Yale’s Pettigrew to lead University of Minnesota School of Public Health

Melinda Pettigrew, professor of epidemiology and deputy dean of the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH), who served as interim dean of YSPH during the last year, has accepted the position of dean at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Pettigrew, the Anna M.R. Lauder Professor of Epidemiology at Yale, assumed the duties of interim dean on July 1, 2022 and filled the role until the arrival of Dr. Megan L. Ranney, the school’s new dean, this month.

Pettigrew will begin her new role at University of Minnesota on Dec. 29, the university announced.

In her research, Pettigrew studies the molecular epidemiology of respiratory tract infections and the growing public health threat of antibiotic resistance.

Yale President Peter Salovey called Pettigrew’s departure “a huge loss for Yale, but wonderful news for Melinda and the University of Minnesota community.”

“Her experience at Yale — as an investigator, a teacher, a mentor, and a leader — and the deep respect she has earned from everyone in this community prepare her for this next phase of her career,” Salovey said.

Pettigrew conducts both laboratory and epidemiologic studies. Specifically, she focuses on how disruptions of homeostasis in the respiratory and gastrointestinal microbiota influence colonization resistance, development of antibiotic resistance, and risk of bacterial infections.

“In the short time that I have worked with Professor Pettigrew, I have come to value her brilliance, commitment to the Yale community, and dedication to the student experience,” said Ranney, the dean of YSPH. “She will be deeply missed by the Yale School of Public Health community — but we celebrate her bringing our Yale ethos to Minnesota!”

A graduate of Grinnell College, Pettigrew received her Ph.D. from Yale in 1999. She conducted a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan prior to joining the Yale School of Public Health faculty in 2002.

Salovey expressed gratitude to Pettigrew for her leadership at YSPH during the past year and for her willingness to remain at Yale for an additional semester to assist with the leadership transition. “We are grateful for Melinda’s service and leadership at the school, particularly during a time when the fulfillment of its mission is more urgent than ever,” he said.