Prof. Jessica McArt, DVM ’07, Ph.D. ’13 has been named the next Austin O. Hooey Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine effective July 15, announced Tuesday by the Cornell Chronicle.
McArt will succeed Prof. Lorin D. Warnick, DVM, Ph.D. ’94, who has served as dean since 2016.
“I am very passionate about the College of Veterinary Medicine and I’m excited to work with faculty, staff and students to advance the opportunities this college has to offer, in collaboration with colleagues across Cornell and beyond,” McArt told the Chronicle.
McArt is a professor of ambulatory and production medicine and also chair of the department of population medicine and diagnostic sciences. Her research centers around studying birth-related diseases in dairy cows to help determine preventative measures, according to the College of Veterinary Medicine.
McArt received her Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry and molecular biology from Dartmouth in 1999. She then went on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2007 and her Ph.D. in comparative biomedical sciences in 2013 from Cornell. From 2013-2014, she served as an assistant professor in livestock medicine and population health at Colorado State University before joining Cornell’s staff as an assistant professor in 2014.
In 2023 McArt received the American Dairy Science Association Foundation Scholar Award in Dairy Production and in 2020 was a recipient of the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence. McArt has also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Dairy Science Communications since 2024.
As dean, McArt plans to increase community-based programs, faculty engagement with students and educational offerings, alongside continuing initiatives from the vet school’s strategic plan. Much of this work will advance preexisting efforts such as the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health and the Center for Veterinary Business and Entrepreneurship, a collaboration with the S.C. Johnson College of Business, according to the Chronicle.
McArt also placed an emphasis on appropriate AI usage in veterinary medicine.
“From a student-learning perspective, it’s imperative that we teach them how to use AI effectively while ensuring they develop strong clinical reasoning, sound judgment and problem-solving skills, which are all things AI cannot replace,” McArt told the Chronicle.
McArt also recognized the importance of reducing student debt and making graduate school more affordable, a challenge she anticipates facing during her tenure.
“Jessica is the right person to lead our world-class College of Veterinary Medicine into the future as we face new opportunities and challenges,” Provost Kavita Bala told the Chronicle.
Everett Chambala is an assistant news editor for the 144th board. He is working as the primary summer reporter for The Cornell Daily Sun through The Sun’s summer fellowship program.
Everett Chambala is a member of the Class of 2027 in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He is a staff writer for the News department and can be reached at echambala@cornellsun.com.
