result
RISING TO THE
CHALLENGE
TO THE
CHALLENGE
Texas A&M sophomore Andrew Sorak with EnMed physicianeers Carson Benner and Reagan Oliphant
GIFTS HELP CHART COURSE FROM CLASSROOM TO CLINIC
“The human body is the most complex and fascinating machine to study,” says Carson Benner. A member of the Texas A&M Class of ’24, Benner is currently enrolled in his second year at the Texas A&M School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed), a groundbreaking 2019 partnership between Houston Methodist and Texas A&M University that enables students to earn both doctor of medicine and master of engineering degrees in just four years.
The first of its kind in the nation, EnMed trains students to become “physicianeers” — doctors who blend clinical expertise with engineering innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset to address urgent health challenges. This unique dual focus shapes Benner’s ambition to become an orthopedic surgeon specializing in geriatric care. “I could never leave the mechanical engineering focus behind. I love the mechanics of joint replacement and the technologies that will improve people’s lives,” he states while also emphasizing the critical importance of helping a growing older population maintain independence and well-being.
Benner is just one of many students whose path is illuminated by the backing and generosity of Craig Brown and his wife, Sue Smith. The couple leads the Craig and Galen Brown Foundation, and they were among the earliest and most steadfast champions of EnMed. “Our focus with EnMed is to empower exceptional, well-rounded students to pioneer new medical technologies, procedures and equipment,” Brown says.
Through the Brown Foundation, the couple awards scholarships to National Merit® students pursuing admission to Texas A&M. Each year, a subset of approximately 15 of these incoming Brown Scholars is offered EnMed scholarships through the E2EnMed Early Assurance Program, granting these exceptional high school seniors conditional acceptance into the graduate program. The foundation also guarantees E2EnMed Brown Scholars automatic admission in the Houston Methodist Summer Undergraduate Research Internship (SURI) — a nationally competitive program exposing undergraduates to translational research — after their freshman year. In addition, they underwrite the EnMed Capstone Innovator Awards Program, which funds student research in collaboration with Houston Methodist scientists and clinicians.
Longtime supporters of Houston Methodist, Smith and Brown point out that providing students access to its faculty and clinicians is a cornerstone of EnMed’s success. Their most recent philanthropic gift extends EnMed tuition assistance to students from other universities and establishes and endows the Sue Smith and Craig Brown Center for Engineering Medicine at Houston Methodist — ensuring the program’s longevity for generations to come.
"I DON’T THINK THERE ARE WORDS TO EXPRESS THE IMPACT OF THEIR LIFE-CHANGING GENEROSITY."
“Sue and Craig’s ongoing commitment has helped shape this transformative partnership. Their enduring legacy of empowering students to solve real-world challenges will help redefine patient care,” says Houston Methodist Chief Education Officer, Trevor M. Burt.
Texas A&M sophomore Andrew Sorak was among the E2EnMed Brown Scholars who participated in Houston Methodist’s SURI last summer. Sorak earned first place at Houston Methodist’s Summer Science Symposium for his poster presentation and was chosen as one of three students awarded Intern of the Summer. Upon graduating in 2028 with Bachelor of Science degrees in nuclear engineering and mathematics, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in physics, he will matriculate into EnMed.
"THEIR ENDURING LEGACY OF EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SOLVE REAL-WORLD CHALLENGES WILL HELP REDEFINE PATIENT CARE."
Benner’s experience at SURI spurred him and five teammates to design a remote-controlled overhead surgical light that responds to movements and lighting changes in the operating room. With a patent pending, the team is continuing work on its development and potential for commercialization.
In her third year at EnMed, Reagan Oliphant is in the midst of two years of clinical rotations. Fueled by a passion to address inequities in health care access, she is collaborating with a team of students using 3D printing to develop a low-cost silicone-molded cardiac surgery model for medical training in low-resource countries. “Once in clinical practice, I will be able to use my engineering and innovation background to make impactful changes that will improve access to health care for all those who need it,” she says.
“These aren’t just educational opportunities; they are transformational experiences," Smith points out. "They shape the way students think, the way they innovate and, ultimately, the way they will practice medicine and touch patients’ lives.”
Craig Brown and Sue Smith
LONGTIME SUPPORTERS OF HOUSTON METHODIST, SMITH AND BROWN POINT OUT THAT PROVIDING STUDENTS ACCESS TO ITS FACULTY AND CLINICIANS IS A CORNERSTONE OF ENMED’S SUCCESS
Smith and Brown guide students along the E2EnMed journey from college entrance interviews and white coat ceremonies to their graduation from EnMed. “They are so committed to mentoring and supporting students the entire way — it’s an eight-plus-year relationship that you’re building and benefiting from," Benner shares. "I don't think there are words to express the impact of their life-changing generosity.”
Brown is a civil engineer and founder, owner and chairman/chief executive officer of Bray International — a leading manufacturer of rotary valves and actuators. A devoted and active Texas A&M Aggie, his conviction to giving back is inspired by his own experience as a student and scholarship recipient. Smith is an attorney who redirected her career in law to champion education and nonprofit causes. Her service on the Houston Methodist Academic Institute Board of Directors offers her a front row seat to the translational research taking place at Houston Methodist.
Together, the couple advances their shared belief in the power of education to transform medical innovation. They are catalyzing a future built on scholarships and opportunity, ensuring that today’s young minds become tomorrow’s medical leaders.
Discover More
