Suzanne Barbour Reappointed Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education

Suzanne Barbour has been reappointed to a second five-year term as dean of The Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education following a standard review for administrators, Provost Alec D. Gallimore announced this week. 

“Over the last four years, Suzanne Barbour has helped Duke navigate a rapidly changing landscape for graduate education through her caring, collaborative, and forward-looking leadership,” Gallimore said. “As we celebrate The Graduate School’s centennial this year and look ahead to the next century of graduate education at Duke, I know we will continue to benefit from her vision, creativity and holistic, student-centered approach to advancing this critical aspect of our educational mission.” 

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First appointed in 2022, Barbour has overseen significant growth in enrollment in graduate programs across the university, including historic highs in applications to Ph.D. programs and completion of Ph.D. degrees. Under her leadership, The Graduate School has partnered with Duke’s schools and departments to expand its role in recruiting students, providing support to help them succeed at Duke — including support for health and wellbeing — and preparing them to excel in a wide range of academic and non-academic careers.

Barbour has also emphasized support and training for faculty involved in graduate education. The Graduate Faculty Fellow Program, launched in 2023 in partnership with the Office for Faculty Advancement, embeds graduate faculty members in the administration to support their leadership development and integrate their expertise into policy development and decision-making. 

In her role as vice provost, Barbour has worked to strengthen graduate education across Duke, including through alumni engagement and philanthropic support. In 2025, she partnered with the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs to launch the Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Collaboratives, which received an $8 million grant from The Duke Endowment to support graduate training aligned with institutional priorities.

Highly regarded nationally, Barbour has worked with peers to reimagine master’s and Ph.D. training for the future. In 2024, she established EDGE (Exploring/Enhancing Doctoral Graduate Education), a regional partnership between Duke and nine other institutions to collaborate on the development of best practices and expand doctoral pathways for students. In June, Duke hosted the second annual EDGE Summit, focused on “Designing AI Readiness.” 

Barbour has also helped lead the negotiation and implementation of Duke’s first collective bargaining agreement with Ph.D. students, compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision prohibiting the consideration of race in university admissions, and institutional responses to changes in federal policies affecting research funding, student aid, and international students. 

“The past several years have been a tumultuous time for graduate education, both at Duke and nationally,” said Michael Gehm, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who chaired the review committee. 

“Suzanne Barbour’s collaborative leadership and deep expertise are among the key reasons the university was able to navigate these myriad challenges so ably. When members of the committee spoke with stakeholders across the university and the nation, the trust and respect that Suzanne engenders was immediately obvious. We’re truly fortunate to have such a dedicated steward overseeing graduate education at Duke.”

A cell biologist, Barbour previously served as graduate school dean at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Georgia. She completed her doctoral work in molecular biology and genetics at Johns Hopkins University and earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Rutgers University. 

Barbour’s second term will begin September 15, 2027.