Kristine Marceau named HHS associate dean for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars

Written By: Casey Dexter, casey38@purdue.edu

Editing Contributed By: Denise Buhrmester, buhrmest@purdue.edu

Kristine Marceau, associate professor of human development and family science and co-director of the Methodology Center at Purdue (MCAP), has been named the associate dean for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in the College of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) at Purdue University, effective July 6. She replaces Jason Harris, professor of health sciences, who has held the role since 2019.

Marceau brings a wealth of experience and a sustained commitment to graduate education. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in the belief that graduate students and postdocs are the future, propelling the university forward through their innovative ideas, research and work as undergraduate mentors. Her exceptional dedication to trainee development was recognized with the 2025 HHS Outstanding Early Career Graduate Faculty Mentor Award. As a former HHS Faculty Mentoring Fellow and co-chair of the HDFS Graduate Committee, she has spearheaded initiatives to evaluate and improve graduate mentoring practices, policies and communication structures across the college.

Beyond her individual mentorship, Marceau is a proven leader in building interdisciplinary collaboration and training infrastructure. Through her leadership in the MCAP, she led the development of and administers the interdisciplinary advanced methods graduate certificate and co-coordinates an innovative, cross-departmental research methods course. She has an outstanding track record of supporting externally funded training, serving as the lead PI on an NIH R25 grant and guiding trainees through competitive application processes for F31 and R36 awards.

Marceau is highly motivated to advance a shared vision for resilient, supportive and interdisciplinary training in her new role. She aims to build integrated, funded pipelines that recruit top talent and create clear postdoc-to-faculty pathways. She will also leverage new opportunities, such as the integrative health program and the expansion of wet lab spaces in Indianapolis, to elevate the national standing of HHS.