Dr. Kimberly Petersen Ph.D.
Dr. Kimberly Petersen
Interim Dean of Lloyd International Honors College
Discipline: Chemistry & Biochemistry
Dr. Kimberly Petersen is Interim Dean of Lloyd International Honors College. Most recently, she served as the director of UNC Greensboro’s Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creativity Office and is a professor of organic chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Dr. Petersen brings a deep commitment to student success, inclusive excellence, and transformative research and teaching. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and American University, she earned her Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Johns Hopkins University and completed postdoctoral work at the California Institute of Technology. Her NIH-funded research group focuses on solving important synthetic problems, including the asymmetric synthesis of biologically significant molecules and the design of novel drug targets.
Dr. Petersen plays a leading role in advancing undergraduate STEM education at UNCG. She was principal investigator for the NIH-supported U-RISE program, which supported students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM fields. In 2025, she received the UNC Board of Governor’s Excellence in Teaching Award in recognition of this work, with her students having received prestigious awards and honors, including NSF Graduate Research Fellowships and Goldwater Scholarships. In recognition of her leadership, she recently completed the BRIDGES Academic Leadership Program.
As interim dean, Dr. Petersen will provide the college with strategic vision, direction, and operational leadership. She is privileged to work with an extraordinarily talented and highly professional team.
In her free time, Dr. Petersen enjoys spending time with her family and working on puzzles of all kinds.