As the eighth President of Georgia State University, Dr. M. Brian Blake leads the State of Georgia’s largest and most diverse Research-1 institution, spanning 6 campuses and a community of nearly 53,000 students and 8,000 faculty and staff.
Dr. Blake introduced a strategic vision for Georgia State that emphasizes four pillars: Identity, Placemaking, & Belonging, Research, Scholarship, & Creativity, Student Success, and College to Careers. Georgia State’s strategic plan, “The Blueprint to 2033 – Our Place, Our Time”, sets a path for the university to continue to enhance its academic excellence and student success, scholarship and creativity, and campus vibrancy.
During Dr. Blake’s tenure, Georgia State University has set several new milestones. In 2023, the research enterprise exceeded $200 million in sponsor awards – the highest in GSU history. Under his leadership, the university also raised a one-year amount of more than $100 million in philanthropic gifts for the first time in history. An advocate for campus experience, Dr. Blake is leading the effort to establish new interconnected green spaces and enhanced facilities to activate the center of Georgia State’s downtown campus. One such project is the new GSU Blue Line, a 3.7-mile marked walking path that knits together the university’s network of dorms, libraries, research centers, and classroom buildings. Dr. Blake also oversaw the acquisition of more than $55 million in government support for a new 120,000 square foot Research Tower that will open in 2026.
In recognition of his dedicated support for student activities and the important role of the college union in fostering community on campus, Dr. Blake was named “President of the Year” by the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) in 2025.
Dr. Blake has a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Mercer University, and a Ph.D. in Software Engineering from George Mason University. Dr. Blake lives in Atlanta with his wife, Dr. Bridget Blake, and their two sons.