An engineer who developed technology to measure methane emissions and a scholar who is a driving force in using scientific evidence to improve children’s reading comprehension have been named the 2025 recipients of The University of Texas at Austin President’s Research Impact Award.
David Allen, the Norbert Dittrich-Welch Chair in Chemical Engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering, and Sharon Vaughn, the Manuel J. Justiz Endowed Chair in Education in the College of Education, were each presented with the award at the Celebration of Research hosted by Interim President Jim Davis.
Also honored at the Celebration of Research were recipients of the University Research Excellence Awards, which recognize career-long accomplishments, scientific research output and creative research and artistic endeavors:
- Research Excellence Career Award – Sumit Guha, professor, History, College of Liberal Arts
- Creative Endeavor Award – Lisa B. Thompson, professor, African and African Diaspora Studies, College of Liberal Arts
- Research Paper Excellence Award – Vagheesh Narasimhan, assistant professor, Integrative Biology and Statistics and Data Sciences, College of Natural Sciences
The President’s Research Impact Awards were established in 2023 to recognize University researchers whose scholarly or creative endeavors have changed lives and the way we look at and understand the world.
“Great research, just like great teaching, is fundamental to the core mission of The University of Texas,” UT Interim President Jim Davis said. “Congratulations to the awardees for the recognition of their great work.”
Allen and his team were the first to perform extensive measurements of methane emissions from oil and gas production sites. Their studies have shown that methane emissions are often dominated by a small number of malfunctioning sites and equipment, which can be quickly repaired to significantly reduce emissions. This not only lessens the environmental impact, it increases the value of Texas-produced natural gas that is exported to countries that pay a premium for low-emission fuel.
Allen has led several initiatives, including Project Astra, which uses innovative sensor networks and data analytics to monitor and respond to emissions in real-time. His team collaborates with industry and international organizations like the U.S. Department of Energy and the United Nations to develop frameworks for monitoring and reporting methane emissions.
His work has not only advanced scientific understanding but also influenced policy and industry practices, making significant strides in reducing the environmental impact of natural gas production and supporting the global transition to sustainable energy systems.
“Dr. Allen’s contribution to better understanding methane across the supply chain is unparalleled, both in terms of his tenure and his commitment to taking a science-based, outcome-agnostic and unbiased approach to this issue,” said Fiji George, senior director of climate and sustainability at Cheniere Energy, Inc. “Dr. Allen’s work with the oil and gas industry and the Environmental Defense Fund was the first set of comprehensive measurements at oil and gas facilities that then paved the way for numerous other studies on methane characterization and mitigation.”
Vaughn, the executive director of The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, and her colleagues have spent 30 years researching ways to improve reading outcomes for secondary-aged students with reading difficulties. Their work, involving extensive trials and thousands of students, has led to significant advancements in reading comprehension and academic success.
Her key initiative, Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text (PACT), has shown promising results in improving content knowledge and reading comprehension. PACT practices, designed for use by general education teachers, have been validated through large-scale studies, demonstrating their effectiveness and sustainability.
Vaughn’s research has not only benefited students but also provided valuable tools for teachers and inspired further research.
“Sharon was one of the first researchers who really brought the lens of prevention science into the work of special education, confirming that we can and should be targeting students’ development early in their academic careers,” said Nathan Jones, commissioner for the National Center for Special Education Research within the Institute of Education Sciences, the independent research arm of the U.S. Department of Education. “And if we can do so, if we can reach students at the very beginning and provide and build their foundational skills, we can change the trajectory of their educational outcomes in pretty significant ways.”
Up to four UT researchers who represent any discipline are selected annually to receive the President’s Research Impact Award. Each recipient is honored with a $10,000 prize and medal to recognize research that has an impact on society, the economy or the human imagination.
The University Research Excellence Awards are presented annually and selected through a competitive peer review process.
The Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors oversees the nomination and selection process for both awards.
