DeBakey Executive Research Program

DeBakey Executive Research Leadership Program

The Director and Executive Director of the Michael E. DeBakey Institute at Texas A&M leverage a combined 50 years of leadership experience to conduct the DeBakey Executive Research Leadership Program. This new program is designed to train junior faculty, postdocs, and doctoral students in the Aggie Research Program to successfully lead a multifaceted, high-end research operation, conveying critical skills to lead, manage, and direct high-achieving students and staff at all levels. Elite executive leadership training programs typically require prior experience leading collaborative teams. This training program is unique because it also provides a concurrent leadership experience through the Aggie Research Program. Participants apply leadership principles, analyze the impact of their leadership choices, consult with recognized research leaders, and document their successes as leaders. The Aggie Research Program creates professional development opportunities by pairing graduate students, postdocs and junior faculty seeking leadership experience with a diverse team of undergraduates seeking research experience. Because research projects are collaborative and chosen by the leader, the outcomes are research products that propel the leader’s research program and a highly effective team.

Benefits

• Gain executive leadership experience for industry and academic careers
• Increase your research productivity
• Network with leaders in research who can provide professional references
• Earn certification as a DeBakey Executive Research Leader

To join the program, prospective DeBakey Research Leaders must

• Be junior faculty, postdoctoral fellow, or doctoral student
• Submit the DeBakey Executive Research Leadership Registration Form and intake survey
• Indicate the number of undergraduates (3-8) to be recruited to form a research team
• Interview and select team members from undergraduate applicants who contact you
• Postdocs and graduate students must obtain approval from their faculty mentor to create a team
• Be able to attend four Team Leader Meetings in person each semester
  • For Summer participation:
    • May 23 – 9AM-10AM
    • June 13 – 9AM-10AM
    • July 20 – 9AM-10AM
    • Aug 18 – 9AM-10AM
  • For Fall participation (one of three options each month):
    • September:
      • 9AM Tuesday 9/20
      • 9AM Wednesday 9/21
      • 12PM Thursday 9/22
    • October:
      • 9AM Tuesday 10/18
      • 9AM Wednesday 10/19
      • 12PM Thursday 10/20
    • November:
      • 9AM Tuesday 11/8
      • 9AM Wednesday 11/9
      • 12PM Thursday 11/10
    • December:
      • 9AM Tuesday 12/6
      • 9AM Wednesday 12/7
      • 12PM Thursday 12/8

To earn certification as a DeBakey Research Leader

• Participate for at least two semesters
• Conduct weekly meetings with an undergraduate research team
• Attend required monthly DeBakey Executive Leader meetings (dates and times above) 
• Complete weekly program evaluations and exit survey
• Document the development of a Leadership Best Practice Report

Questions about the program?

Visit FAQs or feel free to email us at aggieresearch@tamu.edu.