Texas A&M’s new vice president for research is poised to take the university to the next level
Dr. Angela K. Wilson brings extensive experience to guide Texas A&M’s billion-dollar research enterprise.
Dr. Angela K. Wilson joined Texas A&M University as vice president for research on April 1. She is a nationally recognized research leader and brings extensive experience leading large-scale scientific programs at national agencies and institutions of higher education.
A research powerhouse like Texas A&M University requires exceptional guidance to reach the next level. That guidance comes from Dr. Angela K. Wilson, a nationally recognized research leader and distinguished scholar who commenced her role as Texas A&M’s vice president for research on April 1, 2026. Wilson joined Texas A&M from Michigan State University, where she served as both a John A. Hannah Distinguished University Professor and a University Distinguished Professor, two of the institution’s highest academic honors.
The level of investment in research that Texas A&M has achieved reflects its capacity to advance discoveries, shape industries and deliver solutions that matter in the real world. The university has led Texas in research expenditures since it first broke the $1 billion threshold in fiscal year 2020. In December 2025, a report from the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey ranked Texas A&M among the top 25 universities in the nation because of its $1.39 billion in research and development expenditures for fiscal year 2024. Texas A&M ranks 13th among public universities and 22nd overall among the 681 research universities ranked. Incredibly, Texas A&M is entrusted with nearly 1 out of every 5 research dollars invested in Texas public universities.
“I am honored and excited to join Texas A&M University,” Wilson said at the end of 2025, ahead of her start date. “As a land-, sea- and space-grant institution, Texas A&M plays a vital role in shaping the future of research, education and innovation in service to the state, nation and world. I look forward to working with faculty, students, research teams and partners across the university to expand discovery, strengthen collaborations and elevate the visibility and impact of Aggie research at Texas A&M.”
A chemist by training and an accomplished research administrator, Wilson brings extensive experience leading large-scale scientific programs at national agencies and institutions of higher education. As director of the Division of Chemistry at the National Science Foundation, she oversaw approximately $1 billion in national research investments across her tenure and more than 5,000 awards supporting scientific discovery across the country. In that role, she stewarded major national scientific user facilities and played a central role in shaping agency strategy, including foundational work on the Data-Driven Discovery initiative, which later became one of the National Science Foundation’s 10 Big Ideas.
[Dr. Angela Wilson] brings the experience and resolve needed to ensure our research delivers real value for Texans, the nation and the world. Dr. Wilson is the right leader at the right moment for Texas A&M.
Wilson also served as president of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society with more than 200,000 members, where she worked with scientists, policymakers, business leaders and international partners to advance scientific research and strengthen university-industry collaboration. She now serves as treasurer and board member of the American Physical Society, contributing to long-range strategic planning and national research policy discussions.
In addition to her federal leadership experience, Wilson has broad university leadership experience, including roles as associate vice provost for faculty and director of the Office of Faculty Success at the University of North Texas and associate dean for strategic initiatives in the College of Natural Sciences at Michigan State University. Across these roles, she has championed programs that support the development of faculty at all stages of their careers, strengthened research administration and compliance and advanced interdisciplinary partnerships with government, industry and philanthropic organizations.
Wilson has consistently driven the development of high-impact research centers and collaborations at the university level. She founded and led major centers in quantum computing and advanced scientific computing and served on the leadership team of a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research center that she co-founded. She played a key role on the six-member, three-university team that launched the Midwest Quantum Collaboratory to accelerate research and workforce development across institutions and industry. She has a strong record of attracting external research support, with projects totaling approximately $40 million over the course of her career.
“Dr. Wilson is an outstanding hire for Texas A&M and for the state of Texas. As our university continues to build momentum, we need a strong leader to steward our $1.4 billion research enterprise with clear vision, accountability and a commitment to outcomes that matter,” said Texas A&M Interim President Tommy Williams ’78. “She brings the experience and resolve needed to ensure our research delivers real value for Texans, the nation and the world. Dr. Wilson is the right leader at the right moment for Texas A&M.”
Wilson’s expertise spans public and private higher education, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations and corporate partnerships. Her record reflects a strong commitment to transparency, collaboration, integrity and the advancement of research and creative scholarship across all disciplines.
Texas A&M is uniquely positioned to lead in the next era of research — where scale, talent and mission converge.
In her new role, Wilson will guide Texas A&M’s research enterprise through its next era of growth and national prominence. Her leadership is expected to further expand interdisciplinary discovery, attract major external funding and amplify the university’s impact in addressing critical global challenges.
“Texas A&M is uniquely positioned to lead in the next era of research — where scale, talent and mission converge,” Wilson said. “I am excited to build on this strong foundation and help expand the university’s research enterprise in ways that elevate its national and global impact.”
Texas A&M stands as a force for good and will continue to make breakthroughs in science and technology to create a brighter, safer world. Recent headlines and direct outreach at the March 2026 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, accurately portray Texas A&M as an institution absolutely committed to this lofty goal, highlighting beneficial research across crucial fields such as medicine, energy and food security. AI for use in dairy farming, gel batteries, 3D-printed medicine and other recent innovations confirm Texas A&M’s status as a hub of dynamic research and demonstrate how the university is working to be the best university for the world.
