Growing up in north Little Rock, Arkansas, Dr. Doris C. Warren鈥檚 imagination was captured as an onlooker of the world鈥檚 space race. 鈥淚t was at a time when the Sputnik era was starting,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ASA was just getting started and a lot of emphasis was placed on science and related careers.鈥�
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At the same time, Warren showed an early proclivity toward academia. 鈥淚鈥檇 always loved to read. My mother said I was a born teacher. I would play school with my sister, Betty, who was four years younger,鈥� she said.
While she enjoyed a range of subjects, it was chemistry class that truly catapulted Warren into her life鈥檚 work. Warren liked the ability to incorporate math and explore chemical possibilities. 鈥淚 had a wonderful high school chemistry teacher,鈥� Warren remembers. 鈥淲e built rockets and went out on the farmland and shot them off. It was a lot of hands-on activities.鈥�
After graduating high school in 1959, Warren entered Baylor University with about 50 other freshmen chemistry majors. By her sophomore year, she was a lab assistant, helping the professor set up freshmen labs and conduct research. She earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in 1963 and her master鈥檚 in 1967 from Baylor, both in chemistry.
Warren joined the faculty of Houston Baptist University in the fall of 1967. The first HBU class had graduated that spring, and the first president, Dr. William H. Hinton, along with other inaugural faculty members, were just getting started. 鈥淭he Southwest Freeway dead-ended at听Fondren,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he campus was sparse; the big trees were sticks back then and it looked like a prairie.鈥�
While a new higher learning institution meant much groundwork had to be laid, it also was an opportunity for听free-thinking. 鈥淭hat was the beauty of being at a brand new school,鈥� Warren said. 鈥淭here was no one saying, 鈥榃e鈥檝e been doing things this way.鈥� You were really part of it. I was here when they were doing the first accrediting work for SACSCOC (Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). I was put on the committee to write the faculty handbook. I learned from the ground up how a university worked. Here at its young stages, we could be very creative. HBU had these businessmen founders like Dr. Stewart Morris. They were very entrepreneurial and it allowed us to be.鈥�
Warren credits the University leadership and founding faculty members like Dr. Joyce Fan for their role at HBU and in her own life. 鈥淚 feel like I grew up academically and professionally as HBU grew,鈥� she said. In 1975, Warren completed her doctorate in chemistry through the University of Houston.
Throughout the years, Warren championed for her students, for chemistry resources, and for HBU as a whole. Early on, she helped secure a National Science Foundation Grant toward scientific instrumentation. In 1985, she pursued a Robert A. Welch Foundation Grant that alone has provided more than $750,000 for the Chemistry Department. In all, she managed to secure more than one million dollars for her program. The grants are only some of the evidence of the fruitful relationships she formed with individuals, organizations and fellow schools.
Even as she saw the big picture of her department, she still prioritized her students. In fact, she was named the Texas Minnie Stevens Piper Professor in 1991. She has made sure that undergraduate students have the opportunity to do research, and to receive a unique level of attentiveness. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have graduate students teaching labs like in large schools. Students really learn how a scientific paper is composed. The mentoring and advising we have makes the difference.鈥�
Furthermore, Warren carried on her own love of research, publishing papers and presenting with students at venues like NASA, the University of Houston, UT Health Science Center and Baylor College of Medicine. 鈥淩esearch is an excellent way to teach students critical thinking and problem-solving,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檇 put our students up against any that are out there.鈥� She has seen her students graduate and go into careers like medicine, education, engineering, energy and more.
Since becoming dean of the College of Science and Mathematics in 1997, Warren has built upon the reputation of听HBU鈥檚听outstanding programs. 鈥淚 felt God had given me experiences with grants and budgets and prepared me for the role,鈥� she said.
When the University recently celebrated Warren鈥檚 50th year at HBU with a reception, her favorite part was seeing some of the many former students who have become friends, and knowing that a scholarship established in her honor will help future students. 鈥淎t West Point they have the long gray line,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e the blue and orange line. The students are our future and that鈥檚 important.鈥�
Warren looks forward to continuing her work. She reflected thoughtfully that, as a child collecting money for the Lottie Moon Offering, she thought she might be a missionary and teacher in China. 鈥淎s Houston changed and grew, the University changed and grew. Students from around the world have come here. I didn鈥檛 have to go across the sea,鈥� Warren said. 鈥淚 can look back and say I think God established HBU. I was placed here.鈥�
MEMORIES OF FORMER STUDENTS
鈥淪he wasn鈥檛 much older than us when she came. She was involved in getting me an assistantship in chemistry in the graduate school at Baylor.鈥�
-Jerry听Burkhalter, 鈥�71
鈥淚 worked as a lab manager for her, and she hosted a wedding shower for my wife, Debbie, and me. She was instrumental in making sure I was a chemist.鈥�
-Monroe Copeland, 鈥�71
鈥淓ven now, Dr. Warren is very supportive. It鈥檚 been exciting to read about her getting grants and seeing her accomplishments.鈥�
-Dr. Kay Lee, 鈥�75
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鈥淒r. Doris Warren is a professor, mentor and lifelong friend. She is a brilliant scientist, effective teacher and godly counselor.鈥�
-Dr. Barbara Taylor-Cox, 鈥�81
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鈥淪he always seemed interested in her students. She鈥檚 had an impact on so many people and is听well-loved. Her classes definitely helped me to do what I do now as a project manager at Baylor College of Medicine.鈥�
-Diane Nino, 鈥�86听
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鈥淚 was terrified of her, and one day she walked by when I was playing music in class. She said, 鈥業s that Julio Iglesias?鈥� That completely changed the way I saw her. She was tough, but it gave me the discipline to go to graduate school.鈥�
-Elizabeth听Bohorquez, 鈥�87听
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鈥淢y favorite part of her class was how passionate she was about teaching ethics. She also paid for my friend and me to go to an etiquette course on campus. I鈥檓 completely grateful for her.鈥�
-Kevin Ramirez, 鈥�13听
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ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP听
The HBU Alumni Board of Directors has created an endowed scholarship in Dr. Doris C. Warren鈥檚 honor. Visit听听to contribute.