Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson became the 11th president of Georgia Tech on April 1, 2009. Under his leadership Georgia Tech has developed a 25-year strategic plan, launched the public phase of Campaign Georgia Tech, experienced increased enrollment, expanded innovative collaborations and strategic partnerships, expanded the campus infrastructure, and increased national visibility. Peterson came to Georgia Tech from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he served as chancellor. Prior to that, he served as provost at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, and on the faculty and in leadership positions at Texas A&M University for 19 years. He has worked for NASA and the National Science Foundation.
Throughout his career, Peterson has played an active role in helping to establish the national education and research agendas, serving on many industry, government, and academic task forces and committees. He has served on a number of national accreditation agencies, with a focus on improving and assessing outcomes for higher education. He also has served on congressional task forces, research councils, and advisory boards, including the Office of Naval Research, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Energy, the National Research Council, and the National Academy of Engineering.