Deborah Thompson

Deborah Thompson is an Adjunct Professor and Associated Faculty in the Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics at North Carolina State University's College of Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS). She serves as Director of Research Partnerships for CALS, acting as a key liaison between university faculty and industry scientists. Her role focuses on developing and managing global corporate partnerships, particularly in North Carolina and the Research Triangle Park area.

Education: B.S. in Biology from Rutgers University; Ph.D. in Molecular and Population Genetics from the University of Georgia.

Research interests include biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology, and fostering synergies between academic and industrial research programs. She specializes in creating novel partnership models to align college resources with industry needs.

With over 15 years of experience across academia, industry (startups to multinational firms), government, and non-profit sectors, Thompson has mentored over 30 interns from high school to postdoctoral levels, including 13 undergraduates in the Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics.