Bowie State University Names Dr. Yvonne Harris as Vice President for Research & Innovation

Experienced Research Administrator Will Advance BSU’s Goal of Becoming a Carnegie R2 Research Institution

(BOWIE, Md.) — Bowie State University (BSU) will welcome Dr. Yvonne Harris to its leadership team as the Vice President for Research & Innovation on July 9, 2025. In this new role, Dr. Harris will oversee BSU’s research projects and opportunities, working collaboratively to set priorities for institutional growth and investment in research and scholarship.

“Dr. Yvonne Harris brings a wealth of experience in academia and research administration at both R1 and R2 institutions, and we are excited to welcome her to Bowie State University,” said Dr. Aminta H. Breaux, president of Bowie State University. “Her deep expertise and leadership will be instrumental in advancing research excellence at Bowie State as we continue our path toward becoming a Carnegie R2 research intensive school.”

Dr. Harris is a highly accomplished academic and research leader with more than two decades of experience. As head of the newly established Division of Research & Innovation, she will provide strategic leadership for the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs, Grants Accounting, and the Office of Economic Development & Strategic Engagement.

“I am proud to join Bowie State University and contribute to its growing legacy of excellence as an HBCU,” said Dr. Harris. “I look forward to collaborating with faculty, staff and students to advance the university’s mission and drive transformational impact through research. Academic research has the power to shape lives and communities, and Bowie State plays a vital role in generating knowledge that informs and improves our local, regional and national communities and economies.”

Dr. Harris comes to BSU from Northern Illinois University, where she most recently served as vice president of research and innovative partnerships. She has held leadership roles at Truman College, Harper College, Chicago State University, James Madison University and California State University–Sacramento. Across her career, she has held a variety of leadership roles, including tenured professor, chair, dean at two-year colleges and vice provost, associate vice president and vice president at four-year universities. Her work has consistently focused on expanding research capacity, supporting faculty and student scholarship, and fostering partnerships with federal, state and industry entities to promote innovation and economic development through higher education.

Dr. Harris earned three degrees from Northern Illinois University, including a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in molecular and cellular radiation biology. She also completed two Postdoctoral Fellows in the Department of Radiation and Oncology at the University of Chicago and the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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About Bowie State University
Founded in 1865, Bowie State University is the first Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in Maryland and one of the ten oldest in the country. Bowie State has earned the ‘Research College and University’ designation in the 2025 Carnegie Research Activity Classification. As a leading institution of higher learning, Bowie State offers more than 65 bachelor's, master's, doctoral and certificate programs across arts and sciences, technology, business, education, healthcare and related disciplines. The university provides high-quality and affordable educational opportunities in a supportive environment that empowers students to think critically, make new discoveries, value differences and emerge as leaders in a highly technical, rapidly changing global society. For more information about Bowie State University, visit bowiestate.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kelly Alexander, kalexander1@bowiestate.edu, 301-860-6017