Georgia Tech Welcomes Former DOE Deputy Secretary as Distinguished Professor in Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and Strategic Energy Institute

Posted September 6, 2018

The Strategic Energy Institute and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology today jointly announced the appointment of Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, former deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy, as a distinguished professor of the practice in the Nunn School and as a senior energy-national security fellow at the Strategic Energy Institute.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Dr. Sherwood-Randall to our Georgia Tech family and faculty,” said Rafael L. Bras, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.  “Few can claim the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience about national security matters and energy and climate policies that Dr. Sherwood-Randall brings to Georgia Tech. Her presence will add to the growing expertise and reputation in the realm of policy at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and other schools around the campus.”

Sherwood-Randall’s exemplary career has been dedicated to public service. As the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy from 2014 - 2017, she provided strategic direction for the agency’s broad missions in national security, science and energy, environmental management, and emergency preparedness. This included advancing the development of a network of regional energy innovation partnerships. The Georgia Tech Energy, Policy, and Innovation Center has played a leading role in implementing this network of partnerships and was founded to conduct energy research and to design policy specific to the Southeast. Under her leadership, the Department of Energy implemented a new approach to increasing the nation’s readiness to prevent and respond to natural, physical, and cyber threats to the power grid.  In addition, she led bilateral energy, climate, and nuclear security cooperation with key international counterparts.

“Liz’s contribution to the energy community is invaluable,” said Tim Lieuwen, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute. “In addition to being an expert on domestic energy whose thought leadership and policy acumen has contributed significantly to securing the national grid, she is also extremely well-versed in global energy issues, having led energy dialogues with numerous allies and partners. We are very honored to have her on board as a senior fellow.”

Sherwood-Randall has also served in senior national security roles at the White House and the Department of Defense, including as the White House Coordinator for Defense Policy, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, and Arms Control from 2013 to 2014 and, in the Clinton administration, as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia from 1994 to 1996.  At the Pentagon, she led the implementation of Senator Nunn’s landmark Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program which denuclearized three former Soviet states and substantially reduced the U.S. and Russian Cold War arsenals while maintaining strategic stability.

Former Senator Nunn has worked closely with Sherwood-Randall.  “We are delighted and honored to have Liz as part of the Nunn School team.  Liz is an outstanding leader who has had an impactful and effective career in government ... Her national security expertise will be a terrific asset to the Nunn School and to Georgia Tech.”   

In addition to her public leadership and management roles, Sherwood-Randall has taught, mentored students, and conducted research at Harvard University and Stanford University.  She is currently a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Prior to joining the Obama administration, she was a founding principal of the Stanford-Harvard Preventive Defense Project and previously co-founded the Harvard Strengthening Democratic Institutions Project.  She received her B.A. magna cum laude from Harvard University and her Ph.D. from Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar.  Immediately following receipt of her doctoral degree, she served as chief foreign affairs and defense policy advisor to Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. 

Sherwood-Randall looks forward to her involvement across the Institute:  “I have had several previous opportunities to interact with Georgia Tech leaders, faculty, and students, including during my tenure as Deputy Secretary of Energy and as a panelist at the SEI 2018 Intersect Conference. I have been consistently impressed by your boldly innovative spirit and determination to drive our competitive edge in science and technology, which is essential to our ability to tackle the toughest challenges we face, including climate change and nuclear proliferation. I am eager to work collaboratively with the dynamic Georgia Tech community at the nexus of energy, technology, and national security — and to inspire Georgia Tech’s graduate and undergraduate students to consider future opportunities in public service.”