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
]]>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
From an undisclosed location in her home country of Venezuela, María Corina Machado joined online to participate in the celebration held at the Biltmore Hotel in Tech Square, where she was awarded the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage.
The leader of the country's opposition party remains in hiding and unable to leave the country. Elected to the Venezuelan National Assembly in 2010, she became a vocal critic of Hugo Chávez and his successor, Nicolás Maduro. Machado became the opposition's presidential candidate for the Unity Democratic Platform in 2023 but was later disqualified from holding office by the regime-controlled National Electoral Council. Still, her efforts to inspire change did not stop.
Machado rallied support behind the opposition candidate, Edmundo González, and organized a million volunteers to monitor polling locations and collect data to support the party's claim of victory. While the Maduro regime remains in power despite data showing victory for the opposition, Machado is hopeful that democracy will prevail. Speaking via Zoom, Machado said the courage that earned her the award is a shared value among the Venezuelan people.
"Social courage is what Venezuelans have proven to have. Over 25 years, we've seen this tyranny oppress, divide, persecute, and deprive, and we've had many falls, but we've stood back up. Our strength is not in firearms. It is in effective organization, intelligence, courage, and love, and there is no more powerful force than love," she said.
Presenting the award, Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera reflected on Machado's early career as an industrial engineer and human rights activist through the founding of Sumate, a vote-monitoring group, in 2002.
"She understands systems and data, which allowed her to identify and document dysfunction in Venezuela's electoral process. She took it as a mission to bring forward solutions to address the challenges in her country. She has become a champion for her country and a beacon for fair and free elections around the world. Her story reminds us that data and technology alone do not drive change, but they are powerful tools in the hands of responsible leaders and can be used to make a difference," Cabrera said.
Her children, Ana Corina Sosa Machado and Ricardo Machado, accepted the award. Ana spoke of her mother's dedication to her cause and willingness to speak out for what she believes in despite the risks.
"If there is one thing I've learned from my mother, it's that courage, truth, and hope are our most powerful weapons in disarming evil. That courage is not a virtue to be used only when it is convenient, noncontroversial, or safe, but rather its true test lies in the darkest of times when standing for what is right might mean standing alone, alienating allies, and even risking your own life.," she said.
The prize was established in 2010 to honor the legacy of Ivan Allen Jr., former mayor of Atlanta and a Georgia Tech graduate, who was known for his courageous leadership during the Civil Rights Movement. Ana sees a parallel between the prize's namesake and her mother.
"Ivan Allen Jr. knew well what it meant to stand against the status quo, to fight for what is right despite the costs. Most importantly, he knew that moral courage in defense of truth and what is right is contagious. That is what my mother has ignited in Venezuela — an unstoppable force, not grounded in violence or strength but in the love of country."
The event featured a panel moderated by CNN national correspondent Rafael Romo and featuring Jennie Lincoln, a senior advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Carter Center; Charles Shapiro, former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela and former director of the World Affairs Council; and Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the America Society and Council of the Americas.
Each panelist was asked if there was hope for democracy in the country, and each expressed their opinion that Machado is the primary factor in keeping that hope alive, and Farnsworth said she should be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for her work.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Foundation, the Allen Prize includes a monetary stipend of $100,000 to accompany the award. Past recipients include John Lewis, Andrew Young, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Christiane Amanpour.
The new institutes focus on expanding breakthroughs in neuroscience and space, two areas where research and federal funding are anticipated to remain strong. Both fields are poised to influence research in everything from healthcare and ethics to exploration and innovation. This expansion of Georgia Tech’s research enterprise represents the Institute’s commitment to research that will shape the future.
“At Georgia Tech, innovation flourishes where disciplines converge. With the launch of the Space Research Institute and the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society, we’re uniting experts across fields to take on some of humanity’s most profound questions. Even as we are tightening our belts in anticipation of potential federal R&D budget actions, we also are investing in areas where non-federal funding sources will grow and where big impacts are possible,” said Executive Vice President for Research Tim Lieuwen. "These institutes are about advancing knowledge — and using it to improve lives, inspire future generations, and help shape a better future for us all.”
Both INNS and SRI grew out of faculty-led initiatives shaped by a strategic planning process and campus-wide collaboration. Their evolution into formal institutes underscores the strength and momentum of Georgia Tech’s interdisciplinary research enterprise.
Georgia Tech’s 11 IRIs support collaboration between researchers and students across the Institute’s seven colleges, the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), national laboratories, and corporate entities to tackle critical topics of strategic significance for the Institute as well as for local, state, national, and international communities.
