In an email to Dornsife faculty, staff and students, Provost Andrew Guzman announced Friday that Mohamed “Moh” Y. El-Naggar will serve as interim dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. His appointment is effective June 15.
El-Naggar is currently Dean’s Professor of physics and astronomy at Dornsife. He has been at USC since 2006, when he joined the department of earth sciences as a postdoctoral scholar. His faculty appointment in the department of physics and astronomy began in 2009.
El-Naggar’s work at USC has focused on biological electron transfer and energy conversion. For six years, he has led multi-university research on living electronics funded by the Department of Defense. El-Naggar has received many awards for his work and has been recognized by former President Obama.
He will replace the position left by outgoing dean Amber Miller, whose departure was announced on May 29. Miller left USC to become president of the grant-making William and Flora Hewlett Foundation after serving in her position for nearly seven years.
When El-Naggar begins his role, he will become the 23rd dean of Dornsife. Guzman said that he will work alongside El-Naggar until a permanent dean is named.