Iowa State University has increased faculty diversity with two new members.

President Martin Jischke announced Thursday the addition of the husband and wife team J. Herman Blake and Emily Moore to the ISU staff.

Jischke made the announcement during his fall convocation speech at the Memorial Union.

“We’re delighted to have them come to Iowa State,” Jischke said.

Blake was named director of African American Studies at ISU. The position has been unappointed for more than one year.

Moore was appointed professor in the College of Education, with joint appointments with health and human performance and professional studies.

They will begin their positions at the beginning of the spring semester.

Blake and Moore were on campus in January as George Washington Carver scholars and presented a lecture on their research on African American women in the Sea Islands of South Carolina.

“Having J. Herman Blake and Emily Moore on our campus as Carver scholars was a great honor,” Jischke said.

“Attracting two scholars of such distinction to our faculty permanently is outstanding for Iowa State,” he said.

Provost John Kozak said, “Blake and Moore are committed to higher education. Having these two outstanding scholars on our faculty holds great benefits for our students, as well as enhancing our campus’ diversity.”

Valerie Grim has served as interim director of African American Studies since February and will remain in that position until Blake’s arrival.

Grim, an associate professor at Indiana University’s department of Afro American Studies, is a visiting professor in ISU’s history department.

Grim will host a reception for Blake and Moore on Friday, Sept. 5, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Black Cultural Center, 517 Welch Ave.

African American Studies is a cross-disciplinary program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

In addition to serving as director of African American Studies, Blake will hold a joint professorship in the College of Education’s professional studies department and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ sociology department.

Blake has been vice chancellor for undergraduate education and professor of sociology, anthropology and education at Indiana University/Purdue University since 1989.

He received a B.A. in sociology from New York University in 1960, and holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley.

Moore is the founding president of Scholars for Educational Excellence and Diversity, Inc., an Indianapolis-based organization which provides services to agencies and institutions committed to academic excellence for diverse populations.

Previously, she served as interim academic dean, dean of education, chair of the division of education and psychology and director of student teaching at Concordia College in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Moore holds an M.A. in health education from Washington University in St. Louis, and an Ed.D. in health education and administration from the University of South Carolina at Columbia.