PRESS RELEASES

Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES) Places Founding Director of Nuclear Science and Engineering Graduate Program at Abilene Christian University

(June 18, 2025, WEST HARTFORD, CT) Following a national search, Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES), a leading higher education focused executive search firm, is pleased to announce the successful placement of Dr. Mark DeHart securing the role as the Founding Director of Nuclear Science and Engineering Graduate Program at Abilene Christian University.

Dr. Mark DeHart is the Deputy Director for Reactor Physics Modeling and Simulation. He has extensive experience in reactor physics, criticality safety, depletion and spent fuel characterization, cross-section processing, and computer code verification and validation. Dr. DeHart holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University, is a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and a member and past Chair of the local Idaho section of ANS. Dr. DeHart will shape the future of the Nuclear Science and Engineering graduate program at ACU. As the director of the graduate program, he will spearhead program development and management, leveraging on the ABET-accredited engineering program and long-standing physics and chemistry programs with a strong history in nuclear physics. This position reports to the dean of the Onstead College of Science and Engineering.

Founded in 1906, ACU is one of the largest private institutions in the Southwest with a student population of 6,219. ACU has six academic colleges, offering more than 79 majors, 164 areas of study and 12 accelerated degree programs. The Robert and Kay Onstead College of Science and Engineering is at the forefront of discovery and innovation. The establishment of the Onstead College of Science and Engineering highlights ACU’s significant investment in science and engineering within the past 10 years, including the renovation of two existing buildings and the construction of two new facilities. ACU is nationally recognized for student academic programs and experiences. In the U.S. News & World Report 2023-24 “Programs to Look For” benchmark, ACU was ranked in the top 10 for Service Learning, First-year Experience and Learning Communities. ACU is affiliated with the Churches of Christ and emphasizes Christian values and principles in its academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities.

Affordable Excellence

Academic Career & Executive Search, a higher education focused search firm, specializes in affordable excellence, providing perfectly matched candidates to institutions quickly and accurately. Their methodologies, based on frequent touchpoints, pinpoint ideal candidates with speed and meticulous care resulting in highly successful placements.

They offer flexible service/pricing levels for all positions, ensuring affordability. Contact Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, at 860-740-2600 or Jennifer@ACESrch.com, or visit https://acesrch.com/.