Advance 2006

Table of Contents and Articles (on this Web site)

Welcome to our seventh edition of Advance. It’s a great time to be a part of research. Every day new results and insights take people on a journey to discovery. Texas A&M University is a place where research lives and breathes. It’s a part of our mission, but it’s also a part of our lives; and it is our pleasure to share our research stories with you each year.

As you can see from this issue, we have a wide range of research going on every day and at every level. Not all of our researchers have decades of research experience. It is when we involve and encourage our young researchers – our students – that we often find some of the most interesting points of view. This is one of the aspects that makes Texas A&M different. Our students have the opportunity to learn from leaders in their fields. Beyond the classroom setting, students can be involved in research that is changing the world. Our researchers have projects on every continent in the world. Students are not limited to research experiences in College Station or even the United States. They have the world to choose from, while still being Aggies.

We are expanding our research capacity at a high rate including internationally. We are partnering with countries around the world to expand our knowledge and opportunities for research. We had the wonderful opportunity to co-sponsor the second China-U.S. Relations conference. The first one in 2003 brought the largest delegation of Chinese officials to the United States – ever. The conference included research roundtables where Texas A&M researchers and Chinese researchers identified areas of common concern for future collaborative research. The research portion of the conference was a great success, and we’re looking forward to the next conference which will convene in 2007 in Washington, D.C.

In addition to our research efforts abroad, we have a busy schedule for new research facilities on campus. We broke ground on three building projects this spring alone. One of the most exciting efforts is the first true interdisciplinary building on campus – the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building. I invite you to learn more about the building and its progress at the building's Web site. We also broke ground on the two Mitchell physics buildings and the Texas Institute for Genomic Medicine. You’ll be able to read more about that project on page 6.

These are just a few of the examples of how Texas A&M is making a difference in research –  and in life. Thank you for allowing us to share our challenges and successes with you.

Sincerely,

Richard E. Ewing

Vice President for Research