Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of going back on tour to see the Institute's impact in action throughout Georgia and the greater region. Over the course of three days, I joined fellow Institute leaders on a journey that took us across 775 miles to attend 13 events in seven towns. Everywhere we went, the impact of Georgia Tech alumni, students, and researchers on transforming and improving the state was on full display.

I could not have been more pleased to recognize María Corina Machado, recipient of the 2025 Ivan Allen Prize for Social Courage, during our Feb. 14 celebration event.

We were honored to award Sebastian Thrun an honorary Ph.D. during this year’s commencement. Thrun’s visionary work through Udacity, in partnership with Georgia Tech, made the launch of our Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS) program possible.

At the Global HOPE Forum, I joined the “Future of AI” panel to discuss AI’s transformative impact on education, business, and society alongside leaders like Sarah Friar (CFO of OpenAI), Cheryl Guerin (EVP of MasterCard), and Rob Silvers (Under Secretary for Policy at DHS).

Reflecting on my journey as the first Spaniard to lead an American university, I shared how Georgia Tech balances elite education with a commitment to accessibility, ensuring a world-class education reaches as many people as possible.

Ethics is what we do when no one’s watching. And since much of what we do at work is out of sight to others, ethics determines what we can accomplish together. Ethics is not just an individual trait, but a cultural one.

I recently had the opportunity to appear on the THRIVES podcast with Wendi Jenkins, the vice chancellor for leadership and institutional development at the University System of Georgia. THRIVES stands for "talented, healthy, reputable, innovative, vision-minded, engaged, and service-oriented," and each episode features an interview with a guest about leadership.

On Feb. 20., I was honored to serve as the inaugural guest of the Scheller College of Business' Tech Talks Business series, hosted by Dean Anuj Mehrotra.

Our community is experiencing anguish over the loss of human life in Gaza and Israel, anxiety about the future of the impacted communities, and fear of increased antisemitism and Islamophobia right here at home.