Shreyes Melkote to lead Woodruff School as interim chair

Indian American professor replaces Devesh Ranjan who is becoming dean of University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Engineering

By Arun Kumar

Shreyes Melkote, an Indian American professor at Georgia Tech’s George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, will serve as interim chair from May 15 after the departure of current chair Devesh Ranjan, another Indian American.

Melkote, the Morris M. Bryan, Jr. Professor for Advanced Manufacturing Systems, will assume the temporary role after Ranjan leaves Georgia Tech to become dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, according to a Georgia Tech media release.

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“I am deeply appreciative of Shreyes’ willingness to step into this role during our search process,” said Raheem Beyah, dean of the College of Engineering and Southern Company Chair. “This appointment reflects his exceptional leadership on campus. Shreyes’ achievements and dedication to Georgia Tech make him the ideal person to guide us through this transition period, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration in this new capacity.”

Melkote has been a Woodruff School faculty member since in 1995. His research focuses on subtractive and hybrid manufacturing, industrial robotics for manufacturing, and application of artificial intelligence and machine learning methods for automated manufacturing process planning.

He was awarded Georgia Tech’s outstanding achievement in research engagement and outreach award in 2024. The annual honor is presented by the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research.

Melkote is the associate director for the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI), Georgia Tech’s interdisciplinary research institute tackling the challenges facing manufacturers and helping to insure future global competitiveness. He also serves as executive director of the Novelis Innovation Hub.

“I am honored to serve the Woodruff School in an interim capacity. It is an opportunity to give back to the School and the Institute that have supported me in my professional growth during the past 30 years,” Melkote said. “I look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students until the next school chair is chosen to lead it.”

Melkote has published nearly 300 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals and conference proceedings. His honors include the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME) Milton C. Shaw Manufacturing Research Medal and the Blackall Machine Tool and Gage Award. He also was awarded the Society of Manufacturing Engineer’s (SME) Gold Medal and Dell K. Allen Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award.

Melkote is an elected Fellow of ASME, SME, and CIRP, The International Academy for Production Engineering.