Through this collaboration, students at IE University will have the opportunity to pursue a dual master’s degree, earning both the master’s in computer science & business technology from IE University and the Master of Science in Computer Science from Georgia Tech.

“This collaboration reflects how engineering education is evolving—more connected, more applied, and increasingly global,” said Ikhlaq Sidhu, Dean at IE School of Science & Technology. “Students need both technical depth and the ability to operate across systems, industries, and regions. This kind of structure makes that possible.” 

Georgia Tech-Europe is Georgia Tech’s flagship international instructional site, located in Metz, France. Georgia Tech ranks among the world’s top public research universities. The partnership between IE and Georgia Tech‑Europe provides students with access to world-class STEM education, hands-on research opportunities, and connections to industry and entrepreneurial ecosystems across Europe.

“"Georgia Tech-Europe’s partnership with IE University reflects a shared commitment to innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and global impact, bringing together two institutions dedicated not only to preparing students for a rapidly changing world, but to shaping it," said Abdallah Ougazzaden, President of Georgia Tech-Europe.

The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration across graduate education, student mobility, faculty exchange, and research. Undergraduate students in the final year of IE University’s bachelor’s in computer science & Artificial Intelligence may be recommended for admission to Georgia Tech’s graduate program, in accordance with its standard admissions requirements. Following acceptance, will complete the master’s in computer science & business technology at IE University before continuing to the Master of Science in Computer Science at Georgia Tech.

The program includes a multi-campus international academic experience: students will begin their Master of Science studies at Georgia Tech-Europe in Metz during the fall term and complete the program at Georgia Tech’s Atlanta campus in the spring. Each institution will award its respective degree upon successful completion of its academic requirements.

The agreement also promotes faculty and researcher exchanges, the development of joint research projects, and coordinated support for students throughout admissions, mobility, and academic progression.

The latest edition of Le Mensuel Grand Est, the premier magazine covering the economy, politics, and culture of the Grand Est region, highlights individuals who play a key role in the growth and economic development of the region. For over 20 years, Ougazzaden has contributed to the international reputation of the Georgia Institute of Technology through his research, publications, and leadership at Georgia Tech-Europe. 

Ougazzaden is a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and serves as president of Georgia Tech-Europe, the Institute’s off-campus instructional site in Metz, France. He is the co-founder and co-president of the Institut Lafayette, a platform for innovation and technology transfer. He played a leading role in the creation of the Joint International Research Lab between Georgia Tech and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), serving as its director for three terms. 

Ougazzaden was recognized for his prolific academic career in semiconductor materials and device fabrication for optoelectronic applications, having published more than 500 scientific articles and holding 30 patents. His current research focuses on wide-bandgap semiconductors, two-dimensional materials, and related devices for optoelectronic applications. 

In June 2025, the Institut Lafayette was awarded an innovation prize for research collaborations with local industry in intelligent battery-integrated systems. In the same month, Georgia Tech-Europe announced plans to expand its facility to double the number of American students studying in Metz. 

Ougazzaden’s recognition highlights the far-reaching impact of Georgia Tech-Europe and its commitment to advancing education, research, and global collaboration in the region. As the campus continues to expand and foster connections with industry and the broader community, it stands as a testament to the value of international partnerships in shaping the future of higher education.

O’Neill, author and cybersecurity expert, is famous for his work in catching Robert Hanssen, America’s first cyber spy. He has written about this experience in his memoir Gray Day.  His upcoming book Spies, Lies, and Cybercrime aims to appeal to every person curious or frightened by the prospect of a cyberattack, from students and retirees to the C-suite and boardroom.  

He joins the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs to share his expertise and story with the Georgia Tech cybersecurity community. Capacity is on a first-come, first-served basis, so ensure your seat early!

She collected these accounts as part of her work for Paměť národa (Memory of Nations), one of Europe’s largest oral history projects. Since 2008, it has provided open access to firsthand testimonies from those who endured Nazism and Communism, ensuring that history’s darkest times are never forgotten.    

