Carol Folt
Dr. Carol Folt served as the twelfth president of the University of Southern California and held the Robert C. Packard President’s Chair. She is an internationally recognized life scientist with faculty appointments in biological sciences, civil and environmental engineering, and population and public health sciences.
Under her leadership, USC took on some of society’s most pressing challenges with a series of major presidential initiatives. From pursuing transformational health care discoveries to advancing sustainability solutions, Folt brought students, faculty, and researchers together across disciplines to innovate and create. She spearheaded the largest and most comprehensive academic initiative in university history, Frontiers of Computing, and launched USC’s 23rd school, the USC School of Advanced Computing.
With Folt’s guidance, USC also expanded its presence. She helped establish the USC Capital Campus in Washington, D.C., an important catalyst in forging critical partnerships and developing solutions to complex problems. She was also instrumental in USC’s historic move to the Big Ten Conference, a reflection of her strong advocacy for Trojan student-athletes.
Known as a collaborative academic leader, Folt is also a leading voice in higher education. She is a member of the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a former chair of Association of American Universities (AAU) Board of Directors. During her AAU term, she helped to develop policies that strengthened leading U.S. research universities.
Throughout her career, Folt has earned a reputation for consistently placing students at the center, advancing academic excellence and innovation, setting ambitious goals, prioritizing shared governance, and focusing on the future. Prior to her appointment at USC in July 2019, Folt led the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Folt also served in various leadership roles at Dartmouth College, including as interim president, provost, dean of faculty, and Dartmouth Professor of Biological Sciences.
As a groundbreaking scientist and researcher, Folt advanced influential work on the effects of dietary mercury and arsenic on human and ecosystem health. Her research has led to numerous national and global policy changes and consumption advisories.
An Akron, Ohio, native, Folt earned her bachelor’s degree in aquatic biology and a master’s degree in biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She received her doctorate in ecology from the University of California, Davis and did her postdoctoral work at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station of Michigan State University.
She is married to David Peart, an emeritus professor of biological sciences at Dartmouth College. They have two adult children, Noah and Tessa.
During her tenure as USC’s president, she brought broad executive and leadership experience across the academy, including arts and sciences, professional schools, and academic medicine. Folt now teaches classes on science and society at USC, where she continues to guide and inspire the next generation of Trojans.