Lori Covey, professor of Cell Biology and Neuroscience and an accomplished scholar in the field of immunology has been named Area Dean of Life Sciences.
Lori succeeds Ken Breslauer, who after two decades of leading the School of Arts and Science's life science programs, has decided to return to the faculty and pursue research.
Lori brings years of experience as a Rutgers University faculty member, research scientist, and all-around academic leader. She received her undergraduate degree from University of California, Riverside and her Ph.D. from Columbia University. Following postdoctoral training at Columbia Medical School, Lori joined Rutgers in 1993 and gained renown for her discovery of novel pathways regulating T cell-B cell interactions that are critical to the body’s defense system against disease.
Lori has served in a number of key leadership roles, at Rutgers and in national science organizations. She was the associate chair of the cell biology and neuroscience department from 2012 to 2016, and a member of the committee assessing the SAS Core Curriculum. After the creation of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Lori served on the team that evaluated the graduate program curriculum at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
As a member of the American Association of Immunologists, Lori was Chair of the Committee on the Status of Women and was appointed to run the advocacy programs for the Committee on Public Affairs. In the latter role, Lori helped lead public policy efforts for the association as well as advocate for scientists nationwide, including lobbying Congress for increased support for biomedical research. She also has been a member of several National Institutes of Health Study Sections responsible for evaluating grant proposals for individual, collaborative, and institutional research projects as well as student and postdoctoral training grants.
Throughout her career Lori has been an outstanding mentor to young scientists. Her students achieve prominent positions at institutions like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and at top-tier colleges and universities nationwide.
The Area Dean of Life Sciences works with departmental chairs and directors to provide oversight for the recruitment, hiring, mentoring, promotion, and retention of faculty and staff critical to the university missions of research, education, and service. The dean also participates in the strategic planning and decision-making process of the School of Arts and Sciences providing recommendations and assistance to the Executive Dean.
Congratulations to Dr. Lori Covey!
