Dr. Debra Feakes

Acting Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Email: dfeakes@tamusa.edu 

Dr. Debra A. Feakes completed her undergraduate degree in Mineral Engineering Chemistry at the Colorado School of Mines, earning her B.S. in 1986, and her graduate degree in Chemistry at Utah State University, earning her Ph.D. in 1991.  Following her graduate studies, she completed a postdoctoral research position at the University of California at Los Angeles.  Between 1994 and 2018, she was a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas State University.  In 2018, she accepted a position as the Dean of the Shaheen College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Indianapolis and held that position until 2020.  In 2020, she accepted a position as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

Dr. Feakes has pursued two areas of research.  Her primary research interest is the synthesis of boron-containing compounds for potential application in cancer therapy.  More recently, she has expanded her research interests into the field of Chemical Education and the impact of supplemental instruction on the success of students in the lower division chemistry courses.  Her research has been funded by Research Corporation, the Welch Foundation, the United States Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation.  Dr. Feakes is a passionate teacher-scholar and now strives to support faculty, staff, and students in her leadership role.