Richard Harris to Receive Inaugural Northeastern University Impact Award
Richard Harris, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the College of Engineering, will be honored as the inaugural award recipient of the Northeastern University Impact Award on May 6, 2022, during the university’s Networked for Life Event.
The new Northeastern University Impact Award is bestowed upon a faculty or staff member who has implemented meaningful initiatives in an exemplary manner, ultimately helping to improve the quality of connections between students, faculty, alumni, or parents to Northeastern. The individual has gone above and beyond what is expected in a normal range of responsibilities to enhance the experiences of the university community.
Richard R. Harris, E’89, MS’08
Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Director of the Northeastern University Program in Multicultural Engineering; Co-Chair of the College of Engineering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee; and Affiliate Professor of Africana Studies, Northeastern University
Richard Harris holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, a master’s degree in applied educational psychology, and is a STEM education doctoral candidate. Prior to joining Northeastern in 2003, he was an engineer for more than 15 years and a manager at Micro Wave Associates Companies, Inc., a Tyco Electronics Company, and Mitsubishi Chemical America, Inc.
Harris has contributed to and oversees grants including the NSF Northeast Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program; the NSF INCLUDES Engineering PLUS Alliance; the S-Power Scholarships for STEM partnership with historically Black colleges and universities; and the LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate.
Harris’s honors include the 2020 College of Engineering Dean’s Meritorious Award; 2019 NSBE Minority Program Director of the Year; 2019 NSBE Boston Professional STEM Advocate Award; 2016 Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Carter G. Woodson Bowties & Pearls Higher Education Award; 2015 National GEM Consortium University Representative of the Year; and 2014 Raytheon, Patriots, Boys & Girls Clubs of America Science of Sports Science Fair Award.
He is a volunteer leader with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers; National Society of Black Engineers; National GEM Consortium; Good Sports; Mass General Brigham Community Advisory Board; Empower Yourself youth-based STEM program; and the Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts, Inc., which oversees the Paul Robeson Institute for Positive Self-Development Program for urban males in grades 3–12.