A.J. Welch, Ph.D.: UT Austin Department of Biomedical Engineering Professor (1933-2022) *
Ashley James (A.J.) Welch was a leading biophotonics researcher with an expertise in how lasers could be used in medical applications. He served on UT Austin's Biomedical Engineering Committee in the late 60s and early 70s, which allowed graduate students to earn degrees in that field and provided a foundation for a fully-fledged academic department in biomedical engineering in 2001. The Academy selected Welch for his everlasting legacy of fundamental research and influences that carry on in the lives of students he mentored and colleagues with whom he worked.
Christine Schmidt, Ph.D: University of Florida J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering Chair
Christine Schmidt was a professor in both the Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering departments at UT. Along with being the most highly cited researchers in her field for two years, Schmidt was also the inaugural recipient of the Chairmen's Distinguished Life Sciences Award for achievements in neural engineering. The Academy selected Schmidt for her transformative and impactful research contributions, that on a broader scale, promote diversity in the engineering and scientific workforce.
Azita Sharif: Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DSI- Precision Medicine Biobanking & BINDS (Bio-Informatics Network for Discovery Science)
Azita Sharif is a biotechnology entrepreneur with a strong cross-functional expertise in engineering and medicine. She summarizes her goal as: “To positively impact human and public health using engineering with focus on analytical preventive medicine.” Her company DSI provides technology services beneficial to both the organ transplant and biobanking sectors. The Academy selected Sharif for her dedication to shine a light on the importance of food safety and transparency to prevent cancer and other chronic illnesses.
Richard Smalling, M.D., Ph.D: Cardiovascular Medicine Professor & Division of Cardiology Director at UT Health Houston
Dr. Richard Smalling specializes in the treatment of valvular heart disease and adult congenital heart disease. Named an America’s Top Doctor for the past 15 years, Dr. Smalling received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Heart Association Texas Affiliate in 1990 and is on the editorial boards for several, leading cardiology journals. In addition, he holds six patents and co-founded Windmill Cardiovascular Systems, to produce a new implantable left ventricular assist device. The Academy selected Dr. Smalling for dedicating more than half a century of his life to the advancement of cardiovascular care, technology, and treatment.
Casey Fox, Ph.D, P.E.: Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technical Officer Metric Medical Devices, Inc.
Casey Fox is a pioneer in research focusing on bone healing and osteoporosis. He has more than 35 patents issued in the U.S. and Europe along with 20 FDA clearances to market and commercialize the orthopedic products stemming from his inventions. A recipient of the Distinguished Engineering Graduate award from Cockrell, Fox has held engineering, advisory board and adjunct faculty positions over the last 30 years at UT Austin and dozens of other academic institutions nationwide. The Academy selected Fox for breaking barriers in the orthopedic space and showcasing the translational possibilities of biomedical engineering research.
Chris Condit: Senior Product Manager at Saluda Medical
Chris Condit is a dedicated philanthropist and biomedical entrepreneur. With no undergraduate degrees in biomedical engineering available at the time, Condit majored in electrical engineering with an emphasis on BME and dove into research with professor A.J. Welch. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Young Engineering Graduate award from the Cockrell School of Engineering. Condit later developed patented intellectual property with UT professor Tom Milner and his startup CardioSpectra. Partly inspired by his own battle surviving Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a child, Condit founded Texas 4000—an annual charity bike ride to support cancer research. The Academy selected Condit for taking his passion for improving healthcare beyond the development of innovative technology to remarkable, humanitarian efforts.
