{"398461":{"#nid":"398461","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Why Georgia Tech: 4 Questions with M.G. Finn","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EM.G. Finn is a professor and chair of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech. Recently, the Office of Faculty Affairs had the opportunity to learn more about Finn and his time at Tech. Here\u2019s what he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETell us a little about your research.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy lab makes useful tools and applies them to significant targets. The tools range from powerful ways to make chemical bonds \u2014 enabling us and others to make new molecules easily \u2014 to particles that we take from nature and adapt to new purposes. Our targets include vaccines for bacterial and parasitic diseases, and new ways to deliver drugs to cancer cells and other tissues. I also have a great interest in using the power of evolution to make new and useful things.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhat made you decide to work at Georgia Tech?\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo years ago, I was recruited from The Scripps Research Institute to help Georgia Tech\u2019s continuing development in the molecular biosciences. This followed initial contact some years before during a different search. At that time, I was not interested in moving, but got to know the institution and my department.\u0026nbsp; Since I had been previously sensitized to the many possibilities at Tech, it wasn\u2019t a difficult decision the second time around. As I always say, I love engineers \u2014 or, more generally, the engineering mindset, which I characterize as the drive to get useful things done. In my world, that means making useful molecules and molecular processes, but a commitment to the important and the practical underpins much activity here. I really like that. And since the best engineers appreciate and are nurtured by the best science, Georgia Tech also invests and has great strength in fundamental inquiry. It comes down to being a place in which I find many, many interesting and engaging colleagues doing fabulous work. Who wouldn\u2019t want to be here? Also important is the Atlanta environment \u2014 the close proximity and complementary research power of several universities, Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other area institutions makes this an extraordinarily exciting place to live and work. Plus, the barbecue is pretty good.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhat are the top three reasons you\u2019d recommend Georgia Tech to other faculty?\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETech offers a wonderfully stimulating environment. The constant interplay between scientists and engineers of different disciplines happens here at a level and intensity that is found at very few other places in the world. Also, the administration is very supportive. Their unique quality is how responsive they are to ideas and initiatives from the faculty and students. I have seen many examples that really show me that hard work and creativity are rewarded here. Lastly, our students are amazing. Because I\u2019ve taken on some administrative responsibilities myself, I haven\u2019t had the chance to interact with as many undergraduate and graduate students as I would like. But they\u2019re almost always energizing \u2014 really wonderful young colleagues from many different backgrounds and places.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhat are a few things every faculty member should do while at Georgia Tech? \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGet out to see a basketball game (or your favorite spectator sport). Share coffee or a meal as often as possible with colleagues in other departments. And talk with students about things other than what you\u2019re trying to get them to learn in class or the lab. That\u2019s when the best teaching happens \u2014\u0026nbsp;in both directions.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EM.G. Finn is a professor and chair of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech. Recently, the Office of Faculty Affairs had the opportunity to learn more about Finn and his time at Tech. Here\u2019s what he said.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"M.G. Finn is a professor and chair of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech. Recently, the Office of Faculty Affairs had the opportunity to learn more about Finn and his time at Tech. Here\u2019s what he said."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2015-04-22 10:42:17","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:18:03","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"398181":{"id":"398181","type":"image","title":"M.G. Finn","body":null,"created":"1449246371","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:26:11","changed":"1475895115","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:55","alt":"M.G. Finn","file":{"fid":"75725","name":"mg_finn_headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mg_finn_headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mg_finn_headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":816563,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mg_finn_headshot.jpg?itok=gUu2HbR9"}}},"media_ids":["398181"],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"118381","name":"faculty affairs"},{"id":"96831","name":"M.G. Finn"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:pavlik@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Pavlik\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Specialist\u003Cbr \/\u003EOffice of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}