President's Biography
Shadow JQ Robinson, PhD
Dr. Robinson was born in rural eastern Kentucky in 1975 and grew up just two miles from the Kentucky-Virginia border, deep in the heart of Appalachia. As a 12-year-old, he imagined a future as a professional baseball player, lawyer, stockbroker or engineer like his father, all while daydreaming of becoming a composer or concert pianist. Everything changed when he read Alan Nourse’s 1963 book, So you want to be a physicist? The answer, he discovered, was an emphatic yes.
At 14, Robinson began taking mathematics and physics classes at the University of Kentucky and enrolled as a full-time student at age 16. He graduated with honors, earning two bachelor’s degrees and induction into Phi Beta Kappa along with several other academic honor societies. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in theoretical nuclear physics from Rutgers University in 2002.
While at Rutgers, Robinson served for two years as a National Science Foundation GK-12, spending eight hours each week in middle school math and science classrooms. That experience transformed his professional aspirations. Rather than pursuing a career focused solely on research, he found his calling in education, seeking opportunities to grow as both a teacher and a scholar.
After completing his doctorate, Robinson held visiting faculty appointments before joining the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville in 2003. There, he received the Outstanding Teaching by New Faculty Award and, beginning in 2005, embraced a tradition that continues today: participating in National Novel Writing Month by writing a 50,000-word novel every November.
Robinson later joined Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, where he spent a decade serving in a variety of leadership roles, including Professor and Chair of Physics, Director of the James Observatory (a historically renovated astronomical observatory), Director of the Compass Curriculum (general education program), Faculty Council President, and Director of Dual Degree and Pre-Engineering Programs. During his faculty career, he published more than 50 research articles in international nuclear physics journals while earning recognition for excellence in teaching, scholarship and campus leadership.
In 2018, Robinson became Dean of the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Martin. There, he helped lead the design and construction of the $65 million, 120,000-square-foot Latimer Engineering and Science Building and spearheaded the visioning and fundraising for Tennessee Entrepreneurial Science and Technology Hub (TEST Hub), a $20 million partnership among industry and educational institutions serving rural West Tennessee. He also led the development and implementation of the university’s strategic enrollment plan, helping launch new academic programs and expand marketing efforts that contributed to three consecutive years of first-time student enrollment growth beginning in fall 2022.
In 2022, Robinson was named Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. As chief academic officer, he helped launch new degree programs in healthcare, education and engineering while leading the development of the university’s new mission statement and playing a key role in creating its strategic plan. Working closely with fundraising partners, he helped secure an initial $500,000 to establish a Center for Teaching and Learning, nearly $9 million in private and public funding for Centers of Excellence in Healthcare and Advanced Manufacturing, and an additional $7.5 million to create a Center for Non-Profits. Throughout his tenure, he focused on strengthening academic programs, investing in faculty and staff development, advancing student success, and collaborating with university leadership to shape a bold vision for serving the region.
Robinson began his tenure as president of Frostburg State University on July 1, 2026. His vision is to ensure every student graduates with the momentum, skills and real-world experiences needed to make an immediate impact in their careers and communities. He is committed to advancing Frostburg State’s mission of providing transformative educational opportunities that prepare future leaders to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and changing global society.
Outside of higher education, Robinson continues his annual tradition of writing a 50,000-word novel each November. His lifelong appreciation for sports, art and music has only grown, even as his career followed a different path. He enjoys traveling and seeking new adventures with his wife and muse, Jennifer. Together with her daughter, Dylan, and his son, Elijah, they continue writing the most meaningful chapter of their story together.
