Ammar steps into the position following the departure of Professor Lance Fortnow, and will lead SCS during a search for a permanent chair.

“I am honored by the trust that the School and College of Computing are placing in me by asking me to serve in this position,” Ammar said

Ammar joined Georgia Tech in 1985 as a network researcher and has taken on school leadership roles in the past. In fact, Ammar was associate chair of SCS when it was established during the 2006-07 academic year. He served in the role until 2012.

[RELATED: Mostafa Ammar is Studying the History of the Internet to Find Its Future]

In his new role, Ammar wants to continue to nurture the strengths of the School.

“There is a lot to celebrate in SCS,” Ammar said. “We are a hardworking community of bright, dedicated, and ambitious students, faculty, and staff. Our teaching and research efforts continue to be world-class, visible, and impactful.”

He also looks forward to cultivating the School’s growth, which has one of the largest incoming Ph.D. classes in SCS’s history with 50 students.

“Our hiring successes have infused our already strong community with significant vim and vigor,” he said. “We are not a group that rests on its laurels, and we are more than a match to any challenges that might face us.”