Mark Winey, dean of the College of Biological Sciences, will return to faculty in July 2026 after 10 years of exceptional leadership. A national search for his successor will begin in September.

The college’s longest-serving dean, Winey has led a number of successful initiatives, including boosting experiential learning opportunities for students, supporting faculty development and wellbeing, and advancing research infrastructure improvements and acquisitions.

“Dean Winey is a bold and determined leader who is passionate about biology and education,” said Mary Croughan, provost and executive vice chancellor. “He is thoughtful and forward looking, and a champion of student and faculty success.  I am very grateful that he will continue contributing in meaningful ways to our mission as a dedicated educator and researcher.”

Winey joined UC Davis in 2016 after 25 years with the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he served in teaching, research and leadership roles, including chair of the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology.

“UC Davis has a remarkable community of biologists, which has allowed for a robust interchange of ideas, mentorship, and collaboration,” said Winey. “I am very proud of what the college has accomplished over the last decade, and I am looking forward to continue serving our students as a member of the faculty.”

As dean of the College of Biological Sciences, Winey has recruited more than 30 faculty at the forefront of life sciences research, from pancreatic cancer to climate adaptability in plants. Three times, Winey convened and participated in a UC Davis Community of Practice Exercise, which brought together leaders to address needed changes, updates, and improvements to campus services. The first, which focused on student experiential learning, resulted in expansions of the Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). The second examined student wellness and helped expand counseling support and services for students. The third addressed an overhaul of undergraduate biology curriculum and resulted in the new BIO123 Series.

As the college celebrates its 20th anniversary this fall, it will launch the BIO123 Series of newly revamped introductory biology courses and labs for students in majors across the campus, better positioning UC Davis students for success in the life sciences.

In addition to making meaningful strides in student success, the College of Biological Sciences raised more than $84.7 million during the campus’s “Expect Greater” fundraising campaign. Notable campaign contributions include an $8 million bequest from alumna Deborah Neff to endow the college’s deanship and support research in the Center for Neuroscience, and a $1 million gift from alumni Kamaljeet Singh-Khaira and Ravinder Khaira that gave UC Davis its first lecture hall to bear a Punjabi name.

After stepping down, Winey will take a sabbatical before returning to campus to teach in the fall of 2027 as a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology.

Winey is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a Fellow of the American Society for Cell Biology. He earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.