By:  Haywood                                          S.R. No. 1071
    1-1                           SENATE RESOLUTION
    1-2        WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
    1-3  recognize Dr. Dennis Cravens of Vernon Regional Junior College who
    1-4  was recently selected one of the winners of the Piper Professor
    1-5  Award from the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation of San Antonio; and
    1-6        WHEREAS, The foundation annually recognizes college faculty
    1-7  members who have had a profound and lasting influence on their
    1-8  students and the institutions where they teach; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, Dr. Cravens attended Abilene Christian College where
   1-10  he earned a bachelor of science degree in physics with minors in
   1-11  chemistry, mathematics, and biology; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, He continued his multidisciplinary studies at Florida
   1-13  State University where he earned his doctorate degree in molecular
   1-14  biophysics; he has taught at several institutions including the
   1-15  University of Mississippi, Northwest Mississippi Junior College,
   1-16  Alabama Christian College, and Vernon Regional Junior College where
   1-17  he has taught since 1982; and
   1-18        WHEREAS, Dr. Cravens considers himself a scientist who also
   1-19  loves to teach; his students repeatedly attest to his effectiveness
   1-20  as an instructor and to his supportive attitude in dealing with
   1-21  them personally; he always teaches to the best of his ability and
   1-22  also instructs gifted and talented high school students who
   1-23  concurrently enroll in courses at the junior college; and
    2-1        WHEREAS, His most recent research has gained him national and
    2-2  international recognition for his work in cold fusion; Dr. Cravens
    2-3  is considered a pioneer in this field and his research is well
    2-4  known; and
    2-5        WHEREAS, In addition to his teaching and research, he has
    2-6  brought together scientists from Sandia and Los Alamos National
    2-7  Laboratories and officials from the American Red Cross to provide
    2-8  a small solar-powered water purification system that resulted in
    2-9  the construction and delivery of 12 of the units to the people of
   2-10  Rwanda within four days of the cholera outbreak in 1994; such a
   2-11  humanitarian and scientist is certainly deserving of legislative
   2-12  recognition; now, therefore, be it
   2-13        RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
   2-14  74th Legislature, hereby congratulate Dr. Dennis J. Cravens on
   2-15  being selected as one of the 10 Pipers Professors of 1995; and,
   2-16  be it further
   2-17        RESOLVED, That a copy of  this Resolution be prepared for him
   2-18  as an expression of the highest regard of the Texas Senate.
   2-19                               ______________________________________
   2-20                                       President of the Senate
   2-21                                    I hereby certify that the above
   2-22                               Resolution was adopted by the Senate
   2-23                               on May 16, 1995.
   2-24                               ______________________________________
   2-25                                       Secretary of the Senate
    3-1                               ______________________________________
    3-2                                        Member, Texas Senate