Rhea L. Williamson
Dean of the Research & Sponsored Programs Foundation
Rhea L. Williamson has been named dean for research and Sponsored Programs at Humboldt State University.
Williamson most recently served as associate vice president of research and professional development for the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at California State University, East Bay in Hayward, Calif. In her new position, Williamson will lead and provide vision for HSU faculty, students and staff as they conduct research across all disciplines.
“My goal is to facilitate research so that faculty can realize their passions,” Williamson said. “If a faculty member wants to conduct a specific type of research and the only way they can do that is through outside funding, I will do whatever I can to help secure that funding,” she said.
Williamson’s own research has focused on the chemical and biological impacts of wastes on water quality and biota. Prior to becoming an administrator, she served as a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at San Jose State University, where she led graduate and undergraduate research expeditions to Yosemite and Lassen Volcanic national parks.
As dean, Williamson hopes to promote efforts that involve students in faculty-led research.
“Research gives students the opportunity to learn in new ways; it provides them with real-world experience outside of the classroom and teaches them about teamwork and communication—skills they will use in the real-world,” she said.
Williamson also plans to promote collaboration with local non-profits, industry, Native American tribes and the faith community to draft proposals to external funders. “It is important to integrate the community in our research efforts, to take into consideration the regional economy and the development of a workforce when investigating new funding opportunities,” she said.
Williamson received a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from San Jose State University in 1980 and a doctorate in Environmental Science from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California at Berkeley in 1987.
Teresa Grenot
HSU Library
Teresa Grenot, a California native who worked most recently at libraries in northern Greece, was named library dean at Humboldt State University this summer.
Grenot (pronounced greh-NOH) served concurrently as university library director of special collections, archives and the digital Library at Bissell Library at the American College of Thessaloniki and at Eleftheriades Library at Anatolia College from 2008. During that time, she wrote seven successful grants for the two schools.
Grenot also taught information literacy at Santa Monica College and Internet and research methods at Los Angeles Mission College.
“As an educator and library administrator, I share the HSU emphasis on attention to the individual learner, mentoring, life-long learning and innovative approaches to teaching,” Grenot said. “Building strong entrepreneurial and critical thinking skills yields results.”
Grenot was an academic librarian at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College for eight years and Library Department Chair there for two years.
She received her master’s in library and information science from the University of California, Los Angeles.