Richard A. Tapia

Richard Alfred Tapia was an American mathematician and academic who was a professor at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He held the title of University Professor, the university's highest academic rank. In 1996, President Bill Clinton awarded Tapia the Presidential Award for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Mentoring. In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Tapia the National Medal of Science. He was the Maxfield and Oshman professor of engineering; associate director of graduate studies, Office of Research and Graduate Studies; and director of the Center for Excellence and Equity in Education at Rice University.