{"675872":{"#nid":"675872","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hoffmann Named H. Bruce McEver Professor in Engineering and the Liberal Arts","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Michael Hoffmann, whose innovative work on \u201cwicked problems\u201d has important implications for liberal arts scholars, social scientists, and engineers alike, has been named the H. Bruce McEver Professor in Engineering and the Liberal Arts, effective Aug. 1.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs McEver Professor, Hoffmann will be responsible for encouraging, cultivating, and supporting interdisciplinary exchanges among liberal arts and engineering scholars at Georgia Tech and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m honored to be named the H. Bruce McEver Professor in Engineering and the Liberal Arts,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/michael-hoffmann\u0022\u003EHoffmann\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThis is a unique opportunity to further explore the intersections of engineering and the liberal arts and to advance holistic and innovative education across disciplines at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe endowed professorship is supported by a generous gift from H. Bruce McEver, IE 1966, a longtime advisory board member and supporter of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. Professors Emeriti Steven Usselman of the School of History and Sociology and Kenneth Knoespel of the School of Literature, Media, and Communication previously held the position.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith a background that spans philosophy, public policy, and engineering, Hoffmann has consistently demonstrated a commitment to interdisciplinary research and education.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis National Science Foundation-supported work on wicked problems \u2014 issues that are difficult to define, much less solve, because of their complexity and how people view them in different ways \u2014 led to the development of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qE-Azij2Umg\u0022\u003EReflect! platform\u003C\/a\u003E for deliberating on wicked problems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHoffmann also is an ethicist at the NSF-funded National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (AI-ALOE), where he leads the \u201cUser-Engaged Design for Human Well-being\u201d team.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs McEver Professor, Hoffmann will collaborate with faculty across the Georgia Tech campus to extend the Reflect! platform. While the current iteration is meant for use by culturally similar groups, Hoffmann plans to spend the next three years expanding its utility to culturally dissimilar groups. This will help a broader range of users understand and manage conflicts arising from different viewpoints, emotions, and identities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHoffmann also plans to develop a new engineering ethics class, in which students will combine their technical prowess with deliberative expertise to seek solutions to the United Nations\u2019 Sustainable Development Goals. That work will be done in collaboration with stakeholders in communities worldwide where technologies proposed by engineering students would be deployed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHoffmann\u2019s appointment to this position reinforces the Ivan Allen College\u2019s commitment to integrating the humanities, social sciences, and STEM disciplines, said Interim Dean Richard Utz.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEffective problem-solving requires interdisciplinary collaboration, ensuring that scientific advancements are communicated clearly and policy decisions are equitable and accountable to all,\u0022 Utz said. \u201cMichael\u2019s work to overcome the difficulties inherent in solving wicked problems exemplifies the value liberal arts disciplines can provide to our colleagues in the sciences and engineering.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECassidy R. Sugimoto, School chair and Tom and Marie Patton Chair in the School of Public Policy, agreed, saying that Hoffmann\u2019s scholarship exemplifies the School\u0027s dedication to interdisciplinary work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMichael\u2019s ability to bridge the gap between technical and liberal arts disciplines aligns perfectly with our School\u0027s mission. His contributions will enhance our curriculum and expand the scope of research opportunities for our students,\u201d Sugimoto said. \u201cHe is an excellent choice for this appointment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Michael Hoffmann of the School of Public Policy is the next H. Bruce McEver Professor in Engineering and the Liberal Arts, effective Aug. 1.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Michael Hoffmann of the School of Public Policy is the next H. Bruce McEver Professor in Engineering and the Liberal Arts, effective Aug. 1."}],"uid":"34600","created_gmt":"2024-08-08 19:18:01","changed_gmt":"2024-08-13 14:54:22","author":"mpearson34","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674540":{"id":"674540","type":"image","title":"Professor Michael Hoffmann","body":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Michael Hoffmann\u0027s research and teaching spans philosophy, public policy, and engineering. He will be the next H. Bruce McEver Professor in Engineering and the Liberal Arts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1723144692","gmt_created":"2024-08-08 19:18:12","changed":"1723144692","gmt_changed":"2024-08-08 19:18:12","alt":"Professor Michael Hoffmann poses for the camera in front of a window wall showing verdant summer foliage.","file":{"fid":"258083","name":"michael hoffmann.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/08\/michael%20hoffmann.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/08\/michael%20hoffmann.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1005477,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/08\/michael%20hoffmann.jpg?itok=a5GISfqK"}}},"media_ids":["674540"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1289","name":"School of Public Policy"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMichael Pearson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}