Ralph S. Quatrano, former dean of Engineering, 84

 

Ralph S. Quatrano, an internationally renowned plant scientist, former dean of the Washington University in St. Louis School of Engineering & Applied Science and former chair of the Department of Biology, died Feb. 24, 2026, in St. Louis. He was 84.

Born and raised in a large, close-knit Italian family in Elmira, N.Y., Quatrano was an Eagle Scout, altar boy, athlete and student leader. He attended Colgate University, where he played football and lacrosse before discovering a lifelong passion for plant science and academic research.

A pioneering plant biologist, Quatrano was among the first to apply molecular biology to the study of gene expression in plants. He served as corresponding author on a landmark 2008 Science paper arising from an international effort to sequence the moss genome. Over his career, he wrote more than 180 scientific papers, lectured worldwide, won multiple teaching awards and mentored generations of students and scholars.

Quatrano earned a bachelor's degree in plant science with honors from Colgate University in 1962; a master's in plant science from Ohio University, Athens, in 1964; and a doctorate in biology from Yale University in 1968. He was a faculty member at Oregon State University, Corvallis, then moved to DuPont in Wilmington, Del., where he was research manager in molecular biology for the next three years. He left DuPont in 1989 to become the first John N. Couch Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He served as chair of the Department of Biology at UNC from 1992-97 before joining WashU.

Quatrano held several leadership positions at WashU, including special assistant to the provost for corporate engagement; dean and the Spencer T. Olin Professor of the School of Engineering & Applied Science from 2010-15; interim dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences from 2008-09; and chair of the renowned Department of Biology from 1998-2008. While serving as biology chair, Quatrano was director of WashU’s Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences, a universitywide consortium including medical, engineering and science programs from 2005-07.

Under Quatrano’s leadership as dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science, student enrollment increased by 20%, creating the school’s largest-ever undergraduate and graduate classes at the time. Quatrano strengthened graduate education by creating several professional master’s programs and an interdisciplinary doctoral program in materials science and engineering. Under his leadership, 13 new graduate and undergraduate academic programs were developed.

“As I think about individuals who have had such profound effects on Washington University, I can think of very few who have had the impact that Ralph has had on this place,” said Chancellor Andrew D. Martin. “He was an incredibly distinguished scholar who contributed through his research and through the students that he taught and mentored. Ralph was also an entrepreneur who thought deeply and carefully about how to take his science into the marketplace to help serve others. Ralph was an exceptional academic leader, first of our biology department and then Arts & Sciences for a year, and then the leadership that he provided to the Engineering school.”

“Ralph Quatrano believed deeply in strengthening the Engineering school's connections across disciplines, especially with the sciences and with the medical school,” said Aaron F. Bobick, dean and the James M. McKelvey Professor. “Perhaps Ralph's single biggest contribution was to provide steady leadership and to get everyone rowing in the same direction, because it is fundamental for the school to have a North Star we can pursue. 

As only the 11th dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science since its founding, Quatrano designed and implemented an ambitious strategic plan designed to create interdisciplinary collaboration across departments and schools and with other institutions, growing the faculty and student populations, expanding the new Engineering complex on the East End of campus and developing academic programs to prepare engineers for leading in the 21st century.

He hired one-third of the tenured and tenure-track faculty in place in 2015, including two department chairs, and built a sustainable research infrastructure across all levels of the faculty that has enabled research programs to expand and succeed. During his final year as dean, research awards increased by more than 25%.

“Ralph brought leadership to the Engineering school, to the Department of Biology and to Arts & Sciences,” said Chancellor Emeritus Mark S. Wrighton. “A distinguished academic leader, Ralph was a person who cared deeply about others, alumni, staff, students and faculty. After many years in Arts & Sciences, he brought in a new era for Engineering. He built momentum and the financial picture to enable the school to move forward, recruiting many faculty members who have been phenomenal. One of the great qualities of Ralph is he's done all of this with human interaction. He's been a great friend to many people and has been a great friend to Washington University.”

Quatrano’s fingerprint is also on Engineering facilities. Preston M. Green Hall, the third building of the East End Engineering complex, was built during his tenure, and plans began for Henry A. & Elvira H. Jubel Hall, which was completed in 2019. During Quatrano’s time as dean, nearly $60 million was raised for the school as part of Leading Together: The Campaign for Washington University.

Quatrano’s research group often collaborated with researchers from WashU’s schools of medicine and engineering, as well as with scientists from Monsanto Co. and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. He was a visiting professor or investigator at different institutions, including the University of Naples, Cambridge University, Stanford University, the University of Leeds and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass.

In 2010, the American Society of Plant Biologists honored Quatrano with the prestigious Adolph E. Gude Jr. Award for his outstanding contributions in promoting plant science nationally and internationally. He was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Academy of Science of St. Louis as well as an inaugural fellow of the American Society of Plant Biologists.

Quatrano valued being a team player in the various communities to which he belonged and enriched. He fostered relationships with faculty, the advancement office and staff. He delighted in travel, good food and wine, and treasured his close relationships with his cousins. A lifelong athlete and sports enthusiast, Quatrano loved competition and was a devoted fan of multiple professional and college sports teams across the country. He also spent endless hours on the sidelines (or in the audience) cheering on his kids and grandkids. He will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, curiosity, infectious laugh and wonderful sense of humor.

He cherished his ever-growing family, considering them his greatest joy. He is survived by his wife, best friend and life partner of 21 years, Lee Anne Quatrano; his children Stephen Quatrano (Doreen Karoll), Elisabeth Quatrano and Carrie Quatrano Singh (Vijay Singh); his stepchildren Erin Eisenberg (David Eisenberg) and Benjamin King (Lauren King); his grandchildren Sarah and Alex Quatrano (Catherine Quatrano), Nadia and Benjamin Diamond, Maela Singh, Jake and Drew Eisenberg, Tyler, Zachary, Eleanor and Ryan King; his great-grandchildren Elizabeth, David and Caroline Quatrano; and many beloved cousins. He was preceded in death by his former wife, Barbara Bishko Quatrano, and his parents, Aniello P. Quatrano and Mary P. Quatrano.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m., May 9, 2026, in Whitaker Hall in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130.  

Memorial contributions may be made to Ralph S. & Lee Anne Quatrano Scholarship at Washington University in St. Louis  or the Ranken Jordan Quatrano Family Fund for Research & Publications. 

 

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