The University of Washington Bothell has selected Dr. Brian Martensen as its new vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, effective Aug. 1, 2025.
Martensen comes to UW Bothell after 19 years at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he held several executive positions and was a member of the mathematics faculty. In addition to his current position as the interim executive director of the Minnesota Polytechnic and Applied Learning Institute, he also served as interim provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs and as the dean for the College of Science, Engineering & Technology.
“Dr. Martensen’s expertise in developing strategic plans will provide great perspective as we work on our next strategic plan,” said Chancellor Kristin G. Esterberg. “He understands that most critical to such an effort is developing the people, structures and processes necessary to cultivate and scale the plan before turning to ideas, actions and measures of success. I’m confident that his comprehensive approach will help drive the success of this campuswide initiative.”
Martensen is a champion of interdisciplinary programs and encourages collaboration among a variety of constituencies including faculty, staff, on- and off-campus partners, and the community-at-large. He launched MinnPoly — the first and only polytechnic institute in Minnesota — in 2023 to advance a key component of MSU’s strategic plan to connect faculty and students to external partners through experiential learning and applied research.
In 2024, MinnPoly received the Excellence in Curriculum Programming Award by the Minnesota State System for its Integrated Science and Technology degree that allows flexible pathways to interdisciplinary and emerging fields. The degree was in response to industry input on the need for broadly trained graduates.
“UW Bothell is poised to become a model university of transformative higher education,” Martensen said. “I am beyond thrilled to be joining the leadership team.”
Martensen received his degrees in Mathematics: his bachelor’s from the University of Texas at Austin and his master’s and doctorate from Montana State University. In addition to MSU, he previously worked at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and the University of Texas at Austin.
