Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

Georgia Tech to Launch State’s First Sustainability Master’s Program

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:39:46 +0000

Georgia Tech to Launch State’s First Sustainability Master’s Program admin Wed, 06/18/2025 - 10:39

The Georgia Institute of Technology is launching a new Master of Science in Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management (MSEEM) — the only graduate degree in Georgia fully dedicated to sustainability issues.

The highly technical, science-based, and interdisciplinary program — approved by the Board of Regents on Feb. 12, 2019 — will prepare students to deliver fact-based policy expertise through robust analytical techniques and a deep understanding of energy and environmental issues and sustainability practices.

“This professionally focused degree will allow Georgia Tech to educate the next generation of sustainability leaders in corporate, government, and non-governmental organizations,” said Rafael L. Bras, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs and K. Harrison Brown Family Chair. “Georgia Tech is proud to deliver innovative, affordable, and top-quality education in high-demand areas such as sustainability to meet the needs of our evolving workforce."

When the program begins in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts' School of Public Policy in August 2019, MSEEM students will study topics such as sustainable energy and voluntary environmental commitments, cost-benefit analysis, utility regulation and policy, Earth systems, economics of environmental policy, big data and policy analytics, climate policy, and environmental management.

They also will learn analytical techniques used to estimate and evaluate sustainability metrics, be able to expertly assess the context of energy and environmental problems, and understand environmental ethics and its implications for sustainability practice.

The program will combine professional instruction from the nationally-ranked School of Public Policy with Georgia Tech’s top-notch engineering, business, and planning faculties to educate professionals who can lead organizations toward policies consistent with a sustainable future.

“This unique interdisciplinary program takes an innovative and integrative approach to sustainability that epitomizes the commitment of the School of Public Policy to collaborate across disciplines to educate future policy analysts and leaders and turn ideas into solutions to public problems,” said Kaye Husbands Fealing, professor and chair of the school.

Faculty will be drawn from across the Georgia Tech campus, including from the School of Public Policy, the Scheller College of Business, the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the School of City and Regional Planning.

Guest lecturers from Atlanta’s corporate community, government agencies, NGOs and research organizations also will participate — helping connect MSEEM students to the state of the practice and to job opportunities.

MSEEM students also will have access to Georgia Tech’s summer Program on Sustainable Development and Climate Change in Venice, Italy. The 5-week, 6-credit program features courses in climate policy and sustainable development and provides a multi-disciplinary learning experience that combines classroom lectures, guest speakers and instructional field trips.

“The world’s energy economy is undergoing transformational change, and as the public and private sectors strengthen their commitment to green practices, the need will increase for well-trained policy experts able to design, implement, and manage responses to sustainability issues. This program will provide such leaders,” said Marilyn A. Brown, Regents’ Professor and Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems in the School of Public Policy.

The MSEEM program is designed to serve a broad range of students interested in sustainability issues. Students can complete the degree on campus or online as a full-time student. Students also have the option to enroll part-time and complete their degree online. The program is designed to serve working professionals and others who want to participate part-time and earn their degree over several years.

In addition to the master’s degree, Georgia Tech is also offering a Certificate in Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management. This 12-credit hour SEEM Certificate can be completed in one or two semesters and can be earned on its own or in combination with the master’s degree.

Applications are being accepted through June 15 for the inaugural class of MSEEM students, who will begin study in August 2019.

A generous philanthropic gift has enabled Georgia Tech to offer five fully funded MSEEM fellowships to the program each year for the first three years of the program.

For more information on these programs, visit https://cepl.gatech.edu/mseem, or https://cepl.gatech.edu/cseem.

Summary sentence

The degree program will help educate the next generation of sustainability leaders for corporations, government, and non-governmental organizations.

Summary

The Georgia Institute of Technology is launching a new Master’s of Science in Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management (MSEEM) — the only graduate degree in Georgia fully dedicated to sustainability issues.

Amanda Murdie Named Dean of Georgia Tech's Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

admin — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 14:49:41 +0000

Amanda Murdie Named Dean of Georgia Tech's Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts admin Tue, 01/07/2025 - 09:49

Following an international search, Georgia Tech has appointed Amanda Murdie as the new dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, effective June 1, 2025. Murdie currently serves as a Regents’ Professor, Georgia Athletic Association Professor of International Affairs, and the Head of the Department of International Affairs for the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs.

"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Murdie to Georgia Tech," said Steve McLaughlin, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. "Her extensive research in international relations and human rights, as well as her commitment to instructional excellence make her an ideal leader for Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, a college recognized for its cross-disciplinary research, teaching, and service. We are confident that under her guidance, the College will soar to new heights as a global leader in liberal arts education."

