Dean for Research & Sponsored Programs
RHEA L. WILLIAMSON, Ph.D
RESOURCES
Student Funding Opportunities: How You Can Help Them Find Support Presentation prepared by Dean Williamson.
Welcome from the Dean
In my over 22 years of being a member of the faculty or administration at SJSU, CSU East Bay, and now HSU, my most memorable experiences have been related to student success in research. It is such a wonderful feeling to actually participate in what some call the “a-ha” moment, when the lights come on and the points are connected. It makes the hard work of being a professor or research administrator all the more worthwhile. Research also contributes to a faculty member’s sense of success and well-being. The challenges and successes of the research process for both faculty and students contribute to a university that is vibrant, whole, exciting, and successful.
So, what do I know about Humboldt State University’s vision for research? I know from our Mission and Core Value statements that “We strive to create an inclusive environment of free inquiry, in which learning is the highest priority. In this environment, discovery through research, creative endeavors and experience energizes the educational process.” and that “We believe in intellectual growth through scholarship, creative activities and research.” I know from the faculty and staff I have met in my first months at HSU that research is an integral part of their work and that many want to do more of it. I know that HSU is unique in its approach to research, particularly at the undergraduate level, by offering hands-on experiences working with faculty in the field and the laboratory.
Given, what I now know, what do I offer as a service to HSU that adds value to the HSU research agenda? I promise to work closely with the faculty and staff to help HSU further gain recognition as a destination for research opportunities. I promise to facilitate efforts that support our students through involvement in research that enhances the likelihood that our students will graduate and strive for a higher degree, will achieve at the highest levels, and will remember HSU as their starting point. I promise to work diligently and collaboratively so that research efforts at HSU double and possibly triple in the next five years. Now, what are some goals for bringing these promises to fruition?
- Focus on Faculty First and Foremost. All faculty members interested in developing, maintaining, or strengthening a research program or agenda will be supported using a “roadmap to funding success” model.
- Streamline Process as Needed. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) will continue to evaluate procedures for pre-award and post-award functions. We will also facilitate a smooth progression of awarded projects from brainstorm to final report, and hopefully to resubmittal of a second award.
- Promote Quality in All Research Activities. ORSP will help faculty in meeting submittal guidelines, and in meeting interim reporting requirements.
- Provide Opportunity for Research Experiences at the Graduate and Undergraduate Level. A multitude of opportunities exist that may promote what is already being done at HSU. Enhanced involvement with the Council of Undergraduate Research (CUR) program, NSF-REU programs, Student Support Services programs (TRIO) and others are essential.
- Establish Working Relationships with Federal, State, Regional, Local, and Community Funding Sources, including NSF, NIH, EPA, NOAA and others.
- Promote collaborative proposal submittals with other CSU campuses including Chico, Sonoma, Sacramento, East Bay, SFSU, and SJSU. Strengthen collaborations with UC Davis, UC Berkeley, Stanford and other research focused institutions.
- Promote collaborative proposal submittals with local industry and business partners, the faith community, non-profit organizations, and private foundations.
I honestly believe that leveraging resources, involving students, reaching out to external partners, and thinking entrepreneurially and with an interdisciplinary and collaborative lens will help launch HSU to a higher level of success in research, scholarship and creative activity efforts.
Education
University of California at Berkeley. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Ph.D. in Environmental Science, 1987.
San Jose State University, San Jose, California. Department of Biological Science. B.A. in Marine Biology, 1980.
Research Focus
Dr. Williamson’s research has focused on the chemical and biological impacts of wastes on water quality and biota. She conducted several Sanitary Surveys for Yosemite and Lassen National Parks, involving undergraduate and graduate students in these detailed assessments of watershed water quality and best practices. She has written several technical reports for the State of California on the assessment of acid mine drainage, toxicity of cement kiln dust, and the establishment of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for metals, mercury, sediment and other potential contaminants of concern in watersheds. She has developed water quality monitoring plans for contaminants including nutrients, sediments, metals, and mercury in streams, creeks, rivers and reservoirs and she has conducted human health and ecological risk assessments and feasibility studies at hazardous waste disposal sites and at several military base closure locations. Dr. Williamson has also developed operator certification training programs for water and wastewater treatment plant personnel. Her K-12 education efforts includes teacher training workshops for middle and high school teachers in "Creek Water Quality Monitoring" and the development of "Sewer Science," a lab-based curricula that received state and national awards for science education and has been taught to over 14,000 students nationwide.