J. David “Dave” Furlow, a professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, has been named the new Associate Dean of Undergraduate Academic Programs for the College of Biological Sciences. He will step into the role on July 1, 2026.

“I firmly believe that a research university offers students something distinct,” said Furlow. “At UC Davis students are learning from outstanding faculty who make discoveries in the lab, the field, and within the lecture halls themselves. That adds tremendous value to their education, and I want to continue supporting that in every way I can.”

A background in campus-wide undergraduate leadership

Furlow joined the UC Davis faculty in 1998 and has spent nearly three decades in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior as a teacher, researcher and mentor. 

In 2015, he took on a broader campus leadership role in Undergraduate Education, where he served as an associate dean and helped lead several student-facing programs, including the University Honors Program and the First-Year Seminars program — he also worked closely with the Undergraduate Research Center. Through those efforts, Furlow supported thousands of UC Davis students while also building collaborative relationships with faculty and academic leaders across campus.

“That experience gave me the chance to work with outstanding students from across the university,” Furlow said. “It also gave me the opportunity to build long-standing relationships with colleagues who care deeply about the undergraduate academic experience.”

Mark Winey, dean of the College of Biological Sciences, said Furlow brings a valuable combination of faculty experience, campuswide perspective and commitment to student learning.

“Dave understands what makes undergraduate education in CBS so powerful,” said Winey. “He has spent years supporting students directly, working across disciplines and strengthening the undergraduate academic experience. He is an accomplished researcher, a dedicated teacher and a thoughtful leader. Our students will be in excellent hands.”

Hands-on learning at a research university

A central theme in Furlow’s work has been expanding opportunities for students to engage directly with the process of scientific discovery.

He has mentored dozens of undergraduate researchers in his lab over the years, where students study how hormones regulate animal development. His research focuses especially on thyroid hormone and its role in maturation — including how the brain and other organs become fully functional during key developmental stages. Because those biological pathways are highly conserved across species, his lab uses frogs and tadpoles as a model system to better understand developmental endocrinology in vertebrates, including humans.

For many students, Furlow said, the experience of watching embryonic development unfold under the microscope is unforgettable.

“They can actually see the very beginnings of development from the moment of fertilization to an embryo in real time,” he said. “They'll patiently watch under the microscope how individual cells divide from two to four, and so on. That kind of experience creates a powerful connection to science. Once students have that, they want to understand what’s happening and why.”

That belief in hands-on learning has also shaped Furlow’s broader academic leadership. He has been involved in developing and expanding course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs, which give larger numbers of students the opportunity to participate in research through the classroom.

With more than 6,500 undergraduates in CBS, Furlow said one of the key challenges — and opportunities — is finding ways to make high-impact learning experiences available to more students, whether through faculty-led research programs, other experiential learning opportunities on- and off-campus or in the classroom itself.

“We want as many students as possible to experience how science is done,” Furlow said. “That means continuing to support undergraduate research, but it also thinking carefully about what happens in large classrooms, how students engage with evidence and how they learn to think critically like scientists.”

Supporting great teaching across the college

In his new role, Furlow said he hopes to support the many faculty including our professors of teaching who are already doing innovative work in the classroom.

“I’ve been continually impressed by the dedication and creativity of my colleagues,” he said. “There’s outstanding work already happening across the college, and part of this role is listening closely, learning from that work and helping support approaches that have real impact for students.” 

He points to evidence-based teaching, critical thinking and active engagement with scientific questions as important threads that connect the college’s undergraduate mission — from introductory lecture courses to research labs.

Furlow succeeds Michele Igo, a professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, who has served as associate dean of undergraduate programs since 2018.  “I’m indebted to and inspired by Michele’s work,” he said. “She has been a remarkable guide and champion for our undergraduate mission. I’m also grateful for the support and leadership Dean Winey has provided across undergraduate education, including CUREs and the many forms of experiential learning in the college.”

About the position

The CBS Associate Dean of Undergraduate Academic Programs helps guide the college’s undergraduate academic mission, with responsibilities that include supporting curriculum, student success, experiential learning and the overall quality of the undergraduate educational experience. The role works closely with faculty, department chairs, professors of teaching, advisors and college leadership to strengthen programs that serve CBS undergraduates in and beyond the classroom.