Carmen Moraru, the Yongkeun Joh Professor of Food Science, has been appointed senior associate dean in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), effective Aug. 15. She will succeed Corrie Moreau, who left Cornell to become dean of collections and professor and curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
“Carmen has distinguished herself as an exceptional scientist, teacher and academic leader. As chair of the Department of Food Science for two terms, she led the department through a period of growth while fostering excellence in research, teaching and collaboration,” said Benjamin Houlton, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of CALS. “Carmen has devoted her career to advancing the science and practice of food processing while remaining deeply committed to student mentorship and education.”
Houlton and two senior associate deans oversee administration of CALS, Cornell’s second-largest college by student population. CALS is organized into 14 departments and three schools; administers more than 20 centers and institutes; and supports collaborations in over 61 countries on issues including food security and environmental health. With the College of Human Ecology, CALS offers cornerstone support for New York’s land-grant mission via Cornell Cooperative Extension, which connects communities to Cornell researchers in every New York county and all five boroughs of New York City. Houlton said over the coming weeks he will be working with Moraru and Senior Associate Dean Lori Leonard to define their portfolio of responsibilities.
CALS at a glance
- 14 academic departments — 8 departments shared with other Cornell colleges and schools
- 3 schools — The Ashley School of Global Development & the Environment, the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management and the School of Integrative Plant Science
- $293M total research expenditures (FY 2025)
- 4,020 undergraduate students
- 942 graduate students
- 306 faculty
“I am honored to take on this role in CALS, my academic home for more than two decades,” Moraru said. “Our college is a remarkable place for creating knowledge and advancing food, agriculture and life sciences, and our strength stems from the excellence and dedication of its faculty, staff and students. I am excited to join the team shaping its next chapter alongside our exceptional CALS community.”
Moraru joined Cornell’s faculty in 2003, and she has since taken on numerous leadership positions within the university, including chair of the Department of Food Science, interim director of Cornell’s Northeast Dairy Foods Research Center and inaugural faculty director of Global Cornell’s Scholars Under Threat program.
Beyond Cornell, Moraru has held leadership positions in professional organizations, including the Institute of Food Technologists and the American Dairy Science Association, and she serves on several international scientific boards.
Her research program has focused on understanding and optimizing food processing methods to enhance food safety, quality and shelf life. Some of her impacts include creating high-value food sources from underutilized agricultural products, and developing new strategies to filter and remove microbes from milk and fruit juices while preserving nutrients, among others. She has received several awards and recognitions for her work.
A native of Romania, Moraru received her bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Galati, Romania, where she also started her academic career more than 30 years ago.
Moraru succeeds Moreau, formerly the Martha N. and John C. Moser Professor of Arthropod Systematics and Biodiversity in the Department of Entomology and director and head curator of the Cornell University Insect Collection. Moreau is an internationally renowned entomologist who has received many awards and recognitions, including having a newly discovered ant species named in her honor. In her new role at the American Museum of Natural History, Moreau will oversee the museum’s 30 million scientific specimens and cultural objects, mentor graduate students, and conduct research.
“Corrie has made substantial contributions to the college’s research, teaching and public engagement since joining the faculty, including through her college leadership and her internationally recognized scholarship and leadership in biodiversity science,” Houlton said. “While we will miss her, I am proud to see her take on this prestigious leadership opportunity and wish her every success in this next chapter.”
Krisy Gashler is a writer for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
