Former engineering department head named as CU Boulder chancellor

A former faculty member and department head in the College of Engineering at NC State University has been named the chancellor of the University of Colorado Boulder. Justin Schwartz will assume his new role on July 1, leaving his current position as executive vice president and provost at Pennsylvania State University.

“I received overwhelmingly positive feedback about Justin following his campus visit and open forums with CU Boulder faculty, staff and students,” said Todd Saliman, president of the University of Colorado system, in a statement. “He was equally well-received by community members who are critical partners of CU Boulder. After reflecting on this input and considering the exceptional attributes Justin brings, I am even more convinced he is the right person for the job.”

Schwartz served at NC State as Kobe Steel Professor and head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering from 2009 to 2017. He left NC State to become the Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering at Penn State.

Before joining NC State, Schwartz held faculty positions at Florida State University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

During his time in NC State MSE, Schwartz led the department to growth in its faculty size, and in its both graduate and undergraduate programs, as well as growth in departmental rankings and in its endowment.

He earned a doctorate in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

“It is an incredible honor to serve the University of Colorado, our students, faculty, staff and alumni, and the people across our state,” Schwartz said. “CU has incredible momentum, and we will carry the torch into a new era for the institution, elevating every aspect of our university. It was clear throughout my conversations with members of the search committee and my engagements during my public visit that the CU community has a deep passion for the university, the city of Boulder and the state of Colorado. I am thrilled to be a part of all with my family.”