Ted Williams, M.Ed., M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Vice-President for Diversity & Equal Opportunity, USF
Associate Dean for Diversity Initiatives, USF Health
Professor of Molecular Medicine

Ted Williams, PhD, is the head of diversity initiatives at the ninth largest public higher-education institution in the nation – the University of South Florida. In his multiple roles as Professor of Molecular Medicines & Associate Vice President for Diversity & Equal Opportunity at USF and Associate Dean for Diversity Initiatives at USF Health, Dr. Williams is responsible for developing, administering and coordinating University-wide initiatives and ensures compliance with policies for equal opportunity access and equity. Dr. Williams also represents the interests of the University, USF Health and the USF College of Medicine within the local community, as well as state and federal regulatory bodies.

Under Dr. Williams' leadership, the university has produced the most select and diverse freshman class in our history. The freshman admit-pool for Fall 2007 has resulted in a ranking of 18th in the nation for an ethnically diverse student body and a diversity-friendly campus, as ranked by the Princeton Review. Each year, Dr. Williams reviews hundreds of resumes/ hiring reports for potential faculty, staff and students in his quest to bring excellence and diversity into every division and department of this growing metropolitan university. Within USF Health, which is a partnership of the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Public Health, diversity initiatives include employee-wide diversity training, and a growing series of activities designed to enhance the appreciation for diversity and inclusion. Within the College of Medicine, Dr. Williams is also credited with the recruitment and retention of minority and female students & faculty. "True diversity and inclusion are inherent components of quality education", says Dr. Williams. "Educational institutions have a professional and moral obligation to ensure that true diversity and inclusion are an ever approaching reality."

Dr. Williams is also active in the classroom. He is a Professor for Molecular Medicine within the USF College of Medicine. Dr. Williams arrived at the college in 1978 and studied the effects of steroid, thyroid and growth hormones on enzymes associated with the metabolism of drugs and chemical carcinogens. He has also done research on the metabolic inactivation of anti-tumor drugs directed toward the enzyme, Ribonucleotide Reductase. Both areas of research lend themselves to gathering data on the basic biochemical and molecular biological events associated with the oncogenic process and enhancing the efficacy of certain chemotherapeutic drugs. In 1995, Dr. Williams was promoted to the rank of Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

During his tenure in the College of Medicine and USF, Dr. Williams has published over 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals, including the Cancer Research, and Endocrinology & Biochemical Pharmacology. The award winning educator, scientist and diversity leader has received numerous recognitions including Florida's Distinguished Service Award in 1992 and Public Service Award in 1993 presented by then Governor, Lawton Chiles; and the Outstanding Teacher Award in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in 1996. Dr. Williams serves on more than a dozen PhD dissertation and Master's thesis committees. He served 4 terms as President of the Black Faculty and Staff Association of USF.

Dr. Williams' expertise and leadership continue to be a resource for professional organizations beyond the University. He has served two years as National Chairman-elect of the Minority Affairs Section of the Group on Student Affairs of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) – which is the policy setting board for the nation's 126 medical schools. In 2005, Dr. Williams began his two year term as the AAMC's National Chairman of Minority Affairs. He is also a member of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular biology, the American Cancer Society and the AAMC.

Dr. Williams received his B.S. in Biology from Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida; his Masters degree in Education Administration from the University of Miami; his Masters in Biology from Atlanta University in Georgia, and his PhD in Biochemistry from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. More...