Georgia Institute of Technology College of Sciences

The recently announced College of Sciences Strategic Plan: 2021-2030 has three ambitious goals at its foundation, each of which are focused on striving for excellence — in the workplace, in training and education, and in research. A trio of themes connect across the plan’s goals to guide this work and strategy: catalyze discovery and solutions, amplify the College’s impact, and build communities of excellence. Explicit in the strategic plan are expectations and goals to enhance inclusivity, equity, and diversity, especially of underrepresented groups in the College.

In January of this year, the College released a call for proposal submissions that reflect these themes and accomplish these goals. At that time, all students, staff, and faculty in the College’s community were encouraged to work in collaborative and interdisciplinary teams to submit proposals for projects.

Collective funding to achieve the proposals is provided through a generous $300,000 investment by the Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Dean's Chair. “I can think of no better use of the Sutherland Chair funds than to invest in ideas from our community. I expect this investment to pay dividends in the years ahead,” notes Susan Lozier, College of Sciences Dean and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair.

“We were gratified to receive a large number of proposals from across the College of Sciences community, including proposals led by students, staff, and faculty,” says Julia Kubanek, Associate Dean for Research in the College of Sciences, and a professor in the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “Each of the strategic plan goals are represented among the proposals we received. All proposals were group efforts, and many represented interests from members of different academic programs and schools within our college. Among the proposals received, members of all six of our schools participated.”

“These projects and programs will lay the groundwork for meeting the goals of our strategic plan,” Kubanek adds. The dozen new projects include team-building efforts for collaborative research, staff professional development, recruitment of underrepresented minorities into academic programs and postdoctoral training, and several other initiatives:

Astrobiology Program
PI (Principal Investigator): Jennifer Glass, associate professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Research (Astrobiology); Communities of Excellence

Center for Microbial Dynamics & Infection Postdoctoral Recruitment Program
Co-PIs: Sam Brown, professor in the School of Biological Sciences and Marvin Whiteley, professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech Bennie H. and Nelson D. Abell Chair in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, and Co-Director, Emory-Children’s CF Center (CF@LANTA)
Research (Microbial Dynamics and Infections); Communities of Excellence; Diversity/Inclusion (Historically Underrepresented Groups)

Deliberate Innovation in Undergraduate Biology
PI: Chrissy Spencer, senior academic professional in the School of Biological Sciences
Education/Training; Amplify Impact

Empowering Strengths-Based College of Sciences Team Members
PI: Christie Stewart, academic professional in the School of Biological Sciences
Communities of Excellence

ENTANGLED (Graduate Students in Quantum Sciences)
PI: Martin Mourigal, associate professor in the School of Physics
Research (Quantum systems); Education/Training; Communities of Excellence

Georgia Tech Summer Research Academy (SRA)
PI: Shania Khatri, undergraduate research assistant and Stamps President's Scholar in the School of Biological Sciences
Education/Training; Undergraduate Recruitment; Communities of Excellence; Diversity/Inclusion

Initiative for Living Dynamic Systems
Co-PIs: Simon Sponberg, Dunn Family Associate Professor of Physics and Biological Sciences and Daniel Goldman, Dunn Family Professor of Physics
Research (Physics of Movement); Growing Faculty Leadership; Communities of Excellence

Strategic Development at the Interface of Human and Environmental Health
Co-PIs: Joshua Weitz, Patton Distinguished Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and co-director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences and Greg Gibson, Patton Distinguished Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Director of the Center for Integrative Genomics, and Genome Analysis core of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience
Research; Growing Faculty Leadership; Communities of Excellence

Nucleating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Collaborations in the College of Sciences
PI: Roman Grigoriev, professor in the School of Physics
Research (Data Science); Growing Faculty Leadership; Communities of Excellence

Project Potty Parity
PI: Mike Schatz, interim chair and professor in the School of Physics
Communities of Excellence; Diversity/Inclusion

Staff Advisory Council Strategic Plan Proposal
PI: Kathy Sims, development assistant in the College of Sciences, chair of the College of Sciences Staff Advisory Council, and member of the College of Sciences Task Force for Racial Equity
Communities of Excellence

Urban Heat Islands
PI: Kim Cobb, Georgia Power Chair, ADVANCE Professor, and Director of the Global Change Program at Georgia Tech
Research (Climate science); Education/training; Communities of Excellence; Diversity/Inclusion

Learn more about the College of Sciences Strategic Plan: 2021-2030 and coordinating Implementation Guide.

Julia Kubanek, professor of biological sciences and chemistry and biochemistry, and associate dean for Research in Georgia Tech’s College of Sciences, has been named vice president for Interdisciplinary Research (VPIR). Kubanek will assume the role on July 1.

“I am very pleased to announce Julia Kubanek as the next vice president for Interdisciplinary Research,” said Chaouki T. Abdallah, executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech. “In her long and lauded career at Tech, she has proven herself an exemplary educator and leader who is committed to excellence in scholarship, and to building partnerships that grow collaborative research across the Institute.”

Kubanek joined Georgia Tech as an assistant professor in the School of Biology and the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry in 2001. She was named an associate professor in 2006, and professor in 2011. In that time, she also served as the associate chair of the School of Biology from 2009 to 2011. Kubanek has served as the associate dean for Research in the College of Sciences since 2014.