Julie studied Journalism, Media Studies and Ethnology at Charles University in Prague. In 2007, Julie moved to New Orleans to continue her studies at the University of New Orleans and has since settled there with her Turkish husband and two daughters. She is the author of Doma v Nola (At Home in Nola), a book about New Orleans’ history and culture, based on her stories for Czech radio. She also hosts the podcast Doma ve Státech (At Home in the States). Since 2021, Julie has collaborated with Memory of Nations, traveling across the U.S. to interview Czechs and preserve their stories.

Sponsored by the Center for European and Transatlantic Studies.

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

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She reached out to Dr. Hans “Teddy” Püttgen, the director of a new Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate program in France at Georgia Tech-Lorraine (“GTL,” now known as Georgia Tech-Europe). Dr. Püttgen sought students for Georgia Tech-Lorraine’s inaugural cohort in 1990, and Clark seized the opportunity to specialize in Digital Signal Processing. 

Within ten days of applying to Georgia Tech, Clark was accepted into the new graduate program in Metz, France! 

A Pioneering Spirit

Clark stood out as the sole woman among the first cohort of six graduate students at GTL. The group included two PhD students and four master’s students. Her enrollment marked a significant milestone: she became both the first woman to study at GTL and the first woman to graduate from the master’s program. Her dual-degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech and Supélec (now CentraleSupélec) would shape her future.

Clark’s journey was made even sweeter by a full scholarship covering tuition and housing. She landed in a comfortable two-room suite at the Supélec dorms, where she requested a French roommate. Caroline, her roommate, not only helped Leah navigate life in Metz but also contributed to helping her improve her French language skills.

Bridging the Cultural and Language Divide

The initial months at Georgia Tech-Lorraine posed challenges. As Clark noted, “The French you learn in school doesn’t help you deal with your emotions.” Fortunately, her fellow GTL students and Caroline worked together to bridge the cultural gap. And when in doubt, a communal meal at the dorms accompanied by a bottle of wine worked wonders.

Fellow student, Bertrand Boussert, now Georgia Tech-Europe’s Deputy Director of Academics, and a lecturer in Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was the only native French speaker in that first cohort. He helped his peers with everything from learning how to shop at the local grocery store to explaining the nuances of the French and American educational systems.

One-third of the classes were taught in English by Georgia Tech professors from Atlanta, who had been recruited to teach at Tech’s new instructional facility on the Metz Technopole. The remaining two-thirds of the classes unfolded in French, courtesy of GTL’s neighboring partner school, Supélec.

The hour-long Georgia Tech courses were as expected, but every graduate student except for Boussert were in for a shock when they learned that the Supélec courses were each three hours long, and of course, in French! “The courses at Supélec were much more theoretical than what we were used to in the U.S.,” said Clark, adding that, “To add to the confusion, theorems that we learned about in the U.S. under one name, might have a different moniker in French!”

The greatest drama of the year occurred during finals. The professors distributed the French version of “Blue Books”—the exam booklets used for written assessments. The American students, well-versed in Number 2 pencils, began writing diligently. However, in France, students must inscribe their answers in ink. The entire 1990 cohort, apart from the lone Frenchman, Boussert, faced potential failure from Supélec due to this transgression!

Enter Dr. Püttgen—the savior. With a bit of cross-cultural finessing on his part, all students passed their exams! “We didn’t know that we were supposed to complete our exams in ink,” Clark recalled, “nor did anyone tell us that French students use erasable ink!” 

Breaking Barriers and the Comforts of Home

Clark did not feel as though she was treated any differently than her male peers. There were only a few female students at Supélec, as there were even fewer women studying electrical and computer engineering in France at the time than in the U.S. 

In an era before helicopter parenting, Leah Clark maintained a weekly connection with her parents using an AT&T phone card. The landline calls bridged the ocean, providing comfort and a sense of home. She was lucky that her parents came to visit shortly after the term began, bearing goodies from home like a US-style comforter and pillow, her favorite shampoo, and lots of reading material - in English!

