UF’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee unanimously named Stuart R. Bell the sole finalist for UF’s 14th president Monday afternoon. Bell is expected to be considered by UF’s Board of Trustees June 11, and if approved, he’ll await final confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors.
Until last July, Bell served a decade as the 29th president of the University of Alabama, where he founded the Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies. Before his tenure at UA, he served as provost and dean of the engineering school at Louisiana State University and taught mechanical engineering at the University of Kansas.
According to a UA press release, the university surpassed 40,000 students for the first time and achieved record retention and graduation rates during Bell’s presidency. UA also achieved Carnegie R1 research status under his leadership, indicating high research spending and doctorate production.
If approved by both boards, Bell would replace Interim President Donald Landry, who was selected in 2025 after Santa J. Ono, the University of Michigan’s then-president, was rejected by the Florida Board of Governors last summer.
Bell’s academic career is rooted in engineering and scientific research. A graduate of Texas A&M University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering before completing his master’s and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering.
Bell also served in various leadership roles at the Southeastern Conference from 2021 to 2025, working on its executive team and later serving as its president, overseeing a period of conference expansion and name, image and likeness (NIL) reform.
Rahul Patel, the chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, said in a UF press release that Bell’s academic and athletic success make him a perfect fit for the university.
“We believe Dr. Bell is uniquely positioned to help UF continue its trajectory toward becoming consistently recognized among the top three public universities in America,” Patel said.
The UF Presidential Search Committee began its search last year following months of interim leadership at the university. Bell, if approved, would be UF’s first non-interim president since Ben Sasse stepped down in 2024, citing concerns about his wife’s health.
The UF Board of Trustees next meets June 11.
Contact Swasthi Maharaj at smaharaj@alligator.org. Follow her on X @s_maharaj1611.
Contact Sofia Meyers at smeyers@alligator.org. Follow her on X @SofiaMeyer84496.
Swasthi Maharaj is a political science and politics, philosophy, economics and law (PPEL) junior at UF. This is Swasthi's fourth semester at The Alligator, and her third semester on the university desk. She's also reported on the enterprise desk. Swasthi loves coffee, reading, going to concerts, baking and taking long walks.
Sofia Meyers is a journalism junior and The Alligator's Summer 2026 university editor, her second consecutive semester in the role. Previously, she served as general assignment reporter on the university desk and city/county commission on the metro desk. In her free time, she enjoys playing pickleball, reading and baking.
