Dr. Maryam Foroozesh, Margaret W. Kelly Endowed Professor in Chemistry , is an organic chemist with 28 years of experience in academia. Dr. Foroozesh obtained her bachelor’s degree from the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and her Doctoral degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. She joined the Department of Chemistry at Xavier University of Louisiana in 1995. The Foroozesh research group projects focus on the design and synthesis of ceramide mimicking agents with the potential for the reversal of chemo- and endocrine-resistance in breast cancer, followed by their in vitro and in vivo biological studies; and the design and synthesis of novel mechanism-based inhibitors of the cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in carcinogenesis, followed by their structureactivity studies. These projects have led to a number of peer-reviewed publications and presentations, as well as a patent. The Foroozesh group has many fruitful research collaborations nationally and internationally and has been funded by grants from multiple local and federal funding agencies. Over the years, Dr. Foroozesh has served in a variety of administrative positions including as the Head of the Chemistry Department, Interim Head of Physics Department, Interim

Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs, Chair of the Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Chair of the Division of Biological and Applied Health Sciences. She has also served as the Chair and/or Member of a number of important university and departmental committees. In addition, in her position as the Chair of the two largest divisions on campus, she was involved in the development of a number of new academic programs (the Data Science and the Bioinformatics Bachelor of Science programs, and the Speech Pathology and the Public Health in Health Equity Master of Science programs).

She served as the Principal Investigator and Program Director for Xavier’s United States National Institutes of Health (NIH)- funded Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) Program, focusing on increasing the number of underrepresented minority students pursuing graduate degrees in biomedical sciences, for eleven years. She is currently the Lead Principal Investigator, and Administrative Core and Research Enrichment Core Director for the NIH-funded Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Program, now in its eight year at Xavier University, which aims to increase the number of individuals from underrepresented minority groups obtaining terminal degrees and entering biomedical research Dr. Maryam Foroozesh Professor, Lead Principal Investigator, Administrative and Research Enrichment Core Director for BUILD Xavier University of Louisiana careers.

Dr. Foroozesh is a fellow of the Women in Higher Education Leadership Institute presented by the Higher Education Research Services (HERS). Dr. Foroozesh considers her most valued accomplishment to date to be having served as the research advisor and mentor to over 95 underrepresented minority students at Xavier in various research projects. Of these students, over 85% have continued their education toward graduate or professional degrees. Over the years and in her various roles, she has also served as a mentor to a number of junior faculty members, research associates, and post-baccalaureate technicians.