After leaving GTL, Clark realized that while she had finally mastered speaking French, she hadn’t really had much time to use it. Serendipity (and her dad) struck again with an introduction at a startup in San Diego that was developing a new product with Texas Instruments in Villeneuve-Loubet, just outside of Nice. She was quickly hired to be the on-site technical liaison on a DSP chipset project and spent the next year plus working and playing on the Cote d’Azur before relocating to sunny San Diego. 

Fast forward to today, and Leah Clark still resides in San Diego, California. As a Senior Architect at Synopsys, Inc., an electronic design automation company (EDA), she continues to shape the world of technology. Her specialty is working with key customers to debug chip implementation issues. Throughout her career she has been able to take advantage of her French language skills, finding and befriending French co-workers at just about every job she has had.

Clark stays in touch with her classmates and cherishes the memories of that pivotal year. Leah Clark will always have Metz, and she’ll forever hold the title of the first female student at Georgia Tech-Europe.

International Women’s History Month is the perfect time to share Leah Clark’s story as she exemplifies this year’s theme of “Moving forward together.” She may have been the first woman to attend Georgia Tech-Europe, but this past summer, close to 45% of the 397 students who attended Georgia Tech-Europe were women!

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94878856035

Join the session using the zoom link below. 

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Join the session using the zoom link below. 

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Join the session using the zoom link below. 

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Panelists and Moderator

Darcie Draudt-Véjares – Panelist

Darcie Draudt-Véjares is a fellow for Korean Studies in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC. A political scientist and policy analyst, she publishes regular commentary on Northeast Asian relations and U.S. foreign policy. Draudt-Véjares also holds nonresident fellowships at the National Bureau of Asian Research and the European Centre for North Korea Studies at the University of Vienna. She has been named a member of the National Committee on North Korea (USA) and one of the Next Generation Korea Peninsula Specialists at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy. She has previously held research positions at the George Washington University Institute of Korean Studies, Yonsei University Department of Political Science, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Pacific Forum (formerly Pacific Forum CSIS), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Research and Training Center in South Korea. Draudt-Véjares holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University, an MA in Korean Studies from the Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies, and a B.A. with Honors in Anthropology from Davidson College.

Jae Kim – Panelist

Jae Kim has served as the president of the Southeast U.S. Korean Chamber of Commerce, a pivotal organization fostering economic ties between the Southeast United States and the Republic of Korea since 1991. With over 15 years of experience, he is a key member of Aprio, a CPA-led advisory firm, where he specializes in foreign direct investment advisory. His expertise spans from supporting pre-revenue startups to advising multinational corporations. Prior to joining Aprio, Kim worked at Deloitte in Audit & Enterprise Risk Assurance and held significant roles at Roche Diagnostics USA and Johnson & Johnson, focusing on intercompany consolidation accounting and internal controls. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Butler University’s Lacy School of Business and a Master of Science in Accounting from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Kim is actively engaged in serving on various boards focused on U.S.–Korea relations, international trade, and economic development, and he is the leader and founder of Aprio’s Korea Desk.

Jenny Jun – Moderator

Jenny Jun is an assistant professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Institute of Technology. She also serves as a non-resident fellow on the CyberAI Project at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, where she was previously a Research Fellow. Jun's research focuses on international security, cyber conflict, emerging technologies, and Korean peninsula security issues. She has testified before Congress on the implications of North Korea’s cyber threat and is a co-author of the 2015 Center for Strategic and International Studies report North Korea’s Cyber Operations: Strategy and Responses. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University and received her M.A. and B.S. from the Security Studies Program and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

Tim Sweijs, senior fellow at the Netherlands War Studies Research Centre and faculty of military sciences at the Netherlands Defence Academy, will summarize findings and implications from his new volume Beyond Ukraine: Debating the Future of War, co-edited with Jeffrey H. Michaels.

