The College of Humanities and Sciences is pleased to announce the appointment of Amy Rector, Ph.D., as new associate dean for faculty and academic affairs in sciences and mathematics. Amy is an associate professor of anthropology in the School of World Studies and has served as the director of SWS for the past three years. 

Amy is a paleoanthropologist and evolutionary biologist who works primarily in reconstructing ecological contexts of our ancient ancestors to investigate evolutionary contexts for the origins and diversification of these lineages. Her research in Ethiopia and Zambia has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the Earthwatch Foundation, and she is co-director of the Ledi-Geraru Research Project in the Afar Region, Ethiopia, and co-founder and co-director of the Zambia Rift Valley Research Project in South Luangwa, Zambia. She is one of only a few women who hold permits for two paleoanthropological research sites in Africa, and serves as a mentor and leader for other female scientists and graduate students.

On campus, Amy has been integral to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in CHS and VCU. She co-chaired the CHS IDEC committee for two years, and along with Dr. Mignonne Guy, she was co-chair of the Committee for Racial Equity (CORE), which aided in the development of the Introduction to Race and Racism in the United States course and advocated for a racial literacy category in the general education curriculum at VCU. As director of SWS, she has helped guide the operations and team of more than 50 faculty and staff members and 300+ students, in four undergraduate degree-granting programs.  

The college would like to thank Sally Hunnicutt, Ph.D., for her years of service and the lasting legacy she leaves behind. You can read more about her retirement here.

Please join us in welcoming Amy to this new position.