Southwest Research Institute—a non-profit San Antonio-based research and development organization that has been pushing the boundaries of science and technology since 1947—recently held its 76th annual meeting. One item on the agenda: announcing 13 new advisory trustees, one of whom is Texas Lutheran University’s president, Dr. Debbie Cottrell.
“TLU has had connections to SwRI for a while,” says Cottrell. “We have alumni working there, and my predecessor, Dr. Dorsey, served as an advisory trustee while he was president here.”
Last year, TLU Board of Regents Chair Bob Oliver connected Cottrell with one of the senior leaders at SwRI, and that connection led to an opportunity for her to give a talk last March for Women’s History Month. “I used that opportunity to talk about the importance of asking good questions—a skill that is important to both scientists and historians like myself. Since my visit there last spring, I’ve stayed in touch with SwRI, and was invited to serve as an advisory trustee a few months ago.”
The institute is dedicated to creating innovative solutions to advance the state of the art and improve human health and safety, working with a wide range of clients. Its leadership includes a Board of Directors and the Advisory Trustees. “The advisory trustees represent numerous professional areas, but it’s clear that SwRI wants to use this group as a way to connect to higher education institutions in the area,” Cottrell explains. “The president of Trinity is part of this group, as is a president from one of the Alamo Colleges, for example.”
That complementary relationship makes perfect sense. “I think their focus on bettering humanity through science aligns directly with our mission to empower our students through education, and our commitment to academic excellence, service, and career opportunities,” says Cottrell. And while she will be lending support and leadership to the institute, there is much to be gained in return. “My goal is to have our partnership with SwRI help connect our students to the institute—through internships as well as employment opportunities. It can also be a great resource for our faculty, and it can help all of us think further about the future of science as we contemplate our contributions to STEM fields. Being connected in this way should also prove fruitful as we contemplate our work to create a new science facility at TLU. I’m confident I’m going to learn a lot!”
What excites Cottrell most about her new role as an advisory trustee? “SwRI is a unique institution doing a lot of exciting science. They consider themselves experts in using science to solve problems, or as they say, ‘to promote innovation and excellence in science and technology for the betterment of humanity.’ The breadth of their work is also very impressive, captured nicely in their tagline ‘From Deep Sea to Deep Space.’ Serving as an advisory trustee is going to keep me close to this significant work, while also keeping TLU at the table both with those who work at and those who support the work of SwRI.”