“As interim dean, Dr. Sandick has done an outstanding job of leading the College of Science during a time of change and growth,” Montoya said. “Since arriving at the University of Utah 15 years ago, she has proven to be an excellent professor and mentor, and her work as an administrator during the last year has been exemplary. I look forward to continuing to work with her in this new role.”

Sandick, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, previously served as associate dean for faculty and research in the College of Science. She came to the U as an assistant professor in 2011 and is a theoretical particle physicist studying physics beyond the Standard Model, including possible explanations for the dark matter in the universe.

She earned a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 2008 and was a postdoctoral fellow in the Theory Group at the University of Texas at Austin before moving to Utah. She has been recognized for her teaching and mentoring work with a University of Utah Early Career Teaching Award, a University of Utah Distinguished Mentor Award and the Linda K. Amos Award for Distinguished Service to Women. She has also been recognized as a U Presidential Scholar.

“I am deeply honored to lead the College of Science in this next stage of growth and development and at a pivotal time for science and mathematics research and education,” Sandick said. “The college is in an excellent position to shape and implement a bold and ambitious vision for the future. It’s a privilege to be entrusted with this opportunity.”

Sandick will dually report to Montoya and Peter Trapa, senior dean of the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). Trapa was the dean of the College of Science before moving into the LAS role in March 2025.

“I'm thrilled to have Dr. Sandick in this role,” Trapa said. “Her passion for innovation and academic excellence is inspiring, and I look forward to great things for the College of Science under her leadership.”

Montoya expressed her gratitude to the leadership, faculty and staff in the College of Science for their feedback as plans for this change took shape.

“As we met with faculty and staff from the college, they made it clear that they appreciated Dr. Sandick’s ability to balance her focus on both teaching and research during her service as interim dean,” Montoya said. “I expect her to continue to excel in both areas as she helps the College of Science reach new heights in the years to come.”

As dean, Sandick will lead a college that is home to 200 tenure-line faculty, 75 career-line faculty and over 3,000 primary majors, as well as roughly $65M in annual research expenditures. The college consists of eight academic units and includes the Science Research Initiative and the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy. She will provide leadership for all aspects of the college, establishing and implementing a strategic vision that will enhance undergraduate and graduate education, further strengthen the college’s research enterprise and enhance its national and international reputation.

“I’m grateful to our incredible community of faculty, staff and students, whose dedication fuels our collective potential,” Sandick said. “I look forward to working with them, university leadership and partners on campus and beyond to build on our strengths and create new opportunities for innovation that will elevate student success, drive groundbreaking scientific research and generate lasting impact.”