Andreas Matouschek Named Interim Dean as David Vanden Bout Steps in at Provost’s Office

Andreas Matouschek, a professor of molecular biosciences who has served on the College of Natural Sciences’ core leadership team since 2020, has been appointed the college’s interim dean. Previously associate dean for research and facilities, he will lead the college while its former dean, David Vanden Bout, serves as interim executive vice president and provost for The University of Texas at Austin.

“Throughout his academic and scientific career, Dr. Matouschek has brought a forward-thinking, collaborative approach,” Vanden Bout wrote in a message to campus Monday with the news. “He will lead the college with a resolute focus on what is best for the entire community.”

While serving as associate dean for research and facilities, Matouschek oversaw the college’s world-class research enterprise, as well as the physical infrastructure necessary to support the research and education mission across 12 academic departments, as well as units located throughout the state. This involved having responsibility for 1 million net square feet of space in dozens of buildings on four campuses, spanning from the McDonald Observatory in West Texas to the Marine Science Institute on the Gulf Coast. His recent initiatives included leading a team of 17 staff in transforming spaces to support students in the college, such as in the CNS Wellness Center and a new collaborative learning space in Welch Hall. Faculty throughout the college also worked closely with Matouschek, who advanced the establishment of new, cutting-edge research centers like the Texas Quantum Institute, Center for Generative AI and Texas Biologics.

Matouschek came to UT in 2012, after directing Northwestern University’s Interdepartmental Graduate Program in the Biological Sciences and serving as associate dean for student affairs at its graduate school. He led a lab exploring the ubiquitin proteasome system and mechanisms at work behind neurodegeneration and cancerous activity in cells. At UT, he acted as Department of Molecular Biosciences associate chair for administration for four years. He went on to lead the Center for Biomedical Research Support in the Office of the Vice President for Research, which houses core facilities necessary for biomedical research across UT. In 2020, when UT sought a safe path to reopening after its initial COVID-19 shutdown, Matouschek built the High-Throughput Testing Core, a sophisticated coronavirus-testing program targeted to limit spread of the disease.

Vanden Bout’s appointment to the role of interim provost was announced in February in a message to campus from interim president Jim Davis.

“During more than 27 years at UT Austin, David has earned the trust of our faculty and deans,” Davis wrote. “His academic leadership and deep experience on the frontier of science greatly enhances our broad teaching and research mission.”