HR671 - Recognizing March 14, 2026, as Texas Women in STEM Day.

      H.R. No. 671       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Texas Women in STEM Day is taking place on March 14,   2026, and this occasion offers a welcome opportunity to honor those   Texas women who have dedicated their lives to the advancement of   science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and          WHEREAS, Among the Texas women who have made their mark in   STEM is Frances "Poppy" Northcutt, the first female engineer to   have worked in NASA's Mission Control; in 1967, she joined NASA's   Johnson Space Center in Houston as a member of the Apollo 8 mission   control team, and she worked as a flight controller for the   Apollo 8, Apollo 10, Apollo 11, and Apollo 13 missions, serving on a   team that provided mission oversight and real-time support for   astronauts; during her inspiring career with NASA, she was   instrumental in ensuring the success of the mission that placed   humans in lunar orbit for the first time; and          WHEREAS, Elise Harmon was an American physicist, chemist, and   professor who played a vital role in developing the technology   behind the modern-day computer; an alumna of the University of   North Texas and The University of Texas at Austin, she went on to   become involved in aircraft and electrical projects at the United   States Naval Research Laboratory, where her research on carbon   brushes strengthened the U.S. military effort against Germany   during World War II; later, she served as a chief research engineer   at Aerovax and introduced a new method for creating printed   circuits that became a key advancement in the manufacture of   electronics; and          WHEREAS, Leah Moncure, a Bastrop native, was the first woman   engineer in the State of Texas; in 1938, after attending The   University of Texas and working at an engineering firm, she made   history by earning her professional engineering license, and she   remained the only registered female engineer on the state's roster   for approximately 15 years; she went on to become the first female   engineer to work for the Texas Department of Transportation, as   well as the first to be granted life membership in the National   Society of Professional Engineers; and          WHEREAS, Born in Houston to Mexican American parents, Ruth   Gonzalez obtained a degree from UT Austin and she subsequently   earned the distinction of being the first Hispanic American woman   to receive a doctorate in applied mathematics from Rice University;   as an expert in seismic imaging methods and geophysical math, she   was a longtime employee at ExxonMobil in its production research   company; during her tenure there, she was instrumental in   persuading the corporation to fund community- and minority-focused   outreach programs; and          WHEREAS, These four women contributed to their respective   fields in ways that changed the world, and through their   achievements as some of our state's pioneers in STEM, they have   broken down barriers and opened doors of opportunity for those who   aspire to follow in their footsteps; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby recognize March 14, 2026, as Texas Women in STEM   Day and pay tribute to all the women in STEM, past and present, who   have brought pride to our state through their commitment to   professional excellence, technological progress, and innovation.     Howard     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 671 was adopted by the House on April   3, 2025, by a non-record vote.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House