TAMEST and Lyda Hill Philanthropies have introduced the seven recipients of the 2026 Hill Prizes. The prizes, funded by Lyda Hill Philanthropies, advance high-risk, high-reward concepts and improvements that present important potential for real-world affect and might result in new, transformational analysis paths, the organizations stated.
The prizes are given in seven classes: synthetic intelligence, organic sciences, engineering, medication, bodily sciences, public well being, and know-how. They acknowledge and assist prime Texas innovators, offering seed funding to advance groundbreaking science and spotlight Texas as a premier vacation spot for world-class analysis.
“It is with great pride that I congratulate this year’s Hill Prizes recipients,” Lyda Hill, founding father of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, stated in a press release. “Their pioneering spirit and unwavering dedication to innovation are addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time—from climate resilience and energy sustainability to medical breakthroughs and the future of artificial intelligence.”
“The work recognized today holds extraordinary promise to improve lives,” she added, “and I’m thrilled to see how this investment in high-risk, high-impact science will accelerate their progress toward real-world impact.”
New AI prize, discretionary award added
This is the primary yr that the prizes will acknowledge seven recipients, with the addition of the brand new Prize in Artificial Intelligence, because of a further dedication from Lyda Hill Philanthropies. The organizations additionally stated it has dedicated to fund not less than $1 million in discretionary analysis funding on an advert hoc foundation for highly-ranked candidates not chosen as recipients.
A committee of TAMEST members (Texas-based members of the National Academies) selected the recipients, who have been then endorsed by a committee of Texas Nobel and Breakthrough Prize Laureates and authorized by the TAMEST Board of Directors, the organizations stated.
The tasks chosen for the 2026 Hill Prizes concentrate on artistic, collaborative approaches to a few of the world’s largest challenges, Lyda Hill Philanthropies stated, and have top-tier, cross-disciplinary groups with leaders and researchers from a number of establishments. Principal Investigators of the successful proposals will likely be honored on February 2 on the opening reception of the TAMEST 2026 Annual Conference in San Antonio. Each prize recipient’s establishment or group will obtain $500,000 in direct funding from Lyda Hill Philanthropies to speed up their work.
2026 Hill Prize winners
The 2026 Hill Prize principal investigators and co-recipients are:
Kristen Grauman, Ph.D.
Artificial Intelligence: Kristen Grauman, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Computer Science, The University of Texas at Austin.
Honored for her pioneering analysis on video understanding fashions that assist individuals purchase bodily and procedural expertise.
Susan M. Rosenberg, Ph.D.
Biological Sciences: Susan M. Rosenberg, Ph.D., Ben F. Love Chair in Cancer Research and Professor of Molecular & Human Genetics, Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine.
Honored for her groundbreaking technique to fight antibiotic resistance by focusing on the evolutionary course of itself.
Top: Naomi J. Halas, Ph.D., D.Sc. (NAE, NAS); center: Peter J. A. Nordlander, Ph.D.; backside: Hossein Robatjazi, Ph.D. [Photos: Lyda Hill Philanthropies]
Engineering: Naomi J. Halas, Ph.D., D.Sc. (NAE, NAS), University Professor and Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University and Co-Recipients: Peter J. A. Nordlander, Ph.D., Wiess Professor of Natural Sciences and Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University; Hossein Robatjazi, Ph.D., Vice President of Research, Syzygy Plasmonics Inc.; Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, Rice University.
The group was honored for advancing light-driven applied sciences for sustainable ammonia synthesis, which is important for international agriculture and has gasoline potential.
Raghu Kalluri, M.D., Ph.D.
Medicine: Raghu Kalluri, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Honored for creating eye drops to deal with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and different posterior eye illnesses.
Karen L. Wooley, Ph.D. (prime) and Matthew Stone [Photos: Lyda Hill Philanthropies]
Physical Sciences: Karen L. Wooley, Ph.D. (NAS), W.T. Doherty-Welch Chair and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Texas A&M University and Co-Recipient: Matthew Stone, Managing Director, Teysha Technologies.
Honored for revolutionary analysis that transforms agricultural waste into secure, degradable plastics and chemical compounds
Elizabeth C. Matsui, M.D.
Public Health: Elizabeth C. Matsui, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and the Director of Environmental Health within the Center for Human Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine; Professor of Population Health and Pediatrics, Dell Medical School; Director, Center for Health and Environment: Education and Research, UT Austin.
Honored for figuring out local weather change-related environmental exposures—particularly excessive warmth and air air pollution—as key contributors to hostile maternal and beginning outcomes and related disparities.
Top: Kurt W. Swogger; center: Clive Bosnyak, Ph.D.; backside: August Krupp [Photos: Lyda Hill Philanthropies]
Technology: Kurt W. Swogger, CEO and Co-Founder, Molecular Rebar Design, LLC and Co-Recipients: Clive Bosnyak, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder, Molecular Rebar Design, LLC; August Krupp, Director-MR Rubber Business, Molecular Rebar Design, LLC; for addressing essential environmental and security considerations associated to tire efficiency and chemical toxicity.
‘Powerful possibilities for the future’
“On behalf of TAMEST, we’re honored to celebrate the 2026 Hill Prizes recipients. These outstanding innovators exemplify the excellence and ambition of Texas science and research,” stated TAMEST President Ganesh Thakur, Ph.D. (NAE), University of Houston.
“Thanks to the visionary support of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, the Hill Prizes not only recognize transformative work but provide the resources to move bold ideas from the lab to life-changing solutions,” Thakur added. “We’re proud to support their journeys and spotlight Texas as a global hub for scientific leadership.”
Each recipient is tasked with submitting an annual affect report back to TAMEST and Lyda Hill Philanthropies to showcase their progress and spotlight how the prize has accelerated their analysis, the organizations stated.
“The Hill Prizes are designed to catalyze extraordinary ideas that, with support from the Prize, have the potential to change the world,” stated 2026 Hill Prizes Committee Chair David E. Daniel, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Dallas. “This year’s recipients are advancing ideas that stretch the boundaries of their fields and offer powerful possibilities for the future. It’s been a privilege to serve on the committee and help select such a compelling group of visionaries.”
Applications for the 2027 Hill Prizes will open May 1 and shut June 1.
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