Jill Gostin has been named a candidate for the 2026 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) President-Elect, marking another milestone in her distinguished career of leadership and innovation. 

Learn more about the IEEE election at https://candidates.ieee.org/ 

Jill, a Principal Research Scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), has made significant contributions to both GTRI and IEEE, establishing herself as a leader in the fields of sensor systems and software engineering. 

Currently serving as the Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test Lead in the Software Engineering and Architecture Division of GTRI’s Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory (SEAL), she has honed expertise in systems integration, software evaluation, and risk management.

Her research portfolio includes projects such as testing and assessment for the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) system and assessing radar system performance. Gostin’s work extends to developing innovative techniques for radar and sonar detection algorithms and analyzing system vulnerabilities.

Jill Gostin’s Contributions to GTRI, IEEE, and the Engineering Profession

Gostin’s leadership extends beyond technical achievements. She has served in various capacities within IEEE, most recently as the 2023 IEEE Vice President, Member and Geographic Activities (MGA), chairing the MGA Board. Her extensive IEEE experience also includes:

• Serving on the IEEE Board of Directors for three years in the roles of Region 3 Director (2020-2021) and IEEE-Vice President, MGA (2023).
• Holding Board of Governors leadership positions in the IEEE Computer Society, the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society, and on the IEEE Sensors Council.
• Serving as the Atlanta Section Chair, the Atlanta Computer Society Chapter Chair, the Region 3 Awards and Recognitions Chair, and contributing to numerous committees and boards across IEEE, including local and global positions supporting volunteers, engaging members, and participating in planning and execution of technical conferences and meetings.

Jill’s contributions to the engineering profession have been recognized with multiple accolades, including being named the 2016 Georgia Women in Technology (WIT) “Woman of the Year,” an award that honors professionals who impact their communities through technology leadership.

Gostin first joined GTRI in 1985 and has held leadership roles including Deputy Director of the Information and Communications Laboratory (ICL). She has consistently demonstrated her commitment to innovation, collaboration, and mentorship, balancing her professional accomplishments with a dedication to advancing her field.

Her candidacy for IEEE President-Elect is a testament to her indefatigable advocacy for technological advancement and professional growth within the engineering community. 

Gostin personifies GTRI’s vision, which states “Our people are the foremost innovators creating a secure nation, a prosperous Georgia, and a sustainable world.” Her career also reflects IEEE’s vision, that its membership “be essential to the global technical community and to technical professionals everywhere, and be universally recognized for the contributions of technology and of technical professionals in improving global conditions.” 

Q&A With Jill Gostin

Q: What inspired you to pursue the role of IEEE President-Elect, and what do you hope to achieve in this position?

I thought long and hard about putting my name in for the position. With IEEE’s membership approaching 500,000 members and 47 technical societies and councils, it is a big task! The ultimate decision came down to believing that I can make a difference -- I believe I can help IEEE continue moving forward, preparing for the future. I have been supporting the “IEEE in 2050” committee for the last 3 years, specifically looking at how engagement with our members will change in the future. We spent time talking about the changes in technologies and the speed at which they are changing, studying the impact those changes will have on technical-related careers, and working to understand how young professionals are already trying to prepare… and what they believe is missing from their preparations.  I want to lead IEEE in not only keeping up with but also in driving the changes in technology, and in building nimble processes for helping the workforce prepare for the ever-changing future technologies. I also want to ensure that our offerings encompass the multitude of ways that people want to connect with the IEEE. Examples may include such varied options as innovation competitions for students and professionals, multi-disciplinary humanitarian projects involving other professional societies, opportunities for learning at all levels, and even family events. Over my years of service to IEEE, I have proven that I am committed to doing what is best for IEEE and our worldwide members, and that I will put in the effort needed to help move IEEE forward.

Q: How has your experience at GTRI shaped your leadership approach within IEEE?

GTRI has helped me in my leadership roles at IEEE… and IEEE has helped me in my leadership roles at GTRI! Both have played a significant role in my development as a leader. I have learned how to face multiple challenges, on many fronts. I have learned that leadership styles need to vary in order to appropriately address different situations, with different people, in different environments (for example, in different GTRI labs), and even in different countries. I consider my highly varied leadership experience across GTRI and IEEE to be a key factor that will help me lead IEEE through the changes needed in preparing for the future. 

Q: As someone deeply involved in both technical innovation and organizational leadership, what unique perspective do you bring to IEEE?

GTRI has provided me broad experience that helps in multiple areas across IEEE. In my work at GTRI, I have contributed to and led programs that encompass multiple disciplines, contributors with varying levels of experience, and multiple GTRI labs. I have authored papers and presented at conferences. I have worked with members of academia, industry, and government. I have served on the Research Faculty Senate. I have been a mentor, served on panels, and contributed to multiple committees working to improve GTRI’s support of its employees. I have chaired the GTRI Awards Council, and served on the Institute Awards Committee. All of these things have given me insights that have helped me in various roles across IEEE. Many IEEE volunteers focus on one particular aspect of IEEE. Because of my experience at GTRI, I have been able to contribute to multiple areas across IEEE. IEEE has six major boards – Member and Geographic Activities, Technical Activities, IEEE-USA, Educational Activities, Standards Association, and Publication Services and Products. I have served in some role on five of these six groups, with key roles and most activities being in the first three listed. I received the experience I needed to be successful in these volunteer roles through my work at GTRI.

Q: How do you envision IEEE evolving to address emerging challenges in technology and engineering?

In the past, IEEE societies, conferences, and publications were very focused on one technical area, which in essence created some technical “silos” (IEEE societies) across IEEE. Over the past several years, IEEE has been working to not break down the silos, which are strong and effective, but to empower and enable them to also work together because many emerging technologies are multi-disciplinary. AI, for example, is impacting every field; “smart” technologies are requiring many fields to work together to come up with solutions – those are just two of the many examples that could be listed! IEEE has supported many projects that span multiple technical societies, and is now also creating simplified, expanded ways for IEEE societies to work together. Additionally, IEEE is finding ways to engage other professional societies outside of IEEE, to ensure we have whatever technical expertise is needed to address IEEE’s tag line of “advancing technology for humanity”. IEEE is also working to ensure that the workforce of the future is ready and prepared for the changes of evolving technologies, creating training modules and roadmaps for learning. Those roadmaps aren’t just for those who will be working directly in a new field, but also for those who may need to utilize these new technologies in their current field – they will need a basic understanding of what it can provide, what are the risks, who can they turn to for help, what data is available, etc. This will be an ongoing effort, as technology and engineering grow and change over the coming years, and I hope to be in a role to lead IEEE and keep it always focused on the future of technology and on enabling and empowering the workforce.

Learn more about the 2026 IEEE Presidential election here.

Writer: Christopher Weems
GTRI Communications
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Atlanta, Georgia

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Founded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry. GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.