grv vita G. Roland Vela, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of Microbiology (2000)
Fellow American Academy of Microbiology (1975)
Roland Vela,born Eagle Pass, Texas, September 18, 1927 to Marcial Vela Bermea and Maria de Guadalupe
Muzquiz de la Garza(Vela)
Raised in San Antonio,Texas;attended public schools and worked for the San Antonio Express and
San Antonio Light
Volunteered for service in U.S.Navy,WWII
Attended UT Austin: B.A., 1950; M.A., 1951; Ph.D., 1962; Microbiology and Biochemistry
Married Emma Lamar Codina Longoria in 1953;children Jerry,Anna Maria,Yolanda,Jaime
Worked for the City of San Antonio Public Health; Southwest Foundation for Research; City of San Antonio,
Texas; Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts; School of Aerospace.Medicine, Brooks Air Force
Base, Texas
Professor of Microbiology,University of North Texas, 35 years; Associate Dean of Science&Technology,
College of Arts&Sciences, 5 years
Published 75 research papers;textbook,Applied Food Microbiology*and Lab. Maitual,Laboratory for
Applied Food Microbiology; several"Guest Editorials"Denton Record-Chronicle, Denton,Texas
More than 100 invited seminars in American and Foreign Universities
Directed research of 44 Masters and 20 Doctoral Students plus numerous undergraduate and post-doctoral
fellows.
Chaired Committee that wrote UNT Tenure policy, Chaired Tenure Committee two;terms; Pres Campus AAUP;
Committee of Fourteen; Faculty Senate; Faculty Grievance Committee
Served as Faculty Advocate for many Faculty Members threatened with dismissal by UNT
Discovered bacterium that was eventually named Paenibacillus velaei by P. Sukplang and A. Thongmee
Served on Research Peer Review Committees of the National Science Foundation; National Research Council;
American Society for Microbiology; National Institutes of Health; National Academy of Sciences;
Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Department of Education; U.S.Army Chemical Corps;etc.
Member of the American Society for Microbiology for 59 years; Society for General Microbiology, London;
Canadian Society of Microbiologists, Montreal; Sociedad Mexicana de Microbiologia,Mexico City;
Sociedad Colombiana de Microbiologia,Bogota, Colombia;etc.
1975 - 1978 President, Texas Branch,American Society for Microbiology; Distinguished Service Award;
emeritus member
1978 - 1987 Editor, Texas Journal of Science
Organized UNT Hispanic Conference which created The G. Roland Vela Award; later Hispanic Friends of
the University
Member of Alpha Chi Sigma, National Chemistry Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi, National Honor Society
Visiting Professor: The University of Texas at Austin; University of Barcelona; University of Granada;
University of Chihuahua; University of Nuevo Leon; Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Fulbright Senior Fellow,Bogota Columbia,
1980 Lifetime Distinguished Professor, Microbiology, Colombian Government.
Consultant for Frito-Lay; Campbell Soup Co.; A.H. Halff and Associates; Oceanography International; W. J.
Smith Wood Preserving Co.; Fisheries Ministry of Thailand,Bangkok; Fort Worth Independent School
District. Etc.
Retired from the University of North Texas-June, 2000_
Co-chair College of Arts and Sciences Emeritus Faculty Council, 5 years.
Included in University of North Texas Oral History Project.
Included in University of Texas, Austin Hispanic Ex Students who served in WWII
President's Council, University of North Texas
Boards of Directors: Flow Medical Foundation; Anne's Haven Hospice; Denton County Cooperative Agency;
Our Daily Bread(meals for the indigent) .
Founding Member, and actor,Firehouse Theater
r
Chairman,Airport Advisory Board and member for eight years
Member of the Denton City Council
Board of Directors of the Texas Municipal Power Agency, 11 years
Established successful family business that holds promise for profitable growth
Listed as one of the outstanding 100 Texas Latinos of the 20'century by Texas Latino Magazine
Published, after retirement:
The Men Named Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, 2003
Bernardo de Galvez Spanish Hero of the American Revolution 2006
Currently working on book of the Muzquiz family of Spain, Mexico, and Texas
In retirement: Grandfather; Author; Confused Private pilot; Timid Chess player; Wood worker;
Traveler; Talker; Businessman meek& mild; Friday Lunch Philosopher and
Wandering intellectual.
*This may be the only textbook published by a commercial publisher for a member of the Biol.Dept.Faculty in its entire history.
Ph.D. STUDENTS GRADUATED
Dr. Gerald Dean Cagle Dr. Terence A, Johnson
Exec. Vice President Research Chairman, Biology Department
Alcon Laboratories University of Northern Tennessee
Fort Worth, Texas Memphis, Tennessee
Dr. Raoul Simon Rosenthal, Jr. Dr. Morris Crum
Professor of Microbiology Morris Crum Testing Laboratory
Indiana University School of Medicine Dallas, Texas
Indianapolis, Indiana
Dr. Joaquin Moreno
Dr. James Ray Ralston Professor of Microbiology
Head, Product Water Quality Control University of Alicante
American Sterilizer Company Alicante, Spain
Los Angeles, California
Dr. Massoud Mahmoudi
Dr. Jung Fu Wu Post-doctoral Fellow
Research Group Leader Univ. of Texas Health Sci. Res. Center
Cornell University
Ithaca,News York Dr. Gogu S. Reddy
Staff Scientist
Dr. Wayne Riley Barnes Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Sr. Research Scientist
Abbot Laboratories Dr. Juan Manuel Sanchez Yanez
Chicago, Illinois Professor of Microbiology
Institute for Nitrogen Fixation
Dr. Solomon Lare Aladegbami Irapuato, Mexico
Chief of Research Laboratories
Tarrant Co. Medical Center Dr. Virginia Guadalupe Nevarez
Fort Worth, Texas Escuela de Ciencias Quimicas
Universidad de Chihuahua,
Dr. Charles Shing Chang Chihuahua, Mexico
Professor of Microbiology
Fu Jeri University Dr. Miguel M. Castro Arroyo
Taipei, Taiwan Biosynthesis, Inc.
225 Main Street
Dr. Joel Escamilla(Captain) Lewisville, Texas
Head, Microbiology Services
U. S. Navy, Pacific Area Dr. Acharawan Thongmee
San Diego, California Associate Dean
Rangsit University
Dr. Anthony Henry Gonzalez Bangkok, Thailand
Clinical Microbiologist
Portland General Hospital Dr. Patamaporn Sukplang
Portland, Oregon Associate Professor and Director
Thailand Research Institute
Dr. William F. Fleming III Bangkok, Thailand
Head, Mycology Section
May r) clynir.
Minneapolis, Minnesota