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