VandeWoude named dean of CSU veterinary college
Dr. Sue VandeWoude, a Colorado State University distinguished professor and veterinary virologist, has been named the next dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
A member of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr. VandeWoude most recently oversaw the CSU One Health Institute. She begins her new appointment Aug. 16, becoming the 11th dean and first woman to hold the position since CSU launched its veterinary program in 1907.
“Sue is a gifted scholar and leader who has pursued a path of academic and research excellence at CSU for more than three decades. This has prepared her for this important role,” said Mary Pedersen, PhD, university provost and executive vice president, in a statement.
“Sue has great passion for the influential and impactful work of CVMBS and has witnessed first-hand the evolution of its standing as a world leader in veterinary medicine. She will work hard to carry forward and advance the college’s exceptional reputation and success.”
After graduating in 1985 from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. VandeWoude completed her postdoctoral training in comparative medicine at Johns Hopkins University and became board certified in laboratory animal medicine.
She joined the CSU veterinary faculty in 1990 and has held leadership positions there for the past 15 years, including as the veterinary college’s associate dean for research from 2011-19.
As a member of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology faculty, Dr. VandeWoude has specialized in studying infectious feline diseases, including feline immunodeficiency virus. In 2020, she was named director of the One Health Institute, where she collaborated on research related to the impacts of urbanization on wildlife, disease spillover between domestic animals and wildlife, and disease ecology.
Dr. VandeWoude has used her leadership roles to help make CSU a welcoming campus. Her efforts were recognized by her peers with the 2019 CVMBS Diversity and Inclusion Award and 2020 CVMBS Collaboration Award.
She replaces Dr. Mark Stetter, who became dean of the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine last fall.
“I hope to contribute to a culture that is a rewarding, exciting, and fun place to work and learn, where we advance critical knowledge contributing to the health of animals, people and the environment,” Dr. VandeWoude said in a statement.