Dear Faculty and Staff,

I am pleased to share that John Quintanilla has been selected as the new dean of the College of Science. Dr. Quintanilla, who has served as interim dean since last June, will step into the role permanently, effective April 1.

UNT’s hiring committees undertook a thorough search process to identify the individual best suited to guide the College of Science’s numerous departments, interdisciplinary programs, labs, centers and institutes, all of which are central to our mission as a Tier One public research institution. Ultimately, Dr. Quintanilla’s proven leadership and dedication not only to the college but to our university community revealed him to be the right choice for this important role.

I am impressed by his work on behalf of faculty, staff and students as interim dean. Among his successes are the creation of a faculty program giving partial compensation for undergraduate researchers in their labs — a vital step toward our institutional goal of growing our research enterprise and increasing research participation by students at all levels. He also took the initiative to replace obsolete equipment for mid-career faculty and collaborate with other deans to find creative ways to improve student retention.

Since he first joined UNT in 1996 as a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics, Dr. Quintanilla has made tremendous contributions to our university, from developing new academic programs to serving as a founding co-director of Teach North Texas, UNT’s award-winning program for preparing and supporting secondary teachers of mathematics and science. Before assuming the role of interim dean last summer, he served as the college’s associate dean for undergraduate studies. Read more about Dr. Quintanilla.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Quintanilla on this new role. I am confident that with his steady leadership, the College of Science will continue to expand its impact and prepare the next generation of visionary scientists, researchers and professionals.

Sincerely,

Michael McPherson, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs