Early in her Georgia Tech career, G. Tong Zhou was very focused on research, and her research career culminated with the recognition as an IEEE Fellow. In 2005, she was offered the opportunity to lead Georgia Tech’s study abroad program in China, which she describes as “a very rewarding experience as it combines my interests in education, program development, cultural ambassadorship, and has cultivated my administrative skills.”
In August 2018, she reunited with alumni from the former Georgia Tech-Shanghai program who work in the Bay Area. This group of 25 alumni consisted of one faculty member, two entrepreneurs, seven Google employees, two Facebook employees, and employees at companies like Tesla, Apple, Oracle, Intel, Cadence, Qualcomm, and Intuitive Surgical. The Shanghai program has also produced successful alumni in China and throughout the United States.
In 2014, the former Georgia Tech-Shanghai program morphed into a Georgia Tech-Shenzhen initiative, with Zhou again leading the way. “We now have an exciting opportunity to organize more comprehensive programming in Shenzhen serving students from all over the world. We are trailblazing, and we never have a dull moment.”