1865
Cornell University is founded by Ezra Cornell.
1904
The College of Agriculture becomes a New York State sponsored institution (predecessor of the current College of Agriculture and Life Sciences or CALS).
1906
William A. Stocking, a dairy microbiologist and founding member of the American Society of Bacteriologists (now the American Society for Microbiology or ASM), is appointed Assistant Professor of Agricultural Bacteriology.
1912-1914
A new building, Wing Hall, is constructed for Animal Husbandry and is located approximately 0.5 mile east of the main Cornell campus.
1923
A new building, Stocking Hall, is constructed for Dairy Science.
1924
James M. Sherman, a microbiologist studying dairy fermentations, arrives as Chairman of the Department of Dairy Science, and serves as Chair for over 30 years. In 1937, Sherman was elected president of the Society of American Bacteriologists. Propionibacterium shermanii, the organism that produces carbon dioxide bubbles that form the holes in Swiss cheese, was named in his honor.
1930s
Sherman forms the Laboratory of Bacteriology, a semi-independent program whose teaching and research deals with more fundamental aspects of the properties of bacteria.
1940s-1950s
Faculty joining the “Laboratory of Bacteriology include, Brooks Naylor, Harry Seeley, Jr., Eugene Delwiche, Paul VanDemark, and I.C. Gunsalus, all Cornell PhDs. Gunsalus and coworkers elucidated the biological role of pyridoxal phosphate (vitamin B6) in 1944 but he left Cornell in 1947 after a fire destroyed his lab.
1960s
Cornell University establishes the Division of Biological Sciences (DBS) in 1964 and the Laboratory of Bacteriology joins, becoming the Section of Microbiology. New faculty joining the Section include A. Jane Gibson, who studied the physiology and biochemistry of photosynthetic microbes, and Norman Dondero, an aquatic microbiologist.
1972
The Section of Microbiology is eliminated from the DBS and faculty are reassigned.
Gibson and two others go to Biochemistry, Zahler goes to the Section of Genetics, Development and Physiology.
The remaining faculty reform the Laboratory of Microbiology in Food Science. Ereign Seacord joins the teaching support staff, staying until 2010.
1977
Cathy Shappell joins the staff as department administrator, ably serving in that position until 2012.
In 1979 Patti Butler (Lisk) was hired as an administrative assistant and served until 2013.
Shirley Cramer was hired as an administrative assistant in 1987.
1978
Robert P. Mortlock, Chair of Microbiology at the University of Massachusetts, is recruited to serve as Chair for the newly formed Department of Microbiology. Mortlock, who studied evolution of microbial metabolism, was Chair for 10 years, and retired in 1999.
Two assistant professors are also hired: E. Peter Greenberg, who studies microbial behavior, and William C. Ghiorse, who studies microbial structure/function and metal biogeochemistry and won the 2004 SUNY Chancellor's award and the 2007 CALS Edgerton Career Award for teaching.
1980
Stephen H. Zinder is hired as an Assistant Professor Zinder studies chemical transformations in the environment carried out by anaerobes and microbial diversity. He won the CALS Outstanding Career Accomplishments in Basic Research award in 2011.
1986
Valley Stewart, a microbial geneticist working on anaerobic respiration, joins the faculty, leaving for UC Davis in 1998.
1988
Stephen C. Winans joins the faculty. Winans studies the response of bacteria, particularly Agrobacterium, to environmental stimuli, and in 1994 was a coauthor, with Greenberg and Clay Fuqua, of an influential paper naming "quorum sensing".
1990
The department moves to Wing Hall, recently vacated by Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, followed by a phased renovation of Wing over the next seven years. This move allowed expansion of the department, including the addition of James Russell, a rumen microbiologist employed by the USDA and previously affiliated with the Animal Science. Dr. Russell died in 2009.
1991
Susan Merkel is hired as an instructor for the Micro 290 course. Sue eventually become a Senior Lecturer succeeding Carole Rehkugler as leader of the Micro291/BIOMI2910 introductory lab and winning the CALS Innovative Teacher Award in 1997 and 2011.
1992
The Department of Microbiology rejoins the Division of Biological Sciences and becomes the Section of Microbiology.
James P. Shapleigh, who works on denitrification and its regulation, joins the department.
1998
Stephen Zinder becomes Department Chair during a contentious, university-wide review of the Division of Biological Sciences. An external review committee for the Section of Microbiology makes the case that advances in genomics and molecular microbial ecology and the important roles microbiologists play at Cornell make it an opportune time to expand and strengthen the Section.
