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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. M. Katherine "Kathy" Banks will become the 26th |
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president of Texas A&M University on June 1, 2021, and this |
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milestone in her impressive career truly merits special |
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recognition; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Whitesburg, Kentucky, Kathy Banks is a |
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1978 graduate of Whitesburg High School, and she earned her |
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bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from the University |
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of Florida, her master's degree from the University of North |
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Carolina, and her Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering from |
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Duke University; earlier in her career, she served as an associate |
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professor at Kansas State University, and from 1997 to 2012, she was |
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a civil engineering professor and department head at Purdue |
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University; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Banks joined Texas A&M in 2012 as vice |
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chancellor and dean of engineering, leading one of the largest |
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engineering schools in the nation; she has served as a University |
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Distinguished Professor, as the Harold J. Haynes Dean's Chair |
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professor, and as agency director of the Texas A&M Engineering |
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Experiment Station and provided oversight of the Texas A&M |
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Engineering Extension Service as well as the Texas A&M |
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Transportation Institute; recognized as a prominent scholar in her |
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field, she has authored or coauthored more than 150 journal |
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articles, proceedings papers, and book chapters, and she was |
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elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering and as a |
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Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Banks is only the second woman to serve as Texas |
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A&M president in the school's history; as she takes over her new |
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role, she will retain the title of vice chancellor for national |
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laboratories and national security strategic initiatives for the |
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Texas A&M System; she will also remain as a board member and |
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executive engaged with Triad National Security, LLC, which manages |
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the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and oversee the Bush Combat |
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Development Complex at the A&M System RELLIS Campus; and |
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WHEREAS, In all her endeavors, Dr. Banks enjoys the love and |
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support of her husband, Dr. Paul Schwab, a Texas A&M soil and crop |
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sciences professor, as well as that of their six children and four |
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grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic educator's dedication, expertise, and |
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commitment to excellence have greatly benefited the mission of |
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Texas A&M and earned her the respect and admiration of the school's |
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students, faculty, regents, and staff, and she may indeed reflect |
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with pride on her remarkable record of achievement as she takes on |
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the challenges and opportunities of her new position; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. M. Katherine Banks on her |
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appointment as president of Texas A&M University and extend to her |
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sincere best wishes for a successful tenure; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Banks as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |