Texas A&M Health Science Center taps seasoned academic leader to advance interdisciplinary initiatives

Brett P. Giroir, M.D., CEO of Texas A&M Health Science Center, today announced the appointment of Theresa Maldonado, Ph.D., PE, to the role of special assistant to the CEO. She joins the health science center from the National Science Foundation as well as the Texas A&M Dwight Look College of Engineering and the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), where she held leadership roles for a number of years.

In her new position, Maldonado will serve on the institution’s Executive Committee, providing leadership in developing, implementing and communicating key initiatives on behalf of Texas A&M Health Science Center’s Executive Office. An experienced engineer and academician, she will also assist in expanding, developing and implementing interdisciplinary programs between the health science center and other colleges and academic institutions aimed at heightening collaborative research and development programs to achieve important translational breakthroughs.

“Dr. Maldonado brings a wealth of knowledge, national-level experience, and enthusiasm to the health science center,” Giroir said. “Although widely known a national engineering leader, she will play a key leadership and implementation role not only in engineering collaborations, but throughout many of our diverse programs and initiatives.”

As division director of the National Science Foundation Engineering Education and Centers Division, Maldonado has extensive experience at the federal level in advancing research, development and commercialization initiatives by aligning traditionally disparate disciplines via their complementary competencies. She is also founding director of the Energy Engineering Institute (now Texas A&M Energy Institute), a multi-entity academic collaborative advancing an integrated approach to the production and utilization of our country’s vast energy resources. Under her leadership, the institute buoyed multiple interdisciplinary initiatives between Texas A&M’s engineering, physical sciences, life sciences, and health sciences programs.

Maldonado is, and will remain,  a tenured professor of electrical and computer engineering at the Texas A&M College of Engineering, and previously served as associate dean for strategic initiatives and associate dean for research at the college, while serving as deputy director of TEES. She also served as associate vice chancellor for research at the Texas A&M University System.

Maldonado earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with highest honors, Master of Science degree in electrical engineering and doctorate in electrical engineering with a minor in mathematics from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  She is also a licensed professional engineer in the state of Texas.