Dear UAH Community,
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Nicholas Loyd has been selected to serve as Interim Dean of the Graduate School, effective September 1, 2026. Dr. Loyd will provide continuity for graduate education at UAH while a national search for the permanent Dean of the Graduate School is conducted.
Dr. Loyd brings deep institutional knowledge and a strong record of academic leadership to this role. He earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, his M.S.E. in Engineering Management, and his B.S.E. in Industrial and Systems Engineering, all from UAH, and has served on the UAH faculty since 2000. Since 2019, he has served as Program Coordinator for the Engineering Management graduate program in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, where he led the design, approval, and launch of the Doctor of Engineering in Engineering Management — the first program of its kind in Alabama — and grew the program to more than 90 graduate students. He has served as Director of the Center for Management and Economic Research since 2015 and Director of the Alabama Technology Network's Huntsville Center since 2011.
Dr. Loyd's four years of service as a College of Engineering representative to the Graduate Council, together with his experience leading new degree program approvals through UAH, The University of Alabama System, and state-level review processes, give him firsthand familiarity with the Graduate School's policies and operations. His collaborative work with colleagues across the College of Engineering; College of Business; College of Science, and College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences reflects the kind of cross-campus perspective for which this role calls.
I am confident Dr. Loyd's leadership will ensure continuity for our graduate students, faculty, staff, and programs during this transition. Please join me in welcoming him to this role.
Go Chargers!
Dave Puleo
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs