Larry McKay is the Associate Dean of Research and Facilities in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is also the Jones Professor of Hydrogeology in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Dr. McKay works with heads, directors and faculty in the college to help provide them with the infrastructure, funding and support needed to reach their goals in research and scholarly achievements. This often involves working closely with Facilities Services, Office of Research, and the UT Space Committee. He is also a member of the Dean’s cabinet, where he helps with many of the joys, challenges, and opportunities that are part of the life of the largest and most vital college on campus.
Dr. McKay received a Bachelor’s degree (1981) in Geological Engineering from the University of British Columbia and worked as a consulting engineer from 1981 to 1986. He received his PhD in Earth Sciences in 1992 from the University of Waterloo, Ontario and was a Post-doctoral researcher at the Geological Survey of Denmark in 1992. Dr. McKay joined the UT faculty in 1993 as an Assistant Professor in Geological Sciences (now Earth and Planetary Sciences). Dr. McKay developed a highly successful teaching and research program focused on groundwater contamination problems and stream/river floods. He supervised or co-supervised seven PhD candidates and twenty Master’s students and taught courses at all levels. Dr. McKay was the Geological Society of America’s Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished lecturer in 2008 and received the UT National Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award in 2019. Dr. McKay served as Head of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences from 2009 to 2017, during which he helped guide the department through design/construction/move-in to new facilities in Strong Hall. He was also engaged in alumni relations and development. Dr. McKay joined the College of Arts & Sciences as Associate Dean of Research and Facilities in July of 2019.
