May 13, 2026
By Joshua Stewart 

Craig Forest, professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has been appointed Regents’ Entrepreneur by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.

Regents’ titles are the highest distinctions from the system and recognize faculty members for academic, innovation, and entrepreneurial excellence. Altogether, the Regents honored nine Georgia Tech faculty members and reaffirmed the appointments of six others. Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera approved second renewals for four additional faculty members.

Forest develops small, high-throughput robotic instruments to advance genetic research and neuroscience. His team has created tools that detect viruses, personalize drug dosages to prevent heart attacks, and speed genetic engineering processes in the lab. They’ve also advanced micro-fabrication techniques, allowing them to model the flow of fluids and photons and identify neurons in the brain.

Forest’s lab created a robot that automates a tedious and time-consuming research technique called patch clamping, which allows scientists to measure the electrical properties of individual cells. Life sciences company Sensapex has licensed their patented technology.

Forest co-founded Tech’s original student-run makerspace, the Flowers Invention Studio. He also co-created the Georgia Tech InVenture Prize, one of the nation’s largest invention competitions for undergraduates.