Patrice is a double Duke, earning a B.S. and M.S. from the biology department before completing her doctorate in biology at the University of Virginia where she was awarded the Seven Society Fellowship for Superb Teaching. She joined the faculty in JMU’s Department of Biology in 2009 after a year as a visiting professor at Hampden-Sydney College. At JMU, Dr. Ludwig worked in areas of faculty professional development, student and program level assessment, entrepreneurship, and was one of the founding core instructors in JMU X-Labs. Before joining REDI, she was the Interim Executive Director for X-Labs and an Associate Professor in Biology.  

Patrice’s drive to ensure that all students have access to an excellent higher education experience has steered her involvement in activities across JMU, including:

• The Innovation, Collaboration, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship task force
• A consistent member of the ChangeMaker Taskforce
• A long-serving Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellow
• A co-assistant director of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence award to the Biology department
• Facilitator for the Environmental Data Science cohort
• And a contact for JMU’s participation in the nationally recognized Paradigm Project’s Emerging Models. 

She maintains an active grant-funded research program with collaborators in Architectural Design, genetics and Innovation Educators. In REDI, Patrice promotes activities related to student research, innovation education and innovation partnerships, serving as the 4-VA campus coordinator.