Eric Hegg has been recommended to serve as the next dean of Michigan State University’s College of Natural Science effective Sept. 1, 2024.
He will serve as dean designee prior to the MSU Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 6. Pending board approval, Hegg will succeed Phillip Duxbury who has served as the college’s dean since August 2018.
Hegg currently serves as associate dean for budget, planning, research and administration in the College of Natural Science, a position he has held since January 2020. Prior to that, he served for approximately seven years as the director of the MSU Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center’s business operations and as the MSU subcontract lead. He joined the MSU faculty in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2006.
“With his long history of complete commitment to the advancement and success of the College of Natural Science and its mission, and as an advocate for students, faculty, and staff in support of the mission of the college, Dr. Hegg brings broad and diverse strengths with him as he steps into this senior leadership role,” said MSU Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Thomas Jeitschko. “His expansive experience across the college and beyond, including work with other colleges and the Office of the Provost and the Office of Research and Innovation, are additional assets that will benefit both the college and the university.”
Hegg’s research is at the interface of chemistry and biochemistry, focusing on environmentally important processes, including biofuel production and enzymes involved in the global nitrogen cycle. He has authored nearly 80 manuscripts and book chapters, and his lab has been supported by a variety of federal agencies including the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, U.S. Department of Energy, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Agriculture. He has mentored nearly 100 students and postdoctoral researchers in his lab, including over 50 undergraduate students. In 2019, Hegg was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Hegg earned his doctoral degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his bachelor’s degree from Kalamazoo College.
“I am both thrilled and honored to be recommended as the next dean of the College of Natural Science,” said Hegg. “I am truly indebted to my many colleagues at MSU for their collaboration and support throughout the years, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to MSU through my service as dean, helping to advance our strategic vision and uphold our mission and values.”
