The University of Florida Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Wednesday to select Dr. Stuart R. Bell as the university’s 14th president.
After a national search among hundreds of potential candidates, Bell was announced as the sole finalist by the university’s 15-member presidential search committee. He now awaits for his formal ratification from the Florida Board of Governors. The state oversight board is scheduled to vote on his ratification at its next meeting on June 25. If confirmed, Bell will succeed the current Interim President Donald Landry.
UF Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini praised the unanimous vote as a resounding show of support, stating that Bell possesses the experience, character, and leadership ability necessary to advance the university to the highest ranks of U.S. higher education.
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Bell adds a long history of academic administration to the role. He served as the president of the University of Alabama from 2015 to 2025. His previous academic career includes serving as provost and professor of engineering at Louisiana State University, as well as dean of the School of Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Kansas.
Along with his administrative background, Bell is a researcher who has published works on natural gas and combustion engines. His engineering contributions led to his induction into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in the year 2023. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University, and holds memberships in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Society of Automotive Engineers, and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
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Rahul Patel, the vice chair of the Board of Trustees and chair of the presidential search committee, noted that Bell emerged as the top choice from a broad pool of qualified 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. Under Florida law, the search committee was responsible for designing the search criteria, vetting candidates, and recommending finalists to the trustees.
“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. The University of Florida is exceptional in every respect, and I know there’s no limit to what we can all accomplish together,” Bell exclaimed regarding his new role.