Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Forward Edge AI President Richard "Ross" Coffman to the Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee. Coffman is one of five appointees to the Texas panel.
The committee will develop a strategic plan to promote the quantum economy in Texas. Members will serve staggered terms expiring through 2031.
Based in Austin, Coffman leads Forward Edge AI and is the only appointee in this round identified from an artificial intelligence company. The other members named to the committee are Victor Fishman, Lin Zhou, John Josephakis and Jeff Prevost.
Victor Fishman and Lin Zhou were appointed to terms expiring 31 January 2027. Coffman's term runs until 31 January 2029, while John Josephakis and Jeff Prevost will serve until 31 January 2031.
Committee makeup
The appointments bring together leaders from research, higher education and industry as Texas defines its approach to quantum technology. Fishman is executive director of the Texas Research Alliance, while Zhou serves as vice president, chief information officer and executive director for AI and quantum computing at Texas Tech University.
Josephakis is a global vice president at Nvidia. Prevost is an associate professor at UT San Antonio and also serves as vice president of the Cyber Manufacturing Innovation Institute and executive director of the Open Cloud Institute.
Several appointees already hold roles in Texas quantum and innovation networks. Zhou is a founding member of the Texas Quantum Summit and serves on the board of directors of the Lonestar Education and Research Network. Prevost is also a founding member of the Texas Quantum Summit and represents UT San Antonio on the UT System Quantum Planning Committee.
Fishman serves on the boards of the Dallas Innovation Alliance and the North Texas Innovation Alliance and is also a member of the National Defence Industrial Association. His background includes military service in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps during the Vietnam War.
Coffman background
Coffman's appointment adds a business leader with military and national security experience to the advisory group. He received an honorable discharge from the United States Army.
His academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in economics and government from Centre College and a Master of Business Administration from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also completed a National Security Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School.
The broader set of appointments also reflects the technical and academic depth Texas is bringing to the committee. Fishman holds chemistry degrees from the University of Miami and Clemson University, as well as a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin.
Zhou studied physics at Nanjing University and earned a doctorate in physics from the University of Glasgow. He is also a certified Project Management Professional and previously served on the Texas Department of Information Resources State Strategic Plan Advisory Committee.
Josephakis studied economics at the University of Texas at Austin, with a minor in mechanical engineering, and later earned a Master of Business Administration in finance from St. Edward's University. Prevost holds a Bachelor of Science in economics from Texas A&M University and a doctorate in electrical engineering from UT San Antonio.
The Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee is expected to advise on a statewide strategy for quantum-related economic development, drawing on input from university administrators, research leaders, semiconductor and computing executives, and defense-connected industry figures.