Roselyn E. Williams facts for kids

Dr. Roselyn Elaine Williams is an American mathematician. She teaches math as an Associate Professor at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). She also used to lead the math department there. For many years, she has been a big part of the National Association of Mathematicians, even serving as its secretary-treasurer for 14 years!

Dr. Williams's Studies

Dr. Williams's main research was about a complex math topic called Hopf algebras. These are special kinds of mathematical structures. She also likes to explore how math can be used in science. For example, she looks at how math helps us understand physics and chemistry.

Her Journey in Education

Roselyn Williams went to Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. There, a wonderful mentor named Dr. Etta Zuber Falconer guided her. Dr. Falconer was the head of the math department at the time. Roselyn earned her Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in 1972.

After that, she went to the University of Florida. She made history there as the first African American student to get a master's degree in mathematics. Later, she continued her studies at Florida State University. In 1988, she earned her PhD, which is the highest degree you can get. Her advisor was Warren Douglas Nichols.

Her Amazing Career

After getting her master's degree, Dr. Williams started teaching at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). She was an instructor there for five years. Then, she went back to school to get her PhD.

In 1988, after finishing her PhD, she returned to FAMU. She became an Associate Professor of Mathematics. While she was the head of the math department, she helped start a special group. It was called the Alliance for the Production of African American PhDs in the Mathematical Sciences. This group is now known as the National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences. It helps more African American students earn advanced degrees in math.

Dr. Williams has been very involved with the National Association of Mathematicians (NAM). She served as their Secretary-Treasurer for a long time, from 2005 to 2019. She has also won several grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Many of these grants supported research for college students. They also helped other programs at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). In 2011, she also helped organize the EDGE program. This program supports women students who are starting graduate degrees in mathematics.

Awards and Recognitions

Dr. Williams has received many honors for her hard work. In 2012, she won the Dr. Etta Z. Falconer Award. This award recognized her great mentoring and her dedication to making math more diverse.

In 2020, she became a fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). This honor was for her lifelong support of HBCUs and the EDGE Program. It also recognized her strong commitment to the National Association of Mathematicians. She was also honored for her quiet but important work in creating other math programs.

Also in 2020, Dr. Williams received the NAM Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is given to mathematicians and educators. It celebrates those who have served the math community for at least 25 years. It also honors those who have been amazing role models and made a big difference in their field.