1999
The decision is made to abolish DBS while retaining the undergraduate biology major, which includes a concentration in Microbiology. The Department of Microbiology in CALS is (re)born with a mandate for expansion, and hires three new faculty members: Anthony Hay, Eugene Madsen, and Esther Angert.
2002
Joseph Peters, a microbial geneticist working on transposons, is hired in the area of microbial genomics. In 2013 he became a coauthor of the ASM Press textbook Molecular Genetics of Bacteria.
2004
William Ghiorse becomes Department Chair for a second time.
2008
Ruth Ley, a microbiologist studying the human microbiome, joins the department. In 2011 she won the CALS Outstanding Accomplishments in Early Achievement Award.
2009
Ian Hewson, a marine microbiologist studying the roles of marine bacteria, archaea, and viruses in marine biogeochemistry, joins the faculty.
2010
John Helmann succeeds William Ghiorse as Department Chair.
2012
Lillian Henry is hired as Administrative Manager of the department after Cathy Shappell’s retirement.
2013
The department and the Cornell Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology begin a faculty search in the area: Integrative Biology of the Bacterial Cell. Michelle Carr is hired as an administrative assistant following Patti Butler’s retirement.
2014
Ian Hewson is promoted to Associate Professor with tenure, effective November 1, 2014.
2015
Carole Rehkugler retires after a long and successful teaching career of extraordinary and dedicated service to Cornell University and the Department of Microbiology.
Joe Peters is promoted to Full Professor, effective July 1, 2015.
2016
Tory Hendry, joins the department as a Research Scientist.
Tobias Doerr is hired as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and the Cornell Weill Institute.
2017
Esther Angert is promoted to Full Professor, effective January 1, 2017. Tory Hendry is appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department.
Sue Merkel takes on the additional role of Associate Director of Academic Programs for the College, effective January 2017.
2018
Brian Wendel is hired as Lecturer.
Kathleen Hefferon is hired as Lecturer
2019
Esther Angert succeeds John Helmann as Department Chair.
Lillian Henry leaves Microbiology to take a position as Administrative Manager of Biological and Environmental Engineering.
Derrick Barrett is hired as the new Department Manager.
2020
The Covid 19 pandemic strikes the US. In March, the University shuts down all but essential research on campus. Undergraduates are sent home and classes transition to online only.
Patti Brenchley takes a new position in the College of Veterinary Medicine as the Assistant to the Associate Dean of Education and the Assistant to the Director of Veterinary Curriculum.
2021
James Shapleigh and Stephen Zinder are granted Emeritus status, upon his retirement.
Esther Angert resigns as Department Chair as she accepted a position as Senior Associate Dean of CALS.
John Helmann returns as interim Department Chair.
2022
John Helmann steps down as interim Department Chair.
Joe Peters steps down as DGS and is appointed as Department Chair.
Tobias Doerr is appointed as DGS.
Sue Merkel retires after 31 years in the department.
Marian Schmidt starts their position as an Assistant Professor. The Schmidt Lab studies the diversity, structure, and genome dynamics of freshwater microbial communities.
Ian Hewson was awarded the Faculty Champion Award for Senior Faculty
Steve Zinder was awarded the CALS Career Accomplishment Award
Joe Peters received an American Academy of Microbiology Nomination
Dan Buckley was awarded the 2022 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Sue Merkel was awarded the Kendall S. Carpenter Memorial Advising Award
Heather Feaga was awarded the Affinito-Stwart Grant from the Presidents Council of Cornell Women (PCCW)
2023
Kelley Gallagher is hired as an Assistant Professor. The Gallagher Lab primarily studies the filamentous Gram-positive actinobacterial genus Streptomyces, which undergoes a complex life cycle that culminates in the production of chains of exospores.
Lisa-Marie Nisbett is hired as an Assistant Research Professor. The Nisbett lab is interested in determining the mechanisms of pathogenesis of clinically significant yet critically understudied bacterial pathogens such as nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM).
Heather Feaga was awarded the 2023 Faculty Champion Award for Junior Faculty
Joe Peters was nominated for the Outstanding Accomplishments in Research Award
2024
Aisha Burton is hired as Assistant Research Professor. Buton Lab investigations focus on understanding the role of these small proteins in modulating two-component systems, essential sensory and adaptive mechanisms that respond to diverse external stimuli.
Gunnar Babcock is hired as Lecturer.
Meaghan Austin moves into role as Assistant to Department Chair.
Daniel Francis is hired as GFA/Student Services Assistant.
2025
2026