The University of West Florida Usha Kundu, MD College of Health is welcoming David M. Bellar as the new dean of the college.
“Dr. Bellar is a highly accomplished scholar with many years of experience in health and health-related fields and we are pleased to have him join UWF,” said UWF Provost and Senior Vice President George Ellenberg. “He is well-positioned to lead the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health and develop the next generation of health professionals.”
Bellar has dedicated his career to being an educator and leader in health-focused higher education. He has built expertise in exercise science, human performance and sports nutrition research and has been awarded three U.S. patents in these fields.
Bellar plans to expand the college’s accomplishments in community engagement by assessing the needs of community partners and determining how the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health responds to those needs.
“I’m excited for the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health to grow its voice, create more community impact and expand the number of community connections,” said Bellar.
He also aims to address the shortage of healthcare professionals by generating more graduates to help meet demands in the community, state and nation.
“We need to be part of the solution by producing enough quality graduates to ensure the citizens of Northwest Florida have access to the healthcare they need,” said Bellar.
Additionally, Bellar wants to expand the College’s role in diminishing the impacts of COVID-19.
“In a post-pandemic world, every academic unit in the College of Health—from medical laboratory sciences, to psychology, to health system administration, to nursing, to public health—all have an important part to play in positively impacting public health,” he said.
Bellar came to UWF from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he was a professor and chair in the Department of Applied Physiology, Health and Clinical Sciences. He is a fellow of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the American College of Sports Medicine and a research fellow of the Society of Health and Physical Educators. He has held leadership positions within the American Kinesiology Association, USA Track and Field, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He currently serves as the inaugural co-editor of the Journal of Health and Physical Literacy. He is also an associate editor for Sport and Exercise Nutrition for Frontiers in Nutrition and Frontier in Sport and Active Living.
Bellar holds a doctorate degree in exercise physiology, a master of education degree and a bachelor’s degree in biology/life science chemistry.
Bellar’s full-time appointment began on July 1.
For more information about the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health at UWF, visit uwf.edu/coh.