In her role as associate dean for Research, Kubanek was part of the leadership team that helped shepherd substantial research growth in the College of Sciences, including the enhancement of research opportunities and infrastructure for faculty and students. Kubanek supported the collaborative interests of faculty and students by organizing and hosting cross-disciplinary workshops, including with the Oak Ridge National Lab. Her work also included career development workshops for early career academic and research faculty; guidance to faculty looking to launch new collaborative projects; and one-on-one mentoring of faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students.

“With 20 years at Tech, I know this institution is filled with faculty, staff, and students who want to drive life-changing research in ways they cannot achieve alone,” Kubanek said. “In a supportive, collaborative, and interdisciplinary environment, I believe the creative, promising research visions of our Georgia Tech researchers can grow to international prominence and improve people’s lives and the health of our planet.”

The VPIR is responsible for ensuring the effective and strategic administration of interdisciplinary research and activities, including the Interdisciplinary Research Institutes, the Interdisciplinary Research Centers, the Pediatric Technology Center, the Georgia Center for Medical Innovation, and the Novelis Innovation Hub. The role has been filled on an interim basis since February by Devesh Ranjan, associate chair for Research, Ring Family Chair, and professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.

“I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Devesh Ranjan, who has expertly served in the role of interim VPIR and will continue to do so until June 30, providing critical continuity and leadership,” Abdallah said. “Thank you, too, to our search chair Rob Butera, professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering, and vice president for Research Development and Operations, and the search committee who reviewed an exceptional field of candidates.”

Kubanek’s publications and grants have been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, industry, and national labs, as well as state agencies and foundations. Her educational and scientific contributions have seen her recognized for teaching excellence and mentoring by her students and colleagues, as well as accolades from national boards and associations. She is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, as well as the National Science Foundation CAREER award, among many others.

Kubanek’s research focus has included aquatic chemical ecology, chemical signaling, chemical communication, chemoreception, chemical biology, marine natural products chemistry, secondary metabolism, drug discovery, and metabolomics. She has mentored and advised more than 90 students and postdocs and has published more than 100 papers in journals and conferences. Kubanek received a B.Sc. in chemistry from Queen's University and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of British Columbia.

Jennifer Leavey and Carrie Shepler have accepted appointments as assistant deans in the College of Sciences Dean’s Office at the Georgia Institute of Technology effective July 1, 2021.

Leavey, named assistant dean for Faculty Mentoring in the College, also serves as principal academic professional in the School of Biological Sciences, director of the Georgia Tech Urban Honey Bee Project, and coordinator of the College’s educational activities related to science and sustainability.

"I look forward to helping faculty connect with others who will help them grow professionally and removing barriers that might be limiting their success,” Leavey shares. “I have benefitted from a number of excellent mentors in my 16 years on campus, and I hope to help others develop similar relationships."

Shepler joins the Dean’s Office as assistant dean for Teaching Effectiveness in the College, also serves as principal academic professional ​focusing primarily on undergraduate program initiatives in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, where she has directed the first-year chemistry program and other instructional activities.

“I am so excited that the College has chosen to emphasize its educational mission through the creation of this new role,” Shepler says. “I have always identified professionally as a teacher above all else, and it is a privilege to have the opportunity to share that passion on this scale.”

Through their roles as assistant deans, Leavey and Shepler join Laura Cadonati (newly appointed associate dean of Research for the College of Sciences, also effective July 1) in cultivating faculty members to develop and sustain excellence in scholarship and research, as well as creating an environment in which innovation, entrepreneurship, and public service are fundamental characteristics of graduates of the College.

Their collaborative leadership will execute key components of the College’s new strategic plan — focused on catalyzing discovery and solutions, amplifying impact, and building communities of excellence across the workplace, education and training, and research endeavors — to realize our shared mission and vision.

"The Dean’s Office is truly excited to have Jennifer and Carrie joining our team," says Matt Baker, associate dean for Faculty Development in the College. “Their talent, experience, and enthusiasm will allow the College of Sciences to tackle important problems that we’ve never previously had the bandwidth to address.”

Meet Jennifer Leavey

After graduating from Georgia Tech with a bachelor’s in chemistry in 1995, Leavey received her Ph.D. in immunology and molecular pathogenesis at Emory University.  After conducting research fellowships in cellular immunology at the University of Georgia and Emory University, she joined the School of Biology (now the School of Biological Sciences) at Georgia Tech as an academic professional.

She has taken a leading role in the growth of the College of Sciences Explore Living Learning Community, serving as its faculty director. She has also developed innovative vertically-integrated projects (VIPs) including Living Building Science, which is based on the science around the Kendeda Building, and STEMComm, which promotes scientific communication through creative media about recent scientific discoveries and engineering innovations. Leavey has also served as director of the Bee-INSPIRED summer undergraduate research program at Georgia Tech.

Leavey has been recognized through a number of awards, including the Institute's Innovation in Co-curricular Education Award (2014) and the Class of 1940 W. Roane Beard Outstanding Teacher Award (2012). She has also served as principal investigator of multiyear awards to support undergraduate experiential learning from both the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Meet Carrie Shepler

Shepler received her bachelor’s in chemistry and communication arts from Georgetown College in Kentucky, and completed her Ph.D. in environmental radiochemistry at Washington State University. Before joining the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech, she held instructional roles at Washington State and at the University of Georgia as a Franklin Teaching Post-Doctoral Fellow.

