Cynthia Peterson

Cynthia Peterson is the Dean of the LSU College of Science and a Professor of Biological Sciences. Dean Peterson, a protein biochemist, earned a B.S. in biochemistry from LSU A&M, followed by a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport. She then pursued postdoctoral training at the University of California, Berkeley before assuming an assistant professor position at the University of Tennessee. Peterson was promoted to associate professor with tenure, then to full professor, eventually serving as department head and then Associate Dean of Academic Personnel in the UT College of Arts and Sciences prior to assuming her role at LSU. Dean Peterson is committed to mentoring and professional development across career trajectories and has led several federally funded projects that include a strong focus on inclusive excellence. In addition to being a strong advocate for faculty, she has and has successfully garnered and leveraged resources to support new initiatives and build infrastructure.