The search committee for UND’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences next dean has announced UND Associate Dean Paul Lindseth as the sole finalist.

Lindseth has worked at UND since 1988, and he has been the associate dean of academics at UND’s aerospace school since 2002. He has a bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University, a master’s degree from Central Michigan University and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Michigan.

According to UND’s website, Lindseth began flying in 1973 while a member of the U.S. Air Force’s ROTC program. He went on to instruct in both flying fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. On top of flight instruction, he teaches aviation safety, basic attitude instrument flying and helicopter aerodynamics at UND.

Dr. Joshua Wynne, Dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is the chair of the search committee for the new aerospace dean. Lindseth was chosen from five semifinalists.

Lindseth will attend open forums at the end of the April so that faculty, student and staff have a chance to meet him. The date and time of the visits will be announced in the near future.

Current dean Bruce Smith, who has led the college of aerospace since January 2000, announced last year that he will be retiring in the summer of 2016. Smith has led the school at a time that it has become a leader in aviation and a pioneer in Unmanned Aerospace System technology.

Sean Cleary is the editor-in-chief for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected]