UNLV President Neal Smatresk announced that Timothy L. Porter, Ph.D., has been named the next dean of the UNLV College of Sciences. Porter, a professor of physics and astronomy at Northern Arizona University (NAU), will assume his new role at UNLV on August 1, 2010.

"Dr. Porter has a wonderful scientific background in higher education that adds a critically needed entrepreneurial dimension to our College of Sciences," said UNLV President Neal Smatresk. "A history of successful ventures in biomedical sciences and technology transfer will allow him to successfully collaborate with the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering to our advance interdisciplinary research. Dr. Porter is truly a welcome addition to the UNLV leadership team."

A faculty member at NAU since 1988, Porter currently serves as director of the university's Growing Biotechnology Initiative, an effort to drive research and education related to the emerging biotechnology industry and attract new biotechnology businesses to Arizona. He holds five U.S. patents for the development of specialized sensors, including a microsensor platform that can be used to detect hydration levels in humans, dangerous chemicals in the environment, chemical or biological agents for national security or track the presence of endangered species such as desert tortoises far underground.

Porter, whose research interests include composite materials, biophysics, and microsensor design and fabrication, has secured millions of dollars in research funding from the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy and has served on grant review panels for both organizations as well as the NIH. Prior to his time at NAU, Porter served as a research associate at Arizona State University and as a staff physicist for the Hughes Aircraft Company.

Porter earned a Ph.D. in physics from Arizona State University in 1988. He received M.S. and B.S. degrees in physics from California State University.

For additional information on the UNLV College of Sciences, please visit sciences.unlv.edu.