TAMEST Joins State Science Leaders for Inaugural NAAS Leadership Summit
TAMEST Executive Director Terrence Henry joined nearly 40 state science leaders representing 26 state academies in Chicago for the inaugural National Association of Academies of Science (NAAS) Leadership Summit. Held July 24–25, 2026, the two-day summit brought together executive leaders from state academies of science and research across the country to exchange operational strategies, address shared challenges and build stronger inter-academy partnerships.
The convening served as an intentional platform for academy leadership to focus on how state-level organizations can elevate scientific discovery, strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent pipelines and provide evidence-based insights to decision-makers.
“Each academy is fairly different from the others, but there’s a lot of shared purpose and best practices across all of them,” said Terrence Henry, Executive Director of TAMEST. “This was the first time this many state academies have convened together, and it was a really productive and inspiring gathering.”
The summit agenda centered on the shared experiences of state academies, with sessions on storytelling, fundraising, member engagement and how to conduct an annual meeting. Each academy also delivered a five-minute lightning talk on something new or interesting from its state.
Attendees also explored collaborative frameworks to expand the reach of state academy initiatives, from youth research mentorship through the American Junior Academy of Sciences to high-impact convenings that bridge academia, industry and public policy.
“State academies of science are uniquely positioned to bridge local scientific enterprise with national policy and innovation,” said Donna Gerardi, President of the National Association of Academies of Science. “Convening the state academies this summer underscored the diversity and the collective impact of our member organizations. By beginning to get to know each other and aligning our priorities, we’re building a durable national network that empowers state leaders to address their communities’ greatest challenges. It was a productive first summit, and we look forward to organizing more in the future.”
On the second day, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine joined the summit for a workshop on existing initiatives that engage policymakers and provide them with evidence-based scientific guidance. The workshop highlighted the National Academies’ extensive library of research and resources available to support science-informed decision-making at the state level.
The summit also highlighted the distinct role TAMEST plays within the national landscape. Mr. Henry reflected on the strategic vision of TAMEST’s founders, who established an interdisciplinary model centered on Texas-based members of the National Academies — an approach distinct from academies with open-enrollment formats or single-discipline focuses. Mr. Henry noted the summit was an opportunity to appreciate the sustained investment built in Texas.
“We have a full-time staff, while many other states are relying entirely on volunteers to staff their organizations,” said Mr. Henry. “Our core membership of National Academy members with a cross-disciplinary focus differentiates TAMEST from most other state academies. And we have such a strong financial foundation, through our endowment and other forms of support, including contributions from our member institutions.”
Connecting with peer academies also provided opportunities for exchange. TAMEST has built a strong partnership with the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine (VASEM), which was patterned after TAMEST, and the two executive directors meet regularly to share resources and information, including during Virginia’s strategic planning process.
“VASEM is in a lot of ways TAMEST’s younger sibling,” said Mr. Henry. “They’ve done very impressive work with their policy fellowship program. TAMEST doesn’t do much in the way of direct service or engagement with our state government, and that’s something where we can learn from other states as we think about what might work well in Texas.”
With national attention and funding increasingly shifting to state-level research, Mr. Henry noted that the momentum behind state academies is well-timed. He welcomed plans by NAAS to establish the leadership summit as an annual event.
“The biggest thing I walked away from this convening with was gratitude and appreciation for what TAMEST is and what it does, thanks to the many champions who have put it in such a strong position,” said Mr. Henry. “There are also initiatives and programs in other states that TAMEST can look to and learn from as we seek to reach more of our potential.”
The summit marked a significant step in formalizing stronger networks among NAAS member organizations, establishing a foundation for ongoing dialogue, shared institutional knowledge and collective advocacy for regional scientific enterprise.
Learn more about the National Association of Academies of Science.
