Texas was born out of a drive for adventure and a desire for independence which compelled our forebears to make the last stand at the Alamo, drill for oil at Spindletop and continues to lead our modern-day push for scientific discovery. Our Texas ancestors valued education, even setting aside state land to endow both secondary and higher education for future generations.
This commitment, along with the support for research and technology, has produced an environment that attracts some of the greatest scientists in the world. Two decades ago Dr. Julio C. Palmaz, of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, created a stent, the first to be approved by the FDA to treat diseased blood vessels. Dr. Michael DeBakey, at Baylor Medical School, invented an artificial heart pump for transplant patients. Drs. Robert Curl and Richard Smalley, at Rice University, uncovered new forms of the element carbon, called fullerenes, for which they jointly received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1996, and became the fathers of nanotechnology.
Knowing the immense depth and breadth of our state’s scientific talent and the immeasurable benefits of such expertise, I have made it one of my top priorities in the United States Senate to elevate the profile of Texas research institutions, and increase federal research and development dollars to our schools. In 1997, I discovered we were sixth in the receipt of these funds, behind Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York and California. Since then we have moved up to fifth place and increased funding from Texas’ participation in federal research projects to over $1.26 billion, through hard work, greater attention to research opportunities, and the convening of annual higher education summits in Washington D.C.
The summits have focused on bringing Texas schools to the table with government agencies that do the most research, NASA, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Science Foundation, to match federal needs with Texas expertise. At the summits we’ve encouraged schools to create centers of excellence based on their capabilities and combine their efforts to go after bigger projects. When more research is conducted on our campuses, students gain access to more sophisticated educational tools and world-class training. And each dollar spent in this endeavor is a boon to our economy. In fact, research has a $4.4 billion impact on our state’s economy and for every $1 invested, Texas gets a $5 return. Our efforts thus far have paid off handsomely.
Earlier this year the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) was awarded one of two National Biocontainment Laboratories, which will discover ways to protect our nation from
the threat of biological terrorism. UTMB will receive $110 million in grants from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases to establish the lab. In addition to this growing expertise in biodefense, Texas is already an internationally recognized powerhouse in nanotechnology, a science measured in billionths of a meter. The Strategic Partnership of Research in Nanotechnology, or S.P.R.I.N.G., is a consortium of schools including Rice University, UT Austin, UT Dallas and UT Arlington, among others, that have joined forces to explore this promising field to form stronger, lighter, and more efficient materials that will revolutionize healthcare, transportation and defense.
Now we are taking the next step in elevating Texas’ profile as a science state. This January, at the suggestion of several academic research leaders, I launched the Texas Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine. The Academy commenced with a conference in San Antonio, featuring our Nobel Laureates and members of the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine. Two of our state’s Nobel Laureates, Drs. Michael Brown and Rick Smalley, are co-chairs of the scientific advisory committee.
The Academy will bring greater recognition to the stellar researchers working at our institutions and provide them a forum to discuss their research, exchange ideas, identify potential areas of collaboration, and foster the future generation of scientists. Industry leaders will also be an important component to this effort reminding them of the rich resources they can utilize in their own endeavors. Our industry advisory committee, led by Ernest Cockrell, Chairman of Cockrell Interests; Thomas Engibous, Chairman, President and CEO of Texas Instruments; and Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO of Dell Inc. will help ensure an open dialogue between Texas academia and industry.
By creating the Academy and bringing local and national recognition to our members, we hope to attract and retain researchers, increase the federal resources coming into Texas, and shine a spotlight on the cutting-edge discoveries that are made daily on campuses across the Lone Star State. It is my hope this Academy will help place Texas in the top tier of scientific preeminence and further enhance the depth and quality of life in our great state.