Dr. Carol Lewis will serve as interim associate dean for research at The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work beginning Aug. 16, Dean Allan Cole announced.
Lewis brings more than three decades of experience to the role. She joined the School in 1994, completed her Ph.D. in psychology from UT Austin in 1995 and has served as associate or executive director of the Office of the Associate Dean for Research since 1999, guiding faculty through research proposals, contracts and grants.
“Few people know this School as well as Carol. She understands our faculty, our research enterprise, and our aspirations for the future, making her exceptionally well prepared to lead during this transition,” said Cole. “I am grateful that Carol has agreed to serve in this important role, and I look forward to working alongside her as we continue to strengthen the School’s research excellence.”
Thanks in part to her administrative leadership, UT Social Work now ranks among the top UT Austin colleges and schools in external research funding per capita. That record has roots in work Lewis helped build from early in her tenure — including a five-year National Institute on Drug Abuse research development grant in 2001, a collaborative effort that laid the foundation for the School’s federal grant portfolio.
Lewis was named a Fellow by the Society for Social Work and Research in 2023 and received the Outstanding Research Administrator Award for UT Austin in 2022.
“I’m honored to continue supporting research efforts in the School of Social Work. It is fulfilling to work with such a dedicated group of astute scientists who are improving lives and empowering individuals on a daily basis,” said Lewis.
Lewis follows the leadership of Dr. Esther Calzada, who recently became the chair of psychology at Tulane University. A national search is underway for a permanent associate dean for research.