ill I. Gostin, a former longtime research leader at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), has been elected to serve as the President-Elect of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), marking a significant achievement in her decades of technical and professional leadership.

Her term will begin with a year as President-Elect in 2026, followed by her full year as President in 2027 and service as Past President in 2028.

Gostin retired from GTRI in April 2025, concluding a career that spanned multiple decades, divisions, and leadership roles. She served in the Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory (SEAL) and the Information and Communications Laboratory (ICL), and was appointed Deputy Director of ICL in 2015. Over the years, she worked on high-impact programs involving sensor systems, systems engineering, and technology integration for the Department of Defense (now the Department of War) and other national partners.

While she demonstrated great technical acumen during her time at GTRI, Gostin says it was her experience leading teams at GTRI that most directly prepared her for leadership in IEEE.

“At GTRI, I led teams that spanned multiple labs and worked closely with partners across government, industry, and other research organizations,” she said. “Within IEEE, I lead global teams that include members from academia, government, and industry—all with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.”

Eric Grigorian, a Principal Research Engineer in ASL, has worked alongside Jill at both GTRI and IEEE. He was effusive in his praise of Gostin.

"I have known Jill since before I joined GTRI. She has been an exceptional mentor, colleague, and friend," he said. "Through my time at GTRI, I have had the opportunity to work with her on employee awards, recognition, and promotion initiatives, as well as externally through IEEE activities, particularly in my current role as IEEE Region 3 Director (Southeast USA).

"Jill is highly organized, detail-oriented, and consistently provides thoughtful, unbiased perspectives when approached for advice. Her strong leadership abilities and dedication will undoubtedly enable her to serve IEEE and its members with distinction as IEEE President-Elect, President, and Past President over the next three years."

Colleagues Laud Jill Gostin's Leadership

Jill's former colleague Michele Burts, a research associate in ICL, praised Gostin's leadership.

"Jill was my Deputy Lab Director in ICL, and she was a great, compassionate leader who valued my uniqueness as a professional."

Jill credits GTRI with sharpening her collaborative leadership skills, especially across mission-driven teams and stakeholder environments. She says GTRI also helped her develop the nuanced judgment required to lead large organizations with clarity and care.

“Each experience at GTRI and at IEEE, whether resolving a complex issue, re-planning a project, or working with a challenging stakeholder, has helped me grow as a leader, colleague, and collaborator,” she said.

Stephen Welby, GTRI's Deputy Director, Research, echoed Jill's sentiments. Dr. Welby also has experience in a leadership role for IEEE. He was Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the organization from 2018 - 2022.

"As the 2027 President of IEEE, Jill will have an enormous opportunity to engage globally to advance the engineering profession and demonstrate the ability of technology to benefit humanity," he said. "Her work and leadership at GTRI have prepared her well for this role as our core values are also centered on growing technical leaders, advancing the security and economic well-being of our communities, and improving the human condition."

One notable difference between the two environments, she added, is that IEEE is a volunteer-driven organization, which requires a different leadership approach. “Motivating and supporting volunteers requires a very different leadership approach, one that depends on shared purpose, respect, and inspiration rather than formal authority."

Gostin said she is especially thankful for GTRI’s encouragement of her service activities and the recognition that her leadership roles in IEEE also brought value back to GTRI.

“The labs I served in (SEAL and ICL) recognized that high-level leadership roles within IEEE also benefited GTRI by strengthening its technical and professional network and its recognition as a leading research organization.”

Gostin’s election is the culmination of over 25 years of IEEE membership and 18 years of sustained volunteer service. As she became more actively involved in IEEE,  it quickly became a professional and personal passion.

“Those years cultivated my passion for leadership through volunteer work with scouts, my church, and other community efforts. I realized how much I enjoyed helping people grow and succeed,” she said. “I found those same opportunities through IEEE, which gave me invaluable leadership experience that later helped me advance into higher-level management roles at GTRI.”

"Jill is a respected leader and role model at GTRI and in the broader technical community," said Leda Sox, a Senior Research Scientist in EOSL. "She has inspired many researchers, especially female researchers, to chart their own career paths."

Sox added: "Jill likes to emphasize that IEEE is a professional society that has grown to encompass all technology professions. This personally helped motivate me, as a physicist, to become involved as an officer in the local IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society/Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (AESS/GRSS) Atlanta joint chapter."

Those sentiments were echoed by Margaret Loper, a Regents' Researcher in ICL, and herself a legendary longtime GTRI researcher.

"Jill is a dedicated leader who cares deeply about mentoring and career development, especially for women who have had nontraditional career paths. It is one of her many accomplishments that was recognized when she won the 2016 Georgia Woman of the Year in Technology (WIT) award," said Dr. Loper.

