The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents recently designated 12 faculty members and eight agency service, extension or research professionals within the A&M System as Regents Professors and Regents Fellows for 2014-2015. This year, Prairie View A&M University professor, Dr. Premkumar B. Saganti was selected as a Regents Professor.
“These awards recognize and honor the exemplary accomplishments and contributions of our faculty, extension or research professionals,” said Cliff Thomas, Chairman of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. “This year’s recipients include experts in engineering, sociology, marine science, forage management and just about everything in between. Though they vary in focus and location, all of them are vital members of the A&M System family.”
“These individuals exemplify the commitment to excellence in research and service that sets A&M System employees apart,” said John Sharp, Chancellor of the Texas A&M System. “Our System is made up of outstanding people who do incredible work on behalf of the people and the state of Texas. I am grateful to all of them every day, and particularly to this group that really represents the best of the best.”
The Board established the Regents Professor Awards program in 1996 and the Regents Fellow Service Awards program in 1998 to recognize employees who have made exemplary contributions to their university or agency and to the people of Texas.
This year’s recipients of the Regents Professor Award are: Dr. Nancy M. Amato, Texas A&M University, Dwight Look College of Engineering; Dr. Katrin Hinrichs, Texas A&M University; Dr. Douglas J. Klein, Texas A&M University at Galveston; Dr. Rafael Lara-Alecio, Texas A&M University; Dr. Paul A. Montagna, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; Dr. Srinivas Nippani, Texas A&M University-Commerce; Dr. Lynne A. Opperman, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Dr. William J. Rogers, West Texas A&M University; Dr. William L. Rooney, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M AgriLife; Dr. Premkumar B. Saganti, Prairie View A&M University; Dr. James E. Samuel, Texas A&M Health Science Center; and Dr. Leslie Stanley-Stevens, Tarleton State University.
Recipients of the Regents Fellow Service Award are: Kelly B. Dixon, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service; Carol A. Huff, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station; Thomas H. Marek, Texas A&M AgriLife Research; William E. Oates, Texas A&M Forest Service; Dr. J.D. Ragland, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service; Dr. Larry A. Redmon, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service; Dr. Raghavan Srinivasan, Texas A&M AgriLife Research; and Dr. Katherine F. Turnbull, Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
The selection process for the awards begins with a call for nominations from the chancellor, after which an internal selection committee is formed within each institution or agency. Final nominations are put forth to the chief executive officer of each respective entity. They are then subject to a System-level review consisting of academic vice chancellors and past recipients of the awards. Finally, nominations are forwarded to the chancellor and the board for final approval.
To date, 201 A&M system faculty members have been recognized with the Regents Professor Award and 118 agency professionals have received the Regents Fellow Service Award.