Ruston, LA - Dr. Jamie Newman has been named dean of the College of Applied and Natural Sciences at Louisiana Tech University, bringing more than a decade of leadership, research excellence, and academic innovation to the role.
A member of the Louisiana Tech faculty since 2013, Newman most recently served as the director of the School of Biological Sciences and before that, the associate dean for research and graduate studies and professor of biology. Throughout her tenure, she has helped expand the College's research enterprise, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and create new opportunities for students and faculty.
“Dr. Newman is ideally suited to lead this College, one that houses vital programs preparing students to be leaders in sectors vital to economic growth and vitality including health, forestry, and agriculture,” President Jim Henderson said. “Her exceptional academic qualifications, collegial manner, and genuine care for student success, faculty excellence, and innovation will carry the College into a new era of excellence.”
As a professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Newman played a key role in advancing collaborative initiatives across campus, including the VISTA Center, which integrates the arts and sciences, and the Justin & Jeanette Hinckley Virtual Anatomy Lab, an innovative teaching resource that enhances anatomy and physiology education. As associate dean, she worked to strengthen research partnerships and develop opportunities for students, faculty, alumni, and industry partners to engage in academic and professional development.
Newman's research focuses on understanding how environmental factors influence stem cell fate, including the processes that regulate stem cell self-renewal and differentiation into specialized cell types such as fat cells and bone cells. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she collaborated with researchers at Grambling State University and local healthcare providers to monitor wastewater in Ruston for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. She has published extensively on stem cell signaling and gene regulation.
“I am honored to lead a college that has shaped not only my career but also my life and family,” Newman said. “This institution has given me so much, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to give back in a meaningful way. I am especially excited about the future of the College of Applied and Natural Sciences. Together, we will continue to evolve and elevate our tradition of excellence by celebrating and showcasing the work of our students, faculty, and staff.”
Her contributions to teaching, research, and service have earned recognition from the University of Louisiana System (2021 Outstanding Faculty Award) and the Louisiana Tech University Foundation (2024 Professorship Award).
As dean, Newman will provide strategic leadership for the College's academic programs, research initiatives, student success efforts, and community and industry partnerships. She will oversee departments and programs that prepare students for careers in areas of health and natural sciences while advancing the College's mission of excellence in education, research, and service-learning.
“Dr. Newman is a highly respected scholar and thoughtful leader whose commitment to academic excellence, collaboration, and student success makes her exceptionally well suited to serve as dean,” Dr. Donna Thomas, Tech provost, said. “Her dedication to research and ability to support and empower faculty are qualities that will inspire continued growth and advancement. She is a proven innovator, and I look forward to supporting her vision for the College.”
A native of Woodland Hills, California, Newman earned a Bachelor of Arts in biology from Amherst College before receiving her Ph.D. in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she studied gene regulation and cell state in embryonic stem cells under the mentorship of Dr. Richard Young.
Newman is married to Dr. Brad Cicciarelli, a distinguished lecturer in chemical engineering at Louisiana Tech, and they have two children, Jacob and Mallory.
Dr. Gary Kennedy, who served as the College’s dean since 2015, will continue his service at Louisiana Tech as the director of the new RoyOMartin Forest Products Innovation Center.