Cynthia Y. Lester
Associate Dean of Division of Math, Computer Science Associate Dean of Clarkston Campus- Education
Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Computer Science and Human Computer Interaction
The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, ALM.S., Computer Science
The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, ALB.S., Cum Laude, Computer Science
Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX
- Specializations
Human Computer Interaction
Software Engineering
Computer Science Education
- Biography
Dr. Cynthia Lester is the Associate dean of the Clarkston Campus and the Division of Math, Computer Science & Engineering (MCSE) at Georgia State University, Perimeter College where she is also an Associate Professor of Computer Science. In her capacity as the Associate Dean of MCSE, Lester provides college-wide leadership to the division which includes approximately 100 faculty and staff and 2200 pathway students across five campuses throughout the Atlanta-metropolitan area and online. As the Associate Dean of the Clarkston Campus, she provides leadership and oversight for one of the most culturally diverse campuses in the University System of Georgia enrolling over 4500 students each semester from more than 140 countries.
Before assuming the Associate Dean’s role in 2018, Lester served as the founding Chair of newly formed Computer Science and Engineering department at Perimeter College. As Chair, she grew the department in faculty hires; faculty scholarship increased by 150%; the number of students pursuing the computer science pathway grew from 900 to 1200; and, she secured $50,000 from external donors to support student scholarships and national conference participation.
Lester joined Perimeter College in 2012 as the founding executive director of the STEM Initiatives Office. During this time, she provided more than $3.5 million dollars of support to the college’s faculty and students with a mission to increase student access and success in STEM fields.
Lester earned a bachelor’s degree from Prairie View A&M University in computer science and both the master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. She has held an appointment at Tuskegee University as an associate professor of computer science. Lester’s areas of expertise are software engineering and human computer interaction with her work supported by numerous grants and appearing in peer-reviewed journals and international conference proceedings. Most recently her work has focused on computer science and engineering education research and the development of sustainable programs that broaden participation. Lester is an International Academy, Research, and Industry Association Fellow and has been a White House invitee discussing STEM Inclusion. She holds professional memberships in the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Lester has also been named an IAspire fellow in the inaugural cohort of the 2019-2020 National Science Foundation-funded Aspire Alliance’s Institutional Change Network (IChange) IAspire Leadership Academy.
- Recognitions and Awards
- IAspire Leadership Academy Fellow, Inaugural Cohort, Class of 2019-2020
- Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education Policy Fellow, Class of 2015-2016
- Kaleidoscope Leadership Institute, Class of 2015
- International Academy, Research and Industry Association Fellow
- Committees and Organizations
-Association of Computing Machinery
-American Society for Engineering Education
-National Society of Black Engineers
- Publications