The Callahan Memorial Fund for Global Technology and National Security was established in 1993 by Leslie “Griff” Callahan, a professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Professor Callahan was a former U.S. Army colonel.
The Fund achieves its objectives by holding symposiums, conducting field trips, and funding visits by experts in the fields of global technology and national security. The Callahan Lecture Series has included:
- David Petraeus (General, U.S. Army) on an Update from U.S. Central Command
- Herbert Lin (Hoover Institution) on Cyber Attack as an Instrument of National Research
- John Kelly (U.S. Ambassador) on National Security Strategy in an Election Year
- William Perry (Secretary of Defense) on Preventive Defense: An American Security Strategy for the 21st Century
- Max Cleland (U.S. Senator) on The U.S. in the Post-Cold War Period
- Sam Nunn (U.S. Senator) on The Nuclear Threat Initiative
Additionally, the Fund sponsors awards to and conducts programs for Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets and midshipmen from the following institutions:
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Emory University
- Agnes Scott College
- Kennesaw State University
- Georgia State University
- Morehouse College
- Spelman College
- Clark Atlanta University
- Clayton State University
- Oglethorpe University
- Mercer University
- University of West Georgia
Donate to The Callahan Fund
Donate by Check
Make check payable to Georgia Tech Foundation, indicate “Callahan Fund” on the memo line, and mail to:
Georgia Tech Foundation, Inc.
760 Spring Street, Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30308
Donate by Credit Card
Visit the Georgia Tech Special Giving Page and in the "Designations" box, please select the first option, "Make a Special Gift to Georgia Tech (write in your preference)." Then, enter that you would like your gift to be directed to the "Callahan Fund."
About Colonel Leslie Callahan
Leslie Griffin Callahan, Jr. (1923-2006) graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1944 and served in the U.S. Army for 25 years, during which time he received an M.S. (1951) and Ph.D. (1961) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He held command and staff assignments related to the technological development of air defense systems, guided missiles, avionics, and telecommunications systems. Upon retiring from the Army in 1969, he joined the Georgia Tech faculty in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering and helped develop graduate research and education programs for Department of Defense personnel. He retired from teaching at Georgia Tech in 1985 and established the Callahan Fund for Global Technology and National Security in 1993.