IRP Staff

Jason Wang, Ph.D.

Senior Director

jason.wang@irp.gatech.edu

404-385-5727

Dr. Jason L. Wang serves as Senior Director in the Office of Institutional Research and Planning (IRP). He leads the IRP team in its efforts to provide accurate research, analysis, reporting, and decision support for Georgia Tech. His mission is to ensure the ethical and responsible management of data within IRP and to promote data literacy across Georgia Tech.

Jason started in IRP as a graduate assistant performing data analysis and writing reports and has since become an active and contributing member of the institutional research community. He has delivered presentations at state, regional, and national IR conferences, and is the co-author of the chapter “Data Strategy versus Information Technology Planning” in the book Data Strategy in Colleges and Universities: From Understanding to Implementation.

Jason teaches COE2001 (Statics) and COE3001 (Mechanics of Deformable Bodies) at Georgia Tech for the Honors Program and has also joined the faculty ranks of the Georgia Tech Oxford study abroad program. Jason is a proud Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech having earned his B.S. (2008) and M.S. (2010) in Mechanical Engineering and his Ph.D. in Bioengineering in 2018. He enjoys spending his days off gardening, hiking, camping, and relaxing with his friends, family, and two dogs.

Samantha James

Director - Institutional Research
& Data Portfolio Management

samantha.james@irp.gatech.edu

404-385-2352

Samantha James serves as the Director of Institutional Research and Data Portfolio Management in the Office of Institutional Research and Planning (IRP). In this role, she oversees strategic research and data projects, collaborates with leadership to ensure the success of initiatives, and provides analytical and management support. Her responsibilities also include portfolio management, technical oversight, generating detailed data reports, and managing the financial aspects of IRP operations.

Samantha has been dedicated to higher education since 2005, specializing in both academic and research unit operations. Throughout her career, she has held various roles in Sponsored Post Award Administration, Accounting, Administrative Support, and Student Human Resources. In these positions, she has developed expertise in training, advocating, and analyzing procedures to enhance productivity and efficiency.

An active contributor to the field of Institutional Research, Samantha volunteers on professional committees, delivers presentations at conferences, and serves as a resource to colleagues nationwide. She holds a BSB in Finance, an MBA, and a PMP Certification. According to Gallup–CliftonStrengths, her greatest qualities are being analytical, consistent, disciplined, an achiever, and a relater, finding deep satisfaction in working hard with colleagues to achieve goals.

In her free time, Samantha enjoys activities that promote health and physical fitness, encourage mental and spiritual well-being, and spending time with friends and family.

IRP Director of Data Management

Coming soon!

Daniel Lyczak

Data Scientist

daniel.lyczak@irp.gatech.edu

404-894-3311

Daniel is IRP's Data Scientist. After earning his Bachelor's Degree (DePaul University, 2008), he moved to South Korea to work as a District Supervisor with the Korean Department of Education. In addition to teaching students, he managed and trained teachers regarding pedagogy and best practices. Emigrating back to the United States, Daniel earned his MBA (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2018). He then began work as a Business Analyst in the Chicago private sector, emphasizing process enhancements and leveraging technology for improved decision making. In October of 2019 he joined Georgia Tech as a Business Analyst with the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Daniel earned an MS in Economics (Georgia Tech, 2022) and with his curiosity still not satiated, pursued an additional MS in Computational Analytics at (what was once known as) the North Ave Trade School. From Greek Mythology, to Behavioral Economics, to Stochastic Processes, understanding how things are interconnected and translating that insight to action is his passion. This is reflected in his work on developing models and creating functions, to turn questions / problems into answers / solutions which are quantifiable and objective. In his free time…Error #404…on that note, GO JACKETS!

Meghan Mullaney

Data Scientist

meghan.mullaney@gatech.edu

404-894-3311

Meghan is a data scientist in Institutional Research and Planning at Georgia Tech. In this role, she works with multiple internal and external data sources to prepare data reports, analyses, and visualizations to support decision making at Georgia Tech.

Meghan has a BA (English) from the University of Georgia as well as an MA (English) and MS (Data Science and Analytics) from Clemson University. She came to Georgia Tech with a wide variety of work experiences in roles ranging from communications and public affairs to research development to data analytics at University of Texas at Austin, Clemson University, and Georgia Tech. These experiences have provided a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the transformative and communicative power of data analytics and visualization paired with language.

When she isn’t poring over spreadsheets, Meghan can be found spending time with her family, reading whatever she can get her hands on, running very, very slowly in local races or, on a certain weekend every year, sauntering down Peachtree Street dressed as a silver robot.

IRP Project Manager

Coming soon!

Rashmi Dawadi

IRP Data Management Specialist

rashmi.dawadi@irp.gatech.edu

404-894-1645

Rashmi's bio will be posted soon!

Samantha Lunsford

Business Analyst

samantha.lunsford@irp.gatech.edu

404-894-8692

Samantha is a Business Analyst for the Office of Institutional Research and Planning at Georgia Tech. Her work includes reporting survey data and providing relevant data to support various projects and initiatives across campus. With a background in the gaming and nonprofit sectors, she has experience in market research, audience insights, and performance analytics. Her work in gaming deepened her understanding of user engagement, and digital trends, while her experience in the nonprofit sector strengthened her ability to analyze data for impact-driven initiatives and support educational outcomes.

Samantha graduated with a Bachelor's degree focusing on Public Health, where she developed strong research and analytical skills. Passionate about accessibility and innovation, she is dedicated to leveraging research to enhance user experiences and operational efficiency. She enjoys learning about the world around her, always seeking creative ways to approach challenges and improve processes.

In her free time, Samantha enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and watching her favorite shows.

Valerie Roberts

Business Analyst

valerie.roberts@irp.gatech.edu

404-894-9956

Valerie Roberts is a business analyst, self-taught graphic artist, and resident Jack-of-All-Trades in the Office of Institutional Research and Planning. She maintains the department’s website and develops content, designs infographics and data visualizations, and assists other analysts with research projects. Known to her colleagues as the “Sherlock Holmes of Data,” Valerie has acquired a working knowledge of descriptive statistics, SQL, query modeling, and research methodologies. Her professional goal is to develop web applications for decision support.

Valerie has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and over twenty years of experience working on projects where technology and creativity intersect. Outside of work, she is an avid reader, film buff, and aspiring multi-instrumentalist (drums, guitar, bass, and keyboard). An unrepentant autodidact, she continues to study her passions: web development, graphic design & illustration, and data analytics. (Though she won’t admit it, Valerie also has a flair for writing.)

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