After a decade of leadership marked by growth in research, student success and interdisciplinary advances, Mark Winey will step down as dean of the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences in 2026. A national search for his successor will begin this fall.

Winey, the college’s longest-serving dean, said he was first drawn to UC Davis by its uniquely expansive and collaborative biology community—and by the opportunity to serve on a broader scale.

“I’d been a department chair,” said Winey, “which was an opportunity to serve students and faculty, and becoming a dean—which wasn’t something I had planned on—meant I’d be able to serve a bigger community. The fact that UC Davis had a biology-focused college made it even more appealing.”

Investing in the future of biology

Since joining campus, Winey has led a number of significant efforts, including the acquisition of a cryo-EM microscope that enables cutting-edge structural biology research at UC Davis. Such support of the campus’s research infrastructure has been a critical part of his tenure.

“A strength of the UC Davis campus,” said Winey, “is in the interdisciplinary work being done across departments and even colleges. It allows a robust interchange of ideas, mentorship and collaboration.”

In addition to the cryo-EM, Winey has recruited over 30 faculty whose expertise ranges from pancreatic cancer to climate adaptability in plants. The breadth and depth of expertise in the college, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this fall, is a testament not only to the native strengths of UC Davis as a biological powerhouse, but to Winey’s leadership and vision in recruiting faculty who are pushing the boundaries of life sciences research.

“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.”

Supporting life sciences students and community

Increasing student success has been a central theme of Winey’s leadership. In the fall of 2025, the college will launch the BIO123 Series of newly revamped introductory biology courses and labs. Called “common good” courses, the new series will serve students in majors across campus—not just within the college—and represent a major overhaul of introductory curriculum that will better position UC Davis students for success in the life sciences.

“Mark has consistently supported faculty-driven efforts to improve both classroom and laboratory experiences in ways that benefit students across the university, not just in CBS,” said Jay Stachowicz, a Distinguished Professor of evolution and ecology who has helped champion the advancement of the BIO123 Series. “His work to improve the undergraduate experience in CBS has been transformative.”

Three times, Winey convened and participated in a UC Davis Community of Practice Exercise, which brings together leaders to address needed changes, updates and improvements to campus services—including for student success. 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.

“A great strength of this campus is its collaborative community,” said Winey. “Whether someone is a faculty member, staff or student, there’s always a place for them in the conversation. It’s how we all learn, and make our campus better.”

An innovative—and nationally recognized—effort

In 2020, when the COVID pandemic hit, Winey championed an innovative approach to teaching that reflected the real-world relevance of biological sciences. The college launched the CBS COVID-19 Capstone course—an interdisciplinary, modular virtual lab that allowed graduating seniors to study the pandemic in real time.

Developed by faculty across multiple departments, the course examined the coronavirus through the lenses of virology, evolution, computational biology and molecular genetics. Students engaged with media, experts and virtual town halls, culminating in a final project to produce a public service announcement on COVID-19, combining scientific understanding with communication skills.

“Mark’s leadership really shone during crisis. His emphasis on communicating timely information while maintaining a steady hand really supported our entire community of faculty, staff and students,” said Ted Powers, a professor of molecular and cellular biology and the college’s executive associate dean who has worked closely with Winey since 2019. “In short, he has been a wonderful dean.”

Culturing community

Winey acknowledges that the pandemic brought people together in new and unexpected ways, despite quarantining and remote work.

“Today there’s a real spirit of togetherness—a real sense of collaboration and of all of us being on the same team,” he said. “And that’s very gratifying.”

The college’s culture of unity and gratitude has extended to fundraising, which Winey championed. During the campus’s $2 billion “Expect Greater” campaign, the college surpassed its $75 million goal by raising more than $84.7 million. Notable contributions included an $8 million bequest to endow the college’s deanship and advance neuroscience research; a $1 million gift that named the first campus lecture hall bearing a Punjabi name; and $4 million establishing endowed chairs for mental health research and gender equity in STEM.

Next steps

After stepping down, Winey will take a sabbatical and then return to campus as a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, where he plans to return to teaching. 

About the future, Winey is cautiously optimistic. “Things are uncertain right now,” he said, “but basic science and educating the next generation of researchers will always be important. And this work will carry on.”

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.