Lecture by Dr. Richard Tapia: Crisis in Texas Higher Education

The Dean's Scholars Distinguished Lecture Series presents a talk by Dr. Richard Tapia, Crisis in Texas Higher Education: The Need for New Leadership. Dr. Tapia is an applied mathematician at Rice University and 2011 National Medal of Science winner (the first Latino to receive this award). He is interested in computational and mathematical sciences, drag racing, and diversity in STEM fields.... [read more]

The Dean's Scholars Distinguished Lecture Series presents a talk by Dr. Richard Tapia, Crisis in Texas Higher Education: The Need for New Leadership. Dr. Tapia is an applied mathematician at Rice University and 2011 National Medal of Science winner (the first Latino to receive this award). He is interested in computational and mathematical sciences, drag racing, and diversity in STEM fields. (Here is a bio for him: http://www.caam.rice.edu/~rat/brief_bio.html)

The event is free and open to everyone (even non-students), and a reception will follow.



Talk abstract: Today, Texas is a majority minority state. Extreme growth in the Hispanic population is forcing educational challenges at a crisis level for Texas. This population has a high school drop-out rate of nearly 60% and is vastly underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines in the student bodies and faculties of the state’s flagship universities. The scientific and economic health of the state is threatened with the formation of such a large scientific underclass.

The speaker’s remarks will include discussions on the successes and failures of the state's three flagship Tier 1 institutions - Rice, Texas A&M, and UT Austin - regarding their representation at the undergraduate, graduate, and faculty levels in science, engineering, and mathematics. The speaker also will discuss how he became a leader in underrepresentation issues at the campus, state, and national levels, and will discuss challenges he's faced throughout this journey from being born in Los Angeles to parents who immigrated from Mexico to his recent trip to the White House to receive the 2011 National Medal of Science from President Obama. The National Medal of Science is the highest award given by the United States government and Richard Tapia is the first Latino to win this prestigious award.

http://web2.cns.utexas.edu/ds/index.php?page=news&article=54

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