{"682622":{"#nid":"682622","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Strategic Interactions: Amanda Murdie Brings Her Expertise in Building Connections as New Dean","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAmanda Murdie is a believer in the power of culture and context. Without them, it\u2019s difficult for almost any endeavor \u2014 be it diplomatic, technological, or artistic \u2014 to succeed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMurdie, the new dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and an expert in international relations, also has extensively studied game theory and finds it incredibly relevant to her work in human rights and human security. Typically defined as the study of mathematical models of strategic interactions, game theory relies on understanding distinctively non-mathematical factors like psychology and cultural norms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo make a good game theory model, you have to understand the motivations of individuals, and you can\u0027t understand those motivations from only the sciences. You really need the humanistic side,\u201d Murdie says. \u201cIf you\u0027re going to do anything as a game theorist, you must understand how humans function, and that\u0027s more than just the natural sciences or the social sciences. It\u2019s inherently interdisciplinary.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe liberal arts provide that understanding not just in game theory but in any discipline, says Murdie. \u201cLiberal arts are the lifeline through which all other knowledge flows,\u201d she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EInterdisciplinary Lens\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMurdie\u2019s background in human rights gave her an early appreciation of how many research areas outside of international relations play a key role in improving lives worldwide.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cComing from a human rights tradition, you always start with an interdisciplinary lens,\u201d she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMurdie\u2019s training and research have included a wide range of students, professors, and collaborators \u2014 from economics, law, history, sociology, business, statistics, and more. She says human rights and international affairs are not at all unique in demanding an interdisciplinary approach. Solving any complex problem requires knowledge of many direct and indirect factors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo connect the dots, you need collaborators from a range of disciplines. And to trust and work with collaborators from each discipline, you need at least a basic, working level of knowledge about it, says Murdie.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHow do you respect someone else\u0027s method of inquiry and someone else\u0027s method of creation? That\u0027s something universities don\u0027t train students well for unless there\u2019s a truly interdisciplinary focus,\u201d she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EIvan Allen Advantage\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhether someone is launching a business, creating a new technology, or negotiating a treaty, connecting the dots is crucial to innovation, as well as staying more than a few steps ahead of AI and automation. The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts is perfectly positioned to make more of those connections as a liberal arts hub embedded within an institute making the latest breakthroughs in engineering, computing, and sciences, says Murdie, who joined Georgia Tech from the University of Georgia. She calls it the \u201cIvan Allen Advantage.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think the Ivan Allen Advantage goes in two directions. I think in one direction, our advantage for all Tech students is that they need that liberal arts training in order to be better communicators and actually think about humanity and how technology can be used,\u201d Murdie says. \u201cAnd I think the Ivan Allen Advantage also is for those of us who are passionate about the liberal arts, who want to focus on the human condition. Doing so in an environment that is tech-informed leads to better student outcomes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe College is also well positioned (as a connector of dots) to channel faculty and student research expertise toward solving problems and improving lives, Murdie says. The Center for Advanced Communications Policy (CACP) and Center for Urban Research represent excellent examples of how the liberal arts can act as a hub and facilitator for tackling complex challenges, she adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ETraining for the Future\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs AI and other technologies accelerate changes in nearly every aspect of our lives, the ability to be creative, lead complex teams, solve problems, and connect with others has never been more important. What better way to master those skills than to enhance your education with the study of literature, languages, history, and culture? Murdie asks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u0027re going to build the liberal arts into what it should be \u2014 the best place for people to get training for the future. But that training needs to be informed by technology, and it needs to be informed by the deep understanding of AI and machine learning,\u201d Murdie says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you\u2019re an engineer who can\u0027t write or express ideas clearly, it\u0027s easier for your job to be taken by AI. It\u0027s our ability to be human that keeps us in the game.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAmanda Murdie, Dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, is an expert in international relations and game theory \u2014 skills she plans to use to foster strategic connections for liberal arts education and research at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Amanda Murdie, Dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, is an expert in international relations and game theory \u2014 skills she plans to use to foster strategic connections for liberal arts education and research at Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"36009","created_gmt":"2025-06-02 12:54:28","changed_gmt":"2025-06-02 14:37:30","author":"cwhittle9","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677165":{"id":"677165","type":"image","title":"amanda-murdie-profile.png","body":null,"created":"1748868879","gmt_created":"2025-06-02 12:54:39","changed":"1748868879","gmt_changed":"2025-06-02 12:54:39","alt":"Amanda Murdie Headshot","file":{"fid":"261036","name":"amanda-murdie-profile.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/02\/amanda-murdie-profile.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/02\/amanda-murdie-profile.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3040300,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/02\/amanda-murdie-profile.png?itok=bS8nebeK"}}},"media_ids":["677165"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/01\/07\/amanda-murdie-named-dean-georgia-techs-ivan-allen-college-liberal-arts","title":"Amanda Murdie Named Dean of Georgia Tech\u0027s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"}],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1285","name":"Sam Nunn School of International Affairs"},{"id":"1282","name":"School of Economics"},{"id":"1288","name":"School of History and Sociology"},{"id":"1283","name":"School of Literature, Media, and Communication"},{"id":"1284","name":"School of Modern Languages"},{"id":"1289","name":"School of Public Policy"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMegan McRainey\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:megan.mcrainey@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emegan.mcrainey@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}