Marc Seigar, Ph.D., has been appointed the next dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), effective August 3, 2026. Seigar joins UMBC from the University of Toledo where he serves as the dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Seigar brings a strong background in academic leadership to his new role at UMBC. Prior to his leadership at the University of Toledo, he served as a rotating program director in the Division of Astronomical Sciences at the National Science Foundation and as an associate dean in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering and head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota Duluth. His administrative work has focused on developing programs that attract new students, grow research, and promote engagement and academic success through student-centered systems.
Seigar earned his Ph.D. in astrophysics from the Liverpool Astrophysics Research Institute and his bachelor of science in physics from Imperial College London. He began his career as an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
An accomplished scholar, Seigar has published more than 100 articles on galaxy structure and dynamics, supermassive black holes, and dark matter distribution in galaxies. His articles are widely cited. Seigar is the author of two books. His work has been supported by federal funding agencies including NASA and NSF, as well as private foundations.
Seigar is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and an associate of the Royal College of Science. He is also a member of the American Astronomical Society and the Sigma Xi honors society. He has served in editorial roles for journals in his field and currently serves on the editorial board of the Effective Practices for Physics Programs project, a project that is led by the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers.
Seigar succeeds William LaCourse, Ph.D., as dean of CNMS. LaCourse, who will return to the faculty following a research leave, served as CNMS dean for 15 years.