Among the eight individuals who were recently selected for induction into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, half of them are affiliated with the University of Oklahoma.
Being inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame is considered the state’s highest honor. Since the Oklahoma Hall of Fame’s inception in 1927, 730 accomplished individuals have received this commendation.
Included in this year’s class of honorees is Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., associate vice provost for clinical and translational science and professor of medicine at the OU Health Sciences Center. An internationally recognized rheumatologist and autoimmune researcher, in 2022 James became the first woman from an Oklahoma institution – and fifth overall Oklahoma-based scientist – elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors bestowed in the field. James is also an OU alumna, having earned her Ph.D. and M.D. degrees from OU, in addition to completing her residency/fellowship in internal medicine at OU.
With the inclusion of James, half of the honorees in the Oklahoma Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 are OU alumni:
- Dwight Adams (Ph.D. in Botany, 1982) – Creator of the National DNA Database System
- Judith James (Ph.D. in Medicine, 1993; Doctor of Medicine, 1994; Residency/Fellowship (Internal Medicine), 1999) – Internationally recognized rheumatologist and autoimmune researcher
- Bill Lance (Master of Public Health, 2003) – Secretary of State for The Chickasaw Nation
- Barry Pollard (Doctor of Medicine, 1977) – Neurosurgeon and cattleman
The 2023 honorees will be formally inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame at a ceremony in November. Read more about this year’s recipients on the Hall of Fame website.