Then, Nunn School Distinguished Professor of the Practice Will Roper will offer ground truth commentary on the transformation of warfare drawn from lessons in Ukraine, followed by a Q&A moderated by Nunn School Associate Chair Jenna Jordan.

The France-Atlanta Science Summit will bring together leading figures in research and showcase successful collaborative projects between Georgia Tech and France. We will also have the honor of hosting great researchers such as Dr.Raymond Schinazi, representatives from scientific diplomacy coming from Washington, as well as the French Consul General of France in Atlanta, Miss Desjonquères who will be speaking.

Why This Matters:

• Networking: An opportunity for researchers to connect with leading figures in research and scientific diplomacy.
• Funding and Collaboration: Learn about international collaboration tools and funding opportunities available to researchers and students in STEM fields between France and the U.S.
• Practical Insights: Gain insights into successful projects and strategies for international research partnerships.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/france-atlanta-science-summit-tickets-966561851517 

Chen excitedly watched on TV as the Olympic flame made landfall in Marseille, France, on May 8, after a 12-day journey from Athens aboard the Belem, a three-masted sailing ship, christened in 1896.

“Between the Patrouille de France (France’s version of the Blue Angels), the setting sun, and a dark sky that dissipated into a rainbow, the Olympic flame’s arrival in Marseille was larger-than-life,” said Chen. “It was simply magical!”

Chen’s connection to the Olympics runs deep. His father was the flag bearer for the Chinese team during the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony of the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. It was only fitting that Louis was selected as a torchbearer for the Paris Olympics, running his leg of the relay in the south of France, where he grew up.

There are less than six degrees of separation between Georgia Tech-Europe and the Olympics. Sam Shelton, now a professor emeritus in Georgia Tech’s Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and director emeritus of the Georgia Tech Strategic Energy Institute, was tapped to design and engineer the Olympic torch for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

His groundbreaking design prompted the Olympic committee to invite him back to engineer the torch for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah! (Hear Sam Shelton speak about designing the torch for the Atlanta Games, on the 20th anniversary of the games in 2016.)

Cut to the Paris Olympics, where Georgia Tech-Europe’s corporate partner, ArcelorMittal, rolled the steel for the relay torches and Olympic cauldrons in its plant in Florange, France, near Metz, home of Georgia Tech-Europe.

And, this brings us back to Louis Chen…

Chen, who lives near Paris, ran his leg of the torch relay in the south of France, surrounded by family, minus his beloved father, who passed away when Chen was preparing for the entrance exam to the French “grandes écoles,” the French equivalent of the Ivy League.

“It was a very moving experience," he said. "I did not expect such fervor and so many people in Istres.” He continued, “It was a great honor, it was a lot of fun, and it was beyond everything I could imagine. I felt like a tiny spark in a fire much greater than me, and I felt blessed, empowered, and connected."

Louis Chen – “In one word, this event was Olympissimo!”

Chen will be busy as a member of the protocol team for the Olympic mountain bike, BMX, and track events at France’s national velodrome, with the events held in and around Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, just southwest of Paris.

If you missed Louis’ memorable Olympic moment in Istres, France, there is still time to join the festivities with a Georgia Tech-Europe connection – the torch relay will pass through Metz on June 27th!

As head of sales engineering, France, for Pricer, a Swedish company that provides in-store digitalization via an electronic shelf labeling system, Chen fondly reflects on his time at Georgia Tech-Europe. “Despite freezing in my Metz apartment when the gas company neglected to turn on the heat in the dead of winter, I enjoyed my semester at GT-Europe. The curriculum and the faculty were top-notch, although the courses were more difficult than I expected,” said Chen.

Traveling to the Atlanta campus for his final semester was a revelation. “It was more than just a study abroad experience. I discovered a new country and developed a taste for entrepreneurship at the Atlanta campus,” said Chen, adding, “Pricer’s U.S. headquarters is in Atlanta, for those who might be interested.”