"IRIs bring together Georgia Tech researchers making them more competitive and successful in solving research challenges, especially across disciplinary boundaries,” said Julia Kubanek, vice president of interdisciplinary research. “We're making these new investments in neuro- and space-related fields to publicly showcase impactful discoveries and developments led by Georgia Tech faculty, attract new partners and collaborators, and pursue alternative funding strategies at a time of federal funding uncertainty."
The Space Research Institute
The Space Research Institute will connect faculty, students, and staff who share a passion for space exploration and discovery. They will investigate a wide variety of space-related topics, exploring how space influences and intersects with the human experience. The SRI fosters a collaborative community including scientific, engineering, cultural, and commercial research that pursues broadly integrated, innovative projects.
SRI is the hub for all things space-related at Georgia Tech. It connects the Institute’s schools, colleges, research institutes, and labs to lead conversations about space in the state of Georgia and the world. Working in partnership with academics, business partners, philanthropists, students, and governments, Georgia Tech is committed to staying at the forefront of space-related innovation.
The SRI will build upon the collaborative work of the Space Research Initiative, the first step in formalizing Georgia Tech’s broad interdisciplinary space research community. The Initiative brought together researchers from across campus and was guided by input from Georgia Tech stakeholders and external partners. It was led by an executive committee including Glenn Lightsey, John W. Young Chair Professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering; Mariel Borowitz, associate professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs; and Jennifer Glass, associate professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Beginning July 1, W. Jud Ready, a principal research engineer in GTRI’s Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory, will serve as the inaugural executive director of the Space Research Institute.
To receive the latest updates on space research and innovation at Georgia Tech, join the SRI mailing list.
The Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society
The Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS) is dedicated to advancing neuroscience and neurotechnology to improve society through discovery, innovation, and engagement. INNS brings together researchers from neuroscience, engineering, computing, ethics, public policy, and the humanities to explore the brain and nervous system while addressing the societal and ethical dimensions of neuro-related research.
INNS builds on a foundation established over a decade ago, which first led to the GT-Neuro Initiative and later evolved into the Neuro Next Initiative. Over the past two years, this effort has culminated in the development of a comprehensive plan for an IRI, guided by an executive committee composed of faculty and staff from across Georgia Tech. The committee included Simon Sponberg, Dunn Family Associate Professor in the School of Physics and the School of Biological Sciences; Christopher Rozell, Julian T. Hightower Chaired Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Jennifer Singh, associate professor in the School of History and Sociology; and Sarah Peterson, Neuro Next Initiative program manager. Their leadership shaped the vision for a research community both scientifically ambitious and socially responsive.
INNS will serve as a dynamic hub for interdisciplinary collaboration across the full spectrum of brain-related research — from biological foundations to behavior and cognition, and from fundamental research to medical innovations that advance human flourishing. Research areas will encompass the foundations of human intelligence and movement, bio-inspired design and neurotechnology development, and the ethical dimensions of a neuro-connected future.
By integrating technical innovation with human-centered inquiry, INNS is committed to ensuring that advances in neuroscience and neurotechnology are developed and applied ethically and responsibly. Through fostering innovation, cultivating interdisciplinary expertise, and engaging with the public, the institute seeks to shape a future where advancements in neuroscience and neurotechnology serve the greater good. INNS also aims to deepen Georgia Tech’s collaborations with clinical, academic, and industry partners, creating new pathways for translational research and real-world impact.
An internal search for INNS’s inaugural executive director is in the final stages, with an announcement expected soon.
Join our mailing list to receive the latest updates on everything neuro at Georgia Tech.
]]>On Aug. 29, 2005, early reports claimed New Orleans had “dodged the bullet.” But offshore winds funneled water into the city’s canals, triggering multiple catastrophic levee failures. The Lower Ninth Ward, where most fatalities occurred, was devastated as many residents, misled by comparisons to Hurricane Camille, chose not to evacuate.
“Katrina’s storm surge was exceptional,” says Hermann Fritz, a civil engineering professor at Georgia Tech. “In some areas, we saw water levels over 27 feet — that’s like a three-story building.”
While much attention focused on New Orleans’ levee failures, Fritz points out that the surge’s sheer height and energy would have overwhelmed even more robust defenses in some areas. “Katrina showed us that nature can produce forces beyond our engineering designs,” he says.