Murdie is a distinguished scholar in international relations, focusing on the behavior of international nongovernmental organizations and their interactions with states, local populations, and intergovernmental organizations. Her work on these topics has been published in numerous journals of note, including the American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, British Journal of Political Science, and International Organization.

Her research has advanced public understanding of human security, human rights, and conflict processes. In recognition of her contributions, Murdie received the 2023 Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association – a prestigious award given to scholars “judged to have made (through a body of publications) the most significant contribution to the study of International Relations and Peace Research.”

Beyond her scholarly work, Murdie has demonstrated a commitment to academic mentorship and development. As the University of Georgia’s department head of International Affairs since 2018, she has fostered a collaborative environment and supported the professional development of faculty and students. She has also served as editor-in-chief of the International Studies Review and co-edited University of Georgia Press’ Studies in Security and International Affairs Book Series.

Murdie earned her Ph.D. in political science from Emory University, M.A. in political science from Kansas State University, and B.S. in political science and international studies from Kansas State University. Her interdisciplinary background and dedication to bridging the liberal arts and technological fields align with Georgia Tech's mission to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.

As dean, Murdie will oversee Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts' broad portfolio of academic programs that includes 10 bachelor’s degrees, 14 master’s degrees, and six Ph.D. programs. She will also work to strengthen and expand the college’s research initiatives and community partnerships, further enhancing its role as a model of liberal arts education within a technological university. Her appointment affirms Georgia Tech's commitment to the expansion of interdisciplinary education and research.

"The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts is revolutionizing what we think is possible in higher education,” said Murdie. “The College’s faculty, staff, and students demonstrate how foundational, transformative, and limitless the liberal arts are for the overall success of the Institute. I’m thrilled to be part of such a vibrant community and excited to help guide the College. The complexity of the problems we are facing and the revolutionary nature of the tools we have now means that the need for the liberal arts at Georgia Tech has never been greater."

Dean Murdie succeeds Richard Utz, who has served as interim dean since April 2024 and will continue to serve in the role until June 1.

“Since stepping into the interim role, Richard has led Ivan Allen College with impressive clarity,” said Provost McLaughlin. “He has served as a model of excellence in leadership and returns to his roles of senior associate dean and professor having supported his college through a critical moment of change. We are incredibly grateful to him and know that Dean Murdie will step into her new role in a college that has been well cared for.”

Writer: Brittany Aiello, Faculty Communications Program Manager, Executive Communications, Institute Communications

Summary sentence

Following an international search, the University of Georgia’s Murdie will step into the role of dean on June 1.

Summary

Following an international search, Georgia Tech has appointed Amanda Murdie as the new dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, effective June 1, 2025.

Dateline

Tue, 01/07/2025 - 12:00

provostsoffice@gatech.edu

Contact

Office of the Provost

Associated importer

Keywords

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

dean

Amanda Murdie

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Institute and Campus

Institute Leadership

Mercury ID

679215

Source updated

Tue, 01/07/2025 - 09:49

Dean Search Begins for Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

admin — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 16:55:41 +0000

Dean Search Begins for Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts admin Wed, 06/05/2024 - 12:55

Georgia Tech will begin the search for the next dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. The search committee, chaired by Dean of Libraries Leslie Sharp, was chosen through a nomination process and includes a mix of faculty, staff, students, and alumni from within the college, as well as other units from across campus.

“We are committed to finding an exceptional leader for the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts,” said Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Steve McLaughlin. “I am confident in the dedication of our search committee and the vision they have for the future of this historic school. Ivan Allen’s vibrant academic and research community has enriched Georgia Tech since 1888 and will continue to redefine what the humanities and social sciences can be.”

Community Engagement

Russell Reynolds Associates will host several virtual town halls to gather input from the community about the desired qualities for the next Dean.

Town Hall Schedule

Ivan Allen College Staff Town Hall - Register online

Date: Wednesday, June 12

Time: 1 p.m.

Format: Virtual

Ivan Allen College Faculty Town Hall - Register online

Date: Wednesday, June 12

Time: 2 p.m.

Format: Virtual

Ivan Allen College and Georgia Tech Community Town Hall - Register online

Date: Friday, June 14

Time: 11 a.m.

Format: Virtual

Community members unable to attend can send feedback to GT.IAC@russellreynolds.com.

Key Dates

June 2024: Search committee convened and town halls to be held.

July to October 2024: Recruitment and vetting of candidates.

TBD: Finalists visit campus.

Additional Information

The search is open to both internal and external candidates. For more details, including the position description, application process, and a list of the search committee members, visit provost.gatech.edu/ivan-allen-college-liberal-arts-dean-search.

