Susan Wessler - Keck Graduate Institute Skip to main content
KGI
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Alumni
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Corporate Partners
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Visit
  • Give
  • Quick Links
Menu
909.607.7855
    • Apply
    • Request Info
    • Visit
    • Give
  • Main Menu
    • About
      • About KGI
        • Claremont
        • History
        • Mission
        • Innovation Insider Magazine
        • The Claremont Colleges
        • Maps and Parking
        • Employment
        • Fact Sheet
        • Infographic
        • KGI Store
      • People and Offices
        • President’s Message
        • Administration
        • Board of Trustees
        • Corporate Partnerships
        • Team Master’s Project
        • Staff and Faculty Directory
        • Corporate Relations Board
        • SOM Board of Governors
      • News and Events
        • Event Calendar
        • News
        • Media Policy
        • Media Contact
        • Find a Faculty Expert
        • Branding
    • Academics
      • Degrees & Certificates
        • Doctor of Pharmacy
        • Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Life Sciences
        • Occupational Therapy Doctorate
        • Master of Business and Science
        • Master of Engineering in Biopharmaceutical Processing
        • Master of Science in Applied Life Sciences
        • Master of Science in Community Medicine
        • Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling
        • Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genomic Data Analytics
        • Master of Science in Medical Device Engineering
        • Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
        • Master of Science in Regulatory Affairs
        • Master of Science in Translational Medicine
        • Postbaccalaureate Premedical Certificate
        • Postbaccalaureate Pre-PA Certificate
        • Certificate in Bioscience Management
        • Certificate in Applied Genomics
      • Schools
        • Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences
        • School of Community Medicine
        • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
        • Biocon Academy
      • Summer Programs
        • Application Boot Camp
        • Bioprocessing Summer Undergraduate Internship Training and Education
        • Clinical Genetics and Bioinformatics Summer Program
        • High School Summer STEM
        • Managing Science in Biotech for Postdocs
        • Medical Device Development Bootcamp
        • PA Summer Success Program
        • Pre-Occupational Therapy Program
        • Pre-Pharmacy Enrichment Program
        • Summer Explore Health Professions
        • Summer Speaker Series
        • Summer Undergraduate Research Experience
        • Undergraduate Summer Science Courses
      • Resources
        • Academic Calendar
        • Academic Support Services
        • Course Catalog
        • Library
        • Huntley Bookstore
        • Registrar
    • Admissions & Aid
      • Graduate Admissions
        • Programs
        • Request Info
        • Visit
        • Apply
        • International Students
      • Tuition & Financial Aid
        • Tuition
        • Cost of Attendance
        • Funding Your Degree
        • Veterans’ Education Benefits
        • Helpful Tips
        • Federal Consumer Information
        • Eligibility
        • FAQs
      • Resources
        • Meet the Admissions Team
        • Articulation Agreements
        • Ambassador Program
    • Faculty & Research
      • Research
        • Areas of Research
        • Find an Expert
        • Faculty Directory
        • Office of Research & Sponsored Projects
      • Centers & Initiatives
        • Amgen Bioprocessing Center
        • Center for Biomarker Research
        • Center for Rare Disease Therapies
        • Center for Training in Applied Genomics
        • Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee
        • Science Heritage Center
      • Lab Safety & Support
        • Institutional Laboratory Support
        • Lab Safety Plans
        • Lab Safety Training
        • OSHA Lab Standard
    • Outcomes
      • Success at KGI
        • Career Placement & Salaries
        • Alumni Success Stories
        • Spin-Off Companies
        • Dean’s List
      • Retention & Graduation
        • Student Success: MBS
        • Student Success: MEng
        • Student Success: MS
        • Student Success: MSGC
        • Student Success: PhD
        • Student Success: PharmD
    • Student Life
      • Career & Academic Support
        • Career Resources for Students
        • Career Resources for Employers
        • CGU Writing Center
        • Handshake
        • Academic Tutors
        • Academic Success Seminars
        • Library
        • Huntley Bookstore
        • Online Academic Resource Center
        • Board Exam Review Sources
        • Peer Mentor Program
        • Personalized Action Plan
        • Student Conduct
        • Student Tools and Resources
      • Student Events
        • KGI Event Calendar
        • Club/Org Event Calendar
        • Commencement
        • Orientation
        • White Coat Ceremony
      • Student Accounts
        • Tuition Rates
        • Important Dates
        • Payments, Refunds, Late Fees
        • Student Accounts FAQ
        • 1098T FAQ
      • Student Affairs
        • Campus Life
        • Campus Safety
        • Diversity
        • Handbook
        • Health and Wellness
        • Helpful Forms
        • Housing
        • International Students
        • Chan Family Café & Patio
        • Student Accessibility Services
        • Student Government
        • Student Success Fund
        • TCCS Student Resources
    • Support KGI
      • Giving
        • Giving Society
        • Make a Gift
        • Planned Giving
        • Ways to Give
        • Matching Gifts
        • Corporate and Foundation Philanthropy
      • Alumni
        • Career Services for Alumni
        • Alumni Events
