Board of Regents Approves Appointments of Grover E. Murray Professors

TTUHSC Professors Receive Highest Faculty Honor

• By Suzanna Cisneros
• August 11, 2022
• Education

The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents approved the appointments of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) faculty Sherry Sancibrian and Thomas Hale, Ph.D., R.Ph., as Grover E. Murray Professors. 

Grover E. Murray Professors are faculty members who have attained national and international distinction in their fields for outstanding research, excellence in scholarship and creative achievement. 

“Professors Sancibrian and Hale deserve this prestigious appointment solely based on their qualifications,” TTUHSC President Lori Rice-Spearman said. “However, their contributions both on a personal and professional level make them outstanding experts in their fields. Countless children and their families have benefited from their innovative approach to clinical care. As faculty members, they have greatly impacted their students and colleagues through academic and clinical expertise, leadership, mentorship and relationships. They are among our innovators and collaborators for transforming health care, and I’m honored to recognize them as Grover E. Murray Professors.”

Sancibrian, a professor in the School of Health Professions, has been a faculty member with the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences since 1984. She is associate chair for the department and program director for the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. She also is the associate dean for academic affairs for the School of Health Professions. In addition to being a Board-Certified Specialist in Child Language, she is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist.

Sancibrian has participated in more than 300 presentations, including invited and peer-reviewed venues. Her clinical work has spanned 40 years and has benefited Lubbock and surrounding communities. Her service positions have included founder and director of the South Plains Autism Network and the Lubbock Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Team coordinator. She has been active in professional associations at the local, state and national levels. Currently, Sancibrian serves as chair of the Texas Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Advisory Board for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. She also held leadership positions as president of the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association, convention co-chair for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and served on the Speech-Language-Hearing Interstate Compact Advisory Group, Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation and the National Council of State Board of Examiners.

Her work has led to commendations such as the Award of Honor from the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Hale, a professor of pediatrics and executive director of the InfantRisk Center, joined the TTUHSC School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics in 1981. He is an accomplished researcher with more than $2.7 million in research grant support. These grants have led to more than 50 publications, along with more than 40 abstracts and case reports, five published books and more than 30 chapters written for various books and textbooks in the United States and abroad. 

He has amassed numerous awards from TTUHSC, as well as outside entities, and is considered one of the foremost experts in the field of perinatal pharmacology and the use of medications by pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. His expertise led to the creation of two smart device applications, developed by the InfantRisk Center. MommyMeds© provides fast, convenient access to up-to-date and evidence-based information about prescription and over the counter medications and their safety to pregnant and new mothers. The InfantRisk HCP©, which was written for clinicians, provides access to evidence-based information about medications and their safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Hale is an accomplished author and recently published the 20th edition of his book, “Medications and Mothers’ Milk,” with Springer Publishing of New York. This book is sold worldwide in four languages, and has sold over 1.5 million copies to date.