Jackson School Names New Associate Dean for Research

July 20, 2026

Associate Professor Daniella Rempe has been named the next associate dean for research at the Jackson School of Geosciences.

Rempe, a Jackson School alumna, joined the faculty in the Jackson School’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in 2016. She is a hydrologist whose research focuses on the processes that shape water resources and their responses to disturbances like drought and wildfire.

“I’m honored to represent the Jackson School as the new ADR,” Rempe said. “I care deeply about the Jackson School and the work we do here. And I am extremely excited about the shared vision for the school to assert its national and international leadership in the geosciences, whether that is in energy, hazards, climate, AI or any number of other important areas.”

She will begin the associate dean for research role on Aug. 1.

Dean Danny Stockli pointed to Rempe’s ability to work across disciplines and her experience with key funding agencies, foundations, and companies including the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Forest Service, National Science Foundation, and ExxonMobil. Rempe has also been recognized for her scientific contributions, earning a National Science Foundation CAREER award and the American Geophysical Union’s Early Career Award in Hydrologic Sciences.

“In addition to being a great scientist, Daniella is an extremely collaborative and innovative thinker,” Stockli said. “The role of the associate dean for research is one that is meant to rally people around a joint vision and to lead the school to respond effectively to new research and funding opportunities. Daniella has the energy and vision for this vital role. She has demonstrated the ability to catalyze collaborations across and beyond the Forty Acres – something that is one of my major priorities.”

Stockli emphasized that Rempe’s appointment is part of his focus on restructuring and strengthening the school’s research administration to more effectively lead transformative and impactful school-wide research and to pursue major research funding opportunities.

Rempe was raised in Texas and graduated from the Jackson School and Cockrell School of Engineering in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology. She then went on to earn a master’s and doctoral degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

She has a record of collaborating across the Jackson School’s three units as well as across campus with researchers in the College of Natural Sciences and the Cockrell School. She is enthusiastic about helping to lead the Jackson School in forming strategic collaborations with partners across UT and other institutions in her new role.

The Jackson School is the largest and one of the most prestigious geosciences institutions in the world, with four graduate programs ranking in the top five, according to U.S. News & World Report, and a combined student enrollment of more than 400. It consists of three world-class research and education units — the Bureau of Economic Geology, the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics — that combined offer a depth and breadth of geosciences expertise matched by few institutions.

The associate dean for research plays a key role in pushing the school’s major research agenda and harnessing the units’ combined strength to conduct research that is critically important for Texas and the world, ranging from locating and sustainably producing energy and mineral resources, understanding and managing water resources, mitigating climate extremes and natural hazards, building coastal resiliency, and exploring the Earth and other planets.

Rempe will be replacing outgoing Associate Dean for Research Michael Young, who will return to conducting research at the Bureau of Economic Geology. Young has had a tremendous research career at the bureau and very impactful administrative leadership roles, including serving as the bureau’s associate director for environmental research.

“We’re lucky to have such great people representing the Jackson School,” Stockli said. “Michael did a wonderful job harnessing the research power of the Jackson School and helping lead the Strategic Investment Plan and other key initiatives. I am very grateful to Michael and I am confident that Daniella is the perfect person to take the reins and help lead us to even greater heights.”