For the past 12 years, Dean Akif Uzman, Ph.D., has been at the helm of UHD’s College of Sciences and Technology (CST), a tenure marked by the development of new degree programs and a state-of-the-art building.
Since coming on board at UHD in 1997, Uzman has served in many roles in the College of Sciences and Technology (CST), including Natural Sciences Department Chair (2003-2011), Interim Dean (2011-2014), and Dean (since 2014). Additionally, he was Interim Provost from mid-2021 to mid-2022. Although he is stepping down as Dean at the end of 2026, fortunately he is not leaving the UHD family and will return to the faculty for the spring 2027 semester.
“Dean Uzman has held leadership roles in the College of Sciences and Technology for almost 30 years,” said Interim President Deborah E. Bordelon. “As Dean for the last 12 years, he has provided vital leadership to CST’s faculty, students, and staff as the College grew in terms of facilities and new academic programs.”
As a scientist, educator, and higher education administrator, Uzman has had a fascinating and impactful career. A graduate of the University of Michigan (BS, MS) and University of California, Berkeley (PhD), Uzman taught as an adjunct instructor at the University of Houston, with previous postdoctoral positions at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab, University of California, Berkeley, and The University of Texas at Austin, before coming to UHD. As a biologist, his interests have focused on early embryonic development and genomics. He is a founding Fellow in the Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education since 2012 and is its current president through 2028.
When asked for a list of CST’s achievements under his leadership, he said, “Most of these accomplishments are rich collaborative efforts with Dr. DeLaVina, who has served as Associate Dean beginning in my second year as Interim Dean, as well as department chairs and other colleagues.”
The design and construction of the CST Building, which included input from students and faculty, took place under his watch, as did the creation of the Center for Urban Agriculture & Sustainability established by Dr. Lisa Morano and colleagues, as well as new degree programs, including:
- UHD’s second interdisciplinary MS degree (2016): Master of Science in Data Analytics, which became the second largest at UHD in just two years
- The Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence in 2023
- Graduate certificates in Data Analytics, Mathematics, and Statistics
- Bachelor’s degrees in Geosciences, Data Science, and Cybersecurity
- The RN to BSN program in 2017.
He initiated the department reorganization of Computer & Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Technology to become the Department of Computer Science and Engineering Technology, as well as oversaw the first six-year accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology after a decade of two-year cycles.
Under his leadership, CST prioritized college fiscal resources to support tutoring and Scholars Academy support, integrated High Impact Practices across the curriculum, and developed annual college events to engage CST students, namely XperienceSTEM: XploreResearch, XcelerateCareers, and XpressYourself. While Department Chair, he co-authored grants, garnering more than $7 million for the Scholars Academy through the Army Research Office, Department of Education, and the National Science Foundation.
Uzman, Dr. Jerry Johnson, and several other Natural Science colleagues received the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence (IE) grant in 2018 to develop inclusive excellence programs in sciences: the SynergIE Program. The highly successful and impactful programming includes Fall Family Night for new freshmen, Emerging Voices in STEM for students to hear from young STEM professionals, IE Book Club, and IE Teaching Professorship.
Currently, a search is underway with the goal of a new CST dean in place by January 2027.