Dean, College of Engineering

The University of Texas at Arlington

Dean, College of Engineering

The College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean. UTA’s College of Engineering is the most comprehensive engineering program in North Texas, with 12 baccalaureate, 13 master’s, and nine doctoral programs as well as 33 certificate programs. According to U.S. News and World Report’s graduate rankings in April 2026, the College is ranked #1 in the Dallas - Ft. Worth metroplex and #4 in Texas and its four surrounding states. Over the past decade, the College has climbed 39 spots to #71. The Dean will provide visionary leadership to propel the College of Engineering forward and to continue building its national reputation.

The College has experienced remarkable growth over the past decade: Full-time faculty have grown from 162 to 265, tenure-track faculty from 128 to 191, and FTE staff from 92.25 to 110.25 (129 staff currently serve the College). The number of endowed faculty positions has increased from 10 to 23. Research expenditures have grown from $32.2 million to $67.6 million, and research awards have grown from $21.2 million to $56.9 million; the College of Engineering is the largest contributor to the University’s research enterprise. The College’s non-research budget has increased from $46.3 million to $68.6 million.

The College is home to 7,184 undergraduates, 1,364 master’s, and 627 doctoral students who study across seven departments: Bioengineering; Civil Engineering; Computer Science and Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering; Materials Science and Engineering; and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The College’s continued increase in undergraduate students has grown the College to boast the largest on-campus undergraduate enrollment at UTA by far, accounting for 26% of physical undergraduates.

Faculty within the College of Engineering include 11 fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, 3 members of the National Academy of Engineering, 1 member of the National Academy of Medicine, and 46 fellows of 54 other esteemed professional organizations. The College has grown significant faculty strength in many areas of research important to Texas and the United States, including: Photonics & Semiconductors; Health & Medicine (Brain Health, Biomanufacturing, Precision Medicine); Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning/Cyber; Water; Energy; Smart Agriculture; Aerospace Systems; Chip to Chiller Data Centers; Autonomous Vehicle Systems; Civil Infrastructure; Materials; and Quantum Systems.

The Dean will provide bold vision and leadership to reimagine the future of the College and to continue to elevate its reputation and ranking. Other key priorities include boosting enrollments in master’s programs, continuing to grow annual research expenditures and research awards, and developing the financial resources of the College, especially through fundraising and growing new revenue streams. In addition, the next Dean will create strategies to strengthen undergraduate and graduate education, including promoting undergraduate student success, and build connections and strategic partnerships with industry.

Dean candidates should have significant academic credentials, including a strong record of success in funded research, a passion for academic excellence, scholarly accomplishments in one of the disciplines represented by the College, and recognition as evidenced by involvement in professional societies and/or associations at a national level. Candidates must have credentials for appointment at Full Professor level, including a Ph.D. (or equivalent) degree in an engineering discipline intellectually aligned with the programs offered by UTA’s College of Engineering.

Founded in 1895, The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is the fifth largest university in Texas, and the second largest in the University of Texas System. UTA is located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (DFWA) Metroplex, a vibrant and diverse metropolitan area that is home to nearly 8 million people, one of the fastest growing tech economies in the United States, and offers a wide array of arts, entertainment, and cultural activities.  

With more than 30,000 undergraduate students, more than 10,000 graduate students, more than 1,500 faculty, and more than 2,500 staff, UTA is home to ten schools and colleges: College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs; College of Business; College of Education; College of Engineering; Honors College; College of Liberal Arts; College of Nursing and Health Innovation; College of Science; School of Social Work; and Graduate School.

UTA is designated as a Carnegie Research 1 (R1) institution with Very High Research Activity. The University is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. With more than 50% of its students coming from underrepresented backgrounds, it is among the top six most ethnically diverse undergraduate student bodies in the United States.

The full Position Profile can be found at https://bit.ly/3TMackH.

Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited.  Interested candidates should submit confidentially, in electronic form (Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF files preferred) a curriculum vitae and letter of interest to:

Jett Pihakis and Joi Hayes-Scott

UTA.Engineering@russellreynolds.com

(202) 654-7800

For fullest consideration, materials should be received as soon as possible and preferably by November 16.