Issue 41, June 2026

From the Founding Director

Ladies and gentlemen, the Hagler Institute for Advanced Study once again celebrated its annual enrichment of the intellectual environment of this great university with the February 20, 2026 gala and the induction of a new group of leaders in their fields. This was our 14^th gala, and the elite scholars inducted were warmly welcomed by our new Chancellor, Glenn Hegar.

Since its first group of Fellows in the academic year 2012-2013, the institute has welcomed more than 160 distinguished scholars and leaders to Texas A&M. With 17 having joined the university as permanent faculty members, the institute’s work has served as a catalyst for a surge to 57 national academy members on A&M’s faculty, from 11 at the time the institute began.

It is a testimony to the opportunities available at Texas A&M and the prestige of the Hagler Institute that Fellows frequently want to stay engaged after they have completed their official appointments. These scholars, who have completed their terms as Hagler Fellows, are frequently appointed as Distinguished Lecturers of the Hagler Institute, and they are in a separate category from the one or two new Distinguished Lecturers who are newly inducted each year at our gala.

The Hagler Institute is delighted to help keep these top scholars formally affiliated with Texas A&M, for they continue to contribute in many ways to the excellence of our university. Hagler Fellows advance knowledge by engaging in joint research with A&M faculty and students, and they help enhance research funding by participating by joint authorship of papers and generating new ideas that ultimately result in more research sponsorship. Fellows also help Texas A&M students in ways other than research. In addition to lectures, research guidance, and discussions with students, some Fellows have written letters of support for A&M students and assisted in placement of students into their first jobs.

Eight former Hagler Fellows currently serving as Distinguished Lecturers are:

J. Gary Eden, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, contributes at Texas A&M in the Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering;

Yonggang Huang, Northwestern University, evaluates research competition submissions and awards the Rogers/Huang Medal for the Hagler Institute;

Alan Needleman, Texas A&M professor emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering, assists the Hagler Institute in connecting more closely with Hagler Fellows and hosts events between Fellows and students;

H. Vincent Poor, Princeton University, collaborates with faculty and students in electrical engineering at Texas A&M;

John Rogers, Northwestern University, evaluates research competition submissions and awards the Rogers/Huang Medal for the Hagler Institute;

Donald Sparks, University of Delaware, collaborates on research and is a mentor to students in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M;

Katepalli Sreenivasan, Dean Emeritus of New York University’s School of Engineering, contributes to Texas A&M’s Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering;

Mark Zoback, Stanford University, continues to bring his expertise to faculty and students in A&M’s Department of Petroleum Engineering.

These continuing affiliations are evidence that enthusiasm generated during the Hagler Fellow appointments is significant and long-lasting. Remarkably, several former Hagler Fellows are also donors, collectively contributing several hundred thousand dollars that help underwrite the future of this institute. The enduring support of these former Hagler Fellows is a clear indication that we are onto something of fundamental importance. The implicit message is very gratifying and warmly received by the Hagler Institute staff and me.

I now invite you to read our newsletter, which discusses some of the recent activities of the Hagler Institute and some of its Hagler Fellows.

-John L. Junkins

Gala 2026



Director of the Hagler Institute, Dr. John Junkins, welcomes the guests.

On February 20, 2026, The Hagler Institute for Advanced Study celebrated the official induction of the 2025-2026 class of Hagler Fellows and Distinguished Lecturers with Texas A&M University leaders, faculty, and alumni. The institute’s black-tie gala reflects the heart of the Hagler Institute’s mission: bringing some of the world’s most brilliant minds to Texas A&M University to foster collaboration, sparking innovation and inspiring the next generation of scholars and leaders. The gala reminds all that the march of excellence continues.

The gala honored 11 new Hagler Fellows and two Distinguished Lecturers, internationally recognized leaders spanning the fields of chemistry, engineering, education, medicine, and the arts. Among this year’s honorees was acclaimed singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett, whose fellowship underscores the institute’s commitment to promoting excellence in every field. Lena Orlin, an outstanding Shakespeare scholar in the Fellow class of 2020-2021, was also honored at the gala, as she could not attend the year that class was inducted. John Rogers and Yonggang Huang attended from Northwestern University to award this year’s Rogers/Huang Medal to the best research paper with a Hagler Fellow and at least one A&M student among the co-authors.

Left to right, standing,are Lena Orlin, English, Georgetown University; David Grabowski, Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School; Ioannis Kevrekidis, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University; Robert Pianta, Education, University of Virginia; Tresa Pollock, Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara; John Schaufelberger, Construction Management, University of Washington; Distinguished Lecturer Thomas Hughes, Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, University of Texas at Austin; John Junkins, Director of the Hagler Institute. 