Shepler is the recipient of several awards including the College’s Eric R. Immel Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching (2016) and the Institute's Class of 1940 W. Roane Beard Outstanding Teacher Award (2011).

"Carrie is widely recognized for her dedication to students and excellence in instruction," says David Collard, senior associate dean in the College of Sciences (CoS). "The creation of the assistant dean position to focus on teaching effectiveness has its origins in the recommendations of a CoS cohort of Provost's Teaching and Learning Fellows a couple of years ago,” he explains. “I can think of no one better than Carrie to lead the development of a robust program of peer-led review of instruction that fosters faculty development."

About the College of Sciences

The College of Sciences cultivates curiosity, encourages exploration, and fosters innovation to develop scientific solutions for a better world. Our connected community of scientists and mathematicians collaborates across disciplines and challenges to achieve excellence in science, teaching, and research. Working across six internationally ranked schools with the brightest young minds in our fields, we mentor future leaders to identify and push the frontiers of human knowledge, imagination, and innovation.

We nurture scientifically curious students by offering diverse educational and research experiences. As an internationally recognized, preeminent institution in the sciences and mathematics, we help students build empowering foundations in the sciences and mathematics — educating and preparing the next generation of scientists who will create the technologies of the future.

Most of the disciplines within our six schools — Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology — are ranked in the top 10%. We organize ourselves in multidisciplinary research neighborhoods to promote broad exchange of ideas. We also offer exciting opportunities for students to engage in research, and train with top professors in chosen fields.

Our internationally recognized senior faculty and an extraordinarily talented group of junior faculty are genuinely concerned about undergraduate and graduate education, and they bring the excitement of new discoveries in the research laboratory to the classroom. The quality of the faculty and the curriculum, combined with new state-of-the-art facilities and a low student to faculty ratio, ensure the excellent educational opportunities available to our students.

About Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institute of Technology, or Georgia Tech, is a top 10 public research university developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.

The Institute offers business, computing, design, engineering, liberal arts, and sciences degrees. Its nearly 40,000 students, representing 50 states and 149 countries, study at the main campus in Atlanta, at campuses in France and China, and through distance and online learning.

As a leading technological university, Georgia Tech is an engine of economic development for Georgia, the Southeast, and the nation, conducting more than $1 billion in research annually for government, industry, and society.

Laura Cadonati has been appointed as the new associate dean for Research in the College of Sciences (CoS) Dean’s Office at the Georgia Institute of Technology effective July 1, 2021.

Cadonati serves as a professor in the School of Physics and as director of the Center for Relativistic Astrophysics at Georgia Tech.

“I am delighted to welcome Laura to the CoS Dean’s Office,” says Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair. “She is an accomplished researcher and educator whose breadth of experience will be invaluable to the College. I am looking forward to working with Laura in the years ahead on supporting and highlighting the amazing research across the College — and on the implementation of the research component of our CoS strategic plan.”

Cadonati received her Ph.D. in physics from Princeton University in 2001. She joined the Center for Relativistic Astrophysics (CRA) at Georgia Tech in January 2015 from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and was appointed director of the CRA in July 2020.

“I am honored by the trust the College of Sciences is placing in me,” Cadonati shares, “and I look forward to supporting our faculty in all the ways necessary to advance their research to new levels — and deepening our College’s scientific impact on our campus and in society as a whole.”

As associate dean for Research, Cadonati will focus on cultivating College of Sciences faculty members to develop and sustain excellence in scholarship and research, as well as creating an environment in which innovation, entrepreneurship, and public service are fundamental characteristics of graduates of the College.

She will coordinate the research enterprise and agenda for the College and its stakeholders, and will foster the College’s leadership in developing scientific solutions for a better world.

Cadonati will also focus on identifying new research opportunities, encouraging research collaborations, facilitating partnerships among faculty both within and outside of the Institute, and will execute on the College’s new strategic plan to realize our shared mission and vision.

In addition to a continued embrace of fundamental science, Cadonati will focus on cross-cutting and convergent scientific directions to guide the College’s research investments, specifically elevating the following ongoing initiatives within the six schools of the College:

• Quantum systems including quantum materials, quantum computing, and quantum information science
• Neuroscience, physics of movement, and robotics
• Microbial dynamics and infection, evolution, astrobiology, and the origins of life
• Planetary sciences and astrophysics
• Data science that harnesses machine learning and artificial intelligence to spur the data revolution in the sciences
• Climate science, biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and global change

Cadonati’s own research interests include gravitational waves and particle astrophysics. She has published and co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, has presented a number of lectures and invited seminars, and has held leadership positions in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), including leading its data analysis and astrophysics division at the time of the discovery of gravitational waves — which led to the 2017 Nobel prize in Physics to the founders of the project. As deputy spokesperson for the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, she has facilitated collaborations between LIGO and its partners, including astronomers and particle observatories around the world.

