WSU named Matthew Jockers as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences today after months of searching for a new leader for the school.

Jockers comes to WSU from the University of Nebraska, where he served as an associate dean for research and partnerships and a professor of English in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences, according to a WSU press release by Provost Dan Bernardo. Jockers was also the director of the Nebraska Literary Lab.

“I am incredibly honored to be joining Washington State University,” Jockers said in the release. “I am excited about the diverse range of people and disciplines in the WSU College of Arts and Sciences.”

He will begin his term as CAS dean on Aug. 1, replacing interim dean Larry Hufford, according to the release.

“Matthew Jockers has the perfect skill set to lead the next chapter in the evolution of the College of Arts and Sciences,” Bernardo said in the release. “He has extensive industry experience and possesses a strong record of scholarly accomplishment.”

WSU said last October they wanted to fill the vacancy by the middle of spring 2018.

Jockers’ research focuses on 19th and 20th century Irish and Irish-American literature, according to the release.