Susan Klugman
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Tell us about what you're doing with your life
After Cornell, I attended NYU School of Medicine. From there I did my obstetrics and gynecology residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After 10 years as a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist, I was drawn to genetics with its new discoveries and completed a fellowship in clinical genetics and genomics in the mid 2000s. It was hard going “back to school” in my late 30s/early 40s (and getting to my sons’ soccer games!) but it was a great decision. Clinically, I am busy with prenatal and cancer genetics, but I also support the education and research in clinical genetics at Montefiore Medical Center. Nationally, I have served on several committees providing guidance on many aspects of genetics, and I am the current President of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, an interdisciplinary professional membership organization that represents the interests of the entire medical genetics team including clinical and laboratory geneticists and genetic counselors.
What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found most useful?
I loved the application of mathematics in science found in genetics and in my major, Biometry and Statistics.
At the time Biometry and Statistics was not a very popular major-many of the classes were very small and mostly graduate level. In fact, we started with 10 of us as freshmen and I was the only one to graduate under this major. I understand that today it is a pretty popular major! My training in my major allowed me help plan experiments and to critically review scientific journal articles. But overall, my favorite class was genetics. I fondly remember the principles taught in my first genetics class at Cornell. The class was intense - to my knowledge the only five credit class. This class provided the basis for my ultimate career.
How has your time at Cornell influenced you since you graduated?
One of my greatest honors has been being invited back to Cornell to give a guest lecture in Professor Charles Aquadro’s Population Genetics Seminar course (Molecular Biology and Genetics 1260)– I think 2024 will be my 13th year! The class is fascinating, covering many aspects of genetics and genetic testing, from ethical, legal and insurance issues to CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing.
I have hosted Cornell externs and interns including many pre-meds and given advice to hundreds of pre-meds over the years.
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For the past decade, I have also served on the President’s Council of Cornell Women. First on the mentoring committee and then on the grants committee where I ultimately served as chair. I was lucky enough to get an extra year as chair because of the COVID pandemic. PCCW has raised and given almost 300 million in grants to Cornell faculty, students, and staff. One of the leadership grant funds is named after our own president Frank HT Rhodes!
Which Cornell classmates do you keep in touch with?
Cornellians are everywhere! Living in NY, I see Cornellians every day in my neighborhood and at work. (My closest obgyn/genetic colleague is a 2005 graduate)
It was not easy to keep up with everyone while practicing medicine, starting a new career and raising a family. I keep in touch with many of my Sigma Delta Tau sorority sisters and value their continued friendships over the years. The Cornellians I see most often are those I lived with senior year on Elmwood Avenue (see enclosed picture) Liz (Zucker) Barnett, Margot (Davis) Sappern, Liz Schafer, Eve Evans, Miriam (Halpern) Sosnick, and Debra Shapiro. – see enclosed picture. I have also kept in touch with Micah Greenstein, and was honored to lecture at his temple.
My brothers Rob and Rick attended Cornell and married Cornellians. However, none of my parents’ seven grandchildren chose Cornell! And I am sad that neither one of my sons chose Cornell, but they are doing well and there is always hope for grandchildren!
What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell?
Take classes outside of your major! Get involved in many but not too many extracurriculars and bring clothing for lots of different weather situations.