        • Alumni News
        • Alumni and Parents Update Info
        • Alumni LinkedIn Group
        • Class Notes
        • Contact Alumni Support
  • Get Started
    • Future Students
    • Current Students
    • Alumni
    • Faculty and Staff
    • Corporate Partners
  • Quick Links
    • Academic Calendar
    • Canvas
    • Course Catalog
    • Directory
    • Empower
    • Event Calendar
    • Handshake
    • International
    • Library
    • Maps
    • Registrar
    • Student Accounts
    • Templates
    • Workday
    • Zoom
Close
KGI
  • About
    • About KGI
      • Claremont
      • History
      • Mission
      • Innovation Insider Magazine
      • The Claremont Colleges
      • Maps and Parking
      • Employment
      • Fact Sheet
      • Infographic
      • KGI Store
    • People and Offices
      • President’s Message
      • Administration
      • Board of Trustees
      • Corporate Partnerships
      • Team Master’s Project
      • Staff and Faculty Directory
      • Corporate Relations Board
      • SOM Board of Governors
    • News and Events
      • Event Calendar
      • News
      • Media Policy
      • Media Contact
      • Find a Faculty Expert
      • Branding
  • Academics
    • Degrees & Certificates
      • Doctor of Pharmacy
      • Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Life Sciences
      • Occupational Therapy Doctorate
      • Master of Business and Science
      • Master of Engineering in Biopharmaceutical Processing
      • Master of Science in Applied Life Sciences
      • Master of Science in Community Medicine
      • Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling
      • Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genomic Data Analytics
      • Master of Science in Medical Device Engineering
      • Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
      • Master of Science in Regulatory Affairs
      • Master of Science in Translational Medicine
      • Postbaccalaureate Premedical Certificate
      • Postbaccalaureate Pre-PA Certificate
      • Certificate in Bioscience Management
      • Certificate in Applied Genomics
    • Schools
      • Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences
      • School of Community Medicine
      • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
      • Biocon Academy
    • Summer Programs
      • Application Boot Camp
      • Bioprocessing Summer Undergraduate Internship Training and Education
      • Clinical Genetics and Bioinformatics Summer Program
      • High School Summer STEM
      • Managing Science in Biotech for Postdocs
      • Medical Device Development Bootcamp
      • PA Summer Success Program
      • Pre-Occupational Therapy Program
      • Pre-Pharmacy Enrichment Program
      • Summer Explore Health Professions
      • Summer Speaker Series
      • Summer Undergraduate Research Experience
      • Undergraduate Summer Science Courses
    • Resources
      • Academic Calendar
      • Academic Support Services
      • Course Catalog
      • Library
      • Huntley Bookstore
      • Registrar
  • Admissions & Aid
    • Graduate Admissions
      • Programs
      • Request Info
      • Visit
      • Apply
      • International Students
    • Tuition & Financial Aid
      • Tuition
      • Cost of Attendance
      • Funding Your Degree
      • Veterans’ Education Benefits
      • Helpful Tips
      • Federal Consumer Information
      • Eligibility
      • FAQs
    • Resources
      • Meet the Admissions Team
      • Articulation Agreements
      • Ambassador Program
  • Faculty & Research
    • Research
      • Areas of Research
      • Find an Expert
      • Faculty Directory
      • Office of Research & Sponsored Projects
    • Centers & Initiatives
      • Amgen Bioprocessing Center
      • Center for Biomarker Research
      • Center for Rare Disease Therapies
      • Center for Training in Applied Genomics
      • Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee
      • Science Heritage Center
    • Lab Safety & Support
      • Institutional Laboratory Support
      • Lab Safety Plans
      • Lab Safety Training
      • OSHA Lab Standard
  • Outcomes
    • Success at KGI
      • Career Placement & Salaries
      • Alumni Success Stories
      • Spin-Off Companies
      • Dean’s List
    • Retention & Graduation
      • Student Success: MBS
      • Student Success: MEng
      • Student Success: MS
      • Student Success: MSGC
      • Student Success: PhD
      • Student Success: PharmD
  • Student Life
    • Career & Academic Support
      • Career Resources for Students
      • Career Resources for Employers
      • CGU Writing Center
      • Handshake
      • Academic Tutors
      • Academic Success Seminars
      • Library
      • Huntley Bookstore
      • Online Academic Resource Center
      • Board Exam Review Sources
      • Peer Mentor Program
      • Personalized Action Plan
      • Student Conduct
      • Student Tools and Resources
    • Student Events
      • KGI Event Calendar
      • Club/Org Event Calendar
      • Commencement
      • Orientation
      • White Coat Ceremony
    • Student Accounts
      • Tuition Rates
      • Important Dates
      • Payments, Refunds, Late Fees
      • Student Accounts FAQ
      • 1098T FAQ
    • Student Affairs
      • Campus Life
      • Campus Safety
      • Diversity
      • Handbook
      • Health and Wellness
      • Helpful Forms
      • Housing
      • International Students
      • Chan Family Café & Patio
      • Student Accessibility Services
      • Student Government
      • Student Success Fund
      • TCCS Student Resources
  • Support KGI
    • Giving
      • Giving Society
      • Make a Gift
      • Planned Giving
      • Ways to Give
      • Matching Gifts
      • Corporate and Foundation Philanthropy
    • Alumni
      • Career Services for Alumni
      • Alumni Events
      • Alumni News
      • Alumni and Parents Update Info
      • Alumni LinkedIn Group
      • Class Notes
      • Contact Alumni Support
Wessler

