November 22, 2022
By Ashley Ritchie

Professor Brandon Dixon has been selected as the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. Dixon will step into the role on January 1 as incoming Associate Chair, shadow current Associate Chair Al Ferri during the spring semester, and then assume the full-time role in the summer of 2023.

In this role, Dixon will be in charge of all aspects of the mechanical engineering undergraduate curriculum and also support the nuclear and radiological engineering undergraduate program. Some of his responsibilities will include: giving presentations to incoming and prospective students and parents; coordinating undergraduate research activities; resolving student issues; managing the Woodruff School Student Advisory Committee and Shell Tutors; and overseeing assessments and surveys, to name a few.

“It is a great privilege to help build upon the excellent reputation of the Woodruff School that, through the leadership of Al Ferri, has led to its consistent no. 2 ranking nationally over the last several years. I am excited to work with our innovative faculty, industry partners, alumni, and students as we reimagine the future of ME/NRE education,” said Dixon.

Dixon has extensive experience working with Georgia Tech graduate students, serving as a member of the Vice-Provost’s Graduate Faculty Council, a member of the Woodruff School Graduate Student Development Committee, the host of the GWW Future Faculty Breakfast Club, chair of the Institute Graduate Curriculum Committee, past member of the vice provost’s ad-hoc Committee on Graduate Student Employment, co-chair of the ME Qualifying Exam Transition Committee, and most recently, the inaugural Graduate Student Advocate.

As Graduate Student Advocate, Dixon has focused on improving interactions between faculty and students, informally counseled graduate students, led lunch-and-talk sessions, promoted professional development activities for graduate students, and served as a liaison between graduate student groups and faculty. His dedication to supporting Georgia Tech students makes him the ideal person to work with the undergraduates as the Woodruff School moves forward.

“Teaching undergraduate students in mechanical engineering has always been one of my favorite aspects of my life as a professor. I am also looking forward to having even more opportunities to work with the undergraduate student body here at Georgia Tech,” Dixon added.

Dixon received his B.S. and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Texas A&M University in 2001 and 2006, respectively. Since joining the Georgia Tech faculty in 2009, he has established a research program focused on developing engineered approaches to understanding and treating diseases of the lymphatic system. His research has been funded by the NIH, NSF, Gates Foundation, Department of Defense, the Georgia Research Alliance, the American Heart Association, and various private foundations. Dixon is a recipient of the NSF Career Award and the NIH Pathway to Independence Award. He is also a co-founder of LymphaTech, a Georgia Tech startup focused on the development of diagnostic technologies for lymphedema.