Three Texas Tech Professors Receive Highest Faculty Honor

Three Texas Tech University faculty members have been named Horn Professors, the highest honor they can receive from the university.

Linda Allen, professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics; Sindee Simon, professor and associate chair in the Department of Chemical Engineering; and Vickie Sutton, Robert H. Bean Professor in the School of Law, were approved by the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents’ Academic, Clinical and Student Affairs committee today (Feb. 25). Final approval will come by the full board at its meeting tomorrow.

“Horn Professors represent the very best among our faculty,” said Guy Bailey, Texas Tech president. “These individuals are recognized for their attainment of national and international distinction for their research or other scholarly or creative achievements. We value these men and women for their scholarship and their many contributions to Texas Tech. They are a true testament to the quality of our academics.”

“Faculty members who are named Horn Professors are distinguished in their teaching, research and service,” said Kent Hance, chancellor of the Texas Tech University System. “These professors are honored for their academic achievements and dedication to the university. We are fortunate to have such committed individuals at Texas Tech and are proud to commend them with our highest honor.”

The Horn Professorship was established in 1966 to recognize scholarly achievement and outstanding service to Texas Tech. The honor is named for Texas Tech’s first president, Paul Whitfield Horn. Since its inception, 76 members of the faculty have been appointed Horn Professors and 35 remain on faculty.

“This is not a designation that is awarded lightly,” said Bob Smith, Texas Tech provost.  “While being recognized primarily for exceptional and sustained research or other creative and scholarly achievement, typically Horn professors are truly integrated scholars, with abilities to meld the tripartite mission of teaching, research and service.”

Allen joined Texas Tech in 1985. She has won the Barnie E. Rushing Jr. Faculty Distinguished Research Award, the Graduate Professor of the Year and Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards. She serves on numerous editorial boards of professional journals and has been published widely. She earned her bachelor’s degree from College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., and her master’s and doctorial degrees from the University of Tennessee.

Simon joined Texas Tech in 1999. She was named a fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers in 2005 and of the North American Thermal Analysis Society in 2003. She has received the Barnie E. Rushing Jr. Faculty Distinguished Research Award. She has lectured internationally and is a widely published author. Simon has written more than 60 refereed journal articles and has six book chapters to her credit. She has received more than $4 million in research funding over her career. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Yale University and her doctorate from Princeton University.

Sutton joined Texas Tech in 1999. She also is director of the School of Law’s Center for Biodefense, Law and Public Policy. She has served as chief counsel to the Research and Innovative Technology Administration for the U.S. Department of Transportation and as assistant director to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She has received the Faculty Distinguished Leadership Award and the Outstanding Research Award. She earned two bachelor’s degrees from North Carolina State University, her master’s degree from Old Dominion, a doctorate from the University of Texas at Dallas and her law degree from Washington College of Law at American University.