Sitting left to right are Jenny Tung, Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Geoffrey Coates, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University; Alison Butler, Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara; Joan Broderick, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University; Jose' Pagan, Public Health Policy and Management, New York University; Lyle Lovett, American Singer Songwriter and Actor, Texas Based. Not in attendance is Distinguished Lecturer Mordechai Segev, Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Alison Butler enters the gala through the saber arch provided by the

Ross Volunteers, escorted by her husband, Eric Matthys.

David Grabowski and his wife, Erin, enter the gala through the saber arch.

Lyle Lovett is escorted into the ballroom by student ambassador, Harper Scott.

At the gala, Director Junkins provided a summary of Fellows’ achievements as they walked to the stage. There the inductees received personal congratulations by Director Junkins, posed for a picture with Interim President Tommy Williams and Provost Alan Sams, and each of them signed the official member book of the Hagler Institute. The Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, Glenn Hegar, provided his congratulations to the new group of scholars, and Rogers and Huang presented the Rogers/Huang Medal. Not all was formality, for after the program the attendees danced to the music of the Greg Tivis Orchestra, concluding one of the greatest events on the Texas A&M campus.

Director Junkins congratulates Robert Pianta, as Provost Alan Sams looks on.

Rodney Bowersox, prominent aerospace engineer and 2025-2026 faculty liaison for the Hagler Institute, observes Tresa Pollock signing the Hagler Institute’s official Fellow record.

Interim President Tommy Williams and Provost Alan Sams

honor new inductee Jenny Tung.

Chancellor Hegar congratulates the Hagler Institute and welcomes the

new inductees to Texas A&M University.

For the presentation of the Rogers/Huang Medal, left to right, John Rogers, Northwestern University; medal recipient Dmitry Kurouski, A&M Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics; medal recipient Svetlana Sukhishvili, A&M Professor of Materials Science and Engineering; Associate Director of the Hagler Institute, Clifford Fry; medal recipient Edwin “Ned” Thomas; Hagler Fellow and Professor, Materials Science and Engineering; Yonggang Huang, Northwestern University; and Director of the Hagler Institute, John Junkins. Several medal recipients could not attend. The medal was awarded for the development of a material capable of self-healing after a puncture, applicable in space explorations, among other uses.

Stephanie Sale and Jim Singleton, long-time supporters of the

Hagler Institute, enjoy a dance.

L-R Courtney Fitzpatrick, Assistant Professor, TAMU, Biology, College of Arts and Sciences; Lyle Lovett, 2025-2026 Fellow of the Hagler Institute, Recording and Live Performance Music Artist, College of Performance, Visualization, and Fine Arts; Enya Hoxha, TAMU undergraduate student ‘27 and student ambassador at the Hagler Institute gala, Biology, College of Arts and Sciences; Jenny Tung, 2025-2026 Hagler Fellow, Biology, College of Arts and Sciences; Eleanor Su-Keene, Assistant Professor, TAMU, Teaching Learning and Culture, College of Education and Human Development; Alex Keene, Professor and Department Head, Biology, College of Arts and Sciences.

Spring 2026 Eminent Scholar Lecture

Dr. Marsha Lester, 2024-2025 Welch Foundation Fellow of the Hagler Institute, is the Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. On March 23, 2026 the Hagler Institute was honored to have Dr. Lester present its spring Eminent Scholar Lecture. She is a nationally recognized expert in atmospheric chemistry and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Her research explores the complex chemical pathways of alkene ozonolysis and alkane oxidation of volatile organic compounds, offering a powerful lens into the processes that shape our atmosphere. By illuminating both the fundamental reaction mechanisms and their broader environmental implications, her work deepens our understanding of air quality and atmospheric transformation.

Dr. Lester shared groundbreaking insights into atmospheric oxidation chemistry, highlighting the critical role of hydroxyl radicals (OH) often described as the atmosphere’s “detergent.” A central theme of the lecture was the role of quantum tunneling in atmospheric chemistry. Lester explained how hydrogen atoms within these intermediates can “tunnel” through energy barriers, allowing reactions to occur at much lower energies than expected. Her findings help explain nighttime production of hydroxyl radicals — often called the atmosphere’s “detergent” because they break down pollutants and greenhouse gases.

