Roboticist, AI trailblazer named next Spelman president

ATLANTA — Spelman College on Friday announced Dr. Ayanna Howard, a roboticist, AI trailblazer and the dean of the Ohio State University College of Engineering, as the school’s next president.

Dr. Howard, a release said, will “build upon Spelman’s legacy of academic excellence and leadership development while helping prepare future generations of Black women to lead in a rapidly changing world.”

She takes the reins at Spelman on August 1 as the 12th president of the school.

The release said she has had leadership roles across higher education, industry and government, including at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She’s also already familiar with Atlanta, with a long prior tenure at Georgia Tech.

At Ohio State, she launched multiple engineering research centers, including the NSF-funded AI Edge Institute and AI Institute for Intelligent Cyberinfrastructure with Computational Learning in the Environment.

She’s also founded an educational robotics company, Zyrobotics, that focuses on “developing educational and therapeutic technologies for children with special needs,” and is co-founder of Black in Robotics, described as an organization “dedicated to expanding representation and opportunity within the robotics profession.”

 In a statement, she said she was “deeply honored and excited” to join Spelman.

 “Students choose Spelman because they want to make a difference in the world, and as the world changes, we must equip them to thrive,” Dr. Howard said. “At a time when technology, the workforce, and society are evolving rapidly, Spelman’s mission has never been more important. I look forward to building on the College’s legacy while honoring its tradition, values, and sisterhood.”

The chair of the Spelman College Board of Trustees, Lovette Russell, described Dr. Howard as the “visionary leader Spelman needs at this pivotal moment in our history.”

“Throughout this search process, we sought a leader who would honor Spelman’s legacy while boldly advancing our future, and Dr. Howard embodies that vision,” Russell said. “She understands the opportunities and challenges shaping higher education today and shares Spelman’s unwavering commitment to preparing Black women to lead and drive change. The Board is excited about Spelman’s future under her leadership and confident she will build upon the College’s remarkable momentum for generations to come.”

Ohio State’s interim executive vice president and provost, Trevor Brown, also said her “commitment to excellence, innovation and entrepreneurship will be a tremendous asset to the students, faculty and staff of Spelman.”