Peter John Loewen

Peter John Loewen is the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University and a Professor of Government. As dean, he leads an institution with 520 faculty, 400 staff, 4600 undergraduates, and 1300 graduate students, offering 40 majors and 35 graduate fields. His academic leadership extends across multidisciplinary initiatives, including roles as former Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Associate Director of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, and director of the Policy, Elections and Representation Lab (PEARL).

• Bachelor’s: Political Science (minor in Economics) from Mount Allison University (2002)
• Ph.D.: Political Science from Université de Montréal (2008)
• Postdoctoral Fellowships: University of British Columbia, University of California, San Diego

Peter’s research focuses on the future of democratic societies, the politics of technological change, and the intersection of decision-making processes with citizen behavior. He has examined how governments can adapt to technological disruptions and harnessed evidence-based approaches to address challenges posed by the pandemic, blending insights from political psychology, public policy, and comparative politics. His work also explores AI’s democratic implications and the societal impacts of emerging technologies.

He has published in high-impact journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Medicine, and American Political Science Review, with a recent co-edited book on gender and political representation. His scholarly contributions are recognized through multiple Dean’s Awards and affiliations with institutions like the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Dean’s Excellence Award (University of Toronto) x8
  • Dean’s Special Achievement Award (University of Toronto)
  • CQ Press Best Paper Award (APS)
  • Senior Fellow, Massey College
  • Fellow, Public Policy Forum

Peter has held visiting positions at the University of Melbourne, Princeton, Tel Aviv, and Stanford. He is a member of Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP) and contributes to academic leadership through roles in graduate programs and interdisciplinary research initiatives.