As part of the senior academic leadership restructuring announced last month, President Bud Peterson has formed a search committee to identify the individual who will oversee Georgia Tech's substantial research enterprise.

The newly created executive vice president for research (EVPR) will report directly to the president and serve as a member of the president's cabinet.

The office will have overall responsibility for all research at Georgia Tech - faculty-based research as well as research conducted at GTRI and the Enterprise Innovation Institute - representing almost one-half of Georgia Tech's budget. College of Sciences Dean Paul Houston will chair the search committee.

In order for this individual to be in place prior to interviews with candidates for the provost position, the committee intends to conduct an internal search for the EVPR position, with the goal of having someone in place by March 2010. That committee includes:

• Ron Arkin, Professor and Associate Dean, College of Computing 
• Barbara Boyan, Professor and Associate Dean, College of Engineering 
• Jorge Breton, Program Manager, Academic Affairs 
• Baruch Feigenbaum, Graduate Student 
• Dennis Folds, Principal Research Scientist, Georgia Tech Research Institute 
• Steve French, Professor and Associate Dean, College of Architecture 
• Jilda Garton, Associate Vice Provost, Research 
• Joel Hercik, Associate Vice President, Financial Services 
• Diana Hicks, Professor and Chair, School of Public Policy 
• Robert Knotts, Director, Federal Relations 
• Seth Marder, Professor, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry 
• Bill Melvin, Director, Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Lab 
• Sandra Slaughter, Professor, College of Management 
• Vigor Yang, Professor and Chair, School of Aerospace Engineering 
• Chuck Donbaugh, Associate Vice President, Human Resources (ex officio)

"Our goal in forming this committee was to bring together a diverse group of interests, and I want to thank each member of the committee for serving the Institute in this capacity," Houston said. "The executive vice president will be entrusted with managing Georgia Tech's research enterprise and will benefit from broad-based support within our research community."

The committee hopes to hold its first meeting later this month. Nominations, recommendations, and comments may be directed to Dr. Houston.