Hagan joined UCF in 1987 and is a founding faculty member of CREOL, UCF’s renowned Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers. Since December 2019, he has served as the college’s interim dean and was previously an associate dean for academic programs.
As dean, Hagan will direct efforts to advance the college’s world-class excellence in optics, lasers, and photonics, particularly in research, education, and industry partnerships. Hagan’s appointment concludes an intensive search process for the successor of former Dean Bahaa E.A. Saleh, who led the college for a decade before returning to the faculty.
Hagan has been a major influence in shaping curriculum in the college and is highly accomplished in teaching and research. Aside from being a Pegasus Professor, which is the highest distinction a faculty member can earn at UCF, Hagan is a SPIE Fellow, an OSA Fellow, and a senior member of the IEEE Photonics Society.
Hagan earned his bachelor of science and his doctorate in physics at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.