Inquiries and nominations should be sent to GT.IAC@russellreynolds.com. While applications will be accepted until the position is filled, interested candidates are encouraged to apply by August 19, 2024.

Richard Utz, senior associate dean and professor, has been appointed interim dean and will serve until the new dean is named.

Writer: Brittany Aiello, Faculty Communications Program Manager, Organizational and Academic Communications, Institute Communications

Summary sentence

The search will be chaired by Leslie Sharp, dean of the Georgia Tech Library.

Summary

Georgia Tech will begin the search for the next dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. The search committee, chaired by Dean of Libraries Leslie Sharp, was chosen through a nomination process and includes a mix of faculty, staff, students, and alumni from within the college, as well as other units from across campus.

Dateline

Wed, 06/05/2024 - 12:00

GT.IAC@russellreynolds.com

Contact

Search Firm: Russell Reynolds

Keywords

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

Leslie Sharp

dean search

Office of the Provost

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Institute Leadership

Mercury ID

675007

Source updated

Wed, 06/05/2024 - 12:54

Richard Utz Named Interim Dean of Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 13:33:41 +0000

Richard Utz Named Interim Dean of Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts admin Tue, 03/19/2024 - 09:33

Richard Utz, senior associate dean and professor, has been appointed interim dean of Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, effective April 20. Dean Husbands Fealing, who served in that role since 2020, has been appointed assistant director of the National Science Foundation Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.

Utz is an experienced academic leader who has served as a senior associate dean in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and as chair of the School of Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC). Under his leadership, LMC experienced remarkable growth, including increased external research funding, faculty productivity, and student enrollment. Notably, he championed the expansion of the School's curriculum to include interdisciplinary minors in Black media studies, science fiction, and social justice, and a master's degree in global media and cultures.

As senior associate dean, Utz has demonstrated commitment to faculty affairs processes and professional development, implementing comprehensive resources and mentorship programs to support faculty growth and success. He played a pivotal role in shaping the Ivan Allen College strategic plan and organized impactful events that fostered integration between the arts, humanities, and social sciences with STEM fields. Utz also worked to garner funds for LGBTQ+ projects and international summer internships for students.

In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Utz is a highly respected scholar with expertise in medievalism, literary and language studies, and the interconnections between humanistic inquiry and science and technology. He has authored many publications on these topics, including three monographs, 21 edited essay collections, and over 80 journal articles and book chapters, earning international acclaim for his contributions to the field.

“We are fortunate that Richard has agreed to step into the interim dean role,” said Steven W. McLaughlin, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “He is a pillar of the Ivan Allen community, with impressive campus leadership credentials. Ivan Allen couldn’t be in better hands as we bid farewell to Dean Husbands Fealing and begin the search for the next dean.”

Utz will serve until a new dean is named. The search committee will be chaired by Dean of Libraries Leslie Sharp. An external firm will be identified to lead a national search. More information about the search committee and process will be provided soon.

Writer: Brittany Aiello, Faculty Communications Manager, Organizational and Academic Communications

Summary sentence

Utz will serve until a new dean is named and will begin his appointment on April 20.

Summary

Dateline

Tue, 03/19/2024 - 12:00

provostsoffice@gatech.edu

Contact

Office of the Provost

Keywords

Richard Utz

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Georgia Tech Arts

Institute and Campus

Institute Leadership

Mercury ID

673595

Source updated

Tue, 03/19/2024 - 09:33

An Age of Empowerment: Meet Joycelyn Wilson

admin — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 20:57:12 +0000

An Age of Empowerment: Meet Joycelyn Wilson admin Mon, 06/05/2023 - 16:57

Joycelyn Wilson didn’t just grow up around music, she grew up around the lyrics. She wanted to know what artists were singing and why.

“I remember sitting and writing the lyrics,” she said. “They spoke to me. Music has been a learning space for me for a long time. It’s just in me.”

Wilson’s research examines hip-hop and what it says about the world we live in. A pioneer of hip-hop education as a practice, she uses it to address issues of civic engagement, race, and politics and to inspire future leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math.

A graduate of Atlanta’s Mays High School, Wilson is assistant professor of black media studies and an educational anthropologist in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication. One of her most popular classes uses the music of Outkast, Kendrick Lamar, and other artists as texts to explore larger issues.

Read the full story

Summary sentence

Wilson’s research examines hip-hop and what it says about the world we live in.

