Dr. Roderic Pettigrew has been appointed as Vice Chancellor for Strategic Health Initiatives at Texas A&M University, starting on June 1st. This new position was approved by the Texas A&M University Board of Regents, recognizing Pettigrew as one of the flagship institution’s most esteemed scholars.
Pettigrew will be transitioning from his current role as Executive Dean of the School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed) at Texas A&M University to focus on expanding the System’s health science research portfolio and attracting top scholars to join the institution. Over the past 12 years, efforts to recruit top faculty members have led to a significant increase in the number of faculty who are members of elite National Academies in engineering, science, and medicine.
The Texas A&M System Chancellor’s Research Initiative (CRI) and Governor’s University Research Initiative (GURI) grant program have played a key role in supporting the recruitment of superstar faculty members. Under Pettigrew’s leadership, the System has grown its National Academy membership from 11 to 58, and he is expected to further enhance these efforts in his new role.
Pettigrew holds a Ph.D. and an MD and is a member of several prestigious organizations such as the National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Inventors. He joined Texas A&M in 2017 with CRI and GURI funds where he launched EnMed, an innovative program that offers a unique curriculum where students earn both a medical degree and a master’s in engineering focused on medical technology at the Texas Medical Center in Houston.
In his new role as Vice Chancellor for Strategic Health Initiatives, Pettigrew will represent Texas A&M on a national level within medical organizations promoting EnMed’s integrated engineering medicine curriculum while continuing to serve as dean until an interim is named while remaining on the faculty.
