{"688718":{"#nid":"688718","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Receives Up to $21.8M Award in \u2018Unprecedented\u2019 Push to Treat Lymphatic Disease","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology has been awarded up to $21.8 million from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arpa-h.gov\/\u0022\u003EAdvanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)\u003C\/a\u003E to deliver a first-of-its-kind therapy to patients with lymphatic disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor many of these patients, care has long meant pain and disfigurement alongside other severe side effects, rather than receiving treatment that addresses the disease itself. This new ARPA-H award marks a potential turning point.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELead researcher\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/thomas\u0022\u003ESusan Napier Thomas\u003C\/a\u003E, Woodruff Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E (IBB), has collaborated with her colleague\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/dixon\u0022\u003EJ. Brandon Dixon\u003C\/a\u003E, Woodruff Professor in the Woodruff School and IBB, for more than a decade on this project. The research partners are driven by the lack of meaningful treatment options available to patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFunding support at this level is unprecedented,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cIt finally gives us a chance to move beyond symptom management and toward real treatment. We\u2019re addressing an underserved population with a huge unmet need.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Gap in Care\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe lymphatic system helps keep fluid moving through the body and plays a key role in immune health. When it does not function properly, fluid can build up in tissues, causing chronic pain and other long-term complications. Thomas noted that despite its toll on patients, lymphatic disease has lagged decades behind cardiovascular care in both treatment and research investment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are excited about this groundbreaking project in lymphatic engineering,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/garcia\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda,\u003C\/a\u003E IBB executive director. \u201cBy uniting interdisciplinary expertise, this work addresses long-standing challenges in lymphatic disease and moves meaningful solutions closer to the patients who need them most.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhat Comes Next\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the coming years, Thomas, Dixon, and their research partners will work toward an initial human trial, with an early focus on rare lymphatic conditions in children, as well as chronic disease in adults.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis award reflects Georgia Tech\u2019s growing leadership in using engineering to solve some of healthcare\u2019s biggest challenges,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/user\/1078\u0022\u003ECarolyn Seepersad\u003C\/a\u003E, Eugene C. Gwaltney Jr. School Chair and professor in the Woodruff School. \u201cIt reinforces the Institute\u2019s role in advancing innovations that improve patient care and strengthen Georgia\u2019s position as a hub for health technology and biomedical innovation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe award was made through ARPA-H\u2019s Groundbreaking Lymphatic Interventions and Drug Exploration (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arpa-h.gov\/explore-funding\/programs\/glide\u0022\u003EGLIDE\u003C\/a\u003E) program led by Dr. Kimberley Steele.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was funded, in part, by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) under Agreement No. 1AY2AX000137-01. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. government.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has been awarded up to $21.8 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop a first-of-its-kind therapy for lymphatic disease, a condition that has long lacked effective treatment options. Led by Woodruff Professors Susan Napier Thomas and J. Brandon Dixon, the project aims to move beyond symptom management and address the disease itself, offering hope to patients who often experience chronic pain and disfigurement. Funded through ARPA-H\u2019s GLIDE program, the initiative will focus on advancing the therapy toward initial human trials, including for rare pediatric conditions. The award highlights Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in engineering-driven healthcare innovation and its commitment to improving care for underserved patient populations.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The project aims to move lymphatic disease out of the medical margins and toward patients who have had few meaningful treatment options."}],"uid":"36410","created_gmt":"2026-03-04 14:45:56","changed_gmt":"2026-10-16 14:11:45","author":"mazriel3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681446":{"id":"681446","type":"image","title":"susan-thomas.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESusan Thomas\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1792159868","gmt_created":"2026-10-16 14:11:08","changed":"1792159868","gmt_changed":"2026-10-16 14:11:08","alt":"Susan Thomas, smiling, in a navy short-sleeved top, standing in a modern building with a stair railing behind her.","file":{"fid":"265854","name":"susan-thomas.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/16\/susan-thomas.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/16\/susan-thomas.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3038599,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/10\/16\/susan-thomas.png?itok=sjN5ZRE8"}}},"media_ids":["681446"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"385","name":"cancer"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMichelle Azriel \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Writer, Editor Research Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mazriel3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690903":{"#nid":"690903","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mining New Possibilities for Critical Minerals: Mapping a Stronger U.S. Supply Chain","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECritical minerals power the technologies that define modern life, from batteries and semiconductors to advanced manufacturing systems and defense applications. They are also essential to the nation\u2019s energy future, manufacturing competitiveness, and national security.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/cmei\/articles\/does-office-critical-minerals-and-energy-innovation-launches-regional-consortia\u0022\u003Emajor investment\u003C\/a\u003E from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Georgia Tech is helping accelerate the development of domestic critical minerals from unconventional and secondary resources. The $7.5 million award positions the Institute to advance supply chain solutions that span resource discovery, processing, recycling, and circular materials management.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESelected by DOE\u2019s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, Georgia Tech will lead the Critical Minerals in the Atlantic Seaboard Plain (CM-MAP) project. The regional effort builds on DOE\u2019s Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) initiative and will examine potential resources across the Atlantic coastal plain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe CM-MAP project will focus on sedimentary deposits, including kaolin, bauxite, heavy mineral sands, and phosphates, as well as legacy mining residues, coal combustion byproducts, and other unconventional and secondary resources that could support future recycling and circular economy opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrawing on existing infrastructure, regional assets, industry bases, and scientific expertise, CM-MAP will establish a regional innovation ecosystem that supports domestic critical mineral production, recycling, and advanced manufacturing, while fostering new economic opportunities throughout the Southeast.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a powerful example of how Georgia Tech brings together leading research capabilities and partnerships from industry, government, nonprofits, and national labs to address complex national challenges,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/leadership\u0022\u003ETim Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E, executive vice president for Research. \u201cBy identifying and domestically sourcing critical minerals, we are helping secure essential supply chains, while enabling the next generation of energy and materials technologies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe DOE award builds on a growing network of research, industry, regional, and international partnerships led by Georgia Tech to translate scientific discovery into real-world supply chain solutions, including:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ea149f3a1369a08e50ecd550f254e4fc6\u0022\u003EResearch leadership \u2014 Founded in 2024, Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/minerals.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Critical Mineral Solutions\u003C\/a\u003E serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research and technology development across the Institute.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e3525757baf2e98febb34b5a40cf084bc\u0022\u003ERegional partnerships \u2014Through the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Partnership for Essential Materials\u003C\/a\u003E, a flagship regional collaboration platform, Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, and the Georgia Mining Association convene stakeholders from across the critical minerals sector. The partnership brings together industry, nonprofit organizations, regional economic development agencies, national labs, universities, and technical colleges to connect, collaborate, and stay engaged in the latest developments.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ebccf1688cc8ca7d30f05f3e54fb5b005\u0022\u003EInternational engagement \u2014 A\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.research.gatech.edu\/2026\/04\/13\/georgia-universities-and-uk-partners-strengthen-collaboration-critical-minerals-gems-4\u0022\u003EU.K.-U.S. working group\u003C\/a\u003E extends partnerships across the Southeastern United States and Southwest United Kingdom, connecting researchers, industry leaders, and government agencies working to strengthen global supply chains.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e1647f02ab83f892d6c95813afcbe8a2e\u0022\u003EGeorgia Critical Mineral Supply Chain Manufacturing Demonstration Center \u2014 Supported through\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/buddycarter.house.gov\/news\/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16085\u0022\u003Econgressional funding\u003C\/a\u003E, the center is developing capabilities and regional supply chain demonstrations that connect resource development, materials processing, recycling, and advanced manufacturing.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of CM-MAP, researchers will analyze materials collected from natural deposits and industrial sites throughout the Southeast to identify their critical mineral content. The resulting large datasets will be combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches to better understand and predict where resources exist, optimize extraction pathways, and inform future recovery and recycling strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis project brings together a highly collaborative team from Georgia Tech, national labs, industry partners, and research institutions across the region,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, the principal investigator and Georgia Power Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, with a courtesy appointment in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is also the founding director of the Center for Critical Mineral Solutions and executive director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThrough this award, we are working to build secure and resilient critical materials supply chains, from resource discovery and characterization to processing, recovery, recycling, and advanced manufacturing, while also developing the skilled workforce needed to support these emerging industries,\u201d Tang said. \u201cOur vision is to create a regional innovation ecosystem that embraces both unconventional resources and circular economy approaches to maximize the value of materials already in use.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELearn more about critical materials research and workforce development efforts at Georgia Tech by visiting the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/minerals.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Critical Mineral Solutions\u003C\/a\u003E webpage.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESelected by DOE\u2019s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, Georgia Tech will lead the Critical Minerals in the Atlantic Seaboard Plain (CM-MAP) project. The regional effort builds on DOE\u2019s Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) initiative and will examine potential resources across the Atlantic coastal plain.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new Department of Energy award will help Georgia Tech lead a regional effort to identify, recover, and reuse materials essential to energy, manufacturing, and national security."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-24 17:37:05","changed_gmt":"2026-09-29 18:49:15","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680536":{"id":"680536","type":"image","title":"Picture-for-announcement-Final.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EUnited States map showing the eight regions of the CORE-CM Initiative. Courtesy: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/netl-exchange.energy.gov\/FileContent.aspx?FileID=fe48ff94-6a59-4df7-b490-54b66c8a22ad\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDepartment of Energy Core-CM Initiative\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782837023","gmt_created":"2026-06-30 16:30:23","changed":"1782837023","gmt_changed":"2026-06-30 16:30:23","alt":"United States map showing the eight regions of the CORE-CM Initiative. Courtesy: Department of Energy Core-CM Initiative","file":{"fid":"264810","name":"Picture-for-announcement-Final.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/30\/Picture-for-announcement-Final.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/30\/Picture-for-announcement-Final.png","mime":"image\/png","size":709702,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/30\/Picture-for-announcement-Final.png?itok=7Qcc14JW"}}},"media_ids":["680536"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"194701","name":"go-resarchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMedia Contact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691226":{"#nid":"691226","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Helps Advance Genesis Mission, a National Effort to Transform Scientific Discovery Through AI","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech will play a key role in the newly announced \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/undersecretaryforscience\/genesis-mission\/genesis-mission\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGenesis Mission\u003C\/a\u003E, a national initiative harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to propel scientific discovery and address challenges in health, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, and national security. The White House announced the first Genesis Mission projects on July 22 as part of a more than $5 billion investment in AI-enabled science and technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech was chosen for multiple Genesis Mission awards. Faculty will lead two projects and collaborate on others with research partners across the country.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cArtificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how we conduct research and drive discovery,\u201d said Tim Lieuwen, Georgia Tech\u2019s executive vice president for Research. \u201cThese awards recognize Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in AI, advanced computing, engineering, and the sciences. By bringing together expertise from across our colleges and research units, we can help accelerate breakthroughs in areas that are crucial to the nation\u2019s future \u2014 from energy and manufacturing to health and critical infrastructure.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022eef48fed33303f787f2d03a09ca3172ed\u0022\u003EAmeet Pinto, associate professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and faculty director for interdisciplinary research and collaboration for the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, will lead \u201cAI-Enabled Single Cell Phenotyping to Advance Biomanufacturing.\u201d The project aims to advance AI-enabled approaches for understanding biological systems and strengthening next-generation biomanufacturing capabilities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e394fd872589e430e8a7f12ca5d6a40d2\u0022\u003EFan Zhang, assistant professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, will lead the project, \u201cAI Driven Workflow with Cyber Assured Digital Twin for Autonomous Operations in SMRs and Microreactors.\u201d Her team will focus on developing AI-enabled digital twin technologies to support the safe, autonomous operation of advanced nuclear energy systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe additional Georgia Tech-supported awards span multiple disciplines and involve researchers from the Colleges of Engineering, Computing, and Sciences; the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems; the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines; the Institute for Data Engineering and Science; and the Strategic Energy Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e7a92afba6dacd2d56dd5615804d907cf\u0022\u003EMarilyn Brown (Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will build AI foundation models that predict and test water-for-energy conditions in the Tennessee Valley Authority region.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e5ee3d514f06472b2bd8eed39853bf64e\u0022\u003EPeng Chen (School of Computational Science and Engineering) will collaborate on two projects designed to improve predictions of both water availability and flood risks. He will partner with ORNL and the Argonne National Laboratory.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e1bb31f256d17759aa5ead75ec2e02245\u0022\u003EAsif Khan (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering) will partner with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to accelerate the discovery of new materials for a type of computer memory called Electro-Chemical RAM (ECRAM) to help create more energy-efficient AI systems.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e2732e959fa01c6df4ef27eaccb18fd78\u0022\u003EFan Zhang\u2019s second Genesis Mission project is a collaboration with ORNL to develop AI tools for the lifecycle of fusion plants, including robotics and maintenance.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e940b6bc9dff007fbe6f6c84bebf1d591\u0022\u003ESamer Naif (School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences) will collaborate with the University of Southern California on the project \u0022AI-enabled Geobiological Critical Minerals Characterization and Recovery in Geothermal Systems.\u0022\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022eba933b0a9119da9f1ce9b17ace8d422d\u0022\u003EShimeng Yu (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering) will partner with Duke University on the project, \u0022Neuromorphic Circuit Primitives for Robotic Embodied Physical AI.\u0022\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s role in the Genesis Mission highlights the Institute\u2019s strong interdisciplinary research approach, which brings together experts across many fields to solve complex problems and rapidly advance innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENote: Selection for award negotiations does not constitute a final funding award. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, awards remain subject to successful negotiations and the availability of funding.\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/-\/media\/funding\/pdf\/Awards-Lists\/2026\/GM-RFA-Awards-List.pdf\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/science.osti.gov\/-\/media\/funding\/pdf\/Awards-Lists\/2026\/GM-RFA-Awards-List.pdf\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Institute researchers will lead two projects and contribute to several others as part of the Department of Energy\u2019s $5 billion initiative. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers will lead two projects and contribute to several others as part of the Department of Energy\u2019s $5 billion initiative.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Institute researchers will lead two projects and contribute to several others as part of the Department of Energy\u2019s $5 billion initiative. "}],"uid":"27561","created_gmt":"2026-07-24 13:57:45","changed_gmt":"2026-09-29 18:47:24","author":"Angela Ayers","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680665":{"id":"680665","type":"image","title":"GT_Lab_GradStudent_LowEnergyChemSeperation.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech graduate student examines a hollow fiber membrane, used for low-energy chemical separation. New DOE Genesis Mission awards have bolstered innovative interdisciplinary work across the Institute, with Georgia Tech leading two projects and contributing to five more. (Photo: Rob Felt)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784901576","gmt_created":"2026-07-24 13:59:36","changed":"1784903464","gmt_changed":"2026-07-24 14:31:04","alt":"Georgia Tech grad student holding a hollow fiber membrane that can be used for low-energy chemical separation.","file":{"fid":"264956","name":"GT_Lab_GradStudent_LowEnergyChemSeperation.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/24\/GT_Lab_GradStudent_LowEnergyChemSeperation.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/24\/GT_Lab_GradStudent_LowEnergyChemSeperation.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":241001,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/24\/GT_Lab_GradStudent_LowEnergyChemSeperation.jpg?itok=Dxo9rLze"}}},"media_ids":["680665"],"groups":[{"id":"244191","name":"Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAngela Ayers\u003Cbr\u003EAVP of Research Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689137":{"#nid":"689137","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Four Challenges to the U.S. Energy Transition","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEfficiently transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy means looking at so much more than just the technology we use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReliable energy is required to keep safe in cold winters and hot summers, making it a matter of national security. There are also vying economic policies to consider, political and financial incentives to navigate, and questions of social and economic inequality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExperts in Georgia Tech\u2019s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts examine \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/featured-news\/2026\/03\/us-energy-transition-challenges\u0022\u003Ethe challenges we face with the U.S. energy transition,\u003C\/a\u003E and work to help make it safe, fair, and effective for all.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e7cfd60f422057affedd60d63117d75e4\u0022\u003EChallenge No. 1: Managing National Security \u2014 with Adam N. Stulberg, professor and chair of the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e94011593432b27de89fe8607d7e8900a\u0022\u003EChallenge No. 2: Confronting Inequality \u2014 with Bijesh Mishra, a postdoctoral scholar in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e93d1764e398d814a49055dc013f9a68e\u0022\u003EChallenge No. 3: Choosing the Right Economic Policies \u2014 with Bobby Harris, an assistant professor in the School of Economics.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ef3ea7f6406e6ccb36db36b24d5c7dbfa\u0022\u003EChallenge No. 4: Navigating Financial and Political Incentives \u2014 with Kate Pride Brown, a sociologist in the School of History and Sociology.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/featured-news\/2026\/03\/us-energy-transition-challenges\u0022\u003ERead the article on the Ivan Allen College website.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EReliable energy is required to keep safe in cold winters and hot summers, making it a matter of national security. There are also vying economic policies to consider, political and financial incentives to navigate, and questions of social and economic inequality. Experts in Georgia Tech\u2019s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts examine the challenges we face with the U.S. energy transition, and work to help make it safe, fair, and effective for all.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Reliable energy is a matter of national security. There are also vying economic policies to consider, political and financial incentives to navigate, and questions of social and economic inequality to consider."}],"uid":"35766","created_gmt":"2026-03-23 18:34:56","changed_gmt":"2026-09-16 13:11:32","author":"dminardi3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679717":{"id":"679717","type":"image","title":"MERCURY--1-.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774291064","gmt_created":"2026-03-23 18:37:44","changed":"1774291064","gmt_changed":"2026-03-23 18:37:44","alt":"Power lines running through open land.","file":{"fid":"263909","name":"MERCURY--1-.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/23\/MERCURY--1-.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/23\/MERCURY--1-.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1363201,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/23\/MERCURY--1-.jpg?itok=3CSxj0Wp"}}},"media_ids":["679717"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:dminardi3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EDi Minardi\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["dminardi3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690440":{"#nid":"690440","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Scaling Innovation: Georgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium Builds for the Future ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMoving a new idea from a research lab to production remains one of industry\u2019s toughest challenges. But at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (GTMI), which leads the nation in translating research into technologies that shape the future of U.S. manufacturing, that gap is being closed by design. This effort was on full display during AMPF Week, a two-day celebration marking the official opening of the newly renovated Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/ampf-week\u0022\u003EAdvanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility\u003C\/a\u003E (AMPF).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.research.gatech.edu\/feature\/scaling-innovation-georgia-tech-manufacturing-40-consortium-builds-future\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium is bridging the gap between research and real-world production by using AI, automation, and industry partnerships to accelerate advanced manufacturing. Showcased during AMPF Week, the newly upgraded facility highlights intelligent, connected systems and a \u201cself-driving\u201d lab that enables real-time testing, innovation, and workforce development.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium uses AI and industry partnerships to turn research into real-world manufacturing."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-05-22 13:37:39","changed_gmt":"2026-09-02 17:42:21","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680332":{"id":"680332","type":"image","title":"ampf-week-thumb.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA student demonstrates human-robot interaction using virtual reality controls and collaborative robotics technology at the AMPF.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779457183","gmt_created":"2026-05-22 13:39:43","changed":"1779457183","gmt_changed":"2026-05-22 13:39:43","alt":"Person wearing a virtual reality headset controlling a humanoid robot equipped with tools in a laboratory setting.","file":{"fid":"264580","name":"ampf-week-thumb.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/22\/ampf-week-thumb.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/22\/ampf-week-thumb.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":160283,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/22\/ampf-week-thumb.jpg?itok=aFnZ_JD1"}}},"media_ids":["680332"],"groups":[{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689006":{"#nid":"689006","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Conversation: Researchers develop biodegradable, plant\u2011based packaging from natural fibers \u2013 new research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=YpxchNkAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003EJie Wu\u003C\/a\u003E, an engineering graduate student, was studying a type of striking white beetle found in Southeast Asia and attempting to figure out how to mimic its brilliant color when an unexpected discovery upended the experiment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJie and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/carson-meredith\u0022\u003ECarson Meredith\u003C\/a\u003E had been hoping to identify naturally occurring whitening pigments that could be used in paper and paints. The beetle\u2019s white exoskeleton is made from a compound called chitin, which is a type of carbohydrate \u2013 one that is also commonly found in crab and lobster shells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead the full article in The Conversation here: https:\/\/bit.ly\/4uBteYr\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=YpxchNkAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003EJie Wu\u003C\/a\u003E, an engineering graduate student, was studying a type of striking white beetle found in Southeast Asia and attempting to figure out how to mimic its brilliant color when an unexpected discovery upended the experiment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJie and I had been hoping to identify naturally occurring whitening pigments that could be used in paper and paints. The beetle\u2019s white exoskeleton is made from a compound called chitin, which is a type of carbohydrate \u2013 one that is also commonly found in crab and lobster shells.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Jie Wu, an engineering graduate student, was studying a type of striking white beetle found in Southeast Asia and attempting to figure out how to mimic its brilliant color when an unexpected discovery upended the experiment."}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-03-17 20:13:54","changed_gmt":"2026-08-27 17:36:42","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/researchers-develop-biodegradable-plant-based-packaging-from-natural-fibers-new-research-271262","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: ychernet3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYanet Chernet\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer I\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691311":{"#nid":"691311","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hope Among the Pines: A Field Tour in Southeast Georgia Presents Carbon Exchange as Solution","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe people of Georgia depend on forests for clean air, water quality, wildlife abundance, and a multitude of products consumed in our everyday lives. Our forests are also a sustainable and natural resource that can deliver climate benefits,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/directory\/faculty\/clay\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELucas Clay\u003C\/a\u003E, extension professional at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/centers-and-initiatives\/ray-c-anderson-center-for-sustainable-business\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERay C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business. This message was a main takeaway from a field tour held January 29-30, 2026, across working forests in Southeast Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrganized by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gffgrow.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Forestry Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(GFF) in partnership with the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/centers-and-initiatives\/ray-c-anderson-center-for-sustainable-business\/index.html\u0022\u003ERay\u0026nbsp;C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Scheller College of Business\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.clemson.edu\/\u0022\u003EClemson University\u003C\/a\u003E, and the University of Georgia (UGA) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/warnell.uga.edu\/\u0022\u003EWarnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources\u003C\/a\u003E, the trip brought together university researchers, foresters, potential carbon credit buyers, and family landowners.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia is the number one forestry state in the country, with more than 22\u0026nbsp;million\u0026nbsp;of its\u0026nbsp;roughly 24\u0026nbsp;million forested acres held in private hands. According to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/southernforests.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/SGSF_Fact-Sheet-1.pdf\u0022\u003ESouthern Group of State Foresters\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;forests and the forest products industry in the Southern U.S. provide for more than 18% of the world\u2019s pulpwood for paper and paper-related products and 7% of the world\u2019s industrial roundwood.\u0026nbsp;The timber industry also supports thousands of rural livelihoods and\u0026nbsp;sequesters\u0026nbsp;enormous amounts of carbon. Yet today, Georgia forests are under pressure due to natural disasters and market changes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe field tour promoted a Georgia-specific carbon exchange that has the potential to save forests, help companies\u0026nbsp;purchase\u0026nbsp;high quality\u0026nbsp;carbon credits, and provide co-benefits for the entire state.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EPressure Points: Helene\u2019s Wake and Market Headwinds\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcross pine-forested Southeast Georgia, the devastation left by Hurricane Helene\u0026nbsp;remains\u0026nbsp;impossible to miss. A year and a half later, the cleanup \u2013 which is slow, expensive, and disheartening \u2013 is still ongoing across thousands of acres. Downed timber, too old to be sold for profit, lies in heaps. Throughout the field tour, landowners and foresters shared personal narratives that made it easy to feel the weight of what has been lost.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHelene only worsened troubles that were already underway. The markets for timber and pulpwood have been weakening. Demand for paper products has fallen sharply, taking pulpwood prices with it. In the last year alone, three mills have closed in Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDo I bother to replant?\u0026nbsp;If I plant, will someone actually buy my timber in 20 years?\u0026nbsp;These are the questions landowners across Georgia are wrestling with. Landowners\u2019 decisions today can lead to a future with fewer forested acres, less healthy forests, and forests converted to development \u2013 a loss that is permanent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe pressing question throughout the field tour was:\u0026nbsp;What happens next?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EStorytelling Matters: The Power of the Personal\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the benefits of a field tour is the chance to hear\u0026nbsp;firsthand,\u0026nbsp;personal accounts from the people whose livelihoods depend on forests.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe tour began in Emanuel County at the Willie Hodges Family Farm Estate. Herbert Hodges welcomed the group to the 600-acre property his family has stewarded for four generations. Hodges shows his respect for the land through thoughtful stewardship \u2013 for which he was honored when he was named\u0026nbsp;2025 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/blog.nwf.org\/2025\/09\/celebrating-landowner-mentor-herbert-hodges-2025-conservationist-of-the-year\/\u0022\u003EConservationist of the Year\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;by the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts. However, Hodges worries whether the fifth generation will keep the land, and he wants to\u0026nbsp;demonstrate\u0026nbsp;to his heirs that the land is worth holding onto. He remembers his father telling him, \u201cNever get rid of the land.\u0026nbsp;As long as\u0026nbsp;you keep it, you have somewhere to live, somewhere to go.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jmhestad\/\u0022\u003EMatt Hestad\u003C\/a\u003E, senior vice president of GFF, said, \u201cMr. Hodges has to identify new opportunities for his property not only to keep his family engaged but also to prove the land is economically valuable, both today and into the future.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe carbon exchange, if built well, could be exactly that kind of new opportunity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EBuilding a Georgia Carbon Exchange\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe initiative to develop a Georgia Carbon Exchange,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/news\/ray-c-anderson-center-for-sustainable-business\/georgia-tech-and-partners-to-establish-state-specific-forest-carbon-exchange.html\u0022\u003Elaunched in 2025\u003C\/a\u003E, is being led collaboratively by the organizers of the field tour.\u0026nbsp;It\u2019s\u0026nbsp;designed to create a voluntary carbon credit marketplace specifically tailored to Georgia\u2019s forest landscape, Georgia\u2019s landowners, and companies that are interested in\u0026nbsp;purchasing\u0026nbsp;high quality\u0026nbsp;carbon credits.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/directory\/staff\/eady\/index.html\u0022\u003EDavid Eady\u003C\/a\u003E, director of industry engagement at the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, described the vision: \u201cWe\u0027re looking at creating a marketplace for companies doing business in Georgia or headquartered in Georgia, so they can\u0026nbsp;acquire\u0026nbsp;credits that specifically\u0026nbsp;benefit\u0026nbsp;local communities and ecosystems. We want to make sure that we can continue to manage our valuable forest resources that make up well over half of the land in Georgia.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCompanies are concerned about sustainability because their customers are \u2013 and one of the things that that\u0027s manifested is a market for carbon credits,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/warnell.uga.edu\/directory\/people\/leslie-boby\u0022\u003ELeslie Boby\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the UGA Southern Regional Extension Forestry. \u201cBeing in forestry, we have the original carbon sequestration system: trees. And we have a lot of trees in Georgia.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe foundation for the Georgia Carbon Exchange already exists, waiting to be built on.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EAll the Players at the Table\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe January tour was a pilot that can be replicated for other groups of potential carbon buyers, policymakers, and stakeholders who need to understand what is at stake in Georgia\u2019s forests before they can meaningfully invest in their future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHestad described what made this first tour valuable: \u201cWe need all the players at the table: academics, buyers, and landowners. I feel like\u0026nbsp;we\u2019ve\u0026nbsp;learned from a variety of people about forest management \u2013 from a private family landowner about intergenerational challenges, from a recreation-focused landowner about wildlife management, and from landowners who have been\u0026nbsp;impacted\u0026nbsp;by Hurricane Helene.\u0026nbsp;We\u2019ve\u0026nbsp;been provided with context for how a carbon exchange could serve those different sectors of landowners.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor industry representatives on the tour, the experience was eye-opening. They joined the tour to learn more about recovery efforts, community support, and the mechanics of a carbon exchange. At the end of the tour, they said they had a clearer sense of both\u0026nbsp;the urgency\u0026nbsp;and the opportunity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EClay said, \u201cLandowners are focused on the economics of forestry, and buyers are looking for quality credits. I think there\u0027s a lot of opportunity for both of these things to happen.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA successful carbon exchange requires trust, understanding, and shared\u0026nbsp;purpose\u0026nbsp;to be cultivated deliberately. Tours like this one are part of that cultivation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EA Common Goal in Focus\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia has everything it needs to make a carbon exchange work: the forests, the science, the institutions, and the will. What it needs now is exactly what the field tour was designed to build: awareness, connection, and shared commitment among the people and organizations whose decisions will shape the future of the state\u2019s forests.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/zach-johnson-19096918\/\u0022\u003EZach Johnson\u003C\/a\u003E, procurement\u0026nbsp;manager\u0026nbsp;at Beasley Timber Management, LLC, told the group: \u201cWith every one green ton of tree growth, you sequester approximately one metric ton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.\u0026nbsp;Let\u2019s\u0026nbsp;find a way to certify this wonderful resource we have and prop up these jobs in Georgia \u2013 before\u0026nbsp;it\u2019s\u0026nbsp;too late.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaintaining\u0026nbsp;Georgia\u2019s forests is not only about carbon. Well-managed forests filter water, support native wildlife, improve air quality, protect public health, and provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. These are co-benefits that a carbon credit does not fully capture but that are very much part of the value proposition for\u0026nbsp;maintaining\u0026nbsp;Georgia\u2019s private forests. As stated by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/warnell.uga.edu\/directory\/people\/dr-yanshu-li\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EYanshu Li\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor of forest economics at UGA: \u201cIf we take care of our forests, our forests will take care of us.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmong the pines of Southeast Georgia, a common goal came into focus. The forests are worth saving. And the right people are coming together with the right plan to make it happen.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBusiness and forestry experts from Georgia Tech, Clemson University, University of Georgia, and the Georgia Forestry Foundation led a field tour in Southeast Georgia that illuminated current challenges facing landowners and the forestry industry. Organizers shared how a Georgia Carbon Exchange can provide economic incentives to help landowners keep and manage their forests for carbon sequestration, with benefits to impact the entire state.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Georgia Carbon Exchange can provide economic incentives to help landowners keep and manage their forests for carbon sequestration, with benefits to impact the entire state."}],"uid":"36808","created_gmt":"2026-07-28 15:41:23","changed_gmt":"2026-08-25 14:08:18","author":"bmcdonald64","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680696":{"id":"680696","type":"image","title":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-1.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EField tour attendees in Soperton, Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785255206","gmt_created":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","changed":"1785255206","gmt_changed":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","alt":"Field tour attendees in Soperton, Georgia. ","file":{"fid":"264998","name":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2323053,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-1.jpg?itok=TTP9Db5g"}},"680697":{"id":"680697","type":"image","title":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-5.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EForest in Soperton, Georgia\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785255206","gmt_created":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","changed":"1785255206","gmt_changed":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","alt":"Forest in Soperton, Georgia","file":{"fid":"264999","name":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2639195,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-5.jpg?itok=aGzumHGQ"}},"680698":{"id":"680698","type":"image","title":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-4.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETouring a recreational working forest in Metter, Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785255206","gmt_created":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","changed":"1785255206","gmt_changed":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","alt":"Touring a recreational working forest in Metter, Georgia. ","file":{"fid":"265000","name":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-4.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-4.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2048200,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-4.jpg?itok=Lk2rGbaN"}},"680699":{"id":"680699","type":"image","title":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-3.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHerbert Hodges displays photos: one of his father, Willie Hodges, and the other of his father, brother, and mother (photo credit: Sandra S. Hodges). Hodges leads a tour of the Willie Hodges Family Farm Estate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785255206","gmt_created":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","changed":"1785255206","gmt_changed":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","alt":"Collaboration image of Herbert Hodges showing his farm estate. ","file":{"fid":"265001","name":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2472549,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-3.jpg?itok=-vSvhoGE"}},"680700":{"id":"680700","type":"image","title":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-2.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EClockwise from top left: Viewing habitat for gopher turtles. Hurricane Helene damage in Soperton, Georgia, on land owned by Gillis Ag and Timber. Attendees learn about the Georgia Carbon Exchange. Foresters share how Hurricane Helene and market changes have impacted their industry and community.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785255206","gmt_created":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","changed":"1785255206","gmt_changed":"2026-07-28 16:13:26","alt":"Collaboration image of the field tour in south Georgia","file":{"fid":"265002","name":"Hope-Among-the-Pines-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2521516,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/Hope-Among-the-Pines-2.jpg?itok=zkyZRVxD"}}},"media_ids":["680696","680697","680698","680699","680700"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"84331","name":"and sustainability"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about the Georgia Carbon Exchange and upcoming field tours, contact\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/directory\/faculty\/clay\/index.html\u0022\u003ELucas Clay\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWritten by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/directory\/staff\/lux\/index.html\u0022\u003EJennifer Holley Lux\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhotography (unless otherwise noted) by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mike-gregory-22629a200\/\u0022\u003EMike Gregory\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Forestry Association \u0026amp; Foundation)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["lucas.clay@gatech.edu","jennifer.lux@scheller.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691668":{"#nid":"691668","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Engineered at Tech: Pinpointing River Pollution","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKatherine Graham is an assistant professor in the Georgia Tech School of Civil and Environmental Engineering who studies the fate and transport of pathogens and their indicators in water, including E. coli. Her research focuses on what happens when pathogens get into water, where they go, and how it affects public policy decisions related to health. This includes looking at bacteria and conditions in Atlanta\u2019s Chattahoochee River.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoin Georgia Tech undergraduate Harrison Burnside on this latest episode of Engineered at Tech as he tours Katherine Graham\u0027s lab and discovers how to track pathogens in the Chattahoochee River. The goal is to help local agencies pinpoint sources of pollution in rivers and reservoirs to protect public health.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/engineered-tech-pinpointing-river-pollution\u0022\u003EWatch the video on the COE News page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKatherine Graham is an assistant professor in the Georgia Tech School of Civil and Environmental Engineering who studies the fate and transport of pathogens and their indicators in water, including E. coli. Her research focuses on what happens when pathogens get into water, where they go, and how it affects public policy decisions related to health. This includes looking at bacteria and conditions in Atlanta\u2019s Chattahoochee River.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoin Georgia Tech undergraduate Harrison Burnside on this latest episode of Engineered at Tech as he tours Katherine Graham\u0027s lab and discovers how to track pathogens in the Chattahoochee River. The goal is to help local agencies pinpoint sources of pollution in rivers and reservoirs to protect public health.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Environmental engineer Katherine Graham is developing new methods to pinpoint pathogens in water to help local agencies make rivers and reservoirs cleaner. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-08-13 20:32:24","changed_gmt":"2026-08-17 15:51:03","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680868":{"id":"680868","type":"image","title":"Engineered-at-Tech-Pinpointing-River-Pollution.jpg","body":null,"created":"1786653263","gmt_created":"2026-08-13 20:34:23","changed":"1786653263","gmt_changed":"2026-08-13 20:34:23","alt":"YouTube Thumbnail of Engineered at Tech Episode with GT Researcher Katerine Graham and Undergrad student Harrison Burnside","file":{"fid":"265197","name":"Engineered-at-Tech-Pinpointing-River-Pollution.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/08\/13\/Engineered-at-Tech-Pinpointing-River-Pollution.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/08\/13\/Engineered-at-Tech-Pinpointing-River-Pollution.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":190657,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/08\/13\/Engineered-at-Tech-Pinpointing-River-Pollution.jpg?itok=yUH1CNRW"}}},"media_ids":["680868"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/engineered-tech-pinpointing-river-pollution","title":"Full Story on the COE News Page"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECandler Hobbs, College of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674486":{"#nid":"674486","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Physicists Pioneer New Quantum Sensing Platform","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EQuantum sensors detect the smallest of environmental changes \u2014 for example, an atom reacting to a magnetic field. As these sensors \u201cread\u201d the unique behaviors of subatomic particles, they also dramatically improve scientists\u2019 ability to measure and detect changes in our wider environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMonitoring these tiny changes results in a wide range of applications \u2014\u0026nbsp;from improving navigation and natural disaster forecasting, to smarter medical imaging and detection of biomarkers of disease, gravitational wave detection, and even better quantum communication for secure data sharing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech physicists are pioneering new quantum sensing platforms to aid in these efforts. The research team\u2019s latest study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adk8495\u0022\u003ESensing Spin Wave Excitations by Spin Defects in Few-Layer Thick Hexagonal Boron Nitride\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d was published in \u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E this week.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research team includes \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E Assistant Professors \u003Cstrong\u003EChunhui (Rita) Du\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EHailong Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E (corresponding authors) alongside fellow Georgia Tech researchers \u003Cstrong\u003EJingcheng Zhou\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EMengqi Huang\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EFaris Al-matouq\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EJiu Chang\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EDziga Djugba\u003C\/strong\u003E, and Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EZhigang Jiang\u003C\/strong\u003E and their collaborators.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn ultra-sensitive platform\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new research investigates quantum sensing by leveraging color centers \u2014 small defects within crystals (Du\u2019s team uses diamonds and other 2D layered materials) that allow light to be absorbed and emitted, which also give the crystal unique electronic properties.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy embedding these color centers into a material called hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), the team hoped to create an extremely sensitive quantum sensor \u2014 a new resource for developing next-generation, transformative sensing devices.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor its part, hBN is particularly attractive for quantum sensing and computing because it could contain defects that can be manipulated with light \u2014 also known as \u0022optically active spin qubits.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe quantum spin defects in hBN are also very magnetically sensitive, and allow scientists to \u201csee\u201d or \u201csense\u201d in more detail than other conventional techniques. In addition, the sheet-like structure of hBN is compatible with ultra-sensitive tools like nanodevices, making it a particularly intriguing resource for investigation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u2019s research has resulted in a critical breakthrough in sensing spin waves, Du says, explaining that \u201cin this study, we were able to detect spin excitations that were simply unattainable in previous studies.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDetecting spin waves is a fundamental component of quantum sensing, because these phenomena can travel for long distances, making them an ideal candidate for energy-efficient information control, communication, and processing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe future of quantum\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor the first time, we experimentally demonstrated two-dimensional van der Waals quantum sensing \u2014 using few-layer thick hBN in a real-world environment,\u201d Du explains, underscoring the potential the material holds for precise quantum sensing. \u201cFurther research could make it possible to sense electromagnetic features at the atomic scale using color centers in thin layers of hBN.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDu also emphasizes the collaborative nature of the research, highlighting the diverse skill sets and resources of researchers within Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWithin the School of Physics, Professor Zhigang Jiang\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/zhigang-jiang\u0022\u003Eresearch group\u003C\/a\u003E provided the team with high-quality hBN crystals. Jingcheng Zhou,\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Ewho is a member of both Professor Hailong Wang\u2019s and my research teams, performed the cutting-edge quantum sensing measurements,\u201d she says. \u201cMany incredible students also helped with this project.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDu is a leading scientist in the field of quantum sensing \u2014 this year, she received \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/news\/chunhui-du-awarded-doe-grant-quantum-sensing-research\u0022\u003Ea new grant from the U.S. Department of Energy\u003C\/a\u003E, along with a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/news\/sciences-faculty-awarded-sloan-research-fellowships\u0022\u003ESloan Research Fellowship\u003C\/a\u003E for her pioneering work on developing state-of-the-art quantum sensing techniques for quantum information technology applications. The prestigious Sloan award recognizes researchers whose \u201ccreativity, innovation, and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next-generation of leaders in the fields.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.adk8495\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI: 10.1126\/sciadv.adk8495\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work is supported by the U. S. National Science Foundation (NSF) under award No. DMR-2342569, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under award No. FA9550-20-1-0319 and its Young Investigator Program under award No. FA9550-21-1-0125, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) under grant No. N00014-23-1-2146, NASA-REVEALS SSERVI (CAN No. NNA17BF68A), and NASA-CLEVER SSERVI (CAN No. 80NSSC23M0229).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech physicists are investigating quantum sensing and leveraging cutting-edge techniques \u2014 embedding color centers in a 2D layered material called hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). The researchers\u2019 results have created a new resource for developing next-generation, ultra-sensitive quantum electronic devices.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The researchers\u2019 results have created a new resource for developing next-generation, ultra-sensitive quantum electronic devices."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-05-02 14:27:52","changed_gmt":"2026-08-13 20:06:43","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673921":{"id":"673921","type":"image","title":"Credit: Unsplash","body":null,"created":"1714660107","gmt_created":"2024-05-02 14:28:27","changed":"1714660107","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 14:28:27","alt":"Credit: Unsplash","file":{"fid":"257377","name":"zak-7wBFsHWQDlk-unsplash.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/zak-7wBFsHWQDlk-unsplash.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/zak-7wBFsHWQDlk-unsplash.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3269784,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/02\/zak-7wBFsHWQDlk-unsplash.jpg?itok=g4VS2hu9"}},"673922":{"id":"673922","type":"image","title":"From left to right: Hailong Wang, Jingcheng Zhou, Chunhui (Rita Du)","body":null,"created":"1714660107","gmt_created":"2024-05-02 14:28:27","changed":"1714660107","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 14:28:27","alt":"From left to right: Hailong Wang, Jingcheng Zhou, Chunhui (Rita Du)","file":{"fid":"257378","name":"science advance story_lab photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/science%20advance%20story_lab%20photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/science%20advance%20story_lab%20photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":260533,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/02\/science%20advance%20story_lab%20photo.jpg?itok=HbarXy-m"}}},"media_ids":["673921","673922"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"660410","name":"Quantum"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192251","name":"cos-quantum"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"},{"id":"186870","name":"go-imat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Raston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691121":{"#nid":"691121","#data":{"type":"news","title":"She Lost Her Mother. She Found Her Purpose.","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMeghna Iyer came to Georgia Tech determined to understand the disease that was slowly taking her mother\u0027s life. Working with researchers in the Georgia Tech Laboratory for Pathology Dynamics, she helped use AI to analyze 36 million biomedical research papers, uncovering biological connections among ALS, Alzheimer\u0027s disease, and frontotemporal dementia. After losing her mother, Meghna returned to the lab with an even stronger resolve to continue the work, earning first-author publication on the study and helping create a tool that could accelerate future research for families facing these devastating diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.research.gatech.edu\/feature\/neurodegenerative-diseases\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Meghna Iyer came to Georgia Tech trying to understand her mother\u2019s illness. What she discovered is changing how scientists connect three neurodegenerative diseases."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMeghna Iyer came to Georgia Tech determined to understand the disease that was slowly taking her mother\u0027s life. Working with researchers in the Georgia Tech Laboratory for Pathology Dynamics, she helped use AI to analyze 36 million biomedical research papers, uncovering biological connections among ALS, Alzheimer\u0027s disease, and frontotemporal dementia. After losing her mother, Meghna returned to the lab with an even stronger resolve to continue the work, earning first-author publication on the study and helping create a tool that could accelerate future research for families facing these devastating diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech student transformed her search to understand her mother\u0027s ALS into AI-driven research that could reshape how scientists study neurodegenerative diseases. "}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-07-14 16:53:19","changed_gmt":"2026-08-06 14:39:21","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680604":{"id":"680604","type":"image","title":"als-thumb.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech student, Meghna Iyer, transformed her search to understand her mother\u0027s ALS into AI-driven research that could reshape how scientists study neurodegenerative diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784048017","gmt_created":"2026-07-14 16:53:37","changed":"1784048017","gmt_changed":"2026-07-14 16:53:37","alt":"Two smiling researchers wearing jackets sit on rocks at a sunny beach with shoreline homes and the ocean in the background.","file":{"fid":"264887","name":"als-thumb.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/14\/als-thumb.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/14\/als-thumb.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2526212,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/14\/als-thumb.jpg?itok=glNqw-cB"}}},"media_ids":["680604"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.research.gatech.edu\/feature\/neurodegenerative-diseases","title":"Read the Full Feature"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691214":{"#nid":"691214","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Rapid Testing Offers Path to More Sustainable Material Choices","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E-Written by Seungho Lee\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecycled materials promise a cleaner future, but recycled content alone does not necessarily make a product sustainable. At Georgia Tech\u2019s Daedalus Lab, assistant professor, National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipient, and Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems Faculty Fellow Christos Athanasiou and postdoctoral researcher Danqi Sun are working to provide greater certainty to designers and engineers by rethinking how materials are tested for their fracture characteristics. Their article in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.aeh0456\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E details a new testing protocol that reduces cost, increases speed, and simulates real-world conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaterials shape nearly every part of modern life, from packaging and consumer products to bridges and medical devices. Choosing the right material involves balancing durability, cost, manufacturability, and environmental impact. Yet those decisions are not always guided by a clear understanding of how materials age and fail under real-world conditions, especially for recycled materials like plastics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne way that materials frequently fail is by cracking. A small crack can begin almost invisibly. Over time, it can spread from regular wear and tear and exposure to common environmental factors like moisture, temperature fluctuations, or even dirt. Eventually, the crack expands, and the part fails. Engineers have studied fracture for more than a century, but connecting the science of cracking to practical decisions about sustainability remains a major challenge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe characteristics of recycled plastics often vary from those of the same material in unrecycled, or virgin, form. Products made from recycled plastics may be sold with sustainability claims under the assumption that they will perform as if they were made with virgin material. However, premature failure requiring repair or replacement can quickly change the sustainability equation as well as the acceptance of recycled materials by manufacturers and consumers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBeyond Conventional Fracture Testing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaterials rarely fail due to a single factor. They may be exposed to several factors simultaneously, such as mechanical loading, chemical environments, temperature changes, moisture, and time. Traditional fracture protocols test one specimen at a time under carefully controlled laboratory conditions, which bear little resemblance to the real world. To move beyond this limitation, Sun developed an in-situ, high-throughput platform capable of studying how materials degrade and fail under more realistic conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe platform changes conventional fracture testing in three important ways. First, it can test multiple specimens simultaneously rather than one at a time. By monitoring samples in parallel, testing time can be reduced by more than 60%. Second, it allows materials to be tested in realistic environments. In this study, researchers examined virgin and recycled plastics in alkaline environments that resemble conditions encountered in applications like landfill liner membranes and geotextiles. Third, the platform incorporates an imaging technique known as photoelasticity, which reveals the formation of stress fields that form around the origin of a newly developing crack. This allows researchers to see cracks develop earlier than before, giving them a clearer picture of the forces that drive crack growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers have made the technology available for licensing through Georgia Tech\u2019s Office of Technology Licensing. \u201cOur goal was to make fracture testing not only faster but also more informative,\u201d Sun said. \u201cBy combining high-throughput testing, realistic environments, and full-field stress imaging, we can better understand how materials fail under conditions closer to real-world applications.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn Honest View of Sustainability\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecycled plastics are often viewed as a greener choice. But according to the study, it\u2019s not always so straightforward. If a recycled product fails prematurely and needs to be replaced frequently, its environmental and economic costs can increase despite its recycled content. As Athanasiou puts it, \u201cFailing materials don\u2019t just break products. They can break sustainability promises.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, comparing virgin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with recycled PET (rPET) in applications such as landfill geotextiles, the researchers discovered that rPET showed lower resistance to environmental stressors, particularly in alkaline conditions over a pH of 9. In this application, specifying rPET over virgin PET would likely eliminate all of the presumed economic and environmental advantages of using a recycled material.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRecycling is essential, but recycled content alone does not tell the full story. If a material fails too soon, the environmental benefits can disappear,\u201d Athanasiou said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Cracks to Circularity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the researchers, the significance of the work extends beyond recycled plastics. The broader goal is to provide a fast, affordable, and realistic platform for evaluating the sustainability of any material choice. Because current testing protocols are costly, not widely available, and limited in the information they yield, engineers, manufacturers, and policymakers often have little choice but to continue to specify non-recycled materials because they will perform as expected. Having cheap and accurate data on recycled materials will help to accelerate their adoption because matching the engineering properties of recycled materials to their most appropriate applications will become more obvious.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also hope to expand the platform to simulate even more complex environments and apply it to a wider range of materials. Because the system generates large amounts of detailed data, it may enable opportunities to use computational modeling or artificial intelligence to digitally simulate mechanical testing, driving down costs and expanding availability even more.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe larger vision is a future in which sustainability is judged not by labels or assumptions, but by evidence for how a material performs, how long it lasts, how it fails, and what it costs society and the environment over its full lifetime.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPlease visit the Daedalus Lab YouTube channel to see an explainer video about this new testing protocol: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zmRhiRIiAkQ\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=zmRhiRIiAkQ\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead the paper here: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.aeh0456\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.aeh0456\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation CAREER Award No. 2338508.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChoosing the right materials for manufacturing products involves balancing durability, cost, manufacturability, and environmental impact. Yet those decisions are not always guided by a clear understanding of how materials age and fail under real-world conditions, especially for recycled materials like plastics.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"At Georgia Tech\u2019s Daedalus Lab, Christos Athanasiou and postdoctoral researcher Danqi Sun are working to provide greater certainty to designers and engineers by rethinking how materials are tested for their fracture characteristics. "}],"uid":"27338","created_gmt":"2026-07-22 20:31:53","changed_gmt":"2026-08-05 18:02:44","author":"Brent Verrill","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680664":{"id":"680664","type":"image","title":"Athanasiou_rPET_Fracture_Testing_Screencap.jpg","body":null,"created":"1784836559","gmt_created":"2026-07-23 19:55:59","changed":"1784836559","gmt_changed":"2026-07-23 19:55:59","alt":"Side-by-side scientific visualization comparing in-situ photoelasticity and modeled stress field evolution during fracture testing of a transparent material. The left panel shows a rectangular specimen with rainbow-colored stress patterns radiating from a crack tip near the center-right edge, while the right panel shows a corresponding color-coded stress map with blue, green, yellow, and red regions indicating increasing stress concentration around the crack tip. Labels at the top identify the two methods.","file":{"fid":"264955","name":"Athanasiou_rPET_Fracture_Testing_Screencap.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/23\/Athanasiou_rPET_Fracture_Testing_Screencap.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/23\/Athanasiou_rPET_Fracture_Testing_Screencap.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":75075,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/23\/Athanasiou_rPET_Fracture_Testing_Screencap.jpg?itok=35tzJwYR"}}},"media_ids":["680664"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"179356","name":"Industrial Design"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192170","name":"Christos Athanasiou"},{"id":"178818","name":"circular economy"},{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"},{"id":"194823","name":"plastic recycling"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBrent Verrill\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communication Manager, BBISS\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691265":{"#nid":"691265","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yuanzhi Tang Named Fellow of the American Chemical Society","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EYuanzhi Tang, executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI) and Georgia Power Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, has been named an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.acs.org\/\u0022\u003EAmerican Chemical Society\u003C\/a\u003E (ACS) Fellow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ACS is one of the world\u2019s largest scientific societies, and its Fellows Program recognizes outstanding achievements in scientific research, education, leadership, and service to the chemical profession and honors a select group of members each year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Election as an ACS Fellow is a significant honor that recognizes not only scientific excellence but also leadership and service to the profession,\u0022 said Julia Kubanek, Georgia Tech\u0027s vice president for Interdisciplinary Research. \u0022Yuanzhi\u0027s pioneering research, her leadership within ACS and the Strategic Energy Institute, and her commitment to advancing interdisciplinary collaboration have strengthened Georgia Tech\u0027s impact in chemistry, energy, and environmental research. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang was recognized for her contributions to environmental chemistry, biogeochemistry, and energy-related research, as well as for her leadership and service to the chemical sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Given her exceptionally energetic research program, which spans topics ranging from the basic understanding of chemical cycling on Earth to creative solutions to recover rare elements from wastes, this honor is richly deserved and completely unsurprising,\u0022 said Jean Lynch-Stieglitz, chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. \u0022We are lucky to have Yuanzhi as part of EAS.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs SEI executive director, Tang leads Institute-wide efforts to strengthen Georgia Tech\u0027s energy research enterprise by connecting expertise across disciplines and fostering partnerships with industry, government, and national laboratories. She also maintains an internationally recognized research program focused on understanding the chemical and biological processes that shape natural and engineered environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEstablished in 2008, the ACS Fellows Program honors a distinguished group of scientists who have made exceptional contributions to chemistry and related fields while also demonstrating dedicated service to the society. With this election, Tang joins 17 Georgia Tech ACS Fellows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I\u2019m deeply honored,\u0022 Tang said. \u0022This recognition reflects the contributions of many outstanding students, postdoctoral researchers, colleagues, collaborators, and mentors throughout my career. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such talented people to advance scientific discovery and build interdisciplinary partnerships that address critical energy and environmental challenges.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFounded in 1876, the American Chemical Society represents more than 170,000 members worldwide and is a leading source of scientific information through its journals, conferences, and educational programs.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EYuanzhi Tang, executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI) and Georgia Power Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, has been named an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.acs.org\/\u0022\u003EAmerican Chemical Society\u003C\/a\u003E (ACS) Fellow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ACS is one of the world\u2019s largest scientific societies, and its Fellows Program recognizes outstanding achievements in scientific research, education, leadership, and service to the chemical profession and honors a select group of members each year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Election as an ACS Fellow is a significant honor that recognizes not only scientific excellence but also leadership and service to the profession,\u0022 said Julia Kubanek, Georgia Tech\u0027s vice president for Interdisciplinary Research. \u0022Yuanzhi\u0027s pioneering research, her leadership within ACS and the Strategic Energy Institute, and her commitment to advancing interdisciplinary collaboration have strengthened Georgia Tech\u0027s impact in chemistry, energy, and environmental research. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Yuanzhi Tang, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI) and Georgia Power Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, has been named an American Chemical Society (ACS) Fellow. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-07-27 18:57:07","changed_gmt":"2026-08-04 15:53:09","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680685":{"id":"680685","type":"image","title":"Yuanzhi-Tang-pic5-cropped.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785178716","gmt_created":"2026-07-27 18:58:36","changed":"1785178716","gmt_changed":"2026-07-27 18:58:36","alt":"Yuanzhi Tang","file":{"fid":"264986","name":"Yuanzhi-Tang-pic5-cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/27\/Yuanzhi-Tang-pic5-cropped_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/27\/Yuanzhi-Tang-pic5-cropped_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":933435,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/27\/Yuanzhi-Tang-pic5-cropped_0.jpg?itok=--SwhGU3"}}},"media_ids":["680685"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691259":{"#nid":"691259","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tiny Predatory Bacteria Help Protect Endangered Caribbean Corals","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA microscopic predator may offer a new way to protect some of the Caribbean\u2019s most endangered corals. Georgia Tech researchers found that tiny predatory bacteria can halt the spread of a destructive coral disease by hunting and consuming pathogens responsible for the infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECaused by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EVibrio coralliilyticus\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Epathogen, the infection is one of the most notorious causes of tissue loss and death in stony corals. In the study, all untreated corals bleached within 48 hours. But corals exposed to the predatory bacteria fared much better: more than half showed no signs of bleaching beyond the infection site \u2014 and disease progression was effectively halted.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cDisease is a major driver of death for these corals, and with sea surface temperatures continuing to rise globally, we anticipate that rates of disease will only increase. It\u2019s part of a deadly synergy profoundly threatening Caribbean coral reefs,\u201d says lead author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/lauren%20speare\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELauren Speare\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u201cPredatory bacteria function like a living probiotic, fighting coral disease without harsh side effects. This could be a targeted way to protect and treat our most vulnerable coral reefs.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ismej\/article\/19\/1\/wraf270\/8376498\u0022\u003EHalobacteriovorax Halts Disease Progression in Endangered Caribbean Corals\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was published in The\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EISME Journal\u003C\/em\u003E. In addition to Speare, the research team included Georgia Tech master\u0027s student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EChloe Manley\u003C\/strong\u003E and postdoctoral scholar\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMacey Coppinger\u003C\/strong\u003E; University of California, Santa Barbara graduate students\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ESunni Patton\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EEddie Fuques\u003C\/strong\u003E, and Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eemb.ucsb.edu\/people\/faculty\/vega-thurber\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERebecca Vega Thurber\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the UCSB Marine Science Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENatural Defenders\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESpeare became interested in the research while completing her postdoctoral training with Thurber. \u201cDr. Thurber discovered that predatory bacteria are present in many coral microbiomes,\u201d Speare recalls. \u201cWe theorized that they might be contributing to what keeps the ecosystem healthy, balancing it through predation.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAt the time, the theory was hard to test. Marine predatory bacteria are difficult to preserve long-term, making experiments challenging. The bacteria are also extremely scarce, with populations increasing during a coral infection and rapidly declining after. Catching them while their populations are high is a matter of timing, Speare says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022It\u0027s a bit like trying to catch a mountain lion in the act of hunting a deer. If we aren\u2019t looking at the right time, we might miss it entirely,\u201d Speare says. \u201cI knew that if I wanted to study these bacteria in more detail, I would need to carefully design my experiments and timing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETesting the Treatment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo test their theory, the team spent six weeks conducting experiments at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mote.org\/location\/summerland-key-lab\/\u0022\u003EMote\u2019s Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration (IC2R3)\u003C\/a\u003E in Summerland Key, Florida, a facility that maintains lab-grown living corals in seawater aquariums.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cFirst, we had to make our corals sick,\u201d Speare says. \u201cBut there wasn\u2019t an established way to reliably create these infections in this species in a laboratory setting.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAfter weeks of experimenting, Speare developed a \u201cpathogen-sticker,\u201d a small agar patch containing the disease-causing pathogens. When placed at the coral\u2019s base, it mimics how infections spread in the wild.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThen,\u0026nbsp;at the first sign of infection, the team treated the coral with the \u003Cem\u003EHalobacteriovorax \u003C\/em\u003Epredatory bacteria\u003Cem\u003E. \u003C\/em\u003E\u201cSurprisingly, the most effective method was to pour the bacteria directly into the sick coral\u2019s tank,\u201d Speare says. \u201cThe bacteria are tiny, so we were able to create a concentrated liquid of them by using a filter small enough that only they can pass through.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EHalobacteriovorax\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eare among the fastest-known predatory bacteria, and quickly navigate to their food source \u2013 presumably the pathogen causing the infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Aquariums to Oceans\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBecause of the straightforward delivery method, Speare believes the team\u2019s methods could be readily adapted for coral restoration efforts, offering a simple way to deliver treatment on natural reefs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThere are several approaches to treating corals and mitigating stress, but these techniques don\u2019t work for all situations and all species,\u201d she explains. \u201cCorals are complex, and there is no single cure-all, so we need as many tools as possible to help corals survive.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFor Speare, the next step will be to move from lab-based work to reef environments.\u0026nbsp; She\u2019s particularly curious as to why the predatory bacteria aren\u2019t already moderating illness on natural reefs. \u201cIf this is such an effective way to control pathogens, why isn\u2019t this system preventing disease outbreaks on reefs already?\u0022 she says. \u0022We need to understand what\u0027s limiting this natural defense system \u2013 and that\u2019s what we\u2019re digging into next.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding:\u0026nbsp;Lauren Speare was supported as a Simons Foundation Awardee of the Life Sciences Research Foundation. The Vega Thurber Lab was funded by the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/ismejo\/wraf270\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/ismejo\/wraf270\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers found that predatory bacteria can halt the spread of a destructive coral disease by hunting and consuming pathogens responsible for the infection.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers found that predatory bacteria can halt the spread of a destructive coral disease by hunting and consuming pathogens responsible for the infection."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-07-27 16:39:09","changed_gmt":"2026-07-29 01:42:03","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680709":{"id":"680709","type":"image","title":"Staghorn coral samples used in Lauren Speare\u0027s research.","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003EStaghorn coral samples used in Lauren Speare\u0027s research.\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1785289113","gmt_created":"2026-07-29 01:38:33","changed":"1785289113","gmt_changed":"2026-07-29 01:38:33","alt":"Staghorn coral samples used in Lauren Speare\u0027s research.","file":{"fid":"265012","name":"coral-3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/coral-3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/coral-3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3474517,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/coral-3.jpg?itok=YDfZY4SX"}},"680710":{"id":"680710","type":"image","title":"Lauren Speare sampling corals in the lab. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELauren Speare sampling corals in the lab.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785289113","gmt_created":"2026-07-29 01:38:33","changed":"1785289113","gmt_changed":"2026-07-29 01:38:33","alt":"Lauren Speare sampling corals in the lab. ","file":{"fid":"265013","name":"sampling-1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/sampling-1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/sampling-1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2816600,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/sampling-1.png?itok=7gsS4R-m"}}},"media_ids":["680709","680710"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ETechnical Research Writer \/ Editor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681677":{"#nid":"681677","#data":{"type":"news","title":"GTRI and SEI Announce Recipients of Phase Two Seed Funding From the Energy and National Security Initiative","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn July 2024, the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI), in partnership with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGTRI\u003C\/a\u003E), launched the Energy and National Security Initiative through a campuswide\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/georgia-tech-strategic-energy-institute_join-us-on-july-16th-for-the-energy-and-national-activity-7201262615388377088-fiDc?utm_source=social_share_send\u0026amp;utm_medium=member_desktop_web\u0026amp;rcm=ACoAAD-PK50BuWdAR4FwJryxMAHBVta_rURyG5k\u0022\u003Eworkshop\u003C\/a\u003E. The event attracted over 100 participants from units across Georgia Tech and GTRI.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/john-tien\u0022\u003EJohn Tien\u003C\/a\u003E, SEI distinguished external fellow, professor of the practice, and former deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, along with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tom-fanning-06780a122\/\u0022\u003ETom Fanning\u003C\/a\u003E, former CEO at Southern Company, kicked off the workshop with a discussion on the role of energy in national security and the opportunities for Georgia Tech to align its research with this critical topic.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event concluded with the announcement of two rounds of seed funding, offering up to $500,000 annually for three years. The first round,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sei-and-gtri-announced-awardees-seed-funding-energy-and-national-security-workshop\u0022\u003Eannounced\u003C\/a\u003E in September 2024, provided planning grants to six teams to support their initiatives in the fall. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecipients of the second phase of seed funding have now been announced. This phase will provide research support in the spring, with an option for additional funding through the 2025-26 academic year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis seed funding initiative by SEI and GTRI is a significant step toward advancing national security through innovative energy solutions. We believe this support will empower the funded teams to explore critical intersections between energy infrastructure and security, fostering groundbreaking advancements for a safer energy future,\u201d said Christine Conwell, SEI\u2019s interim executive director.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESeven interdisciplinary projects by team members from Georgia Tech and GTRI have been selected for the second phase, also known as Category B (Table 1).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe seed grant initiative is supporting energy and national security collaboration among researchers from multiple units across the Georgia Tech campus,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/people\/william-h-robinson\u0022\u003EWilliam H. Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E, interim chief technology officer and deputy director for Research in GTRI\u2019s Information and Cyber Sciences Directorate. \u201cWe are very pleased to see the teamwork of these faculty members as they address important issues facing our nation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA follow-up workshop will be held this summer to bring together the awardees of the seed grant program. Additionally, a lunch and learn seminar series is planned in the fall to showcase the research progress of the seed grant program. For updates, visit the Strategic Energy Institute\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\/events\u0022\u003Eevent webpage\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn July 2024, the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI), in partnership with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGTRI\u003C\/a\u003E), launched the Energy and National Security Initiative through a campuswide\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/georgia-tech-strategic-energy-institute_join-us-on-july-16th-for-the-energy-and-national-activity-7201262615388377088-fiDc?utm_source=social_share_send\u0026amp;utm_medium=member_desktop_web\u0026amp;rcm=ACoAAD-PK50BuWdAR4FwJryxMAHBVta_rURyG5k\u0022\u003Eworkshop\u003C\/a\u003E. The event attracted over 100 participants from units across Georgia Tech and GTRI.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/john-tien\u0022\u003EJohn Tien\u003C\/a\u003E, SEI distinguished external fellow, professor of the practice, and former deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, along with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tom-fanning-06780a122\/\u0022\u003ETom Fanning\u003C\/a\u003E, former CEO at Southern Company, kicked off the workshop with a discussion on the role of energy in national security and the opportunities for Georgia Tech to align its research with this critical topic.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event concluded with the announcement of two rounds of seed funding, offering up to $500,000 annually for three years. The first round,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sei-and-gtri-announced-awardees-seed-funding-energy-and-national-security-workshop\u0022\u003Eannounced\u003C\/a\u003E in September 2024, provided planning grants to six teams to support their initiatives in the fall. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecipients of the second phase of seed funding have now been announced. This phase will provide research support in the spring, with an option for additional funding through the 2025-26 academic year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Recipients of the second phase of seed funding from the Energy and National Security Initiative have now been announced."