Distinguished Researcher Elected to National Academy of Engineering

RICHARDSON, Texas, Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Bruce Gnade, professor emeritus of materials science and engineering and director of workforce development at the North Texas Semiconductor Institute at The University of Texas at Dallas, was elected Feb. 10 as a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.

Gnade is one of 158 members, including 28 international members, of the Class of 2026. Election to the NAE honors individuals for outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education. Gnade was named a member for his contributions to the advancement of electronic materials and semiconductor device technologies.

“I am deeply honored by this recognition from the National Academy of Engineering,” Gnade said. “This achievement results from years of collaboration with talented students, colleagues and partners who I’ve been fortunate to work with.”

UT Dallas President Prabhas V. Moghe said Gnade’s election to the NAE is a testament to his remarkable contributions to engineering research, practice and education.

“This honor is a powerful affirmation of Bruce’s extraordinary leadership, vision and impact on engineering, particularly in the field of flexible electronics,” said Moghe, who also holds the Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership. “This recognition not only brings great pride to our university, but also highlights the exceptional caliber of our work at UT Dallas.”

Members of the newly elected class will be formally inducted during the NAE’s annual meeting in the fall.

“Dr. Bruce Gnade’s election to the National Academy of Engineering is a tremendous honor and a powerful affirmation of his extraordinary leadership, vision and impact on engineering, particularly in the flexible electronics area,” said Dr. Joseph Pancrazio, vice president for research and innovation and professor of bioengineering at UT Dallas. “I am delighted for my colleague, who is also a friend and mentor, for this well-deserved recognition by one of the nation’s most prestigious academies.”

At UT Dallas, Gnade previously served as vice president for research and held the Distinguished Chair in Microelectronics from 2005 to 2016. He was the executive director of the Hart Center for Engineering Leadership in the Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University from 2017 to 2022.

He came back to UT Dallas in 2022 when the University was establishing the North Texas Semiconductor Institute. At the institute, he works on initiatives to educate high school and college students about careers in the fast-growing semiconductor industry and other advanced manufacturing opportunities.

“The semiconductor industry plays such a big part in North Texas,” Gnade said. “UT Dallas has the opportunity to help industry thrive.”

Gnade also has held leadership positions in industry and public service, including at Texas Instruments and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Gnade is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the IEEE and the National Academy of Inventors. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Saint Louis University in 1976 and his PhD in nuclear chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1982.

NAE Members at UT Dallas

UT Dallas National Academy of Engineering members, year elected and citation:

Dr. Ronald A. Rohrer, research professor of materials science and engineering, and associate director of the Center for Harsh Environments Semiconductor Systems (1989, for creative contributions to simulation strategies for computer-aided design and for leadership in electrical engineering education)
Dr. David E. Daniel, UT Dallas president emeritus (2000, for leadership in developing the geoenvironmental engineering field, and major contributions to engineering practice involving landfills and waste containment systems)
Dr. Larry J. Hornbeck, professor of materials science and engineering, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science (emeritus member) (2007, for the invention and development of the Digital Micromirror Device and its application to projection display technology)
Dr. Babu R. Chalamala, professor of materials science and engineering (2024, for advancement of battery storage systems)
Dr. Bruce E. Gnade, professor emeritus of materials science and engineering, and director of workforce development at the North Texas Semiconductor Institute (2026, for his contributions to the advancement of electronic materials and semiconductor device technologies)