School Chair-Academic - Arts, Entertainment, and Creative Technologies

About Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech's faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top 20 universities for research and development spending and No. 1 among institutions without a medical school.

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do:

Students are our top priority.
We strive for excellence.
We thrive on diversity.
We celebrate collaboration.
We champion innovation.
We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
We act ethically.
We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

About the School of Arts, Entertainment, and Creative Technologies

This newly launched school will further position Georgia Tech as an international leader in research, education, and community and industry engagement at the intersection of arts, technology, and design. The school's pedagogical approach will integrate artistic foundations, technical innovation, and creative entrepreneurship. The school will leverage Georgia Tech's existing strengths in areas ranging from artificial intelligence and student startups to digital media and music technology, adopt the culture of practice-based studio pedagogy in the College of Design, and build sustained partnerships with creative studios, technology providers, startup companies, nonprofits, and artists-in-residence taking advantage of Atlanta's thriving creative ecosystem.

The school will be piloting courses in Spring 25 and launch the B.S. in Arts, Entertainment, and Creative Technologies in Fall 2026 for both incoming students as well as transfer students. This degree aims to prepare students to enter fields such as film, gaming, immersive media and art works that integrate new technologies and computational advances, at a time in which emerging technologies are rapidly transforming art and related industries nationally and internationally. At Georgia Tech, we seek to develop the next generation of leaders that will guide that transformation as we support the workforce needs and continued growth of the creative economy in Georgia.

The Arts at Georgia Tech

The launch of this new school is a critical part of Georgia Tech's broader strategic plan for growing the arts across the Institute. Georgia Tech recognizes the role of the visual and performing arts in cultivating creative thinking, the increasingly important role that emerging technologies play in the arts, and the potential for Georgia Tech to support a thriving campus arts community in connection with a growing ecosystem of arts organizations and creative industries throughout the state. Georgia Tech has also announced plans for the Creative Quarter, a 7-acre innovation district that will foster collaborations, inspire innovation, and build community through arts, creativity, and technology.

Georgia Tech prides itself on its technological resources, collaborations, high-quality student body, and its commitment to building an outstanding and diverse community of learning, discovery, and creation. We strongly encourage applicants whose values align with our institutional values, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. These values include academic excellence, thought and experience, inquiry and innovation, collaboration and community, and ethical behavior and stewardship. Georgia Tech has policies to promote a healthy work-life balance and is aware that attracting faculty may require meeting the needs of two careers.

Atlanta, GA

The College of Design at the Georgia Institute of Technology invites nominations and applications for the position of the founding Chair of the School of Arts, Entertainment, and Creative Technologies in Atlanta, Georgia. We are seeking a visionary, creative, and entrepreneurial academic leader who will develop a nationally and internationally recognized center of excellence for studying the intersection of arts practice and emerging technologies.

The chair will have the opportunity to shape a new school that will expand Georgia Techs academic and research activities and reputation at the intersection of technology and the arts, with the opportunity for substantial impact within Georgia Tech, the state of Georgia, and beyond. The new chair will be expected to provide overall leadership and vision for the development of a comprehensive program of teaching and research and will oversee the hiring of new faculty for the school, as well as new internal joint appointments that might complement those already in place. Over time the Chair will oversee expanding the major to include a pre-college program and a minor and will help develop a vision to expand into a graduate degree.

The Chair will:

• Manage academic, fiscal, and personnel matters and ensure the alignment of the School of Arts, Entertainment, and Creative Technologies with the strategic objectives of the College and Institute;
• Maintain an active role in the academic life of the school by contributing personally to teaching and research;
• Create strong interdisciplinary relationships with other schools within the College of Design and across campus;
• Foster an active research culture;
• Elevate awareness of the school and its programs across the campus, as well as with prospective students, alumni, and community, arts, and industry leaders through relationship building as well as public presentations and speaking engagements;
• Work with community and corporate leaders' including through the College of Design Dean's Advisory Board and bring a demonstrated passion for community engagement and fundraising, with a commitment to building lasting relationships that support the School and the College's mission and future growth.
• Develop curricular plans for growth, including growing the major, developing a minor and/or certificate, and envisioning higher-level degrees.
• Manage space and resources to accommodate growth and ensure technology expansion as technological landscapes change.

Candidates must have a terminal degree or professional equivalency related to the intersection of arts, entertainment, and creative technologies with a distinguished record of creative and/or scholarly achievement that typically qualifies for a tenured position at the rank of full professor.

The candidate must maintain an active commitment to the creative industries, to the technologies that support them (especially film, gaming, and/or immersive media), and to the promotion of excellence in teaching and research and must have the ability to engage with community and industry leaders and work effectively with faculty, students, and administrators. Significant experience in academic or research administration is desirable. We especially encourage candidates with proven or emerging skills in industry partnerships and/or fundraising to apply.

Student Success Criteria:

• The ability to teach and mentor a diverse student body
• The ability to promote an inclusive and welcoming educational/work environment
• The ability to mentor and assist students interested in pursuing graduate education
• The ability to design and teach curricula that are responsive to a diverse student body
• The ability to adopt teaching strategies that support the learning and success of all students
• The ability to engage students in experiential learning activities and pedagogy that support student success
• The ability to engage in high-impact practices that support deep learning for student success
• Has expertise in teaching, scholarship, and/or service that contributes to access, diversity, and equal opportunity in higher education

Interested individuals should submit the following materials:

1. Cover letter describing your interest in the position, outlining your vision for the new School, and highlighting your academic experience, creative achievement, evidence of industry and/or community engagement, and leadership style;
2. Curriculum Vitae; and
3. Name, address (including email), and telephone number of five academic/professional references.

For further information about the position please contact the search committee chair John Peponis at john.peponis@design.gatech.edu

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia (USG) and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individuals race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

This is a supervisory position.
This position has financial responsibilities.
This position will not be required to drive.
This role is considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position will not travel
This position does not require security clearance.

The committee will start reviewing applications in early January 2026

Successful candidate must be able to pass a background check. Please visit http://policylibrary.gatech.edu/employment/pre-employment-screening