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Donna A. Patterson, PhD

Donna A. PattersonDr. Donna A. Patterson is a Professor and is the Chair of the Department of History, Political Science, and Philosophy. She also directs the Africana Studies Program. She is a Senior Fellow at the university’s Global Institute for Equity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights. Dr. Patterson is the author of Pharmacy in Senegal: Gender, Healing, and Entrepreneurship. She is currently working on projects on pandemics (Ebola and COVID-19) and on Black Texans. Dr. Patterson teaches courses in African, African American, and African Diaspora history and politics and in global health.

Dr. Patterson has published scholarly articles on pharmaceutical markets, women pharmacists and Ebola in the Journal of Women’s History, Anthropologie et Santé, Journal of Global Health Reports and the Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved. Recent academic publications include articles on “Women in Senegal” for the Oxford Encyclopedia of African Women’s History, “Small State, Big Impact: Delaware’s COVID-19 Response,” for the World Medical and Health Policy Journal. She is the editor of a book series: Routledge Research in Health and Healing in Africa and the African Diaspora.

Patterson regularly participates in meetings in the U.S. and abroad on a variety of topics. For instance, in 2022 and 2023, she’s given talks and participated in public and private briefings on COVID-19. She’s given talks on Ebola and keynotes and workshops on Ebola. In December 2022, she moderated a side event during the African Leaders Summit in Washington, DC and in February 2023, she spoke on a panel, “Next Steps After the African Leaders Summit” at USGLC’s Mid-Atlantic Summit in Wilmington, DE. This panel was comprised of Dr. Patterson, Senator Chris Coons, Judd Devermont, Liz Schrayer, and President Ruto who joined the panel virtually.

She regularly moderates panels, gives keynote addresses and workshops to many universities and corporations including Harvard Business School, the Wharton Business School, New America, Bank of America, University of Toronto, Arizona State University, University of London, Wellesley College, Wesleyan University, Bank of America, Bonaventure, and elsewhere. In addition, she’s moderated panels and given talks for UNFPA and other NGOs.

Her media commentary on current events, global health, pandemics, international security, and racial and health equity has appeared at SlateWashington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Christian Science Monitor, Globe and Mail, San Diego Union TribuneNew America Weekly, Huffington Post, Foreign Policy, SCMPVoxKJZZ (Phoenix NPR)Delaware Public Media, The AppealDelaware State News, CBS-3 Philadelphia, and in other outlets.

Dr. Patterson is on the Program and Monitoring Board of JSS Academy of Higher Education Research in Mysuru India. JSS curriculum focuses on Health Sciences and STEM offerings, including a hospital, pharmacy schools, a medical school, health sciences and other offerings. Patterson is also on the editorial advisory boards of Africa Today and the World Medical and Health Policy Journal. In addition, Dr. Patterson is on the advisory board of the Mitchell Center for African American Heritage. Patterson has received fellowships and grants from Fulbright, the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Princeton University, Wilson Center, New America, the West African Research Association, Kelly School of Business, and the Delaware Department of Education.

For more information, you can visit her website or follow her on twitter on Bluesky

Contact 
Office: Department of History, Political Science and Philosophy, ETV Building
E-mail: dapatterson [at] desu.edu
Administrative Secretary, Ms. Monay Cummings, 302-857-6621; monaycummings [at] desu.edu
For keynotes and panel bookings, she is represented by CCMNT Speakers.