Stephen Cross has been named a vice president for the Georgia Institute of Technology and the new director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) in Atlanta. He will also hold a joint appointment as a professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Dr. Cross -- currently the director and chief executive officer of the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute -- succeeds Edward Reedy, who has served as director of GTRI since 1996. Dr. Reedy is retiring from Tech after a 33-year career.

Cross begins his new responsibilities Sept. 1, 2003.

"To lead one of the world's most highly regarded research organizations is an exciting opportunity and challenge," Cross said. "I'm honored to be asked to join such an impressive group of professionals.

"GTRI has made -- and continues to make -- significant and lasting contributions to the nation's security and economic strength," he said. "It has a key role to play in Georgia Tech's vision and strategy for the future."

The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the applied research arm of the Institute. Some 1,200 GTRI employees perform or support about $115 million in annual research for more than 200 clients in industry and government.

The GTRI mission is to plan and conduct focused programs of innovative research, education, and economic development that advance the global competitiveness and security of Georgia, the region, and the nation.

"Steve brings an impressive background to an important post," said Georgia Tech Provost Jean-Lou Chameau. "From radar to fuel cells, and homeland defense to technology transfer, GTRI conducts research vital to government and industry and contributes to a strong academic environment at Georgia Tech.

"Steve's hands-on leadership style, coupled with his innovative ideas and outstanding academic credentials, will serve the university well in the years to come," Dr. Chameau said. "I'm very pleased to see someone as capable as Steve succeed Ed Reedy, a loyal and successful employee during his distinguished career. Our research institute will be in very good hands."

Since 1996, Dr. Cross has been director and chief executive officer of the Software Engineering Institute, an applied research laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University. He also holds a joint appointment as a research professor in the Robotics Institute of the School of Computer Science. He joined the university in 1994 as a member of the research faculty.

Dr. Cross is a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and is the past chairman of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Information Science and Technology panel. He has published more than 50 papers on technology transition and the applications of advanced information processing technology.

Cross received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, his M.S.E.E. from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and his B.S.E.E. from the University of Cincinnati. In addition, Cross is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (Flight Test Engineer Program), the Air War College, and the National Defense University.

In 2002, Dr. Cross was selected as a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and as a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering.