ALUMNI INTERVIEW
DR. JANIS MCNAIR
Ph.D. ECE 2000
Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville
FOCUS 1994
Q. How did you learn about FOCUS at Georgia Tech? And what factors influenced your decision
to attend?
I learned about FOCUS when I applied to the graduate program in the School of Electrical & Computer
Engineering at Georgia Tech. Since my application was early, the department head suggested that I attend
FOCUS to find out more about the Georgia Tech experience. I must admit that one of the major influences
at the time was to find out more about the Atlanta experience!
Q. Describe your overall experience at FOCUS.
My overall experience at FOCUS was great. I learned many important things about Georgia Tech and, more
importantly, how to succeed as a graduate student at Georgia Tech. It was also great to meet the current
graduate students and the other FOCUS participants, and to share our common or uncommon experiences.
Q. What impressed you the most about the FOCUS program?
I was impressed most by the leadership and high quality of the program. It sort of raised the stakes for
what was taking place that weekend, as well as raising the expectations of my performance as a graduate
student.
Q. Did your experience at FOCUS contribute to your decision to attend Georgia Tech? If so,
in what ways?
I had already wanted to attend Georgia Tech based on general reputation. However, FOCUS provided some
first-hand experiences (with professors, students and the city of Atlanta) that validated my decision.
Q. Describe your overall experience at Georgia Tech.
At Georgia Tech I found that I belonged to a relatively large community of professionally advancing
African-American engineering students. The networks started at FOCUS continued through classes, social
activities, mentoring, and through returning to FOCUS as a volunteer. I found the Georgia Tech professors
to be very well qualified and very well connected, so I had plenty of options for choosing a good advisor.
Also, Atlanta has many industry opportunities, so I was able to find co-op positions and internships
without much difficulty. Overall, I feel that Georgia Tech has many resources for a graduate student to
ensure their own success.
Q. Did FOCUS prepare you for your experience at Georgia Tech? If so, how?
FOCUS prepared me by letting me know the "real deal", in other words, letting me know information that's
not in the brochures. For example, we had panel discussions from graduate students who were actually going
through the classes and the homework and the exams that could tell you their experiences. We also had
discussions with department faculty who described the requirements and what they were specifically looking
for in a graduate school application. Practically, any question I had could be answered by someone that
I met during FOCUS weekend.
Q. What is the most valuable lesson you learned at Georgia Tech?
The most valuable lessons I learned at Georgia Tech were (1) because of my Georgia Tech education, I was
qualified to stand and be compared with other engineering students in my field at any other university,
and (2) because the resources were there, my success depended on my own ability to focus and keep pressing
toward my goals.
Q. How has your experience at Tech (educational and otherwise) prepared you for your current
career?
Georgia Tech is not an easy school. Being successful takes a lot of hard work and community support. But,
all of that hard work is now paying off. I have the training to do what I need to do to be successful in
my career as an engineering professor. I still have access to resources through some of my closest
professors, and I also still have the support of FOCUS and the Black Graduate Student Association community.
Having attended other schools, and now being a professor myself, I have learned that Georgia Tech is highly
rated due to both the quality of the engineering programs as well as the high level of preparation and
abilities of its former students.