Dean, College of Engineering & Physical Sciences

University of Wyoming

Overview of the College

The University of Wyoming (UW) invites nominations and applications for the position of the Carrell Family Dean of the College of Engineering & Physical Sciences (CEPS). The university seeks a strong, innovative, and visionary leader with the experience and energy to advance the college’s academic mission, elevate its national profile, and cultivate strategic partnerships that benefit the university and the State of Wyoming. 

With a broad portfolio of degree programs and research strengths, CEPS plays a central role in the University’s efforts to build on its Carnegie R1 research status and expand high-impact teaching, learning, and discovery. The College houses ten academic departments, including nationally and internationally recognized programs in engineering, atmospheric science, computer science, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. In 2024, CEPS enrolled approximately 1,387 undergraduate and 413 graduate students and is supported by more than 150 faculty members and a senior leadership team that includes three associate deans, experienced staff, and a Faculty Advisory Council. 

In recent years the state and the University of Wyoming, as well as donors and corporate partners, have made significant commitments and intentional investments to elevate the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) as a national leader in interdisciplinary research, workforce development, and economic engagement. In 2020 the Trustees appointed a new President, Edward Seidel, a distinguished scientist with a track record of advancing science and engineering. The Trustees, President, and his team are energetic and committed to growing and strengthening CEPS and its programs.

In 2021, the University restructured academic units to bring together the historical engineering disciplines and sciences departments under the CEPS umbrella. Currently, the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences houses the following departments: Atmospheric Science, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Geology and Geophysics, Mathematics and Statistics, Mechanical Engineering, Energy and Petroleum Engineering, and Physics and Astronomy. This reorganization positioned the College to tackle complex scientific and engineering challenges at the intersection of disciplines. At the same time, the merger of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science into a unified EECS department with additional positions in AI, laid the groundwork for expanded education and research in computing. In the last five years, CEPS has received gifts to create 10 new endowed chairs and professorships – bringing the total to 18 with a deanship, chairs, and professorships. In 2021 a $5M gift created the Carrell Family Deanship, providing the Dean with significant flexible tools to support initiatives.

The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences benefits from a robust network of interdisciplinary partnerships across the University of Wyoming, which strengthens its academic and research mission. In 2022, the University launched a new School of Computing (SoC), with a mission to advance computing education and research across all disciplines and colleges. The SoC already has more than 20 core faculty, many of which are jointly appointed with other colleges. Through collaborative partnerships between CEPS and the SoC, UW is now building innovative programs in the applications of computing including new degree offerings in Software Development, Applied Computing, AI and Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE), that align with national workforce needs and support Wyoming’s economic diversification. CEPS and SoC are also advancing joint appointments and shared research initiatives to build capacity in computational, data and AI-enabled science and engineering.

CEPS benefits from access to the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center (NWSC), one of the nation’s premier high-performance computing facilities, allowing faculty and students to address computationally intensive problems at scale. Other strategic campus partnerships, including with the School of Energy Resources (SER), the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), and the Office of Industry and Strategic Partnerships (OISP), offer opportunities for CEPS to contribute to regional innovation, applied energy solutions, and entrepreneurship. SER is a leading national program that advances the economy through interdisciplinary research and education in energy, with numerous joint appointments with CEPS. In contrast, the CEI and OISP are new programs designed to support entrepreneurship and industry partnerships with CEPS and other units across campus.

The University is also home to the Center of Innovation for Flow through Porous Media (COIFPM), the world’s most advanced research facility for oil and gas research. Its unique research facilities and instrumentation occupy over 90,000 square feet, and a recent $80M state partnership with Thermo Fisher further enhances facilities available to CEPS faculty across disciplines, illustrating the College’s potential in emerging fields and providing a platform for industry collaboration and advanced manufacturing research with real-world applications. Lastly, UW is one of the few universities in the U.S. to operate its own research aircraft. Cooperatively funded through the university and National Science Foundation, the King Air Atmospheric Research Aircraft provides UW with research capabilities that few institutions have. The aircraft and its facility equip graduate students with unique, hands-on experience with airborne instruments. 

