James Satterfield, TE 1969, M.S. TE 1972, is a devoted Yellow Jacket. His appreciation for Georgia Tech — and its innovative approach to instilling problem-solving mindsets among students — has led to his and his wife Lynn’s unrestricted support for the School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE).
Satterfield grew up in Atlanta. “I was always going to be a Ramblin’ Wreck from the beginning,” he said, recalling how his father told him if he got a degree from Georgia Tech, he would never be without a job. Initially intending to study physics at Tech, Satterfield’s passion for what he saw as a more practical application led him to change his major to textile engineering, where he excelled, earning a scholarship.
Awarded by the Textile Veterans of America, the scholarship came at a crucial time, as Satterfield’s father had recently died and money was tight. To cover the costs of his education, he worked as a student manager for the football team, earning three varsity letters. Satterfield went on to earn his master’s degree at Tech in textile engineering.
His gratitude for his scholarship has remained, inspiring his commitment to help others. Satterfield admires Tech’s commitment to instilling in its students innovative, creative approaches to problem-solving, which has served him well throughout his successful and varied career. From academia to environmental waste prevention and response to the insurance and reinsurance industries, Satterfield has specialized in helping organizations assess risk and overcome challenges. That expertise led him to found Firestorm Solutions and later CrisisRisk Strategies, businesses specializing in crisis management and response. He describes his skill, which he cultivated as a Tech student, as helping people and organizations anticipate, gauge, and respond constructively to risk and disaster.
Satterfield also credits his Tech education with instilling the attitude that, “If there’s a problem, then you can solve the problem, and good things will come as a result of that.” Now, he and his wife are showing their appreciation to Tech with philanthropic support for the School of Materials Science and Engineering, the home of what was formerly textile engineering as well as ceramics, polymers, and metallurgy, among other materials, underscoring the breadth and depth of the field and its importance across disciplines. As a result of his own experience, Satterfield appreciates the opportunities that financial aid can bring. “If we can help people,” he said, “and if that gift opens up doors for new people, who knows what will come from it?”
Natalie Stingelin, MSE school chair, said that the Satterfields’ gift “underscores the general value of materials science and engineering on people’s lives and our world via new technologies for healthcare, energy harvesting and storage, protection and environmental resilience, and sustainable cities. It also serves as a testament to the School's vision to transform materials science and engineering for the needs of the 21st century.”
Thanks to the Satterfields’ gift, Stingelin continued, “Future School leaders will have the flexibility to adapt to the ever-evolving landscape of materials education and research, allowing MSE to not only stay at the forefront of the field but continue pioneering areas such as emerging semiconductors, electrochemical photoconversion, battery technologies for EVs, materials for extreme environments, and beyond."
As Satterfield put it, “Georgia Tech is an opportunity, and it creates opportunities.”
To make a gift to the School of Materials Science and Engineering, contact Dave Zaksheske, executive director of Development in the College of Engineering, at davez@coe.gatech.edu.