Tommer Ender, Ph.D., serves as the interim Director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and Senior Vice President for Georgia Tech, stepping into the role following the departure of Jim Hudgens, who became President and CEO of UL Research Institutes in June.

Ender takes the helm at GTRI as it reaches a new milestone in awards and revenue. During fiscal year 2025, GTRI secured $964 million in new awards, up 11% from the previous year, and earned $980 million in revenue. GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to support national security, the state of Georgia, and industry.

“Tommer has been a driving force behind GTRI’s growth and evolution, and I’m grateful he’s serving in this interim capacity,” said Tim Lieuwen, Georgia Tech’s executive vice president for research. “His deep roots at Georgia Tech — as an alumnus, researcher, and executive — give him a uniquely steady hand at a pivotal time. He leads with both technical expertise and human insight, a rare combination that will serve GTRI well in the months ahead.”

Ender leads over 3,000 GTRI employees and researchers across a variety of disciplines, including autonomous systems, cybersecurity, electromagnetics, electronic warfare, modeling and simulation, sensors, systems engineering, test and evaluation, and threat systems. As interim Senior Vice President of Georgia Tech, Ender also serves on the President’s Cabinet helping set operational and strategic direction for the Institute and reports to Tim Lieuwen, Georgia Tech’s executive vice president for Research.

With nearly 25 years of experience focused on national security and systems engineering research, Ender most recently served as GTRI’s Deputy Director for Research, leading the Electronics, Optics, and Systems Directorate (EOSD). He managed operations for an 800-person unit with an annual $300 million research portfolio across three research laboratories, and was also a member of the GTRI Executive Council, helping set GTRI strategy and informing critical decisions impacting the organization. Ender was previously the Director of GTRI’s Electronic Systems (ELSYS) Laboratory, which has over 500 personnel across 12 locations in the United States. 

Ender’s personal area of research includes development of collaborative, executable Model -Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools utilizing multidisciplinary design optimization and trade space analytics applied to complex problems. He has also served as an instructor and course developer for Georgia Tech’s Professional Master’s in Applied Systems Engineering, and has been a member of several doctoral and master’s thesis committees at Georgia Tech and other universities. 

“For the past two decades, I have had the privilege to work with GTRI’s renowned team of researchers who deliver innovative solutions to the world’s most complex issues,” said Ender. “I am humbled to have been appointed interim Director of GTRI to support our mission focused on national security, improving the human condition, serving the state of Georgia, and educating future technology leaders.”

Ender has been invited to participate in a number of national committees, including at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, offering up his expertise in the areas of systems and digital engineering. He is also a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and an active member of the International Council on Systems Engineers (INCOSE), National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), and Military Operations Research Society (MORS), regularly publishing with those organizations. 

A three-time alumnus, Ender earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP).

Georgia Tech will be conducting a national search to identify the permanent director of GTRI, with more details to follow.

For more information, please contact gtri.media@gtri.gatech.edu. 

To learn more about GTRI, visit: Georgia Tech Research Institute | GTRI