GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Wednesday to select Dr. Stuart R. Bell as the university’s next president.
Bell, who most recently served as president of the University of Alabama from 2015 to 2025, still needs approval from the Florida Board of Governors before he can officially take the role. That vote is expected at the board’s June 25 meeting.
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“The Board of Trustees’ unanimous vote today is a resounding and undeniable show of support for Dr. Stuart Bell, who is exactly the right leader at the right time for the University of Florida,” said Mori Hosseini, UF Board of Trustees chair. “Dr. Bell’s vast experience, solid character and strong leadership ability will be critical in taking UF to the very highest ranks of U.S. higher education.”
Before leading Alabama, Bell served as provost and professor of engineering at Louisiana State University and as dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Kansas. His academic roots run deep in engineering — he’s widely recognized for research on natural gas and combustion engines and was inducted into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 2023.
He holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering, both from Texas A&M University, and is a member of several prestigious professional engineering organizations.
Bell says he’s ready to get to work.
“I am extremely honored and humbled by the Board of Trustees vote today, and I’m eager to join the Gator Nation and get to work,” Bell said in a news release. “The University of Florida is exceptional in every respect, and I know there’s no limit to what we can all accomplish together.”
Rahul Patel, Board of Trustees vice chair and chair of UF’s Presidential Search Committee, said Bell rose quickly to the top of a deep pool of candidates.
“I am grateful to the members of UF’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee for selecting Dr. Bell, who is eminently qualified to be UF’s 14th president,” Patel said. “I look forward to working with Dr. Bell as he guides the University of Florida to the next level.”
Bell was named the sole finalist on May 18 after UF’s 15-member Presidential Search Committee reviewed hundreds of candidates. He is expected to succeed Interim President Donald Landry, though an official start date has not been announced.