Hagler Institute Announces Largest Class Of Fellows

The Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University announced its largest class of Hagler Fellows during a reception Monday at the Memorial Student Center.

The 2024-25 class includes 20 internationally renowned scholars — 19 Hagler Fellows and one Distinguished Lecturer — making it the largest class in the institute’s 14-year history.

“These scholars are at the forefront of their disciplines and will make a profound impact at Texas A&M,” said John L. Junkins, founding director of the Hagler Institute. “Their contributions will drive innovation, mentorship and academic collaboration, elevating our university’s research environment and enhancing the student experience.”

All Hagler Fellows are recognized for outstanding achievements in their fields. Each is a member of the National Academies or equivalent organizations. The fellows will work closely with Texas A&M faculty and students during their appointments, which generally last up to one year.

Since its inception, the Hagler Institute has invited 146 world-class researchers to the Texas A&M campus: 135 Hagler Fellows and 11 Distinguished Lecturers. Of these, 16 have joined Texas A&M’s permanent faculty.

The institute will induct its Hagler Fellows for 2024-25 during its annual gala in February:

• Susan C. Alberts, Robert F. Durden Distinguished Professor of Biology and Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, is recognized for her work in behavioral ecology, physiology and genetics of wild populations of large mammals. She directs one of the longest-running studies of wild primates globally. Alberts is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Gregory B. Baecher, Glenn L. Martin Institute Professor of Engineering, University of Maryland College Park, is an expert in risk and reliability of civil infrastructure. He has advanced geotechnical and water-resources engineering through probabilistic methods. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Baecher will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Engineering.
• Julia A. Beatty, Chair Professor of Veterinary Medicine and Infectious Diseases, City University of Hong Kong, conducts advanced research on tumor virology, particularly novel oncogenic viruses in companion animals. She is a fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. Beatty will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
• James O. Berger, Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Statistics, Duke University, is recognized for his work in Bayesian statistical analysis, decision analysis and uncertainty quantification. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Spanish Real Academia de Ciencias. Berger will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Pradeep K. Chintagunta, Joseph T. & Bernice S. Lewis Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing, University of Chicago, is a leading scholar in quantitative marketing, development economics and linking marketing with industrial organization. He is a fellow of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) and the Society for Marketing Science. Chintagunta will collaborate with faculty and students in the Mays Business School.
• John F. Cryan, professor and chair, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Ireland, is known for his research on the microbiota-gut-brain axis, focusing on how the gut microbiome influences brain function and behavior. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and a former president of the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society. Cryan will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Medicine.
• Vikram Deshpande, Professor of Materials Engineering, University of Cambridge, is a scholar in micromechanics of materials, focusing on micro-architectured materials and the modeling of soft and active materials. He is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society of London. Deshpande will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Engineering.
• J. Gary Eden, Intel Alumni Endowed Chair Emeritus, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is recognized for his contributions to laser physics and photochemistry, including the development of excimer lasers and high-power UV/VUV lamps. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the American Physical Society. Eden will collaborate with faculty and students in the Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering.
• Alexei V. Filippenko, Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, focuses his research on supernovae, black holes and the accelerating expansion of the universe. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Filippenko will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Youssef M.A. Hashash, holder of the Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is an expert in geotechnical earthquake and tunnel engineering, known for his work in seismic analysis and soil-structure interaction. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Hashash will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Engineering and the College of Architecture.
• Marsha I. Lester, Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, is known for her research on chemical reactions involving hydroxyl radicals, with applications in atmospheric chemistry. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Lester will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Jeffrey R. Long, C. Judson King Distinguished Professor, University of California, Berkeley, focuses on developing innovative materials for clean energy, particularly metal-organic frameworks for carbon dioxide separation. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Long will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Ajay P. Malshe, R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, is recognized for his work in advanced manufacturing and bio-inspired sustainable design. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Malshe will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
• Mary Pat Moyer, Founder, CEO and Chief Science Officer, INCELL Corporation LLC, is a biomedical scientist and entrepreneur with extensive experience in biomanufacturing and regenerative medicine. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. Moyer will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Medicine.
• Theodore S. “Ted” Rappaport, David Lee/Ernst Weber Professor of Electrical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, is known as the “father of 5G millimeter wave.” He is member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Rappaport will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Engineering.
• Nick Sahinidis, Gary C. Butler Family Chair in Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, is known for his work in mathematical optimization and machine learning, developing algorithms and software used across industries. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Sahinidis will collaborate with faculty and students at the Energy Institute.
• Beth A. Simmons, Andrea Mitchell University Professor of Law, Political Science and Business Ethics, University of Pennsylvania, is renowned for her research on international relations, human rights and international law. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Simmons will collaborate with faculty and students in the Bush School of Government and Public Service.
• Christopher Tang, Edward Carter Chair in Business Administration, University of California, Los Angeles, studies global supply chain management, with an emphasis on resilience and risk management. He is a fellow of INFORMS and Manufacturing and Service Operations Management. Tang will collaborate with faculty and students in the Mays Business School.
• Kevin A. Wise, Distinguished Senior Technical Fellow and Vice President, The Boeing Company and President and CEO, Innovative Control Technologies LLC, is known for his work in aircraft and weapon vehicle management systems, focusing on intelligent autonomy and hypersonic guidance, navigation and control. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of IEEE and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Wise will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Engineering.

In addition, the institute announced one Hagler Distinguished Lecturer:

• Michael F. Goodchild, professor emeritus and holder of the Jack and Laura Dangermond Chair, University of California, Santa Barbara, is known for his work in geographic information science (GIScience) and coined the term “Volunteered Geographic Information.” He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Goodchild will collaborate with faculty and students at the College of Engineering and the College of Architecture.