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Atlanta, GA | Posted: November 18, 2011
Barbara Christopher
Industrial and Systems Engineering
404.385.3102
Summary Sentence:
No summary sentence submitted.Full Summary:
After forty years of dedicated service to Georgia Tech, Gary Parker, associate chair for graduate studies in ISyE, will retire effective November 30, 2011.
R. Gary Parker, PhDAfter forty years of dedicated service to
Georgia Tech, R. Gary Parker, associate chair for graduate studies in the H.
Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE), will retire
effective November 30, 2011. Parker's primary responsibility has been dealing
with policy matters relative to all graduate academic programs, activities, and
curricula, including graduate admissions.
John Jarvis, ISyE school chair at the time, appointed Parker to the role of
associate chair for academic programs in 1996, a position that included both
undergraduate and graduate studies. In 2002, a separate undergraduate
associate chair was named, and Parker then concentrated solely on graduate
studies. Jarvis urged Parker to focus on bringing in the “best PhD students
possible.” Parker took Jarvis’ advice and began recruiting some the best and
brightest.
“I was exceptionally fortunate to have colleagues, especially the school chair,
who fully understood what needed to be done and who unselfishly assisted me
every step of the way in going after the most talented PhD applicants. It took
a long time, but I do believe that we now operate in a very rarefied air with
regard to the quality of all of our graduate programs, but most crucially the
PhD program. At the end of the day, it was that commitment that made good
things start to happen,” said Parker. "Along the way, we also
created a separate stand-alone PhD program in operations research. I was and am
very proud of that."
Parker began his career at Georgia Tech in ISyE as an assistant professor in
1972. Since then, he has held the role of associate professor, associate
director for undergraduate programs, professor, associate chair and director of
academic programs. Parker is persistent in acknowledging the guidance he
received from faculty members when he joined ISyE, and feels fortunate to have
had the opportunity to call them “colleagues.”
“Most notably, I would like to point to my old friend C.M. (Mike) Shetty.
One of the most scholarly people on the faculty then, he was a senior and
highly respected faculty member who found time to interact with me, and slowly,
he became more than a colleague, but also a real mentor and ultimately a good
friend,” said Parker.
Besides overseeing the graduate academics, Parker remains active in research
relative to the following areas: Graphs, Combinatorial Scheduling Theory,
Complexity Theory. This includes continued participation as a program faculty
member in the Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Algorithms, Combinatorics, and
Optimization.
"Since accepting the role as associate chair for graduate studies, Gary
has provided important leadership to ISyE’s graduate programs," said Jane
Ammons, H. Milton and Carolyn J. Stewart School Chair. "I would like
to thank Gary for his sustained contributions to our program, and wish him joy
and excellent adventures in the next chapters of his life."
Upon Parker’s retirement, Paul Kvam, professor in ISyE, will be named new
associate chair for graduate studies. Drawing from years of experience,
Parker offers Kvam these words of wisdom:
“Try to stay focused on academic quality as well as in program creation.
Make substantial use of your most esteemed faculty colleagues. Keep some
sense of humor if at all possible and don't take yourself too seriously,”
offered Parker.
