Image: The Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Krystal L. Williams as assistant professor of higher education, effective January 1, 2022. “Dr. Williams’ expertise will complement and extend the Institute’s goals to deepen research into student access and success across postsecondary institutions. We look forward to her joining our faculty’s efforts to contribute to critical national debates around higher education and public policy,” said Director Libby V. Morris. Dr. Williams is an accomplished, widely published scholar with expertise in STEM diversity issues, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and mixed methods research. She plans to connect with HBCUs in Georgia and other potential collaborators interested in education policy and equity, particularly for initiatives to broaden participation in STEM fields. “I appreciate the rich history of the Institute as an esteemed pillar within the field of higher education. I look forward to building relationships with new students and colleagues,” said Williams. “Overall, I am excited about joining the University of Georgia family and the general Athens community.” Dr. Williams’ policy-relevant research agenda is funded by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Grants Program, as well as the National Science Foundation (NSF). She is a Fellow in the NSF Summer Institute for Advanced Research Methods and was named a 2021 Emerging Scholar by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Dr. Williams completed B.S. and M.S. degrees in mathematics at Clark Atlanta University, where she graduated as class valedictorian. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education (CSHPE), where she was recognized as an AERA Minority Dissertation Fellow. After graduating, she completed an AERA-Educational Testing Service Postdoctoral Fellowship in psychometrics. Dr. Williams will be leaving a faculty position at the University of Alabama to join the Institute. For more information about Dr. Williams' research and instructional areas, see her website. Type of News/Audience: General News
