{"690112":{"#nid":"690112","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Science of Leadership","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAustin Hope (\u003C\/strong\u003EPsychology 2014) is a proud Georgia Tech alumnus who almost didn\u2019t graduate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHe first considered Tech while walking to a basketball game with his father back in the \u201890s. Hope wondered aloud if Tech could be in his future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHis father answered: \u201cSure,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EIF\u003C\/strong\u003E you can get in.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHope took the response as a personal challenge. \u201cIt awakened a mission to prove to everyone that doubting me was a mistake,\u201d he remembers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EYears later, Hope did get in, but getting out proved far more difficult.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding Resilience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs someone who\u2019d always been good in math, Hope began in computer engineering, then switched to industrial engineering. Struggling with his classes, he was faced with a hard choice: sit out a semester or leave Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHe chose to stay.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt was fight or flight,\u201d says Hope. \u201cI knew I had to find something I was passionate about and catalyze some momentum\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;or go home.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHe found that passion in the science of behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI discovered Industrial-Organizational Psychology and realized that the human element; how we work, why we lead, and how we build cultures, is a fascinating and useful science,\u201d says Hope.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOnce he found his direction, Hope never faltered.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EToday, he is a people leader at Google, who attributes much of his success to the resiliency honed at Georgia Tech. And, after once coming close to leaving without a degree, he is now returning to give the commencement address at the College of Sciences master\u2019s graduation celebration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUndergraduate Life\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat were you involved with on campus?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope\u003C\/strong\u003E: I was a Georgia Tech Student Ambassador and a Co-op Ambassador. I was also a member of\u0026nbsp;Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the Student Alumni Association, the Minority Recruitment Team, the African American Student Union, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Freshman Activities Board.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s something you\u2019re especially proud of from your time at Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope:\u003C\/strong\u003E I was an IT co-op at McKinneys, before I switched to psychology. I was told I couldn\u2019t receive the co-op designation on my diploma because it wasn\u2019t in my major. I read the rules, saw no language that disqualified me, advocated for myself, and persuaded them to change their minds. If that rule is different now, it\u2019s because of me.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELeadership Lessons\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your leadership philosophy?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope\u003C\/strong\u003E: Show up as my authentic self. Part of the reason I\u0027m able to do that is that I work at a company like Google where that\u0027s really championed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did Georgia Tech influence the way you lead today?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope:\u003C\/strong\u003E I learned that even when it looks like there are no options, there is always a way to get it done and move forward.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat concepts from psychology shape your leadership style?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope:\u003C\/strong\u003E The scientific method comes to mind. Create a hypothesis, leverage some data, then iterate. Stay open to being wrong. If it\u2019s not exactly what you expect, go back to the drawing board.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow would you describe your leadership style?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EI\u0027m a teacher at heart. Knowledge sharing and helping others grow are important to me. That said, I don\u2019t speak just to talk. I constantly ask myself: Is what I\u2019m about to say useful? Georgia Tech taught me to value thoughtful contribution over volume.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s a leadership rule you follow?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope:\u003C\/strong\u003E I don\u2019t know if this is a leadership rule or a life mantra, but always act with integrity. Never do or say anything you wouldn\u2019t want printed in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EThe\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENew York Times\u003C\/em\u003E. I\u2019ve worked hard to get where I am, but it only takes one thing to ruin your reputation, and leadership is built on trust.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn your commencement speech, you talk about the importance of leadership in everyday life. How does leadership show up in your home life?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope:\u003C\/strong\u003E My wife and I are very intentional in parenting our two boys. Our instinct is often to teach, but sometimes the best lesson is knowing when to step back. Letting them make mistakes, then talking it through together at the kitchen table, that\u2019s a different \u2014 and oftentimes more difficult \u2014 kind of leadership.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPaying it Forward\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA deeply engaged alumnus, Hope has served on the College of Sciences Young Alumni Board, participates in Georgia Tech Connect and Roll Call, and was recently asked to join the College of Sciences Advisory Board.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat advice would you give to Georgia Tech graduates?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope\u003C\/strong\u003E: Constantly build your brand. Mine is important, not just for me personally, but the better my reputation, the more I can help others through the influence I carry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy is giving back important to you?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHope:\u003C\/strong\u003E As a student ambassador, I saw firsthand how alumni support shapes the student experience. I remember realizing that certain buildings and programs exist because alumni gave back. It changed my entire perspective on giving. Today, I like being a part of creating something bigger and better for the next generation of scholars.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A Conversation with College of Sciences Master\u2019s Graduation Celebration Speaker Austin Hope"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom navigating student setbacks to an executive role at Google, Austin Hope (Psychology 2014) discusses the experiences that define his leadership trajectory.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"From navigating student setbacks to an executive role at Google, Austin Hope (Psychology 2014) discusses the experiences that define his leadership trajectory."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2026-05-04 12:16:59","changed_gmt":"2026-05-04 17:00:36","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680153":{"id":"680153","type":"image","title":"Austin Hope","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAustin Hope\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777913957","gmt_created":"2026-05-04 16:59:17","changed":"1777913957","gmt_changed":"2026-05-04 16:59:17","alt":"Headshot of smiling man","file":{"fid":"264395","name":"ahopePicture1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/ahopePicture1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/ahopePicture1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":806965,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/04\/ahopePicture1.png?itok=u_bMXs21"}},"680150":{"id":"680150","type":"image","title":"Hope graduated in 2014 with a degree in psychology.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHope graduated in 2014 with a degree in psychology.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777897872","gmt_created":"2026-05-04 12:31:12","changed":"1777897872","gmt_changed":"2026-05-04 12:31:12","alt":"Man in graduation regalia stands with Georgia Tech mascot Buzz.","file":{"fid":"264392","name":"HopeBuzz.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/HopeBuzz.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/HopeBuzz.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":740723,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/04\/HopeBuzz.JPG?itok=nQayxfBl"}},"680151":{"id":"680151","type":"image","title":"Hope and family","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHope and family\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777898012","gmt_created":"2026-05-04 12:33:32","changed":"1777898012","gmt_changed":"2026-05-04 12:33:32","alt":"A family with two young boys stands in front of a tree.","file":{"fid":"264393","name":"Hopefamily.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/Hopefamily.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/Hopefamily.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6695889,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/04\/Hopefamily.jpg?itok=Sor2TJoU"}}},"media_ids":["680153","680150","680151"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/making-difference-global-health","title":"Kristin Lacek: Making a Difference in Global Health"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"506","name":"alumni"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura S. Smith\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}