Georgia Tech’s research enterprise continues to grow in scale, complexity, and impact. To ensure our Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is best positioned to serve the Institute effectively, Georgia Tech has engaged Huron, a nationally recognized consulting firm specializing in research administration. This collaboration will help evaluate OSP’s structure, workflows, performance, systems, and service model to enhance effectiveness and support the research community.
Kick-off Meeting on February 19, 2026
Engagement Overview
To transform OSP to be:
- The gold standard in research administration
- Trusted by Georgia Tech researchers
- Admired by peer institutions
- Facilitate the most innovative, responsive, and impactful collaboration in the nation
Office of the Executive Vice President for Research
2026 Draft Performance Goals
"Expand and enhance the research infrastructure to support a world-class research enterprise, specifically operations, space planning, administration, contracting, and compliance."
- Lead project kickoff activities, establish project governance, and request key documents and data for analysis.
- Develop current state overview of OSP based on interviews, focus group sessions, and data and document analysis.
- Draft gap analysis and recommendations for a future state.
- Develop future state lifecycle maps and SOPs, with staff and faculty working groups.
- Finalize future state recommendations and implementation roadmap.
Why now?
Georgia Tech’s continued ascent as a national research leader—including its recent #2 ranking in federally financed research expenditures in the NSF HERD survey—reflects the Institute’s remarkable growth, expanding research portfolio, and increasing complexity of sponsored activity.
As the Institute advances its strategic plan and “Big Bets,” including scaling interdisciplinary research (to double research expenditures from 2019), strengthening partnerships, and expanding research impact, it is critical that central research administration infrastructure evolves in parallel.
This engagement is designed to ensure that OSP’s operating model, processes, governance, technology enablement, and performance management framework are positioned to:
- Improve service to faculty and research partners
- Ensure an equitable distribution of work and clear opportunities for career growth
- Develop sponsored projects infrastructure which scales with GT’s research
- Strengthen compliance and risk controls within OSP
- Enhance leadership reporting, data analytics capabilities, and transparency
- Enable innovation and efficiency through process optimization
Engagement Governance
Strong governance will ensure smooth project timelines and progress, as well as promote buy-in and outcomes aligned with guiding principles and goals.
Executives & Sponsors
Delivery & Leadership Team
Cross-Functional Steering Committee
Steering Committee
View PDF for additional details about the Steering Committee.
Steering Committee Representation
Chair: Brandon Strickland | Support: Huron
Office of the Chief Research Operations Officer
OSP Directors (Sophia Herbert-Peterson, Vannessa Daniels, Roberta Burke), Research Operations (Susan Burns), Research Integrity Assurance (Tanta Myles)
Academic and Research Units
Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts (Aaron Levine), College of Engineering (Adam Steinberg), College of Design (Alexander Lerch), College of Sciences (Jake Soper), Rob Kadel (IRI), Steven Ferguson & Thomas Kurfess (GTMI)
Office of Information Technology
Greg Philips, Courtney Hill*
GTRI
Bo Rotoloni, Raj Vuchatu, Ira Bragg*
Finance & OGC
Joshua Rosenberg, Macy Fennell
Operations Working Group
View PDF for additional details about the Operations Working Group.
Operations Working Group
Office of the Chief Research Operations Officer
OSP (Ashley Smith, Brian Dyson, Bruce Henry, Chase McCallum, Jarrett Ellis, Kadean Khan, Kendall Crosby, Lakita Brooks, Lauren Beebe, Lea Encalade Brooks, Leland Butisbauch, Roberta Burke, Rochelle Barry, Scott Niles, Sophia Herbert-Peterson, Teri Hansen, Victoria Custodio), Research Operations (Matt Sanders), Research Education and Outreach (Deanna Hendrickson), Office of Research Integrity Assurance (Jennifer Keller), Office of Research Development (Erin Bryant)
Academic and Research Units
College of Engineering (Quinny Ou), College of Sciences (Faith Taylor), Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (Brian McGlade)
GTRI
Sudagar Sundaram, Tamika Griffin, Janaki Tambe, Sumathi Harihar*
Finance & OGC
Glenn Campopiano, Romy Smith
Faculty Working Group
View PDF for additional details about the Faculty Working Group.
Faculty Working Group
College of Engineering
Chris Muhlstein, Karen Feigh, Muhannad Bakir, Siri Melkote
GTRI
William 'Jud' Ready
College of Computing
Josiah Hester, Tom Conte
Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
Laura Taylor, Michael Best
College of Sciences
Laura Cadonati, Vicki Wysocki
College of Design
Alexander Lerch
Project Timing
Why Your Participation Matters
This effort is grounded in partnership. The success of this transformation depends on candid input, collaborative design, and shared ownership of outcomes.
Change
Engage teams transparently and advocate for improvements to maintain momentum
Candid
Share experiences and examples, focused on strengthening OSP
Committed
Embrace your role as a future state designer, participate actively, and encourage others to share your commitment
Our objective is the development of a sustainable, high-performing operating model and foundational procedure and system infrastructure that positions Georgia Tech as the gold standard in research administration, aligned with its institutional ambition and national leadership role.