Meanwhile, it could be some time before Louis comes down from his Olympic high. “The festivities in the small town of Istres, where I ran in the torch relay, were just as crazy as they were in Marseille.” Returning to Aix-en-Provence to continue celebrating with family, Chen said, “La flamme met le feu à la fête!,” which roughly translates to “the flame ignited the celebration!”

For those readers who understand French, a few words penned by Louis in alexandrine verse (IYKYK).

« Amitié… Fraternité… c’est comme l’Amour,
C’est une flamme qui s’entretient chaque jour.
Si mienne fut l’honneur de relayer la Flamme,
Tous, ce jour, relayaient ses valeurs et son âme ! »

Three-dimensional (3D) hetero-integration technology is set to transform the field of electronics. Vertically stacking functional layers, creates novel 2D-3D circuit architectures with high integration density and unprecedented multifunctionality.

Three researchers at Georgia Tech-CNRS IRL 2958, a joint international research laboratory based at Georgia Tech-Europe in Metz, France, were among a team that demonstrated cutting-edge 2D/single-crystalline 3D/2D (2D/C-3D/2D) Integration using a precise layer splitting technique to overcome drawbacks in ferroelectric materials use in electrostatic capacitors.  

Abdallah Ougazzaden, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech, and president of Georgia Tech-Europe, Phuong Vuong, Georgia Tech-CNRS IRL 2958 researcher, and Suresh Sundaram, adjunct faculty in Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, are co-authors on an April 19, 2024 research article in the journal, Science, entitled “High energy density in artificial heterostructures through relaxation time modulation.”

Ferroelectric materials used in electrostatic capacitors have unique advantages such as maximum polarization due to their higher electric susceptibilities related to dielectric constants, or permittivity, a measure of a material’s ability to store electrical energy. However, their high remnant polarization, the amount of polarization that remains in the material after the electric field is removed, limits how well they can store and release energy during the discharging process.

In the Science article, researchers demonstrated an innovative approach that sandwiches a single crystalline BTO (C-BTO) layer with 2D materials in the form of a freestanding membrane and effectively suppresses the remnant polarization of ferroelectric materials while maintaining the maximum polarization.

This ultra-thin vertical stacking technology was achieved using three different two-dimensional materials in combination with single crystalline BTO (C-BTO). Hexagonal boron nitride semiconductor was developed in the International Research Laboratory at GT-Europe, while graphene, and Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) were developed at MIT.

These new 2D material technologies have a special type of bonding called van der Waals forces. On account of this, the layers can be easily separated to create components without needing any chemical etching or cutting processes.

“The 2D hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) material that we are developing at Georgia Tech-CNRS IRL 2958 on large surfaces using the MOCVD epitaxial growth technique has demonstrated its significant potential in emerging technologies across various domains such as future quantum computers, biotechnology, flexible electronics, sensors, energy, and optogenetics.” said Ougazzaden, head of the h-BN project at Georgia Tech-CNRS IRL 2958,” adding, “We are currently working on some of these applications, and we hope to produce even more results and demonstrate new achievements."

Electrostatic capacitors, with their ability to store and release electrical energy quickly, find a wide range of applications across various fields of electronics and electrical engineering for energy storage, power conditioning etc.

In a similar collaboration, the same research team from Georgia Tech-CNRS IRL 2958 published a paper in December 2023, showing the first demonstration of the monolithic 3D integration of an artificial intelligence (AI) processor using two-dimensional (2D) materials.

This innovative integration approach combined six layers of transistor and memristor networks into a 3D nano-system. By stacking nanoscale materials made from 2D materials using bottom-up technology, the team created a fully integrated AI system.

The monolithic 3D method significantly improved processing efficiency by reducing time, voltage drops, latency, and footprint. In addition to offering a solution for electronic hetero-integration with 2D materials, broke new ground for advanced multifunctional processors and systems for AI applications and complex computing.