Gostin's IEEE colleagues welcome her leadership.

"I cannot understate how impactful Jill has been to my professional development ever since we first met at a local IEEE event. Her early support set me up with the skills and knowledge needed to tackle the unique challenges I face as a research engineer and IEEE volunteer," said Nelson Lourenco, a Principal Research Engineer in SEAL and IEEE Atlanta Section Executive Committee Vice Chair. "Years later, Jill is still a valuable mentor and has always set aside time to help me whenever I need it. I cannot think of a better person to lead IEEE to a brighter future."

Jill believed in me before I believed in myself. She was the first to say, 'Go for it—and how can I help?'" said Melody Richardson, IEEE Atlanta Section Educational Activities Chair. "From that moment, she’s been a steady source of guidance and encouragement. Mentorship is more than advice—it’s belief. Jill lit the spark that launched my journey into STEM outreach, just as she has for so many others. I can’t think of a better leader to guide IEEE into the future." 

"The fact that Jill is always willing to mentor junior engineers makes her a unique leader. She has not only excelled at GTRI but also held critical roles that led to the continued success of IEEE," said Tamseel Syed, IEEE Atlanta Section–Executive Committee Chair. "Jill has been a true source of inspiration during my volunteer journey in IEEE. She’s always listened and welcomed novel ideas. Moreover, she identifies development/recognition opportunities personalized for each IEEE volunteer, which signifies their relevance. The innovative programs implemented during her leadership of MGA (IEEE Member & Geographic Activities) helped drive higher IEEE membership value. She’s an avid supporter of the local IEEE Atlanta community, especially its volunteers. 

"Given her passion and dedication to IEEE, it’s no surprise that she will be the President-Elect of IEEE in 2026!”

Through her IEEE work, Gostin has built lasting relationships, expanded her technical interests, and developed a global perspective on engineering leadership. She has held numerous senior roles in the organization, including serving on the IEEE Board of Directors and as the 2023 IEEE Vice President, Member and Geographic Activities.

“Winning this election has provided me an even greater opportunity to give back to the organization that has so profoundly shaped my career and personal growth,” she said, “and to help ensure IEEE continues to empower and inspire the next generation of engineers and technologists worldwide.”

Gostin’s priorities for her presidential term reflect her commitment to collaboration and professional development. She emphasized that, while the presidency is a one-year term, it is part of a broader three-year leadership continuum that includes the President-Elect and Past President roles.

Among her stated goals:

• Expand support across the career lifecycle—from students to retirees—through personalized learning pathways, tailored educational resources, and enhanced professional development.
• Advance multidisciplinary innovation and collaboration by fostering broad-impact technical projects, competitions, and initiatives.
• Enhance the member experience by strengthening volunteer support and delivering global-scale activities with meaningful local engagement.
• Lead responsibly by championing ethical excellence and ensuring IEEE remains the trusted global voice in standards and technology policy.
• Broaden outreach and public awareness of the transformative impact of engineering and technology worldwide.

Committed to Service

Jill strongly encourages others, especially early-career GTRI researchers, to engage with professional societies such as IEEE.

“When I reviewed annual evaluations or participated in hiring decisions, I always took note when someone was actively involved in a professional organization,” she said. “It demonstrated their commitment to their field and their willingness to collaborate and contribute beyond their immediate role.”

Gostin stressed that true involvement goes beyond just membership.

“By active involvement, I mean more than just membership. I am referring to volunteering, serving on committees, organizing events, leading projects, reviewing articles, etc," she said. "This kind of engagement strengthens your resume, expands your professional network, provides access to technical and leadership training, and opens doors to experiences you may not find in your day-to-day job.”

Gostin also pointed to her volunteer work with IEEE’s MOVE Disaster Relief program, supporting recovery efforts alongside the Red Cross in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and India, as one of the most meaningful parts of her professional journey. "Every contribution to the MOVE program helps advance technology for the benefit of humanity."

That also made an impression on Margaret Loper: "She is also committed to helping people and mobilizing IEEE resources in times of peril. My in-laws still talk about the time she asked the IEEE MOVE truck to check on them after Hurricane Michael in 2018. IEEE is very fortunate to have her as its president-elect. She will represent them with integrity and respect."

Gostin recommends that everyone try to combine research and service: “I encourage everyone to find their own ways to become involved in their professional society, based on their own interests and goals!

“Ultimately, my time at GTRI honed my ability to lead diverse, mission-driven teams: a skill that continues to shape my leadership approach within IEEE today.”

Writer: Christopher Weems
GTRI Communications
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Atlanta, Georgia

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Founded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 3,000 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $919 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry. GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.