As the new academic year kicks off, I am deeply honored to be appointed as the holder of the prestigious June and Gene Gillis Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Manufacturing Systems Engineering.

I am grateful for the support of the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Cockrell School of Engineering, especially for the nomination by Dr. Don Siegel. Most importantly, this recognition would not have been possible without my students—past and present. I owe immense thanks to all the members of SiDi Lab with whom I’ve had the privilege to work.

In learning more about the Gillis family, I was inspired by the remarkable career of M. E. “Gene” Gillis, who graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1951 with a degree in chemical engineering and went on to lead Exxon Chemical Americas as President and Senior Vice President of Exxon Chemical Company. His legacy has touched generations of UT faculty through this endowment.

In particular, I feel encouraged knowing the distinguished professors who have held this fellowship before me—such as Dr. John Hasenbein in the ORIE program and Dr. Kristin Wood, a leading figure in engineering design research. It is truly humbling to follow in their footsteps.

Thank you to UT and to the generous Gillis family for making this fellowship possible. It’s time for me to honor the legacy it represents and to carry it forward in my next career chapter.