Cadonati is a fellow of the American Physical Society and is a recipient of the prestigious NSF CAREER (Faculty Early Career Development Program) award. She is an associate editor for the European Journal of Physics and also serves on several advisory boards.

In 2018, she received the Institute’s Outstanding Faculty Research Author Award, which recognizes “faculty who most contributed to highly impactful publications describing the results of research conducted at Georgia Tech during the period January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2017” for her work and achievements in ushering the era of multi-messenger gravitational-wave astronomy. 

Cadonati is joined in the College of Sciences Dean’s Office by Jennifer Leavey and Carrie Shepler, who recently accepted appointments as assistant deans in the College, also effective July 1, 2021.

About the College of Sciences

The College of Sciences cultivates curiosity, encourages exploration, and fosters innovation to develop scientific solutions for a better world. Our connected community of scientists and mathematicians collaborates across disciplines and challenges to achieve excellence in science, teaching, and research. Working across six internationally ranked schools with the brightest young minds in our fields, we mentor future leaders to identify and push the frontiers of human knowledge, imagination, and innovation.

We nurture scientifically curious students by offering diverse educational and research experiences. As an internationally recognized, preeminent institution in the sciences and mathematics, we help students build empowering foundations in the sciences and mathematics — educating and preparing the next generation of scientists who will create the technologies of the future.

Most of the disciplines within our six schools — Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology — are ranked in the top 10%. We organize ourselves in multidisciplinary research neighborhoods to promote broad exchange of ideas. We also offer exciting opportunities for students to engage in research, and train with top professors in chosen fields.

Our internationally recognized senior faculty and an extraordinarily talented group of junior faculty are genuinely concerned about undergraduate and graduate education, and they bring the excitement of new discoveries in the research laboratory to the classroom. The quality of the faculty and the curriculum, combined with new state-of-the-art facilities and a low student to faculty ratio, ensure the excellent educational opportunities available to our students.

About Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institute of Technology, or Georgia Tech, is a top 10 public research university developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.

The Institute offers business, computing, design, engineering, liberal arts, and sciences degrees. Its nearly 40,000 students, representing 50 states and 149 countries, study at the main campus in Atlanta, at campuses in France and China, and through distance and online learning.

As a leading technological university, Georgia Tech is an engine of economic development for Georgia, the Southeast, and the nation, conducting more than $1 billion in research annually for government, industry, and society.

Georgia Tech continues to take a multipronged approach to preventing and mitigating the risk of coronavirus as more students, faculty, and staff return to campus this fall. Without question, the vaccine offers the best defense against the pandemic, and, if you have not done so, we urge you to consult with a medical professional and consider getting vaccinated now. Doing so at Tech is easy and free.

Additionally, all students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate each week in our free asymptomatic surveillance testing program, even if you have been fully vaccinated. We especially urge those who have not yet been vaccinated to get tested weekly. Find campus testing sites and locations.

Beginning today, Georgia Tech is introducing new rewards to encourage individuals to get vaccinated and test weekly:

• All students, faculty, and staff who get vaccinated at Stamps Health Services or participate in our campus surveillance testing program between now and end of day September 30, 2021, will be entered into a drawing to receive a $50 Barnes & Noble at Georgia Tech gift card. 350 individuals will be randomly selected the following week to each receive a gift card.
• Additionally, all students, faculty, and staff vaccinated on campus between now and end of day September 10, 2021, will also receive a $20 Barnes & Noble at Georgia Tech gift card.
• Through September 10, more than 1,000 $5 coupons for local restaurants, 350 limited edition Georgia Tech Athletics t-shirts, and several helmets and footballs signed by Coach Geoff Collins will also be distributed at random to campus test sites and vaccine clinics.
• Cookie drops continue at test sites, along with stickers at test sites and vaccine clinics.

If you are unvaccinated, you are at risk of contracting Covid-19 and infecting others, with potentially severe consequences for you or someone else. Please seek medical advice from your healthcare provider or a member of our Stamps Health Services team, led by Dr. Ben Holton, if you have doubts or concerns about getting vaccinated.

Like you, we want this academic year to be as safe as possible. The best way to achieve that outcome is for every member of the campus community to get vaccinated and continue to test weekly.

College of Sciences Dean and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair Susan Lozier is also the President of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) — yet she shares that while studying in graduate school, she never would have predicted that she would end up serving in these roles.

“I definitely experienced the imposter syndrome in my early career,” she shares. “I remember going through graduate school thinking that once I took my final exams — then they’d figure out that I don't know anything.”

It turns out she knew much more than she gave herself credit for. At the University of Washington, she received a master's degree in chemical engineering before becoming the first woman to graduate from the University’s physical oceanography doctoral program.

“I was a couple of weeks away from my first child’s birth when I defended my Ph.D. After my exam, a member of my committee said to me, ‘So sorry to see you're pregnant, because I was hoping you would have a career in science.’ Though taken aback, I said, ‘Well, I certainly plan to have that career.’ At that time it was still rare for women in academia to have children."

Following graduation, Lozier began her postdoctoral studies at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where she met her close friend and research partner, Amy Bower. Together, the pair supported each other on research endeavors and learned how to navigate a male-dominated field with few female mentors and colleagues.

While at Woods Hole, Bower was the first person that Lozier wrote a proposal with, and the two were in the first generation of women to complete postdocs at Woods Hole.

