Dr. Maurice E. Dennis

Dr. Maurice E. Dennis earned a B.S. in Math at Northwestern in 1964 and a master’s in Physical Education in 1966. In 1971, he earned a Ph.D. in Traffic Safety and Physical Education from Florida State University. Dennis taught at the junior and senior high levels and at the university level for almost 40 years. He received several honors including the Texas A & M University Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award, the highest faculty award at Texas A & M, and the Texas A & M College of Education Crystal Apple Outstanding Educator Award in 2006. He was also presented the Texas A & M Distinguished Teaching Award in 1988 and Division of Health Education Research Award in 2001.

After earning his doctorate, he was an assistant professor at Florida State for five years before moving to Texas A & M where he was Professor and Coordinator of Safety Education programs in the Health and Kinesiology Department from 1977-2006 when he was named Professor Emeritus. During his tenure at A&M, he was Director of Alcohol and Drug Education Studies, and worked as an administrator, curriculum developer, training director and consultant for several Texas drug and alcohol awareness programs. Much of his research was devoted to alcohol and traffic safety related issues, including the development of the Texas DWI and Youth Alcohol Awareness Programs. He was an active scholar with over 100 publications in state, national and international publications. His grant for funded research and teaching projects brought in more than $7.4 million for Texas A & M University.