The lecture underscored the interdisciplinary nature of the Hagler Institute’s mission. As a Welch-Hagler Fellow, Lester collaborates with Texas A&M researchers in chemistry, atmospheric science, and spectroscopy, contributing expertise that advances both experimental and theoretical understanding of atmospheric processes. 

Related story by the College of Arts and Sciences: National Academy Chemist Marsha Lester Earns Texas A&M Fellowship for Atmospheric Intermediates | Texas A&M University College of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Lester presenting the Eminent Scholar Lecture

Dr. Junkins thanked Dr. Lester before presenting her with

a gift memento of the event.

You know the talk was a success when faculty and students

continue asking questions.

Honors Academy Luncheon

Dr. Lester values student development. Before delivering the Eminent Scholar Lecture, Dr. Lester met with students from the Texas A&M Honors Academy for lunch in Rudder Tower. The event allowed students to engage personally with Dr. Lester and learn from her experiences and perspectives. Conversations ranged from academic ambitions and leadership experiences to personal growth, public service, and the importance of lifelong learning. As fate would have it, the same day as the Eminent Scholar Lecture, Dr. Lester was notified that she was a recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Lester with undergraduate students from the Honors Academy,

hosted by Dr. Junkins.

Spring 2026 Community of Scholars

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Another scholar noted for outstanding research and teaching is Dr. Alexei (Alex) Filippenko, a 2024-2025 Fellow of the Hagler Institute for Advanced Study and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He is a Distinguished Professor of Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley. The students at UC Berkeley voted him “Best Professor” nine times! His teaching reputation extends beyond Berkeley. In 2006 he was chosen as the CASE/Carnegie National Professor of the Year among doctoral and research institutions.

Already the recipient of many research honors, Dr. Filippenko recently was awarded the Gruber Foundation’s 2026 Cosmology Prize along with Ken’ichi Nomoto and Stanford Woosley. They received the award for “their decades-long studies of supernovae—exploding stars that have proven invaluable in understanding the composition and evolution of the Universe.” Word of the Hagler Institute is spreading, as his Gruber Foundation award profile mentioned that he was “appointed as a Hagler Fellow at Texas A&M University.” 

In his visit to College Station in the spring of 2026, Alex gave two major keynote addresses at Texas A&M, to the Community of Scholars and the Community of Retired Faculty, and he even spoke to local high school students in the Think30 program, which could be a “first” for a visiting Hagler Fellow. The Think30 program gets its name from 30-minute presentations by guest speakers, who provide students with career insights and experiences beyond the classroom.

The Hagler Institute is a foundational supporter of the Community of Scholars gatherings, and Dr. Joerg Steiner, University Distinguished Professor of Veterinary Medicine and then faculty Liaison for the Hagler Institute, was a key person in its establishment and remains an important organizer of the event. The Community of Scholars brings together A&M’s University Distinguished Professors from every field, other faculty and graduate students, and Texas A&M’s administrative leaders, to foster interdisciplinary communication.

Dr. Angela Wilson, Vice President for Research, providing opening remarks for the Community of Scholars event.

Dr. Steiner introducing Dr. Filippenko.

Dr. Filippenko captivates the Community of Scholars audience.

Filippenko Presents to the

Community of Retired Faculty

The Community of Retired Faculty brings together former A&M faculty each month for a luncheon and to hear a guest speaker. The Hagler Institute is an important source for presenters to this group. 

The faculty retirees await Dr. Filippenko's presentation.

Hagler Fellow Highlights



Professors Bagnato and Moran:

New University Distinguished Professors

In March 2026, Texas A&M University recognized its newest cohort of University Distinguished Professors. Included among them are two former Hagler Fellows who have joined Texas A&M’s permanent faculty, 2018-19 Hagler Fellow Vanderlei S. Bagnato, Texas A&M's Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, and 2020-21 Hagler Fellow Rachel F. Moran, who joined Texas A&M's School of Law based in Fort Worth, Texas.

Dr. Bagnato’s latest research was recently highlighted in the Texas A&M University Engineering News. His latest research has been motivated by the rise in antibiotic-resistant infections. To treat such infections, Dr. Bagnato has devised a way to kill the bacteria with laser light. From the Engineering News, here is a picture of a model demonstrating one of his treatments.

Joan Broderick

The Hagler Institute received an endowment from The Welch Foundation to bring to Texas more academy-level scholars in chemistry and in fields where advanced chemistry is crucial for advancements in research. The Hagler Institute is pleased to accommodate.

Dr. Joan Broderick is a Welch-Hagler Fellow in the 2025-26 class of the Hagler Institute for Advanced Study. She came to Texas A&M University from Montana State University. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.