Summary

Dateline

Tue, 02/26/2019 - 12:00

Contact

Kristen Bailey

Institute Communications

Associated importer

Keywords

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

profile

women

diversity

african-american

Music

joycelyn wilson

popular culture

School of Literature Media and Communication

faculty

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Institute and Campus

Mercury ID

618453

Source updated

Tue, 02/26/2019 - 09:06

Well-Being in the Classroom

bwaye3 — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 19:16:46 +0000

Well-Being in the Classroom bwaye3 Thu, 03/24/2022 - 15:16

The last few years have been layered with concerns ranging from navigating intense discussions about politics and race to managing anxiety during a global pandemic. These challenges often affect how we conduct ourselves at work, at school, and in social settings. This spring, two Georgia Tech professors — Narin Hassan and Tiffany D. Johnson — are addressing the challenges through innovative teaching around well-being, sustainability, work, race, and social justice.

Hassan, an associate professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication, is teaching a special topics course, Bodies and Borders: Cultural Histories and Narratives of Embodiment and Health. The seminar (which combines LMC advanced undergraduates with graduate students from the MS-Global Media and Cultures program) takes an interdisciplinary and global approach to analyzing the body and cultures of health and wellness in relation to gender and nation. She also teaches a course on literature and medicine and conducts research on the relationship between medicine, gender, and global culture.

“In order to have careful and nuanced conversations about health and wellness, particularly in relation to gender, race, and issues of social justice, you have to build community and create a space in the classroom where people feel safe getting into those messy areas,” Hassan said. “Until you do that, people may feel tense when talking about it.”

Hassan and Johnson both have backgrounds in yoga and meditation, which they find helpful when they’re leading discussions on potentially provocative subjects.

“Being trained in those practices helps us read the classroom more intuitively and helps us better navigate the pedagogical spaces in which we teach these difficult topics,” Hassan said.

Hassan’s course examines topics such as the intersections of gender, race, and empire within histories of science and medicine, depictions of the body within national and international discourses, representations of the body and its relationship to nation, and practices of medicine and wellness in cross-cultural contexts. It will analyze narratives of illness, contagion, and disease, conceptions of the body as a site of oppression or resistance within social/political discourses and social justice movements, cultural configurations of embodiment and mobility, and the circulation of popular wellness practices within contemporary culture.

Readings and course materials include fictional texts, memoirs, health guides, travel narratives, films, visual images, critical essays, and historical sources to analyze how bodies and notions of health and well-being are and have been represented and conceptualized technologically, visually, scientifically, narratively, and politically in a variety of global contexts.

Johnson, an assistant professor in the Organizational Behavior Area in the Scheller College of Business, is teaching an undergraduate version of a graduate level course that she taught previously called Work, Equity, and Wellness, which examines the historical intersection of the three areas. She conducts research on organizations and workplaces, and how they can become more inclusive and equitable.

“The course looks at the history of work and the historical foundation of the field of management,” Johnson said. “We have been socialized from the time we started school to just work the way we do without question. For example, take the word ‘professionalism.’ What does it mean to be professional, and where does that meaning come from? Tracing it back historically helps us begin to gently question the ways in which we may be perpetuating inequity, even in small subtle ways.”

In Johnson’s course, weekly discussions are supported by readings, podcasts, and documentaries. Students connect to the content by sharing how it resonates with their personal and organizational experiences. They meet regularly in small groups to reflect, share insights, and offer feedback for each other’s class assignments. The class ends with students presenting projects aimed at reimagining approaches to work, racial equity, and wellness in their personal lives and in a focal workplace of their choosing.

“In both levels of classes — MBA and undergraduate — students understood it right away, in part because we all have been influenced by work history," Johnson said. "We just become more mindful of its prevalence in this class."

Given the Institute’s growing focus on well-being, Hassan and Johnson have been collaborating for the past three years and creating interdisciplinary experiences for their students on topics related to well-being and social justice. This semester they will guest lecture in each other’s classes, and they plan to share guest speakers and bring their classes together on related topics.

Summary sentence

Two Georgia Tech professors are addressing workplace and social challenges through innovative teaching around health and wellness.

Dateline

Wed, 03/23/2022 - 12:00

victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu

Contact

Victor Rogers

Institute Communications

Location

Atlanta, GA

Associated importer

Keywords

well-being

health

wellness

Narin Hassan

School of Literature Media and Communication

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

Tiffany Johnson

Scheller College

LMC

News room topics

Campus and Community

Health and Medicine

Society and Culture

Categories

Institute and Campus

Mercury ID

656628

Source updated

Thu, 03/24/2022 - 14:44

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

Georgia Tech to Launch State’s First Sustainability Master’s Program

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Amanda Murdie Named Dean of Georgia Tech's Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

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Dean Search Begins for Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

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Richard Utz Named Interim Dean of Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

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An Age of Empowerment: Meet Joycelyn Wilson

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Well-Being in the Classroom

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