Kathryn Boor, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, has announced she will retire at the conclusion of the current academic year on June 30.
In 1994, Dr. Boor began her career with the Ivy League institution as an assistant professor of food science. She earned tenure in 2000, making her the first-ever woman tenured faculty member in her department. Over the course of her three-decades-long tenure, she has served in several key leadership roles, including chair of the department of food science and the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In 2020, she was appointed to her current role as head of Cornell’s graduate programs. Since her appointment, she has developed numerous initiatives focused on doctoral student support and faculty mentorship, including the establishment of the Graduate School Career and Professional Development Office.
Outside of her administrative responsibilities, Dr. Boor conducts extensive research on identifying biological factors that affect transmission of bacteria in food systems. She is a board member for various organizations and public agencies, including the science board for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the New York State Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council, and the New York State Council on Hunger and Food Policy.
Dr. Boor is an alumna of Cornell University, where she majored in food science. She holds a master’s degree in food science from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of California, Davis.