After more than eight months of searching, the University of Minnesota has picked Valery Forbes to be the new dean of the College of Biological Sciences on Thursday.

Forbes has previously been the director of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, according to a press release. She’ll begin her tenure as dean July 31, pending approval from the Board of Regents.

The New York native earned a doctorate degree in coastal oceanography and a master’s degree in marine environmental science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, the release said.

The University began its dean search in April, when former CBS dean Bob Elde announced his retirement after 19 years in the position.