“When I started my postdoc, most of the women who worked on the technical side were data analysts, referred to as ‘data dollies’,” remembers Lozier. “For more than a century before my generation started careers in science, women entered science more or less through the side or back door, meaning that they worked in labs as assistants to the head of the research lab and then worked their way up from there. My generation, or actually the generation before me, was the first generation of women that were coming in the front door, leading their own research from the start.”

Lozier also highlights the fact that even though women were often restricted in the roles they could hold in the scientific endeavor, they were nonetheless able to make some remarkable discoveries. She recommends the non-fiction book “The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars” by Dava Sobel for anyone interested in learning more about the history of women in science during the early 20th century.

As detailed in the book, Lozier explains, “women working at the Harvard Observatory at the time were considered too fragile to be outside at night looking through the telescope. So, their job was to analyze the data in the daylight hours and, in time, the patterns revealed by the data led these women to some remarkable discoveries.”

Reflecting on the opportunities that helped with her personal success and achievement, Lozier shares that the support of mentors and friends was paramount. This reflection struck her while serving on a National Science Foundation panel to review proposals from early career researchers.

“I was looking at all the proposals that were coming in from early career scientists, and of those that were coming in, women were not faring very well, compared to those coming in from male scientists,” she says. “And I realized that while the proposals from early career male scientists — in this case oceanographers — were mostly written in collaboration with a more senior scientist, the proposals from the female early career scientists were not. These young women were the sole investigators on their proposals.”

This realization became the impetus for Lozier to create the Mentoring Physical Oceanography to Increase Retention (MPOWIR) program, which established a mentoring network of physical oceanographers across the country to support and advance the careers of young women in the field. She received funding from five separate federal agencies to launch and maintain the program.

“From my own experience it was obvious that young women entering the field did not have a network of mentors. And then I read studies at the time confirming my own experience, namely that there was an asymmetry in the collaboration and mentoring network for men and women. It was at the time just much harder for junior women to establish networks because they did not arise organically.”

Though Lozier has since passed the leadership of MPOWIR onto other individuals, she shares that she is incredibly proud of the program’s success in advancing the careers of women in oceanography.

Carrying the tradition of mentorship — at Georgia Tech and beyond

As dean of the College of Sciences, Lozier’s work is focused on leading, guiding, and mentoring students, staff, and faculty members — along with leading AGU and the NSF-funded OSNAP: Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program. Her passion for removing barriers to success translates to her goal of fostering an inclusive and equitable culture at Georgia Tech — and beyond.

“One of the things that attracted me to Georgia Tech, and one that I remain very committed to today, is attracting a more diverse student body,” she says. Lozier came to Georgia Tech in September 2019 from Duke University, where she served in various leadership roles including department chair, faculty senate chair, vice provost for strategic planning, co-chair of Duke’s effort to reimagine graduate education, and as the Ronie-Richele Garcia-Johnson Distinguished Professor of Earth and Ocean Sciences in the Nicholas School of the Environment.

With this goal of increasing representative enrollments in mind, Lozier recognized the importance of first cultivating a community with a strong focus on diversity and inclusivity at Tech. “Before you are able to attract a more diverse student body, you have to make sure that the community they're coming into is one that is attractive. Otherwise, you can’t retain people.”

Lozier created the College of Sciences Task Force on Racial Equity in June 2020 and charged the committee members to propose actionable and sustainable steps to identify and overcome racial inequity in the College of Sciences (CoS).

“The Task Force on Racial Equality was given two charges. The first one was: how do we build a community where everyone — staff, students and faculty — feels as though they belong? And the second charge was: how do we attract more people of color to this community? I truly believe a more diverse community leads to excellence in teaching and research.”

Lozier has also placed a strong emphasis on ways that scientific discoveries can apply to modern challenges through invention and innovation.

“I'm focused on providing faculty the support they need to work collaboratively on pathways that lead from discovery to solution,” she says.

Lozier also highlights the impact that the pandemic has had on all members of the CoS community and the unique challenges it’s presented to the College and our campus community.

She compares the early, rapid shift to online work to her experience of climbing, one of her passions during graduate school. "At the start of the pandemic, it felt as though I was with a climbing team headed up a mountain and then we somehow lost the map. But adventure in the face of hardship is where strong and trusting relationships are formed — people come together when times are tough to figure out the next steps.”

And back in spring 2020, at the beginning of teleworking and remote teaching and learning, she immediately saw a need to increase communication and create channels for conversation and community support.

“I realized early on that it was better to over communicate than under communicate,” she says. In March, she began writing weekly letters to the College of Sciences staff to share news updates and personal reflections. “I attached a photo of whatever was blooming in my garden and shared news of celebrations in my own life, such as when my mother was vaccinated. And I also started weekly (virtual) drop-ins. These drop-ins are now twice a month for staff and monthly for faculty. I didn’t have these communication pathways on my radar screen before the pandemic, but once we all started sheltering in place, I realized the importance of communication and understood that it needed to be more often — and needed to be more personal.”

Lozier also focuses on the importance of forming one-on-one connections with staff, students, and faculty. She adds that, ultimately, elevating members of the community is her primary passion and the most fulfilling part of her role as dean.

