The Robertson School of Communication is a major research and training component within the College of Humanities and Sciences. The School’s faculty are highly-productive scholars with established, externally-relevant research trajectories, making the Robertson School an ideal collaborator for interdisciplinary grants requiring sophisticated communication and social science components. Areas of expertise include:  designing, executing, and evaluating large-scale persuasive campaigns; risk communication strategies; and health interventions. There is pioneering scholarship on the ethical and social implications of A.I. in communications, the strategic use of big data for targeted messaging, and the impact of social media in emerging technologies. This scholarly work translates scientific findings into public action.

The Robertson School maintains well-respected undergraduate academic programs in advertising, journalism, public relations, and media production, and a master’s program in integrated communications and media leadership. This professional-grade infrastructure allows researchers to conduct field testing, message dissemination, data collection, and community-engaged research execution vital for sponsored projects. We actively seek interdisciplinary collaborations across VCU to serve as the core communication component for successful grant proposals, offering established expertise in research methodology, message design, public outreach, and measuring communication efficacy and outcomes.

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of World Studies, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences, is a vibrant community of faculty, students, and practicing scholars actively creating synergies that promote innovative, interdisciplinary ideas. The School of World Studies provides undergraduate students with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary for success in a globalized world. The School encompasses disciplines – Anthropology, International Studies, and Religious Studies – which define what it means to be human: how we developed, the ways in which we build communities with distinct cultural practices, how we can better understand and interact with people/ideas different from our own, and how to find our place in the cosmos. 

Instruction in the school is offered by almost 30 faculty members. School faculty are engaged in sponsored research across several continents with a variety of focus areas. Additionally, the School is the home for the Center for the Study of Global Religions and Spiritualities.

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of African American Studies, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences, originated from an Afro-American Studies Committee started in 1967 and grew to a stand-alone major in 2003. VCU is the second school in Virginia to offer a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in African American Studies and the department is one of the largest undergraduate departments in African American Studies on the East Coast. The B.A. in African American Studies is an interdisciplinary degree that provides students with knowledge of human cultures and intellectual and practical skills to engage complexity, diversity, and change. The degree program fosters students’ personal and social responsibility and, through applied learning experiences, empowers students to negotiate and to solve the complex problems of the 21st century. Over 50 students have graduated from the program.

The department has one of the highest amounts of grant funds per capita in the College. Research is conducted in collaboration with the Center for the Study of Tobacco, a partnership between VCU Departments of Psychology and African American Studies, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The overarching goal of the Center for the Study of Tobacco Products is to demonstrate empirically an integrated, iterative modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) evaluation model that uses analytical lab, human lab, randomized clinical trial, and quantitative and qualitative methods to inform tobacco product regulation across all product types. The department is also spearheading the study Cashless or Cashlite, which examines the impact of the 2013 currency redenomination of the Zambian national currency the Kwacha on Mobile Money use in Lusaka, Zambia. African American Studies has seven faculty and 24 affiliate research faculty from across the college and university.

The Department of Biology, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, offers a Bachelor and Master of Science in Biology, delivering an innovative curriculum seamlessly integrated with research and with emphasis in the areas of Cell Regulation, Evolution, and Ecological Processes and Applications. The faculty work to engage and enlighten the community, to provide students in all disciplines with a solid foundation in the biological sciences, and to prepare graduate and undergraduate students for advanced academic study, admission to health programs, employment in laboratory and field programs, jobs in private industry, positions with government agencies, and teaching in secondary schools.

Faculty and students in the Department of Biology conduct fundamental research in the fields of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. Research interests include craniofacial and neuro development, membrane biology, molecular immunology, microbiome studies, plant development, and cancer biology. This diversity in research interests fosters a highly collaborative environment where students and faculty interact across disciplines to understand the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate critical biological processes. VCU biologists are committed to providing a rich research environment. The department houses state-of-the-art microscopes, next-gen sequencers, and utilizes a broad range of model systems including mouse, frogs, zebrafish, yeast, flowering plants and human derived cell lines. The department’s location within the VCU community also presents an ideal environment for students and faculty to collaborate with others outside of the department, including the VCU Heath and the Department of Biomedical Engineering, among others. The Department of Biology strives to provide an inclusive environment, where diversity is prized, and a culture of acceptance is a fundamental element of departmental philosophy.

