January 23, 2026
By Tracie Troha

Nearly three decades after leaving Georgia Tech, alumnus Dinggang Xu has found a meaningful way to give back to the Institute and the mentor who helped shape his life and career.

Xu created a new undergraduate scholarship in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering in honor of his former advisor, retired professor Marc K. Smith. The scholarship reflects Xu’s gratitude for the opportunities he received at Georgia Tech and his desire to support future generations of mechanical engineering students.

Xu arrived on campus in 1997 after earning his bachelor's and master’s degrees in engineering mechanics in China. When choosing a graduate program in the United States, Georgia Tech stood out for its top-ranked engineering programs and its offer of financial support.

“I did not come from a position of financial privilege, and I understand firsthand how critical scholarships are for students with financial need,” he said. 

At Tech, Xu focused primarily on research at the Woodruff School and completed coursework in the College of Computing. He described the academic environment as rigorous, competitive, and intellectually rewarding. Though he ultimately withdrew from the doctoral program, it was an experience that proved to be transformative.

“The opportunity to pursue graduate study in the United States was truly life-changing,” Xu said. “I’m deeply grateful to the Woodruff School for admitting me and for providing me with financial support.”

After leaving Tech in 1999, Xu spent 25 years in the software industry. Now working as a real estate agent and living in Mountain View, California, where he is raising two daughters, he reflected on his time at Tech with a strong sense of appreciation and responsibility to give back.

“My primary motivation in establishing this scholarship is to support the talented undergraduate students while helping the School attract and retain exceptional talent in mechanical engineering,” Xu said.

The scholarship will be funded over five years, and awards are expected to be distributed in 2030, though Xu hopes to accelerate that timeline. He also hopes his story will inspire other alumni, particularly international graduates, to give back.

For Smith, who retired in 2023 after more than three decades at Tech, the gesture came as a surprise.

“I had not heard from him since he left Georgia Tech, so I was very surprised by this decision,” Smith said.

He remembers Xu as “a very diligent student” who made quick progress on a project using the Lattice-Boltzmann computational scheme to compute the flow around a cartilage scaffold in a bioreactor. 

“I was very sorry that he decided to leave Georgia Tech,” he said.

Xu said he always felt remorseful about withdrawing from the program, and he appreciated that Smith never criticized him for his decision.  

“So, through this scholarship, I hope to make amends for my shortcomings and express my gratitude to him,” Xu said.

Smith said that alumni contributions reflect the School’s lasting influence.

“It shows that the School created a supportive environment that allows a student to thrive and attain their goals,” he said. “Strong alumni giving also shows other supporters that their contributions will have a large impact on the lives and education of our students.”

Looking back, Smith believes that mentorship plays a key role in shaping careers and inspiring generosity.

“You generally have a large impact on a student’s life even though it may not always seem to be the case,” he said. “It is very satisfying to see that a student has done well and wants to give back to the School.”

To establish a scholarship in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, contact Senior Director of Development Jaimie Hayes at jaimie.hayes@me.gatech.edu.

All gifts to scholarships are included in Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech, a more than $2 billion comprehensive campaign through 2027 designed to secure the resources that will advance the Institute and its impact — on people’s lives, on the way we work together to create innovative solutions, and on our world — for decades to come.