Dr. Bud Peterson

Biography

G. P. "Bud" Peterson is the President Emeritus and Regents Professor at the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He served as the 11th president from April 1, 2009, to August 31, 2019, during which he expanded Georgia Tech's global reach and innovation. Under his leadership, the institution exceeded its capital campaign goal by 20% and doubled its research awards, surpassing $1 billion. Prior to his tenure at Georgia Tech, Peterson was the Chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder and previously served as the provost at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. With extensive experience in academic administration and research, Peterson has played a pivotal role in establishing national research education agendas and has served on various councils and boards, including the National Science Board appointed by Presidents Bush and Obama. His research interests focus on Heat Transfer, Combustion, and Energy Systems, with a notable emphasis on phase-change heat transfer applications. Peterson has published extensively, including 17 books and over 255 refereed journal articles, and has been awarded 18 patents.

Research Interests