Associate Dean School of Mathematics & Science Foundations

Title

Associate Dean of the School of Mathematics & Science Foundations

Academic Assoc Dean

Denton

UNT-Provost

UNT-College of Science

UNT-College of Science - Gen-124000

Compensation is competitive and commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and discipline, in accordance with university guidelines and available funding.

1.00

ORP Eligible

The University of North Texas (UNT) is a Carnegie R1 research university and a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority-Serving Institution with a population of over 45,000 students. The Denton, Texas community combines close proximity to one of the fastest-growing and most economically vibrant metropolitan areas in the country (Dallas-Fort Worth) with an intimate and culturally rich college town atmosphere. The College of Science (COS) was established in 2017 to promote the distinct needs of the natural science and mathematical disciplines and currently houses five departments:
Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Data Analytics & Statistics, Mathematics, and Physics.

The college plays a leading role in STEM education and research at UNT and is home to more than 3000 undergraduate majors, 360 master’s students, 300 doctoral students, 100 tenured or tenure-track faculty, and 60 teaching-focused professional faculty. Effective teaching of foundational science and mathematics courses is a major component of COS’s instructional mission, as these courses are essential for the academic success of STEM and non-STEM majors across many disciplines at UNT.

The School of Mathematics & Science Foundations (SMSF) is a new academic unit within the College of Science that will serve as the home for introductory-level courses in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Planned for a Fall 2026 launch, SMSF will seek to develop an innovative new model for foundational STEM education aimed at promoting students’ readiness to thrive in the 21st century workforce.

The mission of SMSF will be to advance excellence in foundational science and mathematics education through innovative curricular design, collaborative and evidence-based pedagogy, and a focus on student learning and academic success. Guided by a student-first approach, SMSF will strive to foster intellectual growth and personal achievement. SMSF will pursue a vision of empowering every learner to thrive through an integrated, evidence-driven, and interdisciplinary STEM foundation that inspires curiosity, supports diverse needs, and prepares students to lead and innovate in a complex world.

SMSF is supported by UNT’s Learning Ecosystem for Empowering Futures (LEEF), an initiative of the UNT President to foster student success through research, practice, and curricular connection.

UNT has a highly diverse campus with a wide range of languages spoken in addition to English. We welcome candidates who have experience with HSI/MSIs and/or who speak Spanish, Vietnamese, American Sign Language, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin and other variations), Arabic, Tagalog, Farsi, French, or/and Yoruba.

The Associate Dean of the School of Mathematics & Science Foundations (SMSF) will serve as the executive leader of the new school. Reporting directly to the College of Science Dean, the Associate Dean will play a crucial role in developing and guiding SMSF as it becomes a key component of UNT’s efforts to improve student academic success and career outcomes in STEM-related areas.

The Associate Dean will be responsible for leading SMSF toward success in its goals, which include:

• Ensuring horizontal and vertical alignment, consistent assessments, and coordinated curricula in foundational science and mathematics courses.
• Providing resources and structures to develop student self-efficacy.
• Promoting and developing innovative, evidence-based teaching practices that advance student success.
• Driving student engagement, timely degree completion, and career readiness.
• Supporting instructors with ongoing professional development while incentivizing and rewarding continuous…