{"691134":{"#nid":"691134","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Leadership Appointments at the Institute for Data Engineering and Science to Focus on Building Connections and AI Skills","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS) has selected faculty to serve in two associate director roles that will center on developing internal and external community projects at the intersection of data sciences, machine learning, and AI. They will support the executive director, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/david-sherrill\u0022\u003EDavid Sherrill\u003C\/a\u003E, in creating research and upskilling opportunities for the campus community in fundamental and applied machine learning and AI for research and by identifying promising new research collaborations and potential funding sources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/ghassan-alregib\u0022\u003EGhassan AlRegib \u003C\/a\u003Ewill serve as associate director for Research and Education, seeking large-scale funding opportunities, creating upskilling workshops, coordinating efforts with relevant student groups, and fostering thought leadership in areas relevant to IDEaS\u2019 mission: data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlRegib is the John and Marilu McCarty Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. His group, the Omni Lab for Intelligent Visual Engineering and Science (OLIVES), conducts machine learning research aimed at shifting learning systems from data-centric to human-centric, with an emphasis on robustness, uncertainty, human-AI interaction, and explainability. His team\u2019s research is applied to vision, subsurface imaging, autonomous systems, healthcare intelligence, and education.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/vijay-ganesh\u0022\u003EVijay\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Ganesh \u003C\/a\u003Ehas been appointed associate director for Research, after serving in this role on an interim basis since 2025. He will support the development of new strategic research initiatives, work closely with faculty, research staff, and industry partners to create and strengthen interdisciplinary teams, and help IDEaS seek large-scale funding opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGanesh is a professor of computer science, and he served as co-director of the AI Institute at the University of Waterloo before moving to Georgia Tech in 2023. He is a co-founder and a steering committee member of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fields.utoronto.ca\/centres\/centre-mathematical-ai\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECentre for Mathematical AI\u003C\/a\u003E at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fields.utoronto.ca\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFields Institute\u003C\/a\u003E and an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/balsillieschool.ca\/people\/vijay-ganesh\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAI Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/balsillieschool.ca\/\u0022\u003EBalsillie School of International Affairs\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m delighted that Vijay Ganesh has agreed to continue in the role of associate director of Research; his expertise in AI and formal verification methods has been central to our formulation of new research initiatives,\u201d said Sherrill. \u201cI\u2019m also thrilled that Ghassan AlRegib is joining our leadership team. He is a longtime key IDEaS faculty member, and he has led multiple centers at Georgia Tech. His recent experience hosting a planning grant for his Accessible Healthcare Through AI-Augmented Decisions perfectly positions him to help lead IDEaS\u2019 AI for Health initiative, and his experience in developing AI courses and educational tools makes him the right person to lead our AI upskilling workshops.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am thrilled to join IDEaS,\u201d AlRegib said. \u201cData science, machine learning, and AI are no longer specialized disciplines; they are foundational tools on which nearly every research enterprise on campus depends. IDEaS\u0027 greatest value is not to be the place where AI happens, but to be the connective tissue that makes AI impactful and accessible for everyone else. This is the kind of work I care deeply about, helping connect faculty curiosity with collaborative teams, emerging methods with usable skills, and student interest with real AI capability. The best measure of our success will be what every other unit at Georgia Tech is able to accomplish because IDEaS exists.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I am delighted and honored to be reappointed as IDEaS\u0027 associate director for Research. AI is a paradigm-shifting technology that is transforming research across every discipline, and IDEaS is at the forefront of enabling that transformation at Georgia Tech,\u201d Ganesh said. \u201cMy vision for this role centers on advancing the research on campus in both the foundations of AI and its applications to mathematics, science, and engineering. To that end, I look forward to shaping strategic research initiatives, partnering with faculty across campus to pursue large-scale funding opportunities, and organizing timely workshops and seminars that bring our community together. It is a privilege to continue this work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E-Christa M. Ernst | Research Communication Manager\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new associate director positions focus on developing internal and external community projects at the intersection of data sciences, machine learning, and AI. They will support the executive director, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/david-sherrill\u0022\u003EDavid Sherrill\u003C\/a\u003E, in creating research and upskilling opportunities for the campus community in fundamental and applied machine learning and AI for research and by identifying promising new research collaborations and potential funding sources.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS) has selected faculty to serve in two associate director roles."}],"uid":"27863","created_gmt":"2026-07-16 13:42:58","changed_gmt":"2026-07-16 14:47:12","author":"Christa Ernst","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680619":{"id":"680619","type":"image","title":"New-Leadership-IDEaS-Graphic.png","body":"\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e7256b844b9a18836cf84ed3ffb37664d\u0022\u003EThis image features the logo for the \u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Institute for Data Engineering and Science\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e76f8fb59640382ef08856223b5209788\u0022\u003EIt displays a stylized, abstract graphic of a \u003Cstrong\u003Ecircuit board\u003C\/strong\u003E and a \u003Cstrong\u003Esemiconductor chip\u003C\/strong\u003E against a deep blue background.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e727d2937d978aa7ef35ec21ec69f158f\u0022\u003EThe design emphasizes concepts related to \u003Cstrong\u003Edata science, engineering, and artificial intelligence\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1784209460","gmt_created":"2026-07-16 13:44:20","changed":"1784209460","gmt_changed":"2026-07-16 13:44:20","alt":"This image features the logo for the Georgia Tech Institute for Data Engineering and Science. It displays a stylized, abstract graphic of a circuit board and a semiconductor chip against a deep blue background. The design emphasizes concepts related to data science, engineering, and artificial intelligence","file":{"fid":"264907","name":"New-Leadership-IDEaS-Graphic.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/16\/New-Leadership-IDEaS-Graphic.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/16\/New-Leadership-IDEaS-Graphic.png","mime":"image\/png","size":318428,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/16\/New-Leadership-IDEaS-Graphic.png?itok=LSJ0e9CW"}}},"media_ids":["680619"],"groups":[{"id":"545781","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187023","name":"go-data"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"107031","name":"College of Engineering; School of Electrical and Computer Engineering"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["christa.ernst@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}