Since USBE’s 2019 snapshot during Women’s History Month, the number of female presidents at the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities has increased.
Dr. Ayanna Howard, a nationally recognized roboticist and AI expert, now joins leaders such as Javaune Adams-Gaston (Norfolk State University), Lily D. McNair (Tuskegee University), Heidi Anderson (University of Maryland Eastern Shore), Ruth J. Simmons (Prairie View A&M University), Glenda Glover (Tennessee State University), and Karrie Dixon (Elizabeth City State University).
Last week, the Spelman College Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Ayanna Howard as the College's 12th president, effective August 1, 2026.
Ayanna Howard said on LinkedIn, in her capacity as a startup founder, robotics and AI expert, board director, and president, that she was honored and excited to share the news and grateful for the opportunity.
Dr. Howard thanked the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumnae, and supporters for their trust. She looks forward to building on the College's legacy while honoring its tradition, values, and sisterhood.
An accomplished roboticist, entrepreneur, and higher education leader, Dr. Howard will continue Spelman's tradition of academic excellence and leadership development, preparing future generations of women for leadership roles.
She joins Spelman from The Ohio State University, where she is dean of the College of Engineering and holds the Monte Ahuja Endowed Dean's Chair.
Howard is nationally recognized for her expertise in robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-centered technology, with leadership experience in higher education, industry, entrepreneurship, and government, including roles at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
She has consistently championed innovation, expanded access to STEM education, and created opportunities for students and future leaders. In 2020, Ohio State University appointed Howard as dean of the College of Engineering, making her the first woman to lead the college.
Nationally, only 17% of engineering deans or directors were women, according to SWE.
Dr. Howard previously chaired the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Institute of Technology and founded the Human-Automation Systems Lab.
She founded Zyrobotics, a Georgia Tech spin-off that develops therapy and educational products for children with special needs, based on her research.
She also served as a tenured professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a joint appointment in Computer Science and Engineering.
She joined Georgia Tech in 2005 as an associate professor and founded the HumAnS lab, which focuses on humanized intelligence to enhance robotic autonomy. The lab has produced over 250 publications and secured $8.5 million in research funding. Dr. Howard also directed the nation’s first multidisciplinary robotics Ph.D. program and held several leadership roles at Georgia Tech.
At Ohio State, she has fostered partnerships with organizations such as Battelle, Boeing, GE, Honda, NetJets, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and NASA Glenn Research Center.
Rob Felt
Howard holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Brown University, a master’s and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California, and an MBA from Claremont Graduate University.
From 1993 to 2005, she held several roles at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, including senior robotics researcher and deputy manager in the Office of the Chief Scientist.
Her projects included developing SmartNav, an autonomous Mars rover, and SnoMotes, robots designed to explore hazardous icy terrain.
In 2013, she founded Zyrobotics to commercialize research for children with special needs, which became a nonprofit in 2020.
In January 2026, Ohio State announced Dr. Howard’s reappointment as dean for a five-year term, pending Board of Trustees approval.
During her tenure, the College of Engineering improved its financial position, achieved record research funding of $207 million in FY24, and opened several new research centers.
Faculty achievements include multiple elections to the National Academy of Engineering and other prestigious organizations.
Enrollment has grown at all levels, with notable increases in both undergraduate and graduate students, and the college has set new records for retention and graduation rates.
Dr. Howard has built strong industry partnerships, including with Honda, and has been recognized by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and IEEE Discover.
Early in her career at NASA, Dr. Howard faced challenges to her recognition as a scientist but persisted, leading projects on intelligent navigation systems for rover missions.
Her work at Georgia Tech focused on human-robot interaction, autonomous vehicles, and safety-critical systems.
Dr. Howard is widely recognized for her efforts to create inclusive robots for children with special needs and continues to shape the future of engineering.
Read "Profile of Black Women Presidents at Four-Year Colleges and Universities," published in the Journal of Research on the College President.