Faculty and students in the Department of Biology also conduct research in diverse areas of ecology and evolution that address basic and applied questions. Major research efforts include regional studies of vegetation dynamics on Virginia’s barrier islands, water quality of Atlantic coastal rivers and estuaries, and tidal wetland responses to sea level rise. Research activities involve national and international efforts addressing climate change and north temperate forests, long-term studies of neo-tropical migratory birds, and investigations of harmful algal blooms in the Baltic Sea. Research efforts in evolutionary biology and systematics include co-evolution, plant-animal interactions, comparative morphology and anatomy, speciation, phylogenetics, and biogeography. In addition to state-of-the art facilities housed in the Trani Center for Life Sciences, faculty and students have access to an array of diverse ecosystems located at the VCU Rice Rivers Center. The Rice Center, located 45 minutes from campus, includes frontage on the James River, a 20-hectare restored wetland, and mixed temperate forests.

Student and faculty research is supported by government and private agencies, including the National Science Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Department of Energy, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research Network, Virginia Sea Grant, and the Virginia Natural Heritage Program. The department is supported by over sixty faculty and staff members.

The Department of Chemistry housed in the College of Humanities and Sciences provides high-quality education in chemistry to undergraduate and graduate students, in preparation for professional careers at all levels. With more than 300 undergraduate and 70 graduate students, we seek to create independent thinkers capable of addressing and solving the next generation of scientific and technological problems. Students have the opportunity to engage in groundbreaking research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries, working alongside faculty members who are leaders in their respective fields. 

The department offers an enriching graduate experience with a blend of traditional and interdisciplinary study. We have a nationally ranked Ph.D. program that combines the best of both traditional and interdisciplinary study. We recently introduced an accelerated B.S. and M.S. program as well as a non-thesis M.S. program in chemistry to serve those who work in industry who want to further their education. We are also fully invested and participate in two interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs in nanoscience and nanotechnology, and chemical biology. 

The Department of Chemistry has an active research program with more than $3 million annually in research and educational grants. We specialize in collaborative and interdisciplinary research in the fields of chemistry, chemical biology, chemical education, material science, and nanoscience and nanotechnology. We are fortunate to have two major instrumentation facilities in the department that house a wide range of modern instruments capable of studying chemical phenomena. 

We have 34 faculty members dedicated to the teaching and training of undergraduates and graduate students. Their excellent and diverse backgrounds ensure an undergraduate and graduate program of quality and balance.

The Department of English within the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, offers a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, and a PhD in Media, Art, and Text, designed to break down walls between disciplines to expand research possibilities available to students and allow them to fashion new intellectual arenas for the creation and dissemination of knowledge. Since the department’s inception, efforts have been made to remain responsive to the needs and interests of students, and to expose them to new opportunities, including a study abroad program, reading series (Moveable Feast), Visiting Writers Series, Distinguished Writers Series, a multimedia journal (Blackbird), and the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. In the fall of 2025, the department also became home to VCU’s Foreign Language programs, including the BA in Spanish and minor programs in French, German, Italian, and Russian. 

The department’s faculty publish to national and international acclaim and have been honored with regional, national, and international awards. The department has hosted academic conferences as varied as the Victorians Institute, the Southeastern Renaissance Society, and the African Literature Association. Faculty is known for serving as editors for a number of prominent publications as diverse as Stand Magazine, Victorians Institute Journal, Studies in Eighteenth-Century Culture, The Comparatist, and Broad Street. Faculty specializations include 18th century, 19th century, 20th/21st century, early modern, and medieval literature, and composition linguistics, creative writing, literatures of diversity, and film, new media, and theory. The department includes over 100 faculty and staff members.

The Department of Forensic Science, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences, at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) provides students with a solid, well-rounded education preparing them for effective professional careers in public and private forensic laboratories, basic research laboratories, and clinical laboratories. The Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science at VCU is a unique program that recognizes a solid science background, followed by strengthening of earned knowledge through hands-on experience, are the keys to a successful forensic science career. The undergraduate program in Forensic Science has been accredited by FEPAC (Forensic Science Educational Programs Accreditation Commission) since 2005, and boasts more than 350  undergraduate majors between the Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry, and Physical Evidence concentrations, all of which are FEPAC accredited.

