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Velma Richardson Named COSAM Associate Dean for Diversity

Velma Becton Richardson has been named the Associate Dean for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs for the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

“With its commitment to a diverse educational environment, the College of Sciences and Mathematics created the position of Associate Dean for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs in the year 2000. In his role in this position, and prior to his appointment as Associate Provost, Dr. Overtoun Jenda laid a solid foundation for the college's mission in this area,” said COSAM Dean Stewart Schneller. “We are delighted to have Dr. Velma Richardson join us as our new Associate Dean. As a professor of biology at Tuskegee, Dr. Richardson was highly regarded for her classroom instruction and laboratory research. This will couple well with her commitment to mentoring to provide the college with meaningful leadership for one of the cornerstones of our mission.”

Richardson has been involved in science education reform for more than 20 years, and is happy to be able to bring this experience to COSAM. “I am excited that the Summer Bridge program is happening in my first two weeks here at Auburn,” she said. “I can’t wait to see the students and begin working with them immediately as they take their first steps in the transition from high school to college. The program is a perfect continuation and expansion of the work I have been doing over the last 10 years.”

While Richardson is thrilled to be working with the students, she is also very interested in fostering diversity among COSAM faculty. “I look forward to working with the various department heads to identify, recruit and retain minority faculty,” she said. “Diversity is a strength – a core value – for the faculty, the students, everyone involved, and provides new ideas and ways of doing things. I think we are all enriched by different points of view.”

Richardson earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in biology from Tuskegee University.
In 1978, she began her studies at Auburn University as one of the first National Institutes of Health (NIH)/Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Predoctoral Fellows. Four years later, she became the first African-American female to receive a doctoral degree in zoology (genetics) from Auburn University.

Prior to coming to Auburn, Richardson was professor of biology at Tuskegee University from 1997-2007. During this time, she also served as program director for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Undergraduate Biological Sciences Education Program. Through her work with HHMI, Richardson provided leadership and oversight for efforts to strengthen the minority pipeline in biomedical and related sciences. She led reforms in the science curriculum, and worked to upgrade instructional infrastructure and to increase undergraduate recruitment, retention and access to the research laboratory.

“I am particularly interested in exploring ways to get the students into the labs and giving them access to the research culture as soon as possible,” Richardson explained. “I plan to develop and employ early intervention strategies, like accessibility to research, to aid in the retention of our students.”