Dallas-area researchers have earned three of the five 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards from TAMEST (Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science & Technology), showing the region’s strength in engineering, physics, and biomedical discovery.

The Dallas honorees—two from The University of Texas at Dallas and one from UT Southwestern Medical Center—were named alongside recipients from Baylor College of Medicine and bp.

Each award includes a $25,000 honorarium and an invitation to present at TAMEST’s Annual Conference each year.

Collectively, the cohort reflects research areas closely tied to Texas’ economic and industrial priorities, including energy systems, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and quantum materials.

UT Dallas professors Bilal Akin and Fan Zhang, along with UT Southwestern molecular biologist Yunsun Nam, are among this year’s honorees. The O’Donnell Awards are among Texas’ most selective honors for early- to mid-career “rising star” scientists and engineers.

The awards program, launched in 2006, has become a bellwether for research leaders across the state. According to TAMEST, the O’Donnell Awards have recognized more than 85 researchers across Texas, and 18 past recipients have later been elected to the National Academies.

“Each year, these awards celebrate not only exceptional individual achievement but also the impact that innovative research can have beyond the lab,” said Awards Committee Chair Margaret A. Goodell of Baylor College of Medicine.

2026 O’Donnell Awards at a glance

[Image: Courtesy of TAMEST]

Medicine

Pengfei Liu, Ph.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Genome and RNA sequencing to improve diagnosis and treatment of rare genetic diseases.

Engineering

Bilal Akin, Ph.D.
The University of Texas at Dallas
High-efficiency energy conversion systems for electric vehicles and industrial automation.

Biological Sciences

Yunsun Nam, Ph.D.
UT Southwestern Medical Center
RNA–protein interactions that reveal new mechanisms in gene regulation and cancer biology.

Physical Sciences

Fan Zhang, Ph.D.
The University of Texas at Dallas
Topological quantum matter and theoretical models reshaping condensed-matter physics.

Technology Innovation

Yue Hu, Ph.D.
bp
Reinforcement learning systems that optimize real-time processes in energy production.

A closer look at the Texas honorees

Below is a closer look at honorees and the research that set them apart in the 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards.

Engineering: UT Dallas’ Bilal Akin advances power electronics for EVs and industry

Bilal Akin, a professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas, will receive the 2026 Engineering Award for developing sustainable, high-efficiency energy conversion systems used in electric vehicles and industrial automation.

The award also reflects Akin’s work on diagnostic methods that detect faults early in power electronics systems, improving safety and reliability, TAMEST noted. Collaborations with industry partners including Texas Instruments, SLB, and Nexteer have helped bring those tools into real-world use.

“Dr. Akin’s unique ability to translate high-level research into solutions with global industrial relevance is what sets him apart,” said Inga H. Musselman, who nominated him.

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Physical sciences: UT Dallas’ Fan Zhang advances theoretical models of quantum materials

Theoretical physicist Fan Zhang, a professor in the department of physics at the University of Texas at Dallas, will receive the Physical Sciences Award for theoretical insights that have shaped global research in condensed-matter physics.

Zhang’s predictions involving atomically thin materials, including chiral stacks of graphene, have guided experimental discoveries related to superconductivity, magnetism, and new quantum phases, according to TAMEST. His work continues to inform studies of electronic correlations and topology across research groups worldwide.

“Dr. Zhang is an exceptional scientist whose bold theoretical insights have transformed our understanding of quantum matter and inspired a wave of experimental discovery,” Musselman said.

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Biological sciences: UT Southwestern’s Yunsun Nam reveals how RNA regulates gene activity

Yunsun Nam, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UT Southwestern Medical Center and an O’Donnell Brain Institute investigator, will receive the 2026 Biological Sciences Award for foundational work revealing how RNAs and proteins interact to regulate gene activity.

Nam’s research has clarified how microRNAs are selected and processed, how chemical modifications influence RNA behavior, and how disruptions in these pathways can contribute to cancer, per TAMEST. Her approach integrates structural biology, biochemistry, and machine learning to better understand how molecular signals are interpreted inside cells.

“Dr. Nam is a brilliant scientist whose discoveries have transformed how scientists think about gene regulation and opened entirely new avenues in RNA biology and cancer research,” said Yuh Min Chook, who nominated the researcher.

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Medicine: Baylor’s Pengfei Liu applies genome sequencing to rare disease diagnosis

Geneticist Pengfei Liu, associate professor in the department of molecular and human genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, will receive the 2026 Medicine Award for using genome and RNA sequencing to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare genetic diseases.

His work with the NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Network helped establish whole-genome and RNA sequencing as approved clinical tests, expanding access to faster and more accurate diagnoses for patients who previously lacked clear answers, according to TAMEST.

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Technology innovation: bp’s Yue Hu applies real-time AI and reinforcement learning to industrial operations

AI innovator Yue Hu, an AI specialist in production technology at bp, will receive the 2026 Technology Innovation Award for applying reinforcement learning to optimize real-time industrial operations.

Hu’s systems have been used in more than 40 field deployments and are estimated to deliver more than $20 million in annual savings for bp, while supporting timely decision-making and knowledge transfer to newer engineers, TAMEST announced.

20th anniversary awards ceremony in Feb. 2026—and nominations for 2027 open in Jan.

The 20th anniversary awards ceremony and dinner will take place February 3, 2026, during the TAMEST 2026 Annual Conference: Pioneering Climate Innovations in San Antonio.

Nominations for the 2027 awards open January 20 and close March 30. The 2026 cohort reflects the program’s ongoing focus on identifying emerging scientific leaders across Texas institutions and industries.

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