The Master of Science in Forensic Science program is designed to prepare students for careers as forensic scientists in government and private laboratories. Students receive in-depth exposure to specializations within the field, including drug analysis, DNA analysis, trace evidence, criminalistics, and legal issues. A strong emphasis on laboratory courses provides students with significant hands-on experience prior to graduation. Several of the required lab courses are taught at the Virginia Department of Forensic Science Lab, which is nationally accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors. The MS in Forensic Science program has been granting degrees since 1978, and is also fully accredited by FEPAC. The typical entering class is 20-25 students with chosen specialties that span the program's offerings. Eleven faculty support the department. Many are actively engaged in research and have received funding from the National Institute of Justice.

The Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies (GSWS) within the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), offers a major and a minor for undergraduate students, and a graduate certificate program. Undergraduate students majoring in GSWS have the opportunity to choose between two interdisciplinary concentrations, general and health and science. All programs are designed to provide students with a solid academic base for graduate studies and the credentials necessary for careers in the private or non-profit sector. GSWS draws upon the theories, skills, pedagogy and perspectives of the humanities, social/behavioral sciences, life/physical sciences, and the arts. The Harrell-Benson Scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate student majoring or minoring in gender, sexuality and women’s studies. Students in need of financial support will be given preference, as will students who are the first in their family to attend college. The purpose of the scholarships is to provide VCU GSWS students with demonstrated financial need the opportunity to study abroad for academic credit as part of either a summer or semester study abroad or other international or global activist experience where academic credit is earned. Instruction is offered by nine faculty members.

The Department of History, within the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), is home to two dozen talented teachers and scholars who offer diverse courses on the human making of our world. VCU History majors investigate the past across boundaries of time and place, and apply their knowledge and skills in capstone courses. The History M. A. program engages graduate students through analysis of development across time and directs them into independent research and writing. The department’s three student organizations, the Alexandrian Society, History Now!, and the History Graduate Student Association, provide opportunities for leadership as well as fellowship. Richmond and central Virginia boast a plethora of public history institutions, where students gain practical experience through internships for academic credit. 

Students have the opportunity to study aboard in Barbados during the Crop Over Festival, which celebrates African cultural transitions through music and dance. The department offers two American Study Programs as part of a Global Outreach initiative where students from China and India participate in lectures from university professors and take tours of local cultural and heritage sites. In 2018, the department added a graduate Certificate in Public History that draws on faculty expertise and the wealth of historical resources available in the Richmond area to prepare students for professional work. Additionally, the department hosts an annual lecture called the Blake Lectures. The lecture honors William E. and Miriam S. Blake, and is presented by a renowned scholar. The lecture is supported by an endowed fund established by family, friends, colleagues, and those who enjoyed the History of Christianity course which Professor Blake initiated at VCU. 2018 marks the 25th anniversary of this lecture series.

The Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, offers programs that prepare students to pursue careers that utilize exercise interventions for both healthy and diseased populations and/or careers designed for students who wish to enter a health care-related field (that does not require licensure, certification or registry status). The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree program with either an exercise science concentration or health science concentration (almost 1,500 students currently registered), a Master of Science degree program in Health and Movement Sciences, two Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate Programs (Health Sciences and Behavior Coaching), and a PhD in Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, which is offered in partnership with Physical Therapy within the College of Health Professions and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation within the School of Medicine.

The Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory in the department is dedicated to improving human health through research into basic physiological processes. Current research projects focus on investigating specific mechanisms underlying the positive health effects of physical activity and the adverse health effects of mental stress and physical inactivity. At present, there is an emphasis on examining cellular pathways associated with inflammation and vascular vasodilatory capacity in response to acute physical and mental challenges. Faculty also participate in the VCU RUN LAB, which utilizes evidence from research generated in the lab by students and clinical researchers working side-by-side within the departments of Physical Therapy and Kinesiology and Health Sciences. The lab aims to educate both students and the community on best practices for running and running health. Over forty faculty, affiliate faculty, staff, and graduate assistants work in the department.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences, has 45 full-time faculty members, approximately 10 masters students, 40 PhD students and about 150 undergraduate math majors. Department members are committed teachers as well as active and productive mathematical researchers, publishing in peer review journals, publishing books, speaking at conference and seminars regionally, nationally, and internationally, reviewing journal articles, organizing conferences and sessions, and collaborating broadly within the mathematical and scientific communities. The department offers full-time undergraduate programs leading to the Bachelor of Science. Students may choose to concentrate in pure mathematics, applied mathematics, biomathematics, or teacher preparation. The teacher preparation concentration offers, in partnership with the School of Education, a double major in secondary education in mathematics leading to certification. The department offers full and part-time graduate programs leading to the Master of Mathematical Science. In partnership with the Department of Statistical Science and Operations Research, a Doctor of Philosophy in Systems Modeling and Analysis is offered, which focuses on the development of the mathematical and computational skills used to model and analyze real-world systems. The doctoral curriculum enables students to expand the frontiers of knowledge through original, relevant research involving quantitative and qualitative complex systems derived from real, contemporary problems facing our world.