“The most important thing about the College is that at its heart, it is all about people, their ideas and their contributions. Elevating those ideas, and helping people realize their potential — that brings me immense professional and personal satisfaction.”

And in connection with those goals of advancing the representation, stories, and voices of others, Lozier sees International Day of the Girl, marked by the UN each October 11, as an opportunity to share her own story in STEM — and to amplify and advocate for women and girls in STEM around the globe.

As leader of OSNAP (NSF-funded subpolar North Atlantic observing system), Lozier adds that she is proud that the consortium has women from seven different countries representing half of the project’s overall members.

 “When I started as a graduate student, it was very rare to have even a female chief scientist. So, it's remarkably different when I go to conferences now, where half of the speakers are women. Over the course of my career, I've seen quite a change — from when women data analysts were called 'data dollies’ to now, where women are chief scientists, leaders of their organizations, and heading up ocean observing systems. It is amazing to me that my field of physical oceanography now has such a strong representation of women. I know though that there is work to do to bring more underrepresented groups into oceanography. In order for our field to thrive, we must be more fully diverse.”

And finally, Lozier encourages people to use October 11^th to learn more about global and local opportunities to advance women and girls.

“I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to think about they can do individually and collectively to advance the education of women and girls across the globe. We all have a responsibility to make sure that doors of opportunity are open to everyone.”

Celebrating Hispanic and Latinx Heritage:

September 15 to October 15 is also National Hispanic Heritage Month, which celebrates the contributions and influence of Hispanic and Latinx individuals in all aspects of American life – history, culture, and achievements. Learn more and get involved with Georgia Tech’s Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month celebrations here.

We recently asked several Hispanic and Latinx faculty in the College of Sciences — and one alumnus, who now serves as our Institute’s President — to share some of their early school day stories, the reasons they chose to study science, and their thoughts on the importance of representation in STEM classes and leadership in higher education.

Read Q&As with Ángel Cabrera, Frances Rivera-Hernández, Facundo Fernández and Carlos Silva-Acuña about early school days, why they chose to study science, and their perspectives on the importance of representation in classrooms, labs, and leadership in higher education here.

Related reading:
The School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech is now an official member of the American Chemical Society’s Bridge Program, which aims to boost the number of underrepresented minority M.S. and Ph.D. students in the discipline. Learn more about that program here; get involved with the College of Sciences Racial Equity Taskforce, Faculty Diversity Council, Graduate Student Diversity Council, and campus organizations for math and science students; and read more community stories on heritage and representation here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera isn’t just the first native of Spain to lead an American university. He’s also just one of a handful of Hispanic and Latinx leaders to serve as presidents of major U.S. institutions of higher education.

“It’s not a big group,” he says. “The President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is from Venezuela. The President of the University of Miami is Mexican, and actually served in the Mexican government as Minister of Health. Then there are a few others. It’s not many of us, but there is a small group.”

That story echoes in historical Hispanic and Latinx faculty representation in higher education in the U.S., and in teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) courses in K-12. 

And although the number of Hispanic and Latinx students enrolled in colleges and universities has also steadily increased over the past several generations, national representation for this cohort also remains below their share in the U.S. population. “It’s far less in science and engineering majors,” Cabrera adds. “That’s the key. We tend to be under-indexed in engineering and computing, and most of the scientific disciplines.”

That’s why Cabrera values the importance of having Hispanic and Latinx faculty spend time in the community, showing students in grade school that people like them — with similar surnames, backgrounds, and stories — can be scientists, engineers, even university presidents. 

And at Georgia Tech, the overall number of Hispanic and Latinx students is on the rise, thanks in large part to sustained initiatives across campus, along with a number of mentoring and outreach efforts led by faculty, staff, students, and alumni advocates. Hispanic and Latinx enrollment recently topped 3,500 at Tech — 500 more than the 2020-21 school year — making up nearly 14% of the undergraduate student body. 

Cabrera’s parents weren’t able to go college, but he found a mentor in his uncle as he was growing up in Madrid. “We always looked up to him. He was a great uncle, but also super smart. He was the guy we would call when we had a tough math problem in school. And as I realized that, hey, I’m good at this math stuff, he was always my role model. That’s why I decided to become an engineer.”

Cabrera received a telecommunications engineering degree (equivalent to an B.S. and M.S. in Electrical and Computing Engineering) from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. He then received a Fulbright Scholarship to attend graduate school at Georgia Tech. That’s when he decided to switch to Cognitive Psychology, and received a Ph.D. in that discipline from the School of Psychology in the College of Sciences.

What did Hispanic representation look like at Georgia Tech when you were here from 1991-95?

Not great. I don't recall a single Hispanic professor in Psychology nor any another graduate student. There were a few graduate students in the College of Computing and one faculty member, Norberto Ezquerra, with whom I did some work at the Graphics Visualization and Usability center. But yeah, there was not great representation. I think Georgia Tech had always had a reasonable number of Puerto Rican students and international students from Latin American countries. There was a good community for that, but on the faculty side, very rare.

Given your experience, what can and should be done to get more Hispanic and Latinx students in STEM classes in higher education?

