Tamara Floyd-Smith

Dean of Engineering and Sciences and Professor of Chemical Engineering, West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Dean of Engineering and Sciences and Professor of Chemical Engineering| West Virginia University Institute of Technology

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Why Engineering?

I chose engineering because I was told by a school counselor that someone who is good at math and science should be an engineer. Now, I believe that anyone who wants to improve the world should consider engineering.
School Days

BS, Chemical Engineering, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL
MS, Chemical Engineering Practice, MIT, Cambridge, MA
PhD, Chemical Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA
Best Part

The skill set of an engineer is transferable to nearly all life contexts.
My Family

I came from a loving family of two parents and 3 siblings, but I was the first in my family to go to college.
Want to be an Engineer?

You should do it! It is the best decision that I ever made.

Dr. Tamara Floyd Smith joined West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) as Dean of the Leonard C. Nelson College of Engineering and Sciences in July 2022. Prior to moving to WVU Tech, she was Associate Provost and Professor of Chemical Engineering at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, AL. Dr. Floyd Smith’s scientific research interests center around microfluidics for various applications including materials processing, thermal management and biosensing. She is also active in engineering education research. She has received millions of dollars in grant funding from various agencies, published dozens of peer reviewed publications and jointly holds two U.S. patents. Dr. Floyd Smith completed a B.S. in chemical engineering at Tuskegee University in 1996. She went directly to graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA and completed requirements for an M.S. in chemical engineering practice in 1998 and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 2001. After completing her doctoral degree, she joined the research staff of Lucent Technologies from 2001-2003. In 2003, she joined the faculty of Tuskegee University as an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2007, earned tenure in 2009 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2012. She accepted the role of Assistant Provost in 2015. Recently, she served as a rotating program officer at the National Science Foundation in the Division of Undergraduate Education. Dr. Floyd Smith is married with two children.