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ESCANABA -- Beta Sigma Chapter, Michigan State Organization of Delta Kappa Gamma International proudly honored member, Dr. Renee Richer, as their Chapter's Woman of Distinction for 2023. Richer was presented with a framed certificate from the DKG Michigan State Organization, a DKG pin, a red rose, and the gift of a favorite personal photograph put onto a canvas.
She was also given a binder containing numerous personal written tributes and congratulatory letters from her family, friends, colleagues, co-workers and former students whose lives she has positively impacted. Her tribute letters, which had come from all over the world, were shared and read aloud at the meeting by the members. These wonderful tributes to Richer acknowledged her accomplishments and career as a scientist, researcher, professor and author and recognized her as a remarkable, dedicated, caring person who is always willing to help others.
Her students recognized her as a motivational teacher who works hard to prepare them for their future goals by providing the necessary scientific knowledge in ways that captivate their attention. They spoke of her willingness to be available to allow for personal connection and to provide individual suggestions and guidance for their projects and future career aspirations.
Richer's family is of utmost importance to her, and they were present at the meeting, as well as instrumental in helping the chapter obtain tribute letters.
Richer was initiated to Beta Sigma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma in 2015. She is a member of the Professional Affairs and Legislation, Scholarship/Grant committees, and has served as the Chapter Secretary. She is truly a dedicated member and has delivered numerous presentations to Beta Sigma sharing her research, and diversified professional teaching experiences. She will present on the topic of Globalization of Education later in July at the DKG International Conference in Detroit. Also in July, she will attend, the Gordon Research Conference, an international forum on frontier scientific research, on the topic of Microbial Population Ecology.
Richer is currently an associate professor and Associate Chair of Natural and Applied Sciences at Duke Kunshan University in China. She was chosen by students to receive the college's Award for Outstanding Teaching in 2022, after her first year as a professor there. Richer grew up on a farm in Flat Rock, in Escanaba Township, and graduated from Gladstone High School. She received her BA in biology from the University of Chicago and her PhD from Harvard University.
Richer has been a college biology professor in Armenia, Qatar, and the University of Wisconsin Green Bay/Marinette. Her scientific work focuses on physiological ecology. She studies the impacts of climate change not only for the sustainability of regions, but also for its effects on human health. For more than the past decade, Richer has been researching and working to find paths of human exposure to cyanobacterial neurotoxins, such as those produced by harmful algae blooms and their link to ALS, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Her research impacts lives in Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region as the harmful algae blooms also exist in this area.
In 2022, she was a key note speaker in the country of Qatar, for Earthna, at the "Living Desert Event" on World Environment Day. She spent a decade researching and personally photographing the native and natural flora of Qatar, and this event launched the book signing of the beautiful book she authored, "Hidden Beauty, An Exploration of Qatar's Native and Naturalised Flora." It has been described as "a definitive guide of plants in Qatar from a scientific perspective that will bring an awareness about the importance of terrestrial ecosystems as a link to climate sustainability in desert climates."
In addition to all of her professional work, Richer has been a small business owner of the Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast, at her renovated five-generation Centennial Farm, served as a member on the Escanaba Township Planning Commission, is involved with study of the water quality of the Great Lakes, and ran a campaign for the Michigan House of Representative District 108 in 2020.
She has been affiliated with the Ecological Society of America, the Association for the Advancement of Science, AAUW, and Big Bay Pony Club.
Beta Sigma Chapter members congratulate Richer on receiving this award and recognition of Woman of Distinction for 2023. The club is proud of her accomplishments, and to have her as a member of the chapter.
DKG is an honorary International Society of key woman educators promoting professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. The Beta Sigma Chapter includes members from Michigan's Dickinson, Delta, Menominee, and neighboring Marinette, Oconto, and Florence counties in Wisconsin.