Well, first of all, why it is important that we do that? We have a clear mission to educate leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. And that requires that people of all backgrounds be included. We simply cannot respond to the issues of our society if different perspectives are not represented at Georgia Tech. We have a responsibility to make sure that everybody's at the table. 

And right now, not just at Georgia Tech but in general — maybe less so in biology — but in physics, math, and definitely computing and most engineering fields — women are underrepresented, Black students are underrepresented, and Hispanic students are underrepresented. And clearly, what the consequences for that will be is technologies and products that don't necessarily respond to every one’s needs. There are plenty of examples of that. Take for example face recognition software, which is notorious for failing with people with dark skins, or machine learning applications that have managed to incorporate many of our society’s stereotypes and prejudices. 

I think, because we are one of the leading technological universities in the country, and because we're large, we not only have the opportunity, but we have the responsibility to lead and to figure out ways to change that reality. It's a complex problem with a complex set of causes and solutions. Clearly, we need to improve the number of faculty from different backgrounds. If you don't see it, you can't be it, you can't become it. 

There is a piece of that which has to do with training Latino teachers in K-12, increasing representation in our faculty. We know it works — giving students early experiences, bringing them to Georgia Tech, like in Project Engages, for example. And also, all the work that CEISMIC (Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing) does. CEISMIC, by the way, started off in the College of Sciences, then became institute-wide. 

That’s the kind of work that we know has an impact — showing up in high schools, training teachers, providing students with a very direct experience. If you haven't been exposed at home — in most cases, it’s having an opportunity to see someone like yourself. Those are the things that can make a difference.

Same question, but let’s make it about faculty. What can and should be done to increase Hispanic and Latinx faculty in higher education?

We have experience with similar programs. We have a program called Focus. Its goal is to bring college students from underrepresented communities, and engage them in a conversation with minority faculty, people like them who have done it, who are succeeding in engineering. And again, we know those interventions work. You just have to be intentional about that, but anything we can do to bring people to a place like Georgia Tech, to engage with peers to look at mentors, faculty members who've done it before you. We know those things work.

Is there anything else you would want faculty and students to know about Hispanic Heritage Month and how it relates to Georgia Tech’s mission?

We're very proud of the many contributions of Hispanic and Latino faculty members in the history of Georgia Tech. We now have a small but incredibly influential group of faculty members at Georgia Tech who are making a difference. And I'm really, really proud of what they're doing. Not only that, but how many of them are doubling their efforts, no matter how busy they are with their own careers. They're finding time to reach out to connect with students, to motivate others to follow suit.

I would also highlight the obvious, which is that we are at an institute that values diversity, that values different backgrounds to the point that they hired a guy like me to be president. I think that honestly goes beyond words — this is walking the talk. This is a university that values the contributions of people regardless of their background. 

In fact, the last thing I'll say is that some people sometimes think about efforts of diversity as somehow, in a way, having a negative impact on the quality of Georgia Tech. And what I've always told people is that the more diverse Georgia Tech has become throughout the decades, the more prestigious Georgia Tech has become.

It’s up to you to decide whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship there. But we've never been more diverse than we are today. We've never had the same level of brand recognition and reputation, the same level of applications, the same level of research productivity. We are the living proof that a leading university can benefit tremendously from increased diversity.

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, which celebrates the contributions and influence of Hispanic and Latinx individuals in all aspects of American life – history, culture, and achievements. 

This month, we’re asking Hispanic and Latinx faculty in the College of Sciences to share some of their early school day stories, the reasons they chose to study science, and their thoughts on the importance of representation in STEM classes and leadership in higher education.

Read Q&As with Frances Rivera-Hernández, Facundo Fernández and Carlos Silva-Acuña about early school days, why they chose to study science, and their perspectives on the importance of representation in classrooms, labs, and leadership in higher education.

Learn more and get involved with Georgia Tech’s Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month celebrations.

Related reading:
The School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech is now an official member of the American Chemical Society’s Bridge Program, which aims to boost the number of underrepresented minority M.S. and Ph.D. students in the discipline. Learn more about that program here; get involved with the College of Sciences Racial Equity Taskforce, Faculty Diversity Council, Graduate Student Diversity Council, and campus organizations for math and science students; and read more community stories on heritage and representation here, here, here, here, here, and here.

The ProofReader 2021 (Volume XIII) is now available digitally! 

Volume XIII Contents

• Meet Our Majors
• Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students
• Molei Tao's First Research Paper on Machine Learning Takes Top Honors at AI Conference
• New 'Vibrant Pack Energy Harvesters' to Harness Big Bridge Vibrations
• Meet the BOBbots
• Mayya Zhilova Receives NSF Career Award
• Two SoM Faculty Invited to Speak at JMM
• Dan Margalit Awarded the AMS Conant Prize
• Events
• College of Sciences Announces Inaugural Staff Advisory Council
• SoM Faculty, Students, Staff Honored in 2020 Georgia Tech Faces of Inclusive Excellence
• Awards
• Student Awards
• Recent Promotions in SoM
• Featured Article: What's New in the Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology
• External News

Check out the full edition online at:
https://math.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/images/proofreader2021.pdf

Find all the ProofReaders on our SoM ProofReader webpage:
https://math.gatech.edu/proofreader

Congratulations to the School of Mathematics' 2021 Faces of Inclusive Excellence:

Faces of Inclusive Excellence recognizes faculty, staff, and students whose accomplishments in their research, teaching, leadership and/or service endeavors have earned special awards or recognition (e.g. career promotion, publication of research, books, articles, grant awards, and service recognition citations) during the previous academic year.

https://diversity.gatech.edu/facesofinclusiveexcellence

Wenjing Liao, Assistant Professor, School of Mathematics: Won a National Science Foundation (NSF) award in deep neural networks for structured data as a principal investigator in 2020, representing the third NSF award and fourth award overall she has won since becoming an assistant professor at Tech in 2017.

