; it is an active engine for the collaborations that will define the next generation of Texas scientists and researchers.”
Since its inception 20 years ago, the O’Donnell Awards have served as a vital launchpad for Texas-based rising stars across medicine, engineering, biological sciences, physical sciences and technology innovation. Since 2006, 19 past recipients have been elected to a National Academy and seven have been elected to more than one.
Among those reflecting on the legacy of the awards is 2007 O’Donnell Award in Biological Sciences recipient, Zhijian “James” Chen, Ph.D. (NAM, NAS, FRS) of UT Southwestern Medical Center, who is one of the seven past recipients elected to more than one academy since receiving the award. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2014, the National Academy of Medicine in 2022 and the Royal Society in 2025. He has also gone on to receive a Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences in 2019 and the Lasker Award in Basic Medical Research in 2024.
“The O’Donnell Awards have played a key role in spotlighting exceptional research across Texas,” said Dr. Chen. “They give visibility and recognition to scientists and engineers whose work is shaping the future of their fields and solving real-world problems. I was incredibly honored and grateful to receive my award in 2007, which served as a strong endorsement for our research and encouraged me to continue my career trajectory. The awards truly inspire younger researchers by showing them that transformative discoveries are happening right here in Texas.”
The awards have built a lasting legacy of excellence, providing vital visibility that propels Texas researchers to the highest levels of global recognition. In addition to Dr. Chen, the 20th anniversary summit will feature an elite group of past recipients sharing their journeys and advances in their work.
Given the historic nature of this 20th anniversary celebration, seats are expected to fill quickly. TAMEST members, institutional partners and interested research professionals are strongly encouraged to register as soon as possible to secure a spot. Past O’Donnell Awards Recipients and their nominators will receive complimentary registration.
Summit at a Glance
Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026
Location: Crum Auditorium, Robert B. Rowling Hall (The University of Texas at Austin), 300 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin, Texas 78701
Audience: TAMEST members, past O’Donnell Awards Recipients and Nominators, researchers, academic and medical center leadership and faculty, industry leaders, postdoctoral scholars and more.
A welcome reception and dinner will take place on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, the evening preceding the summit, at Franklin Barbecue Backyard. Dinner registration is available as a $25 add-on at registration.
Learn more: https://tamest.org/odonnell-awards-summit/
