Edith and Peter O'Donnell Awards to recognize Texas researchers on Jan.17

The Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science of Texas (TAMEST) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2013 Edith and Peter O'Donnell Awards who will be honored during a banquet on Thursday, January 17, 2013, in conjunction with TAMEST's 10th Annual Conference at the Westin Galleria Hotel in Dallas.

The Edith and Peter O'Donnell Awards recognize rising Texas researchers who are addressing the essential role that science and technology play in society, and whose work meets the highest standards of exemplary professional performance, creativity, and resourcefulness. The 2013 awards recipients are:

• Medicine-Lora V. Hooper, Ph.D., is recognized for the discovery of immune mechanisms that promote host-bacterial symbiosis. Dr. Hooper is associate professor of immunology and the Nancy Cain and Jeffrey A. Marcus Scholar in Medical Research, in Honor of Dr. Bill S. Vowell, at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Hooper is also an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

• Engineering-Li Shi, Ph.D., is recognized for his pioneering contribution to the fundamental understanding of nanoscale thermal transport and thermoelectric energy conversion processes, and for his application of scientific discoveries to enhance thermoelectric energy conversion devices and thermal management of nanoelectronic and energy storage devices. Dr. Shi is a professor and the Myron L. Begeman Fellow in Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.

• Science-Youxing Jiang, Ph.D., is recognized for the elucidation of the atomic structures of membrane-bound ion channels. Dr. Jiang is professor of physiology and W.W. Caruth, Jr. Scholar in Biomedical Research at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

• Technology Innovation-Timothy J. Nedwed, Ph.D., is recognized for his leadership in the development of offshore oil spill response technologies and their application. His innovative approaches have been instrumental in furthering the industry's capabilities for responding to offshore oil spills. Dr. Nedwed leads the Oil Spill Response Research Program for ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company.

"Texas continues to be a major center of scientific achievement for young scientists as demonstrated by the 2013 O'Donnell Awards recipients," said Dr. William Brinkley, TAMEST's 2012 President. "These gifted researchers are changing the world in areas as diverse as the human immune system, nanoscale clean energy technologies, molecular physiology, and oil spill response technologies, ensuring our state's position as a global leader in scientific discovery and technological innovation."

The O'Donnell Awards were first presented in 2006, with a total of $725,000 awarded to 32 recipients since the inception of the program. The awards are named in honor of Edith and Peter O'Donnell who are among the state's staunchest advocates for excellence in scientific advancement and STEM education.

TAMEST's 10th Annual Conference-Probing the Depths: under the Sea and into the Brain-will be held on January 17-18, 2013, and will feature a program on the latest research developments in neuroscience and deepwater exploration.