Finalists for the new dean of the College of Sciences were announced on Monday by the provost of the university. Finalist John Colwell’s open forum will be on Feb. 12, Brad Schmidt’s on Feb. 16 and Dr. Christopher Culbertson’s on Feb. 19.
Rachel Jones
The search for UCF’s next dean of the College of Sciences is nearing its end as finalists for the position were announced on Monday.
Dr. John Buckwalter, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, announced the three candidates for the position via email.
“I value search processes that are transparent and shaped by a broad range of perspectives across our university,” Buckwalter said.
Former Dean of the College of Sciences Maggy Tomova departed from UCF on June 30, 2025, to join the faculty of Augusta University in Georgia as its executive vice president of academic affairs and provost, according to UCF Today.
Dr. Joshua Colwell, Pegasus professor of physics and associate dean of the College of Sciences at UCF, filled Tomova’s shoes on July 1, 2025, as the interim dean of the college during the search for her replacement.
Colwell, who has been at UCF since 2006, is one of the final candidates for the permanent position and will speak in the first forum on Feb. 12 at 2 p.m.
The second forum will be for candidate Dr. Brad Schmidt on Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. Schmidt is a distinguished research professor, the Department of Psychology chair and the director for the Anxiety and Behavioral Health Clinic at Florida State University.
Dr. Christopher Culbertson, the dean of arts and sciences and professor of chemistry at Kansas State University, will have the final forum on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.
The search committee extends the opportunity for students and faculty to hear the candidates’ visions for the future of the College of Sciences through open forums before final decisions are made.