Notable Chemistry Alumni

The Late Dr. John B. Sapp, Jr. was a native Texan, born in Galveston, Texas. He attended Texas Southern University (TSU) and received a BS degree (1962) and an MS degree (1964). His thesis was entitled The Synthesis of Flavones, Isoflavones and Certain Polyhydroxy 2,6-Diaryl-4-Pyrones. He later attended the University of Houston and defended his dissertation Butadiene Monoepoxide and Cyclopropane Carboxaldehyde: Pyrolysis and Structure where he received his Ph.D. in 1971. He began his teaching career at TSU in 1964 and had done further studies at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. During his tenure at TSU he mentored many students at the Masters and Doctoral level and had many peer reviewed publications. He served as Associate Dean (1990-1994) and Interim Dean on more than one occasion.  Dr. Sapp served as the second President of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) during 1981-1984. He was the chair of the Chemistry Department from 2001 until his demise in 2020.*from https://coset.tsu.edu/5207-2/

Dr. Ashley Guillory graduated magna cum laude from Texas Southern University in 2007 with a B.S. in Chemistry. She completed her terminal degree in Pharmacology in the Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Houston in December of 2012. Ashley’s research focused on investigating the molecular mechanisms associated with the maladaptive changes of β-adrenergic receptor signaling in heart failure with the intention of identifying new therapeutic targets for the treatment of heart failure. During her time at University of Houston she was the recipient of several university scholarships, travel awards and other commendations and has presented her research at conferences across the United States. Ashley was also awarded a highly competitive NIH graduate research supplement for her thesis project. Dr. Guillory is currently working as a postdoctoral fellow in the Surgery department at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas in conjunction with Shriners Hospitals for Children-Galveston. She has certificates in Advanced Academic Management Skills, Effective Teaching and Mentoring and Translational Research Team Management next spring. Dr. Guillory has been awarded a three year Shriners Hospitals for Children fellowship for project entitled β-adrenergic and androgen receptor signaling in burn-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Her long term goal is to continue researching cardiovascular dysfunction in stress-induced diseases and identifying molecular targets for therapeutic interventions.

Mr. William G. Hudson is the Chief Operating Officer/ Chief Financial Officer /Director, Office of Financial and Support Services Harris County Public Health where he has over 15 years of healthcare management-public health leadership experience. His primary responsibility includes ensuring the strategic financial and operational position of the $135 million-dollar enterprise with direct oversight of Human Resources, Financial Services, Operations, Strategy & Innovation, Capital Projects, and Project & Business Information Technology. His experience in each of these areas brings a unique level of breadth and understanding to the organization.

William’s love and aptitude for science, business, and community has strategically positioned him to make and sustain meaningful change globally. Most recently, in September of 2020, after four years of working alongside of robotics and Artificial Intelligence experts from Microsoft and Departmental Entomology/ Surveillance experts, under William’s operational leadership, Harris County Public Health began building out one of the most advanced biothreat detection networks in the world through an expanded multiyear partnership with Microsoft.  This partnership will provide the Six Million residents of Harris County with an advance early warning system that combines robotic sensing platforms, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and cloud-scale metagenomics to autonomously monitor disease-carrying animals such as mosquitoes, robotically collect environmental samples, and then genomically scan them for biological threats that could potentially prevent the next COVID-19 pandemic.  At the same time, William worked with Harris County Leadership to ensure a multi-million dollar renovation of the abandoned Riverside Hospital (Houston Hospital for Negros) campus ( two blocks from Texas Southern) which is inclusive of the  relocation of the Harris County Public Health Department as the Anchor tenant, to ensure long term preservation of this historic site.

William received his Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Master of Management in Organizational Behavior (MSMOB) from Benedictine University, and a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry from Texas Southern University. William was a recipient of the prestigious Louis Stokes Alliance Participation (LSAMP) Scholarship and Fredrick Douglass Scholarship. William was also a world renown debater on the Texas Southern Debate Team under the Late Dr. Thomas F. Freeman from 2001-2004. William is currently completing a Master in Business Administration (MBA) in Entrepreneurship from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Moody School of Business. see more…

Chemistry One News

Mr. William G. Hudson, an alumnus who double majored in chemistry and biology, gave the first ever commencement speech for the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (COSET) in Fall 2020. Click here