Who We Are - TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering & Science of Texas)

About TAMEST

TAMEST was co-founded in 2004 by the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison and Nobel Laureates Michael S. Brown, M.D., and Richard E. Smalley, Ph.D. With more than 300 members and 18 member institutions, TAMEST is composed of the Texas-based members of the three National Academies (National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences), the Royal Society and the state’s 11 Nobel Laureates. We bring together the state’s brightest minds in medicine, engineering, science and technology to foster collaboration, and to advance research, innovation and business in Texas.

TAMEST’s unique interdisciplinary model has become an effective recruitment tool for top research and development centers across Texas. Since our founding, more than 250 TAMEST members have been inducted into the National Academies or relocated to Texas.

TAMEST Board Past President Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH (NAM), speaking at the TAMEST 2020 Annual Conference: Innovating Texas—Research to Commercialization.

TAMEST Board of Directors

David E. Daniel, Ph.D., President

President Emeritus
The University of Texas at Dallas
NAE Member

Brendan Lee, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President

Robert and Janice McNair Endowed Chair in Molecular and Human Genetics
Professor and Chairman of the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
Baylor College of Medicine
NAM Member

Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, Past President

Chair and Professor, Department of Population Health Sciences
Director, Institute for Health Promotion Research
Associate Director, Mays Cancer Center Community Outreach and Engagement
Dielmann Chair in Health Disparities Research & Community Outreach
Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Endowed Chair in Cancer Health Care Disparities
Institute for Health Promotion Research
UT Health San Antonio
NAM Member

Ganesh C. Thakur, Ph.D., Treasurer

Distinguished Professor of Petroleum Engineering
Director of UH Energy Industrial Partnerships
President, Thakur Services, Inc.
University of Houston
NAE Member

Cheryl Lyn Walker, Ph.D., Treasurer-Elect

Director, Center for Precision Environmental Health
Professor, Departments of Molecular & Cell Biology and Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
NAM Member

Helen Piwnica-Worms, Ph.D., Secretary

Professor, Department of Experimental Oncology
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
NAM Member

Richard W. Aldrich, Ph.D.

Karl Folkers Chair in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research II
The University of Texas at Austin
NAS Member

Pallab K. Chatterjee, Ph.D.

Chairman
3Lines Venture Capital
NAE Member

Chau-Chyun Chen, Sc.D.

Jack Maddox Distinguished Engineering Chair in Sustainable Energy
Texas Tech University
NAE Member

Richard A. Dixon, D.Phil.

Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
University of North Texas
NAS, FRS Member

Lora Hooper, Ph.D.

Chair in Immunology and Investigator, HHMI
UT Southwestern
NAS Member

Sara N. Ortwein

Former President, XTO Energy
ExxonMobil (retired)
NAE Member

Roderic Pettigrew, M.D., Ph.D.

CEO, EnHealth, Texas A&M Health and Texas A&M University College of Engineering
Robert A. Welch Professor and Executive Dean for EnMed, Colleges of Medicine, Engineering, Texas A&M University and Houston Methodist Hospital
NAM, NAE Member

Peter J. Rossky, Ph.D.

Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Chair Professor of Chemistry
Rice University
NAS Member

Marlan O. Scully, Ph.D.

Burgess Distinguished Professor, TEES Distinguished Research Professor
Director, Institute for Quantum Studies
Texas A&M University
NAS Member

Honorary Chair

The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison

United States Senator, 1993-2013

Founding Co-chair

Michael S. Brown, M.D.

UT Southwestern Medical Center
Nobel Laureate, 1985
NAM, NAS Member

Founding Co-chair – In Memorium

Richard E. Smalley, Ph.D.

Rice University
Nobel Laureate, 1996
NAS Member

TAMEST Member Institutions

As Texas continues to attract more and more top-tier scientists and researchers, the number of TAMEST member institutions also continues to grow. TAMEST member institutions are Texas universities where TAMEST members hold positions on the faculty or in the administration.

Annual dues from these member institutions is a crucial resource for TAMEST’s mission. TAMEST recognizes the following institutions for their generous support:

Baylor College of Medicine
Houston Methodist Research Institute
Rice University
Southern Methodist University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University Health Science Center
Texas Tech University
The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at San Antonio
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
University of Houston
University of North Texas
UT Health San Antonio
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Presidents and Chancellors

Member institutions are Texas universities where TAMEST Members hold positions on the faculty or administration. The presidents and chancellors of these institutions who are not National Academies members are affiliate members of TAMEST.

Richard C. Benson, Ph.D.

President

The University of Texas at Dallas

Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, M.D.

President

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)

Taylor Eighmy, Ph.D.

President

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Jay C. Hartzell, Ph.D.

President
The University of Texas at Austin

William L. Henrich, M.D., M.A.C.P.

President

UT Health San Antonio

Renu Khator, Ph.D.

Chancellor

University of Houston System

President

University of Houston

Paul Klotman, M.D.

President and CEO

Baylor College of Medicine

David W. Leebron

President

Rice University

James B. Milliken

Chancellor

The University of Texas System

Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D.

Chancellor
Texas Tech University System

Bert W. O’Malley, M.D. (NAM, NAS)

Chancellor

Baylor College of Medicine

Peter WT Pisters, M.D.

President

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D. (NAM)

President

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Lesa B. Roe

Chancellor

University of North Texas System

Lawrence Schovanec, Ph.D.

President

Texas Tech University

John Sharp

Chancellor

Texas A&M University System

Neal J. Smatresk, Ph.D.

President

University of North Texas

R. Gerald Turner, Ph.D.

President

Southern Methodist University

Industry and Community Affiliates (ICA) Committee

The ICA Committee is composed of industry and community leaders across the state that advise TAMEST on issues of importance to the state’s industrial sector.