In 1988, Ferri was the School’s first female Ph.D. graduate. In that same year, she was hired as the School’s first female faculty member and began a career where she eventually became a leading innovator in engineering education and technology use in the classroom.
For 11 years, Ferri served as the associate chair in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) for both the undergraduate and graduate affairs offices. She co-led the Georgia Tech Commission on Creating the Next in Education from 2016-2018, and she is known for her prolific publication record and her influence on both faculty colleagues and students.
After more than 30 years of advancing positions of leadership in both ECE and in the Georgia Tech community, Ferri was named as the vice provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development in 2017. Along the way, she has learned that people often make assumptions on an individual’s competence based on their show of confidence. “My advice to young women is to be confident in their skills and abilities and to project that confidence to others,” Ferri said. “They should be willing to be bold in making suggestions and voicing opinions.”