Dean Of The College Of Engineering And Mathematical Sciences
The University of Vermont invites applications for the position of Dean of the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS). This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated leader to shape the future of the College embedded within a Carnegie R1 designated University. CEMS is a community of problem solvers, inspiring each other to build true world solutions that will lead to healthy, sustainable societies. The College offers modern facilities, focused energies, and unique interdisciplinary partnerships that span the campus, the state, and the region. UVM seeks a distinguished scholar and educator with a record of academic and administrative excellence, leadership in institutional planning, and enrollment management. Experience with curriculum innovation, program assessment, fiscal management, policy and technology development, and promoting the values enshrined in UVM's "Our Common Ground" are preferred. The Dean must exhibit a balanced appreciation for engineering, computer science, mathematics, and physics, an aptitude for creating interdisciplinary collaborations across the University, and the desire to collegially promote UVM's collective goals. A record of fundraising, philanthropic development, and securing other forms of external funding is highly desired. A doctorate in an appropriate discipline and a stellar record of teaching and scholarship, as evidenced through promotion to full professor (or attributes enabling appointment as a full professor at UVM), are required.
The new Dean will be responsible for ensuring the successful completion of the ABET accreditation process in 2027 in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. The new Dean will be expected to shepherd the growth, manage finances strategically, develop new revenue, recruit and support distinguished faculty, and build innovative academic programs.
Opportunities and Expectations for Leadership
The following priorities have been identified for the incoming Dean:
Articulate a Vision and Strategy
The Dean will join UVM under new presidential leadership, and the Dean will have the opportunity to develop a compelling vision and corresponding strategic plan consistent with the University's pending new plan, and with the College's commitment to research and teaching excellence and practical impact. It is imperative that the next Dean articulates and disseminates the College's strengths to attract and retain the highest quality students who will transition into engaged alumni. The College will benefit from highlighting its outstanding academic programs that position graduates for success in the STEM workforce, in collaboration with regional industry partners and trade associations. The Dean will evaluate the College's current organizational structure and resources, making appropriate changes to support its continued growth and success.
Promote Academic Excellence across All Programs
The Dean will engage faculty in assessing the curriculum and current programmatic strengths to address current demand and emerging needs of STEM fields. This includes exploring opportunities to expand and enhance industry partnerships, technology development, and interdisciplinary programs with other UVM colleges or institutions in the region. It is expected that the Dean will lead collaboration across departments and programs to ensure cohesion and to leverage intra- and extramural collaborations. The Dean will also identify opportunities to increase student enrollment, increase the College's revenues and funding, and identify areas where technology can enhance productivity and lead to innovative teaching methods.
Recruit and Retain a Distinguished Faculty
CEMS faculty are accomplished in their areas of expertise and continually strive for success at all levels. The Dean will continue developing a faculty of distinction, establishing the highest standards in faculty recruitment, appointment, tenure, and promotion to enhance consistent excellence in teaching and research. This will include identifying recruitment needs to support curriculum changes and program expansion at the junior, mid-level and senior faculty levels, and retaining and recruiting faculty with strong records in STEM education and research. The Dean will support the ongoing professional development of the faculty, by mentoring early career faculty and emerging academic leaders, and encouraging faculty engagement in curriculum evaluation and program development.
Advance Scholarship and Research
Building upon the College's current research activity, the new Dean will lead further expansion of research productivity and funding, consistent with an R1 institution. UVM achieved Carnegie R1 status in 2025, a designation earned by less than 3 percent of U.S. higher education institutions. The Dean will identify opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with industry partners and other external organizations, fostering the development of synergistic relationships that will advance UVM's research enterprise.
Engage Stakeholders and Develop Resources and Opportunities
As a public research and land-grant university, UVM is committed to providing regional, national, and international leadership in STEM fields through CEMS. As the voice and advocate of the College for an array of audiences, the CEMS Dean must be engaging and able to foster commitment to UVM's sustained success. The Dean is responsible for bringing prominence to CEMS and for developing beneficial collaborations, opportunities, and resources. They will advocate within and beyond UVM for the many societal benefits of CEMS' educational, research, and service programs. The Dean will emphasize the importance of graduate students to advance the research agenda and advocate for the entire research spectrum from basic to applied research, and the translation of technologies into commercial assets. The Dean must also appreciate how single investigator projects and multi-investigator transdisciplinary initiatives both contribute to the University's overarching research mission. The Dean's interactions involve a wide range of constituencies within and beyond the College; these include the administration, deans, faculty, students, foundations, government and funding agencies, industry partners, trade associations, civic leaders, donors, and alumni. The Dean serves as the principal architect for building and maintaining relationships with various partners to develop research opportunities and academic initiatives, to enhance revenue streams, and to stimulate economic growth and workforce development in the state and beyond.
Professional Qualifications and Personal Qualities
UVM seeks a visionary scholar with impeccable credentials to lead the College into the future. The background, skills, and qualities the successful candidate will offer, ideally, are these:
Leadership + Academic accomplishment : A record of instruction, scholarship, and research excellence that merits appointment as a tenured professor in one of the departments of the College.
Commitment to excellence : Sincere and intense appreciation for excellence in research and scholarly endeavors, and a record of recruiting and developing people and programs of the highest quality.
Strategic vision : Ability to engage the community in crafting a compelling vision that builds on completed work, and then to create an environment that enables the College to achieve that vision.
Collaborative leadership : A collaborative and relationship-based leadership style; experience that brings people together to solve challenges while empowering others.
Management : A history of administrative leadership; strong human resources and financial management experience as well as being adept at conflict resolution and negotiation.
Inclusive Excellence : A commitment to advancing inclusive excellence, particularly with respect to students, staff, and faculty; a track record of individual action and institutional leadership to advance inclusive excellence in all its forms.
Breadth : Familiarity with challenges and opportunities associated with colleges of engineering, physics, computer science, and mathematics; natural and instinctive curiosity about widely diverse intellectual and creative endeavors.
Fundraising : The capacity to attract external resources to the College through fundraising initiatives.
Progressive management style : Experience leveraging the talents of faculty and staff to design and implement initiatives that enrich the University community. Evident commitment to contemporary research-based management strategies that enable faculty and staff to achieve their full potential within the university community.
A leadership style that evinces respect for others and demonstrates focus on clearly defined goals over a significant period of time. A capacity to delegate to others.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Emotional Intelligence : Ability to negotiate and work with others; an inclination to circulate, listen, learn and to be a visible presence on campus; adeptness at working with faculty, students, staff, and the media, as well as high-level corporate, university and government leaders; exceptional listening skills; understanding of the intersection between emotions, motivations, and behavior.
Commitment to student success : Strong commitment to student success, demonstrated by advocacy for adequate resources, including human resources, to support innovative teaching and academic mentoring.
Commitment to mission : The ability to thrive in the UVM environment through passionate advocacy for the College; identification with its mission and a deep understanding of the role of the College and University in the broader higher education landscape.
Personal qualities : Unquestionable personal integrity; strong self-awareness; inspiring and energetic with the ability to earn the trust of faculty, staff, and students, and to work collegially with the President, the Provost, the other Deans, and the senior leadership team; the ability to empathize with others; resilience under pressure; a sense of humor and progressive outlook that is a balance of optimism and realism.
Role of the Dean of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
Appointed