Bevlee Watford, Ph.D.

Professor Emerita

Education

Ph.D. Industrial Engineering & Operations Research, Virginia Tech, 1985
M.S. Industrial Engineering & Operations Research, Virginia Tech, 1983
B.S. Mining Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1981

Research Interests

Undergraduate student support programs

Biography

Dr. Bevlee A. Watford, a triple Hokie and nationally recognized leader in engineering education, shaped Virginia Tech Engineering for nearly three decades. She founded CEED in 1992, creating programs that have significantly strengthened student recruitment, retention, and success. Guided by mentors Paul Torgersen and Barbara Pendergrass, Watford went on to become the first Black woman promoted to full professor in the College of Engineering and the first inducted into the Virginia Tech Academy of Engineering Excellence. She has earned major national honors, including serving as the first African American female president of the American Society for Engineering Education and receiving the 2022 Black Engineer of the Year Award for Educational Leadership.

Awards & Honors

Fellow, ASEE
2011 NSBE-Exxonmobil Impact award for implementing successful research based efforts to improve retention
2008 WEPAN Founders Award in recognition of her service to WEPAN and her efforts to increase the participation of women in the engineering profession.