H.R. No. 982 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Dr. Kory Evans, an assistant professor of biosciences at Rice University, is the recipient of a 2023 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation; and WHEREAS, Among the most prestigious honors conferred by NSF, CAREER Awards include grants to support early-career faculty who exemplify the highest ideals of their profession and who work to advance their organization's mission; each year, NSF presents only about 500 awards across all disciplines; and WHEREAS, Dr. Evans was selected to receive a five-year grant totaling more than one million dollars for his research on the shape change in the skull of spiny ray-finned fishes across their 300-million-year history; the study will examine how modularity, the ability of different parts to form a functional whole, is involved in the evolution of this complex biological structure; the grant funding will also cover two educational components, one of which will involve teaching a marine biology class on several junior and community college campuses; and WHEREAS, Prior to joining the faculty at Rice, Dr. Evans received a bachelor's degree in marine biology from Nova Southeastern University; he went on to earn a Ph.D. in biological sciences at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette; and WHEREAS, Through his outstanding work at Rice University, Kory Evans has distinguished himself as an inspiring leader and an innovative researcher, and he may reflect with pride on this well-deserved recognition; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Kory Evans on receiving a 2023 CAREER Award from the Faculty Early Career Development Program of the National Science Foundation and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in his important work; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Dr. Evans as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. A. Johnson of Harris ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 982 was adopted by the House on April 20, 2023, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House