Biography

Dr. Kelly L. Nash is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. She completed her high school studies at the historic St. Mary's Academy. Dr. Nash's undergraduate education was completed at Dillard University in New Orleans. There she studied Physics and Mathematics while on both academic and research scholarships.

Early in her academic journey, Dr. Nash participated in several competitive summer research experiences that helped shape her career in science and engineering. These included research appointments in the Department of Physics at the University of Iowa, the Data Storage Systems Center at Carnegie Mellon University, and the Reconfigurable Machining Systems Center at the University of Michigan.

In 2000, Dr. Nash entered the Applied Physics graduate program at the University of Michigan, where she studied under Professor Donald Umstadter in the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science. After earning her M.S. degree in 2003, she taught at several institutions, including her alma mater, Dillard University.

Dr. Nash later joined the Ph.D. program in Physics at The University of Texas at San Antonio, where she completed her doctoral studies in 2009 under the guidance of Professor Dhiraj K. Sardar. Her doctoral research focused on rare earth spectroscopy and crystal field analysis. During this time, she was also named a Director’s Fellow with the NSF-funded Center of Biophotonics Science and Technology at the University of California, Davis, where she explored the use of rare earth nanoparticles as imaging contrast agents.

Today, Dr. Nash is a Professor of Physics and Vice Provost for Faculty Success at UTSA. She previously served as Associate Dean for Faculty Success in the UTSA College of Sciences from 2019 to 2023. As former Director of the Kleberg Advanced Microscopy Center, she led the renovation and modernization of the center, helping establish it as a premier user and training facility for advanced materials science and engineering research at UTSA. During her tenure as Graduate Advisor of Record for Physics, she also helped develop the UTSA–APS Bridge Partnership, creating a more diverse pathway into doctoral study in physics.

Dr. Kelly Nash is a Professor of Physics and Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Success at UTSA. She served as the Associate Dean for Faculty Success in the UTSA College of Sciences from 2019-2023. As the former Director of the Kleberg Advanced Microscopy Center (2018-2020), she oversaw the renovation and modernization of the center's operations, making it a premier user and training facility for advanced materials science and engineering research at UTSA. During her time as Graduate Advisor of Record for the graduate program in Physics at UTSA, she oversaw the development of the UTSA-APS Bridge Partnership which created a diverse pipeline of Physics doctoral students. 

Dr. Nash’s scientific research centers on the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials and their biophysical interactions with biological systems, from the molecular to the cellular level. Her work spans fundamental biophysical studies as well as applications in biomedicine, energy, and the environment. In recognition of her innovative scholarship, she received the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Program Award in 2015.

Her research accomplishments are matched by a strong record of leadership and service in the STEM community. In 2017, Dr. Nash was elected to the national chair line of the American Physical Society Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics. Over three years of service, she helped expand access to the conference for physics and engineering students, championed diverse representation among speakers, and inspired the next generation of scientists and engineers. Through her work with APS, she has supported the professional development of hundreds of women in STEM, particularly in the areas of communication and negotiation. In recognition of these efforts, she was featured as an APS Women Physicist of the Month.

Dr. Nash has received numerous honors for her contributions to science, education, and inclusion, including the Dillard University Alumni 40 Under 40 Award, the UTSA College of Sciences Excellence in Community Service Award, the San Antonio Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award, San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame, and the UTSA President’s Distinguished Diversity Award. Across her career, she has remained a dedicated advocate for increasing participation by women and underrepresented groups in STEM through research, mentoring, and strategic programming.

She also maintains a robust scholarly education research portfolio focused on broadening participation in STEM, strengthening pathways into academic and scientific careers, and advancing experiential learning. Over the past decade, Dr. Nash has led federally funded programs that have introduced hundreds of underrepresented minority and first-generation college students to research and STEM careers in industry and academia. Her mentoring has contributed to the success of multiple prestigious student awardees, including NSF Graduate Research Fellowship recipients and a Barry Goldwater Scholar.

As the first doctoral graduate of the UTSA Physics program and one of fewer than 100 African American women in the United States to hold a Ph.D. in Physics at the time she earned her degree, Dr. Nash has long embraced her role as a mentor, advocate, and trailblazer. She has served as a campus advisor to the UTSA chapters of the National Society of Black Engineers and Rowdy Women in Physics, both of which foster community, support, and professional development for STEM students. In 2019, she was selected as an inaugural IAspire Leadership Academy Fellow through a program sponsored by APLU and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Throughout her leadership roles at UTSA, Dr. Nash has worked to strengthen faculty recruitment, retention, mentoring, and development, while also advancing initiatives that support faculty lifecycle. Her efforts have helped shape programs and practices that promote excellence, inclusion, and long-term career advancement in higher education.

Outside of the academic community, Dr. Nash has been an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® for more than 25 years.