Dr. Michael Polak

Professor

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Biography

Michael Polak is a Professor at the Jimmy Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech, where he has been a lecturer since 2013. His political career started in 1993 when he was elected to the House of Representatives in DeKalb County, followed by a Senate election in 1998. As a Senator, he chaired both the Science and Technology Committee and the Appropriations Committee focused on Science and Technology. He is notably recognized for authoring and passing Georgia’s Hope Scholarship. Polak is the founder and President of Inovar Health and has received numerous accolades for his legislative work, including nineteen Legislator awards. In honor of his contributions, a bridge has been named after him in Atlanta, Georgia. He also served on advisory boards for the Georgia Tech Research Institute, College of Engineering, and the Economic Development Institute. He was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from Georgia Tech's College of Engineering.

Research Interests

Courses

POL-1101: Government U.S. POL-2101: State & Local Government

Requirements for Georgia Institute of Technology

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:19
Reading
Required:19
Writing
Required:19
Speaking
Required:19
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Listening
Required:6.5
Reading
Required:6.5
Writing
Required:5.5
Speaking
Required:6.5
Overall
Required:7.5
Prerequisites
Undergraduate degree in computer science or related field
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose
Specialization Notes

Department of Computer Science: GRE scores are optional for Fall 2026.