University Professor Richard Tapia at Rice University will be honored for his five decades of service to the institution on April 3 at the Faculty Club. Widely recognized as a national leader in preparing women and underrepresented minorities for advanced degrees in science, engineering, and mathematics, Tapia has received numerous awards during his illustrious career, including the Presidential Award for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in 1996.
In 2011, he was presented with the National Medal of Science by President Barack Obama, making him the first Hispanic to receive this prestigious honor. Tapia’s achievements do not stop there; in 1992 he became the first Hispanic to be elected to the National Academy of Engineering. President Bill Clinton appointed him to the National Science Board in 1996 where he served until 2002. Tapia also chaired the National Research Council’s Board on Higher Education and Workforce from 2001-2004.
At Rice University, Tapia has held several key roles including director of the Rice Graduate Education for Minorities and Empowering Leadership Alliance Programs, associate director of graduate studies in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, and director of the Center for Excellence and Equity in Education. Through this center he created the Tapia Camps, a series of residential STEM camps for rising eighth-12th graders at Rice. These camps provide students with an opportunity to experience life as a Rice student for a week while completing STEM projects and presentations. The Tapia Camps have been successful in guiding students towards futures in STEM fields and have won several awards along the way.
Media interested in covering this event can contact Amy McCaig, senior media relations specialist at Rice University for more information about Richard Tapia’s contributions to Rice University.