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M. Brian Blake and MPS in Technology Management Associate Dean Beverly Magda
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M. Brian Blake speaks to prospective students at an information session for the MPS in Technology Management program |
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After nine years at Georgetown, M. Brian Blake, PhD, is moving on in his career, but he leaves behind an enduring legacy with the MPS in Technology Management program
M. Brian Blake has served as an associate professor and chair in the Department of Computer Sciences at Georgetown University and is co-creator of the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Technology Management program. Brian received a bachelor of electrical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Mercer University, both in Atlanta, Georgia. He has a PhD in Information and Software Engineering from George Mason University. After nine years at Georgetown, Brian is moving on to the next phase in his career but plans to stay involved in the program, which is headed by Associate Dean Beverly Magda.
Why did you feel the time was right to develop the MPS in Technology Management program?
Brian: Georgetown University has made a commitment to extend its programs in the sciences over the past five years. Computational sciences and information technology fit squarely within this important thrust. I think the Technology Management program represents a significant aspect to these strategic plans that addresses the practitioner in context of leadership in technology-based fields. |
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In some ways, the creation of this program is your legacy to the Georgetown School of Continuing Studies.
Brian: Having worked full time during my PhD as a practicing software engineer, it is natural for me to want to engage in both theoretical and more practical initiatives. With the School of Continuing Studies (SCS), I have had the opportunity to participate in a number of information technology initiatives. From summer camps to training courses, I believe SCS is in a wonderful position to provide practical, timely educational experiences. Helping to initiate the MPS in Technology Management program at Georgetown is a great legacy for me.
Why did you make the decision to move on from Georgetown at this point in your career?
Brian: The decision to leave Georgetown University was among the toughest in my life. Georgetown has rewarded me with an extremely rich set of experiences in just a nine-year period. Perhaps the greatest experience has been my role in helping to expand Georgetown’s information technology footprint. I have been delighted to direct a research group involved with more than $6 million in sponsored research in the area of Web-based systems. On the other end of the spectrum, chairing the Computer Science Department in the first two years of its first graduate program has been quite rewarding. Crafting an MPS in Technology Management within the School of Continuing Studies is just the culmination of these experiences. Moving to the University of Notre Dame, I plan to continue to blend my contributions to applied research with cutting-edge academic programs. My hope is to increase the scale of my contributions to a global level while situating my engagements within engineering as opposed to physical sciences. My new role will be as a full professor of computer science and associate dean of Engineering for Strategic Initiatives.
Although I will be taking a new position with the University of Notre Dame, I plan to stay actively engaged with the program. I have been delighted with the quality of students that I have spoken to thus far.
Associate Dean Beverly Magda brings nearly 20 years of experience in information technology, with more than half of the time in education and not-for-profit organizations. Previously, Beverly headed up the IT initiatives at the Humane Society of the United States and Johns Hopkins University. Her research on the effects of technological change on people has led to presentations across the country and consultations at organizations undergoing technological change. She holds a PhD in Engineering and Technology Management from The George Washington University and a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Maryland University College. |
