James Nagy, the Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics at Emory, has been appointed as dean of the Emory College of Arts and Sciences, effective Aug. 10, 2026, for a one-year term.
Nagy, a longtime Emory College faculty member and leader, will provide continuity and momentum through the coming academic year while the search for a long-term dean continues, according to Badia Ahad, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.
“James Nagy is widely respected across the college and university,” says Ahad. “His deep understanding of Emory’s culture, his wisdom and his steady leadership will enable the college to continue building on its strengths while we complete the national search launched this spring.”
Over the coming months, the search advisory committee co-chaired by Ahad and Robert Liu, professor in the Department of Biology, will continue working closely with search partners Isaacson, Miller to engage a larger pool of accomplished candidates and capitalize on the fall recruitment cycle.
“Emory College sits at the intellectual heart of our university,” says Ahad. “The next dean will shape the academic experience of thousands of students, strengthen one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges, support an exceptional faculty and help define Emory’s trajectory for years to come.
“As stewards of Emory’s mission and values, we are committed to identifying the right leader for this moment in the college’s history — one whose demonstrated record of success, leadership experience and creative vision best aligns with both the needs and the exceptional opportunities ahead for Emory College.”
Joseph Crespino, senior associate dean of faculty, divisional dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Jimmy Carter Professor of History, has served as interim dean since January 2026. Ahad expressed gratitude for Crespino stepping into the role at an important time and for his deep commitment to Emory College. Crespino will return to his regular duties on Aug. 7, and Nagy will begin his term on Aug. 10, with plans to return to the Department of Mathematics after taking a sabbatical at the end of his term in summer 2027.
Emory roots, focused on the future
After more than 25 years on the Emory faculty, Nagy brings deep institutional knowledge and a distinguished record of research, teaching and academic leadership to the role of dean. He is internationally recognized for his research contributions in computational and applied mathematics.
During his time as dean, Nagy will actively advance the college’s work, Ahad notes. “Jim will bring a clear focus on operational excellence, organizational effectiveness and community-building,” she says. “Working closely with the community and university leadership, he will address immediate priorities and strengthen the college’s foundation for the future.”
Nagy has taught courses spanning the undergraduate and graduate curriculum and has mentored postdoctoral scholars, PhD students and undergraduate honors students. His teaching and mentoring have been recognized with the Emory Williams Distinguished Teaching Award, the Crystal Apple Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and an Emory College Professorship for Distinguished Teaching in the Social and Natural Sciences.
Committed to shared faculty governance and service, Nagy has served as director of Graduate Studies and as a member of the Emory College Tenure and Promotion Committee; the Curriculum, Assessment and Educational Policy Committee; and the University Research Committee. For the past eight years he has served as chair of the Department of Mathematics, working closely with faculty, staff and students across the college.
“I am honored to serve as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for the coming academic year,” says Nagy. “In all my years at Emory, mentoring students and serving on the Tenure and Promotion Committee have been especially rewarding, giving me a deep appreciation for the quality of scholarship and creativity I see in our students and faculty. I look forward to building on the college’s remarkable strengths that reflect the very best of a liberal arts research university.”
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