The storm didn’t strike evenly; it exposed and deepened existing social and economic inequalities. “The disaster hit lower-income Black neighborhoods hardest,” says Allen Hyde, associate professor of history and sociology. He notes how years of segregation, disinvestment, and discriminatory housing policies left these communities uniquely vulnerable. Hyde continues, “Many homes were in low-lying, flood-prone areas, and residents often lacked access to reliable transportation, making evacuation difficult or impossible.”
Katrina displaced hundreds of thousands and claimed a staggering toll of more than 1,800 lives. Georgia quickly absorbed many evacuees, reshaping its demographics and infrastructure. “Hurricane Katrina led to one of the largest displacements of people due to a natural disaster,” says Shatakshee Dhongde, a professor of economics. “It changed the demographics of Georgia in measurable ways, from school enrollment to the labor market.”
The U.S. Census Bureau tracked this migration, noting spikes in Louisiana-born residents in metro Atlanta. Local school districts enrolled hundreds of new students almost overnight, while housing markets saw increased demand from families looking for permanent homes. The arrival of so many displaced residents didn’t just strain schools and housing — it reshaped the state’s economy. Dhongde notes that evacuees often brought new skills, business ideas, and networks. At the same time, the state and local governments faced the financial burden of expanding social services, healthcare, and housing assistance.
Dhongde adds, “The impact of a disaster doesn’t stop at the water’s edge. It travels with people, and those effects can last for years.” While the influx strained services, it also enriched Georgia’s cultural and economic fabric.
Hyde notes, “Gentrification made many neighborhoods unaffordable for former residents,” and adds that many Black evacuees didn’t return to New Orleans due to economic barriers and post-Katrina gentrification. Cultural communities scattered across cities like Atlanta, Houston, and Baton Rouge.
For Fritz, Katrina remains a wake-up call for coastal preparedness. “We can’t stop hurricanes,” he says, “but we can improve how we design and maintain our defenses, and how we evacuate people before it’s too late.” He warns that climate change, with its potential to intensify storms, makes those improvements even more urgent.
Dhongde sees a parallel need for social and economic planning. “Disaster preparedness isn’t just about sandbags and levees,” she says. “It’s also about ensuring the communities receiving evacuees have the resources and support systems to integrate them successfully.”
Finally, Hyde stresses the importance of engaging youth and communities in preparedness efforts. “Youth advocacy programs, like those we’re piloting in Georgia, empower young people in marginalized neighborhoods with knowledge and agency to build long-term resilience. Disaster planning must be a community effort, inclusive and forward-looking.”
]]>Open to all Georgia Tech graduate students, the fellowship provides $15,000 in support—disbursed to the recipient’s advisor—and offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with The Carter Center’s Democracy Program. Fellows are expected to engage in IPaT programming and contribute to ongoing research and communications efforts throughout the year.
Shazia’s research centers on the sociopolitical dynamics of the Hazara community in Balochistan, Pakistan. Her dissertation, titled “Assemblages of Security: Violence and (re)Construction of identities in the Case of Hazaras,” explores how digital platforms have reshaped traditional forms of resistance and identity formation. As part of the fellowship, she will focus on how Hazaras have used platforms like Facebook and Twitter (now X) to transform sit-in protests into new modes of democratic struggle.
Her study poses critical questions: How have digital technologies influenced local governance in Balochistan? In what ways have these platforms enabled global advocacy for Hazaras? And how has digital activism contributed to the shaping of Hazara identity both within Pakistan and on the international stage?
“These questions speak directly to the missions of both The Carter Center and IPaT,” said Shazia. “I have always wanted to bring digital democracy into my research because of the 2013 Hazaras protest in Balochistan, Pakistan, which incorporated the use of online digital platforms. Online posts and engagement eventually resulted in the dissolution of the local government.”
The concept of “digital democracy” has gained traction in recent scholarship, often described as a transformative force capable of revolutionizing governance and citizen engagement. Shazia’s work exemplifies this potential, offering insights into how marginalized communities leverage technology for political agency and global visibility.
Her selection as Digital Democracy Fellow underscores Georgia Tech’s commitment to interdisciplinary research and highlights The Carter Center’s ongoing efforts to support democratic engagement through technology.
Shazia will be working closely with Anthony DeMattee, Ph.D., a data scientist in The Carter Center Democracy Program. She is advised by Amit Prasad, professor of sociology in the School of History and Sociology.
“This Fellowship represents the significant partnership between IPaT and the Democracy Program at The Carter Center, centered on the digital transformations of democratic practice,” said Michael Best, executive director of IPaT. “Shazia’s research will focus on how social media platforms have reshaped the politics of a community that is too often overlooked.”
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