New Dean Interview: Talk With Dean Zvi Galil

Over the summer, we welcomed a new member to the College of Computing family: our new Dean. Dr. Zvi Galil served as President of Tel Aviv University from 2007 to 2009, prior to which he was Dean of the engineering school at Columbia University. Dr. Galil’s research interests include the design and analysis of algorithms, computational complexity and cryptography. Over the course of the summer, I got the opportunity to sit down with him and ask him a couple of questions.

Ajai Karthikeyan: Welcome to Georgia Tech and the College of Computing. What most attracted you to the College of Computing?

Zvi Galil: Thank you, Ajai, for your welcome. I have been touched by the warm welcome I have received from everybody at Georgia Tech. As to what attracted me to Georgia Tech, firstly, the College of Computing has an excellent setup which is quite unique. It is an independent college. Most universities have computer science or computing inside of engineering, or science, or arts and science, and they are usually not happy there. I think that in the 21st century, computing should be a college in itself. Secondly, the college has a pretty good size, which allows you to practice a lot of interdisciplinary work and venture into the future. Also, the college has an excellent infrastructure. The College of Computing is a leader in computing education with Threads (many other universities imitate us now), the unique and greatly successful Computational Media, and the number of specialized graduate programs, including those offered by the School in Computational Science and Engineering

AK: Many of our students are unfamiliar with what the Dean does. What would you say are your main responsibilities?

ZG: The Dean is the leader of the college, but since this is an academic institution, that does not mean he is the boss. Here it is more democratic than a corporation and more collegial. He is responsible for the major decisions made by the college, such as tenure of faculty, setting the direction which the college should take and leading the strategic planning for the college (which I am working on initiating). The Dean also represents the college to the higher ups within Georgia Tech. I work for all the constituencies: the students, the faculty, the staff, the parents, the friends, the alumni, the donors, the institute, etc. My job is to support the students and faculty and give them the conditions and environments in which they can excel, because at the end of the day, that is what is most important. This includes obtaining resources both within Georgia Tech as well as fundraising, and also being more efficient with our expenses.

AK: What do you hope to accomplish and change at the College of Computing?

ZG: I wish to improve both research and education. In research, the goal is to bring Georgia Tech’s computing programs to the top 5 (we are currently top 10). I want to strengthen the relationship and communication with the students and alumni. I also plan to work on a strategic plan for the college with input from all the stakeholders in the college.

AK: What particular challenges do you think you will face, and do you look forward to tackling any of these?

ZG: Three in particular; there are more, but these are the immediate ones. Firstly, developing a meaningful strategic plan for the college and deciding the direction for the college. Then there is the challenge of limited resources due to budget cuts. We are doing more with less. The challenge is to keep the morale high and keep everyone focused and improve on what we are doing, even with limited resources. Finally, fund raising is always a challenge (especially in this economy) but I look forward to bringing some money in from friends and alumni for new initiatives and existing ones such as Computing for Good. In the end, I will offer hard work and collaboration with the chairs, the faculty, the students and basically all the stakeholders, since we are all partners in the success of the college.

AK: What roles do students play in the College of Computing?

ZG: I believe that the students are the main constituents of the College of Computing. We must make sure that the students have the best experience and a supportive environment at Georgia Tech. This is usually called the best time of your life, and I want it to be that way. I consider the students my charges as well as my partners. My door is open and I look forward to meeting with students and will be at student events - I hope you invite me [laughs]. I look forward to feedback and hope you will provide me with constructive criticism.

AK: Do you have any advice for the students?

ZG: Take the best advantage of your time here. Your four, five or six years here. First and foremost, excel academically; learn to think critically and open your mind to new ideas. Take advantage of student life and student experiences. Make friends; college friendships last a lifetime. This is an experience that you will never forget. Don’t just learn. Finally, make some time to give back to the community. Volunteer your time, and this will enrich your life both now and in the future. Start contributing to the society, not just for compensation; it is actually self enriching and not entirely altruistic to give to the community.

AK: How are you enjoying your summer at Tech so far?

ZG: I’m having a lot of fun. Not many surprises. I haven’t been anywhere in Atlanta except the Georgia Aquarium [laughs]. I’m loving my time here so far.

AK: What is this I hear about your nickname from Columbia as the “email Dean?”

ZG: [Laughs] Right, I answer email from students. I usually try to do it the same day; sometimes in the middle of the night [laughs]. I will usually refer them and forward the issues to the right people, but I like to keep my finger on the pulse of the college. Also, my door is always open to students. If there are problems, I want to hear about them and fix them when they are young.

AK: Well, I’m sure our students would love to send you their feedback, sir. On behalf of the students of the College of Computing and the Firewall, welcome to Georgia Tech and we look forward to working with you in the coming years.