Roli Varma

Roli Varma is a Full Professor at the School of Public Administration, University of New Mexico (UNM), with a focus on research methods, public policy, and diversity management. She also teaches Technology in Society for the School of Engineering. Her scholarly work addresses gender and ethnic disparities in STEM, immigrant scientists and engineers in the US, and professional ethics, supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Sloan Foundation.

• Education: Ph.D. in Science and Technology Studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1993)

Her research spans science and technology policy, return migration of Asian Indian professionals, and gender dynamics in computing. She has authored over 70 journal articles and two books: Harbingers of Global Change: India's Techno-Immigrants in the United States and Managing Industrial Research Effectively. She serves on the Social Science Advisory Board of the National Center for Women in Information Technology (NCWIT) and was a member of the ACM Task Force on Job Migration (2004–2006).

Dr. Varma has delivered 45 invited talks globally, including at the IEEE Computer Society History Committee and the National Science Foundation. She has chaired 52 Master’s papers and served as a committee member for 54, with a focus on mentoring students in public administration and STEM. Her professional service includes organizing NSF conferences and advising on research ethics, diversity, and institutional review board (IRB) policies.