Richard Tapia, a national leader in the preparation of women and underrepresented minorities for advanced degrees in science, engineering, and mathematics, will be celebrated for five decades of service to Rice University on April 3 at Rice’s Faculty Club. Tapia has received numerous awards during his 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 honor. He also received the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Public Engagement with Science Award in 2016.
In addition to his awards, Tapia has achieved significant milestones in his career. In 1992, he became the first Hispanic 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 the Workforce from 2001-04. At Rice University, Tapia has served in several key roles including director of the Rice Graduate Education for Minorities and Empowering Leadership Alliance Programs and associate director of graduate studies in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies among others.
Throughout his career at Rice University
