Kimberly E. Walker, assistant professor of medical and molecular sciences at the University of Delaware, passed away on August 31. She was 60 years old.
A native of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Dr. Walker earned her bachelor’s degree in medical technology from the University of Maryland and her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from Virginia Commonwealth University. After completing her studies, she held postdoctoral fellowships with the Center for Vaccine Development at the University of Maryland at Baltimore, the Center for Marine Biotechnology at the University of Maryland’s Biotechnology Institute, and a joint-program with the University of Maryland’s dental school and Morgan State University.
From 2001 to 2011, Dr. Walker was an assistant professor of medicine in the department of medical and research technology at the University of Maryland. During this time, she spent five years as her department’s graduate program director. She then transitioned to the American Society for Microbiology in Washington, D.C., where she worked as a federal specialist in clinical microbiology and biosafety for nine years. In 2020, Dr. Walker returned to academia as a program director at Lorain County Community College in Ohio. Two years later, she joined the University of Delaware faculty as an assistant professor and program director for medical diagnostics.
As a scholar, Dr. Walker focused on infectious disease and health policy research. She taught courses in clinical physiological chemistry, regulatory and fiscal issues in laboratory management, body fluid analysis, diagnostic bacteriology, and medical mycology. At the time of her passing, she was in the process of developing a new course on healthcare and clinical laboratory policy.
“Dr. Walker was a remarkable scholar, educator ,and advocate who left an indelible mark on our college and the many students she mentored,” said Jill Trabulsi, interim dean of the University of Delaware College of Health Sciences. “Her expertise in microbiology and health policy, paired with her passion for expanding educational access, strengthened our community in meaningful ways.”