Meet the Dean

Dean, Division of Science and Technology 

Professor of Chemistry, College of Staten Island (CUNY) & Doctoral Faculty, CUNY Graduate Center

Dr. Ralf Peetz is an accomplished polymer chemist and academic leader whose career at CUNY spans more than two decades of teaching, research, and institutional transformation. As Dean of the Division of Science and Technology at the College of Staten Island, he provides strategic leadership for eight departments, four interdisciplinary centers, and a wide portfolio of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs serving over 3,600 students.

A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Peetz is passionate about creating pathways into STEM for students from all backgrounds. Under his leadership, the Division has expanded enrollment in science and technology programs despite national declines, launched new degree offerings, and strengthened faculty recruitment through inclusive hiring practices. He has championed program growth in fields such as medical laboratory science, supported national accreditation efforts, and supported workforce initiatives that align student training with emerging industries, including renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology.

Before becoming Dean, Dr. Peetz served as the founding Associate Provost and AVP for Undergraduate Studies and Student Success, managing a large portfolio of academic programs, student support services, and faculty development. His leadership helped increase retention and graduation rates, narrow equity gaps, and scale innovative practices such as co-requisite models in math and English, degree-mapping, and open educational resources. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he directed initiatives that reconnected thousands of students with courses, technology, and support, setting best practices later adopted across sectors.

A committed scholar, Dr. Peetz has published widely in the field of polymer and macromolecular chemistry, with contributions to functional materials, photoluminescent polymers, and sustainable chemical processes. His work includes invited lectures, patents, and international collaborations. He is equally dedicated to mentoring faculty and students, advancing interdisciplinary research, and fostering innovation that connects classroom learning to the demands of New York City’s growing STEM economy.

Dr. Peetz earned his Ph.D. (Dr. rer. nat.) and M.S. (Dipl.-Chem.) in Chemistry from the University of Hamburg, Germany, with a focus on technical and macromolecular chemistry, and completed postdoctoral research at the Maurice Morton Institute of Polymer Science at the University of Akron, O. He is also a graduate of the American Academic Leadership Institute’s Becoming a Provost Academy, the CUNY Executive Leadership Program, and the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education from Harvard.

Scholarship & Publications

Higher Education Leadership

• Contributor, AASCU Transformation Advisory Group, Lessons from the Field (2020, 2021).
• Panels & talks on advising reform, predictive analytics, equity-minded pedagogy, and system-level change (AASCU, Frontier Set, CUMU, and national/regional convenings).

Selected Research Publications (Representative list – polymer chemistry and functional materials)

• Ardolic, H.; Peetz, R. “Segmented Conjugated Macromolecules,” Macromolecular Engineering, Elsevier (2021).
• Singh, G.; Ardolic, H.; Peetz, R.M. “Homologous random and alternating segmented conjugated polymers…,” Polymer Chemistry (2016).
• Sengupta, A.; Doshi, A.; Jaekle, F.; Peetz, R.M. “Segmented conjugated macromolecules containing silicon and boron…,” J. Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry (2015).

Patents

• Thermoplastic elastomeric multiblock copolymers of isobutylene and norbornene (with J.P. Kennedy), PCT WO2005003195 A1 (2005).
• Hybrid cyclosiloxane-polyol polyurethane compositions (with J.P. Kennedy), US 2005/272894 A1 (2005).
• Star block copolymers with isobutylene arms and aromatic core (with A.F. Moustafa, J.P. Kennedy), US 2004/214951 A1 (2004).