26 tenured/tenure-eligible faculty’s active research currently includes combinatorics, graph theory, linear algebra, optimal control theory, biomathematics, logic and set theory, string theory, and mathematics education. Weekly seminars are held on topics such as Biomathematics, Discrete Mathematics, Geometry, Mathematics Education, and Analysis, Logic, and Physics. Presentations are made by faculty, visiting mathematicians, and students. In addition, several times a year distinguished speakers are invited to campus to give presentations that are broadly accessible to students as well as those outside of the math department. 

The Department of Military Science and Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences, is a partnership program with the University of Richmond Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Spider Battalion. 100 and 200 level classes are taught at the University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University and Longwood University. 300 and 400 level courses are taught at the University of Richmond and Longwood University. Students attend military science classes at the institution closest to their school. Army ROTC provides individuals with the tools, training, and experiences they need to become Officers in the U.S. Army.

The Military Science and Leadership Program (Army ROTC) in the University of Richmond’s School of Arts & Sciences prepares highly talented students for careers in the U.S. Army while pursuing the major of their choice through a true focus on academics, university athletics, and campus leadership opportunities. Students receive a scholarship worth up to $160,000 to cover four years of tuition, book fees, and a monthly stipend in exchange for making a commitment of military service, either as an active duty or reserve military officer. High school applicants and current undergraduate students can compete for scholarships covering full tuition or room and board in addition to a $1,200 annual book stipend based on their qualities as scholars, athletes and leaders.

100 and 200 level military science courses are open as electives to all students. Every cadet that contracts into the program (regardless of scholarship status) receives a monthly stipend from $300 to $500 and works toward commissioning as a second lieutenant upon graduation and service in the active duty, Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard. Military science courses maximize hands-on practical exercises, allowing students to achieve training objectives through classroom experiences. The department uses U.S. Army National Cadet Command curriculum as the basis for each military science and leadership course. Professors are first and foremost military service members themselves, a fact that makes an ROTC education all the more relevant to the real world.

The Department of Philosophy, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, offers an undergraduate major in Philosophy, as well as minors in philosophy, and the philosophy of law. Students can concentrate their major in one of five areas: regular concentration, ethics and philosophy of artificial intelligence, ethics and public policy, philosophy and science, and philosophy and law. The department also offers a digital badge in the ethics and philosophy of AI upon completion of PHIL 202: Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and PHIL 332: Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence. The department offers a full range of courses in the main areas of philosophy. Graduates have attended some of the best graduate and law schools in the country. Many students take some philosophy courses for general education requirements or simply to ensure a well-rounded education that includes an emphasis on improving reasoning and writing abilities. All courses in the department place a heavy emphasis on developing students' abilities to think, read, and write clearly, carefully and critically. While some majors go on to become university philosophy professors, most go on to careers in such areas as law, medicine, business, government, teaching, and public service.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Physics, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences, has 20 faculty members, approximately 15 graduate students and 100 undergraduate physics majors. An undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Physics is offered along with two concentrations (Nanoscience and Pre-Medical).  Many majors combine their Physics BS with majors in Mathematics, and other disciplines. In addition, a unique double major is offered in collaboration with the School of Engineering. BS graduates are teaching in high schools, working in government and industrial laboratories, starting their own businesses, and pursuing graduate degrees in Physics and Engineering. In addition, the department proudly offers a dynamic suite of graduate programs designed to propel students into cutting-edge careers. These include the accelerated 4+1 BS/MS track, which fast-tracks students to a Master of Science in Physics and Applied Physics, and a prestigious PhD program in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology—developed in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry—positioning graduates at the forefront of innovation and interdisciplinary research.. All of the graduate programs use a Plan of Study format that lets students and their research advisors choose the courses that will advance them toward their individual goals.

