ATL Standard

Steven W. McLaughlin has been appointed as the 14th president of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, a private college with esteemed programs in architecture, art, and engineering, effective July 1. McLaughlin has been with Georgia Tech for nearly 30 years, including his current role as provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs since 2020.

During his tenure at Georgia Tech, McLaughlin has led various initiatives such as launching the College of Lifetime Learning in 2024. His previous positions include dean and Southern Company Chair of the College of Engineering, chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and vice provost for International Initiatives.

Ángel Cabrera, President of Georgia Tech, praised McLaughlin's contributions, stating, “Steve has been an important colleague and a dear friend, and his leadership has made a lasting impact on Georgia Tech...I can’t think of a better match than Steve and The Cooper Union — an institution that shares his deep belief in the power of education to transform lives.”

McLaughlin co-founded the CREATE-X program, which promotes entrepreneurial skills among students, leading to the creation of 200 student-led companies. He has also been recognized with the Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite from France and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from the United States.

His academic work focuses on communications and information theory, having published more than 250 papers and holding 36 U.S. patents. McLaughlin's leadership style is characterized by a commitment to student development and transformative educational experiences. Jamie Levitt from Cooper Union remarked, “Steve is a champion of students and...has sought to create learning experiences for students to grow as creative, ethical, globally aware, technologically sophisticated leaders.”

Looking ahead, McLaughlin expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “With all that is happening in higher education today, the vision of Peter Cooper is as relevant as ever...I can’t wait to get started.”