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2025-04-09 09:55:30","changed_gmt":"2026-07-28 20:44:33","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680707":{"id":"680707","type":"image","title":"IMG_4462-2_LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGary McMurray (GTRI), Rich Simmons (SEI), Christine Conwell (SEI), and John Tien (SEI)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785270866","gmt_created":"2026-07-28 20:34:26","changed":"1785270866","gmt_changed":"2026-07-28 20:34:26","alt":"Picture of Gary McMurray (GTRI), Rich Simmons (SEI), Christine Conwell (SEI) and John Tien (SEI)","file":{"fid":"265010","name":"IMG_4462-2_LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/IMG_4462-2_LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/IMG_4462-2_LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":596508,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/IMG_4462-2_LR.jpeg?itok=AvpUAcXL"}},"680708":{"id":"680708","type":"image","title":"IMG_4366-3-copy-LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPhase 2 Cohort Summer 2025 Meeting Participants\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785270866","gmt_created":"2026-07-28 20:34:26","changed":"1785270866","gmt_changed":"2026-07-28 20:34:26","alt":"Phase 2 summer meeting participants","file":{"fid":"265011","name":"IMG_4366-3-copy-LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/IMG_4366-3-copy-LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/28\/IMG_4366-3-copy-LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":626694,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/28\/IMG_4366-3-copy-LR.jpeg?itok=xMXQI6RA"}},"676803":{"id":"676803","type":"image","title":"EnergyNationalSecurity_SeedFundingPhase2_Awardees.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETable 1: Energy and National Security Seed Funding Phase 2 Awardees with their Project Descriptions\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1744241646","gmt_created":"2025-04-09 23:34:06","changed":"1744241646","gmt_changed":"2025-04-09 23:34:06","alt":"Energy and National Security Seed Funding Phase 2 Awardees and their Projects","file":{"fid":"260645","name":"EnergyNationalSecurity_SeedFundingPhase2_Awardees.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/09\/EnergyNationalSecurity_SeedFundingPhase2_Awardees.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/09\/EnergyNationalSecurity_SeedFundingPhase2_Awardees.png","mime":"image\/png","size":443531,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/09\/EnergyNationalSecurity_SeedFundingPhase2_Awardees.png?itok=SbQfSnnc"}}},"media_ids":["680707","680708","676803"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E | SEI Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:John.Toon@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/a\u003E | GTRI Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680298":{"#nid":"680298","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Unearthing Climate Solutions","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom new farming practices to paleontology, meet four Georgia Tech researchers who improve the climate and predict its future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/42455\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom new farming practices to paleontology, meet four Georgia Tech researchers who improve the climate and predict its future.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers explore how to improve the planet, one rock at a time."}],"uid":"36708","created_gmt":"2025-02-06 20:40:54","changed_gmt":"2026-07-27 17:05:10","author":"twilson338","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676233":{"id":"676233","type":"image","title":"0A6A6395.jpg","body":null,"created":"1738874566","gmt_created":"2025-02-06 20:42:46","changed":"1738874566","gmt_changed":"2025-02-06 20:42:46","alt":"Student in the lab working with a sample","file":{"fid":"259969","name":"0A6A6395.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/06\/0A6A6395.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/06\/0A6A6395.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":754158,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/06\/0A6A6395.jpg?itok=R8-VcJHc"}}},"media_ids":["676233"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680640":{"#nid":"680640","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Build Stable Solar Panel Without Silicon","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESolar power as an electricity source is growing in the United States, with 7% of Americans using it to run their homes. But scientists are still trying to make the solar panel production process more efficient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022\/node\/42579\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESolar power as an electricity source is growing in the United States, with 7% of Americans using it to run their homes. But scientists are still trying to make the solar panel production process more efficient.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"By adding titanium to perovskite crystals, researchers have made solar cells more durable."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-02-20 19:17:27","changed_gmt":"2026-07-27 17:03:03","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676353":{"id":"676353","type":"image","title":"PS Solar_013025-3.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFor years, Juan-Pablo Correa-Baena\u2019s research group has explored using perovskite crystals as an alternative to silicon. A promising and prevalent replacement, perovskite is made of iodine atoms, lead, and organic elements. It is also as efficient as silicon.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740079072","gmt_created":"2025-02-20 19:17:52","changed":"1740079284","gmt_changed":"2025-02-20 19:21:24","alt":"male researcher wearing a black glove holds a solar cell prototype","file":{"fid":"260125","name":"PS Solar_013025-3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/20\/PS%20Solar_013025-3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/20\/PS%20Solar_013025-3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":10674598,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/20\/PS%20Solar_013025-3.jpg?itok=95fI8wFw"}}},"media_ids":["676353"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680763":{"#nid":"680763","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Startup Targets Building Energy Inefficiencies With AI and Drones","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELamarr.AI leverages AI and drones to autonomously diagnose building energy inefficiencies, reducing carbon emissions. The startup, a collaboration between Georgia Tech, MIT, and Syracuse University, raised $1.1 million in pre-seed funding. Their technology provides detailed diagnostics of building exteriors, helping owners save on energy costs and improve indoor air quality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/42609\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Lamarr.AI raised $1.1 million to bring its innovative building diagnostics technology to market."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELamarr.AI leverages AI and drones to autonomously diagnose building energy inefficiencies, reducing carbon emissions. The startup, a collaboration between Georgia Tech, MIT, and Syracuse University, raised $1.1 million in pre-seed funding. Their technology provides detailed diagnostics of building exteriors, helping owners save on energy costs and improve indoor air quality.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Lamarr.AI uses drones, AI, and thermal imaging to identify energy inefficiencies in buildings, offering a faster, safer, and more accurate solution."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-02-26 19:40:33","changed_gmt":"2026-07-27 17:02:31","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-26T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-26T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676410":{"id":"676410","type":"image","title":"Tarek-Rakha-on-campus.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETarek Rakha on the Georgia Tech campus holding a drone in his arms.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740598935","gmt_created":"2025-02-26 19:42:15","changed":"1740598935","gmt_changed":"2025-02-26 19:42:15","alt":"Tarek Rakha on the Georgia Tech campus holding a drone in his arms.","file":{"fid":"260194","name":"Tarek-Rakha-on-campus.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/Tarek-Rakha-on-campus.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/Tarek-Rakha-on-campus.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2501738,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/26\/Tarek-Rakha-on-campus.jpeg?itok=1R3mtt_k"}}},"media_ids":["676410"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682775":{"#nid":"682775","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Breathing in a Better Climate","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the planet warms, changing weather patterns are only one effect. Warming air is often more toxic, leading to asthma and even heart attacks. A better understanding of these air quality changes can help society mitigate their consequences. Georgia Tech researchers are innovating ways to study air quality \u2014 beginning with prehistoric insights and zooming all the way to satellites in our orbit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/better-climate\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers monitor and improve our air quality."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the planet warms, changing weather patterns are only one effect. Warming air is often more toxic, leading to asthma and even heart attacks. A better understanding of these air quality changes can help society mitigate their consequences. Georgia Tech researchers are innovating ways to study air quality \u2014 beginning with prehistoric insights and zooming all the way to satellites in our orbit.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As the planet warms, changing weather patterns are only one effect. Warming air is often more toxic, leading to asthma and even heart attacks. A better understanding of these air quality changes can help society mitigate their consequences. Georgia Tech r"}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-06-12 17:30:14","changed_gmt":"2026-07-27 16:50:28","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677225":{"id":"677225","type":"image","title":"climate-air-thumb.jpg","body":null,"created":"1749749499","gmt_created":"2025-06-12 17:31:39","changed":"1749749499","gmt_changed":"2025-06-12 17:31:39","alt":"researcher with a white coat looking into a microscope","file":{"fid":"261104","name":"climate-air-thumb.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/12\/climate-air-thumb.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/12\/climate-air-thumb.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":77646,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/12\/climate-air-thumb.jpg?itok=7Cioigvd"}}},"media_ids":["677225"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682913":{"#nid":"682913","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Slow and the Furious: The Researcher Driven to Curb Atlanta\u2019s Soul-Crushing Commute","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWith so many paths to research careers at Georgia Tech, finding the right one can be daunting. In an ongoing feature series, Unexpected Paths, we explore the journeys of 12 research faculty members from across the Institute and learn about their unique paths to research. In this feature, follow Angshuman Guin as he discusses his research into traffic patterns and how faculty serve as the connective tissue of the Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/43438\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn this feature, follow Angshuman Guin as he discusses his research into traffic patterns and how faculty serve as the connective tissue of the Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"An engineer\u2019s unexpected path to Georgia Tech is paved with detours, data, and a dose of humor."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-06-26 21:32:21","changed_gmt":"2026-07-27 16:48:56","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677295":{"id":"677295","type":"image","title":"Unexpected-Paths_June-Issue_Angshuman-Guin-5.jpg","body":null,"created":"1750973577","gmt_created":"2025-06-26 21:32:57","changed":"1750973577","gmt_changed":"2025-06-26 21:32:57","alt":"Angshuman Guin (a male professor wearing a black suit) sits at a desk in front of two monitors displaying data","file":{"fid":"261179","name":"Unexpected-Paths_June-Issue_Angshuman-Guin-5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Unexpected-Paths_June-Issue_Angshuman-Guin-5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Unexpected-Paths_June-Issue_Angshuman-Guin-5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1180614,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/26\/Unexpected-Paths_June-Issue_Angshuman-Guin-5.jpg?itok=yUPveq4Y"}}},"media_ids":["677295"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685671":{"#nid":"685671","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Fixing Flooding for the Southeast\u2019s Future","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFlooding can be an existential threat, affecting everything from infrastructure to health. Georgia Tech researchers are developing solutions to monitor and forecast flooding, as well as restore ecosystems to prevent future flooding. These efforts support communities\u2019 resilience in the face of climate change and keep the U.S. secure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44095\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers use models to monitor flooding and improve the resilience of coastal cities."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFlooding can be an existential threat, affecting everything from infrastructure to health. Georgia Tech researchers are developing solutions to monitor and forecast flooding, as well as restore ecosystems to prevent future flooding. These efforts support communities\u2019 resilience in the face of climate change and keep the U.S. secure.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Coastal communities throughout the Southeast are now facing constant challenges from flooding and sea level rise and they are looking to nature-based solutions to prevent flooding and erosion related to storms."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-10-10 19:34:37","changed_gmt":"2026-07-27 13:18:26","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678333":{"id":"678333","type":"image","title":"kostka.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJoel Kostka and Michael Hodges, a\u0026nbsp;shellfish biologist in the South Carolina Department of Resources,\u0026nbsp;determining the elevation of degraded marsh habitat. [Photo courtesy of Joel Kostka]\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1760124907","gmt_created":"2025-10-10 19:35:07","changed":"1760124907","gmt_changed":"2025-10-10 19:35:07","alt":"two people walking in flood water","file":{"fid":"262349","name":"kostka.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/10\/kostka.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/10\/kostka.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3796327,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/10\/kostka.jpg?itok=E0sW1Z8-"}}},"media_ids":["678333"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690909":{"#nid":"690909","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Agentic AI is Rethinking the Origins of Life on Earth","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs strange as it sounds, the key to understanding life\u2019s origins might lie in artificial intelligence. At least, according to a new approached being pursued by researchers at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (ECE) Assistant Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/amirali-aghazadeh-mohandesi\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAmirali Aghazadeh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and Ph.D. student Daniel Saeedi have developed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astroagents.github.io\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAstroAgents\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an AI system that analyzes mass spectrometry data \u2014 detailed chemical compositions from meteorites and Earth soil samples \u2014 to generate novel hypotheses about the origins of life on the planet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat sets AstroAgents apart is its use of agentic AI. Unlike traditional AI systems that perform fixed tasks, this agentic system is designed to pursue a scientific goal. It draws from astrobiology literature, interprets complex data, and proposes original ideas that researchers can investigate further.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2503.23170\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Epaper\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, recently featured in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-025-01364-w#:~:text=AstroAgents%20comprises%20eight%20\u0026amp;apos;AI%20agents,\u0026amp;apos;%20%E2%80%94%20what%20can%20it%20do%3F\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENature,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is opening new possibilities for how scientists explore questions that have remained unanswered for decades.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a special Q\u0026amp;A, Aghazadeh and Saeedi explain how AstroAgents analyzes space chemistry, what it\u2019s revealing about the possible origins of life on Earth, and what they hope to explore next.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/how-agentic-ai-rethinking-origins-life-earth\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EREAD THE Q\u0026amp;A\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers Amirali Aghazadeh and Daniel Saeedi discuss AstroAgents, an agentic AI system that analyzes space chemistry to generate new ideas for life\u2019s beginnings.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers Amirali Aghazadeh and Daniel Saeedi discuss AstroAgents, an agentic AI system that analyzes space chemistry to generate new ideas for life\u2019s beginnings. "}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-06-24 20:18:05","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 20:21:39","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680511":{"id":"680511","type":"image","title":"agentic-ai.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1782332295","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 20:18:15","changed":"1782332553","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 20:22:33","alt":"Person working on a laptop with a digital visualization of an AI system, code, and automated workflows.","file":{"fid":"264784","name":"agentic-ai.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/agentic-ai.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/agentic-ai.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5343243,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/agentic-ai.jpeg?itok=gEreWYzD"}}},"media_ids":["680511"],"groups":[{"id":"545781","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"660370","name":"Space"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDan Watson\u003Cbr\u003Edwatson@ece.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685723":{"#nid":"685723","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Head to Toe: Georgia Tech Researchers Treat the Entire Human Body Through Neuroscience Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENeuroscience experts from across Georgia Tech will soon come together for a new interdisciplinary research institute, the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS), launched in July. Faculty in INNS are helping to solve some of neuroscience\u2019s most pressing problems, and many have promising medical applications. One important aspect of studying the brain is understanding how the brain and the body work together. Meet the researchers who study brain-body interactions, from monitoring the neuron degradation that causes Alzheimer\u2019s to enhancing mobility for stroke survivors, in an effort to improve the health and quality of life for millions of Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44169\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"From treatment-resistant depression to Parkinson\u0027s, Georgia Tech neuroscience researchers are tackling lifelong health problems."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENeuroscience experts from across Georgia Tech will soon come together for a new interdisciplinary research institute, the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS), launched in July. Faculty in INNS are helping to solve some of neuroscience\u2019s most pressing problems, and many have promising medical applications. One important aspect of studying the brain is understanding how the brain and the body work together. Meet the researchers who study brain-body interactions, from monitoring the neuron degradation that causes Alzheimer\u2019s to enhancing mobility for stroke survivors, in an effort to improve the health and quality of life for millions of Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Meet Georgia Tech\u2019s neurology experts exploring the brain\u2019s impact on the entire body."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-10-15 19:06:15","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:35:33","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678358":{"id":"678358","type":"image","title":"Wheaton.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELewis Wheaton (back) directs Georgia Tech\u2019s Cognitive Motor Control Lab.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1760555215","gmt_created":"2025-10-15 19:06:55","changed":"1760555363","gmt_changed":"2025-10-15 19:09:23","alt":"A person seated in a beige chair using a computer setup with multiple cables and devices, facing a large monitor in a testing or research room, with another individual visible through a window in an adjacent control room.","file":{"fid":"262376","name":"Wheaton.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/15\/Wheaton.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/15\/Wheaton.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":301329,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/15\/Wheaton.jpg?itok=8frNLUem"}}},"media_ids":["678358"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685972":{"#nid":"685972","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Perfect Fit: Crafting a Career at the Intersection of Making, Helping, and Human Mobility","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGrowing up in rural southwest Georgia, Kinsey Herrin loved \u201cmaking stuff.\u201d She loved it so much that she regularly dug up muddy clay from her family\u2019s property and the surrounding area to make ceramics. As a prosthetist\/orthotist, she creates and tests devices that help patients improve or regain mobility \u2014 from prosthetic limbs to braces of all kinds. But Herrin\u2019s role at the Institute is even more expansive. She\u2019s at the epicenter of a research community where medical devices, studies, data, patients, clinicians, and students collide.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44165\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"At Georgia Tech, Kinsey Herrin combines engineering, clinical insight, and purpose to create wearable devices that help people move \u2014 and live \u2014 more freely."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGrowing up in rural southwest Georgia, Kinsey Herrin loved \u201cmaking stuff.\u201d She loved it so much that she regularly dug up muddy clay from her family\u2019s property and the surrounding area to make ceramics. As a prosthetist\/orthotist, she creates and tests devices that help patients improve or regain mobility \u2014 from prosthetic limbs to braces of all kinds. But Herrin\u2019s role at the Institute is even more expansive. She\u2019s at the epicenter of a research community where medical devices, studies, data, patients, clinicians, and students collide.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Kinsey Herrin\u2019s lifelong passion for working with her hands guided her career path, ultimately leading her to become a prosthetist\/orthotist and principal researcher at Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-10-23 20:31:10","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:34:58","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678443":{"id":"678443","type":"image","title":"kinsey-thumb.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKinsey Herrin is a principal research scientist in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1761251487","gmt_created":"2025-10-23 20:31:27","changed":"1761251487","gmt_changed":"2025-10-23 20:31:27","alt":"Woman in a workshop environment with industrial equipment and tools in the background, wearing a floral-patterned blouse and light knit cardigan, representing a modern manufacturing or maker space setting.","file":{"fid":"262466","name":"kinsey-thumb.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/23\/kinsey-thumb.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/23\/kinsey-thumb.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":711102,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/23\/kinsey-thumb.jpg?itok=vHLWUSyd"}}},"media_ids":["678443"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686805":{"#nid":"686805","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Galaxy to Ground: How Space Research Shapes Everyday Life","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen we check the weather forecast, that information comes from satellites. When we FaceTime a friend, that call could come via satellites. From cellphone networks to national security systems, satellites are vital to our connected globe. Yet regulating how satellites function across borders is almost as complicated as the technology that launches them into space. Researchers in Georgia Tech\u2019s Space Research Institute are shaping how satellites operate, both scientifically and politically.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44549\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech space researchers\u2019 work benefits Earth technologies, too."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESatellites aren\u2019t the only technology Georgia Tech applies to terrestrial problems. Researchers are using gravity experiments to improve energy storage and are discovering lessons from science fiction. This Institute-wide work proves space isn\u2019t the final frontier in paradigm-shifting research \u2014 it\u2019s a bridge.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Satellites power everything from weather forecasts to global communications, and researchers at Georgia Tech\u2019s Space Research Institute are advancing both the technology and international policies that keep them operating safely."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-12-09 18:12:32","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:30:49","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678807":{"id":"678807","type":"image","title":"satellite-1.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESatellites keep our world connected \u2014 enabling everything from accurate weather forecasts to seamless video calls. At Georgia Tech\u2019s Space Research Institute, researchers are advancing the science and shaping global policies that ensure these vital systems remain safely in orbit.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765303963","gmt_created":"2025-12-09 18:12:43","changed":"1765305571","gmt_changed":"2025-12-09 18:39:31","alt":"Satellite with large blue solar panels orbiting above Earth, showing cloud formations and the planet\u0027s curvature against a dark space background","file":{"fid":"262890","name":"satellite-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/09\/satellite-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/09\/satellite-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":480548,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/09\/satellite-1.jpg?itok=6nouZKuE"}}},"media_ids":["678807"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686885":{"#nid":"686885","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Ghost of Libraries Past, Present, and Future: How a Library Research Scientist Is Reshaping the Future of Work for Book Lovers","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERaven Davis, Georgia Tech Library\u2019s first research scientist in data analytics, is transforming academic libraries by integrating data analysis, instruction, and research collaboration to enhance student success. Her path began with a love of literature and evolved into data science after earning a master\u2019s in analytics while balancing work and family. Today, she leads coding and data ethics workshops, analyzes library programs to improve outcomes, and champions equity in education. Davis envisions libraries as dynamic spaces that merge technology and knowledge, creating opportunities for innovation while preserving their role as community resources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44628\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The Georgia Tech Library\u2019s Raven Davis turned a lifelong love of books into a career in data analytics. Her work is shaping a future where libraries remain the heart of academic life."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDavis\u2019 journey to the Library started, as it does for many career librarians, with a childhood love of literature. But her arrival at data science reflects a new reality, and the vast possibilities found at the intersection of knowledge and technology.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Her path to the library began with a deep love of books, but her move into data science signals the evolving role of libraries at the intersection of technology and knowledge."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-12-13 02:46:41","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:30:10","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678839":{"id":"678839","type":"image","title":"20251205_Unexpected-Paths_Raven-Davis-14.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERaven Davis is pictured in the Georgia Tech Library, surrounded by books. Her work ensures students have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPhoto by Christopher McKenney, Research Creative Services\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765594045","gmt_created":"2025-12-13 02:47:25","changed":"1765594045","gmt_changed":"2025-12-13 02:47:25","alt":"Person standing in a library aisle next to shelves filled with colorful books, wearing a dark sweater and jeans.","file":{"fid":"262928","name":"20251205_Unexpected-Paths_Raven-Davis-14.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/12\/20251205_Unexpected-Paths_Raven-Davis-14.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/12\/20251205_Unexpected-Paths_Raven-Davis-14.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":14398185,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/12\/20251205_Unexpected-Paths_Raven-Davis-14.jpg?itok=PzUQG4Fe"}}},"media_ids":["678839"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686991":{"#nid":"686991","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nuclear Waste: What It Is \u2014 and What It Isn\u2019t","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen people hear \u201cnuclear waste,\u201d they often imagine glowing green sludge leaking into the ground \u2014 a scene straight out of science fiction. The truth is far less dramatic and far more manageable. In fact, all the civilian nuclear waste produced by U.S. power plants so far could fit on a single football field stacked just 10 yards high. Managed under strict safety protocols, this byproduct of nuclear energy poses manageable risk compared to the billions of tons of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels. Today, researchers at Georgia Tech and around the world are working on safer reactor designs, advanced monitoring, and innovative recycling methods to turn nuclear waste into new opportunities \u2014 from clean energy to ultra-long-lasting batteries and even power for space missions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44646\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen people hear \u201cnuclear waste,\u201d they often imagine glowing green sludge leaking into the ground \u2014 a scene straight out of science fiction. The truth is far less dramatic and far more manageable. In fact, all the civilian nuclear waste produced by U.S. power plants so far could fit on a single football field stacked just 10 yards high. Managed under strict safety protocols, this byproduct of nuclear energy poses manageable risk compared to the billions of tons of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels. Today, researchers at Georgia Tech and around the world are working on safer reactor designs, advanced monitoring, and innovative recycling methods to turn nuclear waste into new opportunities \u2014 from clean energy to ultra-long-lasting batteries and even power for space missions.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Nuclear waste can be managed safely with proper safety protocols. Researchers at Georgia Tech and around the world are working on safer reactor designs, advanced monitoring, and innovative recycling methods to turn nuclear waste into new opportunities \u2014 f"}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-12-18 19:42:21","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:28:14","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678901":{"id":"678901","type":"image","title":"1.-MarthaGroverTeam.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMartha Grover, professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, with her research team. [Photo by Christopher McKenney]\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1767106727","gmt_created":"2025-12-30 14:58:47","changed":"1767106727","gmt_changed":"2025-12-30 14:58:47","alt":"Georgia Tech Professor Martha Grover with her research team","file":{"fid":"262994","name":"1.-MarthaGroverTeam.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/30\/1.-MarthaGroverTeam.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/30\/1.-MarthaGroverTeam.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5334947,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/30\/1.-MarthaGroverTeam.jpg?itok=hG_9ee7m"}}},"media_ids":["678901"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687102":{"#nid":"687102","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How a Race Car Project Is Transforming Rural STEM Education","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents in rural Georgia are discovering new possibilities through Georgia Tech\u2019s new Advanced Manufacturing Pathways program, where they design, build, and race custom cars while learning real manufacturing skills. With local educators and industry partners behind it, AMP is reshaping how communities imagine their future workforce.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44711\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Inside Georgia Tech\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Pathways program, high school students learn to design, build, test, and dream big through a collaboration that\u2019s reshaping classrooms and communities."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents in rural Georgia are discovering new possibilities through Georgia Tech\u2019s new Advanced Manufacturing Pathways program, where they design, build, and race custom cars while learning real manufacturing skills. With local educators and industry partners behind it, AMP is reshaping how communities imagine their future workforce.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Inside Georgia Tech\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Pathways program, high school students learn to design, build, test, and dream big through a collaboration that\u2019s reshaping classrooms and communities."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-01-07 16:28:03","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:27:33","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679063":{"id":"679063","type":"image","title":"AMP Students","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBainbridge High School students in the AMP program gathered in October 2025 to race their cars and put their manufacturing skills to the test.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1769106564","gmt_created":"2026-01-22 18:29:24","changed":"1769106564","gmt_changed":"2026-01-22 18:29:24","alt":"Bainbridge High School students in the AMP program gathered in October 2025 to race their cars and put their manufacturing skills to the test.","file":{"fid":"263178","name":"AMP-students-candid-GTMI.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/22\/AMP-students-candid-GTMI.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/22\/AMP-students-candid-GTMI.png","mime":"image\/png","size":884236,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/22\/AMP-students-candid-GTMI.png?itok=pYT1gafc"}}},"media_ids":["679063"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195164","name":"go-ampf"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193654","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institute"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687121":{"#nid":"687121","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Georgia Tech Is Transforming Advanced Manufacturing","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s hybrid manufacturing breakthroughs are reshaping how industries \u2014 from the U.S. Navy to aerospace and rail \u2014 repair and build critical parts. Fast, precise, and scalable, GTMI\u2019s innovations turn complex problems into real world solutions, showcasing how cutting edge research becomes game changing impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44714\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s hybrid manufacturing breakthroughs are reshaping how industries \u2014 from the U.S. Navy to aerospace and rail \u2014 repair and build critical parts. Fast, precise, and scalable, GTMI\u2019s innovations turn complex problems into real world solutions, showcasing how cutting edge research becomes game changing impact.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s hybrid manufacturing innovations are transforming defense and industry alike, turning complex repair challenges into fast, scalable solutions that boost performance, resilience, and real world impact."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-01-08 21:23:39","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:26:56","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-08T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-08T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678945":{"id":"678945","type":"image","title":"mazak-machine-people.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGTMI researchers work beside a Mazak machine inside Georgia Tech\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility, continuing a partnership with Mazak that has advanced hybrid manufacturing innovation for more than a decade.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1767907437","gmt_created":"2026-01-08 21:23:57","changed":"1767907437","gmt_changed":"2026-01-08 21:23:57","alt":"Three individuals standing at a workbench in front of a large Mazak hybrid manufacturing machine, discussing components and technical drawings.","file":{"fid":"263043","name":"mazak-machine-people.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/08\/mazak-machine-people.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/08\/mazak-machine-people.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1184429,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/08\/mazak-machine-people.jpg?itok=CmbEVqcc"}}},"media_ids":["678945"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688047":{"#nid":"688047","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Southwest Georgia Students Put New Manufacturing Skills to the Test in Tri\u2011District Race","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents from three Southwest Georgia high schools put their engineering skills to the test at the Advanced Manufacturing Program\u2019s first tri\u2011district race, showcasing custom cars they designed and built. With strong support from educators, industry partners, and local leaders, the program is fostering homegrown technical talent. As AMP expands to six schools, communities are beginning to imagine new possibilities for their future workforce.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44900\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Pathways program brought three school districts together for a hands\u2011on competition in Bainbridge, highlighting early progress in workforce development and the program\u2019s expansion to six schools."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents from three Southwest Georgia high schools put their engineering skills to the test at the Advanced Manufacturing Program\u2019s first tri\u2011district race, showcasing custom cars they designed and built. With strong support from educators, industry partners, and local leaders, the program is fostering homegrown technical talent. As AMP expands to six schools, communities are beginning to imagine new possibilities for their future workforce.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Students from three Southwest Georgia high schools showcased custom\u2011built cars at the Advanced Manufacturing Program\u2019s first tri\u2011district race, highlighting a growing, community\u2011supported effort to develop local technical talent as the program expands to "}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-02-05 18:05:22","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:26:03","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679198":{"id":"679198","type":"image","title":"Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-003.JPG","body":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents from three Southwest Georgia high schools put their engineering skills to the test at the Advanced Manufacturing Program\u2019s first tri\u2011district race, showcasing custom cars they designed and built. With strong support from educators, industry partners, and local leaders, the program is fostering homegrown technical talent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770314966","gmt_created":"2026-02-05 18:09:26","changed":"1770314966","gmt_changed":"2026-02-05 18:09:26","alt":"A row of small, student\u2011designed model race cars displayed on a table, each placed on top of design sheets in a gym setting.","file":{"fid":"263329","name":"Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-003.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/05\/Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-003.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/05\/Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-003.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2160842,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/05\/Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-003.JPG?itok=ZxLJOdUD"}},"679197":{"id":"679197","type":"image","title":"Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-070.JPG","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEach car on the track represents hours of programming, 3D printing, machining, and iterative design completed by students in the AMP program.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770314737","gmt_created":"2026-02-05 18:05:37","changed":"1770314737","gmt_changed":"2026-02-05 18:05:37","alt":"wo small student\u2011designed race cars positioned at the starting line of a metal track, with a digital timer display and spectators in the background at an Advanced Manufacturing competition.","file":{"fid":"263328","name":"Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-070.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/05\/Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-070.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/05\/Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-070.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1757893,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/05\/Tri-District-Advanded-Manufacturing-Pathways-Race-070.JPG?itok=KdkWe7rA"}}},"media_ids":["679198","679197"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195164","name":"go-ampf"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193654","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institute"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688239":{"#nid":"688239","#data":{"type":"news","title":" Humanoid Robots Make Confident Strides Toward Walking Stability","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHumanoid robots are coming.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile this statement might cause anxiety for some, for one Georgia Tech research team, working with humanlike robots couldn\u2019t be more exciting.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBipedal \u2014 or two-legged \u2014 autonomous robots can be quite agile. This makes them useful for performing tasks on uneven terrain, such as carrying equipment through outdoor environments or performing maintenance on an ocean-going ship. However, unstable or unpredictable conditions also increase the possibility of a robot wipeout.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers, led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/ye-zhao\u0022\u003EYe Zhao\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lab-idar.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELaboratory for Intelligent Decision and Autonomous Robots\u003C\/a\u003E (LIDAR), and Zhaoyuan Gu, a robotics Ph.D. student, wanted to develop a real-time planning and control framework that guarantees a robot\u0027s safety and recovery when traversing difficult terrain. The autonomous nature of this framework means the robots can make their own decisions without direct assistance from a human. For example, if an unexpected obstacle appears in its path, a robot equipped with this new framework could catch itself instead of falling.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUntil now, there\u2019s been a significant lack of research into how a robot recovers when its direction shifts \u2014 for example, a robot losing balance when a truck makes a quick turn. The team aims to fix this research gap.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPutting the Project Pieces Together\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1109\/TRO.2025.3582820\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIEEE Transactions on Robotics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E paper, the researchers describe a first-of-its-kind strategy that gives robots a clear set of rules for reacting when something changes in its path. These rules help the robot make quicker decisions and take more confident steps. When the robot senses that its current plan might not keep it stable, it uses these rules to adjust its next few steps, so it can continue moving safely. In earlier experiments, which lacked this framework, two-legged robots struggled to identify a solution for stability and were prone to falling.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers implemented the new framework with Cassie, a two-legged robot. Inside Tech\u2019s 3,000-square-foot \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/robotics\/human-augmentation-core\u0022\u003EHuman Augmentation Core Facility\u003C\/a\u003E, the Cassie robot confidently walks on a Computer-Aided Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) \u2014 a treadmill system that can be programmed to move in any direction at different times. When the team realized CAREN is limited in how much force it can inflict, they added a BumpEm system, which creates a stronger jerk to further stress-test Cassie\u2019s gait.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Results\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough these experiments, the researchers found that their new programming framework outperforms state-of-the-art methods with more certainty, faster decision-making, higher collision avoidance, and the ability to reliably walk on moving platforms and varying types of terrain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZhao said, \u201cThe results we got through this project are very impressive. They\u2019re the most comprehensive and extensive hardware results we\u2019ve published so far.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough significant, the real-world results weren\u2019t perfect. The robot doesn\u2019t perform as well when moving downhill, which requires it to take riskier steps and walk less efficiently. However, the only time Cassie completely failed to recover its gait was during a difficult scenario involving a very wide step and a cross-legged maneuver. Recovery simply wasn\u2019t feasible given the spatial limits of the narrow treadmill.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENext Steps for Walking Robots\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOverall, the researchers\u2019 framework increases by 81% Cassie\u2019s ability to recover from instability. The team noted that bipedal stability in robotics needs further research. If these walking robots are to be fully integrated into our society, they must be reliable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis paper may serve as a foundation for continued work on walking robots,\u201d said Zhao. \u201cOur work may inspire further research that can imitate or learn from the framework we\u2019ve created.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther ways of walking recovery are yet to be tested. For example, humans often hop to counteract instability or uneven footing; mirroring this with two-legged robots could be the next step in the team\u2019s research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey would like to eventually enable the use of autonomous two-legged robots in marine environments, where ship maintenance and operations require risky, strenuous labor. Ideally, these robots could reliably, safely, and efficiently perform these kinds of tasks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project will be tested at sea through the Office of Naval Research in Arlington, Virginia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHumanoid robots are coming to your homes, coming to the factories, coming to logistics. They\u0027re going to show up on the street. It\u2019s exciting,\u201d said Gu.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERobotics engineers should consider not only a robot\u2019s mechanical design, but also its algorithms, intelligence, and brain. Being able to safely and regularly interact with these robots requires this foundational work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u2014 By Chloe Morris\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRobust-Locomotion-By-Logic: Perturbation-Resilient Bipedal Locomotion via Signal Temporal Logic Guided Model Predictive Control.\u201d \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ieeexplore.ieee.org\/document\/11049016\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1109\/TRO.2025.3582820\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding for this research is provided by the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program and the National Science Foundation CAREER Program.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearchers on this project include LIDAR Director Ye Zhao, Ph.D. student Zhaoyuan Gu, and master\u2019s students Yuntian Zhao, Yipu Chen, and Rongming Guo. Other contributors from the\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/power.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E Physiology of Wearable Robotics Lab\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E include \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/gregory-sawicki\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGregory Sawicki\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, director, and Jennifer Leestma (Ph.D. ROBO, 2024).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is also supported by the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vip.gatech.edu\/teams\/entry\/1281\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAgile Locomotion and Manipulation team\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, part of Georgia Tech\u2019s Vertically Integrated Projects program.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed a new \u201cthinking\u201d technology for two-legged robots, increasing their balance and agility.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers have developed a new \u201cthinking\u201d technology for two-legged robots, increasing their balance and agility.\u00a0"}],"uid":"28766","created_gmt":"2026-02-13 14:34:19","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:25:01","author":"Shelley Wunder-Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679321":{"id":"679321","type":"image","title":"humanoid-robotos.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYipu Chen (seated) and Zhaoyuan Gu (standing) on the CAREN treadmill system\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1771337425","gmt_created":"2026-02-17 14:10:25","changed":"1771337425","gmt_changed":"2026-02-17 14:10:25","alt":"Two individuals on a large circular motion platform in a research lab, with one person seated cross\u2011legged on the platform and another suspended in a harness wearing a Georgia Tech exoskeleton system.","file":{"fid":"263464","name":"humanoid-robotos.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/17\/humanoid-robotos.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/17\/humanoid-robotos.png","mime":"image\/png","size":13065997,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/17\/humanoid-robotos.png?itok=xpm563Bv"}},"679359":{"id":"679359","type":"video","title":"Cassie Robot Walking on the CAREN Treadmill","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Cassie robot walks confidently on the CAREN treadmill, making adjustments to its gait as the platform moves.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1771444600","gmt_created":"2026-02-18 19:56:40","changed":"1771444600","gmt_changed":"2026-02-18 19:56:40","video":{"youtube_id":"klhX6qFRZEs","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/klhX6qFRZEs"}}},"media_ids":["679321","679359"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMedia contact:\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:swundersmith3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Research Communications\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688758":{"#nid":"688758","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Target the Tumor. Spare the Body.","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher Nick Housley is developing a drug\u2011delivery system designed to send cancer treatments directly to tumors while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. His team\u2019s approach uses self\u2011assembling nanohydrogels (SANGs) that circulate through the body, remain inactive in healthy environments, and release their drug payload only when they encounter the unique chemical conditions created by tumors. This \u201ccancer\u2011agnostic\u201d strategy avoids the pitfalls of traditional targeted therapies, which can lose effectiveness as tumors evolve, and aims to reduce the harsh side effects patients often endure. Early preclinical results show that the nanohydrogels successfully concentrated drugs at tumor sites, and Housley\u2019s team is now preparing for broader testing to move the technology toward clinical trials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/45127\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech researcher is working to send cancer drugs to tumors \u2014 and avoid healthy tissue."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher Nick Housley is developing a drug\u2011delivery system designed to send cancer treatments directly to tumors while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Early preclinical results show that the nanohydrogels successfully concentrated drugs at tumor sites, and Housley\u2019s team is now preparing for broader testing to move the technology toward clinical trials.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Housley and his team are developing self\u2011assembling nanohydrogels that deliver cancer drugs only when they reach tumor\u2011specific conditions, aiming to reduce side effects and make treatment more precise across multiple cancer types."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-03-05 23:19:22","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:20:54","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679537":{"id":"679537","type":"image","title":"20260226-Cancer-Delivery-System-Story-6.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENick Housley\u2019s latest advancement is a drug\u2011delivery system called SANGs, short for \u201cself\u2011assembling nanohydrogels.\u201d As these nanohydrogels move through the body, they keep the cancer\u2011fighting drug contained, passing through healthy tissue without releasing medicine. When they encounter the unique conditions created by a tumor, they remain in that environment and release the drug precisely where it\u2019s needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1772752775","gmt_created":"2026-03-05 23:19:35","changed":"1772752775","gmt_changed":"2026-03-05 23:19:35","alt":"A person wearing a blue lab coat stands with arms crossed in a laboratory filled with shelves of scientific equipment, supplies, and a refrigerator unit in the background.","file":{"fid":"263710","name":"20260226-Cancer-Delivery-System-Story-6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/05\/20260226-Cancer-Delivery-System-Story-6.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/05\/20260226-Cancer-Delivery-System-Story-6.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":14461101,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/05\/20260226-Cancer-Delivery-System-Story-6.jpg?itok=hcwCBuaP"}}},"media_ids":["679537"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688828":{"#nid":"688828","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Penicillin of Pressure Injuries: Researchers Develop New Sensor System to Prevent a Common Hospital Complication","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHospital stays can be long and arduous; they can also cause serious complications. When a person lies in one position too long and begins to sweat, painful sores called pressure injuries (PIs) can form on the body, leading to infection or even death. A patient can develop a PI in a few days \u2014 or even a few hours. And once present, a PI is hard to treat. To address this issue, researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a new, flexible, sensor-filled fabric to monitor areas at risk of PIs and alert hospital staff when a patient needs to be turned.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/45129\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more about Georgia Tech\u2019s research on preventing pressure injuries \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"These sensors, embedded in fabric, can monitor patients\u2019 physical condition and alert healthcare workers before pressure sores form."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher Nick Housley is developing a drug\u2011delivery system designed to send cancer treatments directly to tumors while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. His team\u2019s approach uses self\u2011assembling nanohydrogels (SANGs) that circulate through the body, remain inactive in healthy environments, and release their drug payload only when they encounter the unique chemical conditions created by tumors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"To address this issue, researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a new, flexible, sensor-filled fabric to monitor areas at risk of PIs and alert hospital staff when a patient needs to be turned. "}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-03-10 16:05:20","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:20:23","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679562":{"id":"679562","type":"image","title":"pi-for-mercury-researchers.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s flexible, sensor\u2011embedded fabric \u2014 designed to detect pressure injury risk and alert care teams when a patient needs repositioning \u2014 is now being tested on cribs in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta\u2019s Arthur M. Blank Hospital.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1773162846","gmt_created":"2026-03-10 17:14:06","changed":"1773162846","gmt_changed":"2026-03-10 17:14:06","alt":"Two adults wearing protective gowns and gloves stand beside a hospital crib, using a tablet device while examining an infant lying on the mattress as medical equipment and monitors surround the crib.","file":{"fid":"263738","name":"pi-for-mercury-researchers.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/10\/pi-for-mercury-researchers.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/10\/pi-for-mercury-researchers.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4183388,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/10\/pi-for-mercury-researchers.jpg?itok=ga9TjwGO"}}},"media_ids":["679562"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689240":{"#nid":"689240","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Smartest Robots May Be the \u2018Dumbest\u2019 Ones","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have created swarms of tiny robotic particles that move and self-organize using only mechanical design \u2014 no electronics, software, or sensors. By encoding behavior in each particle\u2019s shape, the team can control how the swarm spreads and reconfigures, with potential applications in medicine and space.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/45225\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech researcher built a robotic swarm with no electronics, no batteries, and no brains. He cut the cord \u2014 and the robots came to life."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have created swarms of tiny robotic particles that move and self-organize using only mechanical design \u2014 no electronics, software, or sensors. By encoding behavior in each particle\u2019s shape, the team can control how the swarm spreads and reconfigures, with potential applications in medicine and space.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech engineers have created electronics-free robotic swarms whose collective intelligence emerges entirely from mechanical design, enabling coordinated behavior for applications in medicine, space, and beyond."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-03-30 17:49:06","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:19:47","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679780":{"id":"679780","type":"image","title":"new-potential-image-5.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech engineers have created electronics-free robotic swarms whose collective intelligence emerges entirely from mechanical design, enabling coordinated behavior for applications in medicine, space, and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774893030","gmt_created":"2026-03-30 17:50:30","changed":"1774893030","gmt_changed":"2026-03-30 17:50:30","alt":"Abstract illustration of clustered white nanoscale particles moving through a dark vessel with signal waves.","file":{"fid":"263982","name":"new-potential-image-5.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/30\/new-potential-image-5.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/30\/new-potential-image-5.png","mime":"image\/png","size":680610,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/30\/new-potential-image-5.png?itok=xm1J3Rru"}}},"media_ids":["679780"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689850":{"#nid":"689850","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Doing the Dirty Work of Sustainability ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s not glamorous. It\u2019s not trendy. In fact, it\u2019s downright grubby. But the work that a Georgia Tech researcher and his students are doing is improving campus sustainability, one pound of food waste at a time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2820\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, gave his senior-level biology class this semester a unique assignment: Feed food waste to black soldier fly larvae, collect the organic byproduct (called \u201cfrass\u201d), and analyze the results. What they\u2019ve found so far is a composting method with the potential to dramatically reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions while producing a nutrient-dense fertilizer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s something special about these grubs,\u201d said Hu, who is also a faculty member within the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThey smell, and they\u2019re kind of ugly, but they process food extremely efficiently. When we feed them, they eat twice their body weight, finish that in five hours, and you can do it again the next day. Traditional composting could never be that fast.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing a unique closed-loop system pioneered by private-industry partner and early-stage startup \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biotechnicausa.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBiotechnica\u003C\/a\u003E, the larvae eat their way through more than 300 pounds of food in one semester, creating valuable frass that students harvest. When the larvae mature into adults, they fly into a shared chamber to reproduce, make more grubs, and start the process over again.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou can get a turnaround from food waste to frass in a day or two, and then from the raw frass to our ground-up frass that we use for our plants,\u201d said Mikkelle Peters, a fourth-year biology major in Hu\u2019s class. \u201cIt\u2019s just a much quicker process to get rid of the food waste.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFeeding and studying an army of larvae that can eat more than 10 gallons of food a day keeps Hu\u2019s students busy. The solution? Divide and conquer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first group in the process gathers and grinds food scraps to feed the grubs, then collects the frass they produce. The next group mixes the frass with soil and analyzes its chemical makeup, comparing its nutrient density to commercial fertilizers. A third group uses the fertilized soil to grow vegetables like arugula and radishes that are measured against plants grown using synthetic fertilizer. The final two groups observe the environmental conditions that affect productivity and analyze the grubs\u2019 digestion to uncover the secrets to their success.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore testing will need to be done on outdoor farms to provide rigorous results. Data over the past few semesters were, at times, inconsistent. But the students\u2019 projects reveal a lot of promise for future experiments. Despite limitations to the study, including a small sample size and minor instrument malfunction, the students have been able to find helpful nutrients in their product and grow certain crops more successfully with frass than with commercial fertilizer. Unlike chemically based products or some traditional composts that need to be specially treated, black soldier fly frass is organic and easily processed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of fertilizers can cause harmful runoff, and they can change soil balances over time,\u201d Peters said. \u201cFrass is a natural product, has more fibrous material, and has a lot more organic compounds.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to the science that the students are exposed to, Hu said it is also eye-opening for them to see the work of sustainability. The project is an excellent case study for how a small group can make a big impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe students have learned a lot,\u201d Hu said. \u201cFor one of the activities, we had them bring in their own food waste from home to feed the composter. They realized that a person makes pounds of waste per day.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOffice of Sustainability\u003C\/a\u003E, the campus produces about 400 tons of food waste per year. Although Georgia Tech boasts \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/11\/07\/new-composter-enhance-campus-waste-reduction\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eone of the largest commercial composters\u003C\/a\u003E on an urban campus in the Southeast, the machine can only process 175 tons per year. That leaves a gap that Hu said his research might one day be able to fill.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRight now, it\u2019s working,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to expand and see if it can work some more. The big issue is visibility, getting people to know that what we\u2019re doing is good. Because in some ways, saving the planet takes energy.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the main energy sources for the experimental composter is something Hu hopes to reduce: manpower. With a campus the size of Georgia Tech\u2019s, it\u2019s a very labor-intensive process for students to collect food waste from campus partners. Hu hopes that more community members will volunteer, not only to collect food, but also to improve the system.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe need people power \u2014 people willing to volunteer to move, because right now, campus produces a lot of waste in different places,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd we also need biologists and engineers and computer scientists. We need people to make this system more well-engineered.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the current black soldier fly composter still has some flaws, Hu said his goal is to create an affordable, climate-friendly food waste recycling system that can scale up to support U.S. agriculture. By solving problems at the local level, his research is potentially removing economic and operational barriers to sustainability. But, according to Hu, the final step to long-term success is community involvement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn the end, we need people who care,\u201d Hu said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t take that much effort to do a little bit, and a little bit can go a long way.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech researcher and his students are using experimental composting to reduce campus food waste and support agriculture. Using a unique closed-loop system, black soldier fly larvae eat their way through more than 300 pounds of food in one semester, creating valuable frass that students harvest. What they\u2019ve found so far is a composting method with the potential to dramatically reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions while producing a nutrient-dense fertilizer. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech researcher and his students are using experimental composting to reduce campus food waste and support agriculture. "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-17 19:22:36","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:18:56","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679998":{"id":"679998","type":"image","title":"web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg","body":null,"created":"1776688432","gmt_created":"2026-04-20 12:33:52","changed":"1776688432","gmt_changed":"2026-04-20 12:33:52","alt":"A male researcher opens the top of a blue barrel that is part of a composting system inside a greenhouse","file":{"fid":"264230","name":"web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/20\/web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/20\/web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":232961,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/20\/web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg?itok=HEj6TZyg"}}},"media_ids":["679998"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"14545","name":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"168693","name":"campus sustainability"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690606":{"#nid":"690606","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Helping Patients See Again: How One Doctor Uses Georgia Tech Research to Treat Eye Disease With Precision","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor Dr. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/garetina.com\/retina-specialist\/david-s-chin-yee-m-d\/\u0022\u003EDavid Chin Yee\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia Tech microneedle is opening new possibilities for treating debilitating eye disease. Developed over two decades, it delivers medication precisely where it\u2019s needed, helping to preserve vision, ease pain, and prolong relief. For patients, that can mean fewer treatments \u2014 and more time for daily life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/real-life\/microneedle\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The tiniest breakthrough can make the biggest difference."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor Dr. David Chin Yee, a Georgia Tech microneedle is opening new possibilities for treating debilitating eye disease. Developed over two decades, it delivers medication precisely where it\u2019s needed, helping to preserve vision, ease pain, and prolong relief. For patients, that can mean fewer treatments \u2014 and more time for daily life.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A doctor uses a tiny microneedle developed at Georgia Tech to preserve patients\u2019 vision, reduce their pain, and give them more time for daily life."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-06-02 17:56:24","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 19:16:58","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680406":{"id":"680406","type":"image","title":"Dr. David Chin Yee","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. David Chin Yee is an Atlanta-based retina specialist who collaborates with Georgia Tech researchers on advancing microneedle technology for targeted drug delivery in eye care.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780423298","gmt_created":"2026-06-02 18:01:38","changed":"1780423602","gmt_changed":"2026-06-02 18:06:42","alt":"Person in blue medical scrubs demonstrates a small device to a seated patient in a clinical exam room with medical equipment visible in the background.","file":{"fid":"264662","name":"microneedle-thumb.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/microneedle-thumb.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/microneedle-thumb.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":158236,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/02\/microneedle-thumb.jpg?itok=-Um6cUcC"}}},"media_ids":["680406"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"},{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690607":{"#nid":"690607","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Taking a Cue From Horror Movies: When Music Tells You What\u2019s Coming","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed Spherephones, a wearable system that uses spatialized music instead of alarms to help people anticipate movement around them \u2014 such as approaching robots \u2014 by conveying direction, distance, and timing through sound. Created in the Robotic Musicianship Lab, the technology aims to improve safety and awareness in human-robot environments while also showing promise for applications in virtual reality, gaming, and assistive navigation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/spherephones\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are arranging music to help you see what\u2019s behind you."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed Spherephones, a wearable system that uses spatialized music instead of alarms to help people anticipate movement around them \u2014 such as approaching robots \u2014 by conveying direction, distance, and timing through sound. Created in the Robotic Musicianship Lab, the technology aims to improve safety and awareness in human-robot environments while also showing promise for applications in virtual reality, gaming, and assistive navigation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/spherephones\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers developed Spherephones, a wearable system that uses directional music to help people anticipate movement and improve safety and awareness."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-06-02 18:10:50","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 18:41:11","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680407":{"id":"680407","type":"image","title":"Spherephones headset with a robotic arm","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERobotic arm holds a prototype Spherephones headset, a Georgia Tech\u2013developed wearable that uses spatialized sound to help users anticipate movement around them.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780423885","gmt_created":"2026-06-02 18:11:25","changed":"1780424174","gmt_changed":"2026-06-02 18:16:14","alt":"Robotic arm holding circular sensor devices with exposed wiring in a lab setting with a blurred brick wall background.","file":{"fid":"264663","name":"music-thumb.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/music-thumb.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/music-thumb.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":114192,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/02\/music-thumb.jpg?itok=-SuGi3DO"}}},"media_ids":["680407"],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691207":{"#nid":"691207","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Neuro Revolution Is Dawning. Are We Ready?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs neuroscience and neurotechnology accelerate, possibilities once confined to science fiction are moving closer to reality. Georgia Tech researchers are examining what these advances mean for autonomy, privacy, ethics, health, creativity, and human flourishing in a neuro-connected future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.research.gatech.edu\/feature\/neuro-society\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"As neuroscience and neurotechnology accelerate, Georgia Tech researchers are grappling with how a neuro-connected future could reshape society \u2014 and humanity itself."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs neuroscience and neurotechnology accelerate, possibilities once confined to science fiction are moving closer to reality. Georgia Tech researchers are examining what these advances mean for autonomy, privacy, ethics, health, creativity, and human flourishing in a neuro-connected future.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As neuroscience and neurotechnology accelerate, Georgia Tech researchers are examining what a neuro-connected future could mean for society and for humanity itself."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-07-22 13:24:09","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 18:23:13","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680643":{"id":"680643","type":"image","title":"AdobeStock_427642173.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAs neuroscience and neurotechnology accelerate, Georgia Tech researchers are examining what a neuro-connected future could mean for society and for humanity itself.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784726698","gmt_created":"2026-07-22 13:24:58","changed":"1784726698","gmt_changed":"2026-07-22 13:24:58","alt":"Researcher fits and adjusts an EEG brain-monitoring cap with electrode leads on a seated participant in a neuroscience laboratory while holding a tablet.","file":{"fid":"264933","name":"AdobeStock_427642173.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/22\/AdobeStock_427642173.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/22\/AdobeStock_427642173.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3664833,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/22\/AdobeStock_427642173.jpeg?itok=liuinGwY"}}},"media_ids":["680643"],"groups":[{"id":"545781","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"142761","name":"IRIM"},{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187023","name":"go-data"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683063":{"#nid":"683063","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Sparking New Ideas on How Wildfire Influences Climate","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWildfires have spread across the planet for millennia, but they are increasing as the climate warms. Decimated forests, depleted crops, and destroyed buildings are the hallmark of wildfire devastation. Another is the effect on air quality and even the entire climate system. Researchers at Georgia Tech offer solutions for not only surviving \u2014 but also benefiting from \u2014 fire.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/43519\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers monitor wildfires and their impact on air quality and the climate system."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWildfires have spread across the planet for millennia, but they are increasing as the climate warms. Decimated forests, depleted crops, and destroyed buildings are the hallmark of wildfire devastation. Another is the effect on air quality and even the entire climate system. Researchers at Georgia Tech offer solutions for not only surviving \u2014 but also benefiting from \u2014 fire.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers monitor wildfires and their impact on air quality and the climate system."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-07-09 19:19:30","changed_gmt":"2026-07-24 17:47:07","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677377":{"id":"677377","type":"image","title":"climate-fire-thumb.jpg","body":null,"created":"1752088776","gmt_created":"2025-07-09 19:19:36","changed":"1752088776","gmt_changed":"2025-07-09 19:19:36","alt":"A male and female researcher working with a metal piece of equipment outdoors with trees and grass in the background","file":{"fid":"261271","name":"climate-fire-thumb.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/climate-fire-thumb.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/climate-fire-thumb.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":952080,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/09\/climate-fire-thumb.jpg?itok=pKFlhVQ6"}}},"media_ids":["677377"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676906":{"#nid":"676906","#data":{"type":"news","title":"SEI\/GTRI Announced Awardees for Category A Seed Funding From the National Security Workshop ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis Summer, the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGTRI\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;jointly created the\u0026nbsp;Energy and National Security Initiative\u0026nbsp;through an inaugural workshop on July 16.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe initiative included Phase 1 or Category A grants that allowed researchers up to $10,000 in seed funding to understand the viability of their research concepts. The multidisciplinary proposals that won the Category A grants include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject Title: \u003C\/strong\u003EEnergy Infrastructure Security and Risk Assessment Through Interactive Wargaming\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrimary Investigator(s)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/dimitri-mavris\u0022\u003EDimitri Mavris\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Aerospace Engineering)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/scott-duncan\u0022\u003EScott Duncan\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Aerospace Engineering)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/michael-balchanos\u0022\u003EMichael Balchanos\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Aerospace Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOther Investigators\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/adam-stulberg\u0022\u003EAdam Stulberg\u003C\/a\u003E (School of International Affairs)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/inta.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/jenna-jordan\u0022\u003EJenna Jordan\u003C\/a\u003E (School of International Affairs)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/margaret-e-kosal\u0022\u003EMargaret Kosal\u003C\/a\u003E (School of International Affairs)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject Title: \u003C\/strong\u003EInternational Workshop on Nuclear Cybersecurity: Strengthening Global Leadership and Collaboration\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrimary Investigator(s)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/fan-zhang\u0022\u003EFan Zhang\u003C\/a\u003E (Nuclear and Radiological Engineering)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/biegalski\u0022\u003ESteve Biegalski\u003C\/a\u003E (Nuclear and Radiological Engineering)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/valerie-thomas\u0022\u003EValerie Thomas\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Industrial and Systems Engineering)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/alexander-w-miranda\u0022\u003EAlexander Miranda\u003C\/a\u003E (Electrial and Computer Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOther Investigators\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/klesse.utsa.edu\/faculty\/profiles\/chen-qian.html\u0022\u003EGuenevere Chen\u003C\/a\u003E (Electrial and Computer Engineering) (University of Texas San Antonio)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject Title: \u003C\/strong\u003ERobust Energy Systems Planning by way of Novel Systems Engineering (RESPoNSE)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrimary Investigator(s): \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/comas-haynes\u0022\u003EComas Haynes\u003C\/a\u003E (GTRI)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOther Investigators\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/matthew-mcdowell\u0022\u003EMatt McDowell\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Materials Science and Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject Title: \u003C\/strong\u003EShielding and Microreactor Arrangement Innovation (Sam\u03bcrai)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrimary Investigator(s)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/john-brittingham-7810895\/\u0022\u003EJohn Brittingham\u003C\/a\u003E (GTRI)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/bojan-petrovic\u0022\u003EBojan Petrovic\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Mechanical Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOther Investigators\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EHelen Works (GTRI)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject Title: \u003C\/strong\u003EThe Strategic Mineral Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for Critical Resources\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrimary Investigator(s)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/889222ee-d2fd-599b-9140-79d7dc30afeb\u0022\u003EBobby Harris\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Economics)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/matthew-swarts\u0022\u003EMatthew Swarts\u003C\/a\u003E (GTRI)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOther Investigators\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/dylan-brewer\u0022\u003EDylan Brewer\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Economics)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/kevin-caravati\u0022\u003EKevin Caravati\u003C\/a\u003E (GTRI)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Economics)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/micah-ziegler\u0022\u003EMicah S. Ziegler\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Public Policy)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject Title: \u003C\/strong\u003ETrustworthy AI for Critical Power Grid Infrastructure Resilience\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrimary Investigator(s):\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scp.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/glen-chou\u0022\u003EGlen Chou\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Cybersecurity and Privacy)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/yatis-k-dodia\u0022\u003EYatis Dodia\u003C\/a\u003E (GTRI)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/saman-zonouz\u0022\u003ESaman Zonouz\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Cybersecurity and Privacy, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhase 2 or Category B of the initiative includes up to $500,000 in seed funding to fund team research proposals, with funds likely to grow to $1.2 million in the coming years. Please note that teams must largely consist of those who participated in or expressed interest via the July workshop.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers and faculty are encouraged to submit the Notice of Intent for Phase 2 (Category B) submissions. While this is not a requirement of the proposal, it will provide the initiative with insights that will help with internal logistics. If you have any questions regarding the Category B Notice of Intent and the grant, please\u0026nbsp;contact the Strategic Energy Institute at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:connect@energy.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Econnect@energy.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESEI\/GTRI Announced Awardees for Category A Seed Funding From the National Security Workshop\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"SEI\/GTRI Announced Awardees for Category A Seed Funding From the National Security Workshop "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2024-09-18 03:34:30","changed_gmt":"2026-07-22 16:29:05","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-09-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-09-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675005":{"id":"675005","type":"image","title":"Screen Shot 2024-09-17 at 11.37.26 PM.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEnergy and National Security Workshop Image\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1726630686","gmt_created":"2024-09-18 03:38:06","changed":"1726630686","gmt_changed":"2024-09-18 03:38:06","alt":"Energy and National Security Workshop Image","file":{"fid":"258589","name":"Screen Shot 2024-09-17 at 11.37.26 PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/17\/Screen%20Shot%202024-09-17%20at%2011.37.26%20PM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/17\/Screen%20Shot%202024-09-17%20at%2011.37.26%20PM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1106697,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/17\/Screen%20Shot%202024-09-17%20at%2011.37.26%20PM.png?itok=9KhQwvVT"}}},"media_ids":["675005"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691193":{"#nid":"691193","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hot Enough For Ya? Georgia Tech Has an App for That, and It\u2019s More Useful Than You Might Think","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey say Atlanta is the city in a forest,\u201d Clayton Patterson, Georgia Tech\u2019s operations manager for horticulture, said, \u201cbut there\u2019s a lot of asphalt here, a lot of concrete, and it gets really hot around it. This place turns into an oven, real quick.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESchool of City and Regional Planning \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/planning.gatech.edu\/people\/rounaq-basu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAssistant Professor Rounaq Basu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E knows it, too. So he and his students (supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/resilience.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Urban Resilience and Analytics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E) created the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/geo.gatech.edu\/coolroutes\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECool Routes app\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to help people in Atlanta find the most shaded \u2014 and most importantly, the coolest \u2014 paths if they have to walk or bike outside.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDescribing Atlanta\u2019s latest heatwave, \u201cThis is great for research, but not so great for residents,\u201d Basu said. \u201cI like to walk and bike everywhere, and it\u2019s too hot. I need to know where the shaded paths are!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Cool Routes app currently covers 10 cities in the U.S., including Atlanta. Users choose a city from a dropdown menu, provide a trip start and destination, tell the app whether they\u2019re walking or biking, and select route preferences. The app then generates up to three routes to the user\u2019s destination, allowing them to compare how much cooler one route is from another. Further refinement of routes is offered after that.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/planning.gatech.edu\/feature\/cool-routes-2026\u0022\u003ELearn more \u0026gt;\u0026gt;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of City and Regional Planning \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/planning.gatech.edu\/people\/rounaq-basu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAssistant Professor Rounaq Basu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E knows it, too. So he and his students (supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/resilience.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Urban Resilience and Analytics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E) created the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/geo.gatech.edu\/coolroutes\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECool Routes app\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"School of City and Regional Planning Assistant Professor Rounaq Basu knows it, too. So he and his students (supported by the Center for Urban Resilience and Analytics) created the Cool Routes app"}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2026-07-21 15:40:21","changed_gmt":"2026-07-21 19:31:26","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680635":{"id":"680635","type":"image","title":"Cool Routes","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECool Routes App. Photo: Wes McRae\/College of Design\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784648226","gmt_created":"2026-07-21 15:37:06","changed":"1784648288","gmt_changed":"2026-07-21 15:38:08","alt":"Cool Routes App","file":{"fid":"264924","name":"feature.CoolRoutes.AndrewDowdy-1209.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/21\/feature.CoolRoutes.AndrewDowdy-1209.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/21\/feature.CoolRoutes.AndrewDowdy-1209.