Tier 1 Engineering Initiative

The Tier 1 Engineering Initiative is a cornerstone of the University of Wyoming’s strategy to transform the College of Engineering & Physical Sciences into a nationally recognized center of excellence in engineering education and research. 

The Tier 1 Engineering Initiative was supported by a historic $105 million investment in the Engineering Education and Research Building (EERB), and more than $100 million for the new synergistic Science Initiative Building and Center for Advanced Scientific Instrumentation, and it is sustained by private donors and legislative backing. The Tier 1 Engineering initiative focuses on four core pillars:

• Excellence in Undergraduate Education – Enhancing the student experience through hands-on learning, cutting-edge facilities, and strong industry engagement.
• World-Class Research and Graduate Education – Building advanced research infrastructure and graduate programs that attract top faculty and students.
• Economic Development – Collaborating with Wyoming’s industries to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation.
• K-14 STEM Outreach – Supporting STEM education statewide and inspiring the next generation of engineers and scientists.

The Tier 1 Engineering Initiative was bolstered in 2023 with an additional $11 million per biennium in state funding, raising the total investment to more than $18 million per biennium. These resources support research infrastructure, academic excellence, and student success within CEPS. In parallel, UW has launched a university-wide AI Initiative to expand research, industry partnerships, and talent development across Wyoming. UW is also expanding into areas such as critical minerals and applications, including advanced materials, battery technology, and quantum computing.

The next Dean of CEPS will have a pivotal role in advancing the next phase of the Tier 1 Engineering Initiative, helping to align faculty expertise, research priorities, and academic programs with the state’s economic diversification goals.

These collective investments have helped propel UW’s research enterprise to record levels, reaching $167 million in expenditures in 2024 and earning the University R1 status under the Carnegie Classification. The next Dean of CEPS will be well-positioned to leverage this momentum and lead the College through its next era of growth and distinction.

Position Summary

The Dean is the chief academic and administrative officer of the College of Engineering & Physical Sciences. Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all aspects of the College. The Dean is responsible for fostering a culture of academic excellence, supporting world-class research, promoting student success, and advancing interdisciplinary collaboration across the University.

The next Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences will serve in a uniquely influential leadership role within Wyoming’s public higher education system. CEPS is home to a team of exceptional faculty, researchers, and students whose work addresses critical scientific and engineering challenges while advancing economic growth and innovation. The Dean will lead a nationally prominent college that anchors the University’s Tier 1 Engineering Initiative. This ambitious, state-backed effort advances four broad strategic goals as outlined above. This initiative reflects a profound institutional and legislative commitment to making CEPS a driving force in Wyoming’s future.

With a robust and growing institutional endowment, valued at approximately $833 million as of June, 2024, the University of Wyoming is committed to investing in CEPS and other strategic academic priorities that establish the foundation for long-term prosperity in the state. The next Dean will play a pivotal role in advancing these priorities by supporting faculty excellence, expanding interdisciplinary research, strengthening workforce partnerships, promoting inclusive academic and industry collaborations across the state and beyond. Building on its significant endowment, the next Dean will play a major role in enhancing fundraising efforts to further University and CEPS ambitions.

Opportunities and Expectations

The next Dean of the College of Engineering & Physical Sciences will be expected to:

