H.R. No. 671

	R E S O L U T I O N
	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.
	Howard
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 671 was adopted by the House on April
	3, 2025, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House