Patricia Swan earned a Bachelor of Science degree (1959) from North Carolina at Greensboro; and her Master of Science (1961) and Doctor of Philosophy degrees (1964) from the University of Wisconsin. Upon graduation, Swan joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota where she became a professor in the department of Food Science and Nutrition. She also served as Dean of the Graduate School until 1989 when she left to become the Vice Provost for Research and Advanced Studies and Dean of the Graduate College at Iowa State University. She held these positions and administered the biotechnology program where she is a professor until 1999, when she retired from all administrative duties.



Swan has served on numerous professional societies and committees as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Advisory Committee on the National Research Initiative and as a member of the National Research Council's Board on Agriculture. She has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Center, as a member of the National Agricultural Biotechnology Council, and as president of the Iowa Research Council.



Swan was the Iowa State University Graduate College member of CURIA (Council of University Research Institute Administration). Dr. Daniel J. Zaffarano, Vice President of Research and Dean of the Graduate College initiated CURIA (1974) at Iowa State University. Dr. Ray Woodrow of Princeton University introduced the concept of CURIA to Iowa State University. Woodrow lectured occasionally between the years of 1974 and 1984 at Iowa State University on his research of Iowa State University’s implementation of the CURIA program.