• Provide strong, strategic leadership to elevate CEPS as a national model for interdisciplinary research, innovative teaching, and high-impact discovery. The Dean will direct the College in aligning its academic programs, research priorities, and student outcomes with the state and nation’s most pressing scientific and engineering challenges.
• Advance UW’s land-grant mission by expanding statewide and national partnerships that translate research into economic development, energy innovation, rural resilience, and technological advancement. This includes deepening collaborations with the School of Energy Resources, the School of Computing, Office of Industry and Strategic Partnerships, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and other key campus and industry partners.
• Accelerate the Tier 1 Engineering Initiative by leveraging the historic public investment of over $18 million per biennium to enhance CEPS’s infrastructure, faculty capacity, research enterprise, and industry engagement. The Dean will lead the next phase of this effort, positioning CEPS as a catalyst for workforce development, entrepreneurship, and statewide economic diversification.
• Promote inclusive student recruitment and retention that expands access to STEM fields, improves student outcomes, and ensures CEPS graduates are well-prepared for the future of work.
• Recruit, develop, and retain outstanding faculty and staff who are committed to research excellence, innovative pedagogy, and community impact. The Dean will foster a supportive academic culture grounded in collaboration, integrity, and excellence.
• Foster and uphold a culture of shared governance, working closely with the College’s Faculty Council to ensure inclusive decision-making, 
• Strengthen interdisciplinary academic and research initiatives, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum science, advanced materials, precision manufacturing, advanced technologies in agriculture, and data-driven engineering solutions. The Dean will play a key role in supporting joint degree programs and cross-college research centers.
• Forge partnerships with state, national, and international institutions of higher education, research organizations and national laboratories to enhance education, research, and economic development programs for our faculty, staff, and students, and for the state of Wyoming.
• Expand philanthropic and external funding support, working in close partnership with the UW Foundation, industry stakeholders, state and federal agencies and private foundations to secure investments that advance CEPS’s long-term strategic goals.
• Ensure institutional alignment and active participation in university-wide governance, contributing to the University’s vision as an R1 public flagship institution with global impact and deep roots in the Mountain West.

Required Qualifications

• An earned doctorate in a discipline represented within the College or a closely related field.
• A distinguished record of research, teaching, and service commensurate with appointment as a tenured full professor, with national and/or international recognition for the candidate’s record of scholarship (such as being named fellow of relevant societies, national awards, elected leadership positions in national organizations, etc.)
• Demonstrated success in academic leadership, including strategic planning, personnel management, complex budget management, and resource development.
• Experience in competitive federal funding from appropriate research agencies, such as NSF, DOE, NIH or other relevant agencies, and from private foundations supporting research.
• Demonstrated evidence of a collaborative and transparent leadership style and commitment to shared governance.
• Commitment to and experience in enhancing student-centered learning and success, and building excellence through faculty recruitment and promotion, and strengthening academic programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of national trends in research, education, and best practices in science and engineering, (e.g., as shown by participation in national advisory committees of research agencies, national laboratories, or university research institutes, review committees of federal research and/or university research programs, participation in national academy reports and/or reports informing research agency priorities, etc.)
• Commitment to and experience in strengthening enrollment of academic programs at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating industry partnerships and advancing economic engagement, as well as experience in supporting entrepreneurship activities for faculty, students, and staff.
• Experience leading, cultivating and supporting interdisciplinary research and academic collaborations across multiple departments and/or colleges.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to represent the College to diverse constituencies.
• Proven record of accomplishment in developing and maintaining relationships with donors to support development of major initiatives and engaging with alumni to develop new funding networks.
• Understanding of and appreciation for the mission of a public, land-grant, R1 university.
• PE licensure or similar professional credential (optional).

About the University

Founded in 1886, the University of Wyoming is the state’s land-grant and flagship institution of higher education. UW offers nearly 200 areas of study through its colleges of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Health Sciences, and Law, as well as its Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, School of Energy Resources, and the School of Computing. 

The University serves around 11,000 students from all 50 states and over 90 countries, with robust opportunities for undergraduate research, experiential learning, and community engagement. UW maintains close partnerships with Wyoming’s community colleges and operates a branch campus in Casper. Located in Laramie, Wyoming, the University is surrounded by high plains and beautiful mountains, and is close to world-class hiking, camping, skiing, snowmobiling and other outdoor activities.

UW is proud to have earned R1 research classification and is supported by substantial public investment and a generous donor community. Learn more at www.uwyo.edu.

Application Process

The Search Committee for the Carrell Family Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences invites expressions of interest, letters of nomination, and applications (letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and references) to be submitted to the search firm assisting the university. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. However, it is preferred that all nominations and applications be submitted before Friday, October 3, 2025. For more information, please contact Parker Executive Search:

Laurie Wilder, President
Porsha Williams, Vice President
Jacob Anderson, Senior Principal
Jack McGrew, Associate
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875 Atlanta, GA 30328
lwilder@parkersearch.com || pwilliams@parkersearch.com || janderson@parkersearch.com || jmcgrew@parkersearch.com
(678) 775-4564

The University of Wyoming is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.