After a months-long search UNC Wilmington has named Aswani Volety from Florida Gulf Coast University as the new Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, according to a university press release.

Volety currently serves as FGCU’s interim Dean of College of Arts and Sciences and will officially begin his duties at UNCW this June.

“We look forward to having Aswani join us as the Dean of UNCW’s largest college,” said Chancellor Gary L. Miller in the press release. “His distinguished career and research background align well with the needs of the College of Arts and Sciences.”

Aswani has been serving as the interim Dean at FGCU for more than a year and also works as the Director of Vester Marine and Environmental Sciences Field Station.

Volety completed his undergraduate and master’s degree in zoology with a concentration in marine biology at Andrha University in India before obtaining his doctorate in marine biology at William and Mary.  In addition, Volety also has a graduate certificate in management development from Harvard University.

Volety will replace UNCW sociology and criminology professor Stephan McNamee from his position as interim Dean. McNamee will return to his faculty role after being appointed as interim Dean in June 2013 after the departure of former Dean, David Cordle. Cordle took a position as Provost and Vice President of Student Affairs at Emporia State University in Kansas.