| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Rice University's Wiess School of Natural Sciences |
|
|
is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Established in 1975, the school was named in tribute |
|
|
to Harry Carothers Wiess and Olga Keith Wiess, major supporters of |
|
|
the university; Mr. Wiess, one of the founders of ExxonMobil, |
|
|
became a trustee in 1944 and served as vice chair of the board of |
|
|
governors from 1946 until his death two years later; Mrs. Wiess |
|
|
assisted him in the creation of the university's science and |
|
|
engineering fund and the Keith-Wiess Geological Laboratories; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Rice University president Norman Hackerman guided |
|
|
the formation of the Wiess School from departments previously |
|
|
grouped with engineering, including biology, biochemistry, |
|
|
chemistry, geology, mathematical sciences, mathematics, physics, |
|
|
and space physics and astronomy; today, the school offers 19 majors |
|
|
and 7 minors; students participate in cutting-edge research across |
|
|
core and interdisciplinary fields, among them environmental |
|
|
science, and collaborate frequently with Texas Medical Center; the |
|
|
school also offers a professional science master's degree program |
|
|
that prepares scholars for prominent roles in bioscience, health |
|
|
policy, environmental analysis, energy, and other sectors; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The Wiess School takes great pride in the myriad |
|
|
accolades received by its faculty and staff from such eminent |
|
|
organizations as the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. |
|
|
National Science Foundation, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial |
|
|
Foundation; professors Robert Curl and Richard Smalley established |
|
|
Rice's reputation as a leader in nanoscience and materials research |
|
|
by winning the 1985 Nobel Prize for their work on carbon-60; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Since its inception, the Wiess School has benefited |
|
|
by the vision and dynamism of a number of able and energetic |
|
|
leaders; dean William Gordon was the first, and since 2021, the |
|
|
school has moved from strength to strength under dean Thomas |
|
|
Killian; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Over the course of a half century, the Wiess School |
|
|
has played a significant role in fostering scientific advancement |
|
|
while opening pathways of opportunity for the next generation of |
|
|
innovators; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby congratulate Rice University's Wiess School of |
|
|
Natural Sciences on its 50th anniversary and extend to all those |
|
|
associated with the school sincere best wishes for continued |
|
|
success; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for the school as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
|
House of Representatives. |