After months of active collaboration with her hosts in the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Dr. Broderick has now joined the permanent faculty of Texas A&M University in the Department of Chemistry. As is listed on her A&M web site, her research focus is “on understanding the chemistry of iron-sulfur clusters, biological radical reactions and biological metal cluster assembly."

The Hagler Institute has contributed significantly to the tremendous rise in national academy faculty at Texas A&M.  In 2013, when the first class of Fellows appeared on campus, there were 11 members of the national academies of science, medicine and engineering on the Texas A&M faculty. In 2025 the number reached 57. The Hagler Institute is not a hiring arm of the university, but an inherent aspect is that Fellows are at Texas A&M long enough to appreciate the opportunities it has to offer. When a national academy member joins our faculty, some others who want to work with the scholar, or are just impressed with what is going on at Texas A&M University, consider coming full-time to our faculty. The Materials Science and Engineering Department at Texas A&M was essentially built around 2012-2013 Fellow, Alan Needleman, who attracted other National Academy of Engineering scholars to that department. We look forward to seeing who may be attracted to A&M due to Dr. Broderick’s appointment.

H. Vincent Poor

H. Vincent (Vince) Poor is a 2018-19 Hagler Fellow and current Distinguished Lecturer of the Hagler Institute. He is the Michael Henry Strater University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Princeton University, a U.S. Member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and a foreign member of Academia Europaea and the U.K.’s Royal Society.

Vince Poor and co-authors Xi Zhang and Qixuan Zhu received the prestigious Best Paper Award at the 2025 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM) for their paper entitled “Statistical Security-QoS Guaranteed mURLLC Over Cell-Free Massive-MIMO Mobile Networks.” The paper addresses a fundamental challenge in wireless communications: how to simultaneously guarantee multiple performance requirements for wireless data transmission.

IEEE GLOBECOM is a flagship event which gathers top experts to drive innovation in communications technology, annually attracting more than 3,000 world-class scientists, scholars, experts, and researchers from around the world. The IEEE GLOBECOM Best Paper Award is a highly selective distinction awarded through a rigorous evaluation process.

Vince Poor’s appointments as a Hagler Fellow and Distinguished Lecturer have resulted in highly productive collaboration at Texas A&M, and the award-winning paper by Poor, Zhang, and Zhu is an example of the collaborative research facilitated by the Hagler Institute. Zhang is a professor in the Texas A&M University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Founding Director of the Networking and Information Systems Laboratory at A&M. Zhu is a former Texas A&M Ph.D. student under the supervision of Professor Zhang, and her Ph.D. research work was supported by a Hagler Institute graduate student fellowship. Poor’s collaboration with Zhang and his Ph.D. students has so far produced more than 55 research papers, honors for which include the Best Paper Awards at IEEE GLOBECOM 2020 and IEEE GLOBECOM 2025.

John F. Cryan

John F. Cryan, Hagler Fellow in the class of 2024-25, is an internationally recognized neuroscientist. He came to the Hagler Institute from University College Cork in Cork, Ireland. He is known for his groundbreaking research on the microbiota-gut-brain axis. His work has significantly advanced understanding of how the gut microbiome influences brain function and behavior, particularly in relation to stress, anxiety, and depression. 

For his work, Dr. Cryan was recently elected as a member of the prestigious European Academy of Microbiology (EAM). The EAM “proudly brings together a distinguished community of leading scientists whose contributions have shaped and advanced the field of microbiology,” and Dr. Cryan is among the 2026 cohort of newly elected EAM Fellows. At Texas A&M University he works with faculty and students in the College of Medicine.

Professors Yonggang Huang and

 Thomas Hughes

Yonggang Huang has graced copies of this newsletter many times. He is a 2018-19 Hagler Fellow and current Distinguished Lecturer of the Hagler Institute from Northwestern University. He helps award the Rogers/Huang Medal. We thought his fields of expertise had run out of awards to give him, but you will see we were mistaken.

Thomas J.R. Hughes is a 2025-26 Distinguished Lecturer of the Hagler Institute from the University of Texas. He is well respected by his Aggie buddies. His distinguished career has been recognized with a remarkable collection of awards and honors, leading us to believe that there could not possibly be another major distinction left to bestow upon him. Never underestimate these two.

Dr. Huang and Dr. Hughes are truly elite among scholars. Their accomplishments and recognitions are many, and the two were ranked #1 and #2, respectively, in the research.com World’s Best Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Scientists 2026.

Advancing Excellence