Editor's Note: This story was adapted from an article by Brent Verrill originally published by the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems. 

Ten Georgia Tech undergraduates were selected as the inaugural (2017-2018) class of Sustainable Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF). Among them are Faizah Asif, from the School of Biological Sciences, and Gigi Pavur, from the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

As paid researchers, the fellows are reviewing, designing, and developing prototypes for interactive systems that will convey the unique elements and qualities of the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design (now under construction) and the behaviors that it engenders among its occupants and visitors. The fellows represent all six colleges at Georgia Tech and were selected from a group of 88 applicants.

• Faizah Asif, Biological Sciences
• Anneke Augenbroe, Biomedical Engineering
• Leo Chen, Computer Science
• Braden Gilleland, Mechanical Engineering
• Kian Halim, Computational Media
• Dongyuan He, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Hayden Mcleod, Business Administration
• Ellen Murphy, Environmental Engineering
• Gigi Pavur, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
• Benjamin Tasistro-Hart, Architecture

Through their research, the fellows are learning about Living Buildings, performance dashboards, systems and complexity, and the design of human interfaces. Their work is being facilitated by Michael Chang, deputy director of the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, and Dana Hartley, undergraduate program coordinator of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. This project will serve as the basis for a new Vertically Integrated Project (VIP), which allows undergraduates to earn academic credits by working on faculty-led research projects over multiple semesters, with students participating for up to three years.