Maribeth Gandy Coleman, Regents’ Researcher in the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT), has been named interim Assistant Vice Provost for Research Faculty (AVP-RF) and will lead strategic engagement with research faculty on behalf of the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty at Georgia Tech.

In this newly formed, project-driven leadership role, Coleman will advocate for research faculty in several arenas including onboarding, mentoring, and career development.

“Coleman brings valuable experience, passion, and a deep understanding to the AVP-RF role. She is driven to ensure the best possible work experience for our research faculty. Our faculty will have a true champion in Coleman, and we’re thrilled she is the first person to carry this title,” said Chaouki Abdallah, Georgia Tech Executive Vice President for Research.

As a research faculty member for nearly 24 years at Georgia Tech, Coleman rose through the ranks and contributed to initiatives to improve the research faculty experience. She was instrumental in establishing the Research Faculty Mentoring Network in 2023 and continues to teach in the College of Computing.

“I am excited that this appointment will allow me to provide much greater support for programming for research faculty hiring, mentoring, promotion, and community building. With the creation of this new role, it is clear that campus leadership is committed to our diverse community of professionals, providing us with lengthy and fulfilling careers at Georgia Tech,” Coleman said.

The role of AVP-RF grew out of a focus by the Commission on Research Next to improve the work and well-being of Georgia Tech’s approximately 3,000 research faculty across Resident Instruction and GTRI.

In a joint statement, Vice Provost for Faculty, Michelle Rinehart, and Julia Kubanek, Vice President for Interdisciplinary Research said, “As Georgia Tech’s research footprint continues to expand, we must recognize the role and impact of research faculty on our campus. The AVP-RF represents a true partnership between the offices of the vice provost for faculty and the executive vice president for research, and we are confident that Coleman will be a powerful voice for Georgia Tech’s research faculty.”

Coleman is a Triple Jacket, who earned her bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and her master’s and doctoral degrees from the School of Computer Science at Georgia Tech.

In addition to her role as Assistant Vice Provost for Research Faculty, Coleman will continue as director of research for IPaT.