John Barton to Lead RELLIS Campus Development
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — John Sharp, Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, today announced the appointment of John A. Barton as Associate Vice Chancellor and Director of the RELLIS Campus.
Barton, who joined the Texas A&M System in January to work on strategic initiatives, including RELLIS, will now direct the System’s efforts in converting the former World War II airbase, known as the Riverside Campus, into a combination research campus and education alternative offering four-year degrees.
“We are making so much progress so quickly that it is important John concentrate on the development of RELLIS,” Chancellor Sharp said. “I am excited that he has agreed to lead this important task.”
In May, Chancellor Sharp announced the innovative concept of creating a campus where students could obtain 4-year degrees from various A&M System universities, other than Texas A&M University, without leaving Bryan-College Station.
Blinn College also has announced it will build a building on the RELLIS site for its students.
The 2,000-acre site in Bryan also would include seven new buildings associated with the A&M System’s engineering and transportation agencies for research and testing. A groundbreaking on the first building, The Center for Infrastructure Renewal, is planned for next month.
Companies also will be invited to construct their own labs and test sites alongside the System’s buildings at RELLIS.
Before joining the A&M System, Barton worked with the Texas Department of Transportation where he retired as Deputy Executive Director.
He graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1986.
To mention a few of his most recent accomplishments, in October 2014 he received the Distinguished Graduate Award of the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering from his alma mater, in February 2015 he was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Governor Rick Perry Leadership in Transportation Award, in July 2015 he was presented with the AASHTO President’s Special Award of Merit and in August 2015 he received the FHWA Administrator’s Public Service Award.
Barton, who will focus on developing the campus site, will work with Dr. Jim Nelson, who in June was named the System’s Director of Special Academic Initiatives and is leading the development of the RELLIS education program.
About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $4.2 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, seven state agencies and a comprehensive health science center, the Texas A&M System educates more than 140,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $946 million in FY 2015 and helped drive the state’s economy.
Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
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lcopelin@tamus.edu