Omar Faison graduated from Hampton University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and from the University of Virginia with a Ph.D. in neuroscience. He joined Virginia State University in 2004 as a faculty member in the Department of Biology. In 2009, he became chair of the biology department, and in 2012, stepped into the role of director for the Office of Sponsored Research & Programs. He now serves as VSU’s associate vice provost for research and economic development, interim dean for the College of Graduate Studies, and acting chair of the Department of Biology.

1. What do you like most about working at Virginia State University?

The team I work with. The president of VSU, Dr. Makola Abdullah, has done a great job of putting together an innovative team that is constantly looking for new ideas and new ways to expand on the concept of ‘Greater Happens Here,’ the motto of Virginia State. The faculty, by and large, has picked up on that and feels empowered to go off and try new things.

2. What projects are you currently working on at VSU?

One of the projects I am working on stemmed out of a collaboration we had with CECE back in 2019 where we worked together on a three-state Data Science for the Public Good program. Last year, I had a grant funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) capacity building program. This grant will enable us to form a Center for Social Data Analytics, which allows us to take the expertise we have on campus in the data science space and work with community partners.

3. What is your proudest accomplishment over the course of your career?

I’m most proud of the constant growth in research output here at Virginia State, particularly over the last couple years, in terms of research expenditures and the number of grants that we've had. We've definitely seen that number grow to new heights.

4. What do you like most about being a part of CECE’s advisory board?

Hearing the different things that are going on and using that to spark ideas for either collaboration between us or some new projects we might want to try here. I've had a relationship with CECE since 2019, and the team has been a great asset for me.

5. How would you like to collaborate with CECE in the future?

The U.S. EDA University Center grant that we have with CECE to advance economic resilience in Virginia is a good place to start. I think it’s important to get a better understanding of where we overlap as well as places where we can fill gaps for each other. There are some common pieces that both of our groups are focused on, including data science, computer science related areas such as generative AI and modeling, drones, and controlled environment agriculture. These are areas that are important for the state economy and are places where we could be working more collaboratively.

6. What is the last book you read that you would recommend?

I'm a big Stephen King fan. The last book I read was a collection of short stories by him called You Like it Darker.

7. What hobbies and activities do you like to do in your spare time?

I DJ. I'm a big house music fan, and I will DJ in clubs when that opportunity comes up. I also put out mix shows online at least once a month, which you can check out at www.mixcloud.com/omarfaison. My favorite house artist is a guy by the name of Osunlade. I had the opportunity to see him live a couple years ago, and I would say it was one of my top three live music experiences.

8. What is the most memorable place you have ever visited?

I was able to go to Ghana this past summer, and that was a phenomenal experience. We were able to visit Accra and Cape Coast. That was my first trip to Africa, and I got to see the diversity of living and economic situations as well as experience the landscape and different cultures. I also got to see live Afrobeat music while I was there. I'm a huge Afrobeat fan, so that was outstanding.