Daniel Hamlin Appointed Dean of the College of Education

The University of Texas at Austin has named Daniel Hamlin as the next dean of the College of Education. Hamlin, who currently serves as the state of Oklahoma's secretary of education, will begin his appointment at UT on Aug. 16.

In addition to his work as secretary, Hamlin currently serves as a Presidential Professor of education policy at the University of Oklahoma, and as director of the Oklahoma Center for Education Policy. He is also a research affiliate at the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University.

"At a time when education is evolving rapidly, strong academic leadership matters more than ever," said Executive Vice President and Provost William Inboden. "Dr. Hamlin has earned a national reputation as a distinguished scholar, collaborative leader and champion for educational excellence and access. I am confident that he will lead the College of Education to even greater levels of distinction that will benefit our students and faculty, as well as Texas and the nation."

Hamlin is the author of more than 50 peer-reviewed articles, chapters and reports, and his research has appeared in leading academic journals and outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, NPR, Forbes and NBC. He has secured funding from the National Science Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, the George Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Randall and Lenise Stephenson Family Foundation. Hamlin received a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of Toronto. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University before joining the faculty at the University of Oklahoma.

Hamlin currently oversees statewide initiatives in Oklahoma that expand educational opportunities, foster innovation across K-12 school systems, and strengthen alignment between education and workforce needs. This work closely reflects the UT College of Education's mission to leverage University resources to advance educational outcomes in Texas and to develop and share evidence-based practices that support students, schools and districts across the state.

"I am deeply honored to join The University of Texas at Austin as dean of the College of Education," Hamlin said. "The college has an extraordinary record of research, teaching and engagement with schools and communities. I look forward to working alongside its outstanding faculty, staff, students and alumni to advance the college's impact across Texas and the nation."

Hamlin was selected after a national search that began last fall, and he will succeed Charles Martinez, who has served as dean since 2019. During his tenure, Martinez helped expand the college's research portfolio, deepen connections with communities across Texas, and prepare generations of Longhorns to shape the future of education, health and sport. The college's undergraduate enrollment grew by more than 40%, and the 82% four-year graduation rate set a new benchmark for student success. The college also launched several key initiatives - including the Texas Education THRIVE teacher mentoring program and the LONESTARP3 research-practice-policy network, founded by Martinez - to strengthen the national educator pipeline and improve the quality of our country's education system. His work has elevated the national rankings and global reputation of both the University and the College of Education. With generous support from donors and alumni, the college also more than doubled its ambitious fundraising goal set early in the What Starts Here campaign, providing support for student scholarships, academic programs, research initiatives, and facilities in the Sánchez Building and Bellmont Hall.

Martinez will assume his position as a member of the faculty in the College of Education