The team’s results on vertical hetero-integration were published in the scientific journal, Nature Materials, entitled, "Monolithic 3D Integration of 2D Materials-Based Electronics towards Ultimate Edge Computing Solutions.”

The researchers who contributed to the Science article discovered that when ferroelectric materials are combined in special structures (like 2D/C-3D/2D layers), it affects how much leftover charge a capacitor has and how well it can store energy. These insights will advance designs of high-energy capacitors using these materials. In the future, this could lead to more efficient and powerful energy storage systems.

Nico Declercq is a permanent faculty member at GT-Europe, and is a full professor with Georgia Tech’s Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. Declercq heads the Ultrasonics/Acoustics lab within Georgia Tech-CNRS IRL 2958, a joint international research laboratory based at GT-Europe. He was named to the Fall 2023 CIOS Honor Roll for his graduate course, Acoustics I (ME 6760, which is cross-listed with Aerospace Engineering).

Henry Owen was a visiting professor to GTE in the fall, and is affiliated with Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His Technology Entrepreneurship (ECE 6001) course landed him on the Honor Roll. This project-based course brings graduate students through all the elements of entrepreneurship from customer discovery to capital raising with the goal of inspiring entrepreneurial ventures.

Sonia Serafin, a French lecturer based at GT-Europe, is affiliated with the School of Modern Languages at the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts at Georgia Tech. She was recognized by her Elementary French I (French 1001) students for excellence in teaching. “French I is a joy to teach as the students are learning a new language and learning about French culture at the same time, and it's not as stressful as a STEM course” said, Serafin.

The CIOS Honor Roll is administered by Georgia Tech’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Faculty members selected for the Honor Roll  had at least a 70% response rate from the student surveys for their winning course, in addition to being ranked within the top 25% on the composite CIOS scores for their course.

The composite CIOS score is based on three qualities – the instructor’s respect and concern for students; the instructor’s level of enthusiasm about teaching the course, and the instructor’s ability to stimulate students’ interest in the subject matter.

Georgia Tech-Europe congratulates our three Honor Roll recipients for Fall 2023 and acknowledges Georgia Tech-Europe students for recognizing excellence in teaching at GT-Europe.

Bio:

Min Zhou is Carter N. Paden, Jr. Distinguished Chair for Innovation in Material Science at Georgia Tech. He received his Ph.D. from Brown University in 1993 and joined the faculty in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech in 1995. His research focuses on material behavior study using multiscale/multiphysics simulations and experiments with laser interferometry and digital diagnostics. Professor Zhou is a recipient of several awards, including the US National Science Foundation’s CAREER award and the Sigma Xi Best Paper Award. He is a Fellow of the American Society for Mechanical Engineers and was named World Class University Professor by the National Research Foundation of Korea. He has served as Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Board Member of a number of journals. He has given over 400 presentations in the United States, Europe and Asia, over 200 of which are invited, keynote, or distinguished lectures. 

A heartfelt ceremony took place at Georgia Tech, where speakers from both Georgia Tech and the Consulate General of France in Atlanta spoke about the unbreakable thread that has long connected Dr. Birchfield to France. Georgia Tech Provost Steve McLaughlin spoke, along with Rami Abi Akl, French Attaché for Science and Technology in the Southeastern United States, and Anne-Laure Desjonquères, the Consul General of France in Atlanta.

All speakers were united in highlighting Birchfield’s many accomplishments, celebrating her enduring and deep connection to France. She remains committed to providing students with opportunities to better understand French politics and culture.

Provost McLaughlin spoke of Birchfield’s pivotal role in furthering Georgia Tech’s commitment to International Initiatives by giving more students access to learning about France and the European Union. From her leadership in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs as Co-Director of the Center for European and Transatlantic Studies, and Director of Tech’s immersive summer European Union study abroad program, to her role in developing Tech’s successful First-Year Semester Abroad (FYSA) program at Georgia Tech-Europe, Birchfield has shown an unwavering devotion to scholarship and to her students.