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":627485,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/21\/feature.CoolRoutes.AndrewDowdy-1209.jpg?itok=EzCMhNWr"}}},"media_ids":["680635"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691185":{"#nid":"691185","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Richard Simmons Named Interim Director of Student Competition Center ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/user\/1187\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERichard Simmons\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, principal research engineer in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, has been named interim director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudent Competition Center (SCC)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, where he will lead efforts to strengthen experiential learning and support the Institute\u2019s student competition teams.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe SCC is home to seven student engineering competition teams and provides workspace, tools, and resources to help students apply classroom learning to real-world engineering challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn his new role, Simmons will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for student competition teams, facilities, staff, budgets, sponsorships, and safety programs. He also will teach and mentor students through engineering design and experiential learning courses, helping connect classroom instruction with project-based experiences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRichard brings a unique combination of industry experience, research leadership, and deep commitment to student success,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/user\/1078\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECarolyn Seepersad\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. School Chair. \u201cAs an accomplished engineer and a Georgia Tech alumnus, he understands the value of experiential learning and is well-positioned to lead the Student Competition Center.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESimmons, ME 1993, joined Georgia Tech in 2016 after spending the first 20 years of his career leading research, technology, and business development initiatives in the automotive industry, energy sector, and federal government. After graduating from Tech, he earned his master\u2019s and doctoral degrees from Purdue University and later became a licensed professional engineer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the past decade, Simmons has held several leadership and research positions within Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, including founding director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and, most recently, director of Research and Studies. He has also taught a variety of courses at the Woodruff School, including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/2110.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EME 2110\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/capstone-design\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECapstone Design\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Energy Systems, and Renewable Energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/richard-simmons-named-interim-director-student-competition-center\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the ME News Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/user\/1187\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERichard Simmons\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, principal research engineer in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, has been named interim director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudent Competition Center (SCC)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, where he will lead efforts to strengthen experiential learning and support the Institute\u2019s student competition teams.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe SCC is home to seven student engineering competition teams and provides workspace, tools, and resources to help students apply classroom learning to real-world engineering challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn his new role, Simmons will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for student competition teams, facilities, staff, budgets, sponsorships, and safety programs. He also will teach and mentor students through engineering design and experiential learning courses, helping connect classroom instruction with project-based experiences.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Richard Simmons, principal research engineer in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has been named interim director of the Student Competition Center (SCC)."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-07-21 01:23:10","changed_gmt":"2026-07-21 01:28:44","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680632":{"id":"680632","type":"image","title":"GTMS-RSimmons_26_Sat-617_0.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERich Simmons on a F1-style race car designed by the GT-Motorsports team at the Michigan International Speedway\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784597001","gmt_created":"2026-07-21 01:23:21","changed":"1784597001","gmt_changed":"2026-07-21 01:23:21","alt":"Rich Simmons on a car designed by the GT-Motorsports team at the Michigan International Speedway","file":{"fid":"264921","name":"GTMS-RSimmons_26_Sat-617_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/GTMS-RSimmons_26_Sat-617_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/GTMS-RSimmons_26_Sat-617_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1156844,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/20\/GTMS-RSimmons_26_Sat-617_0.jpg?itok=yGJWQXKq"}}},"media_ids":["680632"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/richard-simmons-named-interim-director-student-competition-center","title":"Read Full Story on ME News Page"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"193158","name":"Student Competition Winners (academic, innovation, and research)"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:tracie.troha@me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ETraci Troha,\u003C\/a\u003E ME Communications.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["tracie.troha@me.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691168":{"#nid":"691168","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Building the Energy Workforce of Tomorrow Through Energy Unplugged at Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEach summer, Georgia Tech\u2019s campus becomes a destination for eager high school students interested in exploring the future of energy. This year, the highly sought-after Energy Unplugged camp, a collaboration between the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECEISMC\u003C\/a\u003E, attracted students from across the country, including California and Texas, for an immersive, hands-on experience in real-world energy systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBlending engineering challenges, field experiences, and team-based design projects, the weeklong program in June gave students a dynamic introduction to energy, sustainability, and engineering innovation and a rare opportunity to engage directly with the technologies, infrastructure, people, and ideas that help power the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur goal is to get outside of the classroom, have fun, and demonstrate how a STEM education can literally help turn on lightbulbs,\u201d said SEI\u2019s director of Research and Studies,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/richard-simmons\u0022\u003ERich Simmons\u003C\/a\u003E, who also directs Energy Unplugged. \u201cThrough hands-on learning, field trips, and real-world experiences, these creative students are learning that everyone can play a role in our energy future. Along the way, they are gaining a deeper understanding of the tradeoffs and challenges engineers face and learning from experts about pathways to an energy career.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMousetrap-Powered Cars\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EPutting those ideas into practice from day one,\u0026nbsp;the camp began with an engineering challenge in which students designed and constructed mousetrap-powered cars. Using the stored potential energy of a mousetrap spring to propel their vehicles, participants explored how energy is converted from one form to another and identified sources of friction and inefficiency that affect the distance traveled. The activity encouraged students to think like engineers, iteratively testing and refining their designs to improve results.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering Optimization and Tradeoffs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESimilar problem-solving skills were put to the test during an RC car optimization challenge. Equipped with a battery-powered vehicle and energy-monitoring systems, students were tasked with completing a driving course while maximizing their score by balancing speed, energy consumption, safety, and cargo capacity. Participants had the option to add weights and tennis balls to increase potential points, but doing so increased the risk of penalties from dropped cargo, missed obstacles, or vehicle rollovers. The exercise highlighted the tradeoffs engineers routinely face when optimizing systems under competing constraints.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe overall interest in green energy among youth is increasing, so having demonstrations and experiments as well as some high-level lectures on the actual science was a great way to engage the students,\u201d said student assistant\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/wnudd\u0022\u003EWilliam Nudd\u003C\/a\u003E, a senior in mechanical engineering who assisted with the camp. \u201cWhen I was in their shoes, I had never attended a physics class, so the camp was definitely getting them a step ahead and did a great job introducing and showcasing key concepts related to energy: How does my home get electricity? Where does energy come from? How do power plants operate?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETrivia, Demos, and Scavenger Hunts\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAdditional activities throughout the week included energy-themed trivia competitions, a steam engine demonstration, a solar microgrid exercise, and a campus scavenger hunt. Together, they reinforced classroom concepts through interactive learning and encouraged students to connect technical principles with practical applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EField Trips to Power Plants\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWhile these activities taught foundational concepts,\u0026nbsp;a highlight of the camp was a series of field trips that allowed students to observe large-scale energy infrastructure in operation. Participants toured the Georgia Power McDonough-Atkinson Plant, where they learned how combined-cycle power plants generate electricity using both gas and steam turbines to improve efficiency. Students also visited the Morgan Falls hydroelectric facility, getting an up-close view of the massive generators and equipment used to convert the energy of flowing water into electricity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECampus Tours\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIn addition to exploring regional energy infrastructure, students were introduced to Georgia Tech\u2019s innovation ecosystem through visits to campus makerspaces and research facilities, including the Flowers Invention Studio and The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design. Students explored one of the nation\u2019s most advanced examples of sustainable building design during a guided tour of The Kendeda Building, which generates 200% of the energy it consumes. Here they learned how energy efficiency, renewable generation, and resource conservation can be integrated into the built environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFinal Projects\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ETo bring together the concepts explored throughout the week, students worked in teams on a final design challenge centered around a solar-powered disaster relief trailer on loan from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.footprintproject.org\/\u0022\u003EFootprint Project\u003C\/a\u003E. Equipped with photovoltaic panels and battery storage, the trailer was originally designed to provide off-grid power during emergencies. Students were challenged to identify additional uses for the system during periods when disaster response was not required. Many teams proposed sustainable food truck businesses powered by the trailer\u2019s solar energy system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETeams also evaluated cooking technologies such as pressure cookers and slow cookers, comparing energy consumption, power requirements, efficiency, and operating costs. Students examined how energy demand aligned with available solar generation and battery storage while conducting economic analyses to determine business viability and profitability. The project integrated engineering, economics, and sustainability principles while encouraging creative thinking and collaborative problem-solving.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEnergy Unplugged is an inspiring demonstration of how hands-on engineering experiences can spark curiosity and passion in the next generation of STEM leaders,\u201d said student assistant\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/alvarohucker\/?isSelfProfile=false\u0022\u003EAlvaro Hucker\u003C\/a\u003E, a senior mechanical engineering student. \u201cWorking with this group and seeing the fun they were having brought back fond memories of my own childhood. It was an amazing experience.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EStudent Contributors: Alvaro Hucker, Senior, Mechanical Engineering and William Nudd, Senior, Mechanical Engineering.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEach summer, Georgia Tech\u2019s campus becomes a destination for eager high school students interested in exploring the future of energy. This year, the highly sought-after Energy Unplugged camp, a collaboration between the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECEISMC\u003C\/a\u003E, attracted students from across the country, including California and Texas, for an immersive, hands-on experience in real-world energy systems.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Energy Unplugged camp, a collaboration between the\u00a0Strategic Energy Institute (SEI), the\u00a0Energy Policy and Innovation Center, and\u00a0CEISMC, attracted students from across the country for an immersive, hands-on experience in real-world energy systems. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-07-20 15:50:28","changed_gmt":"2026-07-20 17:06:11","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680626":{"id":"680626","type":"image","title":"IMG_1862.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERich Simmons, SEI\u0027s Director of Research and Studies, teaches at the Energy Unplugged camp\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784562762","gmt_created":"2026-07-20 15:52:42","changed":"1784597458","gmt_changed":"2026-07-21 01:30:58","alt":"SEI\u0027s Director of Research and Studies Rich Simmons teaching at the Energy Unplugged Camp","file":{"fid":"264914","name":"IMG_1862.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1862.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1862.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3624927,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1862.jpg?itok=-7R0Exb2"}},"680627":{"id":"680627","type":"image","title":"IMG_1906.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERich Simmons, teaches energy production and consumption with The Footprint Project\u0027s solar trailor\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784562893","gmt_created":"2026-07-20 15:54:53","changed":"1784597502","gmt_changed":"2026-07-21 01:31:42","alt":"Rich Simmons, teaches energy production and consumption using Footprint Project\u0027s Solar Trailor ","file":{"fid":"264915","name":"IMG_1906.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1906.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1906.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3510767,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1906.jpg?itok=GamNCFu_"}},"680628":{"id":"680628","type":"image","title":"IMG_1918-copy.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGroup picture of the 2026 Energy Unplugged camp participants with Rich Simmons, camp director and student assistants William Nudd and Alvaro Hucker\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784566485","gmt_created":"2026-07-20 16:54:45","changed":"1784597592","gmt_changed":"2026-07-21 01:33:12","alt":"Group Picture of the 2026 Energy Unplugged Camp Participants along with Rich Simmons, and Student Assistants William Nudd and Alvaro Hucker","file":{"fid":"264916","name":"IMG_1918-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1918-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1918-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2602791,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1918-copy.jpg?itok=_A0EJ3y9"}},"680629":{"id":"680629","type":"image","title":"IMG_1978.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEnergy Unplugged camp participants presenting their group project\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784566760","gmt_created":"2026-07-20 16:59:20","changed":"1784597618","gmt_changed":"2026-07-21 01:33:38","alt":"Energy Unplugged camp participants presenting their group project","file":{"fid":"264918","name":"IMG_1978.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1978.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1978.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3017113,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_1978.jpg?itok=EKTNvzdb"}},"680630":{"id":"680630","type":"image","title":"IMG_2046-cropped.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA group project presented at the Energy Unplugged camp\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784566885","gmt_created":"2026-07-20 17:01:25","changed":"1784597533","gmt_changed":"2026-07-21 01:32:13","alt":"A group project from the Energy Unplugged Camp","file":{"fid":"264919","name":"IMG_2046-cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_2046-cropped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_2046-cropped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1176069,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/20\/IMG_2046-cropped.jpg?itok=g9_3G5_I"}}},"media_ids":["680626","680627","680628","680629","680630"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E | SEI Communicatios Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EStudent Contributors: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/alvarohucker\/?isSelfProfile=false\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAlvaro Hucker\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Senior, Mechanical Engineering and \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/wnudd\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWilliam Nudd,\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E Senior, Mechanical Engineering.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690901":{"#nid":"690901","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Turning Pulp Mills Into Next-Generation Biorefineries ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia\u2019s $41 billion forest products industry needs a transformation, and a Georgia Tech research team is reimagining how pulp mills use energy and what they can make from their byproduct streams.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor nearly a decade, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/sankar-nair\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESankar Nair\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and a longtime researcher with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERenewable Bioproducts Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (RBI), has led a collaborative effort to develop technologies that can radically improve the efficiency and profitability of kraft pulp mills.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat began as a project to save energy in pulp production has grown into a much broader vision,\u201d Nair explains. \u201cWe\u2019re not just trying to make mills more efficient. We\u2019re working to turn the kraft pulp mill into a kraft-based biorefinery that produces multiple higher-value products.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Energy Savings to High-Value Products\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENair explains that traditional kraft mills use a highly energy-intensive \u201cchemical recovery loop\u201d to handle black liquor \u2014 the dark, viscous byproduct left after pulp is separated from wood chips. That loop relies on multistage evaporators and massive recovery boilers to remove water, burn the remaining organics for steam and electricity, and recycle inorganic chemicals back into the process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe original desire from our industry partners was to save energy,\u201d Nair says. \u201cInstead of evaporating the water in black liquor, we asked whether membranes could take on most of the dewatering and potentially cut that energy use in half.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver time, the team realized the opportunity went well beyond efficiency. \u201cWe use these membranes in such a way that they actually fractionate the black liquor, not just dewater it,\u201d Nair says. \u201cOne stream is rich in lignin; another is rich in organic acids. From those, we can recover and purify components and turn them into entirely new products.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELignin is a complex organic polymer and one of the most abundant biological materials on Earth. It acts as nature\u2019s \u201cglue,\u201d providing plants with structural rigidity and resistance to decay.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom lignin-rich fractions, the team has already demonstrated carbon materials that can be tailored for battery anodes and porous adsorbents used in environmental remediation and separations \u2014 today mostly made from fossil-based carbons. These lignin-derived carbons are of particular interest as a domestic alternative to graphite, a critical battery material that is currently dominated by overseas production.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn the organic acid side, Nair and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/christopher-jones\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChristopher Jones\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia Tech\u202fcatalysis and reaction engineering expert, have gone a step further, converting those acids into mixtures of much heavier molecules that could become high-performance industrial lubricants and additives.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to do a new cascade of reactions to make products that we haven\u2019t really made before,\u201d says Jones, the John F. Brock III School Chair and professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJones explains that green lubricants derived from non-fossil sources have \u201cboth high demand and high value.\u201d Georgia Tech has not yet compared the performance of these products to conventional lubricants, but the platform is in place to do so in the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe products we are pursuing from lignin and organic acids have bulk demand and also can command significantly higher prices than traditional pulp-based outputs,\u201d Nair notes. \u201cThat\u2019s essential if the forest products industry is going to be profitable and competitive over the long term.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two researchers have collaborated on three papers, with two already published in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1021\/acssuschemeng.4c00212\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EACS Sustainable Chemistry \u0026amp; Engineering\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (June 2024) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acscatal.5c04841\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EACS Catalysis\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (February 2026).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScaling Up: Continuous Manufacturing and Field Trials\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA key hurdle in moving from lab concept to mill reality is scalable manufacturing of the membranes themselves. That\u2019s where collaboration with Georgia Tech\u2019s advanced manufacturing community comes in.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn recent years, we\u2019ve really focused on how we can manufacture these membranes at low cost and in a continuous, scalable way,\u201d Nair says. \u201cThat\u2019s involved close collaboration with colleagues in materials science, mechanical engineering, and Georgia Tech\u2019s manufacturing institutes.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother Georgia Tech collaborator, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/harris\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETequila Harris\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, is leading the effort to move the current small-scale batch process into a continuous, industry-ready, roll-to-roll system that can produce long sheets of reduced graphene oxide membranes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA key enabling step to shift from batch-mode production, says Harris, was integrating vacuum pressure into the manufacturing system to support high-throughput continuous production without the use of any volatile organic solvents that are commonly used in membrane production. Harris envisions \u201chigh-quality output at production speeds above 60 meters per minute,\u201d which will \u201cdramatically increase production volume while reducing solvent usage and waste, such as water,\u201d says Harris.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe technology is now mature enough for field testing. The team is preparing to deploy membrane modules at a major pulp and paper mill near Savannah operated by Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re assembling full membrane modules and installing them in a test skid that will run on real kraft black liquor from the mill,\u201d Nair says. \u201cWe\u2019ll collect long-term performance and reliability data that feeds into detailed models of how best to deploy these membranes in a working kraft mill.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERYAM leaders, including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/larissafenn\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELarissa Fenn\u003C\/a\u003E, Director of New Products and Chair of the External Advisory Board for Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/research\/center-for-renewables-based-economy-from-wood\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for a Renewables-Based Economy From Wood\u003C\/a\u003E (ReWOOD), help ensure that cutting-edge research remains connected to real-world industry challenges and opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMuch of our internal research is focused on supporting current operations, customers, and product lines,\u201d Fenn says. \u201cPartnerships with universities allow us to look five to ten years ahead and engage in transformational research that can create entirely new opportunities for our business and the broader forest products industry.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe transition to more sustainable materials, chemicals, and fuels represents one of the greatest opportunities our industry has seen in decades,\u201d she adds. \u201cContinued innovation is essential not only for maintaining competitiveness, but also for creating new markets for renewable, wood-based resources and strengthening the long-term sustainability of the forestry sector.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFenn emphasized that the impact extends well beyond individual companies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe forestry economy is the backbone of many rural communities across Georgia and throughout the Southeast,\u201d she says. \u201cAdvancing technologies that create new value from renewable resources helps support landowners, manufacturers, and the communities that depend on this industry.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFenn works at RYAM\u2019s Jesup, Georgia facility, which employs more than 800 people and is the largest employer in the local community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFacilities like ours are deeply connected to the communities we serve,\u201d Fenn says. \u201cWhen we invest in innovation, we are investing in the future of manufacturing, forestry, and economic opportunity in rural America.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EModular Pathways to a Bio-Based Future\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETransforming an operating mill into a full biorefinery isn\u2019t something that happens overnight, and Nair\u2019s group is designing with that reality in mind.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAll of these technologies are modular and designed to be fully integrated with the kraft process,\u201d he says. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to spend billions of dollars up front to build an entirely new plant. You can gradually integrate membrane-based fractionation and stream upgrading technologies for new product streams into the existing kraft process, and each mill can follow its own transition path.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat modular design also provides flexibility in how mills manage energy. Diverting black liquor into higher-value products means less organic material available as fuel for the recovery boiler. Still, the energy-efficiency gains from membrane dewatering reduce overall consumption, and mills can draw on grid electricity to make up the difference.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe goal is not to save energy for its own sake,\u201d Nair emphasizes. \u201cIt\u2019s to use that energy more productively to create value-added outputs that support jobs, rural communities, and a more innovative and resilient bio-based economy in Georgia.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe urgency of this work is underscored by the pressures facing the industry: Georgia\u2019s forestry sector has seen paper mill closures since the 1990s, due to digitization and shifts in demand, with three major mill closures in 2025. The Georgia Forestry Commission estimates that mill closures erased the market for 8.3 million tons of timber, and reduced lumber usage, import tariffs, and labor shortages compounded the crisis, according to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/fieldreport.caes.uga.edu\/publications\/AP130-4-13\/2026-timber-forecast\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E2026 Georgia AG Forecast\u003C\/a\u003E. New revenue streams and efficiency gains may be essential for mills\u2019 survival.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond kraft mills, Georgia Tech researchers are already extending the membrane platform to agricultural biomass and municipal waste streams in collaboration with partners like the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Texas Tech University. They are also tapping into national initiatives, including the NSF \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.casfer.us\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER)\u003C\/a\u003Eand the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bridgesengine.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBiobased Rural Innovation for Domestic Growth and Economic Security (BRIDGES)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELignin-Derived Materials for the Battery Supply Chain\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/matthew-mcdowell\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMatthew McDowell\u003C\/a\u003E, co-director of the Georgia Tech Advanced Battery Center, sees many cross-sector applications for lignin-derived carbon materials, including batteries, which are increasingly foundational to strategic sectors such as mobility, the power grid, and defense.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELignin-derived carbons can serve as a domestic replacement for graphite in lithium-ion batteries \u2014 a critical material not widely produced in the U.S.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cConventional synthetic graphite is derived from crude oil and requires very high temperatures, making it energy-intensive and polluting,\u201d McDowell said, noting that their goal is to convert lignin and cellulose \u201cto high-value battery materials that could enable the growth of a new battery supply chain here in the United States.\u201d He envisions the work one day transitioning to the Advanced Battery Center, which is planning a new facility scheduled to open at the end of 2027 that will enable companies and academic researchers to \u201cbuild and test full-scale battery cells for translational R\u0026amp;D.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELife-cycle analysis carried out by the team has shown benefits in both lower costs and more efficient energy use when making these carbons from biomass sources.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday,\u202fChina leads the world in battery production, with\u202fKorea and Japan\u202falso long-established leaders. The U.S. is building more domestic capability for national security and economic reasons.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech on the front lines of this work also include Jones, who also collaborated on the lubricants research; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/valerie-thomas\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EValerie Thomas\u003C\/a\u003E, Anderson Interface Chair of Natural Systems and professor in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy; and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/meisha-shofner\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMeisha Shofner\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThomas is leading research on life-cycle and economic analyses of converting lignin to produce \u201ccarbonized lignin\u201d anodes that can replace petroleum\u2011based synthetic graphite in batteries. She says that lignin\u2011based graphite can displace petroleum\u2011derived synthetic graphite, delivering 84% lower energy use, 92% lower greenhouse gas emissions, and lower emissions of other pollutants.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis work establishes a supply chain for making batteries, which has really broader impacts throughout Georgia,\u201d says Thomas, who believes lignin-based battery materials will lead to a stronger forest products economy and a more resilient battery supply chain in Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMcDowell agrees. \u201cMarrying the forest products industry and the battery industry makes a lot of sense for Georgia, because both of those industries are really big,\u201d he says, and both are \u201ckey employers in the state.\u201d In his view, innovations could benefit both simultaneously.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/scott-sinquefield\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EScott Sinquefield\u003C\/a\u003E, senior research engineer in RBI, sees the graphene-oxide membrane work as squarely within its charge to modernize the forest products sector that anchors Georgia\u2019s rural economy.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPart of our mission is to support this industry and advance it. This falls right under our umbrella,\u201d he said, noting that RBI has been providing scientific support to mills for nearly a century, dating back to its origins as the Institute of Paper Chemistry in 1929.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech team\u2019s vision is clear, as Nair explains: \u201cIf we can do this right, kraft mills don\u2019t just survive. They become hubs of advanced biomanufacturing that anchor a more resilient and sustainable forest-based economy for the state.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech infuses innovation into the forest products industry, converting waste streams into high-value products, from high-performance automotive lubricants to batteries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech infuses innovation into the forest products industry, converting waste streams into high-value products, from high-performance automotive lubricants to batteries. "}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-06-24 17:10:56","changed_gmt":"2026-07-16 18:36:13","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680506":{"id":"680506","type":"image","title":"sankar--1-.JPG","body":null,"created":"1782321076","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 17:11:16","changed":"1782321076","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 17:11:16","alt":"Headshot of Sankar Nair ","file":{"fid":"264779","name":"sankar--1-.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/sankar--1-.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/sankar--1-.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":20230,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/sankar--1-.JPG?itok=8DC9uqPB"}}},"media_ids":["680506"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003ENews Contact\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Anne Wainscott-Sargent\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E Jennifer Martin | \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jennifer.martin@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ejennifer.martin@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691044":{"#nid":"691044","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Use GeoGuessr Champion to Test Geolocation Accuracy in VLMs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe house in the distance, with a red, hip-shaped roof and white walls, tells Radu Casapu that this place is probably somewhere in Spain or Portugal.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe surrounding trees resemble those of a eucalyptus forest, which could indicate northern Portugal or the Spanish region of Galicia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s the signposts on the road that give it away. They are flat and wide, which is common in Spain but not in Portugal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECasapu, a master\u2019s student in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of City and Regional Planning, correctly reasons that the picture of a road he\u2019s looking at is in Galicia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGive Casapu a photo, and he will likely be able to tell you where it was taken.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI start with infrastructure clues that are specific to a country, region, state or province,\u201d Casapu said. \u201cThey include roads or electricity poles, which often remain consistent throughout a country. Once you narrow down the country, you can use more specific factors like vegetation, specific landscapes, or architecture, because these are very nuanced. It\u2019s a top-down approach.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is why Casapu is the reigning\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/23\/georgia-tech-graduate-student-wins-geoguessr-world-championship\u0022\u003EGeoGussr World Champion\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 and the ideal expert to test vision-language models (VLMs) on how good they are at geolocation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeoGuessr is a geography browser game launched in 2013 that invites players to guess the location of random Google Street View images. Casapu was already known as one of the top players in the world before he won the third annual GeoGussr World Championship in September.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the beginning of the spring 2025 semester, School of Interactive Computing professor James Hays reached out to Casapu and invited him to collaborate on a new project. Hays was looking to create a dataset to evaluate VLMs\u0027 geolocation ability and reasoning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cVLMs are surprisingly good at geolocation right out of the box, even when they\u2019re not trained to be good at it,\u201d Hays said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHays and his colleagues, associate professors Alan Ritter and Wei Xu, took issue with many AI companies claiming that the VLMs they were releasing were not good at geolocation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen Open AI released GPT 4 Vision, there were privacy concerns about the model\u2019s ability to geolocate someone based on photos they\u2019ve shared on the internet,\u201d Ritter said. \u201cOpen AI said this wasn\u2019t a concern and claimed the model wasn\u2019t good at geolocation beyond being able to recognize a city or famous monument. We found that wasn\u2019t the case. These VLMs are state-of-the-art at image geolocation tasks.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EShow Your Work\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHays and Ritter enlisted a team of some of the world\u2019s top geolocators. It consisted of Casapu, Joshua Diao, a master\u2019s student in computer science, and Tejas Santanam, a Ph.D. student in industrial engineering. They each received 500 images to geolocate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETeam members recorded their reasons for each of their answers. The result was GeoRC, the first benchmark for VLM geolocation performance, consisting of 800 \u201cground truth\u201d reasoning chains.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHays and Ritter gave the same images to GPT 5, Gemini, Llama, and Qwen. The highest-performing model geolocated with 90% accuracy \u2014 not far off from the team\u2019s 96% score.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, a major distinction showed up in the reasoning chains. While Casapu and Diao provided clear explanations for how they deduce each location, the VLMs either couldn\u2019t provide reasoning for their guesses or were vague in their answers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe research community has been demanding explanations from these models,\u201d Hays said. \u201cFor example, how do they know the location is in Italy?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHays has been researching this subject for almost 20 years. As a Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon University in 2008, he was the first researcher to take a machine learning approach to geolocation. He introduced a new algorithm that could estimate a geographic location from a single image.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen experts have audited these reasoning chains, we\u2019ve noted many suspicious or hallucinated attributes,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen they hallucinate a geographic property, why is it so often consistent with the correct guess?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI believe they\u2019re not revealing the true reasoning pathway that they used to determine the image was Italy. They\u2019re just implicitly recognizing that it was Italy for many reasons, then hunting for evidence to support that. Some of the things they say are true and supported by the image, and some are fabrications.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPractice Partner\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECasapu said there may be only a handful of GeoGuessr players who can currently outperform some top-tier VLMs in geolocation, and it may not be long before no one can.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think it could be more difficult playing against these models than playing against another human because a human has the possibility of making mistakes at the top level,\u201d Casapu said. \u201cIf a well-trained model has that level of consistency, that is far beyond a normal person, and it would be much more difficult to beat.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe added that working with Hays and competing against a machine improved his skill level and provided valuable practice ahead of the world championship.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt helps to take a step back and see why you\u2019re making the guesses that you are,\u201d he said. \u201cSince then, I\u2019ve taken a more methodical approach to how I practice. Writing these things down is a great way to see what you know and see why you make the guesses that you do. It\u2019s been a great training tool.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECasapu will defend his title at the 2026 GeoGussr World Championship in September.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHays, Ritter, Xu, Casapu, Diao, and Santanm are all co-authors of a paper on GeoRC along with lead author Mohit Talrej and Ph.D. students Ethan Mendes and Jim Thannikary. The paper will be presented next week at the 64th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL) in San Diego.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers James Hays, Alan Ritter, and Wei Xu partnered with reigning GeoGuessr World Champion Radu Casapu and other top players to build GeoRC, the first benchmark evaluating how well vision-language models (VLMs) can geolocate images. They found LLMS are almost as good at geolocation as the world\u0027s best players, but they struggle to explain their reasoning.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have developed what they believe is the strongest benchmark dataset on measuring the geolocation accuracy of LLMs."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-07-06 17:43:39","changed_gmt":"2026-07-16 18:30:54","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680557":{"id":"680557","type":"image","title":"_DSC7175.JPG","body":null,"created":"1783359838","gmt_created":"2026-07-06 17:43:58","changed":"1783359838","gmt_changed":"2026-07-06 17:43:58","alt":"Radu Casapu","file":{"fid":"264834","name":"_DSC7175.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/_DSC7175.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/_DSC7175.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":122620,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/06\/_DSC7175.JPG?itok=vNYr-PmK"}}},"media_ids":["680557"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"193158","name":"Student Competition Winners (academic, innovation, and research)"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"193556","name":"large language models"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ndeen6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ENathan Deen\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Computing\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691128":{"#nid":"691128","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Receives Commitment to Launch New AI-Driven Health Innovation Center\u00a0 ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology today announced the creation of the Parker H. Petit Center for AI-Driven Health Innovation, a new research center that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to help predict, treat, and prevent disease.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Petit Center is made possible by a transformational commitment from technology entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Georgia Tech alumnus Parker H. \u0022Pete\u0022 Petit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 1980, Petit has provided significant philanthropic support across campus, including the naming of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)\u003C\/a\u003E, one of Georgia Tech\u2019s 11 Interdisciplinary Research Institutes. IBB is an interdisciplinary hub for transforming biological discovery into real-world health impact, bringing together engineers, scientists, and clinicians to accelerate innovations in diagnostics, therapeutics, medical devices, and biomanufacturing. With more than 300 interdisciplinary faculty researchers, 13 research centers, and 1,300 trainees making unprecedented discoveries and generating innovative technologies, IBB is a catalyst for innovative bioengineering and bioscience research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe success of IBB led Petit to make his latest investment, which will build on Georgia Tech\u2019s broader commitment to medical innovation: applying engineering, computing, AI, biosciences, and systems thinking to health challenges that require more than any one field can solve. The Petit Center\u2019s work will strengthen the tools, partnerships, and research pathways needed to help more discoveries move from the lab toward real-world patient care.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA key goal of the Petit Center will be to use AI to build more precise models of how disease works in the body. Its first research initiative will focus on creating virtual models of human cells. Led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/jeff-skolnick\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJeffrey Skolnick\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u2019 Professor and Mary and\u0026nbsp;Maisie Gibson Chair\u0026nbsp;and GRA Eminent Scholar in Computational Systems Biology\u0026nbsp;in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, researchers will use those models to study how diseases progress and to identify treatments that may work best for individual patients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy modeling disease at the cellular level, researchers can test ideas faster, uncover links among different diseases, and focus on therapies most likely to help patients based on their unique biology. The work could expedite the discovery of new therapies for some of the hardest-to-treat diseases, including pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMedical innovation is one of the fastest-growing areas in Georgia Tech\u2019s research, and Pete Petit\u2019s commitment will help us further shape the future of medicine,\u0022 said \u00c1ngel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. \u201cThis new research center will find new ways to harness the power of AI to accelerate critical medical discoveries and move them into clinical settings so patients can get the care they need. We\u2019re deeply grateful for Pete\u0027s support, and we\u2019re excited to get started.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Parker H. Petit Center for AI-Driven Health Innovation will operate under the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/data\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstitute for Data Engineering and Science\u003C\/a\u003E (IDEaS) and bring together researchers from across Georgia Tech to advance AI-driven approaches to human health. Researchers affiliated with the Petit Center will work across fields and with clinical and healthcare organizations to help close the gap between discovery and practical use. Over time and with additional investments, the Petit Center\u2019s work will expand into areas such as cancer biomarker discovery, healthy aging, advanced cellular therapies, and AI-supported healthcare systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Georgia Tech has the expertise to redefine what is possible in healthcare through AI,\u0022 said Skolnick. \u0022By combining advanced computational methods with biological and medical insights, we can create powerful new approaches to predicting disease, identifying treatments, and improving patient outcomes.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPetit\u2019s commitment will support advanced computing infrastructure, graduate and postdoctoral fellowships, seed research grants, and annual programs that will bring together leading researchers from around the world working at the intersection of AI and health.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPetit hopes this investment will inspire others to support interdisciplinary research at the Institute. \u0022Georgia Tech has long demonstrated its ability to solve complex challenges,\u0022 said Petit. \u0022I believe artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape healthcare, and I am excited to support a center that can help accelerate discoveries to improve and save lives.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis transformative commitment is included in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/transformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETransforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and is propelling the comprehensive campaign\u2019s success.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EAbout Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation\u2019s leading public research universities, developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. Through education, research, and innovation, Georgia Tech creates solutions that improve lives and drive economic opportunity in Georgia and around the world.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit\u2019s commitment will launch a research hub focused on using artificial intelligence to model diseases, identify treatment paths, and move discoveries closer to patient care.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Parker H. Petit\u2019s commitment will launch a research hub focused on using artificial intelligence to model diseases, identify treatment paths, and move discoveries closer to patient care. "}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-07-16 16:52:47","changed_gmt":"2026-07-16 17:19:18","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680618":{"id":"680618","type":"image","title":"Jeffrey Skolnick","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJeffrey Skolnick will lead the first research initiative in the new Parker H. Petit Center for AI-Driven Health Innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1784163552","gmt_created":"2026-07-16 00:59:12","changed":"1784163635","gmt_changed":"2026-07-16 01:00:35","alt":"Jeffrey Skolnick","file":{"fid":"264904","name":"skolnick-data_portrait_002.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/15\/skolnick-data_portrait_002.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/15\/skolnick-data_portrait_002.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":386791,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/15\/skolnick-data_portrait_002.jpg?itok=AL8IuxCW"}}},"media_ids":["680618"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"351","name":"development"},{"id":"2096","name":"philanthropy"},{"id":"172458","name":"biological sciences"},{"id":"4449","name":"ideas"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"497","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:anne.stanford@dev.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAnne Stanford\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003EOffice of Development\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:media@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emedia@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691056":{"#nid":"691056","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Startup Develops Defense Technology to Counter Emerging Drone Threats ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen Robbie van Zyl first started working with drones, it was not for defense. It started with curiosity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a high school student, van Zyl spent summers in a Georgia Tech aerospace lab, where he was introduced to rotorcraft and autonomous systems. By the time he enrolled at Georgia Tech, that early exposure had grown into a deeper interest. He became a competitive drone racer, gaining hands-on experience with the technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut even then, he recognized a growing risk.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI was using this technology to have fun,\u201d said van Zyl, founder and CEO of Askari. \u201cBut I also recognized it could equally be used to do very malicious things.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat realization became the foundation for Askari, a counter-drone defense company developing systems designed to detect, track, and stop hostile drones.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Real-World Problem Comes Into Focus\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVan Zyl first pitched the idea for Askari as a first-year student through Georgia Tech\u2019s CREATE-X Startup Launch, an accelerator that empowers students to launch successful startups. \u0026nbsp;At the time, the concept of counter-drone defense was not widely seen as urgent. However, that perspective shifted as global conflicts began to demonstrate the impact of low-cost, unmanned systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe widespread use of drones in Ukraine revealed how inexpensive and accessible technologies could reshape modern warfare. Unmanned systems now account for a significant share of battlefield activity, exposing new vulnerabilities across defense and infrastructure.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat was the first moment I could point to and say this is real,\u201d van Zyl said. \u201cThis is not theoretical anymore.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Student Idea to Scalable Solution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAskari is building autonomous systems that can identify and neutralize drone threats in real time. The company\u2019s technology is designed to distinguish among objects such as drones, people, and the surrounding environment, allowing it to respond with precision.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are building systems that can understand what they are looking at,\u201d van Zyl said. \u201cThey can tell the difference between a drone, a person, or a tree, and act accordingly.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnlike traditional defense systems that rely on expensive infrastructure, Askari is focused on developing solutions that are scalable and accessible to a wider range of users, including frontline operators and security teams. The goal is to provide a faster, more adaptable approach to this challenge.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe company has raised approximately $1.7 million in early funding and is already working with U.S. Department of Defense customers, with growing demand for counter-drone solutions. The team has expanded to 10 people and is scaling to meet that demand.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Role of CREATE-X and Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s commercialization ecosystem played a critical role in Askari\u2019s development.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough CREATE-X, van Zyl was able to test and refine his idea while gaining exposure to the fundamentals of building a company. He also gained access to a community of founders, mentors, defense leaders, and builders who helped him navigate early-stage challenges. The experience provided an environment to pressure-test the concept and receive feedback, helping him better understand how it could function in real-world scenarios. At the time, the idea was still taking shape, but it helped clarify how it could evolve into a viable solution.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter gaining experience in the robotics and defense sectors, van Zyl reengaged with Georgia Tech, where the Institute\u2019s network of mentors, resources, and programs helped accelerate the company\u2019s growth.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech has been instrumental,\u201d van Zyl said. \u201cWe would not be where we are today without it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, Askari operates out of The Biltmore, home to CREATE-X and part of Georgia Tech\u2019s innovation ecosystem in Tech Square, placing the company back within the same environment where the idea first began.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAskari is a strong example of what we aim to do,\u201d said Rahul Saxena, CREATE-X director. \u201cStudents building companies that address real, emerging challenges. It reflects the kind of thinking we want to encourage early on, paired with the ability to continue developing an idea as the need becomes clearer. That progression is a critical part of how students move from concept to company.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EReturning to Atlanta to Build\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter graduating, van Zyl gained experience working in robotics and autonomous systems, including in Silicon Valley. He also spent time building the company outside of Atlanta before ultimately returning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe decision to come back was both strategic and mission-driven.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany of Askari\u2019s customers, including Department of Defense organizations, are based in the Southeast. Being in Atlanta allows the company to remain close to those partners while continuing to build within Georgia Tech\u2019s ecosystem. The company\u2019s return also reflects its deep ties to Georgia Tech\u2019s talent pipeline. van Zyl\u2019s co-founders include his younger brother, Marc van Zyl, a Georgia Tech computer science student, and Benjamin Airdo, a close friend and mechanical engineering graduate. Eight of the company\u2019s 10 team members are connected to the Institute as current students, graduates, or researchers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Broader Vision for Security\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile Askari\u2019s current focus is counter-drone technology, van Zyl sees the startup\u2019s mission as part of a larger shift in how modern warfare is evolving.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the first time, autonomous systems powered by artificial intelligence are moving beyond the digital world into physical environments. That transition introduces new risks that extend beyond traditional defense scenarios.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is not just a drone problem,\u201d van Zyl said. \u201cIt is the broader proliferation of robotics in real-world environments.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Campus to Impact\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAskari\u2019s trajectory reflects how Georgia Tech\u2019s commercialization ecosystem supports founders as they move from early ideas to companies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom its start in CREATE-X to its return to The Biltmore, the company remains closely tied to the Institute while building technology focused on real-world deployment and impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to build systems that help protect people,\u201d van Zyl said.\u0026nbsp; As Askari continues to grow, that focus remains central to its mission.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAskari\u0027s journey from a first-year student idea to a growing defense technology company demonstrates how Georgia Tech\u0027s commercialization ecosystem helps founders transform emerging technologies into real-world solutions. Supported by CREATE-X and the Institute\u0027s innovation ecosystem, the company is developing autonomous counter-drone systems to address one of today\u0027s fastest-growing national security challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"From a student startup idea to a growing defense technology company, Askari demonstrates how Georgia Tech\u0027s commercialization ecosystem helps founders transform emerging technologies into solutions addressing real-world challenges."}],"uid":"36434","created_gmt":"2026-07-06 20:31:08","changed_gmt":"2026-07-15 20:54:56","author":"lcameron30","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680562":{"id":"680562","type":"image","title":"Askari-056.JPG","body":null,"created":"1783369879","gmt_created":"2026-07-06 20:31:19","changed":"1783369879","gmt_changed":"2026-07-06 20:31:19","alt":"Askari Team","file":{"fid":"264840","name":"Askari-056.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/Askari-056.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/Askari-056.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2747369,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/06\/Askari-056.JPG?itok=jcTZ7qHA"}},"680563":{"id":"680563","type":"image","title":"Askari-030.JPG","body":null,"created":"1783369913","gmt_created":"2026-07-06 20:31:53","changed":"1783369913","gmt_changed":"2026-07-06 20:31:53","alt":"Askari  Founders","file":{"fid":"264841","name":"Askari-030.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/Askari-030.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/Askari-030.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2447871,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/06\/Askari-030.JPG?itok=EALr52LH"}}},"media_ids":["680562","680563"],"groups":[{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELacey Cameron Lcameron30@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691039":{"#nid":"691039","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Soft Wearable Device Could Support At-Home Sleep Monitoring","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGood sleep is essential for brain health. During sleep and rest, the glymphatic system, the brain\u2019s waste clearing process, helps remove metabolic waste that accumulates during awake hours. This activity is linked to memory processing, cognitive function, and neural recovery. When sleep quality is poor, metabolic waste may accumulate, potentially disrupting cognitive function and memory formation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETraditional approaches to brain monitoring are often invasive, costly, and limited to clinical settings. New research from Georgia Tech points to a more accessible approach. A recent study published in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.aed2056\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E shows that a soft, wireless wearable device could help enable home-based monitoring of physiological changes associated with sleep and brain health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research team, led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/yeo\u0022\u003EW. Hong Yeo, Peterson Endowed Professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/wish\u0022\u003EWearable Intelligent Systems and Healthcare Center\u003C\/a\u003E and the Korea KIAT-Georgia Tech Semiconductor Electronics Center, developed a wearable device that uses light-based sensing and wireless communication to support natural sleep monitoring at home. The device is designed to collect data outside of a clinical environment, allowing researchers to study sleep in a more comfortable and realistic setting.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis paper introduces the first soft, wireless, and non-invasive wearable near-infrared spectroscopy system capable of continuously monitoring brain water and glymphatic clearance dynamics in a natural home sleep environment, overcoming the restrictive, costly, and invasive limitations of traditional methods like MRI and polysomnography,\u201d Yeo said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe device works by emitting LED light at specific wavelengths. That light interacts with tissue and fluid near the brain, and reflected signals are detected by a photodetector placed on the skin. The collected data is then transmitted wirelessly via Bluetooth to a nearby device for analysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers note that the optical measurements can be influenced by factors beyond brain-related fluid changes. Breathing depth, slight shifts in forehead pressure, body position, motion, and temperature drift can all affect the signal.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor that reason, the team focused on changes and trends over time rather than claiming precise measurements of brain water content. They also emphasize that some of the measured signal may reflect effects from the skin, scalp, device pressure, or movement, in addition to changes associated with the brain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy making sleep monitoring more comfortable and accessible, this soft wearable technology could help advance future studies of sleep, glymphatic activity, and brain health in real-world settings. The Wearable Intelligent Systems and Healthcare Center is supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute for Matter and Systems at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.aed2056\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: 10.1126\/sciadv.aed2056\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new Georgia Tech study shows a wireless wearable device could enable home-based monitoring of physiological changes associated with sleep and brain health.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new Georgia Tech study shows a wireless wearable device could enable home-based monitoring of physiological changes associated with sleep and brain health."}],"uid":"35272","created_gmt":"2026-07-06 14:49:19","changed_gmt":"2026-07-15 13:38:19","author":"aneumeister3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680551":{"id":"680551","type":"image","title":"Soft-NIRS-device_georgia-tech_web.png","body":null,"created":"1783349483","gmt_created":"2026-07-06 14:51:23","changed":"1783349483","gmt_changed":"2026-07-06 14:51:23","alt":"Close-up of a flexible white wearable sensor device held between two fingers, showing its curved shape against a plain light-gray background.","file":{"fid":"264827","name":"Soft-NIRS-device_georgia-tech_web.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/Soft-NIRS-device_georgia-tech_web.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/Soft-NIRS-device_georgia-tech_web.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2276274,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/06\/Soft-NIRS-device_georgia-tech_web.png?itok=trXe_Eus"}}},"media_ids":["680551"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.neumeister@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Neumeister\u003C\/a\u003E | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Matter and Systems\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["amelia.neumeister@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691066":{"#nid":"691066","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Creating Synthetic Life in a Lab? SpudCell Falls Short of the Goal, But Raises Even More Useful Questions","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENature is beautiful, powerful and essential. But nature is not always gentle. The same biological world that gives rise to forests, coral reefs and human life also produces infections, cancer, genetic disease, crop blights and toxins. Natural processes can heal, sustain and inspire, but they can also destroy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat dichotomy is part of what drives the field of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/synthetic-biology-promised-to-rewrite-life-with-the-death-of-its-pioneer-j-craig-venter-how-close-are-scientists-281963\u0022\u003Esynthetic biology\u003C\/a\u003E: where scientists apply engineering principles to learn from and carefully adapt nature\u2019s biological systems to address human problems. By understanding biological systems, scientists can carefully redirect them when natural processes cause harm.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis principle has shaped my work \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=Xe78w-wAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Eas a biomedical engineer\u003C\/a\u003E for over two decades. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/deanslab\/\u0022\u003EMy lab\u003C\/a\u003E studies how to program cells in order to better understand their behavior and ultimately use them as medicine. The goal is not to discard or replace nature, but to learn from biological principles and use that knowledge to responsibly help society.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers announced on July 2, 2026, that they had created the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.64898\/2026.07.01.735724\u0022\u003Efirst synthetic cell\u003C\/a\u003E built from purified, nonliving components.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe lab\u2019s cell-like system, dubbed SpudCell, raises key questions: What does it take to build a cell from scratch? If scientists assemble something that feeds, grows, copies genetic material and divides, have they created life?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow to Create Cells From Scratch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENatural cells are \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/cells-have-more-mini-organs-than-researchers-thought-unbound-by-membranes-these-rogue-organelles-challenge-biologys-fundamentals-239558\u0022\u003Eastonishingly complicated\u003C\/a\u003E. Researchers want to use synthetic cells to learn more about how life works, and they are doing this by rebuilding some of life\u2019s basic features in a simpler, more understandable form.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEarlier designs of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41586-023-06288-x\u0022\u003Eminimal cells\u003C\/a\u003E, used to test which components are necessary for lifelike behavior, began with existing living cells and reduced the size of their genomes. A minimal cell is useful because it is simple, but that simplicity comes at a cost. It may reveal which parts are needed for lifelike behavior, but it usually lacks the autonomy, resilience, metabolism and evolutionary capacity of natural cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstead, synthetic cells are built through a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.1211701\u0022\u003Ebottom-up engineering\u003C\/a\u003E approach. Scientists start with a simplified compartment \u2013 a kind of biological \u201cbox\u201d \u2013 and ask what must be added for it to behave more like a living cell. A membrane separates the inside from the outside. Genetic material stores instructions. Molecular machinery reads those instructions to make molecules. Energy sources power reactions. Other components can allow growth, division and adaptation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/746476\/original\/file-20260707-57-jrf0t9.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/746476\/original\/file-20260707-57-jrf0t9.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 alt=\u0022Diagram showing a few membrane-bound components of an animal cell and a eurakyotic cell\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA useful way to think about synthetic cells is to compare them with technologies society already depends on. The radio wasn\u2019t invented all at once. Engineers learned how to combine an antenna, tuner, amplifier, power source and speaker to convert invisible electromagnetic waves into sound. A car is not just a metal shell; it becomes transportation only when a frame is connected to wheels, brakes, steering, an engine, and transmission and control systems. A computer began with switches and strings of ones and zeros that could be assembled into circuits capable of storing and processing information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESimilarly, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.64898\/2026.07.01.735724\u0022\u003ESpudCell was assembled\u003C\/a\u003E from the bottom up with purified, nonliving parts. Researchers used lipid molecules to create a cell-like membrane, DNA molecules to store genetic instructions, purified enzymes to copy and read those instructions, and other molecular machinery to help build proteins and other molecules from small chemical building blocks, such as amino acids and nucleotides.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpudCell is exciting scientists because it appears to bring several features of life together in one system. The researchers describe it as capable of feeding, growth, genome replication, genetically encoded division and something close to evolution. These features resemble a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK26869\/\u0022\u003Ebiological cell cycle\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClose to Life, But Not Quite\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile SpudCell is an important milestone in the field, it \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.zwa8dvz\u0022\u003Estops short\u003C\/a\u003E of being a fully synthetic living cell. A membrane-bound compartment containing DNA is not automatically a living cell, just as a pile of car parts is not a car.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpudCell can carry out several life-like processes, but it is not independent. It still relies on carefully controlled laboratory conditions and on researchers to supply its molecular machinery. It doesn\u2019t reliably pass on its genetic material or spontaneously evolve the way natural cells do.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo approach life, a synthetic cell must coordinate many processes at once. NASA describes life as a \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/research\/life-detection\/about\/\u0022\u003Eself-sustaining chemical system\u003C\/a\u003E capable of Darwinian evolution,\u201d meaning it must independently use energy, copy information, grow, divide, respond to its surroundings and persist over time. Natural cells do this with extraordinary reliability because they are the products of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/rain-may-have-helped-form-the-first-cells-kick-starting-life-as-we-know-it-238291\u0022\u003Ebillions of years of evolution\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/746474\/original\/file-20260707-57-an09wq.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/746474\/original\/file-20260707-57-an09wq.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 alt=\u0022Microscopy image of a green sphere dividing into two\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpudCell still \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.zwa8dvz\u0022\u003Efalls short of that standard\u003C\/a\u003E. It depends on researchers to continuously supply it with the molecular machinery to function and to physically help it divide. It also cannot reproduce indefinitely outside a carefully controlled laboratory environment. In other words, SpudCell may have been built rather than born, but it is not yet autonomous life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat limitation does not make the achievement unimportant. In fact, it is scientifically valuable precisely because it exposes what is still missing to create life. Which parts are essential? Which processes must be coordinated? How much complexity is necessary before chemistry begins to look like biology?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy Create Synthetic Cells?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose questions have practical importance. Answering them can help scientists and engineers design safer biological systems for a wide range of industries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESynthetic cells allow scientists to more cleanly test how the surrounding membrane separates the inside of a cell from its environment, how genetic instructions are read, how energy is used, and how growth and division are coordinated. These cell-like systems could eventually become \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/blogs\/taking-measure\/promise-synthetic-cells-revolutionary-new-drugs-outer-space-explorers-and\u0022\u003Esimplified test beds\u003C\/a\u003E for studying biological circuits, disease mechanisms and the origins of life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey could also help scientists \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nationalacademies.org\/projects\/DELS-BLS-22-12\u0022\u003Ebuild safer systems\u003C\/a\u003E for making medicines, fuels or materials, detecting environmental toxins, or delivering therapies without relying on fully living organisms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore broadly, synthetic biology connects medicine and biotechnology: Viruses can be redesigned \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-the-puzzle-of-viral-vector-vaccines-was-solved-leading-to-todays-covid-19-shots-167341\u0022\u003Einto vaccines\u003C\/a\u003E or \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/gene-therapy-restores-hearing-in-toddlers-and-teenagers-born-with-congenital-deafness-new-research-258112\u0022\u003Egene therapy\u003C\/a\u003E, immune cells can be reprogrammed to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/anti-cancer-car-t-therapy-reengineers-t-cells-to-kill-tumors-and-researchers-are-expanding-the-limited-types-of-cancer-it-can-target-196471\u0022\u003Erecognize cancer\u003C\/a\u003E, and microbes can be engineered to make useful molecules, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/insulin-injections-could-one-day-be-replaced-with-rock-music-new-research-in-mice-216787\u0022\u003Esuch as insulin\u003C\/a\u003E, or \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/genetically-engineered-bacteria-make-living-materials-for-self-repairing-walls-and-cleaning-up-pollution-191411\u0022\u003Edetect pollutants\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESimilarly, researchers could use synthetic cells to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/biobots-arise-from-the-cells-of-dead-organisms-pushing-the-boundaries-of-life-death-and-medicine-238176\u0022\u003Edeliver a drug\u003C\/a\u003E only to diseased tissue, or create microbial systems that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s13036-023-00379-z\u0022\u003Edetect toxins or pathogens\u003C\/a\u003E in water. They can also act as simplified biological factories that can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/helping-cells-become-better-protein-factories-could-improve-gene-therapies-and-other-treatments-a-new-technique-shows-how-187515\u0022\u003Emake medicines\u003C\/a\u003E without requiring a fully living organism, or as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0016292\u0022\u003Ebiosensors providing early warning\u003C\/a\u003E of dangerous threats, such as bioweapons.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECreating Life Responsibly\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe philosophical question \u201cIs SpudCell alive?\u201d may not have a simple yes or no answer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDepending on whether your definition of life emphasizes metabolism, reproduction, evolution, autonomy or cellular organization, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/biobots-arise-from-the-cells-of-dead-organisms-pushing-the-boundaries-of-life-death-and-medicine-238176\u0022\u003Eboundary between living and nonliving\u003C\/a\u003E can look very different.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELife is not defined by one property alone. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-viruses-blur-the-boundaries-of-life-230802\u0022\u003EViruses\u003C\/a\u003E contain genetic information but depend on host cells to reproduce. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/mitochondria-can-sense-bacteria-and-trigger-your-immune-system-to-trap-them-revealing-new-ways-to-treat-infections-and-autoimmunity-255939\u0022\u003EMitochondria\u003C\/a\u003E perform essential metabolism but cannot live independently outside of cells. A \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/svalbard-global-seed-vault-evokes-epic-imagery-and-controversy-because-of-the-symbolic-value-of-seeds-240086\u0022\u003Eseed can remain dormant\u003C\/a\u003E for years before resuming growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen synthetic biology is guided by a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/acssynbio.1c00129\u0022\u003Estrong sense of responsibility\u003C\/a\u003E, scientists can learn how to redirect harmful processes, build safer tools and help society. This requires not only asking whether biological systems can be built, but also whether their creation should be controlled, where they should function and what safeguards are needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the past two decades, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/nchembio.1979\u0022\u003Escientists have built\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cell.2007.05.045\u0022\u003Emany kinds of\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41564-024-01913-5\u0022\u003Ebiological kill switches\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 that is, genetic circuits that can shut down engineered cells under specific conditions. Some researchers have made cells dependent on a specific nutrient. Others have created cells that can survive only in a particular environment or activate self-destructive pathways when conditions change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKill switches are not magic off buttons and do not replace careful regulation, physical containment or public oversight. But they are an important example of synthetic biology\u2019s moral compass: to not only build useful biological tools, but to build them with safety, accountability and humility in mind.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/286762\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/creating-synthetic-life-in-a-lab-spudcell-falls-short-of-the-goal-but-raises-even-more-useful-questions-286762\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers announced on July 2, 2026, that they had created the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.64898\/2026.07.01.735724\u0022\u003Efirst synthetic cell\u003C\/a\u003E built from purified, nonliving components. The lab\u2019s cell-like system, dubbed SpudCell, raises key questions: What does it take to build a cell from scratch? If scientists assemble something that feeds, grows, copies genetic material and divides, have they created life?\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"While SpudCell is an important milestone in the field, it stops short of being a fully synthetic living cell."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-07-08 19:42:53","changed_gmt":"2026-07-13 16:12:48","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680580":{"id":"680580","type":"image","title":"spudcell.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1783539781","gmt_created":"2026-07-08 19:43:01","changed":"1783539781","gmt_changed":"2026-07-08 19:43:01","alt":"A rendering of transparent cells on a blue background","file":{"fid":"264858","name":"spudcell.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/08\/spudcell.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/08\/spudcell.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4473489,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/08\/spudcell.jpeg?itok=ybyDU2tc"}}},"media_ids":["680580"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/creating-synthetic-life-in-a-lab-spudcell-falls-short-of-the-goal-but-raises-even-more-useful-questions-286762","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETara Deans, associate professor, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691068":{"#nid":"691068","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Announces New External Advisory Board Leadership and Members ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E (IBB) is pleased to announce new leadership and membership for its \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/about\/people\/advisory-board\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EExternal Advisory Board\u003C\/a\u003E, which provides strategic guidance to help advance the institute\u0027s mission of accelerating interdisciplinary research and innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EErin Dasher has been appointed chair of the External Advisory Board, and Vincent Ling will serve as vice chair. Dasher is founder and CEO of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/glui-io\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGlui Inc.\u003C\/a\u003E, a global advertising company creating engagement experiences across digital platforms. A seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and attorney, she brings more than 25 years of experience in venture capital, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions. Ling is chief business officer at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.morphocell.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMorphocell Technologies\u003C\/a\u003E, where he leads commercialization of regenerative medicine technologies. He has more than 30 years of biotechnology leadership experience spanning cell therapies, protein engineering, and biopharmaceutical innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIBB extends its sincere appreciation to outgoing board chair Chris Gemmiti for his outstanding leadership and service to the institute. The institute also thanks Linda Griffith for her valued contributions as a member of the External Advisory Board. Their expertise and commitment have helped shape IBB\u0027s continued growth and impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe institute is also pleased to welcome six new members to the External Advisory Board:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e72dedd6483cf827667bb2b4886fe7098\u0022\u003EChristopher Cashman, chief executive and advisor in the medical device, biologics, and advanced manufacturing sectors, with extensive leadership experience in public and private companies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e9e41324bd99f6430583f947df7ec5102\u0022\u003ERachel Cassidy, senior go-to-market and ecosystem executive with more than 30 years of experience building global innovation partnerships across the technology industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ec11b998f2145affcc30e3e61c9178cea\u0022\u003EShawn P. Davis, CEO of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.liberatebio.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELiberate Bio\u003C\/a\u003E, where he leads the development of next-generation delivery technologies for genetic medicines and brings more than two decades of biotechnology and pharmaceutical leadership.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ed491b31155c6316632e305391c679866\u0022\u003ECharles A. Gersbach, director of the Duke Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies and the John W. Strohbehn Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.duke.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDuke University\u003C\/a\u003E, internationally recognized for his work in genome editing and gene therapy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ed1bf1c75dec04ba844fa62cd2b3aa163\u0022\u003ETodd McDevitt, vice president and head of Cell Therapy Research at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gene.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGenentech\u003C\/a\u003E, who leads development of cell-based therapies and previously founded Georgia Tech\u0027s Stem Cell Engineering Center.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e0aec0ac2886d7c9ba45553a081356ea7\u0022\u003ERidhi Tariyal, co-founder and CEO of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nextgenjane.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENextGen Jane\u003C\/a\u003E, whose work combines biotechnology, data science, and women\u0027s health to advance molecular understanding of uterine biology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022IBB is fortunate to have an exceptional group of leaders whose expertise spans biotechnology, medicine, entrepreneurship, engineering, and innovation,\u0022 said Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda, Regents\u2019 Professor in the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fand\u202fIBB\u2019s Executive Director. \u0022We are grateful to our outgoing members for their dedicated service and look forward to working with our new leadership and board members as we continue to advance transformative bioengineering and bioscience research.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe External Advisory Board brings together leaders from industry, academia, and entrepreneurship to provide strategic guidance that supports IBB\u0027s research, education, commercialization, and partnerships.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe External Advisory Board brings together leaders from industry, academia, and entrepreneurship to provide strategic guidance that supports IBB\u0027s research, education, commercialization, and partnerships. Erin Dasher has been appointed chair of the External Advisory Board, and Vincent Ling will serve as vice chair. IBB extends its sincere appreciation to outgoing board chair Chris Gemmiti for his outstanding leadership and service to the institute. The institute also thanks Linda Griffith for her valued contributions as a member of the External Advisory Board.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"IBB is pleased to announce new leadership and membership for its EAB, which provides strategic guidance to help advance the institute\u0027s mission of accelerating interdisciplinary research and innovation. "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-07-09 15:33:18","changed_gmt":"2026-07-09 15:40:32","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680582":{"id":"680582","type":"image","title":"cropped_IBB-Ramblin-Wreck.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Ramblin Wreck drives past the Petit Biotechnology Building, home of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1783611550","gmt_created":"2026-07-09 15:39:10","changed":"1783611550","gmt_changed":"2026-07-09 15:39:10","alt":"The Ramblin Wreck drives past the Petit Biotechnology Building, a red brick building with large trees in the foreground.","file":{"fid":"264860","name":"_0000_IBB---Ramblin-Wreck.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/09\/_0000_IBB---Ramblin-Wreck.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/09\/_0000_IBB---Ramblin-Wreck.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":256205,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/09\/_0000_IBB---Ramblin-Wreck.jpg?itok=xf6agjcf"}}},"media_ids":["680582"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691040":{"#nid":"691040","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Develop a Safer, More Reliable Material for Growing Small-Scale Models of the Human Gut ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor years, scientists studying the human gut have relied on a material that most people would never expect: a jelly made from mouse tumors. Called Matrigel, it is used to grow tiny, patient\u2011derived versions of the intestine that help researchers understand disease, test new drugs, and explore future therapies. However, since this material comes from animal tissue, it\u2019s unpredictable, difficult to control, and limits medical applications.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new study conducted by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.edu\/node\/1\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E researchers and partners from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chop.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChildren\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.upenn.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EUniversity of Pennsylvania\u003C\/a\u003E offers a promising alternative.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work includes contributions from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/andres-j-garcia\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u2019 Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and Executive Director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, whose research focuses on how engineered materials can guide cell behavior. Instead of relying on a biological mixture with hundreds of variable components, the team created a fully synthetic gel designed to give intestinal stem cells exactly what they need to grow and organize into healthy tissue.