Welcome to the Herd: Cornelia Peterson

Drawn to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine by its “collegial atmosphere and welcoming, inclusive spirit,” Dr. Cornelia Peterson (she/her), was appointed in March as an assistant professor of anatomic pathology in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology.

A native of Green River, Wyoming, she was not surprised to be embraced by her coworkers during her first few weeks on campus. “There is a great sense of community here,” she explains. “I have felt well supported during my short time here, especially within my department.”

Peterson holds three degrees from The Ohio State University—a B.S. in zoology, a D.V.M., and a Ph.D. in vision science. She completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery with a focus in ophthalmology at the University of Illinois Teaching Hospital and has conducted ocular research ranging from retinal pathology to tumors of the ocular adnexa. “I am fascinated by eyes and ocular pathology,” she quips.

Most recently, Peterson finished an anatomic pathology residency and a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute.

“This position was attractive to me because of my desire to educate veterinary students in anatomic pathology, as well as my drive to pursue an independent research career,” she says.

She is looking forward to a few things as the semester moves along. “I’m eager to bring fourth-year students back to campus for their anatomic pathology rotation, and I’m excited about setting up my lab.”