The department is committed to excellence in both research and teaching and has an active research program with approximately $1.6 million annually in research expenditures. Ten tenured/tenure eligible faculty conduct both experimental and theoretical research in nanostructures, atomic clusters, cluster-assembled materials, semiconductor defects and surfaces, spintronic materials, biophysics and biomaterials, as well as research in gravitational theory and cosmology. Several of the eight term faculty members also participate in research while helping to teach the service courses that are required by a major university. A weekly colloquia program brings distinguished speakers to the department from academia and industry. Arrangements are made for the speakers to meet with students to discuss research and other topics. The program results in graduates well-prepared for careers in industry, academics and national research laboratories.

The Department of Political Science at Virginia Commonwealth University explores power, governance, and public affairs from local to global perspectives. The department offers a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with concentrations in civil rights, human security, international relations, U.S. government, and related areas. Students may also pursue three minors and an accelerated B.A.–M.P.A. program. Faculty expertise spans American and comparative politics, international relations, political theory, public law, and research methods. Students benefit from internships, undergraduate research, and study abroad opportunities that prepare them for impactful careers in public service, law, and global affairs. The department’s Institute for Democratic Empowerment and Pluralism (IDEP) advances research, education, and public dialogue on democratic resilience, civic participation, and community empowerment.

The Department of Psychology, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, conducts community-engaged science that makes the region and world a better place and teaches thousands of students each semester about the amazing discoveries and ideas found in the discipline of psychology. The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree with the opportunity for individualization and has four Ph.D. granting graduate programs: Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Health Psychology and a General Psychology program with two sub-specialty concentrations (Developmental Psychology and Social Psychology). The Clinical and Counseling Psychology Programs are accredited by the American Psychological Association. Currently, the department has more than 1,400 undergraduate majors and 120 doctoral students. As a research-active department, faculty are awarded more than $10M in federal grant dollars annually. Faculty and students study a wide range of topics, with specific strengths in health psychology, behavioral medicine, prevention science, and work with youth and families including working on problems of addiction, community violence, eating disorders, child asthma, attention deficit disorder, unhealthy sleep patterns, HIV prevention, discrimination, and tobacco product regulation.

Faculty include 38 tenured or tenure-track faculty, 12 full-time non-tenure track teaching faculty, varying numbers of adjunct faculty, five administrative and professional faculty (including the associate director of advising and undergraduate academic operations and the associate director of graduate academic operations), a director of the Center for Psychological Services and Development, our training clinic, approximately 80 affiliate faculty, nine classified staff members, and several hourly employees. Fiscal operations in the department are supported by six full-time support staff, one of whom is the service center director of operations. Research programs in the department fund an additional four full-time faculty members, several administrative and professional faculty, three post-doctoral fellows, and numerous hourly and student workers. Physically, the faculty, staff, and graduate student offices are housed in five historic buildings in the downtown "Fan District" of Richmond, VA. These facilities include faculty and administrative offices, the Psychology Career Information and Advising Center, research laboratories, a graduate computer lab, classroom and seminar spaces, and conference rooms.

The department also houses a number of research and service centers and institutes, including the Center for Cultural Experiences in Prevention, Center for the Study of Tobacco Products, VCU Clark-Hill Institute for Positive Youth Development, and the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. Virginia Commonwealth University was selected by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), US Department of State, as a new site for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program in 2006. The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, a Fulbright exchange activity, brings accomplished professionals from selected developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Europe and Eurasia to the United States at a mid-point in their careers for a year of study and related practical professional experiences. Fellows are nominated by US Embassies or Fulbright Commissions based on their potential for leadership.

Lastly, the department runs the Center for Psychological Services and Development (CPSD). The CPSD provides a wide range of therapy and assessment services to the community. Advanced graduate students in clinical and counseling psychology, as well as graduate students in social work, psychiatric nursing, and rehabilitation counseling work closely with their licensed faculty supervisors to provide interventions based on the most current research in their discipline. A variety of specialty clinics are housed within the CPSD, including the Anxiety Disorders and Assessment Clinics. The CPSD also provides space for a variety of research activities, as well as numerous clinically-based graduate courses for the department of psychology. The CPSD also administers the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) to the general public.

