New Faculty Q&A: Vineeta Singh, Ph.D.
Vineeta Singh, Ph.D. is a new Assistant Teaching Professor in the Interdisciplinary Studies program. Vineeta has an interdisciplinary background with degrees in Ethnic Studies, Biology and Spanish Language, Literatures and Cultures.
Below Vineeta answers some questions about why she's excited to be a part of the IDS program, her teaching philosophy, writing and research interests, what she enjoys the most about Richmond and more.
Degrees and Universities:
Phd. Ethnic Studies, University of California San Diego (2018)
M.A. Ethnic Studies, University of California San Diego (2013)
B.S. Biological Sciences, University of Maryland College Park (2010)
B.A. Spanish Language, Literatures, and Cultures, University of Maryland College Park (2010)
Where are you from?
This is a tough one. I lived in Lucknow (UP, India) through middle school, went to high school and college in M.D., then spent just under a decade in Southern California, and have been in Williamsburg since 2018. I’ve made family in all of these places, so they all feel like home.
How would you best describe your teaching philosophy?
In a 500-word essay. But to keep this quick, I’ll say that the university is not just where I work, it’s also what I research. So my teaching is all about inviting students to become collaborators in critically examining what it is that we’re supposed to be doing here. I invite students to step outside the scripts they’re expected to perform as “consumers” of higher education and really think about why we’re here and how we can best use the resources that our institution has gathered.
I invite students to step outside the scripts they’re expected to perform as 'consumers' of higher education and really think about why we’re here and how we can best use the resources that our institution has gathered."
What excites you the most about teaching in the IDS Program?
I'm excited about working with students who are taking control of their education and making bespoke pathways in a ready-to-wear world.
What have you enjoyed the most about Richmond since being here?
I’m a sucker for parks and rec type activities and Richmond is full of them! The taco festival and soul vegan block party have definitely been highlights of this term.
What appealed to you about teaching at VCU?
VCU’s spirit of public service and its deep and varied connections with its neighbors in the city of Richmond are both very appealing characteristics of the university.
What are your writing and research interests?
I’ve recently started dabbling in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning but my training is in Ethnic Studies with focuses in Black History and Black Feminist Epistemology, and most of my research and writing are centered in Critical University Studies, where I think about the history and future of race, anti-blackness and anti-racist organizing within and without the university.
What's something that might surprise people to know about you?
I love a good monster truck rally.