Date: March 2, 2022

Media Contact: Angela Woellner Phone: 512-463-8556

AUSTIN – The Texas Science and Engineering Fair (TXSEF) hosted by Texas A&M Engineering, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and ExxonMobil, has selected its 2022 Advisory Board members. The Texas Science and Engineering Fair plays an important role in the lives and future careers of students as they learn the critical thinking skills necessary to thrive in any field, while fostering an interest in and passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

As a community-supported event, the Fair relies on professionals in the science and engineering fields who generously volunteer their time to this event and who are vital to its ongoing success. Advisory Board members serve as liaisons between TXSEF and stakeholders throughout Texas to assist in establishing and maintaining the Fair’s position as the premier state science and engineering fair in the country. Board members seek awards and scholarships for students, recruit judging staff, communicate with the 14 regional directors and their regional fairs, and offer higher education engagement with STEM colleges.

The 2022 Texas Science and Engineering Fair Advisory Board members include:

• Joe Arnold, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Executive External Relations Officer, Texas State Technical College
• Chris Fischler, Regional Sales Director, Dell
• Ross Guieb, Executive Director, George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex at Texas A&M University
• Jon E. Gustafson, HR Economic Development Lead, Lockheed Martin
• Ruth R. Hughs, Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman, TXSEF Board Chair
• Rodney Rodriguez, PhD, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Economic Development, South Texas College
• Geronimo Rodriguez, Chief Advocacy Officer at Ascension Texas, Ascension Seton, Dell Children’s and Ascension Providence
• Daniel Silva, Chief Executive Officer, Mission Economic Development Corporation
• Wayne Squires, Chief Executive Officer, Next Evolution Industries
• Alma Walzer-Santos, Government and Business Affairs Liason, SpaceX
• Michael Ward, Chief Executive Officer and President, Austin Urban Technology Movement
• Cortlan Wickliff, PhD, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs & Strategic Partnerships, Rice University

This year’s Texas Science and Engineering Fair is scheduled to be a hybrid competition in which finalists will compete virtually for the first round March 4-9, 2022, and in-person at Texas A&M University for the second and Blue Ribbon rounds March 25-26, 2022.

For more information on the Texas Science and Engineering Fair, visit https://txsef.tamu.edu/.

 ###eah

The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call 512-463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org. To receive notifications about TWC programs and services subscribe to our email updates.