Charles Weatherford, Ph.D., a physicist, who has been employed at the university for over 41 years has been named FAMU’s Vice President of Research. Weatherford had served in the interim role for the past several months following a leadership change within the division.
“Research or extending the boundaries of knowledge is as foundational to our mission as is inspirational teaching. The combination of the two prepares our students to be change-agents and innovators and contributors to much needed advances in our society,” said President Larry Robinson,Ph.D. “Dr. Weatherford’s track record as a world-class researcher, seasoned administrator, and passionate educator and mentor of students, gives us confidence that we are moving in the right direction.”
Weatherford is a computational atomic, molecular and plasma physicist by training. He holds degrees from Louisiana State University, and has done sabbaticals at the Goddard Space Flight Center, IBM- Almaden Research Center in San Jose, Calif., NASA-Ames, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence-Livermore and Argonne National Laboratories.
“I am honored and gratified by this appointment and this important opportunity to lead the FAMU Research Enterprise in this critical time in the University’s history,” said Weatherford, who is also director of the FAMU Center for Plasma Science and Technology. “Over the past number of years, the FAMU faculty has exhibited tremendous professional expertise in grant writing and research as they produce new knowledge and train our talented students to create the future for us all.”
Weatherford said the faculty, students, staff in the Division of Research, and other elements of FAMU’s research enterprise have shown great skill and dedication as they contributed to FAMU’s rise into the Carnegie Research Level Two Classification.
“I challenge the members of the FAMU research community to move toward Carnegie Research Level One over the next five years,” Weatherford said. “It is possible, and we will all benefit—but most of all, our students will reap the rewards.”