The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Wednesday confirmed Dr. M. Katherine Banks as the 26th president of Texas A&M University.
Banks, who is currently vice chancellor of engineering and national laboratories and dean of the Texas A&M College of Engineering, assumes her duties June 1.
Banks also will carry the title vice chancellor of national laboratories and national security strategic initiatives because of her continued involvement with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex at the RELLIS Campus.
Banks, who has led Texas A&M Engineering for the past decade, was selected after a national search led by Board of Regents Chairman Elaine Mendoza, Vice Chairman Tim Leach and a 15-member search committee.
“After a robust national search, which drew top-notch, competitive candidates, our Board today unanimously confirmed Dr. Katherine Banks as the next president of Texas A&M University,” Mendoza said. “With her decade of accomplishments evident right here on campus, Dr. Banks will be ready and able to move forward from day one. Texas A&M is a great university and under her leadership, we are expecting it to be even greater; we are excited to see this next chapter unfold.”
“We have all worked with Dr. Banks for many years and we know what she has done to transform our engineering college to be among the biggest and best in the world,” said Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp. “Dr. Banks is going to do for the university what she has already done for engineering. She is going to be a great president.”
“I am truly honored that the Board of Regents has selected me to be the next president of this great university,” said Banks. “Crucial listening sessions will begin soon with key stakeholders across campus and the state to gather perspectives concerning the issues, challenges and opportunities that we face today. I look forward to working together as we take Texas A&M University to new levels of preeminence.”