The College of Sciences is committed to enhancing Georgia Tech’s research ecosystem for mathematics and the basic sciences, enriching and diversifying educational opportunities for undergraduate students, and encouraging creativity and innovation among our faculty.
Motivated by these aspirations, the Dean and School Chairs have worked diligently over the past year to discuss, plan, and implement a major change within the college. The exciting news is that the School of Applied Physiology and the School of Biology are being reorganized into one community, the School of Biological Sciences, effective July 1, 2016. Ten tenure-track faculty, 3 academic professionals, and 4 staff from Applied Physiology will join 38 tenure-track faculty, 6 academic professionals, and 18 staff from Biology to create the new School of Biological Sciences.
A single school focused on the life sciences offers many advantages, including the following. The new School of Biological Sciences creates a unit that is capable of driving the campus conversation on biological sciences and can serve as a focal point for biological sciences activities from outside the campus. This restructuring also strengthens the College’s ability to advance new health-related majors in neuroscience, physiology, and human systems and reduces curricular redundancies. And, third, it aggregates a critical mass upon which to build a network of research teams across the life sciences, capable of attacking the most challenging and complex problems in biomedical research. Lastly, the new School of Biological Sciences will administer a PhD degree in Applied Physiology, a master’s degree in Prosthetics and Orthotics, and develop a new undergraduate degree explicitly designed for pre-health students.
We have discussed the change extensively with faculty of the two schools, and have benefited from their constructive suggestions about how to implement the reorganization. Provost Bras has been aware of this plan for months and is fully supportive.
Together with faculty in the two schools, we have taken steps to manage the challenges of a change of this magnitude and to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. While we are fully aware of the coming trials, we are confident that the reorganization will prove to be an excellent step forward for life sciences research and education at Georgia Tech, not only within the new school but also College, and Campus-wide. Nevertheless, we realize that a change of this magnitude could raise concerns from Biology alumni. I would be delighted to discuss with you in person any questions or concerns that you may have. Please email me at terry.snell@biology.gatech.edu or call at 404-894-3700.
We gratefully acknowledge your consistent engagement and support of the School of Biology over the years. We look forward to your continued interest and support as we strive to strengthen life sciences research and education at Georgia Tech.
