Vice Dean and Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Innovation and Transformation, College of Sciences and Engineering, Southern University and A&M College.

Dr. Rachel Vincent-Finley is a computational mathematician specializing in numerical analysis, molecular dynamics, and computational biology. A contributor to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Scientific Collaboration, she brings deep expertise in large-scale scientific computing. She is also a committed leader in STEM accessibility and cyberinfrastructure policy, having served on the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative (LONI) Management Council from 2010–2022 and the LaSTEM Advisory Council from 2017–2023, where she advanced high-performance computing access for students, faculty, and staff in the state of Louisiana. Dr. Vincent-Finley is a recipient of the prestigious Career Enhancement Fellowship for Junior Faculty, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. She earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Rice University and holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Bryn Mawr College.

Dr. Richard Tapia's mentorship and his belief in the potential of his students cultivated Dr. Vincent-Finley’s enthusiasm for research, education, and community outreach.