Georgia Tech Professional Education

AI is playing a transformative role in project management. It automates routine tasks, streamlines processes, and helps project managers focus on strategic decisions that drive stronger outcomes.

Last night’s professional development event focused on the responsible use of AI and emphasized the importance of optimizing before automating, as well as ensuring AI tools are used safely and in alignment with both project and organizational goals.

Project management instructors Kizmet Charles and Sarv Kohli delivered insightful, interactive presentations that energized the packed room and sparked meaningful engagement.

Shawn Liu, clinical assistant professor of management at Georgia State’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, delivered the keynote presentation, offering project managers practical perspectives to help them navigate hybrid human-AI work environments.

Check out the photos from last night’s event!

The first recipient of PMI Atlanta’s Next Generation of Project Managers scholarship, Natalie Joseph, recently received her award!

Natalie, a senior computer science major and co-president of Project Management at Georgia Tech, plans to use the $2,000 award to further her educational journey.

After reading her award-winning essay to a room of PMI members, PMI Atlanta Chapter President and project management instructor Joe Sisto — excited by her perspective — encouraged Natalie to pursue project management as an additional academic and career pathway.

Congratulations, Natalie!

⏰ Four days left to submit your proposal for the 2026 Lifetime Learning Symposium!

As higher education works toward building a true learning society, we want to hear how experts like you are leading the conversation around:

• Activating the Learning Lifecycle
• Actualizing Access Through Scale
• Authoring the New Credentialing Landscape

Whether you're advancing research, developing new models, leveraging technology, or creating innovative educational pathways — submit your contribution to these indispensable conversations by Sunday, June 14.

Submit your proposal: https://vist.ly/57fr6

Certifications help occupational safety and health professionals stand out, build credibility, and expand their expertise. Earning the right credential signals a professional’s level of commitment, specialized knowledge, and understanding of industry regulations.

From entry-level credentials to advanced certifications, here are five key safety credentials:
🦺 Associate Safety Professional (ASP)
✅ Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
🎓 Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP)
📋 Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM)
☣️ Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM)

Designed for different stages of professional growth, learn how each credential can support your safety and health career: https://vist.ly/57a22

Last week, Project Management Academic Program Director Chris Carter, instructor Iuliia Chepurko, and more than 80 professionals from Alaska’s IT, oil and gas, engineering, and business sectors gathered to celebrate the PMI Alaska Chapter’s 40th anniversary. As the keynote speaker, Carter presented “The End of Soft Skills.”

With the rise of AI agents and their ability to handle technical tasks, project leadership skills have become more important than ever. According to Carter, these skills should no longer be considered “soft.” From team motivation and conflict management to driving bottom-line performance, these human-centered capabilities are just as critical to business success as technical skills like data mining and inventory control.

The Lifetime Learning Symposium’s Call for Proposals deadline has been extended to June 14!

Building a Learning Society — this year’s theme — has become a necessity for this generation and the next to thrive in an ever-changing world. This year, speakers and attendees of the symposium will explore the critical role education plays in making learning continuous and accessible for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

We welcome proposals that align with one or more of the following topics:
• Activating the Learning Lifecycle
• Actualizing Access Through Scale
• Authoring the New Credentialing Landscape

Join the conversation: https://vist.ly/569fq

They say dreams don’t work unless you do — and Georgia Tech students know that better than anyone. Amin Haider, a Professional Master’s in Manufacturing Leadership (PMML) alumnus, put in the work for two years alongside his cohort and saw the payoff even before graduating.

“From dreaming of Georgia Tech to making it my reality, this journey has been a wild ride. The PMML program provided a flexible format that fit my schedule while offering a new perspective on leadership. The curriculum strengthened my skills in research and data analysis, allowing me to apply them effectively in real-world scenarios.”

Political assassinations as a tool to influence foreign affairs are not new. However, modern conflicts show that driving long-term change requires more than eliminating the power of a single individual — it demands a deeper understanding of international dynamics and how power shifts within a nation.

Brian O’Neill, professor of the practice in The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech, notes that targeted assassinations can disrupt operations, degrade organizational effectiveness, and, in some cases, lead to capitulation.

However, O’Neill also references the work of Jenna Jordan, MS in International Security Online instructor, associate professor and associate chair in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs. Her research highlights the often inflated expectations of such strikes, finding that older, larger, and more institutionalized organizations are far more resilient to leadership removal.

While so-called “leadership decapitation” may create pathways for coercion, negotiation, or even popular uprising, modern assassinations more often fuel hostility and prolong conflict rather than create clear routes for change.

Learn why experts consider targeting heads of state to be a fraught counterterrorism strategy: https://vist.ly/55pty

We're proud to announce that Dima Nazzal, Professor in the Professional Master’s in Manufacturing Leadership program, has been selected as a 2026 Fellow in the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) Faculty Innovation Fellowship! BHEF is a competitive national program bringing together faculty leaders from across the country to drive meaningful change in higher education.

Nazzal will join a cohort of 22 fellows from 20 institutions across 15 states to develop new and promising best practices in AI skills enablement. During the 9-month fellowship, the cohort will also focus on work-integrated learning experiences for students.

Congratulations Dima! We're thrilled to see your work recognized at the national level.

Learn more about the Fellowship: bhef.com/initiatives/faculty-innovation-fellowship