Marsha Rhea Williams facts for kids

Marsha Rhea Williams, born in 1948, is an important American educator and researcher. She is celebrated for being the very first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer science. Throughout her career, she held many teaching positions. She was a respected professor at Tennessee State University. Dr. Williams also strongly supports getting more diverse students involved in STEM fields.

Meet Dr. Marsha Rhea Williams

Her Early Life and Education

Marsha Rhea Williams was born on August 4, 1948, in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Her parents were James Edward Williams and Velma Lee Williams. She loved learning from a young age.

In 1969, she earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in physics, from Beloit College. She continued her studies and received a Master of Science (M.S.) in physics from the University of Michigan in 1971.

After teaching for a while, Dr. Williams decided to pursue even higher education. She went to Vanderbilt University for her doctoral studies. There, she earned another Master of Science degree in systems and information science in 1976.

Then, in 1982, she achieved something truly remarkable. She earned her Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in computer science. This made her the first African American woman ever to achieve a Ph.D. in this field! For her Ph.D., she wrote a special research paper called a dissertation. It was about how people use computers to search large amounts of information. This was a new and exciting area of study at the time.

A Career in Computer Science and Teaching

Dr. Williams had a long and impactful career. She taught at several universities, including the University of Mississippi, Memphis State University, and Fisk University. She also worked for a major technology company, IBM, and received a special fellowship from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Most recently, she was a tenured professor of computer science at Tennessee State University. Being "tenured" means she had a permanent teaching position. Dr. Williams was also one of the first African American professors to teach engineering and computer science at both the University of Mississippi and Tennessee State University. She wrote many academic articles and shared her research at conferences.

She was a member of important professional groups like the Association for Computing Machinery and the Association of Information Technology Professionals. These groups help computer scientists share ideas and learn from each other.

Championing Diversity in STEM

Beyond her teaching and research, Dr. Williams is a strong supporter of diversity. She believes that more people from different backgrounds should work in computer science and engineering.

She advised the National Society of Black Engineering Students. She also started her own group, the Association for Excellence in Computer Science, Math, and Physics. These groups help students succeed in these important subjects. Dr. Williams also led Project MISET at Tennessee State, which focused on getting more minorities into science, engineering, and technology.

Her achievements and contributions are recognized in several "Who's Who" publications. She is often mentioned alongside other famous computer scientists like Dorothy Vaughan and Melba Roy Mouton.