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo build it, the researchers analyzed the genetic signals of human intestinal cells to understand what kind of environment they naturally prefer. They found that these cells latch onto collagen\u2011like structures and reshape their surroundings as they expand. Using that information, the team engineered a customizable gel that mimics those cues, without using any animal\u2011derived ingredients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe results were striking. Human intestinal cells grown in the synthetic gel formed realistic, well\u2011organized small-scale digestive tract models that closely match those grown in the traditional animal\u2011derived material. They maintained the same cell types, developed the same structures, and preserved patient\u2011specific features.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe implications reach far beyond the lab bench.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA fully synthetic, precisely defined gel means researchers can grow small-scale organs more consistently and ethically, reducing reliance on animal tissue and improving reproducibility. It also opens the door to future medical applications, from personalized drug testing to regenerative therapies, where animal\u2011based materials simply can\u2019t be used.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u0022Reproducible, well-defined culture conditions are essential to generating reliable data from patient-derived organoids in human disease research, and we were glad to contribute to work that brings the field a real synthetic alternative to Matrigel,\u201d said Kathryn Hamilton, a co-author of the study. Hamilton is an associate professor at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.upenn.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EUniversity of Pennsylvania\u003C\/a\u003E and a primary investigator at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chop.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChildren\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy replacing one of the biggest barriers in organoid science, this work moves the field closer to a future where patient\u2011specific tissues can be grown safely, reliably, and at scale.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u201cWe are excited about engineering this synthetic matrix as an alternative to natural materials and expect that it will accelerate human organoid research and clinical applications,\u201d Garc\u00eda said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study conducted by Georgia Tech researchers and partners offers a promising alternative to gel derived from animal tissue that is currently used to grow organ models. A fully synthetic, precisely defined gel means researchers can grow small-scale organs more consistently and ethically, reducing reliance on animal tissue and improving reproducibility.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have developed a synthetic gel that could open new possibilities for drug testing and disease treatment."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-07-06 14:57:35","changed_gmt":"2026-07-08 12:52:44","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680577":{"id":"680577","type":"image","title":"_0000_organoids.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists are able to use patient-derived tissue samples to grow miniature versions of human organs, allowing them to test new medications and disease treatments for personalized care.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1783515079","gmt_created":"2026-07-08 12:51:19","changed":"1783515079","gmt_changed":"2026-07-08 12:51:19","alt":"Microscopic image of pink tissue cells","file":{"fid":"264855","name":"_0000_organoids.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/08\/_0000_organoids.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/08\/_0000_organoids.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":355456,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/08\/_0000_organoids.jpg?itok=b2NxWXSv"}}},"media_ids":["680577"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691061":{"#nid":"691061","#data":{"type":"news","title":"In Memoriam: Sam Shelton, Founding Director of the Strategic Energy Institute","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-shelton\u0022\u003ESam Shelton\u003C\/a\u003E, founding director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), longtime professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, and designer of the torch for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, passed away on June 20, 2026.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EColleagues and friends remember Shelton as a dedicated mentor, collaborator, and educator, whose curiosity, generosity, and sense of humor left a lasting impression on students and peers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSam exemplified the very best of Georgia Tech, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of engineers and educators,\u201d said Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech. \u201cI am deeply grateful for his friendship, mentorship, and leadership. My heartfelt condolences go to his family, and to the many students, colleagues, and friends whose lives he touched.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA nationally recognized leader in energy systems, Shelton founded SEI as an interdisciplinary organization that brought together engineers, researchers, policy experts, and industry leaders to advance high-impact energy solutions. That vision remains central to SEI\u2019s mission and continues to guide its work today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSam was the quintessential engineer and innovator, whose vision was always accompanied by the development and demonstration of actual products instead of leaving them as promising concepts,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/garimella\u0022\u003ESrinivas Garimella\u003C\/a\u003E, Hightower Chair in the College of Engineering and professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u201cHe had the rare ability to see through nebulous ideas and claims and get to the fundamental engineering truths. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to seek his advice, which he freely gave. I will miss his friendship and counsel very much.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring a career of more than 35 years, Shelton made lasting contributions to sustainable energy and engineering innovation. His work spanned combustion research, solar energy technologies, and offshore wind systems. He secured more than $30 million in research funding, held eight patents, founded two energy-focused companies, and helped translate research into real-world energy solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to his research, Shelton was deeply committed to education. During his academic career, he developed undergraduate and graduate courses in energy technology, teaching both in person and online. His\u0026nbsp;Energy 101 course reached tens of thousands of learners through a massive open online course platform, covering topics such as energy supply, independence, economics, and society\u2019s energy demands.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen I first started at SEI in 2016, Sam and I would meet for lunch to discuss the latest research, consider how far we\u0027ve come since the Carter administration, and grapple over the world\u2019s energy problems,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/richard-simmons\u0022\u003ERich Simmons\u003C\/a\u003E, SEI\u2019s director of Research and Studies.\u0026nbsp;\u201cSam was genuine and objective, not working backward from a preconceived notion, but working forward with an open mind to understand, appreciate, and apply the first and second law. He was also colorful and witty! We are all privileged to pay these lessons forward to future energy students.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond academia, Shelton\u2019s engineering expertise reached a global stage as the designer of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2016\/07\/20th-anniversary-atlanta-games\u0022\u003EOlympic torch for the 1996 Atlanta Games\u003C\/a\u003E, an enduring symbol of innovation recognized worldwide. \u201cThe Olympics represented world peace, mankind coming together, and overcoming adversity. It was an amazing event to think about, to witness, to live through, and be a part of helping to create it,\u201d Shelton said in a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=WyuWSPeGTXk\u0022\u003E2016 interview\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelton is survived by his\u0026nbsp;daughters, Suzie and Stacy, three granddaughters,\u0026nbsp;and a wide network of students, colleagues, and collaborators. His legacy continues through the programs he built, partnerships he fostered, and the people he helped.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.legacy.com\/us\/obituaries\/atlanta\/name\/samuel-shelton-obituary?id=61831858\u0022\u003Ememorial service\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E celebrating Shelton\u2019s life will be held Aug. 1 at 1 p.m. at The 57th Fighter Group Restaurant in Atlanta. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be directed to Roll Call, Georgia Tech\u2019s Fund for Excellence.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;Donations may be made at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/63028\/donations\/new?\u0026amp;utm_source=ALMR26Q40NY1BU02KUD\u0022\u003Egtalumni.org\/SamShelton\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-shelton\u0022\u003ESam Shelton\u003C\/a\u003E, founding director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), longtime professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, and designer of the torch for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, passed away on June 20, 2026.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EColleagues and friends remember Shelton as a dedicated mentor, collaborator, and educator, whose curiosity, generosity, and sense of humor left a lasting impression on students and peers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSam exemplified the very best of Georgia Tech, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of engineers and educators,\u201d said Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech. \u201cI am deeply grateful for his friendship, mentorship, and leadership. My heartfelt condolences go to his family, and to the many students, colleagues, and friends whose lives he touched.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Sam Shelton, founding director of the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI), longtime professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and designer of the torch for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, passed away on June 20, 2026. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-07-07 21:11:19","changed_gmt":"2026-07-08 02:35:40","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680575":{"id":"680575","type":"image","title":"SamShelton.jpg","body":null,"created":"1783458862","gmt_created":"2026-07-07 21:14:22","changed":"1783458862","gmt_changed":"2026-07-07 21:14:22","alt":"Sam Shelton, Founding Director of the Strategic Energy Institute (Photo Credit: Georgia Tech Institute Communications)","file":{"fid":"264853","name":"SamShelton.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/SamShelton.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/SamShelton.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":485843,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/07\/SamShelton.jpg?itok=LXffzX8m"}},"680574":{"id":"680574","type":"image","title":"c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1783458708","gmt_created":"2026-07-07 21:11:48","changed":"1783458708","gmt_changed":"2026-07-07 21:11:48","alt":"Sam Shelton, Founding Director of the Strategic Energy Institute","file":{"fid":"264852","name":"c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":33796,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/07\/c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg?itok=LUMuoM7e"}}},"media_ids":["680575","680574"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691059":{"#nid":"691059","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet the Expert: Brian An","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEnergy resilience broadens the scope of urban policy\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHousing and transportation are top priorities for many city mayors, policymakers and public policy researchers\u2014including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/c9f0cadc-5bb4-5b6f-9eca-bd38a9233993\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrian An\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech\u2019s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy. But in February 2021, soon after Winter Storm Uri wreaked havoc in Texas, an eight-hour power outage at his Atlanta home became an epiphany.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile housing stability had long been on my mind, losing power drove home the importance of another piece of urban infrastructure: reliable access to electricity,\u201d says An, an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-faculty-affiliates\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEPIcenter faculty affiliate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and co-director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/urbanresearch.iac.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Urban Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIt sparked my interest in studying the intersection of energy and urban policy to help make cities and communities not only socially equitable but also resilient to extreme weather.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/06\/30\/meet-the-expert-brian-an\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the EPIcenter News Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEnergy resilience broadens the scope of urban policy\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHousing and transportation are top priorities for many city mayors, policymakers and public policy researchers\u2014including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/c9f0cadc-5bb4-5b6f-9eca-bd38a9233993\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrian An\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech\u2019s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy. But in February 2021, soon after Winter Storm Uri wreaked havoc in Texas, an eight-hour power outage at his Atlanta home became an epiphany.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile housing stability had long been on my mind, losing power drove home the importance of another piece of urban infrastructure: reliable access to electricity,\u201d says An, an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-faculty-affiliates\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEPIcenter faculty affiliate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and co-director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/urbanresearch.iac.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Urban Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIt sparked my interest in studying the intersection of energy and urban policy to help make cities and communities not only socially equitable but also resilient to extreme weather.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In this EPIcenter Expert series, meet Brian An, EPIcenter Affiliate, studying the intersection of energy resilience and urban policy to improve grid equity during extreme weather."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-07-07 16:26:49","changed_gmt":"2026-07-07 16:31:03","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680569":{"id":"680569","type":"image","title":"Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBrian An, EPIcenter Faculty Affiliate and Assistant Professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1783441679","gmt_created":"2026-07-07 16:27:59","changed":"1783441679","gmt_changed":"2026-07-07 16:27:59","alt":"Brian An, EPIcenter Faculty Affiliate and Assistant Professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy ","file":{"fid":"264847","name":"Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":69638,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/07\/Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg?itok=wcUA_U3y"}}},"media_ids":["680569"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStory Written by: Silke Schmidt\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENews Contact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690894":{"#nid":"690894","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Discover Membrane-Based Approach to More Sustainable Oil Refining","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERefining crude oil into gasoline, jet fuel, and other everyday products requires enormous amounts of energy. The atmospheric and vacuum distillation processes used in refineries worldwide consume more than 1,100 terawatt-hours of energy annually \u2014 roughly enough to power 100 million U.S. homes for a year \u2014 while generating millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESix years after demonstrating that membranes could separate crude oil at the molecular level, Georgia Tech researcher Ryan Lively is part of an international team that has taken the concept a significant step further.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team, including investigators at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), discovered that a membrane material widely believed to be non-selective for molecules as small as those found in crude can in fact selectively separate crude oil into lighter and heavier fractions in a way researchers did not expect.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPublished in \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-026-10677-3\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Etheir findings\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E suggest that using membranes to separate crude oil before distillation could significantly reduce the energy, water, and carbon footprint of petroleum refining.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lively.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELively\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the Thomas C. DeLoach Jr. Endowed Professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, served as an advisor and corresponding author on the study. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pure.kaist.ac.kr\/en\/persons\/dong-yeun-koh\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDong-Yeun Koh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor at KAIST and a former postdoc in the Lively Lab at Georgia Tech, led the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding on Earlier Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the 2020 \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E paper, Lively and collaborators demonstrated that specially designed membranes could separate crude oil into valuable fractions without relying solely on traditional heat-driven distillation. The work helped establish membrane-based crude oil fractionation as a promising alternative for reducing energy use in refining.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This work grew directly out of the challenges we identified in our original findings in the 2020 article,\u0022 Lively said. \u0022One of the key challenges that the KAIST team set out to tackle was the very low oil productivities of the membrane units, which has limited the ability of this concept to leave the lab. Along the way, we not only increased the productivities, but we also uncovered a surprising new mechanism that could make membrane-based crude oil separations even more practical.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new study built on that foundation. The researchers investigated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes, a material commonly used as a non-selective support layer in filtration systems. Because the material is porous, the team generally did not expect it to perform precise molecular separations on its own.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut what they found surprised them, Lively said. As crude oil flowed through the membrane, heavier hydrocarbon molecules accumulated within the membrane\u0027s pores. Instead of clogging the membrane, the buildup created a stable internal layer that gradually narrowed the pathways through which molecules could travel. Surprisingly, the molecules that caused the buildup in the first place were eventually excluded from entering the membrane, resulting in a steady production of higher quality oil through the narrow pathways that remained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn effect, the membrane created its own molecular-scale filter. The result was a process that allowed lighter hydrocarbons to pass through while holding back heavier components.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe membrane enriched lighter fractions such as naphtha and kerosene while achieving crude oil flow rates more than 23 times higher those reported in the 2020 paper for whole crude oils\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen Buildup Becomes an Asset\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn most filtration systems, buildup inside a membrane (or fouling) is considered a problem because it reduces performance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut according to the researchers, this study demonstrates that something different can happen under the right conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing a range of analytical techniques, the researchers found that long-chain hydrocarbon molecules accumulated inside the membrane and became an essential part of the separation process. The deposits effectively transformed larger pores into stable transport pathways measuring less than two nanometers across, they deduced based on available experimental evidence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe membrane maintained consistent separation performance during four weeks of continuous operation, suggesting the filtration pathways remained stable over time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe findings challenge traditional assumptions about membrane fouling and may offer new opportunities for designing industrial separation systems that take advantage of similar behavior,\u201d Lively said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPotential Impact on Refining\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday\u0027s refineries heat entire streams of crude oil to separate them into useful products. By using membranes to remove a substantial portion of the lighter hydrocarbons before distillation, refineries could reduce the amount of material that must undergo energy-intensive heating. Alternatively, the refinery can use the membranes to incrementally increase refinery capacity, which is currently not possible using large-scale distillation equipment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo evaluate the potential impacts of the membrane system, the researchers modeled a refinery process that incorporated a membrane separation step before conventional distillation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis study reveals a new scientific principle in which a membrane interacts with a complex mixture and spontaneously forms its own separation channels,\u0022 Koh said. \u0022Working with real crude oil supplied by HD Hyundai Oilbank allowed us to validate the technology under conditions relevant to industrial operation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0027s technoeconomic analysis showed that incorporating the membrane process could reduce distillation energy use by 30%, carbon dioxide emissions by 35%, and water consumption by 20%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApplied across U.S. atmospheric crude distillation capacity \u2014 about 18 million barrels per day \u2014 those savings would be equivalent to powering roughly 2.2 million homes, removing about 3 million passenger vehicles from the road, and supplying enough water for approximately 660,000 people each year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Turning crude oil into useful products has relied on essentially the same basic approach for more than a century,\u0022 Lively said. \u0022Membranes offer a path toward achieving those separations with dramatically lower energy requirements and emissions.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u0027s findings also suggest that the phenomenon may not be limited to a single membrane chemistry. Researchers observed similar behavior in a second membrane material, raising the possibility that the approach could be extended to other membrane systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This is a terrific piece of research that rewards curiosity,\u0022 said Andrew LIvington, vice president of research and innovation and professor at Queen Mary University of London, who was not involved with the study. \u0022This work adds significantly to the field of membrane separations of crude oil streams as it tackles the first, hard to achieve separation of heavy hydrocarbons \u2013 most work to date has focused on lighter oils\u0026nbsp;\u2013 and it uses a simple and readily available membrane.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJihoon Choi, Hyeokjun Seo, Minyong Lee, Woong-Chul Shin, Jaemin Choi, Keonwoo Choi, Min-Jun Jang, Sung Gap Im, Jae W. Lee, Ryan P. Lively, and Dong-Yeun Koh, \u0022\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-026-10677-3\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECrude oil fractionation by means of mesoporous polyacrylonitrile membranes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0022 \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E, 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPublished in \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E, the researchers\u0027 findings suggest that using membranes to separate crude oil before distillation could significantly reduce the energy, water, and carbon footprint of petroleum refining.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Published in Nature, the researchers\u0027 findings suggest that using membranes to separate crude oil before distillation could significantly reduce the energy, water, and carbon footprint of petroleum refining."}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2026-06-24 15:45:46","changed_gmt":"2026-07-06 17:19:42","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680502":{"id":"680502","type":"image","title":"RyanDong-Yeun.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProfessors Ryan Lively (Georgia Tech) and Dong-Yeun Koh (KAIST). Koh used to be postdoctoral researcher in the Lively Lab.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782316293","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 15:51:33","changed":"1782316293","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 15:51:33","alt":"Professors Ryan Lively (Georgia Tech) and Dong-Yeun Koh (KAIST). Koh used to be postdoctoral researcher in the Lively Lab.","file":{"fid":"264775","name":"RyanDong-Yeun.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/RyanDong-Yeun.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/RyanDong-Yeun.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":190547,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/RyanDong-Yeun.jpg?itok=-eLTFUXj"}},"680503":{"id":"680503","type":"image","title":"PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESchematic illustration of the membrane-based pre-fractionation process, showing the selective separation of light hydrocarbon fractions from crude oil feedstock to reduce energy requirements for subsequent atmospheric distillation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782316323","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 15:52:03","changed":"1782316323","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 15:52:03","alt":"Schematic illustration of the membrane-based pre-fractionation process, showing the selective separation of light hydrocarbon fractions from crude oil feedstock to reduce energy requirements for subsequent atmospheric distillation.","file":{"fid":"264776","name":"PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":84713,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg?itok=6Y4qawLU"}},"680504":{"id":"680504","type":"image","title":"PAN-Crude.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPhotographs illustrating the distinct color change upon fractionation of crude oils via PAN membrane.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782316357","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 15:52:37","changed":"1782316357","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 15:52:37","alt":"Photographs illustrating the distinct color change upon fractionation of crude oils via PAN membrane.","file":{"fid":"264777","name":"PAN-Crude.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":141397,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude.jpg?itok=9_uTRAtb"}}},"media_ids":["680502","680503","680504"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11764","name":"filtration"},{"id":"2177","name":"membranes"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188020","name":"go-rbi"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:braddixon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebraddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691043":{"#nid":"691043","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia\u2019s First Superfund Research Center to Study Hazardous Industrial Pollution, Remediation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA coalition of scientists from six universities and community partners has received a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.niehs.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)\u003C\/a\u003E grant to establish Georgia\u2019s first Superfund Research Center. The center will study the health effects and potential remediation of harmful contaminants in Glynn County, a Georgia coastal community with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sph.emory.edu\/magazine\/2024\/spring\/burden-brunswick\u0022\u003Ea long history of industrial pollution\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESuperfund sites are highly contaminated areas designated by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/superfund\/what-superfund\u0022\u003EU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)\u003C\/a\u003E for hazardous waste cleanup. Superfund Research Centers are coordinated research programs \u2014 not physical buildings \u2014 designed to address complex environmental health problems, reduce exposure to contaminants, and improve public health.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tools.niehs.nih.gov\/srp\/programs\/index267.cfm\u0022\u003EFewer than 24\u003C\/a\u003E exist nationwide.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Community Asking Questions for Decades\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor generations, residents of the city of Brunswick and Glynn County have lived near former industrial facilities that produced or used chemicals such as toxaphene, PCBs, and mercury. Many have long suspected that these contaminants were affecting their health, yet lacked scientific evidence to validate their concerns.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat began to change in 2023, when Emory University researchers launched the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S026974912500613X\u0022\u003EGlynn County human exposure study\u003C\/a\u003E at the invitation of residents. The study found elevated levels of legacy pollutants in the blood of many participants, confirming what community members had feared.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI want more neighbors to have the opportunity to be tested and to learn about the project,\u201d said resident Semona Holmes. \u201cBecause now more folks are saying, \u2018I want to be tested.\u2019\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOthers on the coast echoed the need for continued investigation. \u201cExposure isn\u2019t always uniform,\u201d said Brunswick resident Michael Staley. \u201cSome residents may have higher levels depending on their proximity, diet, or occupation. I hope this gives our neighbors a clearer understanding of how our communities are affected, because often regular people feel uncertain and overlooked.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResidents have repeatedly asked for more testing, more transparency, and more opportunities to understand what is in their soil, water, and bodies. \u201cI would like to see an expansion of the exposure study because the soil needs to be tested,\u201d said Larry Owens, who lives near the Hercules-Pinova site, a former chemical plant that closed in 2023.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother resident, John Freeman, emphasized the need for broad participation. \u201cThey need to make sure everybody in our neighborhood knows they are going to be doing research so that everybody will have the chance to come out and get tested and see what\u2019s in their bodies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding on Community Momentum\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new Superfund Research Center will expand this work significantly. Led by Emory University in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia, Morehouse School of Medicine, Spelman College, and Texas Tech University, the center will focus on five major research areas:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022eaae967e07b3b81fd60ba6286b3615bd5\u0022\u003EHuman health research \u2014 evaluating links between chemical exposures and metabolic diseases.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ebae9bb06b2fa8cff77be0fb491e1c408\u0022\u003EToxicity testing \u2014 assessing how contaminants harm health.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ee609cad4ed42d244dc99b94572f68295\u0022\u003EEnvironmental sampling \u2014 identifying soil, water, and other exposure pathways.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e953737438b0a65d926def30bd93a72c1\u0022\u003EExtreme weather modeling \u2014 studying how storms and flooding move hazardous chemicals.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e124a5cca6a8725180eba7d57942d84a8\u0022\u003ERemediation research \u2014 evaluating low\u2011impact cleanup strategies suitable for sensitive coastal ecosystems.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy combining cutting-edge exposure science and health research with direct community partnerships, the center will translate complex environmental data into practical information that supports healthier decisions for families, clinicians, and policymakers,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sph.emory.edu\/profile\/faculty\/dana-barr\u0022\u003EDana Barr,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eprofessor of environmental health at Emory University and director of the Superfund Research Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBarr credited community leadership for the center\u0027s existence. \u201cThis project is a direct consequence of community support in many forms. We would not be here without your efforts, and we know what that means: We must keep community voices at the forefront of our work, and we need to deliver.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommunity Voices at the Heart of the Work\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResidents say the exposure study empowered them to speak up and demand answers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAfter I learned my numbers showed contamination, I started coming to the community meetings,\u201d said Jocelyn Farmer, a fenceline resident. \u201cI wanted to learn more about the study and about my neighborhood.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother resident, Eugene Smiley, said that \u201ceveryone who lives in this neighborhood should have their blood tested. Yes, I think they should come back and give people a chance to get tested so that we all are aware of what chemicals are in our bodies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor many in this coastal Georgia area, the new center represents long-awaited recognition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ve been living here a long time, and we\u2019ve been exposed to it,\u201d said Victoria Mackey. \u201cIf this study had not happened, we would not have known. Now we have chemical awareness. There are generations that have been exposed to these chemicals. The expanded exposure study is needed.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunity partners also see the center as a turning point.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research involves working with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.healthycoastalneighborhoods.org\/\u0022\u003EHealthy Coastal Neighborhoods\u003C\/a\u003E, a community-driven coalition working at the intersection of environmental quality and public health in Glynn County, Georgia. The coalition brings together community groups, researchers, and residents to address the toxic legacy that has affected coastal Georgia communities for decades. The coalition issued a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.healthycoastalneighborhoods.org\/Photos\/HCN%20Superfund%20Center%20Press%20Release%20Website%206-10-26.pdf\u0022\u003Elocal news release\u003C\/a\u003E announcing the new research center on June 10.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are honored and truly humbled to be partners in this project,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/jill-gambill\u0022\u003EJill Gambill,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eexecutive director of the CEAR Hub and senior research associate for the Institute for People and Technology at Georgia Tech-Savannah. \u201cThe residents of Glynn County have been asking hard questions about their health and environment for a long time. This center is our opportunity to put Georgia Tech\u0027s resources and expertise to work directly for the community.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInvesting in Education, Engagement, and Local Capacity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunded at approximately $15 million over five years, the center will also support:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e31d51bd314b7ad43328ac994f0436402\u0022\u003ECommunity engagement programs.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e5cd4b589ec5ce0e5bf347a175b92f70b\u0022\u003EYouth educational outreach.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e304724d42fcbe165dcd814b23cba2d8e\u0022\u003EImprovements to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.healthycoastalneighborhoods.org\/smart-seafood.html\u0022\u003EHealthy Coastal Neighborhoods\u2019 Seafood Smart website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e56228226f7b07420f5bd370d6e33a1d0\u0022\u003EA community advisory group.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e3d48d67a1692c28f7dea8f61df452170\u0022\u003ETraining for local healthcare providers.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe issue of industrial contamination is inherently complex, and this Superfund Research Center offers a rare opportunity to address it from multiple angles,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sph.emory.edu\/profile\/faculty\/noah-scovronick\u0022\u003ENoah Scovronick,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Edeputy director of the center. \u201cJust as important, the center supports community-led efforts to raise awareness and reduce exposures.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Model for the Nation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the center\u2019s work is focused on Glynn County, its findings will have national relevance. Communities across the country face similar challenges with legacy pollutants, and the center\u2019s research aims to provide actionable insights for reducing exposure and improving public health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEven after production stops, these chemicals can continue entering people\u2019s bodies through lingering exposure pathways,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/emoryhercules.com\/bio\/melanie-pearson-phd\/\u0022\u003EMelanie Pearson,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eassociate professor in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. \u201cUnderstanding how that happens is essential to reducing risk. Partnering with affected residents strengthens the science and ensures it leads to meaningful, real-world benefits.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA coalition of scientists from six universities and community partners has received a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.niehs.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)\u003C\/a\u003E grant to establish Georgia\u2019s first Superfund Research Center.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A coalition of scientists from six universities and community partners has received a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) grant to establish Georgia\u2019s first Superfund Research Center. "}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2026-07-06 16:57:08","changed_gmt":"2026-07-06 17:01:51","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680555":{"id":"680555","type":"image","title":"Some of the researchers and coastal community members participating in the study.","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESome of the researchers and coastal community members participating in the study: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFront row: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMelanie Pearson\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EKasey McClary\u003C\/strong\u003E from Emory University, \u003Cstrong\u003ESemona Holmes\u003C\/strong\u003E from Urbana Perry Park Neighborhood Planning Assembly, and \u003Cstrong\u003ERachael Thompson\u003C\/strong\u003E from Glynn Environmental Coalition. \u003Cem\u003EBack row: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnita Collins\u003C\/strong\u003E from Urbana Perry Park Neighborhood Planning Assembly, \u003Cstrong\u003EKaty Smith\u003C\/strong\u003E from University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, \u003Cstrong\u003ENoah Scovronick\u003C\/strong\u003E from Emory University, community organizer and activist \u003Cstrong\u003EJazz Watts\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EJill Gambill\u003C\/strong\u003E from CEAR Hub at Georgia Tech, \u003Cstrong\u003EKimberly Andrews\u003C\/strong\u003E from University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, \u003Cstrong\u003EAlice Keyes\u003C\/strong\u003E from One Hundred Miles, and \u003Cstrong\u003EEtta Brown\u003C\/strong\u003E, who is a resident in the Urbana Perry Park neighborhood, a participant in the initial study of 100 residents, and a vocal supporter of the Superfund Research Center.\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1783356598","gmt_created":"2026-07-06 16:49:58","changed":"1783357657","gmt_changed":"2026-07-06 17:07:37","alt":"Some of the researchers and coastal community members participating in the study.  Front row: Melanie Pearson and Kasey McClary from Emory University, Semona Holmes from Urbana Perry Park Neighborhood Planning Assembly, and Rachael Thompson from Glynn Environmental Coalition.  Back row: Anita Collins from Urbana Perry Park Neighborhood Planning Assembly, Katy Smith from University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Noah Scovronick from Emory University, community organizer and activist Jazz ","file":{"fid":"264832","name":"IMG_1697-2-use-THIS.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/IMG_1697-2-use-THIS.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/IMG_1697-2-use-THIS.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4846900,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/06\/IMG_1697-2-use-THIS.jpeg?itok=tW6MRPHd"}},"680556":{"id":"680556","type":"image","title":"Georgia marsh photo","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia\u0027s first Superfund Research Center will address the human and environmental effects of heavily polluted sites located in coastal areas, including this one, in Glynn County, Georgia. (Emory photo by Rob Spahr)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1783357178","gmt_created":"2026-07-06 16:59:38","changed":"1783357249","gmt_changed":"2026-07-06 17:00:49","alt":"Georgia\u0027s first Superfund Research Center will address the human and environmental effects of heavily polluted sites located in coastal areas, including this one, in Glynn County, Georgia. (Emory photo by Rob Spahr)","file":{"fid":"264833","name":"2026_Brunswick-superfund-site_2-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/2026_Brunswick-superfund-site_2-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/06\/2026_Brunswick-superfund-site_2-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":697249,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/06\/2026_Brunswick-superfund-site_2-copy.jpg?itok=ZtpIYY5K"}}},"media_ids":["680555","680556"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:walter.rich@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EWalter Rich\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["walter.rich@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691032":{"#nid":"691032","#data":{"type":"news","title":"EPIcenter Experts in the News: AI, Prices, and the War","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEPIcenter Faculty Affiliates\u003C\/strong\u003E have recently contributed to more than a dozen news broadcasts, public radio interviews, and national media conversations on energy price trends, the war in Iran, and what these mean for everyday Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunities across Georgia and the nation are navigating a range of economic and energy-related pressures. Gas prices, inflation, and the rapid growth of data centers are shaping the cost of goods and services, influencing everyday household financial decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the same time, ongoing geopolitical tensions are driving fluctuations in global oil markets and fuel prices. The expansion of AI data centers is also increasing demand for land, power, and water resources. And conflicts involving energy infrastructure in parts of the Middle East and Europe have affected supply stability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResponding to these challenges requires careful analysis of emerging trends, supported by strong research in policy and economics. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-faculty-affiliates\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFaculty Affiliates\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E study these complex, interconnected issues affecting energy systems, costs, and access. They analyze emerging trends, evaluate policy options, and identify practical pathways forward.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/07\/01\/epicenter-affiliated-experts-inform-public-understanding-of-energy-systems-and-their-economic-impacts\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the EPIcenter News Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEPIcenter Faculty Affiliates\u003C\/strong\u003E have recently contributed to more than a dozen news broadcasts, public radio interviews, and national media conversations on energy price trends, the war in Iran, and what these mean for everyday Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunities across Georgia and the nation are navigating a range of economic and energy-related pressures. Gas prices, inflation, and the rapid growth of data centers are shaping the cost of goods and services, influencing everyday household financial decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"EPIcenter Faculty Affiliates have recently contributed to more than a dozen news broadcasts, public radio interviews, and national media conversations on energy price trends, the war in Iran, and what these mean for everyday Americans."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-07-02 19:36:58","changed_gmt":"2026-07-02 19:40:46","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680549":{"id":"680549","type":"image","title":"Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png","body":null,"created":"1783021099","gmt_created":"2026-07-02 19:38:19","changed":"1783021099","gmt_changed":"2026-07-02 19:38:19","alt":"4 panel image: clockwise from upper left - solar panels in field, data center and cooling complex, Hormuz Island, gas pump in a car\u0027s fuel port","file":{"fid":"264825","name":"Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/02\/Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/02\/Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png","mime":"image\/png","size":103965,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/02\/Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png?itok=GVkV7SSC"}}},"media_ids":["680549"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E | SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690967":{"#nid":"690967","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Myth of the \u2018Lizard Brain\u2019 and the Real Trade-Off Inside Your Mind","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESo many of life\u2019s most pivotal decisions come down to one question: Should you listen to your logic or your emotions? Popular culture often frames this tension as a struggle between two minds \u2014 a \u201cmore evolved\u201d rational layer built atop an ancient \u201clizard brain\u201d driven by primal instincts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis battle of the brains has also been playing out over the course of evolution, but not as a simple clash between old and new.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere was a theory proposed in the \u201850s that the brain evolved in layers starting with basic bodily functions, to emotions in the reptilian brain, leading up to sophisticated reasoning in humans,\u201d explains \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/nabil-imam\u0022\u003ENabil Imam\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and a faculty member with Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E (INNS). \u201cThis is not how an evolutionary biologist would think about the problem.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstead of a \u201cnew\u201d brain layered over an \u201cancient\u201d one \u2014 or even a logical brain versus an emotional one \u2014 research published in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/full\/10.1126\/sciadv.aec6112\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E reveals that brain evolution may come down to wiring.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy studying the architecture of both biological and artificial brains, Imam\u2019s team found that brain evolution is a strategic allocation of limited real estate. They propose a computational tug-of-war between two fundamentally different types of internal wiring \u2014 ones established even before birth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis new understanding not only helps resolve a longstanding mystery in brain evolution but could also help us design more efficient AI systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Problem With the \u201cLizard Brain\u201d\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen we refer to our \u201clogical\u201d or \u201clizard\u201d brains, we\u2019re really talking about different groups of brain regions. The logical brain is known as the neocortex, the brain\u2019s outer layer responsible for vision, perception, reasoning, and other higher-level functions. For the lizard brain, the story gets a bit complicated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe limbic system, sometimes called the \u2018reptilian brain,\u2019 controls emotion broadly speaking \u2014 but it also has other components with distinct functions,\u201d explains Imam. The system has separate regions for memory, smell, and navigation in addition to emotional regulation. \u201cWhy do people group all these different regions into one big system? There hasn\u2019t been a good theory for what is common between these different circuits.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo investigate, Imam\u2019s team looked beyond individual regions to examine how these systems scale across species. Instead of comparing single areas based on function, the team analyzed how the limbic system and the neocortex change together across evolutionary history.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe result was remarkably consistent. When one component of the limbic system was larger, the others were also larger, while the neocortex was consistently smaller. These regions don\u2019t vary independently. \u201cRather,\u201d says Imam, \u201cit\u2019s a coordinated expansion of these regions across species.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis reveals something new: The limbic system behaves not as a loose collection of functions, but as a unified network that expands and contracts as a group across evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut what is driving this coordinated push and pull?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaps Versus Barcodes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImam argues that it comes down to how these different parts of the brain are wired before birth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the neocortex, neural circuits are organized as spatial maps. Areas that process touch in nearby parts of your body, like your index finger and thumb, are physically close to each other in the brain. The same is true for sight and sound.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWires in the limbic system, however, are not spatially organized. They function more like a bar code, firing in unique, distributed patterns to represent specific scents or complex memories.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo test whether this was an innate trait or acquired through experience, the team developed AI models for different senses. They found that when they pre-wired an AI with localized, spatial connectivity, the network was naturally very good at processing vision, sound, and touch information. Conversely, distributed, \u201cbarcode-style\u201d networks were essential for the AI to excel at scent recognition and memory.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Evolutionary Tug-of-War\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe final piece of the puzzle explains how the size of brain components changes predictably across species. Because resources like space and energy are limited, natural selection chooses which system to prioritize.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team simulated evolution by creating a multimodal network where the spatial and distributed domains competed for \u201creal estate.\u201d When the environment rewarded smell, all areas of the distributed system expanded and the neocortex shrank. When vision was rewarded, the opposite occurred.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis explains why the nine-banded armadillo, which relies on scent, has a massive limbic system, while the highly visual squirrel monkey is dominated by its neocortex. Across the 182 species studied, the research shows that brain evolution is not about adding new layers of \u0022logic,\u0022 but about strategically reallocating space between different wiring systems to support survival.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy translating this biological architecture to AI systems, engineers could create machines that learn as efficiently as the human brain, requiring far less data and energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cToday\u0027s artificial neural networks are trained by vast amounts data \u2014 it\u2019s about nurture,\u201d says Imam. \u201cBut the brain is not a blank slate that gets trained by experience. It is a mix of nature and nurture, and the nature is that pre-wired architecture.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe could translate that architecture to AI systems to make it more brain-like, or make it learn or function as efficiently as the brain.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was a collaboration with Cornell University and was supported by the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.aec6112\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Edoi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.aec6112\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study from Georgia Tech examines how different brain systems scale together across species, offering a new perspective on brain organization \u2014 and its potential applications in artificial intelligence.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study from Georgia Tech examines how different brain systems scale together across species, offering a new perspective on brain organization \u2014 and its potential applications in artificial intelligence."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2026-06-29 18:27:57","changed_gmt":"2026-07-02 14:56:41","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680528":{"id":"680528","type":"image","title":"brain-halves.jpeg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003EResearchers found that coordinated changes across brain systems may be explained by two distinct wiring strategies \u2014 spatially organized circuits and distributed networks \u2014 that expand and contract together over evolution.\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1782757701","gmt_created":"2026-06-29 18:28:21","changed":"1782757701","gmt_changed":"2026-06-29 18:28:21","alt":"Digital illustration of a brain surrounded by two distinct visual patterns. One side is composed of structured blue connections resembling an organized network map, while the other features colorful, dispersed light patterns, representing distributed neural activity. The image symbolizes competing brain architectures explored in the study.","file":{"fid":"264802","name":"brain-halves.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/29\/brain-halves.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/29\/brain-halves.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5350147,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/29\/brain-halves.jpeg?itok=7doQLT23"}},"680530":{"id":"680530","type":"image","title":"Fig2.png","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003EA conceptual illustration of the two wiring strategies identified in the study. Spatially organized circuits in the neocortex (left) preserve map-like relationships, while distributed networks in the limbic system (right) connect information across locations, creating a tradeoff that may shape brain evolution.\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1782758455","gmt_created":"2026-06-29 18:40:55","changed":"1782758455","gmt_changed":"2026-06-29 18:40:55","alt":"A balance scale holds two diagrams representing different brain wiring strategies. The left side shows an ordered rainbow-colored map labeled \u0022Neocortex,\u0022 illustrating localized connections that preserve spatial organization. The right side shows a web of interconnected colored nodes labeled \u0022Limbic System,\u0022 representing distributed connections that integrate information across space. The image symbolizes the tradeoff between these competing neural architectures proposed by the study.","file":{"fid":"264804","name":"Fig2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/29\/Fig2.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/29\/Fig2.png","mime":"image\/png","size":866124,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/29\/Fig2.png?itok=7rXvH4XZ"}},"680531":{"id":"680531","type":"image","title":"Fig1-Imam.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECross-sections of a squirrel monkey brain (left) and a nine-banded armadillo brain (right) illustrate how different neural systems expand or shrink together across species. The highly visual squirrel monkey has a larger neocortex (blue), while the scent-reliant armadillo has a larger olfactory complex (purple) and memory center (green).\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782758808","gmt_created":"2026-06-29 18:46:48","changed":"1782758808","gmt_changed":"2026-06-29 18:46:48","alt":"Comparative brain images showing a squirrel monkey on the left and a nine-banded armadillo on the right. Colored overlays highlight major brain systems: extensive blue neocortical regions in the monkey and enlarged purple olfactory regions in the armadillo, illustrating how different species allocate brain space according to their sensory needs.","file":{"fid":"264805","name":"Fig1-Imam.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/29\/Fig1-Imam.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/29\/Fig1-Imam.png","mime":"image\/png","size":158938,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/29\/Fig1-Imam.png?itok=dbPFTe7d"}}},"media_ids":["680528","680530","680531"],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAudra Davidson\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bwine3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBryant Wine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Computing\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["bwine3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691018":{"#nid":"691018","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Research Seeks to Help Transplanted Cells Thrive in Type 1 Diabetes Treatment","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bio\/alexander-e-vlahos\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlexander Vlahos\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been awarded a five-year, research grant from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.breakthrought1d.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener nofollow noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022(opens in a new window)\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBreakthrough T1D\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, to support pioneering work aimed at improving therapies for T1D. The award will support Vlahos\u2019 project, \u003Cem\u003E\u201cRewiring Cellular Microenvironments with Synthetic Circuits for Subcutaneous Islet Transplantation,\u201d\u003C\/em\u003E through the Georgia Tech Research Corporation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ET1D is caused by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells, requiring individuals to manage their blood glucose levels through lifelong insulin therapy. Transplanting pancreatic islets has long been investigated as a potential curative treatment, but long-lasting success in extrahepatic sites has been limited\u2014particularly when islets are transplanted beneath the skin\u2014due to poor blood vessel formation, immune rejection, and cellular stress following transplantation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVlahos\u2019 research addresses these limitations by combining synthetic biology\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Eand tissue engineering\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Ein a new way: engineering cells to actively reshape their local environment after transplantation to make it more hospitable for the graft. Rather than relying solely on biomaterials or porous structures to support transplanted cells, the project focuses on programming the cells themselves to sense stress and respond dynamically.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/news\/new-research-seeks-help-transplanted-cells-thrive-type-1-diabetes-treatment\u0022\u003ERead the full story.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe award will support Vlahos\u2019 project, \u003Cem\u003E\u201cRewiring Cellular Microenvironments with Synthetic Circuits for Subcutaneous Islet Transplantation,\u201d\u003C\/em\u003E through the Georgia Tech Research Corporation. Transplanting pancreatic islets has long been investigated as a potential curative treatment, but long-lasting success in extrahepatic sites has been limited. Vlahos\u2019 research addresses existing limitations by combining synthetic biology\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Eand tissue engineering\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Ein a new way: engineering cells to actively reshape their local environment after transplantation to make it more hospitable for the graft.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Alexander Vlahos has been awarded a five-year, research grant to support pioneering work aimed at improving therapies for T1D."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-07-01 17:34:15","changed_gmt":"2026-07-01 17:39:38","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680543":{"id":"680543","type":"image","title":"_0000_Vlahos-Blood-Glucose.jpg","body":null,"created":"1782927261","gmt_created":"2026-07-01 17:34:21","changed":"1782927261","gmt_changed":"2026-07-01 17:34:21","alt":"A medical worker wearing latex gloves uses a device to test a patient\u0027s blood sugar.","file":{"fid":"264817","name":"_0000_Vlahos-Blood-Glucose.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/01\/_0000_Vlahos-Blood-Glucose.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/01\/_0000_Vlahos-Blood-Glucose.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":76893,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/01\/_0000_Vlahos-Blood-Glucose.jpg?itok=MSzUqn6I"}}},"media_ids":["680543"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"171033","name":"Synthetic Biology"},{"id":"178211","name":"islet"},{"id":"49591","name":"Diabetes"},{"id":"195186","name":"cell engineering"},{"id":"1039","name":"pancreas"},{"id":"3344","name":"insulin"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKelly Petty | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684913":{"#nid":"684913","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet the Microbes: What a Warming Wetland Reveals About Earth\u2019s Carbon Future","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBetween a third and half of all soil carbon on Earth is stored in peatlands, says\u0026nbsp;Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. These wetlands \u2014 formed from layers and layers of decaying plant matter \u2014 span from the Arctic to the tropics, supporting biodiversity and regulating global climate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cPeatlands are essential carbon stores, but as temperatures warm, this carbon is in danger of being released as carbon dioxide and methane,\u201d says Kostka, who is also the\u0026nbsp;associate chair for Research in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and the director of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/12\/04\/college-sciences-launches-new-center-georgia-tech-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow\u003C\/a\u003E. Understanding the ratio of carbon dioxide to methane is critical, he adds, because while both are greenhouse gasses, methane is significantly more potent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka is the corresponding author of a new study unearthing how and why peatlands are producing carbon dioxide and methane.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe research, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-025-61664-7\u0022\u003ENorthern peatland microbial communities exhibit resistance to warming and acquire electron acceptors from soil organic matter\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was published this summer in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E, and was led by co-first authors\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBorja Aldeguer-Riquelme,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ea\u0026nbsp;postdoctoral research associate in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/enve-omics.gatech.edu\/people\/\u0022\u003EEnvironmental Microbial Genomics Laboratory,\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u003Cstrong\u003E Katherine Duchesneau\u003C\/strong\u003E, a\u0026nbsp;Ph.D. student in the School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study builds on a decade of research at the Oak Ridge National Lab\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mnspruce.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003ESpruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) experiment\u003C\/a\u003E, a long-term research project in Minnesota that allows researchers to warm whole sections of wetland from tree top to bog bottom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOver the past 10 years, we\u2019ve shown that warming in this large-scale climate experiment increases greenhouse gas production,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cBut while warming makes the bog produce more methane, we still observe a lot more CO2 production than methane. In this paper, we take a critical step towards discovering why \u2014 and describing the mechanisms that determine which gases are released and in what amounts.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMethane mystery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe subdued methane production in peatlands has been a long-standing mystery. In water-saturated wetlands, oxygen is scarce, but microbes still need to respire \u2014 a type of \u2018breathing\u2019 that allows them to produce energy for metabolic function. Without oxygen, microbes use nitrate, sulfate, or metals to respire \u2014 still releasing carbon dioxide in the process. However, if these ingredients aren\u2019t present, microbes \u2018breathe\u2019 in a way that releases methane.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESince nitrate, sulfate, and metals are relatively rare in peatlands, methane production should be the most likely pathway, but surprisingly, observations show the opposite. \u201cIn both fieldwork and lab experiments, peatlands produce much more carbon dioxide than methane,\u201d Kostka explains. \u201cIt\u2019s puzzling because the soil conditions should help methane production dominate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo solve this mystery, the team leveraged a suite of cutting-edge genetic tools called \u201comics\u201d \u2014\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;metagenomics (studying DNA), metatranscriptomics (studying RNA), and metabolomics (a technique used to study the \u201cleftovers\u201d of metabolism), providing a detailed look under the hood of the microbial \u201cengine\u201d that cycles organic matter in wetlands. It also gave a new window into the diversity of soil microbes in wetlands: 80 percent of the organisms identified in the study were new at the genus level.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u2018Omics\u2019 innovations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOver the course of several years, the team collected samples from a peatland enclosed in an experimental chamber that was slowly warmed, then analyzed the samples using omics to see how they changed. Initially, they hypothesized that warming the soil would cause microbial communities to change quickly. \u201cMicrobes can evolve and grow rapidly,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cBut that didn\u2019t happen.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe DNA-based methods showed that while the microbial communities stayed largely stable, the bog did release more greenhouse gasses as it warmed. To assess the metabolic potential of the microbes, Duchesneau and Aldeguer-Riquelme constructed microbial genomes, investigating how they were decomposing the organic matter in peatlands and cycling carbon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe found that microbial activity increases with warming, but the growth response of microbial communities lags behind these changes in physiological or metabolic activity,\u201d Kostka says.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EHe cautions that this doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that wetland communities won\u2019t change as climates warm\u0026nbsp;\u2014 just that these shifts might come behind metabolic ones.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA diversity of discoveries\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAnd the methane? The team believes that microbes may be breaking down organic matter to access the key ingredients for producing carbon dioxide \u2014 nitrate, sulfate, and metals \u2014 though more research is currently underway to investigate this.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cDoing this type of integrated omics research in soil systems is still incredibly difficult,\u201d Kostka says. The challenge is multifaceted: the research leverages years of experiments, long-term datasets, advanced laboratory techniques, and fieldwork innovations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAt SPRUCE, experimental chambers are about 1,000 square feet. While it\u2019s an impressive experimental setup, researchers still must be careful: \u201cWe need to take soil samples for many years, so if we take too many, there\u2019d be no soil left!\u201d Kostka explains. \u201cPart of our research involves developing better, non-destructive sampling techniques.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe other challenge lies in what makes these peatlands so unique: it\u2019s very hard to detect small changes because of the sheer diversity of organisms present. \u201cEvery time we conduct this type of research, we learn more about these incredible systems,\u201d he says. \u201cThere\u2019s always something new.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-025-61664-7\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-025-61664-7\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: The Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Terrestrial Ecosystem Science Program and Genomic Science programs, under the US Department of Energy (DOE); the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science User Facility sponsored by the Biological and Environmental Research program. The SPRUCE experiment is funded by the Biological and Environmental Research program in the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s Office of Science.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBetween a third and half of all soil carbon on Earth is stored in peatlands, but as temperatures warm, this carbon is in danger of being released. A new study is unearthing the ratio of carbon dioxide to methane released \u2014 because while both are greenhouse gasses, methane is significantly more potent.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study is unearthing how and why peatlands are producing carbon dioxide and methane.\u00a0"}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-09-16 16:55:49","changed_gmt":"2026-06-30 17:57:42","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678030":{"id":"678030","type":"image","title":"An aerial photo of the SPRUCE experiment.","body":"An arial photo of the SPRUCE experiment.","created":"1758051069","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","changed":"1758054915","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 20:35:15","alt":"An aerial photo of the SPRUCE experiment.","file":{"fid":"262002","name":"SPRUCE-aerial.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/SPRUCE-aerial.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/SPRUCE-aerial.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":191796,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/SPRUCE-aerial.jpg?itok=KXVV0CD8"}},"678031":{"id":"678031","type":"image","title":"Postdoctoral Researchers Caitlin Petro and Borja Aldeguer-Riquelme inside a SPRUCE chamber in 2023.","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPostdoctoral Researchers Caitlin Petro and Borja Aldeguer-Riquelme inside a SPRUCE chamber in 2023.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758051865","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:44:25","changed":"1758051865","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 19:44:25","alt":"Postdoctoral Researchers Caitlin Petro and Borja Aldeguer-Riquelme inside a SPRUCE chamber in 2023.","file":{"fid":"262008","name":"Caitlin_Borja_chamber_23.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/Caitlin_Borja_chamber_23.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/Caitlin_Borja_chamber_23.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":37221,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/Caitlin_Borja_chamber_23.jpg?itok=o_Yq6q6C"}},"678026":{"id":"678026","type":"image","title":"Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau sampling porewater inside an experimental SPRUCE chamber.","body":"Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau sampling porewater inside an experimental SPRUCE chamber.","created":"1758051069","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","changed":"1758051069","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","alt":"Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau sampling porewater inside an experimental SPRUCE chamber.","file":{"fid":"261998","name":"IMG_6736.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6736.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6736.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":12526125,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6736.jpeg?itok=Fp_7PhLg"}},"678027":{"id":"678027","type":"image","title":"Postdoctoral Researcher Caitlin Petro, Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau, and undergraduate student Sekou Noble-Kuchera in a SPRUCE chamber.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPostdoctoral Researcher Caitlin Petro, Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau, and undergraduate student Sekou Noble-Kuchera in a SPRUCE chamber.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758051069","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","changed":"1758055106","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 20:38:26","alt":"Postdoctoral Researcher Caitlin Petro, Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau, and undergraduate student Sekou Noble-Kuchera in a SPRUCE chamber.","file":{"fid":"261999","name":"IMG_6748.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6748.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6748.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8678062,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6748.jpg?itok=DoMRfPfd"}},"678028":{"id":"678028","type":"image","title":"Joel Kostka at the SPRUCE experiment.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJoel Kostka at the SPRUCE experiment.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758051069","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","changed":"1758055048","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 20:37:28","alt":"Joel Kostka at the SPRUCE experiment.","file":{"fid":"262000","name":"Joel-Kostka.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/Joel-Kostka.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/Joel-Kostka.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1324030,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/Joel-Kostka.jpg?itok=eUOwhCkK"}}},"media_ids":["678030","678031","678026","678027","678028"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685297":{"#nid":"685297","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Decades in the Making: Seeing the Full Impact From Air Pollution Reductions","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech have analyzed the seasonal differences of sulfate aerosols \u2014 a major pollutant in the United States \u2014 to examine the long-term impact from sulfur dioxide (SO\u2082) emission reductions since the enactment of the Clean Air Act amendments in 1990.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EYuhang Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E and his team studied the factors affecting SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;and sulfate concentrations during winter and summer in the \u201cRust Belt\u201d \u2014 from New York through the Midwest \u2014 and the Southeast regions of the U.S. over two decades (2004 to 2023). Supported by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E and Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sustainability\u0022\u003EBrook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems\u003C\/a\u003E, the team also developed an ensemble machine learning approach to project seasonal patterns until 2050.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPower plants, particularly those burning coal and oil, are a major source of SO\u2082 emissions in these regions,\u201d says Wang, who co-authored, with Ph.D. students \u003Cstrong\u003EFanghe Zhao\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EShengjun Xi\u003C\/strong\u003E, the study recently published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1021\/acs.estlett.5c00731\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEnvironmental Science \u0026amp; Technology Letters\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESeasonal differences in atmospheric chemistry\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the U.S., the chemistry in the atmosphere varies among the seasons. During summer, solar radiation from ample sunlight activates oxidant reactions that produce hydrogen peroxide (H\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003EO\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003E) in the atmosphere. The supply of H\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003EO\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003E is determined by the amount of emitted air pollution, and once in the atmosphere, H\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003EO\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003E can oxidize SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;quickly into sulfate aerosols in the aqueous phase.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESulfate aerosols from the oxidation of SO\u2082 contribute to the formation of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5). Particulate sulfate poses significant environmental and public health risks, including air pollution, acid rain, and circulatory and respiratory issues.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe supply of H\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003EO\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;in summer is eight times greater than in winter \u2014 a huge difference \u2014 which means sulfate concentrations are generally higher in summer and a reduction in SO\u2082 emissions leads to a proportional decrease in sulfate concentrations,\u201d explains Wang. \u201cWhen SO\u2082 emissions exceed the available supply of H\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003EO\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003E in winter, the reduction in sulfate concentrations can be much smaller because of a \u2018chemical damping\u2019 effect that causes sulfate levels to decline more slowly than SO\u2082 emissions.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENarrowing the disparities between seasonal sulfate levels\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u2019s two-decade observations revealed distinct patterns in the reduction of SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;emissions and sulfate concentrations during winter and summer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;emissions significantly decreased in both seasons\u00ad over time \u2014 primarily from the Clean Air Act and more power plants transitioning from coal to natural gas \u2014 the reduction of sulfate concentrations initially showed large seasonal differences. However, over the past decade, the disparity between winter and summer sulfate levels narrowed as SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;emissions decreased.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Wang, the seasonal disparity of sulfate was caused by changing chemical regimes in winter over time. Although the lower supply of H\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003EO\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003E remained stable in winter, SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;wintertime emissions were higher from 2004 to 2013, then dropped below the level of H\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003EO\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;after 2013 \u2014 reaching parity with the levels of reduced SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;emissions in the summer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen you have this complexity of atmospheric chemistry, there is a non-linear effect in winter \u2014 as SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;emissions decreased, sulfate aerosol production efficiency increased until 2013, then flattened as of today. The reduction in sulfate aerosols initially lagged behind the decrease in SO\u2082 emissions but eventually caught up as a result of sustained air quality control efforts,\u201d says Wang. \u201cConversely, there is a simple, linear effect in summer \u2014 the more SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;emissions, the more sulfate aerosols in the atmosphere \u2014 and if you reduce one, the other is reduced by the same proportion.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDecades-long full impact\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom now until 2050, the researchers\u2019 machine learning projections indicate a continuing decrease of winter and summer sulfate levels, which are currently around 20 percent, as SO\u2082\u0026nbsp;emission controls achieve comparable efficacy across the seasons.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re now seeing the full impact from the Clean Air Act,\u201d concludes Wang, \u201cand the nation\u2019s sustained effort in pollution reduction is key to improving air quality and health outcomes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers analyze seasonal differences of SO\u2082 and sulfate concentrations in the atmosphere over decades to determine the long-term impact of sustained air quality control efforts.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers analyze seasonal differences of SO\u2082 and sulfate concentrations in the atmosphere over decades to determine the long-term impact of sustained air quality control efforts."}],"uid":"27465","created_gmt":"2025-09-25 21:44:42","changed_gmt":"2026-06-30 16:45:09","author":"Annette Filliat","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678151":{"id":"678151","type":"image","title":"NOAA Iridescent Clouds","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIridescent clouds before sunset \/ Source: NOAA\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758842239","gmt_created":"2025-09-25 23:17:19","changed":"1758842239","gmt_changed":"2025-09-25 23:17:19","alt":"NOAA Iridescent Clouds","file":{"fid":"262138","name":"NOAA-North-Carolina-Clouds.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/NOAA-North-Carolina-Clouds.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/NOAA-North-Carolina-Clouds.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3019658,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/25\/NOAA-North-Carolina-Clouds.png?itok=aC8m6MF-"}},"678152":{"id":"678152","type":"image","title":"Yuhang Wang ","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Professor Yuhang Wang and his team co-authored the study, \u201cChemically Induced Decline in Wintertime SO\u003Cem\u003E\u2082\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;Emission Control Efficacy,\u201d which was published in \u003Cem\u003EEnvironmental Science \u0026amp; Technology Letters\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758842459","gmt_created":"2025-09-25 23:20:59","changed":"1758842459","gmt_changed":"2025-09-25 23:20:59","alt":"Yuhang Wang ","file":{"fid":"262139","name":"GT-CoS-Yuhang-Wang-Headshot.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-CoS-Yuhang-Wang-Headshot.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-CoS-Yuhang-Wang-Headshot.png","mime":"image\/png","size":6600933,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-CoS-Yuhang-Wang-Headshot.png?itok=Wga0XlvH"}},"678153":{"id":"678153","type":"image","title":"Fanghe Zhao","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. student Fanghe Zhao\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758843155","gmt_created":"2025-09-25 23:32:35","changed":"1758843155","gmt_changed":"2025-09-25 23:32:35","alt":"Fanghe Zhao","file":{"fid":"262141","name":"GT-CoS-Fanghe-Zhao-Headshot.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-CoS-Fanghe-Zhao-Headshot_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-CoS-Fanghe-Zhao-Headshot_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":10158591,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-CoS-Fanghe-Zhao-Headshot_0.png?itok=rmCNXJa_"}},"678154":{"id":"678154","type":"image","title":"Shengjun Xi","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003EPh.D. student Shengjun Xi\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1758843283","gmt_created":"2025-09-25 23:34:43","changed":"1758843283","gmt_changed":"2025-09-25 23:34:43","alt":"Shengjun Xi","file":{"fid":"262142","name":"GT-CoS-Shengjun-Xi-Headshot.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-CoS-Shengjun-Xi-Headshot.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-CoS-Shengjun-Xi-Headshot.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3927326,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-CoS-Shengjun-Xi-Headshot.png?itok=ut8CDG5t"}}},"media_ids":["678151","678152","678153","678154"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/study-reveals-wintertime-formation-large-pollution-particles-chinas-skies","title":"Study Reveals Wintertime Formation of Large Pollution Particles in China\u2019s Skies"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/everlasting-african-wildfires-fueled-aerosol-feedback","title":"Everlasting African Wildfires Fueled by Aerosol Feedback"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: Annette Filliat\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor: Lindsay Vidal\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690736":{"#nid":"690736","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Professor, Student Lead Pioneering Research in Women\u2019s Health ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt affects up to one-third of the human population and can create symptoms severe enough to lead to hospitalization, yet much about what causes it remains a mystery. It\u2019s rarely discussed in public, often goes undiagnosed, and remains a consistently \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/immersive\/d41586-023-01475-2\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eunderfunded\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aamc.org\/news\/why-we-know-so-little-about-women-s-health\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eunderstudied\u003C\/a\u003E area of science.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat is this mystery condition? Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), which can cause severe pain, anemia, fatigue, and may even require some women to get blood transfusions.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScience has historically \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/time.com\/7171341\/gender-gap-medical-research\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eoverlooked\u003C\/a\u003E diseases and conditions such as HMB that predominantly affect women, but one Georgia Tech researcher and his doctoral student are working to change that.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAbout 30 percent of women have heavy menstrual, and that can cause them to become anemic,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/david-ku\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Ku\u003C\/a\u003E, a Regents\u2019 Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThere are a lot of lost days where there\u0027s fatigue and embarrassment from bleeding too much, and the causes of that bleeding are poorly understood.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKu, a faculty member in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, has received initial funding from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wellcomeleap.org\/the-missed-vital-sign\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWellcome Leap\u003C\/a\u003E to study whether clotting disorders contribute to HMB. The condition is most often attributed to hormone imbalances, leading many patients to receive treatments such as hormonal therapies that help manage symptoms. But in some cases, these treatments may treat symptoms while leaving an underlying bleeding disorder undiagnosed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf a woman goes on the pill, it supposedly regulates the hormones and masks if there\u0027s a blood clotting problem,\u201d Ku said. \u201cIf she has a clotting problem and doesn\u2019t know it, she could run into other clotting problems if she has an injury or some type of trauma in the future. By diagnosing it properly, we can fix it properly.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of the study, Ku and his team of Chris Bresette, Minki Kang, and Raphaelle Dodart, are using a microfluidic blood-clotting test developed in the Ku laboratory to investigate whether clotting dysfunction contributes to heavy menstrual bleeding. This handheld instrument \u2014 which runs blood through a microfluidic tube about the width of a human hair \u2014 measures the speed of blood clotting and may open up possibilities for more personalized patient care.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to develop a point of care device that could allow gynecologists to diagnose the problem while the patient is visiting, as opposed to sending the blood off to the lab,\u201d Ku said. \u201cCurrently, there is no good test for that. We\u2019ve simplified the microscope system so that you can directly see whether the blood is clotting by going through that small tube.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDodart, who was studying the mechanics of clotting and hypothesized the prevalence in HMB, is recruiting volunteers for the study. She is currently working with women who exhibit symptoms of HMB and are willing to give a small amount of blood to be tested through the diagnostic device. If her hypothesis around blood clotting is proven true, the study can expand further into the realm of treatment options.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe main goal now is that we identify a cause,\u201d Dodart said. \u201cIn the future, hopefully we can focus on finding some solutions, some non-hormonal treatments, because we are looking for a treatable dysfunction.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough women\u2019s health remains a largely underfunded area of science, the landscape is beginning to shift thanks to researchers like Ku and Dodart.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a widespread problem that not too many people have studied,\u201d Ku said. \u201cWhat we are studying is one of the treatable causes for heavy menstrual bleeding that we could actually change the outcome of right now.