Obama picks FAMU vice president for assistant secretary of commerce

Larry Robinson, vice president for research at Florida A&M University, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as Assistant Secretary of Commerce in the Department of Commerce.

The U.S. Senate must confirm Robinson’s nomination.

An administrator at FAMU since 1997, Robinson has served in various posts including director of the NOAA Environmental Cooperative Science Center, headquartered at FAMU since 2001.

It is a multi-institutional consortium of predominantly minority-serving institutions which conducts research, education and outreach to improve the scientific basis of coastal resource management.

Robinson was appointed vice president of research at FAMU in May 2009.

“I am not surprised that he has been tapped for this position,” FAMU President James Ammons said. “While I am very happy for him, it is going to be tremendous loss for the university.

“Dr. Robinson has had an outstanding career and has served as a professor, researcher, vice president for academic affairs and as a vice president for research. I am certain that he will do an outstanding job when confirmed. This nomination brings honor to not only Dr. Robinson and his family, but FAMU as well.”