Dr. Peter Q. Pfordresher
Dean, Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Peter Q. Pfordresher became dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Akron on July 31, 2026. He is an accomplished academic leader, internationally recognized researcher and educator dedicated to advancing student success, supporting faculty excellence and fostering innovation in teaching, research and creative activity.
Before joining The University of Akron, Pfordresher served as associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York. In that role, he provided leadership for curriculum development, academic advising, experiential learning, undergraduate research, student academic success and strategic planning. He also served as chair of the Department of Psychology, director of undergraduate studies and professor of psychology. Earlier in his career, he was a faculty member at The University of Texas at San Antonio.
An internationally recognized scholar in music cognition, Pfordresher's research explores the connections between music, language and the brain. His work examines how people perceive, produce and learn music, with a particular focus on auditory feedback, vocal performance and the cognitive processes that shape musical behavior. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Grammy Museum Foundation and other organizations, and he has authored numerous books and scholarly publications, including the textbook Psychology of Music: From Sound to Significance and the book Sound and Action in Music Performance.
Pfordresher is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and has served as president of the Society for Music Perception and Cognition. Throughout his career, he has championed collaborative leadership, academic innovation and opportunities that empower students and faculty to thrive. He earned a Ph.D. in Cognitive/Experimental Psychology from The Ohio State University, a Master of Science in Experimental Methods in Psychology from University College London and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Georgetown University.