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Study Could Eventually Result in Improved Diagnostic Tool and Treatments for Common Disorder "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHeavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) affects up to one-third of the human population and can create symptoms severe enough to lead to hospitalization, yet much about what causes it remains a mystery. David Ku, a faculty member in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, has received initial funding from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wellcomeleap.org\/the-missed-vital-sign\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWellcome Leap\u003C\/a\u003E to study whether clotting disorders contribute to HMB.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Science has historically overlooked diseases and conditions that predominantly affect women, but one Georgia Tech researcher and his doctoral student are working to change that. "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-06-12 13:12:55","changed_gmt":"2026-06-25 15:52:30","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680456":{"id":"680456","type":"image","title":"HMB---Raphaelle-1.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDoctoral student Raphaelle Dodart looks through a microscope at a small sample of clotted blood contained in a microfluidic chip.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1781269982","gmt_created":"2026-06-12 13:13:02","changed":"1781269982","gmt_changed":"2026-06-12 13:13:02","alt":"A woman in a laboratory wearing a white lab coat looks through a microscope on a benchtop. Petri dishes and a digital scale sit nearby, with lab supplies and equipment arranged on shelves and counters. A window in the background shows greenery outside, and cables connect the microscope to nearby devices.","file":{"fid":"264718","name":"HMB---Raphaelle-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/12\/HMB---Raphaelle-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/12\/HMB---Raphaelle-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":116366,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/12\/HMB---Raphaelle-1.jpg?itok=05VYGJ1j"}}},"media_ids":["680456"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690746":{"#nid":"690746","#data":{"type":"news","title":"GIGABYTE Grant Supports Robotics and AI Ecosystem at Tech ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lab-idar.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELaboratory for Intelligent Decision and Autonomous Robots (LIDAR)\u003C\/a\u003E was awarded a $1 million, three-year industrial grant from GIGABYTE to advance robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) research, with a focus on helping robots better interact with the real world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe grant will support building a robotics and AI ecosystem for dexterous and mobile manipulation, enabling robots to move through environments, interact with objects, and adapt to changing conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/zhao\u0022\u003EYe Zhao\u003C\/a\u003E, LIDAR director and associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, leads the project, with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/anqi-wu\u0022\u003EAnqi Wu\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, serving as co-principal investigator.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/gigabyte-grant-supports-robotics-and-ai-ecosystem-tech\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full story on the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering website\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Laboratory for Intelligent Decision and Autonomous Robots (LIDAR) was awarded a $1 million, three-year industrial grant from GIGABYTE to advance robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) research, with a focus on helping robots better interact with the real world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe grant will support building a robotics and AI ecosystem for dexterous and mobile manipulation, enabling robots to move through environments, interact with objects, and adapt to changing conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYe Zhao, LIDAR director and associate professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, leads the project, with Anqi Wu, assistant professor in the School of Computational Science and Engineering, serving as co-principal investigator.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s Laboratory for Intelligent Decision and Autonomous Robots (LIDAR) was awarded a $1 million, three-year industrial grant from GIGABYTE to advance robotics and AI research, with a focus on helping robots better interact with the real world. "}],"uid":"35851","created_gmt":"2026-06-12 19:28:34","changed_gmt":"2026-06-25 14:20:07","author":"aritchie6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ashley.ritchie@me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAshley Ritchie\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690910":{"#nid":"690910","#data":{"type":"news","title":"What It Takes to Deliver a Tech\u2011Heavy World Cup","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWith an estimated 500,000 visitors coming to the eight games in Atlanta over the next two months, the 2026 World Cup will be one of the biggest sporting events to come to the city since the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFIFA President Gianni Infantino likened the scale of each game to that of a Super Bowl. The success of a tournament that large will rely heavily on technology, affecting everything from the players on the pitch, all the way to viewers at home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn top of the state-of-the-art technology used at many large events, this World Cup will also see the debut of new technology. At the center of much of it will be electrical and computer engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExperts from the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) weigh in on how the field is enabling the technology behind the world\u2019s largest sporting event.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/06\/what-it-takes-deliver-tech-heavy-world-cup\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the ECE News Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWith hundreds of thousands of people attending the 104 World Cup games over the next 39 days and billions more watching at home, an immense amount of technology will be needed to ensure a seamless, safe, and enjoyable experience. Experts from ECE explain how electrical and computer engineering are facilitating some of the tournament\u0027s newest and most crucial technology.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"With hundreds of thousands of people attending the 104 World Cup games, Georgia Tech experts explain  how electrical and computer engineering are facilitating some of the tournament\u0027s newest and most crucial technology."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-24 21:24:12","changed_gmt":"2026-06-24 21:28:36","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680512":{"id":"680512","type":"image","title":"What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1782336352","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 21:25:52","changed":"1782336420","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 21:27:00","alt":"Stock image that shows a soccer stadium as the center of an AI chip design","file":{"fid":"264785","name":"What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":272785,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg?itok=EGonBxq9"}}},"media_ids":["680512"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/06\/what-it-takes-deliver-tech-heavy-world-cup","title":"Read Full Story on ECE News Page"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EZachary Winiecki\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EDan Watson, Georgia Tech ECE\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690865":{"#nid":"690865","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Next-Generation Pesticide Disrupts Bumblebee Reproduction","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBumblebees are only an inch long, but they help power the global\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usda.gov\/about-usda\/general-information\/initiatives-and-highlighted-programs\/peoples-garden\/importance-pollinators\u0022\u003Efood system\u003C\/a\u003E. Roughly one-third of the food we grow depends on pollinators like bees \u2014 and those bees are regularly\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.centerforfoodsafety.org\/issues\/304\/pollinator-protection\/bee-decline-and-pesticide-use-248\u0022\u003Edecimated\u003C\/a\u003E by pesticides.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EModern pesticides have helped boost crop yields, but they can also harm the insects that make those yields possible. Sulfoxaflor, a next-generation pesticide introduced in 2013, kills sap-feeding pests like aphids in crops, including soybeans and corn. Sulfoxaflor is also known to be toxic to bees. Scientists are still working to understand how low-dose exposure affects bee reproduction at the molecular level.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech have found that sulfoxaflor disrupts reproduction and gene expression. In a study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the team exposed groups of worker bumblebees to low doses of the pesticide and analyzed changes in gene activity. They found that ovarian tissues showed the most significant shifts in gene expression. These changes could contribute to reduced reproductive output and, over time, affect bee populations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the study, the researchers flash-froze bee tissues and analyzed RNA to track how gene activity shifted after pesticide exposure. The Georgia Tech team used computational models to pinpoint which biological systems were most affected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat makes this study exciting is that it connects molecular changes in gene expression to real-world consequences for individual bees and their colonies,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/michael-goodisman\u0022\u003EMichael Goodisman\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThat type of connection is rare and gives us a much clearer picture of how pesticides affect bees.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe implications of the study highlight a pressing challenge in agriculture.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe need pesticides to control crop pests, but they can also harm essential non-target insects like bumblebees,\u201d said Sarah Orr, who led the research as a postdoctoral fellow at Georgia Tech and now works as an assistant professor at the University of Tampa. \u201cAs a scientist, my goal is to identify practical solutions that support pest management while also protecting beneficial insects and the food systems that depend on them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat balance between pest control and pollinator protection is critical. \u201cWe need many bees for successful pollination,\u201d Orr said. \u201cIf they\u2019re not producing enough offspring, pollination will decline.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPesticides are only one of several threats facing bumblebees. Stressors like heatwaves also play a growing role. By better understanding how chemicals like sulfoxaflor affect bee biology, researchers hope to help farmers protect both their crops and the pollinators that sustain them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMichael A. Catto, Jixiang Xu, Kayla A. Murray, Emma Leigh M. Bossard, Michael A.D. Goodisman, Sarah E. Orr,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0147651326004306\u0022\u003EIntegrative assessment of sulfoxaflor effects on gene expression, reproduction, and behavior in the bumblebee \u003Cem\u003EBombus impatiens\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Cem\u003EEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety\u003C\/em\u003E, Volume 315, 15 April 2026, 120101, ISSN 0147-6513.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecoenv.2026.120101\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers found that a widely used agricultural pesticide alters bumblebee gene expression, diminishing their ability to reproduce.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers found that a widely used agricultural pesticide alters bumblebee gene expression, diminishing their ability to reproduce."}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2026-06-22 20:20:00","changed_gmt":"2026-06-24 13:31:29","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680490":{"id":"680490","type":"image","title":"Bee.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPhoto by Sarah Orr\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782159635","gmt_created":"2026-06-22 20:20:35","changed":"1782159635","gmt_changed":"2026-06-22 20:20:35","alt":"Bee on flower","file":{"fid":"264760","name":"Bee.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/Bee.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/Bee.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":246903,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/22\/Bee.jpeg?itok=eXPYWkMh"}}},"media_ids":["680490"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690843":{"#nid":"690843","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Classroom to Manufacturing Floor: Teachers Build Real-World Manufacturing Skills at Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor three days in June, a dozen middle and high school teachers from rural Georgia traded their classrooms for Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/montgomery-machining-mall\u0022\u003EMontgomery Machining Mall\u003C\/a\u003E, a machine shop where students and researchers design and build custom parts. Instead of grading papers, they cut metal on bandsaws, lathes, and milling machines while learning skills they\u2019ll take back to their students this fall.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe workshop is part of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/advanced-manufacturing-program\u0022\u003EAdvanced Manufacturing Pathways (AMP) program\u003C\/a\u003E, a collaboration between the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtmi.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (GTMI) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (GTRI), which connects rural educators with hands-on manufacturing training. This particular training was delivered through a partnership between GTMI, STEM@GTRI \u2014 GTRI\u2019s K-12 outreach program \u2014 and the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, leveraging the facilities and expertise of the Montgomery Machining Mall to provide teachers with direct experience in modern manufacturing. Building on GTRI\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ceismc.gatech.edu\/rural-cs-initiative\u0022\u003ERural Computer Science Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E, the program expands access to high-skill, high-wage career pathways across rural communities. The initiative is supported through state funding.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe workshop comes at a time when demand for skilled manufacturing workers continues to grow nationwide, particularly in roles requiring precision, technical expertise, and problem-solving.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EInside the Machine Shop\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe training took place June 3 \u2013 5 in the Montgomery Machining Mall, where staff provided access to facilities, equipment, and technical expertise that made the immersive learning experience possible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETeachers designed and manufactured a metal meat tenderizer and a metal coaster etched with both the Georgia Tech logo and their name. For many, this was their first exposure to advanced manufacturing tools and processes, and a glimpse into high-skill, high-wage careers within reach for their students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMany of these teachers have never been exposed to any advanced manufacturing,\u201d said Sean Mulvanity, a program manager for STEM@GTRI and project lead for this workshop. \u201cBy the time they walk out of here, they\u2019ve actually created and manufactured physical items they can take back to their students.\u201d Unlike traditional professional development, the workshop places teachers directly in the machine shop, working on heavy equipment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor AMP program leaders, this pilot was a way to build momentum for school districts that may add advanced manufacturing courses and to make the machine shop feel less intimidating in the process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the biggest misconceptions about modern manufacturing is that it is inaccessible or limited to specialized factory environments,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtmi.gatech.edu\/people\/steven-ferguson\u0022\u003EGTMI Deputy Director Steven Ferguson\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cToday\u2019s manufacturing combines hands-on skills, digital technologies, AI, and problem-solving in ways that are relevant to students across many career pathways. By giving teachers direct experience in the machine shop, we help them bring that excitement back to their classrooms and show students that they can design, build, and innovate in their own communities.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EFrom the Shop Floor to the Classroom\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the workshop participants is James Beveridge, who teaches computer science for grades 6-12 in the Chattahoochee County School District, a small, rural district south of Columbus. He has participated in multiple Georgia Tech-led training programs, and he runs a full computer science pathway for 450 middle and high school students. This fall will mark his third year in the Rural Computer Science Initiative and teaching computer science after two decades in industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeveridge had some informal experience with tools growing up \u2014 his father taught him basic carpentry and welding \u2014 but he had never done formal machining work before the AMP workshop.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWorking with metal is different than working with wood, obviously, but it\u2019s been really interesting to see the precision involved,\u201d he said. \u201cWith wood, you can be off by a sixteenth of an inch, and nobody cares. When you\u2019re machining metal parts, it has to be very, very precise. Learning to use the precision measuring tools has been eye-opening.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Beveridge, one of the biggest benefits of his ongoing work with Georgia Tech through the Rural Computer Science Initiative and related programs is that he never leaves empty-handed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEvery time I come up here to learn something new, they send me home with the equipment to teach it with,\u201d he said. \u201cThe first time, I left with a classroom set of robots so my students could learn to program. Another time, it was a more advanced humanoid robot with artificial intelligence. Now, I\u2019m going back with new skills in machining and a physical project I can show my students.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother participant, Juone Brown, teaches high school computer science and AI to students at Dooly County High School in Vienna, Georgia. This is her second year in the rural computer science partnership and her fourth year teaching at Dooly. Previously, Brown was a professor for 25 years at Fort Valley State University.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELike Beveridge, Brown has no formal machining background but said the way workshop instructors broke down each step \u2014 especially the math behind the cuts \u2014 made the work feel approachable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt has been fantastic and really well-paced,\u201d she said. \u201cWe all come from different backgrounds, but the way they present the information makes it click. We know the math, but when you\u2019re on the machine, and they show you easier ways to get the cut you need, it\u2019s very encouraging.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe\u2019s already thinking about how to translate that feeling for her students, many of whom prefer building things to writing code. \u201cI\u2019m always telling them that skills pay the bills,\u201d Brown said. \u201cA lot of my students are hands-on. Now I can connect what we\u2019re doing in class to real parts and jobs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EBringing Advanced Manufacturing to More Georgia Classrooms\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter the workshop, teachers are expected to integrate machining concepts into existing courses or help build new manufacturing pathways at their schools. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAMP program leaders intentionally kept this pilot cohort small. The team plans to repeat the workshop several times over the coming year, expanding to more schools and districts across Georgia, building local champions who can help launch advanced manufacturing programs in their communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI) convenes industry leaders, government partners, and top researchers to collaborate on the grand challenges facing manufacturing today: accelerating technology development and deployment; creating, maintaining, and filling quality jobs; ensuring global competitiveness; and advancing economic and environmental stability.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EOur vision is to ensure rapid innovation that secures U.S. dominance in advanced manufacturing. Through the design and development of artificial intelligence systems, secure digital manufacturing, additive and subtractive processes, and large-scale production enterprises, GTMI stands at the forefront of manufacturing innovation \u2014 leveraging state-of-the-art facilities, including the Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility, to turn research breakthroughs into market-ready solutions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).\u202fFounded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 3,000 employees, supporting eight laboratories across more than 20 locations nationwide and performing more than $919 million in problem-solving research annually for government and industry.\u202fGTRI\u0027s renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERural Georgia teachers gain practical machine shop training at Georgia Tech, bringing advanced manufacturing skills back to their classrooms.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Rural Georgia teachers gain practical machine shop training at Georgia Tech, bringing advanced manufacturing skills back to their classrooms."}],"uid":"35874","created_gmt":"2026-06-22 13:56:29","changed_gmt":"2026-06-22 14:28:20","author":"Anna Akins","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680485":{"id":"680485","type":"image","title":"2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_07.JPG","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJuone Brown (left), a teacher at Dooly County High School in Vienna, Georgia, called the bootcamp well-paced and plans to bring what she learned back to her students this fall, many of whom prefer hands-on learning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782132769","gmt_created":"2026-06-22 12:52:49","changed":"1782132769","gmt_changed":"2026-06-22 12:52:49","alt":"A participant at a Georgia Tech manufacturing workshop cuts metal on industrial equipment. ","file":{"fid":"264755","name":"2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_07.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_07.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_07.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":15053651,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_07.JPG?itok=DogDs26z"}},"680488":{"id":"680488","type":"image","title":"2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_28.JPG","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERural Georgia teachers pose with the metal meat tenderizers they made during a machining workshop hosted by the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI) and Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) at the Montgomery Machining Mall.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782132769","gmt_created":"2026-06-22 12:52:49","changed":"1782132769","gmt_changed":"2026-06-22 12:52:49","alt":"Participants in a Georgia Tech machining workshop pose for a group photo. ","file":{"fid":"264758","name":"2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_28.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_28.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_28.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":19978833,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_28.JPG?itok=6CoXkoFp"}},"680487":{"id":"680487","type":"image","title":"2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_23.JPG","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJames Beveridge, a computer science teacher in the Chattahoochee County School District, said he is excited to take back new machining skills and physical items back to share with his students.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782132769","gmt_created":"2026-06-22 12:52:49","changed":"1782132769","gmt_changed":"2026-06-22 12:52:49","alt":"A participant at a Georgia Tech manufacturing workshop cuts metal on industrial equipment. ","file":{"fid":"264757","name":"2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_23.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_23.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_23.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":17227017,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_23.JPG?itok=G0dCSa97"}},"680486":{"id":"680486","type":"image","title":"2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_16.JPG","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA metal meat tenderizer created by participants during the workshop.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782132769","gmt_created":"2026-06-22 12:52:49","changed":"1782132769","gmt_changed":"2026-06-22 12:52:49","alt":"A metal meat tenderizer with a textured striking surface created by participants at a Georgia Tech workshop. ","file":{"fid":"264756","name":"2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_16.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_16.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_16.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":20854471,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/22\/2026_0603_image_STEM-GTRI_machine-bootcamp_16.JPG?itok=hDoa2ebX"}}},"media_ids":["680485","680488","680487","680486"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"94431","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"},{"id":"415","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"170709","name":"STEM@GTRI"},{"id":"185675","name":"Montgomery Machining Mall"},{"id":"1690","name":"rural economic development"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Anna Akins\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E Jennifer Martin | jennifer.martin@research.gatech.edu\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhotos: \u003C\/strong\u003ESean McNeil\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECopyediting:\u003C\/strong\u003E Stacy Braukman\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690826":{"#nid":"690826","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Zhuomin Zhang Receives ASME 2026 James Harry Potter Gold Medal","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/zhang\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZhuomin Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, J. Erskine Love, Jr. Professor in the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, has been awarded the 2026 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asme.org\/about-asme\/honors-awards\/achievement-awards\/james-harry-potter-gold-medal\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames Harry Potter Gold Medal \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003Eby the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). This award recognizes eminent achievement or distinguished service in the science of thermodynamics and its applications in mechanical engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZhang joins a select group of past recipients whose work has shaped modern understanding of energy systems and thermal sciences. The medal is considered one of the most prestigious awards presented by ASME.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI feel deeply honored to be listed alongside distinguished scholars in the field of thermodynamics research and education, including some of my own teachers and mentors,\u201d Zhang said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EASME recognized Zhang for his \u201cpioneering study of radiative thermal power generation and electroluminescent refrigeration, especially on the application of second-law analysis to these systems while accounting for photon entropy and chemical potential.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/zhuomin-zhang-receives-asme-2026-james-harry-potter-gold-medal\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the ME Newspage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/zhang\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZhuomin Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, J. Erskine Love, Jr. Professor in the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, has been awarded the 2026 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asme.org\/about-asme\/honors-awards\/achievement-awards\/james-harry-potter-gold-medal\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames Harry Potter Gold Medal \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003Eby the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). This award recognizes eminent achievement or distinguished service in the science of thermodynamics and its applications in mechanical engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZhang joins a select group of past recipients whose work has shaped modern understanding of energy systems and thermal sciences. The medal is considered one of the most prestigious awards presented by ASME.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI feel deeply honored to be listed alongside distinguished scholars in the field of thermodynamics research and education, including some of my own teachers and mentors,\u201d Zhang said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EASME recognized Zhang for his \u201cpioneering study of radiative thermal power generation and electroluminescent refrigeration, especially on the application of second-law analysis to these systems while accounting for photon entropy and chemical potential.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Zhuomin Zhang, J. Erskine Love, Jr. Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded the 2026 James Harry Potter Gold Medal by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-18 21:08:58","changed_gmt":"2026-06-18 21:12:50","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680484":{"id":"680484","type":"image","title":"Zhuomin_Zhang-photo_png_web.png","body":null,"created":"1781817065","gmt_created":"2026-06-18 21:11:05","changed":"1781817065","gmt_changed":"2026-06-18 21:11:05","alt":"Zhuomin Zhang Profile Picture","file":{"fid":"264753","name":"Zhuomin_Zhang-photo_png_web.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/18\/Zhuomin_Zhang-photo_png_web.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/18\/Zhuomin_Zhang-photo_png_web.png","mime":"image\/png","size":272492,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/18\/Zhuomin_Zhang-photo_png_web.png?itok=kUMW8_nb"}}},"media_ids":["680484"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/zhuomin-zhang-receives-asme-2026-james-harry-potter-gold-medal","title":"Read Full Story on the ME Webpage"}],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690767":{"#nid":"690767","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Summer Carbon Management Fellows Program Visit to the Ben T. Zinn Combustion Lab","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe combustion lab had the pleasure of touring visiting scholars from several neighboring universities on Wednesday, May 27. The combustion lab tour was part of a larger campus visit centered on the topic of carbon management. On the tour, students learned about combustion research activities in fuel flexibility and advanced propulsion concepts. A description of the larger campus visit follows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Summer Carbon Management Fellows Program launched with an in-person kickoff at Georgia Tech, giving students an opportunity to connect with one another, learn more about the program, and begin exploring the role of carbon management in energy, sustainability, and industry innovation. The student group included Georgia Tech Graduate Assistants and students from Kentucky State University, Tennessee State University, Florida A\u0026amp;M University, North Carolina A\u0026amp;T State University, Tuskegee University, Southern University Law Center, and Southern University and A\u0026amp;M College.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/comblab.gatech.edu\/node\/335\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the Ben T. Zinn Lab News page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe combustion lab had the pleasure of touring visiting scholars from several neighboring universities on Wednesday, May 27. The combustion lab tour was part of a larger campus visit centered on the topic of carbon management. On the tour, students learned about combustion research activities in fuel flexibility and advanced propulsion concepts. A description of the larger campus visit follows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Summer Carbon Management Fellows Program launched with an in-person kickoff at Georgia Tech, giving students an opportunity to connect with one another, learn more about the program, and begin exploring the role of carbon management in energy, sustainability, and industry innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The combustion lab had the pleasure of touring visiting scholars from several neighboring universities on Wednesday, May 27. The combustion lab tour was part of a larger campus visit centered on the topic of carbon management. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-16 17:37:21","changed_gmt":"2026-06-16 17:44:50","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680471":{"id":"680471","type":"image","title":"GTCarbonFellowsKickoff-5159-LR.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBen Emerson, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech giving a tour of the Ben T. Zinn Combustion Lab for the Summer Carbon Management Fellows\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1781631462","gmt_created":"2026-06-16 17:37:42","changed":"1781631462","gmt_changed":"2026-06-16 17:37:42","alt":"Ben Emerson, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering giving a tour of the Ben T. Zinn Combustion Lab for the Summer Carbon Management Fellows","file":{"fid":"264737","name":"GTCarbonFellowsKickoff-5159-LR.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/16\/GTCarbonFellowsKickoff-5159-LR.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/16\/GTCarbonFellowsKickoff-5159-LR.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":924107,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/16\/GTCarbonFellowsKickoff-5159-LR.jpg?itok=EBkZvv2e"}}},"media_ids":["680471"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/comblab.gatech.edu\/node\/335","title":"Read Full Story on Ben T. Zinn Lab News Page"}],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194608","name":"HBCU\/MSI Partnerships"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690623":{"#nid":"690623","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Rising From the Ashes: A Hidden Supply of Critical Elements","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/anujatripathi\/\u0022\u003EAnuja Tripathi\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Egrew up in Kanpur, India, where coal fly ash from a nearby power plant coated rooftops, windowsills, and laundry hung outside to dry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI used to see ash settling on our terrace from time to time and thought it was just waste,\u201d Tripathi said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYears later, at Georgia Tech, Tripathi started looking at that ash differently. What once appeared to be ordinary industrial waste became the focal point for her work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a postdoctoral researcher in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ethe School of Civil and Environmental Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, Tripathi, along with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chuang.ce.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EChing-Hua Huang, Turnipseed Family Chair and Professor\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/xing-xie\u0022\u003EXing Xie, Carlton S. Wilder Assistant Professor\u003C\/a\u003E, both in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, developed a method to recover rare earth elements from coal fly ash.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERare earth elements (REEs) help power electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, MRI machines, smartphones, and defense systems because of their unusually strong magnetic and electrical properties. Despite the name, most REEs are not actually rare in quantity. They\u2019re rare in concentration. REEs are scattered through the Earth\u2019s crust in amounts too small to mine easily, and much of their global supply chain remains concentrated outside of the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat imbalance has turned REEs into both an economic and national security concern. Countries are competing for the materials sustaining advanced manufacturing, energy systems, and military technologies, increasing pressure to find domestic sources. That urgency has pushed researchers like Tripathi, Huang, and Xie to look at coal fly ash differently: not just as industrial waste but as a potential source of materials that modern technology depends on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECoal naturally contains trace amounts of rare earth elements. Burning the coal concentrates those elements in the ash left behind.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETripathi developed a method for extracting rare earth elements that avoids the corrosive chemicals used in conventional extraction. The same ash that once coated her rooftop could now become a secondary domestic source of critical materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EMining What Was Left Behind\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECoal fly ash already exists in enormous quantities across the United States. About 2 billion tons are stored in impoundments, such as storage ponds and landfills, according to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-04\/Coal%20Factsheet_4.18.24.pdf\u0022\u003EDepartment of Energy\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose sites require long-term monitoring because coal fly ash can release contaminants into soil and groundwater. Major storms can also damage storage sites and spread the material into surrounding communities and waterways.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInside that ash, REEs are dispersed in tiny concentrations. Recovering them is a challenge; recovering them cleanly is an even greater one. Many existing recovery methods rely on concentrated acids, large amounts of water, or extreme heat during extraction. Some techniques require temperatures high enough to rival industrial furnaces. Others create additional waste streams.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETripathi and her team wanted a different approach.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey built the system around a recyclable ionic liquid, a salt-based substance stable enough to operate under conditions that would break down water-based systems. The liquid pulls rare earth elements away from the ash. An applied electrical current then causes the recovered elements to collect onto a surface where they can be removed. Afterward, the liquid can be cleaned and reused.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThe beauty of this system is that it works beyond the limits of water,\u201d Tripathi said.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThe ionic liquid allows us to recover rare earth elements under conditions that water-based systems just can\u2019t handle.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe process also changes depending on the voltage applied. At lower voltages, the system selectively recovers neodymium, an REE used in high-strength permanent magnets found in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defense systems. At higher voltages, it recovers a broader mixture. The system recovered nearly half of the available neodymium during testing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EBeyond Coal Ash\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETripathi has shown that the chemistry works in small batches. The next challenge is scale: whether the system can recover enough rare earth elements efficiently enough to make the process commercially practical.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe same approach could extend beyond coal fly ash. Batteries, discarded electronics, and medical waste all contain valuable metals that often end up buried in landfills or destroyed during disposal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Tripathi, the idea began at home, where fly ash would settle on her terrace. What once seemed like an ordinary nuisance could help reshape how critical materials are recovered from waste.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ETripathi\u2019s research is published in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acs.est.5c16688\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEnvironmental Science and Technology.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIt was supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/\u0022\u003EU.S. Department of Energy\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers turn a widespread waste product into materials that power modern technology."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher Anuja Tripathi developed a method to recover rare earth elements from coal ash using a recyclable ionic liquid and electricity. The process could turn a major waste product into a domestic source of critical materials used in technologies ranging from electric vehicles to MRI machines.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers turn a widespread waste product into materials that power modern technology."}],"uid":"36410","created_gmt":"2026-06-03 18:15:40","changed_gmt":"2026-06-16 13:27:30","author":"mazriel3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680412":{"id":"680412","type":"image","title":"Anuja Tripathi","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAnuja Tripathi works in a lab developing an energy and environmentally friendly method for extracting rare earth elements from coal fly ash.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780509434","gmt_created":"2026-06-03 17:57:14","changed":"1780510271","gmt_changed":"2026-06-03 18:11:11","alt":"Anuja Tripathi works in the lab","file":{"fid":"264669","name":"Anuja_lab.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/03\/Anuja_lab.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/03\/Anuja_lab.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":227470,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/03\/Anuja_lab.jpeg?itok=tBlE3N82"}}},"media_ids":["680412"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10960","name":"chemical engieering"},{"id":"4776","name":"civil and environmental engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMichelle Azriel\u003Cbr\u003ESenior Research Writer \u2013 Editor\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003Cbr\u003Emazriel3@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mazriel3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690754":{"#nid":"690754","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Wearable Reroutes Lost Sensation, Restores Stability","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMisjudge a curb or miss a step on the stairs, and there is a split second of panic as your foot doesn\u2019t land when you expect it to. That brief loss of pressure can be enough to throw off your balance entirely.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor most, that heart-pounding uncertainty ends the moment the foot finds solid ground. But for many individuals living with conditions like stroke or spinal cord injury (SCI), that sense of disconnect is a permanent reality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese conditions of course have a huge effect on our ability to move around and be independent \u2014 but the other side of it is the sensory feedback that we lose,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/matthew-t-flavin\u0022\u003EMatthew Flavin\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. Most rehabilitation treatments primarily focus on restoring movement, but \u201ceven if you have motor control, if you can\u2019t feel when your foot\u0027s touching the ground it can be really hard for you to move around safely.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a new study published in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2536577123\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Flavin and an interdisciplinary team of researchers introduce a way to bridge this gap: a wearable \u201csensory substitution\u201d system that translates foot pressure into high-tech patterns of heat and vibration they can feel elsewhere.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe system uses high-resolution pressure-sensing insoles designed by the team, which are placed inside a user\u0027s shoes to record how their weight shifts in real-time. This data is streamed via Bluetooth to a flexible, skin-conformable array of haptic receivers worn on the forearms, a part of the body that often retains sensation in SCI. The receivers give quick pressure feedback through vibration, while also alerting the user to longer-term pressure \u201chotspots\u201d through heat.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the limitations of a lot of approaches in haptics is that you\u0027re having to map a missing sense onto a completely different sense,\u201d says Flavin. \u201cWe\u2019re keeping the type of information that we\u0027re missing, which is the distribution of pressure, and we\u0027re just basically putting it on a different part of their body.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERerouting the lost sensation was key to making the device intuitive to learn. Participants were able to correctly identify the \u201cfeel\u201d of the ground through their arms with high accuracy within a mere two-hour session. When tested with a small group of participants with stroke or SCI, the wearable significantly improved standing balance and led to steadier walking.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat\u2019s encouraging about these early results is that participants appeared to use the feedback in ways that supported balance and walking,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mccormick.northwestern.edu\/research-faculty\/directory\/profiles\/rogers-john.html\u0022\u003EJohn Rogers\u003C\/a\u003E, a materials science and engineering professor at Northwestern University who collaborated on this study. \u201cOur study suggests that providing pressure information through another part of the body could be a practical path for helping people compensate for lost sensation.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile vibration provides immediate feedback for walking and balance, the team views the thermal feedback as a tool for long-term health. Heat is a slower, low-frequency signal that could alert patients to pressure hotspots, potentially preventing diabetic foot ulcers or pressure injuries for those who are bedridden or use wheelchairs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe small, lightweight system is completely untethered, making it suitable for use during daily activities in and outside the clinic. It\u2019s also highly adaptable to different injury types, which is ideal for conditions as variable as stroke, SCI, and diabetic neuropathy. Placement of the haptic receivers can be adjusted based on where a patient has the most sensation, and the sensitivity of the insoles can be tailored to each patient.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a member of several of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/interdisciplinary-research-institutes\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Research Institutes\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/robotics\u0022\u003EInstitute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 Flavin credits the project\u2019s success to an interdisciplinary effort and deep engagement with clinicians and patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis reinforces the importance of really engaging with your stakeholders very early on,\u201d says Flavin. \u201cIf you\u0027re not continually refining that concept with those stakeholders, you quickly find that they might be looking for something that your device isn\u0027t delivering.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith new funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the team is now working to make the technology even smaller and more reconfigurable, moving closer to a standard wearable for daily clinical use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2536577123\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2536577123\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have developed a wireless wearable that translates foot pressure into heat and vibration, helping individuals with sensory impairments regain balance and mobility.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have developed a wireless wearable that translates foot pressure into heat and vibration, helping individuals with sensory impairments regain balance and mobility."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2026-06-15 20:56:13","changed_gmt":"2026-06-16 12:16:33","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680466":{"id":"680466","type":"image","title":"Flavin-Device-Under-Microscope.png","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003EThe system converts pressure underfoot into vibration and heat felt elsewhere on the body, helping people with sensory loss regain awareness of their footing and improve balance.\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1781557523","gmt_created":"2026-06-15 21:05:23","changed":"1781557523","gmt_changed":"2026-06-15 21:05:23","alt":"Close-up of hands positioning a flexible haptic device with embedded electronics under a microscope, highlighting the small components and patterned array used to deliver sensory feedback.","file":{"fid":"264732","name":"Flavin-Device-Under-Microscope.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/15\/Flavin-Device-Under-Microscope.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/15\/Flavin-Device-Under-Microscope.png","mime":"image\/png","size":10816942,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/15\/Flavin-Device-Under-Microscope.png?itok=7OCs2RGM"}},"680467":{"id":"680467","type":"image","title":"Flavin-Device-Portrait.png","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003EMatthew Flavin, assistant professor in electrical engineering and lead author of the study, holds the flexible haptic device.\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1781557731","gmt_created":"2026-06-15 21:08:51","changed":"1781557731","gmt_changed":"2026-06-15 21:08:51","alt":"A researcher stands in a laboratory holding a flexible, transparent wearable device embedded with small electronic nodes, with microscopes and lab equipment visible in the background.","file":{"fid":"264733","name":"Flavin-Device-Portrait.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/15\/Flavin-Device-Portrait.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/15\/Flavin-Device-Portrait.png","mime":"image\/png","size":12093054,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/15\/Flavin-Device-Portrait.png?itok=7qCineau"}},"680468":{"id":"680468","type":"image","title":"Flavin-Device-Schematic.png","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003EPressure-sensing insoles in the shoes transmit real-time data to flexible haptic arrays worn on the forearms, where patterns of vibration and heat recreate a sense of foot-ground contact through sensory substitution.\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1781571167","gmt_created":"2026-06-16 00:52:47","changed":"1781571167","gmt_changed":"2026-06-16 00:52:47","alt":"Schematic diagram of a wearable sensory substitution system showing pressure-sensing insoles placed inside shoes, flexible haptic arrays worn on both forearms, and a smartphone interface. Close-up views highlight the insole sensor layout and a dense grid of small actuators on the forearm device that deliver vibration and heat.","file":{"fid":"264734","name":"Flavin-Device-Schematic.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/15\/Flavin-Device-Schematic.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/15\/Flavin-Device-Schematic.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2450907,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/15\/Flavin-Device-Schematic.png?itok=U8hkGUYv"}}},"media_ids":["680466","680467","680468"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/new-wearable-device-monitors-skin-health-real-time","title":"New Wearable Device Monitors Skin Health in Real Time"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/confronting-roadblocks-medical-technology-innovation","title":"Confronting the Roadblocks in Medical Technology Innovation"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/head-toe-georgia-tech-researchers-treat-entire-human-body-through-neuroscience-research","title":"Head to Toe: Georgia Tech Researchers Treat the Entire Human Body Through Neuroscience Research"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter and Media Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhotos:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EMaxwell Guberman\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690711":{"#nid":"690711","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Maintains No. 1 Ranking in Energy and Fuels for Third Consecutive Year","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/best-global-universities\/united-states\/energy-fuels\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has named\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech the top-ranked public university in energy and fuels research (No. 3 nationally). The Institute has maintained this ranking every year since the category was first introduced in 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-named-top-ranked-public-university-energy\u0022\u003Econtinued recognition\u003C\/a\u003E highlights Georgia Tech\u2019s research leadership in advancing energy solutions across technology, science, policy, and economics and in delivering technically advanced solutions that is scalable, secure, and sustainable for the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe scale and integration of our energy ecosystem is among Georgia Tech\u2019s great strengths,\u201d said Executive Vice President for Research\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/leadership\u0022\u003ETim Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cA defining part of that ecosystem is the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), our interdisciplinary research institute that brings together the talents of researchers from across disciplines to accelerate energy innovation and deliver real-world solutions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESEI integrates energy activities at Georgia Tech by connecting more than 1,000 researchers across the entire energy value chain and enabling collaboration with industry, government, communities, and nonprofits.\u0026nbsp;SEI is deeply engaged in building community, developing resources, promoting thought leadership, and marshaling the full resources of Georgia Tech around tackling the tough energy and environmental problems and opportunities society faces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech\u2019s energy leadership is built on the depth of our research and the breadth of our collaborations,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, SEI\u2019s executive director. \u201cBy connecting expertise across the full energy value chain, we are advancing solutions that enhance affordability, reliability, security, and sustainability.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/em\u003E evaluates the academic research performance of universities in 51 subject areas using indicators such as publications, citations, and global and regional research reputation. Georgia Tech was assessed among 292 institutions in the U.S. and\u0026nbsp;continues its strong\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-colleges\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1569\/overall-rankings\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Estanding\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the rankings, claiming the No. 32 spot overall in the nation and No. 9 among public universities.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/best-global-universities\/united-states\/energy-fuels\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has named\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech the top-ranked public university in energy and fuels research (No. 3 nationally). The Institute has maintained this ranking every year since the category was first introduced in 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-named-top-ranked-public-university-energy\u0022\u003Econtinued recognition\u003C\/a\u003E highlights Georgia Tech\u2019s research leadership in advancing energy solutions across technology, science, policy, and economics and in delivering technically advanced solutions that is scalable, secure, and sustainable for the future.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"U.S. News \u0026 World Report has named Georgia Tech the top-ranked public university in energy and fuels research (No. 3 nationally). The Institute has maintained this ranking every year since the category was first introduced in 2024."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-09 17:01:43","changed_gmt":"2026-06-15 13:28:52","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680441":{"id":"680441","type":"image","title":"EnergyGraphic.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1781024511","gmt_created":"2026-06-09 17:01:51","changed":"1781024511","gmt_changed":"2026-06-09 17:01:51","alt":"Graphic showing #1 public university in energy in Georgia Tech colors","file":{"fid":"264700","name":"EnergyGraphic.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/09\/EnergyGraphic.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/09\/EnergyGraphic.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":134834,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/09\/EnergyGraphic.jpeg?itok=3L5Z9pvJ"}}},"media_ids":["680441"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPriya Devarajan | SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690320":{"#nid":"690320","#data":{"type":"news","title":" How the Global Energy Crisis Is Affecting Americans","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEscalating Middle East tensions are rattling global oil markets, and the effects are already showing up in American wallets, affecting everything from travel to food prices. Georgia Tech economists and public policy experts break down what Americans need to know right now.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E1. You\u2019re paying more at the pump, and it\u2019s not going away anytime soon.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGas prices are the most visible sign of the crisis, and the increases are already significant. National average retail gasoline prices are more than $1.20 higher than they were in February, before the conflict escalated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEven though U.S. petroleum production often exceeds our consumption, we are not insulated from disruptions in global oil supply because oil is a globally traded commodity,\u201d says director of the Energy Policy and Innovation Center,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIf supply is restricted anywhere in the world, prices will rise everywhere, including in the U.S.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarkets expect some relief by fall, with future prices pointing lower than today\u2019s levels. But\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/tony-harding\u0022\u003ETony Harding\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, cautions, \u201cPrices are likely to remain above pre-conflict levels for the foreseeable future, and temporary relief measures, such as Georgia\u2019s motor fuel tax suspension, will not last forever.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETaylor puts it plainly: \u201cWages are not rising faster than prices, so people are feeling the pinch and will continue to do so.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u003Cstrong\u003EYour summer plans just got more expensive.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe impact does not stop at the gas station. For Americans planning summer travel, the timing of this conflict could not be worse.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/matthew-oliver\u0022\u003EMatthew Oliver\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the School of Economics, points to commercial air travel as one of the most exposed sectors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cJet fuel prices have roughly doubled in the wake of the current oil price spike, putting immediate upward pressure on airfares,\u201d says Oliver.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ripple effects extend far beyond travel.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOil is an input into the supply chain of nearly every good at some point,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/889222ee-d2fd-599b-9140-79d7dc30afeb\u0022\u003EBobby Harris\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Economics. \u201cWhen input costs go up, prices go up.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E3. Expect to pay more at the grocery store.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe connection between Middle East tensions and the American dinner table is more direct than many realize, because petrochemicals are a key feedstock for fertilizer production.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHigher oil prices lead to higher fertilizer prices, which lead to higher food prices,\u201d says Oliver.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECombined with existing tariff pressures and tight supply chains, the strain on household budgets is coming from multiple directions at once.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf the crisis persists, there will be upward pressure on the prices of nearly every physical good,\u201d Oliver adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E4. The government\u2019s options are limited, and the clock is ticking.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWashington has tools to respond, but none are silver bullets. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve currently holds around 400 million barrels and can release about 4 million barrels per day, roughly 20% of U.S. daily demand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI see the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a tool to buy time during a crisis,\u201d says public policy professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/daniel-matisoff\u0022\u003EDan Matisoff\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cBut if the conflict drags on, we will ultimately be in a more vulnerable position.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQuick fixes like price caps or demand subsidies carry trade-offs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSubsidies can mitigate the impact of price shocks, but they can also mask important market signals that help balance supply and demand,\u201d says Harding, using Europe\u2019s 2022 energy crisis as a cautionary example.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E5. The smartest thing Americans can do right now is think about efficiency.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPeople in general tend to undervalue energy efficiency,\u201d says Matisoff. \u201cThink of energy efficiency investments as a sort of hedge or insurance against volatile energy prices.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat means considering fuel efficiency when buying a car, and looking at heat pumps, electric vehicles, and home energy upgrades when the time is right.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHigher energy prices increase the value of investing in energy efficiency upgrades to your home and adopting technologies that are less dependent on fossil fuels,\u201d says Harding.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor families navigating uncertainty, both economists and policy experts point to the same practical advice: Reduce your exposure to fossil fuel price swings before the next crisis hits.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EEscalating tensions in the Middle East are fueling global oil price volatility and driving up costs for U.S. consumers, from gas and airfare to groceries. Georgia Tech experts explain that because oil is traded globally, supply disruptions anywhere raise prices everywhere, keeping fuel costs elevated above pre-conflict levels. Higher oil prices are also increasing transportation and supply chain expenses, while rising fertilizer costs are pushing food prices higher. Although the federal government can deploy short-term measures such as tapping reserves, experts note these solutions are limited and temporary. As uncertainty continues in energy markets, households are encouraged to reduce long-term costs by improving energy efficiency and lowering reliance on fossil fuels.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Experts break down five things to know about how global oil disruptions are already hitting American households."}],"uid":"35798","created_gmt":"2026-05-18 15:28:36","changed_gmt":"2026-06-11 00:01:34","author":"Ayana Isles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680298":{"id":"680298","type":"image","title":"How the Global Energy Crisis Is Affecting Americans","body":null,"created":"1779115821","gmt_created":"2026-05-18 14:50:21","changed":"1779115944","gmt_changed":"2026-05-18 14:52:24","alt":"Hand of the man putting money into the opening gas tank of his car. Refueling car with gasoline at gas stations. ","file":{"fid":"264545","name":"AdobeStock_519017170.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/AdobeStock_519017170.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/AdobeStock_519017170.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4443863,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/18\/AdobeStock_519017170.jpeg?itok=a__vbUHh"}}},"media_ids":["680298"],"related_files":{"264054":{"fid":null,"name":"Strait of Hormuz","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/03\/Strait-Of-Hormuz.jpeg","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/03\/Strait-Of-Hormuz.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":255785,"description":null}},"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"213","name":"energy"},{"id":"195138","name":"global oil disruptions"},{"id":"194980","name":"iran conflict"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/aisles3@gatech.edu \u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAyana Isles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690506":{"#nid":"690506","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Breakthrough Study Sheds Light on How BRCA\u2011Related Cancers Repair Broken DNA","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is shared jointly with the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.osu.edu\/best-snapshots-yet-of-dna-repair-protein-relevant-to-brca-mutations\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOhio State University\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E newsroom.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EScientists have captured the most detailed structural images to date of a specific type of protein\u2019s DNA repair process. The research could reveal ways to inhibit the effects of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations that heighten the risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis work lets us see, step by step, one mechanism by which cancer cells could manage to repair their DNA when BRCA genes mutate and fail,\u201d says study co-author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/vicki-wysocki\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVicki Wysocki\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ewho is chair of the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cBy capturing this process in detail, this study opens the door to understanding how those cancerous cells survive and how treatments might disrupt that mechanism.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDesignated as a Breakthrough Article, the study\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/nar\/article\/54\/8\/gkag320\/8661651?login=false\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMechanism of single-strand annealing from native mass spectrometry and cryo-EM structures of RAD52 homolog Mgm101\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E was recently published in \u003Cem\u003ENucleic Acids Research.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn addition to Wysocki, who is a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and a professor emerita at Ohio State University, the Georgia Tech research team included co-first author\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EZihao Qi,\u003C\/strong\u003E a Ph.D. candidate in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/wysocki-group\/\u0022\u003EWysocki Lab\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThey were joined by Ohio State researchers co-first author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/osbp.osu.edu\/people\/wheat.35\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECarter Wheat\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and senior author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medicine.osu.edu\/find-a-researcher\/charles-bell-100003449\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharles Bell\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, who is a professor of biological chemistry and pharmacology in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medicine.osu.edu\/news#\/search\/brac\u0022\u003ECollege of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E. Additional authors include Metro High School student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMiqdad Hussain\u003C\/strong\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cas.org\/\u0022\u003ECAS\u003C\/a\u003E researcher \u003Cstrong\u003EKaterina Zakharova\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen BRCA Fails\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENormally, BRCA genes help prevent cancer by acting as tumor suppressors \u2014 producing proteins that help repair broken DNA. When cancer cells lack the tumor-suppression function of normal BRCA genes, research has shown that a protein called RAD52 performs DNA repair.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESince RAD52 allows cancer cells to survive and replicate without tumor suppression, researchers have wondered if blocking it would kill the cancerous cells. Blocking RAD52, however, requires fully understanding its repair activities, which have been difficult to capture with even the most sophisticated techniques.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDNA strands break every day in cells, which is why proteins exist to fix the breaks and keep cellular processes running smoothly, the team says. But because repairs must happen quickly and human proteins are often more complex than their ancestral counterparts, even the most advanced imaging equipment can\u2019t capture every step in the process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn order to understand RAD52 better, the research team turned to its ancestral protein, Mgm101, to observe several key steps in its DNA repair process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Clearer Image\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team decided to leverage multiple types of imaging. Wysocki\u2019s lab at Georgia Tech conducted native mass spectrometry and mass photometry, using light to measure masses of protein-DNA complexes. The results showed that the ancestral protein Mgm101 assembled from a single copy of itself into a large multi-unit ring composed of 19 copies of the protein.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis ring is essentially a template,\u201d Wysocki explains. \u201cThe first strand of DNA can come down, and then the second strand comes on and starts being annealed to the first strand.\u201d Annealing occurs when two single strands of DNA come together to form the characteristic double helix structure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe findings were supported by what Bell\u2019s lab determined using cryogenic electron microscopy, observing structures floating in solution and frozen in a thin layer of ice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cRAD52 high-resolution structures have been determined with single-stranded DNA, but not with the two DNAs that it\u2019s trying to anneal,\u201d Bell says. \u201cIts job is to bind single-stranded DNA and anneal it to its complement sequence. It\u2019s been captured structurally, but only in a few states relevant to the reaction.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cHere, we have more of the states along the full pathway from substrate, to intermediate and product. And the duplex intermediate is a conformation that\u2019s never been seen before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPreviously, researchers were unsure if this DNA repair process used one protein ring or two rings working together, the team says. Their findings show that just one ring is used\u0026nbsp;\u2014 and that\u0026nbsp;this is likely consistent across different species.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPaths to Treatment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENext, the team plans to try capturing the same phases of the DNA repair process with RAD52 from humans. A clearer understanding of how this family of proteins binds to DNA strands and coaxes them back together after a break provides insights for drug targets that could halt the process in cancer cells empowered by mutated BRCA genes, they say.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s still a proposed mechanism: Just because we see these snapshots of the process doesn\u2019t mean we know all the details, but we do have the best snapshots for any protein that does this single-strand annealing,\u201d says Bell. \u201cThis focuses our strategies for drug development.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/nar\/gkag320\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/nar\/gkag320\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: This work was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. The cryo-EM data were collected at Ohio State\u2019s Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis and processed using the Ohio Supercomputer Center.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research captures detailed snapshots of a process that helps cancer cells survive \u2014 and may point to new treatments.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The research captures detailed snapshots of a process that helps cancer cells survive \u2014 and may point to new treatments."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-05-27 13:56:51","changed_gmt":"2026-06-05 16:50:08","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680421":{"id":"680421","type":"image","title":"Vicki Wysocki","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVicki Wysocki\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780677825","gmt_created":"2026-06-05 16:43:45","changed":"1780677825","gmt_changed":"2026-06-05 16:43:45","alt":"Vicki Wysocki","file":{"fid":"264678","name":"Vicki-Wysocki.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/05\/Vicki-Wysocki.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/05\/Vicki-Wysocki.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":299719,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/05\/Vicki-Wysocki.jpg?itok=coGCKGlG"}}},"media_ids":["680421"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.osu.edu\/best-snapshots-yet-of-dna-repair-protein-relevant-to-brca-mutations\/","title":"Best snapshots yet of DNA repair protein relevant to BRCA mutations"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch Writer \/ Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690639":{"#nid":"690639","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Steven Ferguson Builds Better On-Ramps to Georgia Manufacturing, Education","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor Steven Ferguson, deputy director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E and executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/engage\/manufacturing-40-consortium\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium\u003C\/a\u003E, advancing Georgia\u2019s manufacturing industry and its workforce is personal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was Ferguson\u2019s own first manufacturing industry job at Glidden Paint in high school that tipped a row of dominoes, clearing his way out of poverty. Following next in the Hall County native\u2019s\u0026nbsp;favor was his receiving the Pell Grant and HOPE Grant, which led to his associate\u2019s degree and first job in education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince then, Ferguson has spent the better part of three decades advancing workforce preparation and education access in Georgia, first as chief information officer for the Technical College System of Georgia, and now through his current roles at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAccess to higher education changed the trajectory of my life. The question now is how we build systems that create those same opportunities for others \u2014 whether someone starts their career right out of high school, earns credentials while working, or returns later to pursue advanced technical education or engineering. We need to create flexible pathways that develop talent at every stage of life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESteven Ferguson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EForged in Manufacturing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFerguson was born into a family of \u201cmakers,\u201d who got by on odd jobs and money from their small bait and tackle shop on Lake Lanier and later peddling a variety of goods. At a young age, Ferguson learned salesmanship and picked up the tinkering spirit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy dad was always entrepreneurial, and I think you might even consider us manufacturers, always making fishing equipment or other things,\u201d said Ferguson. \u201cFrom a very young age, I was out making jig heads, tying flies, and bagging hooks or sinkers. It was definitely in my blood.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen he was in 10th grade, a teacher nominated Ferguson for a new youth apprenticeship program. That opportunity ultimately led to his role as an information technology apprentice at Glidden Paint, which became Ferguson\u2019s first job in the manufacturing industry. The job was a perfect fit for Ferguson, who enjoyed learning more about the manufacturing process and the practical outlet for his computing knowledge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe continued working there until he began studying computer science at North Georgia College and State University. Later, he transferred to Gainesville College (GC) to participate in a joint enrollment program designed to lead to eventual enrollment for a bachelor\u2019s degree at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, before Ferguson completed his time at GC, he had an \u003Ca\u003Eassociate\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E degree and, more importantly, a job offer. GC wanted him to train others for careers in information technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.em.gatech.edu\/2026\/05\/27\/access-steven-ferguson-manufacturing-education\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the Enrollment Management News Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor Steven Ferguson, deputy director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E and executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/engage\/manufacturing-40-consortium\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium\u003C\/a\u003E, advancing Georgia\u2019s manufacturing industry and its workforce is personal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was Ferguson\u2019s own first manufacturing industry job at Glidden Paint in high school that tipped a row of dominoes, clearing his way out of poverty. Following next in the Hall County native\u2019s\u0026nbsp;favor was his receiving the Pell Grant and HOPE Grant, which led to his associate\u2019s degree and first job in education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince then, Ferguson has spent the better part of three decades advancing workforce preparation and education access in Georgia, first as chief information officer for the Technical College System of Georgia, and now through his current roles at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"For Steven Ferguson, deputy director of the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute and executive director of the Georgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium, advancing Georgia\u2019s manufacturing industry and its workforce is personal."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-04 14:17:03","changed_gmt":"2026-06-04 14:21:17","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680416":{"id":"680416","type":"image","title":"StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESteven Ferguson, deputy director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E and executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/engage\/manufacturing-40-consortium\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780582672","gmt_created":"2026-06-04 14:17:52","changed":"1780582713","gmt_changed":"2026-06-04 14:18:33","alt":"Steven Ferguson","file":{"fid":"264673","name":"StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/04\/StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/04\/StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":176331,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/04\/StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg?itok=xDe8xlwi"}}},"media_ids":["680416"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.em.gatech.edu\/2026\/05\/27\/access-steven-ferguson-manufacturing-education\/","title":"Full Story on the Enrollment Management News Page"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amanda.budd@ssc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmanda Budd\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["amanda.budd@ssc.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685207":{"#nid":"685207","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Advanced Manufacturing Takes Off in Georgia Classrooms","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESmart manufacturing, data-driven design, and artificial intelligence aren\u2019t just buzzwords \u2014 they are fields that are creating high-paying, high-tech careers across the country. In rural communities across Georgia, these advanced manufacturing roles are growing, but the talent pipeline isn\u2019t keeping pace.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s not just about creating jobs, it\u2019s about filling them,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/11182\u0022\u003ETom Kurfess\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u2019 Professor in mechanical engineering and executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (GTMI). \u201cTo do that, we need to show students how exciting and innovative manufacturing can be. Manufacturing has really changed over the past few years. Today, going from an idea to a physical part is much easier to do. It is fun and exciting to bring ideas to life and to actually hold the results in your hands.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGTMI is working to\u0026nbsp;reignite student interest in the art and science of making\u0026nbsp;through its new K\u201312 initiative: the\u0026nbsp;Advanced Manufacturing Pathways (AMP) Program. Modeled after Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ceismc.gatech.edu\/rural-cs-initiative\u0022\u003ERural CS Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E, AMP\u0026nbsp;empowers schools with faculty expertise, cutting-edge equipment, and a hands-on curriculum\u0026nbsp;to give students early exposure to the tools, technologies, and creativity behind modern manufacturing while building a pipeline of future talent ready to thrive in high-tech careers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunded by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.swgrc.org\/\u0022\u003ESouthwest Georgia Regional Commission\u003C\/a\u003E (SWGRC), AMP is kicking off in three school districts this fall \u2014 Decatur County,\u0026nbsp;Thomas County, and\u0026nbsp;the city of Thomasville\u0026nbsp; \u2014 with plans to expand to additional schools in the spring of 2026. The program will start by engaging more than 200 students through hands-on learning, virtual instruction, and in-person lab experiences led by Georgia Tech researchers and faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHere in Southwest Georgia, we believe that opportunities like this are vital for integrated learning in schools and for growing our future workforce,\u201d says Beka Shiver, economic development and transportation planner for SWGRC. \u201cWorkforce development and K-12 integration are at the heart of our Southwest Georgia Ecosystem Building Project, and we are so pleased to be able to provide funding for this program.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe launch of the AMP Program is\u0026nbsp;centered around Design, Build, Race, a course putting a modern spin on the classic pinewood derby. Students will use digital design, 3D printing, and machining to build and race custom cars, while also learning how to collect and analyze performance data to improve their designs and predict outcomes. The course blends engineering with data science, sparking curiosity and showing students how modern manufacturing is powered by both technical skills and smart data.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis program delivers real-world industry experience to students while strengthening the talent pipeline that drives innovation, competitiveness, and resilience in advanced manufacturing\u201d, says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/21289\u0022\u003ESteven Ferguson\u003C\/a\u003E, interim director of operations at GTMI and one of the project\u2019s leaders. \u201cAfter more than 20 years of driving education and workforce development innovation, I\u2019m more energized than ever to help launch the AMP program to open doors for students and advance U.S. manufacturing leadership.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EBuilding the Blueprint\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore it evolved into the AMP Program, Design, Build, Race was a course developed by GTMI research engineer \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/kyle-saleeby\u0022\u003EKyle Saleeby\u003C\/a\u003E in 2023. Originating in GTMI\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility (AMPF), the course was designed to introduce Morehouse and Georgia Tech students to the possibilities of modern manufacturing through digital design, 3D printing, machining, and competitive creativity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEven after the first week, it was powerful to watch students discover how exciting it is to design and manufacture a competition-ready car in a matter of hours,\u201d said Saleeby. \u201cThat\u2019s when I knew we were onto something special.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESaleeby teamed up with\u0026nbsp;Ferguson to transform the course into a broader initiative. The duo engaged colleagues from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/outreach\/stem-at-gtri\u0022\u003ESTEM@GTRI\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;secured funding from SWGRC to modify the curriculum and scale the course for a high school audience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are thrilled that we have been able to take the lessons learned during the development of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ceismc.gatech.edu\/rural-cs-initiative\u0022\u003ERural Computer Science Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E and expand opportunities for students in Southwest Georgia,\u201d says Sean Mulvanity, a senior research associate in the Georgia Tech Research Institute. Mulvanity is one of the founders of the initiative and has been a key contributor to the AMP Program. \u201cWe hope this program can grow and expose students across the state to the field of advanced manufacturing.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough granted by the SWGRC, funds for the program were provided by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiaaim.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing\u003C\/a\u003E, a statewide initiative founded by GTMI and Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E to advance AI-driven manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo bring AMP into classrooms,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/southernregional.edu\/\u0022\u003ESouthern Regional Technical College\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;helped set up labs and provide technical support, ensuring schools were ready to launch.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt all levels, the community has rallied around this program,\u201d says Saleeby. \u201cProviding students with a unique experience learning advanced manufacturing technologies will open countless career opportunities. I cannot wait to see where they go.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaunched this fall, Georgia Tech\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Program works to spark interest in high-tech careers and strengthen Georgia\u2019s talent pipeline.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Launched this fall, Georgia Tech\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Program works to spark interest in high-tech careers and strengthen Georgia\u2019s talent pipeline."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2025-09-23 18:32:30","changed_gmt":"2026-06-03 19:13:38","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678139":{"id":"678139","type":"image","title":"GT-Pinewood-Derby-Cars.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents across Georgia are designing and 3D printing pinewood derby cars as part of a new hands-on advanced manufacturing initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758811031","gmt_created":"2025-09-25 14:37:11","changed":"1758811031","gmt_changed":"2025-09-25 14:37:11","alt":"Students across Georgia are designing and 3D printing pinewood derby cars as part of a new hands-on advanced manufacturing initiative.","file":{"fid":"262126","name":"GT-Pinewood-Derby-Cars.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-Pinewood-Derby-Cars.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-Pinewood-Derby-Cars.png","mime":"image\/png","size":8283257,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/25\/GT-Pinewood-Derby-Cars.png?itok=5NM2T1H7"}},"678140":{"id":"678140","type":"image","title":"Saleeby-setting-up-equipment.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKyle Saleeby (left) works side-by-side with a teacher to set up precision milling equipment, a key part of the AMP Program\u2019s hands-on curriculum.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758811233","gmt_created":"2025-09-25 14:40:33","changed":"1758811233","gmt_changed":"2025-09-25 14:40:33","alt":"Kyle Saleeby (left) works side-by-side with a teacher to set up precision milling equipment, a key part of the AMP Program\u2019s hands-on curriculum.","file":{"fid":"262127","name":"Saleeby-setting-up-equipment.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/Saleeby-setting-up-equipment.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/Saleeby-setting-up-equipment.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":221625,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/25\/Saleeby-setting-up-equipment.jpeg?itok=38NIH9i0"}},"678141":{"id":"678141","type":"image","title":"Steven-Ferguson.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWith more than two decades of workforce development experience, Steven Ferguson is helping launch a new era of hands-on learning through the AMP Program.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758811394","gmt_created":"2025-09-25 14:43:14","changed":"1758811394","gmt_changed":"2025-09-25 14:43:14","alt":"With more than two decades of workforce development experience, Steven Ferguson is helping launch a new era of hands-on learning through the AMP Program.","file":{"fid":"262128","name":"Steven-Ferguson.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/Steven-Ferguson.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/Steven-Ferguson.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2690472,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/25\/Steven-Ferguson.jpeg?itok=87CORHJc"}}},"media_ids":["678139","678140","678141"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.research.gatech.edu\/2025\/09\/16\/georgia-tech-taps-military-talent-boost-manufacturing-workforce","title":"Georgia Tech Taps Military Talent to Boost Manufacturing Workforce"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/manufacturing-workforce-future","title":"Manufacturing the Workforce of the Future"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/impact\/workforce\/michael-trigger","title":"How a Veteran Gained Invaluable Skills in AI Manufacturing at Georgia Tech"}],"groups":[{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"186857","name":"go-gtmi"},{"id":"193651","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institiute"},{"id":"415","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"195164","name":"go-ampf"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667608":{"#nid":"667608","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Addressing the Nation\u2019s Call for Semiconductors","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESemiconductors, or microchips, are vital to life in the modern world. They\u2019re used in the microwave you heated your breakfast in this morning, the car you drove to work, the mobile phone you shouldn\u2019t use while driving, the bank ATM you visited, and the screened device you\u2019re reading this story on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey\u2019re in our TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines, helping us live comfortable lives. They also help us stay alive as part of the medical network, used in pacemakers, blood pressure monitors, and MRI machines, among other things. Also, our national economic and defense systems rely on them. Basically, semiconductors control and manage the flow of information in the machinery that keeps the world going.