CalTech names Chameau president

Provost Jean-Lou Chameau is leaving his position at Georgia Tech to become the president at the California Institute of Technology.

"It's an honor for Georgia Tech to have someone from our administration chosen to be a part of such a distinguished institution as CalTech," said G. Wayne Clough, President of Georgia Tech.

"I'm looking forward to meeting and working with bright students and faculty and getting to know a new organization," Chameau said.

Chameau joined the Tech faculty in 1991 and has been the Provost and VP for Academic Affairs since 2001.

"I've been here for a number of years. They have been exciting years. I've had a great time," Chameau said. "I could not have hoped for a better experience."

While Chameau is looking forward to his new job at CalTech, he is aware of everything he will leave behind.

"It's hard to know that in less than three months I will be leaving," Chameau said. "The hardest thing is leaving friends. I have great colleagues here as well as great friends. I will miss the great people at Tech."

While the loss of Chameau will impact Tech, Clough sees the transition as an opportunity to strengthen relations between the two schools.

"Dr. Chameau will be instrumental in building the relationship between the two schools," Clough said. "He already knows Georgia Tech and will get to know CalTech."

According to Clough, the nature of research today requires relationships with other universities.

"The types of problems we face require a broad range of talents," Clough said. "We have to have strong collaborations with other universities. We already have collaborations with such places as MIT."

According to Clough, Tech needs to reach out to CalTech and develop our common interests.

"We had representatives from CalTech here in the past to help us with our science program," Clough said. "CalTech has a strong science based program especially in the field of nanotechnology."

According to Chameau, his role will be limited in strengthening the relationship between the two universities.

"The relationship will happen more because of the faculty than the presidents of the universities," Chameau said. "Those relationships already existed. I will continue to encourage those relationships just as President Clough will do here at Tech."

While Chameau is excited at the prospect of his new position, he also has some concerns.

"The thing I look forward to the most is the new challenge," Chameau said. "In many ways, [the transition] is exciting. Any new job is exciting."

According to Chameau, he has spent time in California, which will lessen the transition he experiences.

"On the other hand, it's a bit daunting," Chameau said. "CalTech is a prestigious university and you have to feel humbled."

"Dr. Chameau will do a fine job," Clough said. "He's a very bright person."

According to Chameau, while he was a part of the process, he did not know what would happen.

"I was proud to be a part of the process," Chameau said. "I was pleased just to be a candidate."

According to Chameau, he has accomplished a lot during his tenure at Tech.

"Dr. Chameau has done an enormous amount of good for Georgia Tech," Clough said. "We appreciate everything he has done for us."

"I am proud of providing an environment where people can inspire to be the best," Chameau said. "I played a role in promoting collaboration between disciplines and in the creation of new facilities. I helped bring Tech onto the international scene."

According to Chameau, what he is most proud of is that Tech is the model of sustainability and environmental friendliness on campus.

With Chameau leaving, a void has been created that Tech is planning to fill as quickly as possible.

"We have to be sure that this doesn't cause a loss of momentum," Clough said. "We have a great deal of momentum moving forward and we want to make sure we continue it with whoever we select to replace Dr. Chameau."

According to Clough, a search committee has already been formed to find Chameau's replacement.

"We are conducting an internal search," Clough said, "which means we have confined the search to within the University System of Georgia. Of course, we are looking at several candidates from Tech."

According to Clough, there are a number of people on Tech who could do a good job.

"It helps to have someone who knows Tech, knows the initiatives we are performing, and knows the players involved," Clough said. "Tech has a history of almost all our provosts coming from inside Tech."

"We are in a good position," Clough said. "Georgia Tech has a strong profile so the job is very attractive to people. There is an interest in Tech that wasn't there even ten years and Dr. Chameau had an integral part in that."

"Tech is extremely dynamic and entrepreneurial," Chameau said. "The university has enormous potential and I hope people keep pushing hard. The sky is still the limit as long as people keep pushing the envelope."