As former Dean Chris D’Elia retires, CC&E honors his legacy

After 16 years at LSU and an extraordinary 51-year journey in academia, former CC&E Dean and Oceanography & Coastal Sciences Professor Chris D’Elia is retiring.

To celebrate Dr. D’Elia’s remarkable legacy, colleagues, students, alumni and community members will gather on Thursday, January 29th to honor his lasting impact.

“For over 40 years, I have had the pleasure of knowing the leadership team at CC&E at LSU. The progress made by Dean Chris D’Elia since his arrival in 2009 has been remarkable,” said Richard Lipsey, a longtime member of the CC&E Advisory Council. “Most notably, in my opinion, has been the increase in not only top graduate students but also the emphasis on recruiting undergraduate students. Additionally, he has successfully brought in top faculty to educate all these students. He has a talent for securing grants, making CC&E the leading grant producer at the university. We are all delighted that he and Jenny will continue sharing his extensive knowledge of coastal sciences with our university.”

“Chris D’Elia is a truly remarkable leader. The numbers from his tenure as dean speak for themselves – our Coastal Environmental Sciences major went from 25 students to over 200, and the college’s research grants surpassed $100 million – more than any other college per capita at LSU!” said Clint Willson, current dean of CC&E. “It’s impossible to say enough about his achievements. Even when times were difficult, he used his creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to continue to expand the faculty and options offered by the college. His legacy of excellence will sustain CC&E for years to come.”

In fact, a new piece of his legacy came into being just last August, when the Coastal Meteorology program he helped champion came into being in the fall of 2025.

"I'm very grateful for Dean D'Elia's vision and leadership in general, but especially for all that he did to establish our coastal meteorology program here at LSU.  It simply would not have been possible without him,” said Robert Rohli, a professor in DOCS and head of the program.

“Chris D'Elia was the full package: eminent scholar, outstanding colleague, visionary academic leader. He was truly the ‘Dean of the Deans’ at LSU, and mentored an entire generation of administrators. During the Jindal years he taught me how to fill out a ‘cut sheet,’ highlighting the ways to preserve what's important. I also got to travel abroad with him to Cuba, and saw what a citizen of the world he is. How lucky we all were to work with him and watch him build CCE into the powerhouse it's become!” said Jonathan Earle, the dean of the Ogden Honors College.

D'Elia's tenure as Dean came after senior administrative roles at three other universities. But he says he considered being a professor the best job of all and his heart was always in the classroom. 

April Ellis, a 2018 Coastal Environmental Sciences graduate, recalls working with Dr. D’Elia during her degree.

“He’s been a mentor and most importantly a friend to so many students like me,” she said. “I met Dr. D’Elia when I was struggling in a required class. He took the time out to find solutions for me and give me advice on how I could find a way to get what I needed for my degree. He not only took his time out to mentor me but he has become an important part of my life ever since that moment as a friend and father figure to someone like me who lost her father so young. I am very thankful for Dr. D’Elia and all he has accomplished at LSU. Now it’s time for him to finally retire and enjoy time with his amazing wife Jenny. I just want to say one last thank you to him from the bottom of my heart.” 

He also worked to bridge the worlds of fine arts and sciences, becoming a regular collaborator with the LSU School of Music, bringing student enrichment programs into CC&E.

D’Elia is also notable for his generosity, as he and his wife set up an endowed professorship for future Deans of CC&E and an endowed student scholarship in the LSU School of Music. And although he is retiring, D'Elia's love for LSU continues, as he has generously offered to continue supporting the College whenever needed.