Rami Abi Akl, and Consul General Desjonquères both spoke with great respect and affection for the evening’s honoree. In describing Georgia Tech’s most dedicated Francophile, Abi Akl was astonished that every time he met with her, he learned something new about France, things that were not found in textbooks. Calling out Professor Birchfield for her “Francophile-ness,” the Attaché spoke of Professor Birchfield’s commitment to helping develop and direct Georgia Tech’s First-Year Semester Abroad Program at Georgia Tech-Europe. The program brings fifty lucky incoming first-year Georgia Tech students to Metz to jumpstart their journey to global citizenship and leadership. Abi Akl noted that, “Beyond the great learning experience, this program has been fostering the next generation of transatlantic leaders that tomorrow's world will need to tackle the upcoming challenges.”

Next, Consul General Desjonquères told of Dr. Birchfield’s many accomplishments, all linked through a “deep and enduring love of France.” After reviewing Dr. Birchfield’s remarkable academic and professional career, with a focus on European politics, the European Union, comparative politics, and international political economy, the Consul General remarked, “Your work has not only enriched academic discourse but has also contributed significantly to the broader cultural and intellectual exchange between France and the United States.”

Thanks to her remarkable devotion to France, continually advancing French-American friendship and understanding, Professor Birchfield was honored with a promotion from the rank of “Knight” of France's National Order of Merit to “Officer.” As Professor Birchfield is bilingual, the Consul General ended her remarks in French, reminding the audience that thanks to the FYSA program, many students were leaving their home country for the first time, concluding, “these students are of course always welcome in my home country.”

Surrounded by a crowd of beloved family and friends, Professor Birchfield was pinned with the medal of Officer of the National Order of Merit by Pierre Keichinger, French Army Liaison Officer, who traveled from his post in Alabama to bestow the medal on behalf of the French government.

A visibly moved Dr. Birchfield addressed the crowd, thanking so many who were in the audience, from Provost Steve McLaughlin to Bernard Kippelen, Vice Provost for International Initiatives, Steven Girardot, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, and Amy Bass Henry, Executive Director, Office of International Education. She also acknowledged staff of the Georgia Tech-Europe Atlanta office, thanking Iyonka Strawn-Valcy, Catherine Bass, Andrea Gappell, Alina Opreanu, and Allie Snyder. She expressed gratitude to Cassie McGinnis, former FYSA Program and Operations Manager, and Elizabeth Reese, the new Program and Operations Manager, in the Office of Undergraduate Education, who gave their all to ensure smooth operations of the First-Year Semester Abroad program at Georgia Tech-Europe. Not in attendance, but also thanked, were leadership, faculty, and staff at the Metz campus, including Abdallah Ougazzaden, President of GT-Europe, Paul Voss, Director of Academics and GTE Dean of Students Representative, Jennifer Orth-Veillon, Director, FYSA@GTE and French lecturer, Sonia Serafin.

Several of Professor Birchfield’s former FYSA students were in the crowd, a testament to a professor who has forever impacted their lives. Second year International Affairs major, Zoe Glickman, was drawn to Georgia Tech by Dr. Birchfield, saying, “In my admission essay to Tech, I wrote about wanting to learn from Dr. Birchfield as one of the reasons I wanted to come to Tech. I was in the second cohort of FYSA in 2022, and when I heard Dr. Birchfield was the director of FYSA, I knew that it was a perfect program for me.” Glickman is currently a teaching assistant for Professor Birchfield’s Global Citizenship course, and she finds Birchfield’s enthusiasm and dedication to her students contagious.

Professor Birchfield has come a long way since her mother helped her scrape together enough money for her first trip to France, thus launching what would become a lifelong love affair with the country. She spoke of what a privilege it is to wake up every day and pursue her passion. A humble Dr. Birchfield said, “Receiving this honor from France, a country and culture that has so significantly shaped my life’s work, is the most deeply meaningful distinction I could imagine, and it will certainly be a highlight of my career here at Georgia Tech. “

Please read the message below from Abdallah Ougazzaden, President of Georgia Tech-Europe.