Stephanie Reikes, Lecturer, School of Mathematics: Received the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) Undergraduate Educator Award in 2021 for contributions supporting at-risk students. Actively fosters classroom en­vironments in which diversity and inclusion are respected by all.

Mayya Zhilova, Assistant Professor, School of Mathematics: Recipient of the 2021 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program Award for research in statistical analysis, outreach, and mentorship plans for students and high schoolers from underrepresented communities.

The full list is also on the SoM and CoS site - please see below for list of all CoS recipients.

College of Sciences Faculty, Staff Honored at 2021 Diversity Symposium

It’s Homecoming week at Georgia Tech, but with Halloween coming this weekend, there are other ways to get into the spirit of the season.

If you’re looking for Halloween fun or just a way to unwind, stop by one of these campus events this week.

SCPC Homecoming Carnival

Tuesday, Oct. 26

Noon – 3 p.m.

Tech Green

Enjoy food, activities, and fun, including fall carnival treats like apple cider, caramel apples, fried Oreos, and popcorn! There will be inflatable games and the event is free.

HSOC Society Presents: HCON 2021

Tuesday, Oct. 26

5 p.m.

Old Civil Engineering Building Patio

The History and Sociology Society hosts its annual HCON historical costume event. Stop by for fun, costumes, and free food from the Halal Guys. RSVP is requested to account for food: visit gatech.campuslabs.com/engage/event/7513210.

Halloween Holla 5K

Oct. 27 – 31

At the Campus Recreation Center and Online

Though advanced registration is sold out, participants can still don a costume and participate virtually all week long. The course will run along the newly-refurbished Tyler Brown Pi Mile trail on campus.

Neuroscience Paint and Sip

Wednesday, Oct. 27

6 – 7 p.m.

Room 098, Weber SST III

The Neuroscience Club hosts a brain-themed paint and sip event. Attendees will paint a neuro-themed piece of art and enjoy “brain juice.” RSVP to attend.

Kwaidan Film Screening

Wednesday, Oct. 27

6 – 8 p.m.

Room 115, Swann Building

The Japanese program in the School of Modern Languages will celebrate Halloween with a showing of Kwaidan, a horror anthology based on four well-known Japanese ghost stories. Two stories from the anthology (about an hour and a half) will be shown. There will also be a trivia contest on the movie and general Japanese horror trivia following the film. The winner will receive a box of Japanese candy.

Crafting With the Women’s Resource Center

Thursday, Oct. 28

11 am. – 3 p.m.

LGBTQIA Resource Center

The Women’s and LGBTQIA Resource Centers host a crafting event and Harry Potter movie marathon all day on Thursday.

Wicked Design and Pumpkin Ramble

Thursday, Oct. 28

6 – 8:30 p.m.

West Architecture Courtyard

Design a mask or costume or carve a pumpkin at this event from the School of Industrial Design.

SCPC Presents: Scratches, Scars, and Scabs!

Thursday, Oct. 28

7:30 – 11 p.m.

Midtown V, Exhibition Hall

Take a dive into Halloween makeup and special effects. All supplies will be provided, but attendees must register for a ticket at bit.ly/campustickets. Wearing your spooky costume is encouraged.

TV Marathon

Friday, Oct. 29

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

LGBTQIA Resource Center

The LGBTQIA Resource Center will show Stranger Things (or another spooky TV show) all day on Friday. Stop by the center in the Smithgall Student Services (Flag) Building.

Trick or Tree Tour

Sunday, Oct 31

1 – 2 p.m.

Einstein Statue at Tech Green

Trailblazers hosts a Halloween-themed walk around campus to learn about the beautiful trees in our own backyard. RSVP on Engage.

Night at the Haunted Mansion

Sunday, Oct. 31

7 p.m.

The Historic Academy of Medicine

Join SCPC at the Historic Academy of Medicine for a night of frights. Come in your best Halloween costume and be spooked in the haunted maze and escape rooms, go trick-or-treating, and participate in a costume contest. Tickets are free but required; reserve a ticket at bit.ly/campustickets.

Pumpkin Drop

Friday, Nov. 5

3 – 4 p.m.

Howey Physics Building (and streamed online at twitch.tv/gatechsps)

The Society of Physics Students (SPS) hosts its annual Pumpkin Drop, where pumpkins are dunked in liquid nitrogen and dropped off the top of the Howey Physics Building. The event is free and no RSVP is required — drop by the outside of Howey to see frozen and glitter-filled pumpkins explode and learn about the science and physics behind the drops.

You can also purchase a pumpkin to be decorated, carved, and frozen in liquid nitrogen or frozen fruit. All pumpkin sales support SPS programming and activities.