Joshua Colwell has been named dean of the University of Central Florida’s College of Sciences, according to a March 27 announcement. Colwell, who previously served as interim dean for nine months, was selected following a national search and interview process.
John Buckwalter, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at UCF, said he chose Colwell on March 13 due to his leadership during the interim period. “Under his leadership, the college fostered an environment where students, faculty and staff can thrive, while strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding research and community impact,” Buckwalter said.
The College of Sciences is UCF’s largest college with more than 16,000 students across three schools, six departments and nine research centers. It offers programs in physical, biological, social, behavioral and computational sciences. As dean, Colwell will continue overseeing these areas with a focus on advancing research efforts and preparing graduates for global challenges through scientific discovery.
Colwell described his vision for the college as building on UCF’s reputation as Florida’s Technological University. “We have cutting-edge research ranging from human-machine communication and interaction to new materials for clean energy, as well as the societal and political aspects of space exploration,” he said. “We are uniquely positioned to prepare students for a rapidly evolving technological landscape and the economy of the 21st century.”
Improving student preparedness after graduation is among Colwell’s priorities. He aims to ensure that students gain skills relevant to job markets shaped by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. “It’s a top priority to make sure our researchers understand the rapidly changing technological landscape so they can carry out transformative work,” Colwell said. “We also want to ensure our faculty have the support needed to deliver a world-class education.”
Colwell joined UCF in 2006 as an assistant professor in physics before serving as department chair and associate dean for research within the college. His experience includes expanding faculty capacity and modernizing instructional laboratories.
Reflecting on his background at UCF both teaching classes large and small—as well as supervising undergraduate and graduate students—Colwell said: “I’ve also taught both large and small classes and supervised undergraduate and graduate students, so I feel very connected to the UCF student experience.”
Looking ahead at multidisciplinary opportunities within sciences at UCF he added: “From transforming energy production…to shaping entertainment…our work is exciting…and innovative,” concluding that preparing students “to thrive” remains central.
