Happy Friday!  I hope you’ve had a great week — I certainly have.  Mine was busy and it included two special events I thought I’d mention.

The first was the Veterans Day Ceremony, honoring our UT System colleagues who serve, or have served in the armed forces.  It was a terrific event that, I would wager, lifted the spirits of all who attended, whether they served in the military or not.  The ceremony concluded with a rousing sing-along of God Bless America.  Then we had coffee and donuts.  Not a bad way to start the day!

The second event, which took place this morning, was the Research Summit of The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST).  While these may seem like very different events on the surface, I reminded the scientists and researchers on hand that there are many thousands of veterans – myself included – who might not be alive today were it not for the years of hard, persistent research performed, usually behind the scenes, by incredibly dedicated men and women like themselves.

Those who have fought for our country know the hard, tangible benefits of research very well.  But science and research are not just means to an end. From a philosophical perspective – thinking about who we are as Americans, and what we stand for – science and research are also, in a way, the ends themselves.

In 1795, Thomas Jefferson wrote that “Freedom is the first-born daughter of Science.”  As Americans, we take it as an article of faith that we will know more tomorrow than we do today – and the things we learn will make us not just smarter, but also safer, more prosperous, and importantly, not less, but more secure in our fundamental beliefs.

In America, intellectual freedom is not just OK, it is essential to the functioning of our democracy.  We keep our eyes, our minds, and our hearts open to new possibilities.  We arrive at new conclusions, knowing full well that those conclusions are subject to change because we never stop learning.

To always ask the hard questions.  To follow the truth, wherever it may lead.  These are rights that help define what it means to be an American – rights that generations of veterans have fought and died for.

I hope you have a great weekend, and I hope you thank the next veteran – and the next researcher – that you see.