Susan Wessler, PhD

Professor-at-large, KGI; Distinguished Professor of Genetics, University of California, Riverside
More information
  • About
  • Media

Susan Wessler is the University of California President’s Chair and Distinguished Professor of Genetics at the University of California, Riverside. In 2011 she was elected Home Secretary of the National Academy of Sciences, the first women to hold this position in the 150 year history of the National Academy. She is a molecular geneticist known for her contributions to the field of transposon biology, specifically on the roles of plant transposable elements in gene and genome evolution. A native of New York City, she received a bachelor’s degree in biology from SUNY Stony Brook (1974), a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Cornell University (1980) and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Carnegie Institution of Washington (1980-1982). She began her career at the University of Georgia in 1983 where she remained until moving to UC Riverside in 2010.

Wessler is co-author of over 120 research articles.  She is an Associate Editor of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and is on the Editorial Board of Current Opinions in Plant Biology and on the Board of Reviewing Editors of the journal Science.

Wessler has contributed extensively to educational initiatives, including co-authorship of the widely used genetics textbook, Introduction to Genetic Analysis. As a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor (2006), she adapted her research program for the classroom by developing the Dynamic Genome Courses where incoming freshman can experience the excitement of scientific discovery.

She is the recipient of several awards including the inaugural Distinguished Scientist Award (2007) from the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA), the Stephen Hales Prize (2011) from the American Society of Plant Biologists, and the Excellence in Science Award from FASEB (2012). She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (1998), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2007), and the American Philosophical Society (2013).

#114 – Becca Schell
KGI Professor-at-Large Susan Wessler Selected as Royal Society Inductee

Keck Graduate Institute

535 Watson Drive
Claremont, CA 91711


Map & Directions

ApplyVisitCareerSupport

Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences

Phone: 909.607.7855
Fax: 909.621.5708

School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Phone: 909.607.7855
Fax: 909.607.9826

School of Community Medicine

Phone: 909.607.8590
  • Accreditation
  • Staff and Faculty Directory
  • Emergency Information
  • Employment
  • Notice of Nondiscrimination
  • Policies
  • The Claremont Colleges
  • Website Accessibility

Connect with us

25 anniversary logoCelebrating 25 years of innovation! 25.kgi.edu.