The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents recently designated 11 faculty members and seven agency service, extension or research professionals within the A&M System as Regents Professors and Regents Fellows for 2015-2016.

Representing Texas A&M University-Kingsville is Dr. Kim Jones, professor and director for the Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment in the department of environmental engineering. He is the 15^th Regents Professor at Texas A&M-Kingsville. 

Cliff Thomas, chairman of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, said the newest Regents Professors and Regents Fellows are vital members of the Texas A&M System family who bring with them unique skills and perspectives. “These folks are integral to steering the System toward continued excellence,” Chairman Thomas said. “With them at the helm, the universities and agencies under The Texas A&M System can only keep improving.” 

Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp said the new Regents Professors and Regents Fellows have proven their commitment to the System’s success. “The recently recognized professors and professionals represent the best of our great System and higher education in Texas,” Chancellor Sharp said. “Their work consistently elevates Texas A&M System campuses and agencies.”

Jones joined the faculty in 1999 as an assistant professor in the environmental engineering department in the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering. He was promoted to associate professor and served as department chair from 2004 to 2009 when he was promoted to professor. He continued as department chair until 2016.

Prior to working at Texas A&M-Kingsville, Jones was a consulting engineer for Camp, Dresser & McKee Inc.; research associate for the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology; district engineer for ARCO International Inc. in Jakarta, Indonesia; area operations engineer for ARCO Oil and Gas Company; research engineer for ARCO Production Research; and research assistant at the University of Texas.

Jones is a graduate of the United States Military Academy in West Point where he earned his bachelor’s degree in general engineering. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1974-1979, achieving the rank of captain.

In addition, Jones received a master’s degree in petroleum engineering from University of Texas and master’s and doctoral degrees in environmental engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Jones’ research focuses on natural systems engineering applications for solid and hazardous waste treatment; environmental biotechnologies for air and water treatment; low impact development research and modeling; constructed wetlands; vapor phase biofiltration for air toxics, water reuse applications; fate and transport of contaminants in subsurface systems and solid and hazardous waste management.

He received the Javelina Alumni Association Distinguished Researcher Award in 2013, the Professor of the Year for environmental engineering in 2012 and the Faculty Lecture Award in 2005. Jones also was the Stormont Lecturer, Victoria College Honoree in 2010. 

About the Regents Professor Award 

The Board established the Regents Professor Awards program in 1996 and the Regents Fellow Service Awards program in 1998 to recognize employees who have made exemplary contributions to their university or agency and to the people of Texas. 

The selection process for the awards begins with a call for nominations from the Chancellor, after which an internal selection committee is formed within each institution or agency. Final nominations are put forth to the chief executive officer of each respective entity. They are then subject to a System-level review consisting of academic vice chancellors and past recipients of the awards. Finally, nominations are forwarded to the chancellor and the board for final approval.

To date, 212 Texas A&M System faculty members have been recognized with the Regents Professor Award and 125 agency professionals have received the Regents Fellow Service Award. 

About The Texas A&M University System 

The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $4.2 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the Texas A&M System educates more than 140,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $946 million in FY 2015 and helped drive the state’s economy.

-TAMUK-