The Department of Sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University, within the College of Humanities and Sciences, supports a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Science degree, and a graduate certificate in Applied Social Research. Teaching is anchored by a strong commitment to student engagement both inside and outside the classroom. Faculty and students share a strong interest in bringing sociology out into the public through social action, internships, community research, digital storytelling, and civic engagement. A student group called Students for Social Action organizes an annual Public Knowledge Series designed to open dialogue about current social debates and cultural questions. Sociology boasts a dynamic faculty whose scholarly research connects with local, national and international communities. Faculty areas of interest include gender/sexuality, health across the life course, media and culture, labor, social stratification, and the environment, and they possess expertise in the following areas: social inequality, reproduction and family, health/medical sociology, social movements, environmental and labor, and methodology. The department is supported by 27 faculty and staff members.

The Department of Statistical Sciences and Operations Research, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, offers several degree programs in collaboration with the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. The department offers a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences with a concentration in Statistics. In addition, the department offers a Certificate in Statistics, and for undergraduate students in other programs the department offers a minor in Statistics. Graduate students can pursue a Master of Science in Mathematical Sciences, with a concentration in statistics, or a Doctor of Philosophy in Systems Modeling and Analysis focused on the development of the mathematical and computational skills used to model and analyze real-world systems. 

The department has 14 full-time faculty members, approximately 5 masters students, 40 PhD students and about 30 undergraduate math majors. Department members are committed teachers as well as active and productive mathematical researchers, publishing in peer review journals, publishing books, speaking at conferences and seminars regionally, nationally, and internationally, reviewing journal articles, organizing conferences and sessions, and collaborating broadly within the statistics and scientific communities. 

The Center for Integrative Life Sciences Education, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), serves as a multidisciplinary hub for life science research across all of VCU and a coordinating center for K-12 and community outreach within the region.  The Center houses the Integrative Life Sciences (ILS) Doctoral Program, which offers a flexible curriculum and allows students to conduct research across various disciplines spanning both the Monroe Park and MCV campuses of VCU.  Faculty across all of VCU are eligible to serve as research mentors.  On average, ILS is home to 40-50 doctoral students who conduct research with faculty across more than a dozen departments at VCU.

The Humanities Research Center, housed within the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), provides a forum for intellectual exchange across and beyond the Humanities, traversing conventional disciplinary boundaries and encouraging collaboration throughout the College as well as across the University as a whole and the local community. The Center is committed to building relationships and partnerships with colleagues at VCU and with other institutions in Richmond and the broader region. The center’s mission is interdisciplinary and inclusive, bringing together multiple disciplines and departments; collaborative, fostering engagement among faculty, students, and the community; global, in its engagement of research topics that span the world and through collaboration with colleagues and institutions around the globe; and public, in its dissemination of research through talks, colloquia, and strategic outreach activities. The Center supports faculty research and helps to advance faculty careers through the organization of research and mentoring groups, faculty development workshops, research grants, travel grants, and residential fellowships. It seeks to increase the visibility of scholarly work in the Humanities at VCU and more generally to raise awareness of the Humanities and all that this area of intellectual inquiry has to offer.

The Rice Rivers Center (RRC) is VCU’s only field station, providing access to the region’s rivers, wetlands, and forest ecosystems. Located 25 miles from Richmond on the James River, the RRC champions immersive outdoor teaching and training experiences, outreach and community engagement activities, and research. The RRC serves as a partner in global research networks, an organizer of community-engaged activities, a host for long-term field observations and experiments, and a campus leader in transformative field-based education and training. Faculty at the Rice Rivers Center tackle real-world environmental challenges in the mid-Atlantic region, including fish and bird conservation, wetland restoration, river water quality and habitat provisioning, and forest resilience. The RRC pushes interdisciplinary boundaries through partnerships with artists, writers, engineers, atmospheric scientists, remote sensing scientists, and earth system modelers.

The Rice Rivers Center (RRC) offers a full suite of facilities, ecosystems, and data resources to accommodate a variety of research, teaching, training, and outreach activities. The RRC has a state-of-the-art 14,000 sq ft research building with wet-lab space, modern lodging for 22 overnight visitors, and five classroom spaces distributed across three buildings. The RRC landscape includes the James River and Kimages Creek, a restored tidal freshwater marsh, upland regrown pine and oak-dominated forests, and old-growth bottomland hardwoods. Research infrastructure includes a carbon flux tower, UAS/drones with mounted lidar and hyperspectral sensors, and a research pier. The RRC maintains several open datasets acquired using environmental sensors, remote sensing observations, and forest and wetland vegetation surveys. Boats, vans, and trucks are available to instructors and researchers for a fee.