Recent Event (RESCHEDULED)

Our featured speaker will be P. “Bud” Peterson, who will speak about the Lieutenant Governor’s Georgia Innovates Task Force to enable Georgia to be the “Technology Capital of the East Coast.”
Currently President Emeritus and Regents Professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Dr. Peterson served as the 11th president of Georgia Tech from April 1, 2009 through August 31, 2019. Under his leadership Georgia Tech exceeded the $1.5 billion goal for Campaign Georgia Tech by 20%, grew innovative collaborations and strategic partnerships, expanded the campus infrastructure, and increased national and global visibility. Notably, in that decade the total research awards more than doubled exceeding more than $1 Billion in new awards in 2019; undergraduate and graduate applications and enrollment increased by 24% and 159%, respectively; ethnic and gender diversity of the undergraduate student population increased from 13.5% to 17.2% and 30% to 42%, respectively; and the six year graduation rate and first year retention reached all time highs of 87% and 97%, respectively.
Also, we will have a panel that will discuss the Georgia Smart Initiative. The Georgia Smart Communities Challenge (“Georgia Smart”) is a funding and technical assistance program for local governments within the State of Georgia. Georgia Smart is a first-of-its-kind opportunity for communities of any size in Georgia to receive grant funding and support that enables them to envision, explore, and plan for their “smart” future. Communities will be given financial assistance, a partnership with a Georgia Tech research team, networking opportunities, and access to additional, unique resources to execute their projects. These resources include connections to industry experts and access to technology solutions provided by our provider-partners.

Panelists to discuss Community Innovation: Georgia Smart Program.

Debra Lam, Managing Director, Smart Cities and Inclusive Innovation, Georgia Tech





Tom Sever, P.E., Deputy Director for Traffic Engineering, Operations & Maintenance, Gwinnett County





Christine Primmer, Smart Cities Program Manager, Georgia Power






Steve Justice, Executive Director, Centers of Innovation, Georgia Department of