The search for a new dean for the UCF College of Sciences has concluded with the appointment of Joshua Colwell, a Pegasus Professor of physics who has been at UCF for 20 years.
Following a competitive national search and rigorous interview process, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs John Buckwalter selected Colwell on March 13, citing his steady leadership during his nine-month tenure as interim dean.
麻豆精品 S淯nder his leadership, the college fostered an environment where students, faculty and staff can thrive, while strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding research and community impact, 麻豆精品 S� Buckwalter says.
As interim dean, and now as dean, Colwell oversees the university 麻豆精品 S檚 largest college, serving more than 16,000 students across a wide range of disciplines, including the physical, biological, social, behavioral and computational sciences. The College of Sciences plays a central role in advancing UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 research enterprise and preparing graduates to address complex global challenges through scientific discovery and innovation.
Colwell 麻豆精品 S檚 bold vision for the College of Sciences builds on UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 reputation as Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Technological University.
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Among his key focuses are improving student preparedness after graduation, ensuring students have the knowledge and skills to thrive in an increasingly competitive job market shaped by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.
麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a top priority to make sure our researchers understand the rapidly changing technological landscape so they can carry out transformative work. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Joshua Colwell, COS dean
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Colwell emphasizes the importance of keeping key stakeholders informed and including them in decision-making when appropriate.
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Colwell joined UCF as an assistant professor in the Department of Physics in 2006. He later served as chair of the Department of Physics and associate dean for research for the college. In these roles, he was instrumental in advancing academic planning, supporting research growth and leading initiatives that strengthen student success. His leadership contributed to expanding faculty capacity, modernizing instructional laboratories and enhancing research opportunities across the college 麻豆精品 S� experience that has shaped his approach as a leader.
麻豆精品 S淭he breadth of those experiences has given me valuable insight into the challenges our faculty and staff face and how administration at the college level can support their work, 麻豆精品 S� Colwell says. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e also taught both large and small classes and supervised undergraduate and graduate students, so I feel very connected to the UCF student experience. 麻豆精品 S�
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Colwell says the multidisciplinary nature of the college 麻豆精品 S檚 work, which touches every part of the human experience, makes it an exciting place to be.
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Colwell earned his doctoral degree in astrophysical, planetary and atmospheric sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder and his bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in physics from Stetson University. In 2019, he was named a Pegasus Professor, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 highest faculty honor. His research on planetary rings, comets and the evolution of planetary systems has supported experiments flown on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. He also served as a co-investigator on Cassini 麻豆精品 S揌uygens and has worked closely with students on spaceflight experiments in collaboration with commercial partners such as Blue Origin.