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd right now, at Georgia Tech, researchers are working to innovate chip technology to ensure that U.S. semiconductor development is globally competitive, reliable, sustainable, and resilient, today and in the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you look at semiconductors, or the whole area of computing, it spans across Georgia Tech \u2014 across many different schools and disciplines,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/arijit-raychowdhury\u0022\u003EArijit Raychudhury\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Steve W. Chaddick Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cStarting with physics and chemistry, where we essentially learn how different types of materials will react, to materials science and engineering, to electrical engineering and computer engineering, to computer science.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s a diverse, multidisciplinary enterprise from bottom to top, Raychudhury noted. And there is still plenty of room at the bottom, as theoretical physicist Richard P. Feynman famously said more than 60 years ago, predicting that one day we\u2019d be making things at the atomic level. We are. It\u2019s a familiar realm to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cse.gatech.edu\/people\/victor-fung\u0022\u003EVictor Fung\u003C\/a\u003E and his lab, where they are designing new materials for semiconductors from the ground up, atom by atom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are interested in exploring how to translate the latest advances in AI and machine learning to aid in accelerating computational materials simulations and materials discovery,\u201d said Fung, assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWe\u2019ve been developing methods which can accurately predict a wide range of materials\u2019 properties, to greatly facilitate high-throughput materials screening.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fung-group.org\/\u0022\u003EFung\u2019s lab\u003C\/a\u003E is using AI to discover previously unstudied materials with the electronic properties to build into chips. This approach to creating \u201cdesigner\u201d semiconductors would be significantly faster and cover more of the materials space than current methods.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImproving the Landscape\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESmaller, more efficient, and more powerful are all part of the constantly evolving landscape in semiconductor research and development. It\u2019s a very expensive landscape. While many chips are about the size of a fingernail, they are among the most complex human-made objects on Earth. Just building a semiconductor fabrication factory costs billions of dollars.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor a chemical engineer like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/people\/michael-filler\u0022\u003EMichael Filler\u003C\/a\u003E, that sounds like opportunity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cChemical engineers think about how we produce products on a massive scale,\u201d said Filler, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and associate director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/nano\u0022\u003EInstitute for Electronics and Nanotechnology (IEN)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFiller, whose research involves the growing of semiconductor components, like transistors, from seed particles, is aiming to help democratize the process of chip development, bringing down the cost substantially while maintaining performance. In a not too distant future, that could mean an individual at home printing a chip on a machine similar to a 3D printer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cImagine a laser printer that can literally spit out custom electronics in a matter of minutes,\u201d Filler said. \u201cWe\u2019re big believers in the individual\u2019s ability to be creative and know what they want to build for their applications. Ultimately, we\u2019re interested in giving makers and prototypers opportunities to customize electronics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe\u2019s in the right place for the far-reaching research he has in mind, adding, \u201cWe are so blessed with great facilities at Georgia Tech. It would be hard to imagine working somewhere else, because very few places have the diversity and quality of tooling we have here.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIEN, which facilitates much of the semiconductor research at Georgia Tech, is based in the Marcus Nanotechnology Building, with its state-of-the-art micro\/nano fabrication facilities such as the shared cleanroom space and a laser machine lab for micromachining.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut it is the range of expertise and creativity among faculty and students who are making IEN and Georgia Tech a thought leader in semiconductor research. This is evidenced by Tech\u2019s recent grant of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-receives-65-million-grant-semiconductor-research-corporation-jump-20-centers\u0022\u003E$65.7 million from the Semiconductor Research Corporation and the Defense Research Projects Agency to launch two new interdisciplinary research centers.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEvents like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/nano\/GT-chips-day\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Chip Day\u003C\/a\u003E (May 2) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nanowireweek2023.info\/\u0022\u003ENanowire Week\u003C\/a\u003E, an international gathering happening in Atlanta in October, also speak to Tech\u2019s growing influence in this area.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnswering the Call\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Covid-19 pandemic clarified just how difficult it can be to make more chips. A shortage of semiconductors affected the supply of phones, computers, and other commonly used items during the global shutdown. Increased demand, depleted reserves, and too few manufacturing plants and workers significantly crippled the supply chain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe high degree of geographic concentration in certain parts of the semiconductor supply chain has recently created a heightened risk of supply interruptions,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/chelsea-white\u0022\u003EChip White\u003C\/a\u003E, Schneider National Chair in Transportation and Logistics and professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EH. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE)\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cSuch interruptions and resulting wild fluctuations in semiconductor demand can threaten the nation\u2019s public health, defense, and economic security.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith that in mind, translational supply chain research is going on in several places on campus, White said, including the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scl.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESupply Chain and Logistics Institute\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ai4opt.org\/\u0022\u003ENSF AI Research Institute for Advances in Optimization\u003C\/a\u003E. White and his colleagues are developing software platforms for stress testing manufacturing supply chains. The goal is to identify vulnerabilities and risk mitigation procedures to design and operate next generation supply chains for critical industries such as the semiconductor industry, to improve global competitiveness and strike a balance between market forces and national security.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn an effort to address and feed the next generation demand for chips, the Biden administration recently launched a massive effort to outcompete China in semiconductor manufacturing, offering $39 billion in funding incentives for companies seeking to build plants in the U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother related area of importance in the ongoing development of semiconductors is growing the workforce of the future, and that includes a new wave of researchers. This is a role that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/jennifer-olson-hasler\u0022\u003EJennifer Hasler \u003C\/a\u003Etakes seriously.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI have a strong interest and belief in mentoring,\u201d said Hasler, ECE professor and founder of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hasler.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EIntegrated Computational Electronics lab\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech. She\u2019s proven, theoretically at least, that the technology already exists to build a silicon-based version of the human cerebral cortex (which would cost billions of dollars to design and build), but one of her favorite roles is working with new, young faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a personal thing for me, but it\u2019s one of the coolest things I\u2019m involved in,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen they come to Georgia Tech, they see how big this place is, bigger than a company. I like to say to them, \u2018Let\u2019s calm down, take a breath, you\u2019re good, so let\u2019s go make some cool stuff. Let\u2019s get some momentum going.\u2019\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Raychowdhury, director of the new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.src.org\/program\/jump2\/cocosys\/#:~:text=COCOSYS%20aims%20to%20enable%20the,and%20collective%20and%20collaborative%20intelligence.\u0022\u003ECenter for the Co-Design of Cognitive Systems\u003C\/a\u003E (part of the JUMP 2.0 program), developing the skilled workforce of the future means answering the call of the nation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is one of the largest ECE departments in the country, with many, many talented students,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd given the need and shortage of skilled professionals in this particular area, I think it\u2019s critical for us to create that kind of pipeline.\u201d Last year, ECE undergraduate students started taking a new, two-semester course, sponsored by Apple, in which they actually build microprocessors from scratch.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is completely new,\u201d Raychowdhury said. \u201cIt\u2019s expensive to offer this course, but we plan to keep doing it and we\u2019re in conversations with other companies that want to invest in workforce development. So, in addition to doing fantastic research, we want to be sensitive to the needs of the country and a new generation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0027s multidisciplinary semiconductor researchers working to innovate chip technology to ensure U.S. competitiveness\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u0027s multidisciplinary semiconductor researchers working to innovate chip technology to ensure U.S. competitiveness"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2023-05-02 17:25:16","changed_gmt":"2026-06-03 19:07:22","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670757":{"id":"670757","type":"image","title":"IEN cleanroom staff member holding a wafer","body":null,"created":"1683294311","gmt_created":"2023-05-05 13:45:11","changed":"1683294366","gmt_changed":"2023-05-05 13:46:06","alt":"Cleanroom worker holding a wafer","file":{"fid":"253680","name":"IEN-person-wafer.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/05\/IEN-person-wafer.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/05\/IEN-person-wafer.png","mime":"image\/png","size":311467,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/05\/05\/IEN-person-wafer.png?itok=KpXbVZbt"}},"670713":{"id":"670713","type":"image","title":"Semiconductor Researchers","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELeft to right: Arijit Raychowdhury, Victor Fung, Jennifer Hasler, Michael Filler, Chip White\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1683042732","gmt_created":"2023-05-02 15:52:12","changed":"1683042828","gmt_changed":"2023-05-02 15:53:48","alt":"Semiconductor researchers","file":{"fid":"253625","name":"semiconductor team.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/02\/semiconductor%20team.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/02\/semiconductor%20team.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":481819,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/05\/02\/semiconductor%20team.jpg?itok=OfU7eiUh"}}},"media_ids":["670757","670713"],"related_files":{"253625":{"fid":null,"name":"Semiconductor Researchers","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/02\/semiconductor%20team.jpg","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/02\/semiconductor%20team.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":481819,"description":"\u003Cp\u003ELeft to right: Arijit Raychowdhury, Victor Fung, Jennifer Hasler, Michael Filler, Chip White\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n"}},"groups":[{"id":"197261","name":"Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology"}],"categories":[{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: \u003Ca href=\u0022jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690611":{"#nid":"690611","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Common Language to Understand AI Systems","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThere\u2019s a simple idea that shows up in just about every engineering discipline: you can\u2019t improve what you can\u2019t measure.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat principle is especially relevant today across the artificial intelligence (AI) landscape. As systems scale, they increasingly become harder to measure, compare, and fix, particularly within proprietary environments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team led by Georgia Tech, working with collaborators across industry, has developed a new approached called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mlcommons.org\/working-groups\/research\/chakra\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 title=\u0022(opens in a new window)\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChakra\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to bring greater clarity to complex AI systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cImagine a room where everyone is trying to collaborate, but each person speaks a different language,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/tushar-krishna\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETushar Krishna\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, who is leading the effort. \u201cThat\u2019s a bit like today\u2019s AI ecosystem. The internet worked because it was built on shared practices and protocols. In AI, we\u2019re still building that kind of common foundation.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work, which Krishna leads through the nonprofit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mlcommons.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 title=\u0022(opens in a new window)\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMLCommons\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, was released \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2605.11333\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 title=\u0022(opens in a new window)\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ealongside a paper\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mlsys.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 title=\u0022(opens in a new window)\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2026 Conference on Machine Learning and Systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E(MLSys) in Bellevue, Wash.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUnderstanding Systems Without Exposing Them\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECloud companies, chip designers, software developers, and infrastructure providers all describe their systems differently, relying largely on internal, proprietary approaches that are not publicly shared.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis slows innovation, reduces efficiency, and increases the cost of running AI at scale.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChakra, named after the Sanskrit word for \u201cwheel\u201d to reflect a continuous cycle of improvement, is designed around that reality. Its release is not a single finished system, but a set of shared tools and building blocks.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers are making available a standardized format for representing AI workloads, along with tools for collecting and analyzing data from what\u2019s known as an execution trace.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAn execution trace is essentially a recording of how an AI system behaves,\u201d Krishna said. \u201cRather than focusing only on outcomes like speed or accuracy, it captures what computations happened, when machines needed to communicate, and where delays or bottlenecks occurred.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose traces don\u2019t expose the underlying code or data. Instead, they reflect patterns of behavior.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose traces don\u2019t expose the underlying code or data. Instead, they reflect patterns of behavior.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a bit like sharing a map of traffic patterns in a city, instead of handing over the blueprints for every building,\u201d Krishna said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe approach can also be used to explore how future systems might behave, giving researchers a way to test ideas and identify potential bottlenecks before those systems are built.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAll of this dramatically lowers the barrier to participating in AI systems innovation,\u201d Krishna said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding a Shared Standard\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Chakra project began in 2023 as a collaboration between Georgia Tech and Meta, building on parallel efforts to better understand how AI workloads behave across production systems and simulation environments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPart of that work built on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astra-sim.github.io\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 title=\u0022(opens in a new window)\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EASTRA-sim\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an open-source distributed AI system simulator developed and maintained by Krishna\u2019s group, which models how large-scale AI systems perform across hardware and software.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe knew that for AI to scale responsibly, we needed better ways to understand what\u2019s happening under the hood,\u201d Krishna said. \u201cCompanies struggle to compare systems fairly or reproduce why something worked well\u2014or failed\u2014because everyone uses different tools and proprietary setups.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe early collaboration expanded into a broader effort called the Chakra Working Group (CWG) within MLCommons, a consortium that brings together companies and researchers to develop shared benchmarks and standards for AI systems, including widely used efforts like MLPerf.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDavid Kanter, co-founder of MLCommons and head of MLPerf, has praised the group for \u201cdefining an industry roadmap for AI workload tracing support and benchmarking.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, CWG includes industry partners such as NVIDIA, AMD, Meta, HPE, and Keysight, along with contributions from multiple Georgia Tech faculty, students, and alumni (seven of whom are now working across partner organizations).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cChakra is a fantastic showcase of the role ECE and Georgia Tech play in connecting academic research with real-world systems,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/arijit-raychowdhury\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EArijit Raychowdhury\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Steve W. Chaddick School Chair of ECE. \u201cWe can bring together expertise spanning the full AI stack in really the only way that makes complex work like this possible.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat level of collaboration is essential to developing something that can be used across the broader AI ecosystem, according to Winston Liu, a chief architect at Keysight Technologies and a member of CWG.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat the Chakra community has built is meaningful, but the collaboration model that produced it is worth recognizing just as much,\u201d he said. \u201cThat combination\u2014early enough to shape the spec together and open enough that the output belongs to everyone\u2014is genuinely rare.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Real-world Testbed at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMuch of the team\u2019s work has depended on access to infrastructure capable of running AI systems at a realistic scale. Georgia Tech has built that capability through its \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/academics\/ai-for-engineering\/ai-makerspace\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI Makerspace\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, one of the largest computing clusters in the world dedicated to supporting student-driven AI workloads while also serving as a real-world testbed for large-scale systems research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn collaboration with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pace.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPartnership for an Advanced Computing Environment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (PACE), CWG researchers utilized the AI Makerspace to run workloads across 128 advanced GPUs and collect execution traces from systems operating under real conditions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe AI Makerspace was built on a simple belief: AI should be accessible to as many as possible,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/matthieu-bloch-phd\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMatthieu Bloch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate dean in the College of Engineering. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting to see our colleagues using it to amplify impact and give back to the broader community.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat level of access allowed the work behind Chakra to move beyond theory and into environments where performance challenges actually emerge.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn one case study, Chakra helped identify a hidden communication bottleneck that only appeared under realistic conditions when different types of workloads were running at the same time. More simplified tests failed to surface the issue.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat Comes Next\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the Chakra tools and standards are released, the focus now turns to how they will be adopted and extended.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKrishna sees the current moment less as a finish line and more as a starting point for broader participation across the field.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFive years from now, Chakra will help make AI systems development dramatically more reproducible and accessible,\u201d he said. \u201cResearchers could test ideas against realistic workloads without needing access to massive datacenters, and companies could identify problems much earlier in the design process.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs AI infrastructure grows more costly, the ability to model new system designs allows researchers and companies to make informed decisions before committing to large-scale investments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLonger term, it could move us toward a \u2018digital twin\u2019 of AI infrastructure,\u201d Krishna said. \u201cA way to model and optimize systems before they\u2019re ever built.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELike the internet before it, AI systems need shared standards to work together. Tushar Krishna and industry collaborators have released Chakra, a new set of tools designed to help make that possible.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Like the internet before it, AI systems need shared standards to work together. Tushar Krishna and industry collaborators have released Chakra, a new set of tools designed to help make that possible. "}],"uid":"36172","created_gmt":"2026-06-03 14:33:16","changed_gmt":"2026-06-03 14:37:18","author":"dwatson71","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680409":{"id":"680409","type":"image","title":"DSC05583.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAssociate Professor Tushar Krishna (center) and members of his research team \u2014 William Won (recently graduated, now at AMD), Changhai Man, Hanjiang Wu, and Jinsun Yoo \u2014 have announced Chakra, a new shared platform for understanding and improving complex AI systems.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780497224","gmt_created":"2026-06-03 14:33:44","changed":"1780497224","gmt_changed":"2026-06-03 14:33:44","alt":"Associate Professor Tushar Krishna (center) and members of his research team \u2014 William Won (recently graduated, now at AMD), Changhai Man, Hanjiang Wu, and Jinsun Yoo \u2014 have announced Chakra, a new shared platform for understanding and improving complex AI systems.","file":{"fid":"264665","name":"DSC05583.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/03\/DSC05583.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/03\/DSC05583.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1141078,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/03\/DSC05583.jpg?itok=Y0JL6Acd"}}},"media_ids":["680409"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"195159","name":"Chakra"},{"id":"173453","name":"Tushar Krishna"},{"id":"193101","name":"MLCommons"},{"id":"195160","name":"AI systems"},{"id":"11444","name":"benchmarking"},{"id":"195161","name":"execution trace"},{"id":"170894","name":"standards"},{"id":"185447","name":"ASTRA-sim"},{"id":"195162","name":"AI Makerspace"},{"id":"139771","name":"Arijit Raychowdhury"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDan Watson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["dwatson71@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690589":{"#nid":"690589","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Ph.D. Student Gets the Assist as Bike Robot Performs First Front Flip","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA bicycle robot from the Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) in Cambridge, Mass., has become the first to perform an unassisted acrobatic front flip.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERAI calls the bicycle robot an ultra-mobility vehicle (UMV). It can reach a height of 3 feet and can jump from the floor onto a platform.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe contributions of a Georgia Tech Ph.D. student helped make these feats possible through a robot control policy he developed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJeonghwan Kim, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in robotics under the advisement of Associate Professor Sehoon Ha, spent two semesters interning at RAI. His task was to design a policy to teach the UMV to land after a flip.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe result was iterative motion imitation (IMI), a novel method that imitates flip trajectories generated from prior examples. Kim said the robot bases its flip on a demonstration, and human engineers reconstruct and refine the flip path through simulation to fill in the gaps.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo guide the robot to flip, we started with an imperfect trajectory generated by a motor-based controller and then ran simulations,\u201d Kim said. \u201cIt\u2019s an unstable trajectory, but we use it as a guide to train a single policy that can track it as it lands and tries to balance itself.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESticking the Landing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKim interned under the supervision of Shamel Fahmi, a research scientist at the RAI Institute. RAI has been developing the UMV for nearly three years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe wanted to work on a different robot morphology that wasn\u2019t legs or legs with wheels,\u201d Fahmi said. \u201cThat\u2019s when we thought of working with bikes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to merge the athleticism of (Boston Dynamics\u2019) Atlas with the mobility of a bike. We wanted a robot that can go anywhere, do parkour, and acrobatics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFahmi said that before Kim arrived, the research team had trouble getting the UMV to land consistently without breaking or falling.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe UMV has two joints \u2014 an upper and a lower. The upper joint contains the motors and pulls the lower joint along as it propels into the air. The problem is getting the lighter lower joint to absorb the impact of landing without being crushed by the heavier upper joint.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat\u2019s what brings reinforcement learning into the equation,\u201d Fahmi said. \u201cWe teach the robot to minimize its impact on the ground to land gracefully.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFahmi said that Kim proved the imitation examples the robot learns from don\u2019t have to be perfect. The process takes some time, but all it needs is a rough idea to get started.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou can have an imperfect sketch and then constantly refine it,\u201d Fahmi said. \u201cThe first time, it\u2019s not going to go well.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe don\u2019t care about torque or power limits as long as it does the motion. Then we\u2019ll have a slightly better reference, repeat it, and imitate it again. In every iteration, we can add more parameters.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUp Against the Clock\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKim said he felt the pressure of time constraints during his two semesters with RAI as he worked to achieve consistent, successful landings. Even though he had multiple UMVs to experiment with, they broke down dozens of times. Each time one broke, a hardware team at RAI had to repair it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere was a lot of pressure to not only get this working before my internship ended, but also knowing there are costs behind every failed attempt, and every time the robot breaks, it takes time to repair it,\u201d Kim said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt took almost five months for it to land without breaking. Then we needed two more months for it to stay balanced after the landing. It requires a lot of engineering effort to achieve a robust control policy for a safe flip.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy the time Kim left RAI, the IMI policy had achieved consistent, seamless landings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe jump right now is what we call the visitor demo,\u201d Fahmi said. \u201cIf there are guests coming over to see it, we want to show them something that is extremely impressive, but also, more importantly, extremely reliable. It never fails.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was only possible because of the huge effort we put into designing, maintaining, and continuously improving the robot.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKim authored a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/imi-umv.github.io\/\u0022\u003Epaper\u003C\/a\u003E on his framework and will present it at this week\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/2026.ieee-icra.org\/\u0022\u003EInternational Conference on Robotics and Automation\u003C\/a\u003E (ICRA) in Vienna.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about the UMV project, please visit the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rai-inst.com\/resources\/blog\/designing-wheeled-robotic-systems\/\u0022\u003ERAI blog\u003C\/a\u003E or watch their\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=cjaZUFMZWOY\u0026amp;t=95s\u0022\u003Evideo\u003C\/a\u003E on YouTube.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA bicycle robot from the Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) in Cambridge, Mass., has become the first to perform an unassisted acrobatic front flip.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJeonghwan Kim, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in robotics under the advisement of Associate Professor Sehoon Ha, spent two semesters interning at RAI. His task was to design a policy to teach the UMV to land after a flip.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech Ph.D. student\u0027s robot control policy helped the Robotics and AI Institute develop the first bike robot capable of an unassisted front flip."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-06-02 13:06:16","changed_gmt":"2026-06-02 13:11:56","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680398":{"id":"680398","type":"image","title":"DSC07117-2048x1365.jpg-copy.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPhoto courtesy of the Robotics and AI Institute\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780405593","gmt_created":"2026-06-02 13:06:33","changed":"1780405662","gmt_changed":"2026-06-02 13:07:42","alt":"Bike robot","file":{"fid":"264654","name":"DSC07117-2048x1365.jpg-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/DSC07117-2048x1365.jpg-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/DSC07117-2048x1365.jpg-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":131530,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/02\/DSC07117-2048x1365.jpg-copy.jpg?itok=12RGh4JN"}}},"media_ids":["680398"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187991","name":"go-robotics"},{"id":"184632","name":"mobile robotics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690188":{"#nid":"690188","#data":{"type":"news","title":"What\u2019s in the Price of a Gallon of Gas?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe U.S. Energy Information Administration expects nationwide retail gasoline prices to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/outlooks\/steo\/\u0022\u003Eaverage near $4.30 a gallon\u003C\/a\u003E for April 2026 \u2013 the highest monthly average of the year. The political response has been familiar. Georgia has \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.multistate.us\/insider\/2026\/4\/6\/lawmakers-push-fuel-tax-relief-amid-rising-gas-costs\u0022\u003Esuspended its state gas tax\u003C\/a\u003E, other states are weighing their own tax holidays, and the White House has issued a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.marketplace.org\/story\/2026\/03\/19\/waiving-the-jones-act-will-boost-the-number-of-ships-available-to-transport-oil-in-the-us\u0022\u003Etemporary waiver of a law known as the Jones Act\u003C\/a\u003E in hopes of moving more domestic fuel to East Coast ports.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=jjvorcAAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003Eenergy economist\u003C\/a\u003E, I am often asked about what contributes to gas prices and what different policies can do to affect them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe price of a retail gallon of gas is the sum of four things: the cost of crude oil, refining, distribution and marketing, and taxes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn nationwide figures from January 2026, crude oil accounted for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/petroleum\/gasdiesel\/\u0022\u003Eabout 51% of the pump price\u003C\/a\u003E, refining roughly 20%, distribution and marketing about 11% and taxes about 18%. That mix shifts with conditions: When crude oil prices spike, that can drive more than 60% of the price; when the price drops, taxes and logistics are larger shares of the cost.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECrude Oil is the Biggest Ingredient\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause the price of crude oil is the largest element, most of the price at the pump is derived from the global oil market.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy\u0022\u003EPrivacy Policy\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms\u0022\u003ETerms of Service\u003C\/a\u003E apply.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsually, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1257\/aer.99.3.1053\u0022\u003Ebig swings in crude prices\u003C\/a\u003E come mainly from shifts in global demand and expectations \u2013 not from supply disruptions, according to widely cited research in 2009 by the economist Lutz Kilian.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut what is happening in early 2026 with the war in Iran is one of the exceptions: a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/us-is-less-prone-to-oil-price-shocks-than-in-past-decades-277709\u0022\u003Eclassic supply shock\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.iea.org\/reports\/oil-market-report-april-2026\u0022\u003ESevere disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz\u003C\/a\u003E and attacks on Middle East oil infrastructure have taken millions of barrels a day off the global market.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost drivers generally can\u2019t quickly reduce how much they drive or how much gas they use when prices rise, so \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dallasfed.org\/research\/economics\/2020\/0616\u0022\u003Egasoline demand doesn\u2019t change much in the short run\u003C\/a\u003E. That means a jump in crude costs tends to result in people paying more rather than driving less.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERefining, Regulations, and the California Puzzle\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERefining turns crude into gasoline at industrial scale. The U.S. doesn\u2019t have a single gasoline market, though. Roughly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/gasoline-standards\/reformulated-gasoline\u0022\u003Ea quarter of U.S. gasoline\u003C\/a\u003E is a cleaner-burning blend of petroleum-derived chemicals called \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/gasoline-standards\/reformulated-gasoline\u0022\u003Ereformulated gasoline\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d which is required in urban areas across 17 states and the District of Columbia to reduce smog.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECalifornia uses an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.arb.ca.gov\/our-work\/programs\/fuels-enforcment-program\/california-reformulated-gasoline\u0022\u003Eeven stricter formulation\u003C\/a\u003E that few out-of-state refineries make. California is also geographically isolated: No pipelines bring gasoline in from other U.S. refining regions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECalifornia\u2019s gasoline prices have long run above the national average, explained in part by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/detail.php?id=65184\u0022\u003Ehigher state taxes\u003C\/a\u003E and stricter environmental rules. But since a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.csb.gov\/exxonmobil-torrance-refinery-explosion-\/\u0022\u003Erefinery fire in Torrance, California, in 2015\u003C\/a\u003E reduced production capacity, the state\u2019s prices have been \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haas.berkeley.edu\/energy-institute\/about\/in-the-media\/mystery-gasoline-surcharge\/\u0022\u003Eabout 20 to 30 cents a gallon\u003C\/a\u003E higher than what those factors would indicate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnergy economist and University of California, Berkeley, professor Severin Borenstein has called this the \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haas.berkeley.edu\/energy-institute\/about\/in-the-media\/mystery-gasoline-surcharge\/\u0022\u003Emystery gasoline surcharge\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d and attributes it to the fact that there isn\u2019t as much competition between refineries or gas stations in California as in other states. California\u2019s own Division of Petroleum Market Oversight says the surcharge cost the state\u2019s drivers \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.ca.gov\/publications\/2025\/division-petroleum-market-oversight-2024-annual-report\u0022\u003Eabout $59 billion from 2015 to 2024\u003C\/a\u003E. It\u2019s not exactly clear who is getting that money, but it could be \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyathaas.wordpress.com\/2023\/01\/09\/whats-the-matter-with-californias-gasoline-prices\/\u0022\u003Egas stations themselves or refineries\u003C\/a\u003E, through complex contracts with gas stations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGetting the Gas Into Your Car\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe distribution and marketing category covers the costs of everything involved in getting the gasoline from the refinery gate to your tank.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGasoline moves by pipeline, ship, rail and truck to wholesale terminals, and then by local delivery truck to service stations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the retailer\u2019s end, the key factors are station rent and labor, the cost to buy gasoline in bulk to be able to sell it, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/credit-cards\/learn\/what-are-credit-card-interchange-fees\u0022\u003Ecredit card fees\u003C\/a\u003E of as much as 6 to 10 cents a gallon at current prices, and franchise fees paid to the national brand, such as Sunoco or ExxonMobil, for permission to put their branding on the gas station.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost gas station operators net \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.convenience.org\/Media\/conveniencecorner\/Who-Makes-Money-Selling-Gas\u0022\u003Eonly a few cents per gallon\u003C\/a\u003E on fuel itself \u2013 which is why many gas stations are really convenience stores with pumps out front. Borenstein and some of his collaborators have also documented that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/003355397555118\u0022\u003Eretail gas prices rise quickly\u003C\/a\u003E when wholesale costs climb but fall slowly when wholesale costs drop.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Question of Gas Tax Holidays\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe federal government charges a tax on fuel, of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/tools\/faqs\/faq.php?id=10\u0026amp;t=5\u0022\u003E18.4 cents a gallon for gasoline\u003C\/a\u003E and 24.3 cents a gallon for diesel. States charge their own taxes, ranging from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/taxfoundation.org\/data\/all\/state\/gas-taxes-state\/\u0022\u003E70.9 cents a gallon for gas\u003C\/a\u003E in California to 8.95 cents in Alaska.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen gas prices rise, many politicians start talking about temporarily suspending their state\u2019s gas tax. That does reduce prices, but not as much as politicians \u2013 or consumers \u2013 might hope. Research on past gas tax holidays has found that consumers get \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu\/issues\/2022\/6\/15\/effects-of-a-state-gasoline-tax-holiday\u0022\u003Eabout 79% of the reduction\u003C\/a\u003E in gas taxes. That means oil companies and fuel retailers keep about one-fifth of the tax cut for themselves rather than passing that savings to the public.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGas tax holidays also reduce funding for what the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/blog.turbotax.intuit.com\/tax-deductions-and-credits-2\/the-highs-and-lows-of-gasoline-tax-15098\/\u0022\u003Etaxes are designed to pay for\u003C\/a\u003E, typically roads and bridges. That pushes road and bridge upkeep costs onto future drivers and general taxpayers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is an additional problem, too: Taxes on gasoline are supposed to charge drivers for some of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nber.org\/papers\/w14685\u0022\u003Ecosts their driving imposes on everyone else\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 carbon emissions, local air pollution, congestion and crashes. But Borenstein has found that U.S. fuel tax levels are already \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyathaas.wordpress.com\/2022\/02\/28\/cut-the-electricity-tax-not-the-gas-tax\/\u0022\u003Efar below the true cost to society\u003C\/a\u003E. Removing the tax on drivers effectively raises the costs for everyone else.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Jones Act: A Small Number That Adds Up\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/soaring-gas-prices-prompt-trump-to-ease-oil-tanker-rules-how-waiving-the-jones-act-affects-what-you-pay-at-the-pump-278387\u0022\u003E1920 Jones Act\u003C\/a\u003E is a federal law that requires cargo moving between U.S. ports to travel on vessels built and registered in the U.S., owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed primarily by U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Of the world\u2019s 7,500 oil tankers, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2026\/03\/18\/jones-act-suspended-shipping-oil\/\u0022\u003Eonly 54 meet this requirement\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cato.org\/blog\/jones-act-forces-us-gasoline-take-long-way-home\u0022\u003EOnly 43 of these\u003C\/a\u003E can transport refined fuels such as gasoline.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, despite significant refining capacity on the Gulf Coast, some U.S. gasoline is exported overseas even as the Northeast imports fuel, in part reflecting the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/analysis\/transportationfuels\/padd1n3\/\u0022\u003Erelatively high cost of moving fuel\u003C\/a\u003E between U.S. ports.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEconomists Ryan Kellogg and Rich Sweeney estimate that the law \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nber.org\/papers\/w31938\u0022\u003Eraises East Coast gasoline prices by about a penny and a half per gallon\u003C\/a\u003E on average, costing drivers roughly $770 million a year. In light of the war\u2019s effect on gas prices, the Trump administration has \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/soaring-gas-prices-prompt-trump-to-ease-oil-tanker-rules-how-waiving-the-jones-act-affects-what-you-pay-at-the-pump-278387\u0022\u003Etemporarily suspended the Jones Act requirements\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 an action more commonly taken when \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/publication\/september-2017-jones-act-waivers\u0022\u003Ehurricanes knock out Gulf Coast refineries and pipeline networks\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat Moves the Number\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe result of all these factors is that the price that drivers see at the pump mostly reflects the global price of crude, plus a stack of domestic costs, only some of which are inefficient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETax holidays give a partial, short-lived rebate. Jones Act waivers trim pennies, though permanent repeal may cause more fundamental changes, such as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cato.org\/publications\/policy-analysis\/jones-act-burden-america-can-no-longer-bear\u0022\u003Ereduced rail and truck transport of all goods\u003C\/a\u003E, which could lower costs, emissions and infrastructure damage associated with cargo transportation. Harmonizing fuel blends across states and seasons may lower prices somewhat, but likely at the expense of increased emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, the best protection against oil price shocks is a more efficient gas-burning vehicle, or \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2026\/04\/02\/evs-autos-energy-oil-iran-war-electric-transport-fossil-fuels.html\u0022\u003Eone that doesn\u2019t burn gasoline\u003C\/a\u003E at all. In the meantime, the best I can offer as an economist is clarity about what that $4.30 actually buys.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/whats-in-the-price-of-a-gallon-of-gas-281494\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech energy economist Bobby Harris said U.S. gasoline prices are driven mainly by crude oil costs, with refining, distribution and taxes accounting for a smaller and shifting share of what consumers pay at the pump.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech energy economist Bobby Harris said U.S. gasoline prices are driven mainly by crude oil costs, with refining, distribution and taxes accounting for a smaller and shifting share of what consumers pay at the pump. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-07 13:46:11","changed_gmt":"2026-06-01 14:59:37","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680213":{"id":"680213","type":"image","title":"What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGas prices were well over $4 a gallon on April 28, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/fuel-prices-are-displayed-at-a-brooklyn-gas-station-on-news-photo\/2273575764\u0022\u003ESpencer Platt\/Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778162898","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 14:08:18","changed":"1778162898","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 14:08:18","alt":"A person filling gas in his car with the gas prices shown in the foreground","file":{"fid":"264457","name":"What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":243115,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg?itok=ROlYqpjU"}},"680212":{"id":"680212","type":"image","title":"the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices.png","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAs of January 2026.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EChart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/petroleum\/gasdiesel\/\u0022 rel=\u0022nofollow noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EU.S. Energy Information Administration\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022javascript:void(0)\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022\u003EGet the data\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/CnmrT\/1\/#embed\u0022\u003EEmbed\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/CnmrT\/full.png\u0022\u003EDownload image\u003C\/a\u003E Created with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.datawrapper.de\/_\/CnmrT\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDatawrapper\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1778162088","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 13:54:48","changed":"1778162088","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 13:54:48","alt":"Chart showing cost distribution of crude oil, refining, marketing and distribution and taxes for gas and diesel","file":{"fid":"264456","name":"the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":81655,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices_0.png?itok=p_-8Gzh1"}},"680210":{"id":"680210","type":"image","title":"BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA tanker truck delivers fuel to a gas station. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/detail\/IranUSOil\/aa65c07d8aa34344acfa1aa5bcfda39c\/photo\u0022\u003EAP Photo\/Erin Hooley\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778161952","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 13:52:32","changed":"1778161952","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 13:52:32","alt":"A tanker truck delivers fuel to a gas station. AP Photo\/Erin Hooley","file":{"fid":"264454","name":"BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":101295,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg?itok=SkqSopUw"}},"680211":{"id":"680211","type":"image","title":"BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESuspending the Jones Act allows foreign-based oil tankers to sail between U.S. ports. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/detail\/OilPrices\/773825116ccd4cf8943c40836038be54\/photo?vs=false\u0026amp;currentItemNo=25\u0026amp;startingItemNo=0\u0022\u003EAP Photo\/Eric Gay\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778161998","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 13:53:18","changed":"1778161998","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 13:53:18","alt":"An oil tanker ship with the sun in the background and a man with a cap with a fishing poll in the foreground","file":{"fid":"264455","name":"BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":127210,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg?itok=1ZUJVvv4"}}},"media_ids":["680213","680212","680210","680211"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/whats-in-the-price-of-a-gallon-of-gas-281494","title":"Original Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/robert-i-harris-2669057\u0022 rel=\u0022author\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERobert I. Harris\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Professor of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Research Communications\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690553":{"#nid":"690553","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New App Allows Anyone to Operate a Robot From Their Phone","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESomeone with no computing experience may soon be able to remotely control a robot from anywhere on the planet using a smartphone, thanks to new technology developed by Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new technology is also set to revolutionize the scale of policy training data collection, which is essential to advancing robotic capabilities and meeting growing production demand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cobalt-teleop.github.io\/\u0022\u003ECOBALT\u003C\/a\u003E is a mobile app that turns smartphones into controllers for robot arms. With a secure Wi-Fi connection to a server, users can move their phones in any direction, and the robot arm will mirror the motion \u2014 from anywhere in the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAyush Agarwal, a Ph.D. student in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing who leads a research team developing COBALT, said it works like the games people play on smartphones. Users can press a button to have the arm grasp an object, move it, and release it with another button.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAgarwal conducted several user studies with participants in nine countries who remotely operated robot arms inside Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pair.toronto.edu\/\u0022\u003EPeople, AI \u0026amp; Robotics (PAIR) Lab\u003C\/a\u003E. The lab is directed by Assistant Professor Animesh Garg, who advises Agarwal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe built an entire distribution system for remote teleoperation scaled to where we had people from Indonesia, India, and Pakistan operating for us,\u201d Agarwal said. \u201cThey were novice operators who had never done it before. By collecting data from these new users, we showed that we can train policies to automate certain tasks.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarg envisions a world where data collection for policy training is done through crowdsourcing. He began working toward this goal 10 years ago as a postdoc at Stanford University, when he developed\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/roboturk.stanford.edu\/\u0022\u003ERoboTurk\u003C\/a\u003E, an earlier version of COBALT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere is a large-scale data collection requirement for mass robot production to be possible, and it will not be solved purely through simulation,\u201d Garg said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur idea was, what if we could get almost every person on the planet to be a passive source for data collection? There are almost five billion people who have smartphones and know how to use them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEducation and Economy Impact\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother major implication of COBALT could be expanded access to CS and robotics education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents can learn to operate a robot remotely in any classroom. In fact, Garg and his lab recently hosted students from Midtown High School in Atlanta to demonstrate COBALT and let them control robot arms from a phone.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarg also sees the possibility of a \u201cgig economy\u201d in which people pay remote operators to control assistive robots in their homes and complete household chores for them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt could be Uber for robots,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople who want to log onto the platform can do so at their convenience and for as long as they want.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECompanies with robot-dependent labor tasks could also use the platform to enable human oversight.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf I deploy a robot in a factory that achieves high autonomy for most tasks, but there are still times it needs help, a human could operate the robot from anywhere in the world,\u201d Garg said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding a Network\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAgarwal\u2019s studies showed that people prefer to interact with and control a robot using a smartphone rather than virtual reality (VR) headsets, controllers, keyboards, mice, or other devices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe phone is a more intuitive interface and can provide data quality that\u2019s on par with other commonly used devices,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAgarwal also said there is minimal latency in the video feed sent back to operators on the other side of the world. That\u2019s because the amount of data being processed is small.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe data is carried over Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC), the same technology used by many streaming services and web conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s a connection from your phone to the teleoperation server, which is connected to the robots,\u201d Agarwal said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThen there\u2019s another connection from the teleoperation server back to the user, which allows for a video stream. We need low latency on both because you don\u2019t want the user to move their phone and wait 10 seconds to see the visual feed.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAgarwal is the co-lead author of a paper on COBALT that is being presented at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/2026.ieee-icra.org\/\u0022\u003EIEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation\u003C\/a\u003E this week in Vienna. He said the paper stands out because it has moved from theory to the implementation of an entire distribution network.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe real novelty of our paper is the systems that we build around it to actually support the scaling of remote operation and data collection at a global level,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWith a secure Wi-Fi connection to a server, users can move their phones in any direction, and the robot arm will mirror the motion \u2014 from anywhere in the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new mobile app turns smartphones into controllers for robot arms. "}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-05-29 16:37:15","changed_gmt":"2026-05-29 16:43:09","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680381":{"id":"680381","type":"image","title":"Animesh-Garg-lab_86A8356.jpg","body":null,"created":"1780072785","gmt_created":"2026-05-29 16:39:45","changed":"1780072785","gmt_changed":"2026-05-29 16:39:45","alt":"Three men use their phones to control a robot arm","file":{"fid":"264637","name":"Animesh-Garg-lab_86A8356.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/29\/Animesh-Garg-lab_86A8356.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/29\/Animesh-Garg-lab_86A8356.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":186525,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/29\/Animesh-Garg-lab_86A8356.jpg?itok=8WOofrjN"}}},"media_ids":["680381"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"168927","name":"smartphones"},{"id":"44461","name":"robot arm"},{"id":"93131","name":"ICRA"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690507":{"#nid":"690507","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI) Spring Workshop Highlights Advances in Renewable Materials ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERenewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech hosted its Spring 2026 Workshop, \u201cResilient Forests to Renewable Futures,\u201d on May 11 and 12. The workshop brought together university researchers, scientists, and industry partners to discuss new developments shaping the future of the bioeconomy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPreceded by an Industry Advisory Board meeting, the two-day workshop focused on how renewable materials, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing can support more sustainable industrial systems. Discussions throughout the event explored topics ranging from forest health and biotechnology innovations to sustainable packaging and high-value biochemical products derived from forest resources.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOpening the workshop, RBI Executive Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/j-carson-meredith\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECarson Meredith\u003C\/a\u003E emphasized the institute\u2019s focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and real-world impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur goal is to catalyze a community of researchers who focus on solving real-world challenges by investing in team building across interdisciplinary boundaries,\u201d Meredith said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeredith also highlighted the growing need to create higher-value products from renewable resources in addition to traditional commodity materials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat focus connected closely with updates on Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/research\/center-for-renewables-based-economy-from-wood\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for a Renewables-based Economy from Wood (ReWOOD)\u003C\/a\u003E. The center supports research aimed at turning sustainable plant-based materials into products such as aviation fuels, specialty chemicals, solvents, and pharmaceutical ingredients while strengthening connections between research and industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESeveral presentations focused on improving the long-term health and productivity of working forests. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/warnell.uga.edu\/directory\/people\/caterina-villari\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECaterina Villari\u003C\/a\u003E from the University of Georgia and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ornl.gov\/staff-profile\/david-j-weston\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Weston\u003C\/a\u003E from Oak Ridge National Laboratory shared research aimed at protecting trees from diseases such as fusiform rust and brown spot needle blight. Their work combines biotechnology, genetic screening, and artificial intelligence tools to help identify tree varieties that are more resilient to disease and environmental stress.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe workshop also explored how forest fibers can be used to create more sustainable packaging materials. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/patricia-stathatou\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPatritsia Stathatou\u003C\/a\u003E from Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E presented research on manufacturing methods designed to reduce water and energy use in paper and packaging production.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIndustry speakers discussed the challenges of bringing those materials into large-scale manufacturing. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/michael-joyce-phd\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMichael Joyce\u003C\/a\u003E, Senior Associate Principal Engineer at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mondelezinternational.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMondel\u0113z International\u003C\/a\u003E, emphasized that paper-based alternatives must still meet the strength, durability, and performance standards required for existing packaging systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditional discussions focused on how forest-derived materials can be used to create higher-value products beyond traditional paper and lumber applications. Speakers highlighted a growing interest in converting wood residues and byproducts into specialty chemicals, fuels, and biomaterials that can strengthen the long-term economics of renewable manufacturing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/larissafenn\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELarissa Fenn\u003C\/a\u003E from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ryam.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERayonier Advanced Materials\u003C\/a\u003E discussed the company\u2019s work converting wood-derived materials into natural prebiotics for livestock. In collaborative studies with researchers at the University of Georgia, the products improved livestock gut health and feed efficiency while performing similarly to traditional antibiotics in certain diseased conditions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe workshop also included a student poster session and networking event, giving attendees an opportunity to engage directly with RBI Fellows and researchers working across renewable materials and manufacturing research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cWhat made the workshop especially valuable was having people from different backgrounds and sectors all in the same room looking at these challenges from different perspectives. Those conversations are what move ideas from research into real-world applications,\u201d said Meredith. \u201cRBI will continue to host these workshops as part of our commitment to interdisciplinary research advancing the bioeconomy. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERenewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech hosted its Spring 2026 Workshop, \u201cResilient Forests to Renewable Futures,\u201d on May 11 and 12. The workshop brought together university researchers, scientists, and industry partners to discuss new developments shaping the future of the bioeconomy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI) at Georgia Tech hosted its Spring 2026 Workshop, \u201cResilient Forests to Renewable Futures,\u201d on May 11 and 12."}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-05-27 14:01:16","changed_gmt":"2026-05-28 17:03:11","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680365":{"id":"680365","type":"image","title":"Screenshot-2026-05-28-at-11.58.47-AM.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom left: Carson Meredith, Blair Brettmann, Andreas (Andy) S. Bommarius, Ulrika Egertsdotter, Joel Kostka, Titiksha Fernandes and Chris Luettgen.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779987698","gmt_created":"2026-05-28 17:01:38","changed":"1779987775","gmt_changed":"2026-05-28 17:02:55","alt":"From left: Carson Meredith, Blair Brettmann, Andreas (Andy) S. Bommarius, Ulrika Egertsdotter, Joel Kostka, Titiksha Fernandes and Chris Luettgen.","file":{"fid":"264621","name":"Screenshot-2026-05-28-at-11.58.47-AM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/28\/Screenshot-2026-05-28-at-11.58.47-AM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/28\/Screenshot-2026-05-28-at-11.58.47-AM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":9375345,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/28\/Screenshot-2026-05-28-at-11.58.47-AM.png?itok=0oINCaZC"}}},"media_ids":["680365"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ychernet3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYanet Chernet\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"641905":{"#nid":"641905","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hydrogel Could Open New Path for Glaucoma Treatment Without Drugs or Surgery","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have developed a potential new treatment for the eye disease glaucoma that could replace daily eyedrops and surgery with a twice-a-year injection to control the buildup of pressure in the eye. The researchers envision the injection being done as an office procedure that could be part of regular patient visits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe possible treatment, which could become the first non-drug, non-surgical, long-acting therapy for glaucoma, uses the injection of a natural and biodegradable material to create a viscous hydrogel \u2014 a water-absorbing crosslinked polymer structure \u2014 that opens an alternate pathway for excess fluid to leave the eye.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe holy grail for glaucoma is an efficient way to lower the pressure that doesn\u2019t rely on the patient putting drops in their eyes every day, doesn\u2019t require a complicated surgery, has minimal side effects, and has a good safety profile,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/C.%20Ross-Ethier\u0022\u003ERoss Ethier\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Georgia Research Alliance Lawrence L. Gellerstedt Jr. Eminent Scholar in Bioengineering in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u201cI am excited about this technique, which could be a game-changer for the treatment of glaucoma.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research, which was supported by the National Eye Institute and the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gra.org\u0022\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance\u003C\/a\u003E, was published Dec. 7 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EAdvanced Science\u003C\/em\u003E. The research was conducted in animals, and shows that the approach significantly lowered the intraocular pressure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs many as 75 million people worldwide have glaucoma, which is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Glaucoma damage is caused by excess pressure in the eye that injures the optic nerve. Current treatments attempt to reduce this intraocular pressure through the daily application of eyedrops, or through surgery or implantation of medical devices, but these treatments are often unsuccessful.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo provide an alternative, Ethier teamed up with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-r-prausnitz\u0022\u003EMark Prausnitz\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and J. Erskine Love Jr. Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, to use a tiny hollow needle to inject a polymer preparation into a structure just below the surface of the eye called the suprachoroidal space (SCS). Inside the eye, the material chemically crosslinks to form the hydrogel, which holds open a channel in the SCS that allows aqueous humor from within the eye to drain out of the eye through the alternative pathway.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are normally two pathways for the aqueous humor fluid to leave the eye. The dominant path is through a structure known as the trabecular meshwork, which is located at the front of the eye. The lesser pathway is through the SCS, which normally has only a very small gap. In glaucoma, the dominant pathway is blocked, so to lessen pressure, treatments are created to open the lesser pathway enough to let the aqueous humor flow out.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn this research, the hydrogel props open the SCS path. A hollow microneedle less than a millimeter long is used to inject a droplet (about 50 microliters) of the hydrogel-precursor material. That gel structure can keep the SCS pathway open for a period of months.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe inject a viscous material and keep it at the site of the injection at the interface between the back of the eye and the front of the eye where the suprachoroidal space begins,\u201d Prausnitz said. \u201cBy opening up that space, we tap a pathway that would not otherwise be utilized efficiently to remove liquid from the eye.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe injection would take just a few minutes, and would involve a doctor making a small injection just below the surface of the eye in combination with numbing and cleaning the injection site. In the study, the researchers, including veterinary ophthalmologist and first author J. Jeremy Chae, did not observe significant inflammation resulting from the procedure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe pressure reduction was sustained for four months. The researchers are now working to extend that time by modifying the polymer material \u2014 hyaluronic acid \u2014 with a goal of providing treatment benefits for at least six months. That would coincide with the office visit schedule of many patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf we can get to a twice-a-year treatment, we would not disrupt the current clinical process,\u201d Prausnitz said. \u201cWe believe the injection could be done as an office procedure during routine exams that the patients are already getting. Patients may not need to do anything to treat their glaucoma until their next office visit.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond extending the time between treatments, the researchers will need to demonstrate that the injection can be repeated without harming the eye. The procedure will also have to be tested in other animals before moving into human trials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe idea of having a \u2018one-and-done\u2019 treatment that lasts for six months would be particularly helpful for those whose access to healthcare is non-optimal,\u201d Ethier said. \u201cHaving a long-acting therapy would have an additional advantage during times of pandemic or other disruption when access to healthcare is more difficult.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by a grant from the National Eye Institute (R01 EY025286) and by the Georgia Research Alliance. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMark Prausnitz serves as a consultant to companies, is a founding shareholder of companies, and is an inventor on patents licensed to companies developing microneedle-based products (Clearside Biomedical). These potential conflicts of interest have been disclosed and are being managed by Georgia Tech. J. Jeremy Chae, Jae Hwan Jung, Ethier, and Prausnitz are listed as co-inventors on an IP filing related to this study.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: J. Jeremy Chae, et al., \u201cDrug-free, Non-surgical Reduction of Intraocular Pressure for Four Months After Suprachoroidal Injection of Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel.\u201d (\u003Cem\u003EAdvanced Science\u003C\/em\u003E, 2020) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/advs.202001908\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/advs.202001908\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have developed a potential new treatment for the eye disease glaucoma that could replace daily eyedrops and surgery with a twice-a-year injection to control the buildup of pressure in the eye. The researchers envision the injection being done as an office procedure that could be part of regular patient visits.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have developed a potential new treatment for the eye disease glaucoma that could replace daily eye drops and surgery."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2020-12-07 19:27:05","changed_gmt":"2026-05-28 15:33:38","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-12-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-12-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"641902":{"id":"641902","type":"image","title":"Close-up of Eye","body":null,"created":"1607368440","gmt_created":"2020-12-07 19:14:00","changed":"1607368440","gmt_changed":"2020-12-07 19:14:00","alt":"Close-up of eye","file":{"fid":"243879","name":"Eye-001 v2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Eye-001%20v2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Eye-001%20v2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":943053,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Eye-001%20v2.jpg?itok=c_XJn_hN"}},"641903":{"id":"641903","type":"image","title":"Microneedle and eye","body":null,"created":"1607368518","gmt_created":"2020-12-07 19:15:18","changed":"1607368518","gmt_changed":"2020-12-07 19:15:18","alt":"Microneedle and eye","file":{"fid":"243880","name":"ocular_needle_with_eye2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ocular_needle_with_eye2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ocular_needle_with_eye2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":792430,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ocular_needle_with_eye2.jpg?itok=ybkImfTo"}}},"media_ids":["641902","641903"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"17401","name":"Glaucoma"},{"id":"1915","name":"eye"},{"id":"3356","name":"hydrogel"},{"id":"495","name":"Mark Prausnitz"},{"id":"38581","name":"eye disease"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690525":{"#nid":"690525","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Framework Enhances AR Experience by Predicting Where Users Will Look","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAugmented reality (AR) devices like smart glasses may soon be able to predict where a user will look and provide an enhanced interactive experience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/fkryan.github.io\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFiona Ryan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Ph.D. student in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing, is pioneering research that tracks and predicts user gaze from a first-person perspective in 3D environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, most AR devices react to where users look, playing catch-up. Ryan\u2019s method could give these devices a heads-up and make the user experience more seamless.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt allows an AR system to anticipate what the person will interact with next and where they\u2019re going to look next so it can proactively render the experience,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERyan is the lead author of the paper \u003Cem\u003EForecasting 3D Scanpaths in Egocentric Video,\u003C\/em\u003E which she will present next week at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cvpr.thecvf.com\/\u0022\u003EIEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition\u003C\/a\u003E (CVPR) in Denver.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile there is existing research on predicting user gaze from 2D still images, her work is the first to address the issue through a 3D framework.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause we live in a 3D world and people are dynamically moving around from multiple points of view, we need to predict gaze in 3D rather than 2D,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing is a path of the person\u2019s attention in 3D through space. Our paper is the first to attempt to model this.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERyan conducted most of the research while interning at Meta, where she used data from Meta\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.projectaria.com\/datasets\/adt\/\u0022\u003EAria Digital Twin dataset\u003C\/a\u003E. The dataset contains first-person video footage of users interacting with objects in an apartment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe chose that dataset because it has a high-fidelity 3D reconstruction of a full environment, which helps us get a ground-truth 3D gaze,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can trace eye movement and see how it intersects with the environment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA video demonstration of Ryan\u2019s work shows her software tracking a user\u2019s path toward a table with a cup on it. Once the user picks up the cup, the software correctly predicts the direction the user will turn next.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen we look at a scene, we don\u2019t take in everything in full detail all at once,\u201d she said. \u201cWe fixate on certain areas, and our gaze is a sequence of fixations, which might depend on what we\u2019re trying to do. If we want to pick up a cup, we might look toward that and then the next step would be looking at where we\u2019re going to put it down.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERyan said the software can predict, on average, up to three seconds into the future \u2014 and as far as 10 seconds in some cases. That\u2019s enough time for the AR system to proactively render a more enhanced environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re not looking that far into the future right now, but it would be interesting to explore longer forecasting windows,\u201d she said. \u201cI think potential futures would diverge pretty quickly, so we\u2019re trying to explore what can reasonably be predicted from a short segment of a person looking and moving through space.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERyan said her paper served as a proof-of-concept, and that there is still much future work to be done. She already has some ideas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think future models can include different scenarios to help narrow down possibilities. Sometimes a person\u2019s gaze stays on one thing for a long time. If we know what someone is trying to do, we\u2019ll have a better idea of the likely path their attention might go.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere could also be future implications for her work in robotics research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt could potentially be used for training algorithms for robots to emulate active human perception. If we can understand what a person looks at as they perform a task, we could use that to facilitate a robot learning to do that same task.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. student Fiona Ryan has created a new framework for tracking and predicting user gaze in Augmented Reality devices. If these devices know where a user will look next, it can proactively display information and interactive features more seamlessly.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Ph.D. student Fiona Ryan has created a new framework for tracking and predicting user gaze in Augmented Reality devices"}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-05-27 21:15:00","changed_gmt":"2026-05-27 21:16:17","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680364":{"id":"680364","type":"image","title":"IMG_2114.JPG","body":null,"created":"1779916518","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 21:15:18","changed":"1779916518","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 21:15:18","alt":"Fiona Ryan","file":{"fid":"264620","name":"IMG_2114.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/27\/IMG_2114.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/27\/IMG_2114.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":100549,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/27\/IMG_2114.JPG?itok=uM3cBtPX"}}},"media_ids":["680364"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1597","name":"Augmented Reality"},{"id":"11506","name":"computer vision"},{"id":"183308","name":"smart glasses"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690524":{"#nid":"690524","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Framework Enhances AR Experience by Predicting Where Users Will Look","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAugmented reality (AR) devices like smart glasses may soon be able to predict where a user will look and provide an enhanced interactive experience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/fkryan.github.io\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFiona Ryan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Ph.D. student in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing, is pioneering research that tracks and predicts user gaze from a first-person perspective in 3D environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, most AR devices react to where users look, playing catch-up. Ryan\u2019s method could give these devices a heads-up and make the user experience more seamless.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt allows an AR system to anticipate what the person will interact with next and where they\u2019re going to look next so it can proactively render the experience,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERyan is the lead author of the paper \u003Cem\u003EForecasting 3D Scanpaths in Egocentric Video,\u003C\/em\u003E which she will present next week at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cvpr.thecvf.com\/\u0022\u003EIEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition\u003C\/a\u003E (CVPR) in Denver.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile there is existing research on predicting user gaze from 2D still images, her work is the first to address the issue through a 3D framework.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause we live in a 3D world and people are dynamically moving around from multiple points of view, we need to predict gaze in 3D rather than 2D,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing is a path of the person\u2019s attention in 3D through space. Our paper is the first to attempt to model this.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERyan conducted most of the research while interning at Meta, where she used data from Meta\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.projectaria.com\/datasets\/adt\/\u0022\u003EAria Digital Twin dataset\u003C\/a\u003E. The dataset contains first-person video footage of users interacting with objects in an apartment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe chose that dataset because it has a high-fidelity 3D reconstruction of a full environment, which helps us get a ground-truth 3D gaze,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can trace eye movement and see how it intersects with the environment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA video demonstration of Ryan\u2019s work shows her software tracking a user\u2019s path toward a table with a cup on it. Once the user picks up the cup, the software correctly predicts the direction the user will turn next.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen we look at a scene, we don\u2019t take in everything in full detail all at once,\u201d she said. \u201cWe fixate on certain areas, and our gaze is a sequence of fixations, which might depend on what we\u2019re trying to do. If we want to pick up a cup, we might look toward that and then the next step would be looking at where we\u2019re going to put it down.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERyan said the software can predict, on average, up to three seconds into the future \u2014 and as far as 10 seconds in some cases. That\u2019s enough time for the AR system to proactively render a more enhanced environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re not looking that far into the future right now, but it would be interesting to explore longer forecasting windows,\u201d she said. \u201cI think potential futures would diverge pretty quickly, so we\u2019re trying to explore what can reasonably be predicted from a short segment of a person looking and moving through space.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERyan said her paper served as a proof-of-concept, and that there is still much future work to be done. She already has some ideas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think future models can include different scenarios to help narrow down possibilities. Sometimes a person\u2019s gaze stays on one thing for a long time. If we know what someone is trying to do, we\u2019ll have a better idea of the likely path their attention might go.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere could also be future implications for her work in robotics research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt could potentially be used for training algorithms for robots to emulate active human perception. If we can understand what a person looks at as they perform a task, we could use that to facilitate a robot learning to do that same task.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. student Fiona Ryan has created a new framework for tracking and predicting user gaze in Augmented Reality devices. If these devices know where a user will look next, it can proactively display information and interactive features more seamlessly.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Ph.D. student Fiona Ryan has created a new framework for tracking and predicting user gaze in Augmented Reality devices"}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-05-27 20:42:33","changed_gmt":"2026-05-27 20:42:33","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1597","name":"Augmented Reality"},{"id":"11506","name":"computer vision"},{"id":"183308","name":"smart glasses"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690488":{"#nid":"690488","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Program Backs Pioneering Antibody Research with Global Reach","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new grant from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gra.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance\u003C\/a\u003E (GRA) is backing an ambitious effort by Georgia Tech scientists to accelerate the development of human antibody therapies \u2014 a class of medicines that has transformed treatment across cancer, autoimmune disease, and infectious illness, yet it cannot be generated against many disease targets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe $250,000 funding award, made through GRA\u2019s Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I\u0026amp;E) program, supports the translational work of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/ankur-singh\u0022\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/a\u003E, Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/andres-j-garcia\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u2019 Professor in Mechanical Engineering and the Executive Director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E. Singh and Garc\u00eda are collaborating to develop functional human antibodies against some of the most difficult-to-treat diseases. While antibody therapies already benefit an estimated 20 million patients worldwide, fewer than 10 percent of discovery efforts ultimately yield candidates suitable for clinical use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis shortfall spans major disease areas \u2014 from oncology and autoimmune disorders to heart and metabolism-related conditions and neurological and infectious diseases \u2014 limiting therapeutic options for patients. The challenge lies not only in identifying candidate antibodies, but in engineering them to function reliably in the human body.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe I\u0026amp;E program exists to bridge the gap between a discovery that works in the lab and one that can anchor a company,\u201d said Justin Burns, Chief Innovation Officer and Vice President for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at GRA. \u201cSingh and Garc\u00eda are tackling a problem the field has faced for decades: A significant fraction of drug targets remains inaccessible to antibody-based therapies. Our goal is to help move bold, high-potential science toward real-world impact.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGRA\u2019s model targets a well-known bottleneck in translation. While university labs generate promising technologies, many stall before reaching the marketplace due to a lack of validation and early-stage development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh and Garc\u00eda aim to overcome this barrier by using a proprietary antibody-engineering framework developed in Singh\u2019s laboratory, and supported by an earlier GRA grant. The objective is straightforward: Increase the success rate of discovery efforts so more antibody candidates can advance toward clinical use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe implications extend well beyond our laboratory,\u201d said Singh. \u201cBy expanding the pipeline of functional human antibodies, we can begin to address diseases that currently lack durable treatment options. GRA\u2019s support is transformative \u2014 not only for advancing the science, but for positioning Georgia as a leader in biotechnology innovation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project is built with real-world use in mind, aiming to turn the research into a new company and eventually a clinical product. By testing the idea early and lowering risk, the team hopes to attract investment and move the technology quickly beyond the Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda emphasized the translational vision of the work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a transformative platform technology that overcomes major bottlenecks in antibody discovery and will accelerate and increase the efficiency of this powerful class of therapeutics,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis effort is about rethinking how we design antibodies from the ground up \u2014 integrating biological insight with engineering principles to produce molecules that are not just viable, but clinically meaningful,\u201d he said. \u201cWith GRA\u2019s support, we can de-risk early discovery and create a clearer path from promising concepts to therapies that reach patients.