Susan Lozier to Complete Transformative Term as Sciences Dean

Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair, announced today that she will conclude her term as dean on Nov. 1. She will continue her research as a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

Since becoming the first woman to serve as dean of the College in 2019, Lozier's strategic approach has led to historic growth in enrollment, research activity, philanthropy, and reputational excellence. During her tenure, the College has launched dozens of innovative programs and expanded support and mentoring for more than 3,300 students and 550 faculty across six internationally ranked schools.

In Fiscal Year 2026, the College reached a record $70 million in research expenditures. The College has increased undergraduate enrollment by more than 60%, teaches nearly 180,000 undergraduate credit hours each year, and enrolls more than three-quarters of its undergraduate students from the state of Georgia.

"It has been nothing short of an honor and pleasure to serve as dean," said Lozier. "If my tenure will be remembered as one that fostered an environment where amazingly talented students, faculty, and staff felt supported and encouraged in their work, then I will have accomplished what I set out to do. From year one to year seven, the people in the College of Sciences community have been my top priority."

The College has added new minors ranging from astrophysics and quantum science to the science of mental health and well-being. New offerings include bachelor's degrees in math and computing and environmental science, as well as the interdisciplinary doctoral program in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology.

Under Lozier's leadership, the College also achieved reputational highs, with all graduate degrees ranked in the top 10% of their respective U.S. News & World Report program rankings.

In 2025, Sciences was the first college to surpass its Transforming Tomorrow capital campaign goal, raising more than $90 million and counting. Philanthropic contributions to the College have created new undergraduate scholarships and set record fellowship and endowment support for graduate students, faculty, and postdoctoral scholars. The College also advanced new initiatives for student support and career education, faculty mentoring and teaching, and alumni engagement, and expanded programming to convene experts across space exploration, health and ecology, and artificial intelligence and brain science.

Lozier established four new strategic research centers to extend work on critical minerals, artificial intelligence, and spatial processing and navigation. She also led the creation of Georgia Tech for Georgia's Tomorrow: a wide-ranging effort to address pressing health and climate challenges experienced across the state, from farms and forests to Georgia's coastal communities and growing cities.

"Dean Lozier has set a remarkable example of what it means to lead with purpose, generosity, and deep commitment," said Raheem Beyah, provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs. "She has left an enduring mark on the College of Sciences and on the many people who have benefited from her guidance, advocacy, and mentorship. She has helped position the College for an exciting future while bringing distinction to Georgia Tech through her leadership and scholarship. We are grateful for all she has given to the Institute, and I look forward to seeing the continued impact of her tenure in the years ahead."

Beyond the Institute, Lozier has served in leadership roles in several international scientific organizations, including a recent term as president of the American Geophysical Union, representing more than 62,000 members across 144 countries, and as president of The Oceanography Society. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.

Recent honors include election as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2020 and receipt of the Henry Stommel Research Medal in 2022, the highest honor given to an oceanographer by the American Meteorological Society. In 2025, Lozier was named Faculty of the Year by the Georgia Tech Graduate Student Government Association and, earlier this year, received the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award.

An active researcher and one of the world's foremost physical oceanographers, Lozier remains the international project lead for the $32 million National Science Foundation-funded Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program observing system, known as OSNAP.

In planning for new leadership, Beyah has named Mitchell Walker, dean of the College of Engineering, to serve as chair of the search committee. Details about interim leadership and timing of the search process will be announced soon.