Pettigrew named Vice Chancellor for Strategic Health Initiatives
Founding Dean at School of Engineering Medicine will “supercharge” faculty recruiting.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The Texas A&M University Board of Regents on Tuesday approved a new leadership role for one of its flagship’s most renowned scholars.
Dr. Roderic Pettigrew will step away from serving as Executive Dean of the School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed) at Texas A&M University to become the System’s Vice Chancellor for Strategic Health Initiatives.
Pettigrew’s new role will focus on growing the System’s health science research portfolio and expanding its roster of top scholars like himself.
Over the past 12 years, System and flagship recruitment efforts have led to a five-fold boost in faculty who are members of elite National Academies in engineering, science, and medicine.
Many of the superstar faculty hires have been underwritten by the Texas A&M University System Chancellor’s Research Initiative (CRI) and Governor’s University Research Initiative (GURI) grant program.
“With the CRI and GURI, we increased our National Academy membership from 11 to 58,” said John Sharp, Chancellor of the Texas A&M System. “We expect Rod Pettigrew will supercharge that effort.”
Pettigrew is a PhD, and an MD. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Inventors.
He was recruited to Texas A&M in 2017 with the help of CRI and GURI funds. He launched EnMed, a unique four-year school at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, where qualified students earn a medical degree and a master’s in engineering that is focused on innovative medical technology.
EnMed’s second class of “physicianeers” will graduate May 18.
As Vice Chancellor, Pettigrew will represent the Texas A&M System nationally and internationally in various medical and academic organizations and help elevate the global stature of EnMed’s innovative integrated engineering medicine curriculum.
Pettigrew will continue to serve as EnMed dean until an interim is named and will remain on the EnMed faculty. His appointment as Vice Chancellor is effective June 1.
About The Texas A&M University System
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 $7.8 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 23 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1 billion and help drive the state’s economy.
Contact: Laylan Copelin
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(979) 458-6425
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lcopelin@tamus.edu