English version

"It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of our beloved Jean-Marie Rausch. As the founding father of Georgia Tech-Europe, he will forever remain in our hearts. Jean-Marie Rausch not only advocated for the creation of Georgia Tech-Europe 33 years ago, but also fought to ensure that this American university, Georgia Tech, would continue to develop.

History has proved him right, for GT-Europe, Georgia Tech's European campus, has become the flagship of International Initiatives at Georgia Tech, an American university recognized worldwide for the international dimension of its academic programs, its technological research, and its innovation and technology transfer activities. High-level research take place in an international laboratory with the CNRS, and innovation and industrial development at the Institut Lafayette.

His achievements will remain etched in the history of Metz.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Abdallah Ougazzaden
President, GT-Europe

--------------------------------

Version française

"C'est avec une profonde tristesse que nous apprenons le décès de notre cher Jean-Marie Rausch. Il va rester bien dans nos cœurs car c’est le père fondateur de Georgia Tech-Europe. Monsieur Jean-Marie Rausch non seulement a œuvré pour la création de Georgia Tech-Europe il y a 33 ans mais à cette époque il s’est battu pour que cette université américaine de Georgia Tech continue à se développer. 

L’histoire lui a donné raison car GT-Europe, le campus européen de Georgia Tech, est devenu le fleuron des initiatives internationales de Georgia Tech, une université américaine reconnue mondialement pour la dimension internationale de ses programmes académiques, sa recherche technologique, et ses activités en matière d’innovation et de transfert de technologie. Une recherche de très haut niveau dans un laboratoire international avec le CNRS et la partie innovation et développement industriel a l’Institut Lafayette.

Ses réalisations resteront gravées dans l'histoire de Metz.

Nos pensées vont à sa famille et ses proches."

Abdallah Ougazzaden
Président de GT-Europe

Georgia Tech’s Center for Teaching and Learning compiles a list of faculty recognized by students each semester for their excellence in teaching. The results are based on data gathered from the Course-Instructor Opinion Survey (CIOS), which measures students’ perceptions of their learning experiences within the classroom.

All full-time and part-time Georgia Tech faculty, visiting faculty, graduate student instructors, and administrators who teach, are eligible for the CIOS Honor Roll. In ranking eligible instructors, courses are categorized as small (up to 39 students) or large (40+ students). To be eligible for recognition, faculty must have a minimum response rate of 70% on the CIOS survey at the end of the semester.

According to the CIOS webpage, “the composite scores for 3 CIOS items is then used to rank instructors:

• Instructor’s respect and concern for students
• Instructor’s level of enthusiasm about the course
• Instructor’s ability to stimulate my interest in the subject matter.”

Instructors who meet the base criteria for 70% response rate and place in the top 25% of the composite CIOS scores for each size group are eligible for recognition on the Honor Roll.”

Cedric Pradalier, a computer science professor based at Georgia Tech-Europe, was named to the Spring 2023 CIOS Honor Roll by graduate students in his CS 7630: Autonomous Robotics class. Pradalier has been teaching this class since 2013 and this is the first time he has been recognized with a place on the Honor Roll. Said Pradalier, “This class is always fun to teach – it takes a lot of time and effort for our master’s students to get to the point where their robots are running around the hallways of the GTE campus. It’s a lot of fun for them, and for me too.”

Sonia Serafin, a GTE French instructor, loves teaching beginning French language learners -- “I can see in their eyes when things start to click and it’s so much fun! I love what I do – it’s not work.” Madame Serafin is always a fan favorite for her ability to connect with students and make learning French fun. Her positive CIOS surveys in FREN 1001: Elementary French 1, landed her a spot on the Spring 2023 CIOS Honor Roll.

Georgia Tech-Europe is a small campus and it is remarkable that two faculty members were named to the Spring 2023 CIOS Honor Roll. Congratulations to Sonia Serafin and Cedric Pradalier for always making students their top priority!