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Tracey Mullen, a seasoned biopharma executive, entrepreneur, and antibody discovery and engineering leader currently serving as Chief Strategy Officer at Mosaic Biosciences, is advising the team on translational strategy, commercial development, and company formation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe ability to rapidly generate functional human antibodies in physiologically relevant systems could meaningfully change how therapeutic discovery is approached,\u201d Mullen said. \u201cBy moving beyond largely empirical, animal- or screening-heavy workflows and incorporating human-specific, mechanism-informed evaluation earlier in the process, this platform has the potential to generate more relevant antibody candidates and create a stronger path from discovery concept to translational development.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs global demand for advanced therapeutics grows, efforts like this reflect a broader shift in how innovation moves from bench to bedside \u2014 one driven not only by scientific ingenuity, but by targeted investment at critical early stages.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAntibody therapy is a class of medicines that has transformed treatment across cancer, autoimmune disease, and infectious illness, yet it cannot be generated against many disease targets. The $250,000 funding award, made through GRA\u2019s Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I\u0026amp;E) program, will help two Georgia Tech researchers develop functional human antibodies against some of the most difficult-to-treat diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new grant from the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) is backing an ambitious effort by Georgia Tech scientists to accelerate the development of human antibody therapies "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-05-27 12:28:35","changed_gmt":"2026-05-27 14:06:25","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680359":{"id":"680359","type":"image","title":"_0000_Singh_GRA.jpg","body":null,"created":"1779890722","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 14:05:22","changed":"1779890722","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 14:05:22","alt":"A man sits in a lab in front of a fume hood and uses tweezers to hold a plastic chip out toward the camera.","file":{"fid":"264616","name":"_0000_Singh_GRA.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/27\/_0000_Singh_GRA.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/27\/_0000_Singh_GRA.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":130894,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/27\/_0000_Singh_GRA.jpg?itok=Cdmy-61A"}}},"media_ids":["680359"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690486":{"#nid":"690486","#data":{"type":"news","title":"INTERSECT 2026 Marks a Decade of Impact in Advancing the Southeast\u2019s Energy Policy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s INTERSECT 2026 brought together leading voices in energy on May 18 to explore critical issues in the Southeast\u2019s energy ecosystem. Hosted by the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E), INTERSECT coincided with the center\u2019s 10th anniversary, reflecting its sustained impact in convening cross-sector leaders to advance regional energy innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith more than 150 attendees from industry, academia, and research organizations, the event\u2019s high-level engagement underscored the urgency of critical issues facing the energy sector today, including the surging electricity demand, resiliency of the grid, and evolving supply chains, as well as the value of a dedicated space for candid, solutions-oriented dialogue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cINTERSECT 2026 demonstrated the power of bringing together leaders who are actively shaping the future of energy,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cWhat began as a forum to explore emerging ideas has grown into a critical platform for aligning perspectives and advancing actionable solutions across the Southeast.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s program focused on real-world implementation challenges, including managing large-scale load growth and coordinating infrastructure investments to meet demand reliably and affordably. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/intersect-2026\/\u0022\u003EPanels\u003C\/a\u003E featuring leaders from utilities, global energy corporations, and research organizations emphasized the importance of aligning strategy across sectors to ensure that the Southeast remains competitive and resilient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.southerncompany.com\/about\/leadership\/chris-womack.html\u0022\u003EChris Womack\u003C\/a\u003E, chairman, president, and CEO of Southern Company, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the unprecedented scale of current energy demands.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMeeting this moment requires us to think differently \u2014 serving growth while ensuring reliability, resilience, and long-term value for our customers and communities,\u201d said Womack.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaunched in 2017, the inaugural INTERSECT conference marked the launch of EPIcenter itself and established Georgia Tech\u2019s commitment to connecting research, industry insight, and policy development. It focused on the need to bridge the gap between rapidly advancing technologies and slower-moving regulatory and market frameworks, a theme that continues to shape its mission today.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs INTERSECT 2026 concluded, participants pointed to a shared takeaway: With its\u0026nbsp;industrial base, growing population, and integrated energy systems,\u0026nbsp;the Southeast is uniquely positioned to lead in the next phase of the energy transition. With AI-driven power demand and grid infrastructure playing a significant role going forward, it is imperative to bring together the right voices to shape policies and strategies that will connect ideas to action.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s INTERSECT 2026 brought together leading voices in energy on May 18 to explore critical issues in the Southeast\u2019s energy ecosystem. Hosted by the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E), INTERSECT coincided with the center\u2019s 10th anniversary, reflecting its sustained impact in convening cross-sector leaders to advance regional energy innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s INTERSECT 2026 brought together leading voices in energy on May 18 to explore critical issues in the Southeast\u2019s energy ecosystem."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-27 00:38:33","changed_gmt":"2026-05-27 10:50:35","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680346":{"id":"680346","type":"image","title":"Intersect 2026 Leadership Group 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Laura Taylor with Chris Womack","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEPIcenter Director Laura Taylor with Southern Company Chairman and CEO Chris Womack during the keynote address\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779842599","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 00:43:19","changed":"1779842670","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 00:44:30","alt":"EPIcenter Director Laura Taylor with Southern Company Chairman and CEO Chris Womack during the keynote address","file":{"fid":"264600","name":"Intersect-2026-33.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/Intersect-2026-33.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/Intersect-2026-33.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5201223,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/Intersect-2026-33.jpg?itok=ghZ3_4bp"}},"680353":{"id":"680353","type":"image","title":"IMG_1467.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIntersect 2026 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Chriss (Walmart), Aaron Mitchell (Georgia Power), and Srimonto Ghosh (Chevron)","file":{"fid":"264602","name":"IMG_1434.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1434.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1434.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2102204,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1434.jpg?itok=j8RsnUOk"}},"680354":{"id":"680354","type":"image","title":"IMG_1449.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003EFireside chat featuring Rich Simmons, Strategic Energy Institute, and Rich Voorberg, QII.\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1779847562","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 02:06:02","changed":"1779889346","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 13:42:26","alt":"Fireside chat featuring Rich Simmons, Strategic Energy Institute, and Rich Voorberg, QII.","file":{"fid":"264608","name":"IMG_1449.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1449.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1449.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2495542,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1449.jpg?itok=vr1zD1ce"}},"680352":{"id":"680352","type":"image","title":"IMG_1514.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EModerator Craig Jones (Oglethorpe Power Corporation) with Panelists Lisa Epifani (ClearPath, William Pizer (Resources for the Future) and Brad Townsend (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779847353","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 02:02:33","changed":"1779848242","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 02:17:22","alt":"Moderator Craig Jones (Oglethorpe Power Corporation) with Panelists Lisa Epifani (ClearPath, William Pizer (Resources for the Future) and Brad Townsend (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions)","file":{"fid":"264606","name":"IMG_1514.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1514.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1514.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2456990,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1514.jpg?itok=NKTo9xm8"}},"680355":{"id":"680355","type":"image","title":"IMG_1464.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EModerator Scott McWhorter (Strategic Energy Institute), with Panelists Neva Espinoza (EPRI), Sherman Knight (Competitive Power Ventures), and Barbara Hampton (Georgia Transmission Corporation)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779847699","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 02:08:19","changed":"1779848292","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 02:18:12","alt":"Moderator Scott McWhorter (Strategic Energy Institute), with Panelists Neva Espinoza (EPRI), Sherman Knight (Competitive Power Ventures), and Barbara Hampton (Georgia Transmission Corporation)","file":{"fid":"264609","name":"IMG_1464.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1464.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1464.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2152246,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1464.jpg?itok=Qqri1Y77"}},"680356":{"id":"680356","type":"image","title":"IMG_1536.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EModerator Elaine Johns (Vantage Point Solutions and EnerVision) with Panelists Wayne Gossage (Jefferson Energy Cooperative), Michael Goodroe (Sawnee EMC) and Jeremy Nelms (Flint Energies)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779847849","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 02:10:49","changed":"1779847849","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 02:10:49","alt":"Moderator Elaine Johns (Vantage Point Solutions and EnerVision) with Panelists Wayne Gossage (Jefferson Energy Cooperative), Michael Goodroe (Sawnee EMC) and Jeremy Nelms (Flint Energies)","file":{"fid":"264610","name":"IMG_1536.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1536.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1536.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2400022,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1536.jpg?itok=dxTsR50P"}}},"media_ids":["680346","680347","680353","680348","680354","680352","680355","680356"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || Research Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690463":{"#nid":"690463","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Students Advance Energy, Science Innovation Through National Lab Internships","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech students are gaining hands-on research experience at U.S. national laboratories this summer, reinforcing the Institute\u2019s strong and enduring partnerships across the national lab system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe highly competitive\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/wdts\/About\/Laboratory-Participants\u0022\u003ELaboratory Placement program\u003C\/a\u003E is a paid opportunity offered through the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/wdts\/suli\u0022\u003EScience Undergraduate Laboratory Internships\u003C\/a\u003E. It provides students from a wide range of disciplines an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at leading facilities, including\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.anl.gov\/\u0022\u003EArgonne National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ameslab.gov\/\u0022\u003EAmes National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lbl.gov\/\u0022\u003ELawrence Berkeley National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nlr.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Laboratory of the Rockies\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003EOak Ridge National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pppl.gov\/\u0022\u003EPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.srnl.gov\/\u0022\u003ESavannah River National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program\u2019s 2026 cohort includes 16 Georgia Tech students from disciplines such as artificial intelligence, materials science, aerospace engineering, nuclear engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and physics. Their research placements reflect the interdisciplinary nature of today\u2019s scientific challenges, with projects covering bioinformatics, high-energy and condensed matter physics, accelerator science, environmental management, and advanced materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany of the internships are closely aligned with national energy priorities, with students working in research areas including nuclear energy, hydrogen and chemical systems, materials for energy applications, plasma and fusion sciences, and complex engineered systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech\u2019s deep engagement with the national laboratory system creates unparalleled opportunities for our students to contribute to the future of energy,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute. \u201cBy connecting interdisciplinary talent with world-class research environments, we are not only advancing discovery but also shaping the next generation of leaders who will drive secure, sustainable, and resilient energy systems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking alongside national lab scientists, students will not only gain access to world-class facilities but benefit from mentorship and professional networks, while contributing to research critical to national security, economic competitiveness, and a more sustainable energy future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese internships demonstrate the strength of Georgia Tech\u2019s relationships across the federal research ecosystem,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gov.gatech.edu\/staff-directory\u0022\u003ERobert Knotts\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of Federal Relations in the Office of Institute Relations. \u201cThey provide a direct pathway for students to engage in public service through mission-driven research at national laboratories \u2014 while strengthening connections that are vital to advancing national priorities in energy, security, and innovation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech students are gaining hands-on research experience at U.S. national laboratories this summer, reinforcing the Institute\u2019s strong and enduring partnerships across the national lab system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe highly competitive\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/wdts\/About\/Laboratory-Participants\u0022\u003ELaboratory Placement program\u003C\/a\u003E is a paid opportunity offered through the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/wdts\/suli\u0022\u003EScience Undergraduate Laboratory Internships\u003C\/a\u003E. It provides students from a wide range of disciplines an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at leading facilities, including\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.anl.gov\/\u0022\u003EArgonne National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ameslab.gov\/\u0022\u003EAmes National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lbl.gov\/\u0022\u003ELawrence Berkeley National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nlr.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Laboratory of the Rockies\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003EOak Ridge National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pppl.gov\/\u0022\u003EPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.srnl.gov\/\u0022\u003ESavannah River National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech students are gaining hands-on research experience at U.S. national laboratories this summer, reinforcing the Institute\u2019s strong and enduring partnerships across the national lab system."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-26 14:34:26","changed_gmt":"2026-05-26 19:23:02","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680345":{"id":"680345","type":"image","title":"National Lab Student Internships 2026","body":null,"created":"1779823309","gmt_created":"2026-05-26 19:21:49","changed":"1779823332","gmt_changed":"2026-05-26 19:22:12","alt":"Logos of national labs including Oak Ridge National Lab, AMES Lab, Argonne National Lab, Savannah River National Lab, PPPL, National Lab of the Rockies, National Fusion Facility, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Brookhaven National Lab and Sandia national lab","file":{"fid":"264598","name":"GT-Students-Interning-at-Labs_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/GT-Students-Interning-at-Labs_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/GT-Students-Interning-at-Labs_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2027423,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/GT-Students-Interning-at-Labs_1.jpg?itok=SiYNOZ89"}}},"media_ids":["680345"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || Research Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690279":{"#nid":"690279","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Soft, Skin-Like Nasal Patch Could Transform Sleep Monitoring","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESleep-related breathing disorders, including sleep apnea, affect millions of people worldwide but frequently go undiagnosed. One major barrier to diagnosis is the test itself.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETraditional sleep monitoring systems often rely on bulky equipment and nasal cannulas \u2014 small tubes inserted into the nostrils to measure airflow. While effective, these systems can be uncomfortable, intrusive, and difficult to tolerate overnight, limiting their use for long-term monitoring at home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, researchers led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/yeo\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EW. Hong Yeo\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Peterson Professor in Pediatric Research at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, have developed a soft, wireless nasal patch that could offer a more comfortable alternative for monitoring breathing during sleep.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe technology, described in a recent study published in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pnas.org%2Fdoi%2F10.1073%2Fpnas.2605960123\u0026amp;data=05%7C02%7Ctracie.troha%40me.gatech.edu%7Cce0da602964f459c097e08deb13aa914%7C482198bbae7b4b258b7a6d7f32faa083%7C1%7C0%7C639143062664873257%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C\u0026amp;sdata=7v2YqFZdB%2F1EBX3YLD0J2SiAQNkex92qZDCERO1qR7E%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, uses ultrathin, skin-like wearable electronics to detect subtle movements of the nose caused by breathing without tubes, wires, or direct airflow measurements.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/soft-skin-nasal-patch-could-transform-sleep-monitoring\u0022\u003ERead the full story on the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESleep-related breathing disorders, including sleep apnea, affect millions of people worldwide but frequently go undiagnosed. One major barrier to diagnosis is the test itself.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETraditional sleep monitoring systems often rely on bulky equipment and nasal cannulas \u2014 small tubes inserted into the nostrils to measure airflow. While effective, these systems can be uncomfortable, intrusive, and difficult to tolerate overnight, limiting their use for long-term monitoring at home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, researchers led by W. Hong Yeo, Peterson Professor in Pediatric Research at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, have developed a soft, wireless nasal patch that could offer a more comfortable alternative for monitoring breathing during sleep.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe technology, described in a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), uses ultrathin, skin-like wearable electronics to detect subtle movements of the nose caused by breathing without tubes, wires, or direct airflow measurements.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers led by W. Hong Yeo, Peterson Professor in Pediatric Research at the Woodruff School, have developed a soft, wireless nasal patch that could offer a more comfortable alternative for monitoring breathing during sleep."}],"uid":"35851","created_gmt":"2026-05-14 21:46:23","changed_gmt":"2026-05-26 15:20:24","author":"aritchie6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680281":{"id":"680281","type":"image","title":"Figure-5.jpg","body":null,"created":"1778795216","gmt_created":"2026-05-14 21:46:56","changed":"1778795216","gmt_changed":"2026-05-14 21:46:56","alt":"Soft, wireless nasal patch","file":{"fid":"264528","name":"Figure-5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/14\/Figure-5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/14\/Figure-5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":98315,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/14\/Figure-5.jpg?itok=P93vxp6D"}}},"media_ids":["680281"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ashley.ritchie@me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAshley Ritchie\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690439":{"#nid":"690439","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Associate Professor John Blazeck Receives NSF\u2019s CAREER Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE), has won a 2026 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/opportunities\/career-faculty-early-career-development-program\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECAREER\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Award is the NSF\u2019s most prestigious award in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/john-blazeck\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBlazeck\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E will receive $647,941 over five years for \u201cCreating and evolving antibodies from scratch in yeast.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAntibodies are key proteins of the immune system that help fight disease. In people, immune cells called B cells create antibodies and then evolve them. B cells take months to do this, which makes it difficult to study antibody creation and evolution, Blazeck explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis CAREER project will design a method to evolve antibodies \u201cfrom scratch\u201d in yeast, which will open new avenues for exploring antibody creation, evolution, and function.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead the full story on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/associate-professor-john-blazeck-receives-nsfs-career-award\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering\u0027s website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/opportunities\/career-faculty-early-career-development-program\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECAREER\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Award is the NSF\u2019s most prestigious award in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"John Blazeck, associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE), has won a 2026 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF)."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-05-22 11:51:40","changed_gmt":"2026-05-22 11:53:35","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680331":{"id":"680331","type":"image","title":"Blazeck-2019-HeadShot.jpg","body":null,"created":"1779450727","gmt_created":"2026-05-22 11:52:07","changed":"1779450727","gmt_changed":"2026-05-22 11:52:07","alt":"A man with brown hair and a short beard smiles for a portrait while wearing a dark blue suit and red tie.","file":{"fid":"264579","name":"Blazeck-2019-HeadShot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/22\/Blazeck-2019-HeadShot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/22\/Blazeck-2019-HeadShot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":250304,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/22\/Blazeck-2019-HeadShot.jpg?itok=lElpIX1Z"}}},"media_ids":["680331"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"94981","name":"College of Engineering; School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon, Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690428":{"#nid":"690428","#data":{"type":"news","title":"College of Engineering Recognizes 8 Faculty Members with Excellence Awards","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEight faculty members have been honored by the College of Engineering for their excellence\u0026nbsp;in research, service, teaching, inventorship, and commercialization.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECandidates for the fifth annual Faculty Excellence Awards were nominated by their peers or submitted self-nominations. Materials were reviewed by a committee of academic and research faculty members within the College.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach honoree receives $2,000. The honorees are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/menon\u0022\u003EAkanksha Menon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/yeo\u0022\u003EHong Yeo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/herrin\u0022\u003EKinsey Herrin\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/lauren-steimle\u0022\u003ELauren Steimle\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/kevin-haas\u0022\u003EKevin Haas\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/omer-t-inan\u0022\u003EOmer Inan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bio\/scott-j-hollister\u0022\u003EScott Hollister\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bio\/kim-l-paige\u0022\u003EKim L. Paige\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead the full story on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/college-recognizes-8-faculty-members-excellence-awards\u0022\u003ECollege of Engineering website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECandidates for the fifth annual Faculty Excellence Awards were nominated by their peers or submitted self-nominations. Materials were reviewed by a committee of academic and research faculty members within the College.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach honoree receives $2,000.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Eight faculty members have been honored by the College of Engineering for their excellence in research, service, teaching, inventorship, and commercialization."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-05-21 18:30:58","changed_gmt":"2026-05-21 18:33:06","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680327":{"id":"680327","type":"image","title":"_0000_Tech-Tower.jpg","body":null,"created":"1779388267","gmt_created":"2026-05-21 18:31:07","changed":"1779388267","gmt_changed":"2026-05-21 18:31:07","alt":"Georgia Tech\u2019s historic Tech Tower rises above leafy green trees on a clear day, featuring a red brick facade, arched windows, and a pointed gray roof with the word \u201cTECH\u201d displayed prominently near the top.","file":{"fid":"264574","name":"_0000_Tech-Tower.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/21\/_0000_Tech-Tower.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/21\/_0000_Tech-Tower.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":173014,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/21\/_0000_Tech-Tower.jpg?itok=BjjKwXOD"}}},"media_ids":["680327"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"194701","name":"go-resarchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer, Director of Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690028":{"#nid":"690028","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Bird Flu Vaccine Project Lands $2M From USDA ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe United States Department of Agriculture\u0026nbsp;(USDA) has awarded $2 million to a team of Georgia Tech and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (GTRI) researchers to develop a first-of-its-kind vaccine pill for bird flu.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor decades, bird flu was uncommon in the U.S., but that has changed. In the past several years, epidemics have threatened poultry and dairy cattle operations across the country. Higher egg prices, driven largely by bird flu-related supply disruptions, have cost American consumers \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/aaes.uada.edu\/news\/bird-flu-analysis\/\u0022\u003Ebillions of dollars\u003C\/a\u003E in losses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe H5N1 strain of the bird flu, which has driven recent and current outbreaks, is a highly lethal virus that kills domestic chickens and other bird species in droves,\u201d said David Pattie, GTRI research scientist and branch chief. \u201cIt can easily jump from birds to other animal species \u2014 and sometimes to humans.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research team will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to design and test a probiotic avian flu vaccine that, if successful, could be served to chickens in their feed. Currently, vaccinating a flock means individually injecting every bird.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re focusing on\u0026nbsp;live bacterial vaccines, which means the vaccine comes from living bacteria you swallow, instead of an injection,\u201d said Mike Farrell, GTRI principal research scientist and the project\u2019s lead investigator.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese probiotic vaccines would help protect birds and livestock from flu-like infections and lower the risk of those viruses spreading to humans,\u201d he added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Farrell and Pattie, the team includes researchers from an array of disciplines across the Institute: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/faramarz-fekri\u0022\u003EFaramarz Fekri\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and John Pippin Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/jc-gumbart\u0022\u003EJC Gumbart\u003C\/a\u003E, Dunn Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022\u003EBrian Hammer\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of\u0026nbsp; Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E; and Anton Bryksin, director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\/research\/core-facilities\/molecular-evolution-core\u0022\u003EMolecular Evolution Core\u003C\/a\u003E at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding on Human Influenza Research\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project builds on Farrell\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/newsroom\/common-probiotic-bacteria-could-help-boost-protection-against-influenza\u0022\u003Eongoing research\u003C\/a\u003E into developing probiotic vaccine adjuvants for human influenza. The goal is to use\u0026nbsp;probiotic bacteria \u2014 the \u201cgood bacteria\u201d found in foods like yogurt \u2014 to help create immunity for the flu vaccine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf the researchers can get probiotic bacteria to display pieces of the flu virus (called antigens) on their surface, then they could be swallowed like a normal probiotic pill.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe gut is a great place for building immunity. When these bacteria reach the gut, your body would recognize the virus pieces on the bacteria and start building flu antibodies,\u201d Farrell explained. \u201cThat way, when the chickens get exposed to flu, their immune system would already be prepared to fight it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPutting AI to the Test\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe idea behind this oral bird flu vaccine is to leverage artificial intelligence and the vast historical database for H5N1 available to us, because it\u0027s a very well-studied virus,\u201d Farrell said. \u201cThere is a ton of structural data out there.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGumbart is an expert in protein modeling and simulation. Part of his role is figuring out the best design for a\u0026nbsp;viral protein piece (antigen)\u0026nbsp;\u2014 one that looks and behaves like the real virus protein, so it triggers the right immune response. To do this, he will combine Fekri\u2019s AI-generated predictions with computer modeling.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat\u2019s where my team adds real value,\u201d Gumbart said. \u201cWe use simulations to test how stable and realistic these protein designs are, which allows us to choose the best ones for lab experiments.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI has already identified new medicines and antibiotics by studying chemical databases. If the team can use AI to help design virus proteins for vaccines, it could transform how vaccines are made.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPattie says that any viral infectious disease with a high mortality rate has the potential to become a national security threat. \u201cAt that point, developing countermeasures becomes exceedingly important from a national security perspective,\u201d he said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is the first time several of the team members are working on poultry research. For Gumbart, the project is a full-circle moment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI grew up in rural Illinois, and as a kid, one of my daily chores was to take care of chickens, and I kind of hated it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is some sort of universal irony that I am back to taking care of chickens again.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EUsing artificial intelligence, the team is developing an edible vaccine that could protect birds from bird flu and reduce its spread to livestock and humans.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Using artificial intelligence, the team is developing an edible vaccine that could protect birds from bird flu and reduce its spread to livestock and humans."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2026-04-28 15:07:39","changed_gmt":"2026-05-20 17:50:54","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680081":{"id":"680081","type":"image","title":"AdobeStock_272613329.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are working on an oral bird flu vaccine that could transform poultry vaccination. (Credit: Adobe Stock)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777391209","gmt_created":"2026-04-28 15:46:49","changed":"1777391209","gmt_changed":"2026-04-28 15:46:49","alt":"A man wearing a surgical mask and white coat examines a black and white chicken.","file":{"fid":"264320","name":"AdobeStock_272613329.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/28\/AdobeStock_272613329.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/28\/AdobeStock_272613329.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2273404,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/28\/AdobeStock_272613329.png?itok=SRCBIVZN"}}},"media_ids":["680081"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECatherine Barzler, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:catherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecatherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690386":{"#nid":"690386","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Vida Jamali Receives the Inaugural Dr. James Robert and Margaret Spencer Early Career Fellowship","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Professor Vida Jamali is the inaugural recipient of the new Dr. James Robert and Margaret Spencer Early Career Fellowship in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE@GT).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHer outstanding research accomplishments and contributions to the School and Georgia Tech led to this selection,\u201d said Professor Christopher W. Jones, the John F. Brock III School Chair in ChBE@GT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe $20,000 in discretionary funding from this one-year fellowship will support \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vidajamali.github.io\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJamali\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s research activities focused on developing new tools for \u003Cem\u003Ein situ\u003C\/em\u003E liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy, stochastic thermodynamics, and nanoscience-based platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Spencers established the endowment from which the term fellowship funding comes in 2017. This endowment will eventually lead to the establishment of a professorship in ChBE@GT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBob Spencer is a successful alumnus who has remained connected to our chemical engineering program,\u201d according to Jones. \u201cHis family\u2019s gift will allow ChBE@GT to support an early career professor at a critical stage of their development\u2014the crucial years just before their promotion and tenure review. We are grateful for their support and generosity.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/vida-jamali-receives-inaugural-dr-james-robert-and-margaret-spencer-early-career\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the ChBE Newspage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Professor Vida Jamali is the inaugural recipient of the new Dr. James Robert and Margaret Spencer Early Career Fellowship in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE@GT).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHer outstanding research accomplishments and contributions to the School and Georgia Tech led to this selection,\u201d said Professor Christopher W. Jones, the John F. Brock III School Chair in ChBE@GT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe $20,000 in discretionary funding from this one-year fellowship will support \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vidajamali.github.io\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJamali\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s research activities focused on developing new tools for \u003Cem\u003Ein situ\u003C\/em\u003E liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy, stochastic thermodynamics, and nanoscience-based platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Assistant Professor Vida Jamali is the inaugural recipient of the new Dr. James Robert and Margaret Spencer Early Career Fellowship in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE@GT)."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-19 20:50:46","changed_gmt":"2026-05-19 20:54:42","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680322":{"id":"680322","type":"image","title":"vida_image_0.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EVida Jamali, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779223851","gmt_created":"2026-05-19 20:50:51","changed":"1779223851","gmt_changed":"2026-05-19 20:50:51","alt":"Vida Jamali, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"264569","name":"vida_image_0.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/19\/vida_image_0.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/19\/vida_image_0.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":30687,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/19\/vida_image_0.jpeg?itok=tgpG-de0"}}},"media_ids":["680322"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:braddixon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBrad Dixon\u003C\/a\u003E, ChBE\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690314":{"#nid":"690314","#data":{"type":"news","title":"MSHCI Receives Board of Regents Award for Best Department or Program","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction (MSHCI) program has another reason to celebrate as it prepares to mark its 30th anniversary later this year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia awarded the program the 2026 Teaching Excellence Award for Department or Program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mshci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMSHCI program\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Edirector Dick Henneman and assistant director Carrie Bruce received the award on May 12 during a Board of Regents (BOR) meeting.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHenneman has served as director of the program since 2015, and Bruce has served as assistant director since 2014. The program began in 1996 and has since expanded to be offered by four Georgia Tech schools:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ic.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInteractive Computing\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/id.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EIndustrial Design\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lmc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELiterature, Media, and Communications\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPsychology\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs we put our award submission together, it was nice for us to reflect on all our hard work and to understand the impact this program has had on students,\u201d Bruce said. \u201cWe recently surveyed alums, and so many said they were thankful for the way this program shaped their careers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder the leadership of Henneman and Bruce, the program has achieved a 99% graduation rate, with about 60 graduates per year, up from about 30 since 2015. Henneman said the program has become one of the most competitive of its kind in the world, with an admission rate under 10%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have some incredibly qualified students who are a part of the program,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a number of graduates move into design management positions, and some have started their own companies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHenneman and Bruce said that one thing that distinguishes Tech\u2019s MSHCI program is its close partnerships and alignment with industry. The program has an industry advisory board that keeps students informed about the skills companies value.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe adapted our core classes quite a bit to ensure that they weren\u2019t just getting the academic version of HCI methods,\u201d Bruce said. \u201cOur program is practical and focuses on what they are going to do when they get into industry.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough the program continues to grow, Henneman says it has maintained a sense of community among students, which he says is another thing that sets it apart. Many alumni keep in touch and return to offer industry advice, critique resumes, and conduct mock interviews with current students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of times graduate school can be all about the individual,\u201d he said. \u201cAs we prepare students to go work in industry, it\u2019s all about collaboration and the people you\u2019re working with and learning how to work on teams.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech had 21 faculty and researchers recognized in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/13\/georgia-tech-faculty-and-researchers-recognized-2026-regents-awards?utm_source=newsletter\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_content=Faculty%2C%20Researchers%20Recognized%20With%20Regents%E2%80%99%20Awards\u0026amp;utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20May%2014%2C%202026\u0022\u003E2026 Regents Awards\u003C\/a\u003E. From the College of Computing, Santosh Vempala was named a Regents\u2019 Professor, while Srinivas Aluru and Ellen Zegura had their Regents\u2019 titles renewed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMSHCI program director Dick Henneman and assitant director Carrie Bruce reflect on 30 years of success after they received the 2026 Teaching Excellence Award for Department or Program from the USG Board of Regents.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u0027s MSHCI program received the 2026 Teaching Excellence Award for Department or Program from the University System of Georgia\u0027s Board of Regents."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-05-15 17:00:12","changed_gmt":"2026-05-18 18:36:27","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680288":{"id":"680288","type":"image","title":"USG-BoR-5-12-2026-018-copy.jpg","body":null,"created":"1778864433","gmt_created":"2026-05-15 17:00:33","changed":"1778864433","gmt_changed":"2026-05-15 17:00:33","alt":"Raheem Bayeh, Carrie Bruce, Sonny Perdue, Dick Henneman","file":{"fid":"264535","name":"USG-BoR-5-12-2026-018-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/15\/USG-BoR-5-12-2026-018-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/15\/USG-BoR-5-12-2026-018-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":163281,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/15\/USG-BoR-5-12-2026-018-copy.jpg?itok=DFT3DWbz"}}},"media_ids":["680288"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"179356","name":"Industrial Design"}],"keywords":[{"id":"21151","name":"mshci"},{"id":"186678","name":"USG Board of Regents"},{"id":"172013","name":"Faculty Awards and Honors"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690325":{"#nid":"690325","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow Awarded National Climate Resilience Grant","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA Georgia Tech-led project advancing coastal resilience and ecosystem restoration has been selected for the inaugural\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reviverestore.org\/revive-restore-announces-inaugural-climate-resilience-fund-cohort\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClimate Resilience Fund\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E cohort, awarded by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reviverestore.org\/\u0022\u003ERevive \u0026amp; Restore\u003C\/a\u003E. The award is one of ten in a new $3.4 million fund to leverage genetic rescue for marine and coastal ecosystems under threat from climate shifts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELed by\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel E. Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E, Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor and director of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow (GT\u00b2)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the research effort will help restore coastal salt marshes through AI-enabled micropropagation and developing probiotics for plants. It is the only salt marsh-focused effort funded nationally in the cohort.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe award supports both the development of more climate-resilient salt marsh plants, as well as new capacity for coastal restoration in Georgia \u2014 an effort that aligns closely with GT\u00b2\u2019s mission to connect research, innovation, and community needs to address critical environmental and community challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHealthy Coasts\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESalt marshes are among Georgia\u2019s most important natural resources, helping buffer communities from storms, support fisheries, and sustain coastal economies. Yet the state currently lacks a reliable source of salt marsh seedlings needed for large-scale restoration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reviverestore.org\/probiotics-and-ai-enabled-micropropagation-for-salt-marsh-restoration\/\u0022\u003EThe funded project\u003C\/a\u003E addresses that gap by advancing the production of hardier marsh plants and laying the groundwork for a broader restoration economy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe opportunity here is to build something that doesn\u2019t currently exist in Georgia \u2014 a scalable, science-driven supply of salt marsh plants for safer, healthier coastal communities and ecosystems,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cBy combining biotechnology, ecology, and partnerships across the region, we are accelerating coastal resilience while supporting long-term environmental and economic benefits.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka will work with project co-researchers\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EElse-Marie Ulrika Egertsdotter\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(Georgia Tech Renewable Bioproducts Institute) and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ECaitlin Petro\u003C\/strong\u003E (Georgia Tech Biological Sciences),\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHeather Joesting (\u003C\/strong\u003EGeorgia Southern University),\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EEmily Coffey\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELauren Eserman-Campbell\u003C\/strong\u003E (Atlanta Botanical Garden), and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ESydney Williams\u003C\/strong\u003E (University of Georgia and Georgia Sea Grant) \u2014 along with several anticipated regional partners, including University of Georgia Marine Institute, GA\/SC\/NC Departments of Natural Resources, Southeastern Plant Conservation Alliance, and Bald Head Island Conservancy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team will create a \u201cClimate-Ready Spartina Toolkit\u201d with automated plant tissue culture, AI-based screening tools, a culture collection that serves as probiotics for plants, a seed bank and library of preserved plant materials, step-by-step instructions for successful growing, and ready for regional deployment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe project also continues the evolution of Kostka\u2019s collaborative research Egertsdotter and the Georgia Tech Renewable Bioproducts Institute. \u201cRBI shares the goal of using biotechnology to produce climate-resilient plants that benefit society,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cTheir expertise in plant tissue culture and automation make this work possible. It also is a great example of collaboration between GT Sciences and Engineering \u2014 the automation of plant tissue culture was developed by mechanical engineers in RBI.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERegional Resilience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new award builds on growing momentum for Georgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow and its expanding network of collaborators focused on coastal resilience. Based in the College of Sciences, GT\u00b2 is designed to align discovery science with technological innovation and data-driven tools to deliver practical solutions for communities across the state.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn April, GT\u00b2 launched a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/23\/georgias-tomorrow-and-bald-head-island-conservancy-launch-research-fund-partnership\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eformal research fund and partnership with the Bald Head Island Conservancy (BHIC)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, connecting Georgia Tech researchers with BHIC\u2019s Johnston Center for Coastal Sustainability in North Carolina to advance shared work in coastal sustainability, ecosystem health, and environmental resilience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe partnership combines BHIC\u2019s applied, field-based conservation work with Georgia Tech\u2019s strengths in technological innovation and data analysis, creating new opportunities for graduate research, community engagement, and real-world implementation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBetter Together\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThese \u201call hands on deck\u201d approaches reflect a broader strategy to scale tangible solutions across regional ecosystems by connecting researchers and partners with community stakeholders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cTogether, we hope these projects will demonstrate that genetic rescue is a powerful lever for the blue carbon ecosystems that underpin both ecological and human communities in the face of climate change,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELiv Liberman\u003C\/strong\u003E, Director of Ocean and Climate at Revive \u0026amp; Restore and program manager for the Climate Resilience Fund.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe efforts reflect GT\u00b2\u2019s goal of creating pathways from research to implementation, working across sectors to deliver measurable outcomes for the southeastern environment and its communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis award recognizes the kind of integrated, real-world research that GT\u00b2 is built to deliver,\u201d says Kostka. \u201cWe\u2019re bringing together researchers, agencies, and community partners to move from science to scalable solutions \u2014 especially along southeastern coasts, where the need is urgent and the opportunities are significant.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Georgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow (GT\u00b2) is a College of Sciences\u2013based initiative that connects discovery science, innovation, and partnerships to address pressing challenges in environmental and community resilience across Georgia. The initiative works with state agencies, industry, non-profits, and local communities to develop solutions that improve quality of life and strengthen the state\u2019s future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Revive \u0026amp; Restore\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ERevive \u0026amp; Restore is a nonprofit conservation organization that develops and promotes genetic rescue technologies to protect and restore endangered and extinct species. Founded in 2012 by Stewart Brand and Ryan Phelan, the organization works across birds, mammals, coral, and marine ecosystems to demonstrate that biotechnology is an essential tool in the conservation toolkit.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech-led project advancing coastal resilience and ecosystem restoration has been selected for the inaugural Climate Resilience Fund cohort, awarded by Revive \u0026amp; Restore. The award is one of ten in a new $3.4 million fund to leverage genetic rescue for marine and coastal ecosystems under threat from climate shifts. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The award is one of ten in a new $3.4 million fund to leverage genetic rescue for marine and coastal ecosystems under threat from climate shifts.  "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2026-05-18 15:27:44","changed_gmt":"2026-05-18 17:52:44","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680302":{"id":"680302","type":"image","title":"Spartina alterniflora lines a marsh environment on Sapelo Island. (Credit: Jess Hunt-Ralston)","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESpartina alterniflora lines a marsh environment on Sapelo Island. (Credit: Jess Hunt-Ralston)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779119519","gmt_created":"2026-05-18 15:51:59","changed":"1779119683","gmt_changed":"2026-05-18 15:54:43","alt":"A salt marsh waterway is lined by cord grasses, sand, and trees. The sunny cerulean sky is dotted with clouds.","file":{"fid":"264549","name":"DSC00553-copy2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/DSC00553-copy2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/DSC00553-copy2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2475406,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/18\/DSC00553-copy2.jpg?itok=IRHQ2IaM"}},"680300":{"id":"680300","type":"image","title":"Ulrika Egertsdotter is a principal research scientist in the Renewable Bioproducts Institute and a renowned expert in seed cloning. (Credit: Christopher McKenney)","body":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUlrika Egertsdotter is a principal research scientist in the Renewable Bioproducts Institute and a renowned expert in seed cloning. She designs and develops automated technologies that produce valuable plants for the state\u2019s forestry, agriculture, and horticulture industries. (Credit: Christopher McKenney)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779118934","gmt_created":"2026-05-18 15:42:14","changed":"1779118934","gmt_changed":"2026-05-18 15:42:14","alt":"Ulrika Egertsdotter is pictured in her lab, between shelves of trays with seeds that she is cloning.","file":{"fid":"264547","name":"seed-cloning.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/seed-cloning.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/seed-cloning.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2208576,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/18\/seed-cloning.jpg?itok=KDdpfW8e"}},"680301":{"id":"680301","type":"image","title":"Joel Kostka and co-presenters at the RBI 2026 Spring Workshop.","body":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka and co-presenters at the RBI 2026 Spring Workshop. An international leader in ecosystem biogeoscience, Kostka is the inaugural faculty director of Georgia Tech for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow, as well as Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in the School of Biological Sciences. He holds a joint appointment in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. (Credit: Jess Hunt-Ralston)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779119044","gmt_created":"2026-05-18 15:44:04","changed":"1779119044","gmt_changed":"2026-05-18 15:44:04","alt":"Joel Kostka and co-presenters stand under a leafy tree in a courtyard outside the RBI 2026 Spring Workshop.","file":{"fid":"264548","name":"Kostka.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/Kostka.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/Kostka.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8844237,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/18\/Kostka.jpg?itok=GbeZPGHC"}}},"media_ids":["680302","680300","680301"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/georgias-tomorrow","title":"Georgia Tech for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow"},{"url":"https:\/\/reviverestore.org\/revive-restore-announces-inaugural-climate-resilience-fund-cohort\/","title":"Revive \u0026 Restore: Climate Resilience Fund"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2026_-_georgias_tomorrow_-_concept_paper_-_coastal_solutions.pdf","title":"GT\u00b2 Concept Paper: Coastal Solutions"},{"url":"https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/","title":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute"}],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:elizabeth@reviverestore.org\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EElizabeth Bennett\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Director\u003Cbr\u003ERevive \u0026amp; Restore\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690280":{"#nid":"690280","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Emily Sanders Awarded NSF CAREER Award for Research on Shape-Shifting Materials ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/sanders\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEmily Sanders\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, has received the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation\u2019s (NSF) Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe NSF CAREER Award supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. The award provides $662,045 over five years to support Sanders\u2019 project, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/show-award?AWD_ID=2542321\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPatterning Hard Interlocking Particles to Achieve Soft Materials and Structures\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/emily-sanders-awarded-nsf-career-award-research-shape-shifting-materials\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full story on the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering website\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEmily Sanders, assistant professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has received the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation\u2019s (NSF) Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe NSF CAREER Award supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. The award provides $662,045 over five years to support Sanders\u2019 project, Patterning Hard Interlocking Particles to Achieve Soft Materials and Structures.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Emily Sanders, assistant professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has received the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the NSF\u2019s Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation."}],"uid":"35851","created_gmt":"2026-05-15 00:24:06","changed_gmt":"2026-05-15 00:26:06","author":"aritchie6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680282":{"id":"680282","type":"image","title":"Sanders-Wide.jpg","body":null,"created":"1778804663","gmt_created":"2026-05-15 00:24:23","changed":"1778804663","gmt_changed":"2026-05-15 00:24:23","alt":"Emily Sanders","file":{"fid":"264529","name":"Sanders-Wide.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/14\/Sanders-Wide.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/14\/Sanders-Wide.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":829767,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/14\/Sanders-Wide.jpg?itok=aQG4gj83"}}},"media_ids":["680282"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"108731","name":"School of Mechanical Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ashley.ritchie@me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAshley Ritchie\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690222":{"#nid":"690222","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Chris Luettgen Named Interim Director of Georgia Tech\u2019s Renewable Bioproducts Institute","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter more than 25 years at Georgia Tech, including six years leading the Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI), Executive Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/carson-meredith\u0022\u003ECarson Meredith\u003C\/a\u003E will depart the Institute this summer to begin a new role at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEffective August 1, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/christopher-luettgen\u0022\u003EChris Luettgen\u003C\/a\u003E will assume the role of interim director of RBI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCarson has made lasting contributions to Georgia Tech and to RBI during his time as executive director,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/julia-kubanek-0\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/a\u003E, vice president for Interdisciplinary Research. \u201cWe are grateful for his leadership and wish him continued success in this next chapter.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring his tenure, Meredith helped expand RBI\u2019s research footprint, strengthen partnerships across academia and industry, and advance the Institute\u2019s leadership in sustainable bioproducts and bio-based innovation. His work helped position RBI as a key driver of collaboration and research in the forest products and renewable materials sectors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuettgen brings extensive experience in forest-based and bio-based research, industry collaboration, and technical leadership. He has held leadership roles at Georgia Tech and has longstanding ties to the Institute of Paper Science and Technology (IPST), working extensively at the intersection of academic research and industry collaboration. He currently serves as Professor of the Practice in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, where he teaches in Georgia Tech\u2019s pulp and paper program and serves as RBI\u2019s strategic lead for Pulp and Paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore joining Georgia Tech, Luettgen spent many years at Kimberly-Clark and Scott Paper Company, where he held senior technical and research leadership positions focused on translating research into commercial impact. He is also widely recognized for his longstanding involvement with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.tappi.org\/\u0022\u003ETechnical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI)\u003C\/a\u003E, reflecting his commitment to advancing innovation, workforce development, and collaboration across the forest products and bioproducts industries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cChris brings deep expertise, strong industry connections, and a clear understanding of RBI\u2019s mission and community,\u201d Meredith said. \u201cI\u2019m confident he will provide steady leadership and continuity for the Institute during this transition.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERBI will share additional details regarding the transition in the coming months.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter more than 25 years at Georgia Tech, including six years leading the Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI), Executive Director Carson Meredith will depart the Institute this summer to begin a new role at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"After more than 25 years at Georgia Tech, including six years leading the Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI), Executive Director Carson Meredith will depart the Institute this summer to begin a new role at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  "}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-05-11 15:16:43","changed_gmt":"2026-05-11 16:24:11","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680251":{"id":"680251","type":"image","title":"ChrisL-Headshot.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EChris Luettgen, incoming interim director of the Renewable Bioproducts Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778516550","gmt_created":"2026-05-11 16:22:30","changed":"1778516550","gmt_changed":"2026-05-11 16:22:30","alt":"Headshot of Chris Luetggen","file":{"fid":"264495","name":"ChrisL-Headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/11\/ChrisL-Headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/11\/ChrisL-Headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":635254,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/11\/ChrisL-Headshot.jpg?itok=LjgbYlYj"}}},"media_ids":["680251"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: ychernet3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EYanet Chernet\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer I\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690206":{"#nid":"690206","#data":{"type":"news","title":"IBB Launches New Spatial Omics and Data Analytics Center ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E (IBB) at Georgia Tech has launched the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/soda\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESpatial Omics and Data Analytics (SODA) Center\u003C\/a\u003E, a new interdisciplinary research hub advancing the next frontier of biomedical discovery.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe center is co-directed by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/ahmet-coskun\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAhmet Coskun\u003C\/a\u003E, Bernie-Marcus Early-Career Professor and Associate Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/xiuwei-zhang\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EXiuwei Zhang\u003C\/a\u003E, J.Z. Liang Early Career Associate Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe rapidly growing field of spatial omics is a way to study lipids, genes, proteins, and other biological molecules while keeping track of where they are in tissue. This can allow researchers to determine how cells interact with their native environment, providing potentially critical information for the treatment of cancer and other diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe SODA Center envisions a future where spatial omics is used to help researchers understand biological function through their precise spatial and temporal relationships within tissues and organs, rather than solely through molecular components. By integrating expertise in biomedical engineering and computational science, the center seeks to transform raw spatial omics data into predictive models of health and disease.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough the development of next-generation analytical methods, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/news\/seeing-big-picture-tissue-dynamics\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ecomputational tools\u003C\/a\u003E, and open-source resources, SODA aims to empower researchers to map the cellular and molecular architecture of life with unprecedented resolution and translational impact. The center\u2019s broader goal is to establish Georgia Tech as a global leader in spatial omics research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo build community and foster collaboration, the center is launching the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/events\/spatial-omics-and-data-analytics-soda-seminar\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESODA Synergy Seminar Series\u003C\/a\u003E, beginning May 15 from 12\u20131 p.m. in the Krone Engineered Biosystems Building, CHOA Seminar Room. This series will bring together researchers across disciplines to share emerging discoveries and accelerate innovation in spatial omics and data analytics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe SODA Center represents a major step forward in uniting data science and bioengineering to unlock new insights into complex biological systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe rapidly growing field of spatial omics is a way to study lipids, genes, proteins, and other biological molecules while keeping track of where they are in tissue. This can allow researchers to determine how cells interact with their native environment, providing potentially critical information for the treatment of cancer and other diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The SODA Center envisions a future where spatial omics is used to help researchers understand biological function through their precise spatial and temporal relationships within tissues and organs, rather than solely through molecular components."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-05-08 18:42:27","changed_gmt":"2026-05-08 18:45:11","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680241":{"id":"680241","type":"image","title":"SODA-image-16X9.jpg","body":null,"created":"1778265754","gmt_created":"2026-05-08 18:42:34","changed":"1778265754","gmt_changed":"2026-05-08 18:42:34","alt":"Images of fluorescent cells in orange, blue, purple, pink, and green are shown on a black background. ","file":{"fid":"264485","name":"SODA-image-16X9.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/08\/SODA-image-16X9.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/08\/SODA-image-16X9.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":393921,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/08\/SODA-image-16X9.jpg?itok=z8Kfv1fF"}}},"media_ids":["680241"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"33301","name":"data analytics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690194":{"#nid":"690194","#data":{"type":"news","title":"When oil prices spike, where does the money go?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe market for oil is global, which is why events like the war in Iran affect oil prices \u2013 and prices of the wide range of products made from oil \u2013 literally everywhere. Federal data shows that the price at the primary crude oil hub in the U.S. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/dnav\/pet\/hist\/RWTCD.htm\u0022\u003Ewas US$66 a barrel in late February 2026\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran \u2013 and $101 a barrel on April 13. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/04\/09\/nx-s1-5745144\/oil-company-profits-high-oil-prices\u0022\u003ESimilar price increases\u003C\/a\u003E have reverberated around the globe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=WhCSHYkAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003Eenergy economist\u003C\/a\u003E and an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=p4hJf78AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Einternational trade economist\u003C\/a\u003E, we field a lot of questions during such episodes, because when oil prices go up, manufacturers, businesses and ultimately \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/soaring-gas-prices-and-disrupted-supply-chains-will-ripple-out-to-increase-costs-in-every-store-and-sector-of-the-economy-278349\u0022\u003Econsumers pay more\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESome basic economics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECrude oil may be the most important commodity in the global economic system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s a literal fuel for the industrial economy. It powers the engines that drive transportation and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pavementinteractive.org\/reference-desk\/materials\/asphalt\/asphalt-production-and-oil-refining\/\u0022\u003Epaves the roads\u003C\/a\u003E vehicles drive on. It\u2019s a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/tools\/faqs\/faq.php?id=34\u0026amp;t=6\u0022\u003Esource for plastics\u003C\/a\u003E from which the world\u2019s products get made and packaged, and a key ingredient at some point in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/oil-isnt-just-fuel-iran-conflict-could-disrupt-markets-for-everything-from-plastics-to-fertilizers-277946\u0022\u003Ealmost every supply chain\u003C\/a\u003E. Even \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/hormuz-closure-threatens-the-global-food-supply-why-grocery-price-hikes-are-coming-279899\u0022\u003Efertilizers that boost the food supply\u003C\/a\u003E are made from it. In short, it is difficult to imagine modern life without \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.business-standard.com\/world-news\/oil-role-modern-life-petrochemicals-impact-everyday-products-explained-126032300615_1.html\u0022\u003Eoil and its derivatives\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd when its supply changes, its price changes. Economists explain this using a fundamental model of our field: the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/l\/law-of-supply-demand.asp\u0022\u003Esupply-demand\u003C\/a\u003E diagram. When there\u2019s less of something to go around, competition among consumers who want it and companies that need it can drive the price up.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESometimes this process can play out over time, allowing people to adjust their purchasing or activities to dampen price shocks. But when a significant source of the world\u2019s oil is effectively blocked without much advance notice, such as when the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/hormuz-closure-threatens-the-global-food-supply-why-grocery-price-hikes-are-coming-279899\u0022\u003Ethe U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz\u003C\/a\u003E, prices can rise sharply in a short period of time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA natural question many people ask when oil prices spike is: Where does all that additional money go, and who benefits from it?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome people have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mitpress.mit.edu\/9780262536165\/energy-and-civilization\/\u0022\u003Ewritten\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/press.princeton.edu\/books\/paperback\/9780691159638\/the-oil-curse\u0022\u003Eentire\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/global.oup.com\/academic\/product\/the-world-for-sale-9780197651537\u0022\u003Ebooks\u003C\/a\u003E dissecting all the places that money goes when it leaves consumers\u2019 pockets. But ultimately, the bulk of the money heads in the direction of the source of the oil itself \u2013 the oil companies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat they do with the money varies widely, depending on where in the world an oil company is operating and who owns it. What also matters is the business environment \u2013 the set of laws and regulations \u2013 in which the company operates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMiddle East faces danger\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOil producers in the Middle East face significant new risk because of the war in Iran, including threats to production, processing locations and shipping routes. These risks raise their costs for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/gulfs-worst-case-scenario-2026-04-08\/\u0022\u003Einsurance, security and transportation\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/why-the-persian-gulf-has-more-oil-and-gas-than-anywhere-else-on-earth-279303\u0022\u003Eproduction costs in the region\u003C\/a\u003E are relatively low, so higher global oil prices typically still translate into strong profits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor a major exporter such as Saudi Arabia, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/saudi-aramco-oil-colossus-2024-05-30\/\u0022\u003Ethe government owns and controls nearly all oil production\u003C\/a\u003E, so high prices generally benefit the government\u2019s finances and investments, even during a war. In Saudi Arabia, oil revenue has historically been used to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/agsi.org\/analysis\/aramco-and-the-saudi-government-budget\/\u0022\u003Efund public spending\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWest Texas gets a windfall\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dallasfed.org\/research\/energy11\/permian\u0022\u003EPermian Basin\u003C\/a\u003E, the largest oil field in the U.S., is a long way from the Persian Gulf. When global oil prices rise because of the war in Iran, oil companies operating in West Texas effectively get a windfall gain: Prices rise more quickly than costs, at least in the short run.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe immediate effect is more income from higher prices. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.houstonpublicmedia.org\/articles\/economy\/2026\/03\/11\/545798\/texas-oil-iran-war-gas-prices\/\u0022\u003EThe money largely goes to company owners\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 meaning shareholders \u2013 through dividends, debt reduction, company-backed purchases of its own stock, and reinvestment in drilling and production. Over time, companies may decide to spend some of that windfall on building more production capacity or \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/breakingviews\/us-shale-wont-repeat-old-boom-iran-war-2026-04-02\/\u0022\u003Epipelines to get more oil and gas to market\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENorth Sea boosts government revenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the North Sea, between the island of Great Britain and Scandinavia, a mix of multinational and government-owned companies produce most of the oil.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the U.K., private shareholders are the primary beneficiaries of higher profits from increased oil prices, though an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/commonslibrary.parliament.uk\/research-briefings\/cbp-9578\/\u0022\u003Eadditional tax on oil and gas companies\u2019 profits\u003C\/a\u003E means the government also collects a significant share of the money, which it uses to help pay public expenses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Norway, oil revenues flow into the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nbim.no\/en\/\u0022\u003EGovernment Pension Fund Global\u003C\/a\u003E, the world\u2019s largest sovereign wealth fund, valued at over $2 trillion. Laws govern how much, and for what purposes, money can be withdrawn from the fund, supporting \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nbim.no\/en\/about-us\/about-the-fund\/\u0022\u003Epublic spending and preserving wealth\u003C\/a\u003E for future generations. This is a similar model to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/apfc.org\/\u0022\u003EAlaska\u2019s state-owned program\u003C\/a\u003E, funded by oil revenue, that pays for government services and sends an annual dividend to every permanent resident.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERussian oligarchs get rich\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERussian oil is subject to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.politico.com\/newsletters\/national-security-daily\/2026\/04\/13\/the-return-of-russia-oil-sanctions-00869329\u0022\u003Estringent economic sanctions\u003C\/a\u003E imposed by major industrial countries as a response to the Russian invasion and occupation of parts of Ukraine. While the U.S. cannot control how much Russia charges for its oil, it can control services needed to move Russian oil around the world. Under current price sanctions, Western shipping, insurance and financing can be used to ship and sell Russian crude oil only if the price is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sanctionsnews.bakermckenzie.com\/g7-sets-price-cap-for-russian-oil-at-usd-60-per-barrel\/\u0022\u003Ebelow $60 per barrel\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERussia\u2019s oil industry is dominated by government-controlled companies whose \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c4g6xgv1n41o\u0022\u003Eleaders maintain close ties\u003C\/a\u003E to President Vladimir Putin. The dealings of those shadowy figures are often shrouded in secrecy, but it is likely that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/investigates\/section\/comrade-capitalism\/\u0022\u003Ethey and Putin\u2019s military-industrial complex\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 not the Russian people \u2013 are the main beneficiaries of high oil prices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat this means for you\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEveryday U.S. consumers may not like the idea of their hard-earned cash going into the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.tu.no\/artikler\/the-10-wealthiest-people-in-the-oil-industry\/231147\u0022\u003Ealready deep pockets\u003C\/a\u003E of any of these groups. But in the short run, there\u2019s not much to do but pay the price. For the long run, however, people around the world are already thinking and talking about, and opting for, sources of energy that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/us-is-less-prone-to-oil-price-shocks-than-in-past-decades-277709\u0022\u003Edon\u2019t depend on fossil fuels\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/when-oil-prices-spike-where-does-the-money-go-280763\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe market for oil is global, which is why events like the war in Iran affect oil prices \u2013 and prices of the wide range of products made from oil \u2013 literally everywhere. Federal data shows that the price at the primary crude oil hub in the U.S. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/dnav\/pet\/hist\/RWTCD.htm\u0022\u003Ewas US$66 a barrel in late February 2026\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran \u2013 and $101 a barrel on April 13. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/04\/09\/nx-s1-5745144\/oil-company-profits-high-oil-prices\u0022\u003ESimilar price increases\u003C\/a\u003E have reverberated around the globe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=WhCSHYkAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003Eenergy economist\u003C\/a\u003E and an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=p4hJf78AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Einternational trade economist\u003C\/a\u003E, we field a lot of questions during such episodes, because when oil prices go up, manufacturers, businesses and ultimately \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/soaring-gas-prices-and-disrupted-supply-chains-will-ripple-out-to-increase-costs-in-every-store-and-sector-of-the-economy-278349\u0022\u003Econsumers pay more\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEveryday U.S. consumers may not like the idea of their hard-earned cash going into the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.tu.no\/artikler\/the-10-wealthiest-people-in-the-oil-industry\/231147\u0022\u003Ealready deep pockets\u003C\/a\u003E of any of the oil-producing groups. But in the short run, there\u2019s not much to do but pay the price. For the long run, however, people around the world are already thinking and talking about, and opting for, sources of energy that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/us-is-less-prone-to-oil-price-shocks-than-in-past-decades-277709\u0022\u003Edon\u2019t depend on fossil fuels\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2013affiliated energy and trade economists describe how higher oil prices don\u2019t just hurt consumers\u2014they also shift enormous amounts of money to oil producers, with impacts varying by region, ownership, and government policy."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-07 20:10:19","changed_gmt":"2026-05-07 20:20:00","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680221":{"id":"680221","type":"image","title":"file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIn general, when supply of a product is reduced, prices rise. As a result, even when demand remains stable, the quantity consumers buy decreases because of higher prices. Matthew E. Oliver and Tibor Besede\u0161, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/\u0022\u003ECC BY-NC-ND\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778184730","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 20:12:10","changed":"1778184730","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 20:12:10","alt":"Graph showing supply demand of crude oil with price plotted in the Y axis and quantity in million barrels per day in the X axis during the months of Feb-April 2026.","file":{"fid":"264465","name":"file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":115393,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg?itok=T4qXe3oZ"}},"680222":{"id":"680222","type":"image","title":"file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA satellite photo shows damage from the war at Saudi Arabia\u2019s Ras Tanura oil refinery, which must be repaired before full operations can resume. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/vantor-satellite-image-shows-the-damaged-sections-and-burnt-news-photo\/2263898268\u0022\u003ESatellite image (c) 2026 Vantor via Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778184836","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 20:13:56","changed":"1778184836","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 20:13:56","alt":"A satellite photo shows damage from the war at Saudi Arabia\u2019s Ras Tanura oil refinery, which must be repaired before full operations can resume. Satellite image (c) 2026 Vantor via Getty Images","file":{"fid":"264466","name":"file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":869181,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg?itok=t6bc4Mxq"}},"680223":{"id":"680223","type":"image","title":"file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDrilling rigs in the North Sea are still operating and shipping oil. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/detail\/DenmarkCarbonCapture\/9c2bf7ede3bf4f4b9a938934131da66d\/photo\u0022\u003EAP Photo\/James Brooks\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778184879","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 20:14:39","changed":"1778184879","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 20:14:39","alt":"Drilling rigs in the North Sea. AP Photo\/James Brooks","file":{"fid":"264467","name":"file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":249017,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg?itok=7sBRd-Bu"}}},"media_ids":["680221","680222","680223"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/when-oil-prices-spike-where-does-the-money-go-280763","title":"Original Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthors\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/matthew-e-oliver-2656330\u0022 rel=\u0022author\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMatthew E. Oliver\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAssociate Professor of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/tibor-besedes-2656327\u0022 rel=\u0022author\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETibor Besede\u0161\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EProfessor of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690139":{"#nid":"690139","#data":{"type":"news","title":"EPIcenter Awards Inaugural Funding to Advance Energy Policy Impact in the Southeast","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E) at Georgia Tech has awarded funding to a new cohort of faculty through its ACCELERATE program, an initiative designed to strengthen Georgia Tech\u2019s thought leadership and real\u2011world impact in energy policy, decision\u2011making, and innovation across the Southeast.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEight faculty members received funding for projects that advance Georgia Tech energy research by generating early insights, expanding shared research tools, and exploring solutions related to energy policy, grid reliability, clean energy incentives, and industry\u2011driven innovation shaping Georgia\u2019s energy future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy supporting timely, policy-relevant research and engagement that connect Georgia Tech expertise with pressing regional energy challenges, the ACCELERATE program encourages collaboration across the Institute and with external partners, supports graduate student involvement, and amplifies research outputs that inform policy, regulatory, and market decisions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cACCELERATE is designed to help early- and mid-career faculty move quickly on ideas that can shape energy policy and practice,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cBy supporting both early\u2011stage collaboration and more developed policy research, the program enables Georgia Tech researchers to engage decision\u2011makers and stakeholders when it matters most.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProposals considered for funding were grounded in policy and behavioral research, including studies that examined how past or potential policies and regulations worked, and analyses of current market and behavioral outcomes that revealed management, policy, or regulatory gaps and opportunities. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunded projects span a range of disciplines and policy\u2011focused topics aligned with EPIcenter\u2019s mission, with a strong emphasis on challenges facing Georgia and the Southeast. Collectively, the awards support research development, data creation, stakeholder engagement, and public-facing thought leadership intended to inform energy policy and implementation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022As electricity demand grows, it is increasingly important to understand how\u0026nbsp;industrial processes could use energy flexibly to enable efficient use of renewable resources like solar and wind,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/micah-ziegler\u0022\u003EMicah Ziegler\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy. \u201cSupport from the EPIcenter ACCELERATE program enables us to ask fundamental questions about how to design flexible systems and supply chains.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAwards ranged from $5,000 to $75,000. Projects that received ACCELERATE funding include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeasuring the Alignment Between Legislators\u2019 Energy Bill Votes and Their District Characteristics in the Georgia House of Representatives\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/planning.gatech.edu\/people\/clio-andris\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClio Andris\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u003C\/strong\u003E Associate Professor, School of City and\u0026nbsp;Regional Planning and School of Interactive Computing\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStrengthening Georgia Tech\u2019s National Energy Modeling of Priority Research Areas\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/marilyn-brown\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMarilyn Brown\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Regents\u0027 Professor and Brook\u0026nbsp;Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProtecting Consumers From Price Volatility: Evidence and Policy Lessons From Georgia\u0027s Natural Gas Market\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/dylan-brewer\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDylan Brewer\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Economics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECan Place-Based Incentives Accelerate the Energy Transition?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/gaurav-doshi\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGaurav Doshi\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Economics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Revolving Door in Utility Regulation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/f276dd8a-0e13-5b66-b4cf-3d2960e01b2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMichelle Graff\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow Do Data Centers Affect Tradeoffs Between Reliability and Decarbonization?