Dear Colleagues, 

The College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) and the College of Sciences (COS) are pleased to announce that Dr. Leslie Neely will be appointed as the Assistant Dean for Transdisciplinary Research Development in both colleges effective January 16, 2025. This joint administrative appointment, which is the first of its kind at UTSA, will facilitate the exchange of ideas between COEHD and COS, particularly in the areas of human behavior, mental health, AI/machine learning, and neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Dr. Neely is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology in COEHD and has been at UTSA since 2015. She is an accomplished scholar who has secured awards as PI and Co-PI totaling over $19 million . Her work focuses on the integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality, into interventions for persons with autism, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. She has served in various leadership roles in her time at UTSA, most currently as the Director of the Bank of America – Child and Adolescent Policy and Research Institute and Associate Director of the Brain Health Consortium. Her vast knowledge and skill in research and obtaining external funding makes her uniquely qualified for this role. 

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Neely to this new role in both COEHD and COS.

Mario Torres

Dean, College of Education and Human Development

John Frederick

Interim Dean, College of Sciences