Sherman, Texas -- Austin College will welcome Dr. Stuart Borrett ’97 for the 2026 Science & Leadership Lecture. Borrett will share his lecture, titled “From Austin College to the National Science Foundation” on November 19 at 11:00 a.m. in the IDEA Center, Room 127. This event is free and open to the public.
Borrett, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Austin College and a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Georgia, is the Associate Provost for Research and Innovation at University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). He also serves as President of the UNCW Research Foundation. Borrett has been a professor in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology at UNCW since 2007. As a systems ecologist, his research is focused on discovering the processes that create, constrain, and sustain ecological systems. Borrett’s expertise includes ecological modeling and network analysis, which he has used to investigate aquatic systems from the Ross Sea in Antarctica, to the Cape Fear River estuary in North Carolina, to the ecological communities that form inside purple pitcher plants.
His leadership experience spans institutional, state, and national levels of the research enterprise. From 2024-2025, Borrett served as Program Director at the National Science Foundation, supporting the GRANTED initiative that strengthened research capacity and competitiveness across U.S. colleges and universities. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Ecological Modelling, and as the elected secretary of the North American Chapter of the International Society for Ecological Modelling.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 45 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow an 11:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.