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researchers:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/anthony-harding\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETony Harding\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, and\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/c9f0cadc-5bb4-5b6f-9eca-bd38a9233993\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBrian An\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECalculating the Emissions Cost of the Solar Rebound for the United States\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/matthew-oliver\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMatt Oliver\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Associate Professor, School of Economics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEvaluating Long-Duration Flexibility of Industrial Demand in Electric Power Systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researchers:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/micah-ziegler\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMicah Ziegler\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E,\u0026nbsp;assistant professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, and\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/constance-crozier\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EConstance Crozier\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EACCELERATE is an annual program open to all Georgia Tech faculty, focusing on policy\u2011 and decision\u2011relevant research that advances energy affordability, reliability, resilience, and decarbonization in the region.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore information about EPIcenter\u2019s research areas and programs is available at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eepicenter.energy.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E) at Georgia Tech has awarded funding to a new cohort of faculty through its ACCELERATE program, an initiative designed to strengthen Georgia Tech\u2019s thought leadership and real\u2011world impact in energy policy, decision\u2011making, and innovation across the Southeast.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEight faculty members received funding for projects that advance Georgia Tech energy research by generating early insights, expanding shared research tools, and exploring solutions related to energy policy, grid reliability, clean energy incentives, and industry\u2011driven innovation shaping Georgia\u2019s energy future.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Energy Policy and Innovation Center at Georgia Tech has awarded funding to a new faculty cohort through its ACCELERATE program, designed to strengthen Georgia Tech\u2019s thought leadership and real world impact in energy policy in the Southeast."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-05 15:53:02","changed_gmt":"2026-05-06 02:11:13","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680187":{"id":"680187","type":"image","title":"ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEPIcenter ACCELERATE Program Recipients: Top (Left to Right) - Clio Andris, Marilyn Brown, Dylan Brewer, Gaurav Doshi, Michelle Graff; Bottom (Left to Right) - Tony Harding, Brian An, Matt Oliver, Micah Ziegler, Constance Crozier\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778033435","gmt_created":"2026-05-06 02:10:35","changed":"1778033435","gmt_changed":"2026-05-06 02:10:35","alt":"EPIcenter ACCELERATE Program Recipients: Top (Left to Right) - Clio Andris, Marilyn Brown, Dylan Brewer, Gaurav Doshi, Michelle Graff; Bottom (Left to Right) - Tony Harding, Brian An, Matt Oliver, Micah Ziegler, Constance Crozier","file":{"fid":"264429","name":"ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":382746,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/05\/ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg?itok=9suDx9ym"}}},"media_ids":["680187"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690117":{"#nid":"690117","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Powering the Future - Georgia Tech Alumni Fuel Nation\u2019s Largest Nuclear Plant","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPrimarily driven by the rapid construction of data centers nationwide amid the artificial intelligence boom, total electricity usage in the United States is projected to grow by 32% by 2030, according to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gridstrategiesllc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Grid-Strategies-National-Load-Growth-Report-2025.pdf\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConnected Grid Initiative\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENuclear power currently supplies roughly 20% of U.S. electricity, but because of its reliability compared to wind and solar power and its potential to reduce carbon emissions, the industry is positioned to expand its role in reshaping the future of energy. When Southern Company officially connected Units 3 and 4 at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant to the grid, Georgia became home to the country\u2019s largest nuclear power facility and to the first nuclear units built in the U.S. in more than 30 years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith Georgia Tech alumni playing critical roles at the plant, students entering the field, and faculty conducting innovative research, the Institute\u2019s influence can be felt throughout the industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2026\/04\/powering-future\u0022\u003ERead more on the Georgia Tech Newscenter Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPrimarily driven by the rapid construction of data centers nationwide amid the artificial intelligence boom, total electricity usage in the United States is projected to grow by 32% by 2030, according to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gridstrategiesllc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Grid-Strategies-National-Load-Growth-Report-2025.pdf\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConnected Grid Initiative\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENuclear power currently supplies roughly 20% of U.S. electricity, but because of its reliability compared to wind and solar power and its potential to reduce carbon emissions, the industry is positioned to expand its role in reshaping the future of energy. When Southern Company officially connected Units 3 and 4 at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant to the grid, Georgia became home to the country\u2019s largest nuclear power facility and to the first nuclear units built in the U.S. in more than 30 years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith Georgia Tech alumni playing critical roles at the plant, students entering the field, and faculty conducting innovative research, the Institute\u2019s influence can be felt throughout the industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s influence on the Vogtle expansion spans alumni leadership at the plant, a growing student pipeline, and faculty conducting cutting\u2011edge nuclear research."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-04 16:37:22","changed_gmt":"2026-05-04 16:41:58","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680152":{"id":"680152","type":"image","title":"vogtle34-2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1777912664","gmt_created":"2026-05-04 16:37:44","changed":"1777912664","gmt_changed":"2026-05-04 16:37:44","alt":"Plant Vogtle Aerial View","file":{"fid":"264394","name":"vogtle34-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/vogtle34-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/vogtle34-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":372738,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/04\/vogtle34-2.jpg?itok=6l25kHth"}}},"media_ids":["680152"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2026\/04\/powering-future","title":"Full Story on Georgia Tech Newscenter Page"}],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689912":{"#nid":"689912","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Is Building for an AI Future That May Not Happen","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWalton County, Georgia, didn\u2019t ask to become a test case for the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.meta.com\/about\/?srsltid=AfmBOorq5DbaO21MiOmnzavdCGimvjUKN-1Hxf4u3ZVf7y4qlNfEjReW\u0022\u003EMeta\u003C\/a\u003E, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, made the decision for them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2018, the company broke ground in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.socialcirclega.gov\/\u0022\u003ESocial Circle\u003C\/a\u003E, a small town an hour east of Atlanta with about 5,000 residents, to build one of its largest U.S. data centers. It opened in 2020.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELocal officials called it a win.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022\/\/\/Users\/mazriel3\/Downloads\/Shane%20Short,\u0022\u003EShane Short\u003C\/a\u003E, president and CEO of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/choosewalton.com\/\u0022\u003EDevelopment Authority of Walton County\u003C\/a\u003E, said the plant generates about $10 million annually in property tax revenue and has led to road improvements and expanded broadband.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EElectric vehicle maker\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rivian.com\/\u0022\u003ERivian\u003C\/a\u003E followed Meta\u2019s lead and began construction on a plant near Social Circle in September 2025, adding to the area\u2019s rapid industrial growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut for residents, the shift from a largely rural, agricultural economy to an energy-intensive industrial one has put new pressure on power and water systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey\u2019re seeing higher water and power bills, worse air quality, and very few jobs in return for this, while large corporations get tax benefits,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scs.gatech.edu\/people\/ahmed-saeed\u0022\u003EAhmed Saeed\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computer Science\u003C\/a\u003E, describing why residents in some communities push back on new data center development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESaeed and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/josiah-hester\u0022\u003EJosiah Hester\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor of interactive computing and computer science and director of the Center for Advancing Responsible AI, have spent the past year studying the energy, water, and financial demands associated with these facilities, and how those costs are distributed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EBetting on Demand\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI data centers run on specialized chips that use large amounts of electricity. That power generates heat, which requires energy- and water-intensive cooling.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe state is adding capacity based on expected demand, not current use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast year, the Georgia Public Service Commission approved an estimated $16 billion expansion for Georgia Power to support that growth. It is expected to produce about 10 gigawatts of electricity at a given time. That\u2019s enough energy to power about 7.5 million homes for a year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf that demand materializes, the electricity is used. If it doesn\u2019t, the cost still has to be paid.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EGrid Stability\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThose workloads can put a very large demand on the grid all at once, and then remove it just as quickly,\u201d Saeed said. \u201cThat sudden change is difficult for the system to handle.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat volatility is a separate issue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven if data center operators pay for the infrastructure they use, large swings in demand can still strain grid operations, especially during peak periods or extreme weather.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhat Comes Next\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBack in Walton County, the Meta facility is already\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.covnews.com\/news\/cities\/social-circle-planning-commission-recommends-latest-data-center-request\/\u0022\u003Eattracting additional data centers\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach new site adds power and water infrastructure designed to operate for decades.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe servers inside need to be upgraded every few years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESaeed and Hester said if Georgia wants to remain an AI and cloud hub, the state needs to set the terms and companies need to meet them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat starts with disclosure \u2014 how much power data centers draw from the grid, how that demand spikes, and how much water they use. It includes clear expectations for how those facilities respond when the grid is under stress, and protections for the communities where they\u2019re built.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers maintain that \u201cbuild it and hope\u201d is not a strategy.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The state is spending $16 billion to power data centers that could be obsolete in seven years. Two Georgia Tech researchers say residents will pay for that gamble either way."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia is betting $16 billion on power infrastructure to support an AI-driven data center boom that may not materialize \u2014 and residents will pay either way.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe story follows two Georgia Tech researchers who argue the state is building for speculative demand: AI workloads drive massive, volatile energy use, data centers become obsolete within years, and efficiency gains only increase total consumption.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn places like Walton and Newton counties, the promised benefits \u2014 tax revenue and development \u2014 collide with higher utility costs, water strain, and minimal job creation. If demand falls short, the financial burden of overbuilt infrastructure shifts to ratepayers, leaving communities with the costs long after the companies move on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The state is spending $16 billion to power data centers that could be obsolete in seven years. Two Georgia Tech researchers say residents will pay for that gamble either way."}],"uid":"36410","created_gmt":"2026-04-21 14:45:44","changed_gmt":"2026-05-04 16:27:22","author":"mazriel3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680009":{"id":"680009","type":"image","title":"Data centers","body":null,"created":"1776780028","gmt_created":"2026-04-21 14:00:28","changed":"1776780264","gmt_changed":"2026-04-21 14:04:24","alt":"AI rendering of the servers inside of a data center","file":{"fid":"264242","name":"Data-Centers.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/21\/Data-Centers.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/21\/Data-Centers.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2439341,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/21\/Data-Centers.png?itok=xre68az6"}}},"media_ids":["680009"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"194190","name":"AI data centers"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMichelle Azriel\u003Cbr\u003ESr. Writer-Editor\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:mazriel3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emazriel3@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689630":{"#nid":"689630","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Create \u201cLiving\u201d Polymers That Grow, Heal, and Transform ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMost plastic and rubber materials remain in a fixed shape from the moment they leave the mold. Their size and function are the same until they wear out or break. But what if synthetic materials could behave more like living organisms, growing or repairing themselves when needed?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA research team led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYuhang Hu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, has created a new material designed to do exactly that. In a new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/adma.202518567\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Estudy published in \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvanced Materials\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Hu and her collaborators describe a groundbreaking class of \u201cliving\u201d polymers that can grow, shrink, heal, and even regenerate long after fabrication.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir work combines advances in chemistry, mechanics, and materials design into a polymer platform that could reshape how engineered products are built, maintained, and recycled.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-researchers-create-living-polymers-grow-heal-and-transform\u0022\u003ERead the full story on the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMost plastic and rubber materials remain in a fixed shape from the moment they leave the mold. Their size and function are the same until they wear out or break. But what if synthetic materials could behave more like living organisms, growing or repairing themselves when needed?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA research team led by Yuhang Hu, associate professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has created a new material designed to do exactly that. In a new study published in Advanced Materials, Hu and her collaborators describe a groundbreaking class of \u201cliving\u201d polymers that can grow, shrink, heal, and even regenerate long after fabrication.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir work combines advances in chemistry, mechanics, and materials design into a polymer platform that could reshape how engineered products are built, maintained, and recycled.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A research team led by Yuhang Hu describe a groundbreaking class of \u201cliving\u201d polymers that can grow, shrink, heal, and even regenerate long after fabrication."}],"uid":"35851","created_gmt":"2026-04-10 18:49:20","changed_gmt":"2026-05-01 19:06:52","author":"aritchie6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679916":{"id":"679916","type":"image","title":"IMG_2578.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775846974","gmt_created":"2026-04-10 18:49:34","changed":"1775846974","gmt_changed":"2026-04-10 18:49:34","alt":"Yuhang Hu and students in the lab","file":{"fid":"264137","name":"IMG_2578.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/IMG_2578.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/IMG_2578.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5920775,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/10\/IMG_2578.jpg?itok=TLH4hBVG"}}},"media_ids":["679916"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194701","name":"go-resarchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ashley.ritchie@me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAshley Ritchie\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690016":{"#nid":"690016","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How a Lens Is Pushing the Limits of Near-Zero\u2011Power Wireless Communication to Gigabits\u2011Per\u2011Second Speeds","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEarlier this year, Georgia Tech researchers showed that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/01\/energy-wireless-signals-could-power-smart-cities-and-ai-enabling-systems\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Especially designed lenses could harvest energy from ambient wireless signals\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, pointing toward a future of battery-free sensors embedded throughout smart cities and digital infrastructure.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut powering devices is only part of the challenge. Enabling those same systems to communicate at modern data rates is a much harder. That\u2019s the leap the team is now making. The same lens-based approach is being used to unlock high-speed communication once considered out of reach for ultra-low-power systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-70454-8\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 title=\u0022(opens in a new window)\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Estudy published in Nature Communications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, researchers in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/emmanouil-m-tentzeris\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProfessor Manos (Emmanouil) Tentzeris\u2019\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/athena.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAgile Technologies for High-performance Electromagnetic Novel Applications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (ATHENA) lab demonstrated a first-of-its-kind lens-enabled backscatter system capable of multi-gigabit data rates, reaching up to 4 gigabits per second (Gbps). At the same time, it operates using only a fraction of the power required by conventional wireless devices \u2014 bringing high-speed connectivity to systems that were never meant to support it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor years, backscatter has been treated as a tradeoff: extremely low power, but extremely limited performance. Rather than generating its own radio signal, a backscatter device modulates and reflects existing wireless transmissions to communicate, allowing it to operate with minimal energy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a result, backscatter has typically been used only to send small amounts of data, most often in simple identification and sensing systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat we\u2019ve shown is that backscatter doesn\u2019t have to be slow,\u201d said Marvin Joshi, the research lead and Ph.D. candidate in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWith the right architecture, it can operate at gigabit\u2011per\u2011second speeds while remaining ultra\u2011low power.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Lens That Makes It Possible\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech team\u2019s dielectric lens \u2014 similar in spirit to an optical lens \u2014 focuses incoming millimeter-wave energy onto an array of tiny antenna elements, enabling both wireless energy capture and high\u2011speed backscatter communication within the same system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe system reshapes and reflects\u0026nbsp;existing wireless signals,\u0026nbsp;with each element modulating the reflected signal to enable high-speed data transmission without requiring a traditional transmitter.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt millimeter-wave frequencies, used by 5G and future 6G systems, there is plenty of available bandwidth, but signals at these frequencies are highly directional and sensitive to alignment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn practice, that means even small misalignment can break the link. This has been a major limitation for real-world deployment. The lens overcomes that constraint by enabling high gain and wide angular coverage simultaneously, without the need for active beam steering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThink of it like a camera lens for wireless signals,\u201d Tentzeris said, who is a Ed and Pat Joy Chair Professor in ECE. \u201cIt captures energy coming from many different directions and focuses it efficiently onto the device.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe result is a system that can communicate over a \u00b155-degree field of view, maintaining strong performance even when the device and the reader are not perfectly aligned.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFiber-Level Speeds, Nearly Zero Power\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn controlled experiments, the researchers achieved data rates of up to four Gbps, with sustained gigabit communication at distances of up to 20 meters, using high-order modulation schemes like those used in modern cellular networks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor a system that doesn\u2019t generate its own signal, those numbers are unexpectedly efficient. The system operates at just 0.08 picojoules per bit \u2014 approaching million-fold improvements compared to conventional wireless radios.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo put that in perspective,\u201d Tentzeris said, \u201ca typical wireless transmitter burns milliwatts of power. This system operates at essentially near-zero power while pushing the data rates 1,000 times higher than what traditional backscatter could do.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETaken together, the results point to a fundamentally different class of wireless system, according to Tentzeris, one that combines high data rates with ultra-low power in a way that hasn\u2019t been demonstrated before.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBased on standard wireless modeling, the team estimates the technology could support Gbps communication over distances of kilometers when paired with existing 5G millimeter-wave infrastructure, extending high-speed, ultra-low-power links far beyond what has been achievable with backscatter systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat combination is exactly what future wireless networks are moving toward. This capability aligns naturally with next\u2011generation 6G systems,\u201d said Tentzeris, pointing to the growing importance of Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) and Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS) frameworks that require simultaneous communication, sensing, and localization.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Smart Cities to Disaster Response\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut speed and efficiency are only part of the story. Because the devices are low-cost, lightweight, and printable, they could be deployed at massive scale on buildings, roads, vehicles, drones, or wearable systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a smart city, thousands of these tags could continuously exchange information about traffic, air quality, or structural health without ever needing batteries. That means dense, always-on sensing and communication without worrying about power or upkeep.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn disaster zones, temporary high-speed networks could be set up almost instantly, without cables or power infrastructure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cImagine an ambulance transmitting high-resolution medical images in real time, or first responders building a live digital map of a disaster area,\u201d Joshi said. \u201cYou get fiber-like performance, but completely wireless and energy-efficient.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s Next\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe architecture also lends itself to intelligent optimization, where AI-based control can be enabled to dynamically enhance signal capture and system efficiency, further expanding performance in large-scale deployments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is really about adding intelligence to anything, anywhere,\u201d Tentzeris said. \u201cWhen communication becomes this fast, efficient, and scalable, entirely new applications become possible.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith the core architecture now demonstrated, the ATHENA Lab team is shifting focus from proof\u2011of\u2011concept to deployment. That means moving out of the lab and into real-world environments. The next phase includes testing the system outdoors, integrating it onto drones and mobile platforms, and exploring flatter, more compact lens designs that could be easier to mount on real-world infrastructure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re thinking about how this fits into the broader wireless ecosystem,\u201d Joshi said. \u201cWe\u2019ve shown what\u2019s possible. Now the question is how far we can push it in the real world.\u0022\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEmmanouil Tentzeris and Marvin Joshi\u2019s new work demonstrates how a lens\u2011enabled backscatter system can deliver modern wireless capability without traditional transmitters.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Emmanouil Tentzeris and Marvin Joshi\u2019s new work demonstrates how a lens\u2011enabled backscatter system can deliver modern wireless capability without traditional transmitters."}],"uid":"36172","created_gmt":"2026-04-24 18:52:15","changed_gmt":"2026-05-01 19:06:21","author":"dwatson71","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680070":{"id":"680070","type":"image","title":"Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication_Cropped.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Emmanouil \u201cManos\u201d Tentzeris and Ph.D. student Marvin Joshi hold a lens\u2011enabled backscatter system that could support battery\u2011free wireless communication across future smart city infrastructure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1777056803","gmt_created":"2026-04-24 18:53:23","changed":"1777056803","gmt_changed":"2026-04-24 18:53:23","alt":"Professor Emmanouil \u201cManos\u201d Tentzeris and Ph.D. student Marvin Joshi hold a lens\u2011enabled backscatter system that could support battery\u2011free wireless communication across future smart city infrastructure.","file":{"fid":"264304","name":"Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication_Cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication_Cropped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication_Cropped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2337169,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/24\/Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication_Cropped.jpg?itok=Gu4as_BP"}},"680071":{"id":"680071","type":"image","title":"In-Front-of-Emergency-Box_Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EShown near existing campus emergency infrastructure, the lens\u2011enabled backscatter device highlights how ultra\u2011low\u2011power wireless systems could be integrated directly into everyday infrastructure without relying on batteries or wired power.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777056803","gmt_created":"2026-04-24 18:53:23","changed":"1777056803","gmt_changed":"2026-04-24 18:53:23","alt":"Shown near existing campus emergency infrastructure, the lens\u2011enabled backscatter device highlights how ultra\u2011low\u2011power wireless systems could be integrated directly into everyday infrastructure without relying on batteries or wired power.","file":{"fid":"264305","name":"In-Front-of-Emergency-Box_Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/In-Front-of-Emergency-Box_Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/In-Front-of-Emergency-Box_Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4596093,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/24\/In-Front-of-Emergency-Box_Marvin-and-Manos-Holding-Lens-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.jpg?itok=o2b8SZXE"}},"680072":{"id":"680072","type":"image","title":"Close-UP-of-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA close\u2011up view of the device displays an array of tiny antenna elements positioned behind the lens, each modulating reflected wireless signals to enable high\u2011speed communication with minimal energy use.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777056803","gmt_created":"2026-04-24 18:53:23","changed":"1777056803","gmt_changed":"2026-04-24 18:53:23","alt":"A close\u2011up view of the device displays an array of tiny antenna elements positioned behind the lens, each modulating reflected wireless signals to enable high\u2011speed communication with minimal energy use.","file":{"fid":"264306","name":"Close-UP-of-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Close-UP-of-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Close-UP-of-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.png","mime":"image\/png","size":9238983,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/24\/Close-UP-of-Device-for-Low-Power-Communication.png?itok=EAWIcr6A"}},"680073":{"id":"680073","type":"image","title":"Lens-enabled-Backscatter-Concept-Illustration.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA concept illustration shows how the\u0026nbsp;lens-enabled system\u2019s\u0026nbsp;wide angular coverage and passive backscatter communication enable flexible deployment on moving platforms such as drones and aircraft, as well as fixed smart city infrastructure and personal devices.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777056803","gmt_created":"2026-04-24 18:53:23","changed":"1777056803","gmt_changed":"2026-04-24 18:53:23","alt":"A concept illustration shows how the lens-enabled system\u2019s wide angular coverage and passive backscatter communication enable flexible deployment on moving platforms such as drones and aircraft, as well as fixed smart city infrastructure and personal devices.","file":{"fid":"264307","name":"Lens-enabled-Backscatter-Concept-Illustration.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Lens-enabled-Backscatter-Concept-Illustration.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Lens-enabled-Backscatter-Concept-Illustration.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":621750,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/24\/Lens-enabled-Backscatter-Concept-Illustration.jpg?itok=OfC3c6C8"}}},"media_ids":["680070","680071","680072","680073"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"195061","name":"Marvin Joshi"},{"id":"413","name":"Manos Tentzeris"},{"id":"167025","name":"ATHENA Lab"},{"id":"195062","name":"Nature Communications"},{"id":"195063","name":"backscatter communication"},{"id":"195064","name":"lens\u2011based architecture"},{"id":"195065","name":"wireless energy harvesting"},{"id":"195066","name":"millimeter\u2011wave signals"},{"id":"195067","name":"ultra\u2011low\u2011power communication"},{"id":"195068","name":"multi\u2011gigabit data rates"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDan Watson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["dwatson71@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690066":{"#nid":"690066","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Professor, Student to Design Collaborative AI Systems Through Microsoft Fellowships","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing professor and his Ph.D. student have been named to the 2026 list of Microsoft Research Fellows and Fellowship Advisors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssociate Professor Alan Ritter and Ph.D. student Ethan Mendes were awarded fellowships for their work on creating artificial intelligence (AI) agents that function as teammates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMendes was named a fellow, while Ritter will serve as his fellowship advisor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Microsoft Research Fellowship is open to faculty, students, and postdocs. Ritter said that if Microsoft sees alignment in a project, it gives recipients the opportunity to work even closer with their collaborators by inviting them to join as additional fellows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat turned out to be the case with Mendes after Ritter listed him as a collaborator in his fellowship proposal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m delighted to serve as Ethan Mendes\u2019 fellowship advisor,\u201d Ritter said. \u201cHe is an exceptionally strong researcher, and I\u2019m excited to see his work recognized through the Microsoft Research Fellowship.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough the fellowship, Ritter and Mendes will design AI systems that better support collaboration and decision-making within organizations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe goal is to move beyond AI as a tool for a single user and instead study how AI can help groups make more informed, transparent, and coordinated decisions,\u201d Ritter said. \u201cWe will focus on methods that bring together information from many different sources, help people reason under uncertainty, and generate analyses that support collective problem-solving in complex work settings.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProfessor Named to Sustainability Cohort\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Purple Mai\u2019a Foundation has selected Associate Professor Josiah Hester to join its Eahou Global Immersion Cohort.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Purple Mai\u2019a Foundation is a technology education nonprofit headquartered in Aiea, Hawaii, that teaches coding and computer science to Native Hawaiian students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe 29 members of the Eahou Global Immersion Cohort from 15 countries are leaders from indigenous communities recognized for their contributions to sustainability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHester is a Native Hawaiian whose research centers on sustainable and battery-free technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe cohort will gather on O\u2019ahu May 1-3 for Eahou Fest, where they will share stories and solutions from research around the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m honored to be selected for the Eahou Global Immersion Cohort and to learn alongside such an inspiring group of resilience leaders who come from around the globe,\u201d Hester said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cParticipants are selected for their significant leadership over the past decade and their ability to bring what they learn back to their communities and integrate it into ongoing work and partnerships. I\u2019m excited to connect these experiences with my work and bring these lessons back into research and teaching at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJill Watson Creator Receives AAAI Lecture Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Ashok Goel received one of the most distinguished awards from the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGoel was selected as the 20th recipient of the AAAI Robert S. Engel Memorial Lecture Award. Established in 2003, the award is given to those who have demonstrated excellence in AI scholarship, outstanding applications of AI, and extraordinary service to AAAI and the AI community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGoel received the award in January during the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Singapore. According to the awards program, Goel was recognized for contributions to biologically inspired design, case-based reasoning, and application of AI in virtual teaching.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGoel is the inventor of Jill Watson, one of the first AI virtual teaching assistants used in higher education classrooms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAAAI is also the publisher of AI Magazine, which Goel served as editor-in-chief from 2016 to 2021.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am both honored and humbled to receive AAAI\u0027s Robert Engelmore Award,\u201d Goel said. \u201cBob was a long-time editor of AAAI\u0027s AI Magazine, and many years after he retired, I became the editor of the magazine. This makes the Engelmore Award special to me.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Associate Professor Alan Ritter and Ph.D. student Ethan Mendes were named as Microsoft Research Fellows and Fellowship Advisors. Associate Professor Josiah Hester has joined The Purple Mai\u0027a Foundation\u0027s Eahou Global Immersion Cohort. Professor Ashok Goel received the Robert S. Engle Memorial Lecture Award from AAAI.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"School of Interactive Computing faculty and students have recently received notable awards and honors, including Microsoft research fellowship awards."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-04-30 10:52:51","changed_gmt":"2026-04-30 20:08:06","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680119":{"id":"680119","type":"image","title":"2X6A9222.jpg","body":null,"created":"1777546387","gmt_created":"2026-04-30 10:53:07","changed":"1777546387","gmt_changed":"2026-04-30 10:53:07","alt":"Alan Ritter","file":{"fid":"264359","name":"2X6A9222.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/2X6A9222.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/2X6A9222.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":81758,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/30\/2X6A9222.jpg?itok=2h-1p1bj"}}},"media_ids":["680119"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"335","name":"Microsoft"},{"id":"14597","name":"MIcrosoft Research"},{"id":"173384","name":"Microsoft Research fellowship"},{"id":"183739","name":"Microsoft Research Ph.D. Fellowship"},{"id":"84331","name":"and sustainability"},{"id":"98401","name":"AAAI"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689785":{"#nid":"689785","#data":{"type":"news","title":"RBI Announces New Fellowships, Expanding Interdisciplinary Reach  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rbi1.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ERenewable Bioproducts Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (RBI) has announced its newest cohort of 12 fellowship projects, an expansion that reflects both growing interest and a broader vision for bioproducts research at Georgia Tech. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s cohort is one of the largest in recent years, signaling renewed momentum in the research areas it supports. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis year\u2019s projects reflect the strength of our core areas while also showing how the field is expanding,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/carson-meredith\u0022\u003ECarson Meredith\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of RBI. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing faculty from more disciplines engage in bioproducts research in ways that open up new opportunities for collaboration and impact.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat expansion is reflected in where the fellowships are being awarded. For the first time, RBI has selected faculty from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arch.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Architecture (ARCH)\u003C\/a\u003E in the College of Design and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences (BIOS)\u003C\/a\u003E in the College of Science, continuing to broaden participation beyond its traditional base in chemistry and engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe projects themselves reflect that shift. This year\u2019s projects work on topics ranging from microbial approaches to strengthening forest health to developing next-generation packaging materials, including high-performance barrier coatings and cellulose-derived materials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe projects also advance the use of AI and machine learning in bioproducts development, the physics of fiber networks, and converting biomass into pharmaceuticals and synthetic leather.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany of these efforts align closely with industry priorities, particularly in packaging, papermaking, and sustainable materials\u2014areas where demand for scalable, sustainable solutions continues to grow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETogether, the 2026 cohort points to a program that is expanding its reach across disciplines while staying focused on real-world applications of bioproduct research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe 2026 RBI Fellowship projects and associated faculty are listed below.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhysics-Guided Learning of Mechanical Behavior in Forming-Stage Fiber Networks\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/xia\u0022\u003EShuman Xia\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/zhu-1\u0022\u003ETing Zhu\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/hanjiang-john-xu\u0022\u003EJohn Xu\u003C\/a\u003E (ME\/RBI)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUpcycling Wood-Derived Cellulose Nanomaterials into Circular Barrier Coatings for Postharvest Preservation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/vida-jamali\u0022\u003EVida Jamali\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/amirali-aghazadeh\u0022\u003EAmirali Aghazadeh\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/lily-cheung\u0022\u003ELily Cheung\u003C\/a\u003E (ChBE\/ECE)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EReimagining Southern Forests: Microbial Biotechnology for High Value Climate-Ready Biomass Feedstocks\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/e-m-ulrika-egertsdotter\u0022\u003EUlrika Egertsdotter\u003C\/a\u003E (BIOS\/RBI)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIntegrated Experimental-Computational-ML Framework for Accelerated Evaluation and Design of Biodegradable Barrier Coating for Paper-Based Packaging\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/aditya-kumar\u0022\u003EAditya Kumar\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/yuhang-hu\u0022\u003EYuHang Hu\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ce.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/danny-smyl\u0022\u003EDanny Smyl\u003C\/a\u003E* (CEE\/ME)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDirect Method for Analysis of Fiber Orientation in Multiphase Forming\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/user\/1086\u0022\u003ESuhas Jain\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/aidun\u0022\u003ECyrus Aidun\u003C\/a\u003E (ME)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERobust Packaging Insert via Phase-Separated Lignin Aerogel Particle-Supported Cellulose Hydrogel Composites\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/shucong-li\u0022\u003EShucong Li\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/zhaohui-julene-tong\u0022\u003EJulene Tong \u003C\/a\u003E(MSE\/ChBE)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETowards Continuous Processes from Biochar to Pharmaceuticals\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/andreas-bommarius\u0022\u003EAndy Bommarius\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/anthony-j-bo-arduengo\u0022\u003EAnthony \u0022Bo\u0022 Arduengo\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/jesse-mcdaniel\u0022\u003EJesse McDaniel\u003C\/a\u003E (ChBE\/CHEM)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EALD Modification of Nanocellulosic Films for Ultra-High Barrier Performance\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-losego\u0022\u003EMark Losego\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/meisha-shofner\u0022\u003EMeisha Shofner\u003C\/a\u003E (MSE)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBiomass-Derived Glycosyl Furans for the Development of Novel Value-Added Materials\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/stefan-france\u0022\u003EStefan France\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/christopher-jones\u0022\u003EChris Jones\u003C\/a\u003E (CHEM\/ChBE)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDesign and Scale-Up of Mechanochemical Reactors for Cellulose Biorefining\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/fani-boukouvala\u0022\u003EFani Boukouvala\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/carsten-sievers\u0022\u003ECarsten Sievers\u003C\/a\u003E (ChBE)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EXylohyde\u2122: The Sustainable Production of Synthetic Leather from Cellulose\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/anthony-j-bo-arduengo\u0022\u003EAnthony \u0022Bo\u0022 Arduengo\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/christopher-luettgen\u0022\u003EChris Luettgen\u003C\/a\u003E (CHEM\/RBI\/ChBE)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETailorable PLA-Alginate High-Performance Bio-Nanocomposites via Chitosan Cationic Bridging of Sargassum-Derived Alginate and Polylactic Acid (PLA)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/karl-jacob\u0022\u003EKarl Jacob\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arch.gatech.edu\/people\/inge-rocker\u0022\u003EIngebourg Rocker\u003C\/a\u003E*, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/kalaitzidou\u0022\u003EKyriaki Kalaitzidou\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/hamid-garmestani\u0022\u003EHamid Garmestani\u003C\/a\u003E (ME, ARCH, MSE)\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003E*Indicates first-time RBI fellowship recipients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI) has announced its newest cohort of 12 fellowship projects, an expansion that reflects both growing interest and a broader vision for bioproducts research at Georgia Tech. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI) has announced its newest cohort of 12 fellowship projects, an expansion that reflects both growing interest and a broader vision for bioproducts research at Georgia Tech.  "}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-04-16 06:37:58","changed_gmt":"2026-04-30 19:13:36","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ychernet3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EYanet Chernet\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690082":{"#nid":"690082","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Potential of Electrified Supply Chains","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study by Georgia Institute of Technology researchers examines whether electrified supply chains can provide a new source of long\u2011duration demand flexibility for the electric grid, helping integrate variable renewable energy such as wind and solar.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe paper, authored by EPIcenter faculty affiliate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/constance-crozier\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConstance Crozier\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology), EPIcenter student affiliate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/rina-davila-severiano\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERina Davila Severiano\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology) and Mark O\u2019Malley explores how electrifying both industrial manufacturing and freight transportation could allow electricity demand to shift over days or even weeks \u2014 far longer than the hours\u2011long flexibility commonly associated with electric vehicle charging or battery storage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing a case study of the cement industry along the U.S. East Coast, the authors model a fully electrified supply chain spanning 20 cities, two manufacturing hubs, electric truck fleets and warehouse storage. Their analysis shows that, by adjusting manufacturing schedules and inventory levels, electrified supply chains could shift tens of gigawatt\u2011hours of electricity demand to better align with renewable availability, particularly wind power, whose output varies over longer timescales. They find that this flexibility can emerge under relatively modest carbon price signals \u2014 below $50 per ton of CO\u2082 \u2014 well before grid\u2011scale battery storage becomes economically viable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/04\/26\/the-potential-of-electrified-supply-chains\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the EPIcenter Research Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/04\/26\/the-potential-of-electrified-supply-chains\/\u0022\u003EListen to a podcast on the Research Here\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study by Georgia Institute of Technology researchers examines whether electrified supply chains can provide a new source of long\u2011duration demand flexibility for the electric grid, helping integrate variable renewable energy such as wind and solar.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study by Georgia Institute of Technology researchers examines whether electrified supply chains can provide a new source of long\u2011duration demand flexibility for the electric grid, helping integrate variable renewable energy such as wind and solar."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-04-30 18:15:09","changed_gmt":"2026-04-30 18:28:57","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680137":{"id":"680137","type":"image","title":"PotentialofElextrifiedSupplyChainsAdobeStock_91772254.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1777572917","gmt_created":"2026-04-30 18:15:17","changed":"1777572917","gmt_changed":"2026-04-30 18:15:17","alt":"Cement Factory at night","file":{"fid":"264377","name":"PotentialofElextrifiedSupplyChainsAdobeStock_91772254.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/PotentialofElextrifiedSupplyChainsAdobeStock_91772254.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/PotentialofElextrifiedSupplyChainsAdobeStock_91772254.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":345509,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/30\/PotentialofElextrifiedSupplyChainsAdobeStock_91772254.jpeg?itok=kb6t4SrX"}}},"media_ids":["680137"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E | SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ggonzalez68@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690084":{"#nid":"690084","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Frontiers of Weatherization","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent review published in Energy Research \u0026amp; Social Science by EPIcenter public policy affiliates \u2013 Ryan Anthony, Brian An, Marilyn A. Brown, Michelle Graff, and Daniel C. Matisoff \u2013 examines five decades of low-income weatherization program evaluations. The researchers systematically analyzed 17 retrospective, outcome-focused evaluations to identify how assessment methods have shifted from early pre-post energy comparisons to more rigorous causal inference research designs. While the literature consistently finds low-income home retrofit programs, such as the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), reduce energy burdens, many earlier evaluations are limited by research designs, including selection-biased control groups and minimal community engagement in the evaluation process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo address these limitations, the authors recommend that future evaluations prioritize the construction of appropriate control groups or adopt quasi-experimental approaches, such as propensity score matching, to better isolate causal impacts. They also highlight the value of modern difference-in-difference estimators for strengthening causal identification. In addition, the review emphasizes the importance of leveraging available and emerging technologies, such as smart meters, thermostats, and sensors, to provide timely, precise data for evaluating both energy consumption and savings as well as non-energy impacts, like health and safety.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/04\/17\/frontiers-of-weatherization\/\u0022\u003ERead more on the EPIcenter Research Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/04\/17\/frontiers-of-weatherization\/\u0022\u003EListen to a Podcast on the Research Here\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent review published in Energy Research \u0026amp; Social Science by EPIcenter public policy affiliates \u2013 Ryan Anthony, Brian An, Marilyn A. Brown, Michelle Graff, and Daniel C. Matisoff \u2013 examines five decades of low-income weatherization program evaluations.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A recent review published in Energy Research \u0026 Social Science by EPIcenter public policy affiliates \u2013 Ryan Anthony, Brian An, Marilyn A. Brown, Michelle Graff, and Daniel C. Matisoff \u2013 examines five decades of low-income weatherization program evaluations"}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-04-30 18:21:16","changed_gmt":"2026-04-30 18:28:07","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680138":{"id":"680138","type":"image","title":"FrontiersofWeatherization-AdobeStock_248626760-LR.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1777573327","gmt_created":"2026-04-30 18:22:07","changed":"1777573327","gmt_changed":"2026-04-30 18:22:07","alt":"Ground\u2011mounted solar panel array in the foreground with wind turbines and large battery storage units visible in the background under a cloudy sky.","file":{"fid":"264378","name":"FrontiersofWeatherization-AdobeStock_248626760-LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/FrontiersofWeatherization-AdobeStock_248626760-LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/FrontiersofWeatherization-AdobeStock_248626760-LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":774061,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/30\/FrontiersofWeatherization-AdobeStock_248626760-LR.jpeg?itok=WCAVdk-a"}}},"media_ids":["680138"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ggonzalez68@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGil Gonzalez\u003C\/a\u003E, Energy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ggonzalez68@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690077":{"#nid":"690077","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AI\u2019s Energy Demands Spark Nuclear Revival","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe demand for electricity to power AI data centers is skyrocketing, placing immense pressure on traditional energy sources.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf we continue pursuing clean energy for AI and data centers, we will need to triple the energy supply for data centers by 2030,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/erickson\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWoodruff Professor Anna Erickson, a nuclear engineering expert from Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Nuclear power, with its high energy density and continuous operation, is well-suited to provide the steady base load of electricity required.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Erickson, the recent headlines of the restarting of Pennsylvania\u2019s Three Mile Island Unit 1 reactor (TMI-1) could play a crucial role in meeting these demands sustainably.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis decision, supported by a 20-year agreement with Microsoft, aims to provide carbon-free energy to meet the escalating power demands of AI data centers. The company\u2019s goal to be carbon negative by 2030 aligns with the broader push for sustainable energy solutions.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/energyexplained\/nuclear\/us-nuclear-industry.php\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUnited States Energy Information Administration\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, as of Aug. 1, 2023, the United States has 93 operating commercial nuclear reactors across 54 nuclear power plants in 28 states. The most recent reactor to begin commercial operation is Unit 4 at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia, which started on April 29, 2024.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe commercial start of Unit 4 completes the 11-year expansion project at Plant Vogtle.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/01\/10\/ais-energy-demands-spark-nuclear-revival\u0022\u003ERead more on the Georgia Tech Newspage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Anna Erickson highlights the reopening of Three Mile Island Unit 1 as a crucial step in meeting the growing energy demands of AI data centers with carbon-free nuclear power, aligning with Microsoft\u0027s sustainability goals.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Anna Erickson highlights the reopening of Three Mile Island Unit 1 as a crucial step in meeting the growing energy demands of AI data centers with carbon-free nuclear power, aligning with Microsoft\u0027s sustainability goals."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-04-30 17:27:49","changed_gmt":"2026-04-30 17:30:36","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680136":{"id":"680136","type":"image","title":"AIs-energy-demands-spark-nuclear-revivalAdobeStock_229927661--1-.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1777570080","gmt_created":"2026-04-30 17:28:00","changed":"1777570080","gmt_changed":"2026-04-30 17:28:00","alt":"Three Mile Island Nuclear site","file":{"fid":"264376","name":"AIs-energy-demands-spark-nuclear-revivalAdobeStock_229927661--1-.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/AIs-energy-demands-spark-nuclear-revivalAdobeStock_229927661--1-.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/AIs-energy-demands-spark-nuclear-revivalAdobeStock_229927661--1-.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":315486,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/30\/AIs-energy-demands-spark-nuclear-revivalAdobeStock_229927661--1-.jpeg?itok=X4iNRPcc"}}},"media_ids":["680136"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESiobhan Rodriguez - \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sar30@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Esar30@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["sar30@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689587":{"#nid":"689587","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Use Statistics and Math to Understand How The Brain Works","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENothing rivals the human brain\u2019s complexity. Its 86 billion neurons and 85 billion other cells make an estimated 100 trillion connections. If the brain were a computer, it would perform an exaflop (a billion-billion) mathematical calculations every second and use the equivalent of only 20 watts of power. As impressive as the brain is, neurologists can\u2019t fully explain how neurons work together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo help find answers, researchers at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E (INNS) are using math, data, and AI to unlock the secrets of thought. Together they are helping turn the brain\u2019s raw electrical \u201cnoise\u201d into real insights about how people think, move, and perceive the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFair warning: Prepare your neurons for the complexity of this brain research ahead.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EBuilding AI Like a Brain\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat if artificial neurons in AI programs were arranged as they are in the brain?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI programs would then help us understand why the brain is organized the way it is. This neuro-AI synthesis would also work faster, use less energy, and be easier to interpret. Creating such systems is the goal of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/apurva-ratan-murty\u0022\u003EApurva Ratan Murty\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPsychology\u003C\/a\u003E who is creating topographic AI models like the one above of three domains \u2014 vision, audition, and language inspired by the brain. In the near future, he predicts doctors might be able to use these patterns to predict the effects of brain lesions and other disorders. \u201cWe\u2019re not there yet,\u201d he says. \u201cBut our work brings us significantly closer to that future than ever before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EComputing Thought and Movement\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHow cats walk keeps \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/5354\u0022\u003EChethan Pandarinath\u003C\/a\u003E on his toes. This biomedical engineer uses sensors to analyze how two sets of feline leg muscles \u2014 flexors and extensors \u2014 are controlled by the spinal cord. Understanding how that happens could help patients partially paralyzed from spinal cord injuries, strokes, or progressive neuro-degenerative diseases get back on their feet again. \u201cMy lab is using AI tools that allow us to turn complex spinal cord activity data into something we can interpret. It tells us there\u2019s a simple underlying structure behind the complex activity patterns,\u201d says the associate professor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003ERevealing the Brain\u2019s Spike Patterns\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe brain is like a symphony conductor,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3736\u0022\u003ESimon Sponberg\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIndividual instruments have some independent control, but most of the music comes from the brain\u2019s precise coordination of notes among the different players in the body.\u201d This \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ephysics\u003C\/a\u003E professor studies the fantastically fast-beating wings of the hummingbird-sized hawk moth (Manduca sexta). Its agile flight movement comes as a result of spikes in electrical activity in 10 muscles. Sponberg found something that surprised him \u2014 the brain focuses less on creating the number of spikes than in orchestrating their precise patterns over time. To Sponberg, every millisecond matters. \u201cWe are just beginning to understand how the nervous system first acquires precisely timed spiking patterns during development,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EPredicting Decisions Through Statistics\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPut a mouse in a maze with food far away, and it will learn to find it. But life for mice \u2014 and people \u2014 isn\u2019t so simple. Sometimes they want to explore, only want water, or just want to go home. What\u2019s more, animals make decisions based on their history, not just on how they feel at the moment. To dig deeper into the decision-making process, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/18557\u0022\u003EAnqi Wu\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, is giving mice more options. By using a new computational framework called SWIRL (Switching Inverse Reinforcement Learning), her findings have outperformed models that fail to take historical behavior into account. \u201cWe\u2019re seeking to understand not only animal behavior but also human behavior to gain insight into the human decision-making process over a long period of time,\u201d she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EModeling the Mind\u2019s Wiring With Math\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConnectivity shapes cognition in the cerebral cortex, a layered structure in the brain. The visual cortex, in particular, processes visual data from the retina relayed through the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) in the thalamus, and directs it to the correct cognitive domain in the brain. How it does this is the mystery that computational neuroscientist \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/13005\u0022\u003EHannah Choi\u003C\/a\u003E wants to solve. \u201cThe big question I\u2019m interested in is how network connectivity patterns in the architecture of the LGN are related to computations,\u201d says this assistant \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Emath\u003C\/a\u003E professor. To find answers, she shows mice repeated image patterns such as flower-cat-dog-house and then disrupts the pattern. The goal? To grasp how the thalamus\u2019s nonlinear dynamical system works. If scientists and doctors better understand how brain regions are wired together, such knowledge could lead to better disease treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story was originally published through the Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine. Read the original publication \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/news\/2026\/georgia-tech-researchers-use-statistics-and-math-to-understand-how-the-brain-works.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehere\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech are using math, science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how people think, move, and perceive the world.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers at Georgia Tech are using math, science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how people think, move, and perceive the world."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2026-04-09 14:51:00","changed_gmt":"2026-04-29 19:29:24","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679908":{"id":"679908","type":"image","title":"AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech are using math, science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how people think, move, and perceive the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775747910","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 15:18:30","changed":"1775747910","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 15:18:30","alt":"Digital illustration of a human brain split down the middle: the left side is filled with white mathematical equations, diagrams, and formulas, while the right side is surrounded by colorful, flowing lines and abstract wave patterns against a dark blue background.","file":{"fid":"264129","name":"AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":11158535,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg?itok=smMzQtFc"}},"679903":{"id":"679903","type":"image","title":"Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This image shows a topographic vision model trained to have a brain-like organization.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746394","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:53:14","changed":"1775746394","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:53:14","alt":"Three layered, abstract heat\u2011map style grids in shades of blue, red, and beige, stacked to resemble data layers or visualization panels.","file":{"fid":"264124","name":"Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":53268,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg?itok=vNYzcaPf"}},"679904":{"id":"679904","type":"image","title":"Chethan-480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This shows how spinal cord activity guides transitions in muscle output for extensor muscles.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746465","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:54:25","changed":"1775746465","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:54:25","alt":"Two side\u2011by\u2011side scientific diagrams labeled Cat 1 and Cat 2 showing clusters of colored data points and curved gray lines representing muscle\u2011activity patterns during movement. Each diagram includes blue, green, and yellow point clusters and marked \u2018extensor onset\u2019 and \u2018extensor offset\u2019 angles.","file":{"fid":"264125","name":"Chethan-480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Chethan-480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Chethan-480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":67950,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/Chethan-480x330.jpg?itok=RaB1s5Rq"}},"679906":{"id":"679906","type":"image","title":"new_figure-480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption: This shows how mice behave differently when they are pursuing different goals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746563","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:56:03","changed":"1775746563","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:56:03","alt":"Three maze-like diagrams labeled \u2018water,\u2019 \u2018home,\u2019 and \u2018explore,\u2019 each showing colored paths representing an animal\u2019s movement through the maze. The paths shift from dark purple at the start to bright yellow at the end, indicating progression over time according to the color scale on the right","file":{"fid":"264127","name":"new_figure-480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/new_figure-480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/new_figure-480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":103865,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/new_figure-480x330.jpg?itok=wezz9ZzE"}},"679905":{"id":"679905","type":"image","title":"Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This shows the spike patterns of a hawk moth. Motor systems use spike codes to control motor output.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746508","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:55:08","changed":"1775746508","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:55:08","alt":"Diagram showing a hawk moth in the center surrounded by twelve circular charts. Each chart displays proportional black and blue segments representing spike count and spike timing data for left and right muscle groups. A legend explains the colors, and text below notes that the values show mutual information estimates for 10 muscles across seven moths","file":{"fid":"264126","name":"Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":81244,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg?itok=l_G56joM"}},"679907":{"id":"679907","type":"image","title":"GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This shows how visual data from the retina is directed to the correct cognitive domain in the brain through a region of the visual cortex.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746605","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:56:45","changed":"1775746605","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:56:45","alt":"Diagram showing neural connectivity between cortical layers in regions labeled V1 and LM. Arrows connect circular nodes representing layers L2\/3, L4, and L5, with green and orange arrows indicating directional pathways. A magnified inset on the right illustrates a simplified microcircuit with shapes labeled Pyr, Sst, and Vip connected by colored arrows.","file":{"fid":"264128","name":"GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":51645,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg?itok=MfeiKQbd"}}},"media_ids":["679908","679903","679904","679906","679905","679907"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-uses-computing-and-engineering-methods-shift-neuroscience-paradigms","title":"Georgia Tech Uses Computing and Engineering Methods to Shift Neuroscience Paradigms"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/head-toe-georgia-tech-researchers-treat-entire-human-body-through-neuroscience-research","title":"Head to Toe: Georgia Tech Researchers Treat the Entire Human Body Through Neuroscience Research"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/better-brain-machine-interfaces-could-allow-paralyzed-communicate-again","title":"Better Brain-Machine Interfaces Could Allow the Paralyzed to Communicate Again"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"},{"id":"193733","name":"_for_math_site_manual_feed_"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E George Spencer\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENews and Media Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690037":{"#nid":"690037","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Workshop Explores Policy Needs as Data Centers Surge in Georgia","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech hosted an event on April 21 examining the rapid expansion of data centers and the social and policy issues emerging alongside the growth of AI infrastructure. The program, The Future of Data Centers: Shaping the Social and Policy Landscape of Our AI Infrastructure, was held at the Alumni House and co-sponsored by the Institute for People and Technology and the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia has become the world\u2019s second-largest data center market, a shift that has brought economic opportunity as well as concerns about water use, energy demand, land development, and impacts on host communities. One recurring theme throughout the event was the tendency for environmental and resource issues to overshadow other important policy questions about community impact, transparency, and long-term governan\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIntroductory remarks were made by Beril Toktay, executive director of the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, and Michael Best, executive director of the \u0026nbsp;Institute for People and Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVerghese Jacob, senior vice president of technology at the DayOne corporation, delivered the keynote address. Jacob discussed how DayOne works with governments in Asia to plan data centers and said early policy development and consistent communication can help communities better understand the impact and manage growth for long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships between governments and communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event also included a BBISS Connect Workshop, led by Kristin Janacek, a senior extension professional with BBISS. The workshop built on BBISS\u2019s Sustainability for Data Centers Insights Series and asked participants to contribute to a collaborative \u201cblue paper\u201d intended to guide future research partnerships and responses to funding opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo panel discussions explored the social and political dimensions of data center development. The first, moderated by Cindy Lin, an assistant professor in the School of Interactive Computing, focused on international perspectives. Panelists included Celine Benoit of the Atlanta Regional Commission, Matthew Wesley Williams of Groundswell, Kahlil Bostick of Ryan Companies, and Ding Wang of Google Research. They discussed global examples of community-centered planning and the need for transparency in negotiations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA second panel, moderated by Allen Hyde, an associate professor in the School of History and Sociology, examined collaboration between communities and government agencies. Panelists were Georgia Public Service Commissioner Peter Hubbard; Donnie Beamer, senior technology advisor for the City of Atlanta; \u003Cem\u003EAtlanta Journal-Constitution\u003C\/em\u003E reporter Zachary Hansen; and Michael Czajkowski, director of advocacy for Science for Georgia. The group highlighted the importance of proactive regulation and clear communication with residents as data center development accelerates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpeakers throughout the day emphasized that Atlanta\u2019s continued growth in the data center sector will require coordinated planning and meaningful engagement with affected communities. The event closed with a call for all stakeholders to be proactive about creating policies that balance the technological and economic promise of the data center building boom with environmental and community concerns.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech hosted an event on April 21 examining the rapid expansion of data centers and the social and policy issues emerging alongside the growth of AI infrastructure.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech hosted an event on April 21 examining the rapid expansion of data centers and the social and policy issues emerging alongside the growth of AI infrastructure. "}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2026-04-29 14:37:48","changed_gmt":"2026-04-29 15:09:40","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680095":{"id":"680095","type":"image","title":"Data Center Event April 21","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELeft: panelists Cindy Lin, Celine Benoit, Matthew Williams, Ding Wang, and Kahil Bostick. Center: Michael Best and Verghese Jacob. Right: panelists Allen Hyde, Michael Czajkowski, Zachary Hansen, and Donnie Beamer. Not pictured: Peter Hubbard who joined virtually.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777472884","gmt_created":"2026-04-29 14:28:04","changed":"1777473166","gmt_changed":"2026-04-29 14:32:46","alt":"Left: panelists Cindy Lin, Celine Benoit, Matthew Williams, Ding Wang, and Kahil Bostick. Center: Michael Best and Verghese Jacob. Right: panelists Allen Hyde, Michael Czajkowski, Zachary Hansen, and Donnie Beamer. Not pictured: Peter Hubbard who joined virtually.","file":{"fid":"264334","name":"3-picsvz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/3-picsvz.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/3-picsvz.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":676457,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/29\/3-picsvz.jpg?itok=6Gg1IwE9"}},"680096":{"id":"680096","type":"image","title":"Beril Toktay","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBeril Toktay delivering the welcome and introductory remarks to the attendees.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777473185","gmt_created":"2026-04-29 14:33:05","changed":"1777473423","gmt_changed":"2026-04-29 14:37:03","alt":"Beril Toktay delivering the welcome and introductory remarks to the attendees. ","file":{"fid":"264335","name":"55223655864_8a2763107c_b.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/55223655864_8a2763107c_b.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/55223655864_8a2763107c_b.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":244664,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/29\/55223655864_8a2763107c_b.jpg?itok=x_7ZW6mN"}}},"media_ids":["680095","680096"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWalter Rich\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690036":{"#nid":"690036","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Aaron Stebner named associate director of Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)\u003C\/a\u003E has selected \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mse.gatech.edu%2Fpeople%2Faaron-stebner\u0026amp;data=05%7C02%7Cychernet3%40gatech.edu%7C4c96a361c44540bd1a4808dea5f38848%7C482198bbae7b4b258b7a6d7f32faa083%7C1%7C0%7C639130662544421095%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C\u0026amp;sdata=Ok7FfjOabmRUr7BCtE5k7T8ztKSo1Zg80AEnLrrPa9k%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mse.gatech.edu%2Fpeople%2Faaron-stebner\u0026amp;data=05%7C02%7Cychernet3%40gatech.edu%7C4c96a361c44540bd1a4808dea5f38848%7C482198bbae7b4b258b7a6d7f32faa083%7C1%7C0%7C639130662544421095%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C\u0026amp;sdata=Ok7FfjOabmRUr7BCtE5k7T8ztKSo1Zg80AEnLrrPa9k%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAaron P. Stebner\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;as its new associate director, expanding the institute\u2019s leadership as it scales advanced manufacturing research, infrastructure, and industry engagement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStebner is the Eugene C. Gwaltney Jr. Chair in Manufacturing\u0026nbsp;and a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, with a joint appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Materials Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. He also serves as a James R. and Sarah R. Borders Faculty Fellow, founding director of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiaaim.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing\u003C\/a\u003E (Georgia AIM), and executive director of Georgia Tech\u2019s Professional Master\u2019s in Manufacturing Leadership\u0026nbsp;program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn his role as associate director, Stebner will lead operations, engagement and continued growth of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fampf.research.gatech.edu%2F\u0026amp;data=05%7C02%7Cychernet3%40gatech.edu%7C4c96a361c44540bd1a4808dea5f38848%7C482198bbae7b4b258b7a6d7f32faa083%7C1%7C0%7C639130662544443590%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C\u0026amp;sdata=GiDwnKgOmr8xhq%2BszJcr0OiPioj5O9GJAgOHGQqXC7U%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fampf.research.gatech.edu%2F\u0026amp;data=05%7C02%7Cychernet3%40gatech.edu%7C4c96a361c44540bd1a4808dea5f38848%7C482198bbae7b4b258b7a6d7f32faa083%7C1%7C0%7C639130662544443590%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C\u0026amp;sdata=GiDwnKgOmr8xhq%2BszJcr0OiPioj5O9GJAgOHGQqXC7U%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0\u0022\u003EAdvanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility (AMPF)\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;a cornerstone of Georgia Tech\u2019s manufacturing ecosystem. The facility brings together artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, and digital manufacturing to accelerate materials discovery and manufacturing innovation at pilot scale.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe AMPF is evolving into what Georgia Tech leaders describe as a national first: a university-based, self-driving manufacturing facility\u0026nbsp;that allows new technologies to be invented, tested and de-risked before they reach full-scale production. Backed by more than $80 million in federal, state, and private investment, the facility serves as a shared-use platform for industry, startups, researchers, and government partners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAMPF is a national user facility and a\u0026nbsp;blended industry-academia, human-AI environment where new manufacturing discoveries are made ready for industry adoption,\u201d Stebner said. \u201cBy integrating AI-enabled systems, real-time automation and pilot-scale validation, we\u2019re helping shorten the timeline from discovery to deployment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStebner\u2019s research and leadership sit at the intersection of artificial intelligence, manufacturing, materials, and mechanics, with an emphasis on intelligent and adaptive manufacturing systems. His work spans advanced alloys, additive manufacturing, autonomous experimentation, and data-driven process design, with applications across aerospace, automotive, biomedical, energy and industrial sectors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder his leadership, the AMPF is expected to continue expanding as a national collaboration hub\u0026nbsp;for academia, industry, and government. The facility supports pilot-scale testing of emerging technologies, workforce development and applied research aimed at strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and economic resilience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStebner\u2019s appointment also strengthens the alignment between GTMI, Georgia AIM and Georgia Tech\u2019s broader research enterprise, integrating AI-driven research, translational infrastructure, and industry partnerships into a cohesive model for manufacturing innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWith Aaron\u2019s experience building forward-looking manufacturing programs and leading large, interdisciplinary teams, GTMI is well positioned to accelerate the impact of the AMPF and related initiatives,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/thomas-kurfess\u0022\u003ETom Kurfess\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of GTMI.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI) has selected \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mse.gatech.edu%2Fpeople%2Faaron-stebner\u0026amp;data=05%7C02%7Cychernet3%40gatech.edu%7C4c96a361c44540bd1a4808dea5f38848%7C482198bbae7b4b258b7a6d7f32faa083%7C1%7C0%7C639130662544421095%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C\u0026amp;sdata=Ok7FfjOabmRUr7BCtE5k7T8ztKSo1Zg80AEnLrrPa9k%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mse.gatech.edu%2Fpeople%2Faaron-stebner\u0026amp;data=05%7C02%7Cychernet3%40gatech.edu%7C4c96a361c44540bd1a4808dea5f38848%7C482198bbae7b4b258b7a6d7f32faa083%7C1%7C0%7C639130662544421095%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C\u0026amp;sdata=Ok7FfjOabmRUr7BCtE5k7T8ztKSo1Zg80AEnLrrPa9k%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAaron P. Stebner\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;as its new associate director, expanding the institute\u2019s leadership as it scales advanced manufacturing research, infrastructure, and industry engagement.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI) has selected Aaron P. Stebner as its new associate director, expanding the institute\u2019s leadership as it scales advanced manufacturing research, infrastructure, and industry engagement."}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-04-29 13:51:15","changed_gmt":"2026-04-29 14:48:02","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680098":{"id":"680098","type":"image","title":"headshot-aaron-2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1777474057","gmt_created":"2026-04-29 14:47:37","changed":"1777474057","gmt_changed":"2026-04-29 14:47:37","alt":"Headshot of Aaron Stebner","file":{"fid":"264337","name":"headshot-aaron-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/headshot-aaron-2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/headshot-aaron-2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":108578,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/29\/headshot-aaron-2_0.jpg?itok=SWntWHvt"}}},"media_ids":["680098"],"groups":[{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ychernet3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EYanet Chernet\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686876":{"#nid":"686876","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Manufacturing Consortium Helps Industry Close the Finish Gap","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom fighter jets to medical devices, today\u2019s most advanced machines depend on parts as intricate as their missions. These components aren\u2019t just geometrically complex \u2014 they\u2019re made from specialized metals engineered to withstand extreme heat, friction, and wear. But that strength comes with a challenge. How do you shape metals tough enough to survive the heat of a jet engine?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne solution is to start with a more moldable form of these super-metals: powder. In a specialized form of additive manufacturing (like 3D printing), manufacturers start with fine metal powders and fuse them, layer by layer, using focused energy. Known as powder bed fusion (PBF), this method enables highly complex shapes and reduces the amount of finishing work needed. Still, when a micron of extra material can make or break the final product, even near-perfect parts require precise finishing touches.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe introduction of new, exotic materials produced through additive manufacturing has brought unique challenges, especially for applications in space and missile systems,\u201d says David Antonuccio, business development director at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.halocarbon.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHalocarbon\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia-based company producing advanced chemical solutions used in manufacturing and other fields. \u201cWhile these materials offer distinct properties, they are notoriously difficult to machine.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s where the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (GTMI) comes in. Through its Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium, GTMI connects industry manufacturers like Halocarbon with researchers and innovators to tackle real \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0007850625000319?via%3Dihub\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eproduction challenges\u003C\/a\u003E like this. Membership includes access to GTMI\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility (AMPF), where companies can test ideas and collaborate on new solutions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHalocarbon recently teamed up with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/freemelt.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFreemelt\u003C\/a\u003E, a leader in producing PBF systems and a fellow consortium member, to address this bottleneck. Their goal: to determine whether Halocarbon\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.halocarbon.com\/machining-mission-critical-metals-the-halocarbon-advantage-in-aerospace-alloys\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Especialized metalworking fluids\u003C\/a\u003E could enhance the finishing process for PBF-manufactured parts made from tungsten and molybdenum, two high-temperature, hard-to-machine metals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe future of manufacturing depends on how well we integrate talent, technology, and collaboration,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/people\/steven-ferguson\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESteven Ferguson\u003C\/a\u003E, interim director of Research Operations at GTMI and managing director of the consortium. \u201cBy bringing companies together around shared challenges, we\u2019re closing critical gaps and strengthening the nation\u2019s advanced manufacturing capability.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESolving the Post-Processing Bottleneck\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven with advanced methods like electron beam powder bed fusion (E-PBF), which uses an electron beam to fuse metal powders inside a vacuum chamber, finishing remains a critical hurdle. \u201cSurface finish in powder bed fusion is fundamentally tied to the particle size of the metal powder,\u201d says Ian Crawford, a materials and application engineer at Freemelt. \u201cPost-processing will almost always be part of the equation for high-performance components.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn traditional machining, coolants and cutting fluids used in these finishing steps are often overlooked, and the methods haven\u2019t changed much in decades. Halocarbon\u2019s metalworking fluid aims to bring these fluids into a new era, using innovative polymer chemistry to extend tool life, improve surface quality, and boost efficiency when machining these challenging alloys.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two companies initiated their joint project during their free AMPF equipment use time, which comes with the full level of consortium membership. From there, GTMI designed and executed controlled studies comparing the use of Halocarbon\u2019s fluids to two standard finishing methods, dry machining and EDM-based finishing. The results showed a 6% improvement in side milling and a 26% improvement in end milling versus dry machining, with even greater gains over EDM. These improvements translate into higher-quality parts, tighter specifications, lower scrap rates, extended tool life, and reduced downstream costs \u2014 exactly what aerospace and defense suppliers need to meet stringent requirements. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe findings were shared at the 2025 National Space \u0026amp; Missile Materials Symposium, reinforcing the value of industry-academic collaboration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIndustry keeps pushing materials to handle more heat and stress, but that makes post-processing harder,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/people\/matthew-carroll\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMatt Carroll\u003C\/a\u003E, one of the GTMI researchers on the project. \u201cBy bringing equipment makers and chemistry innovators into the same experiment, we were able to prove where the gains really are and give manufacturers data they can act on.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNo single manufacturing method solves every challenge,\u201d says Crawford. \u201cTo achieve the performance and cost targets that aerospace and defense applications demand, we need to bring together the right combination of technologies, and collaborations like this show what\u0027s possible when we do.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECollaborative research at GTMI is helping manufacturers overcome critical challenges in finishing advanced materials for aerospace and defense applications.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Collaborative research at GTMI is helping manufacturers overcome critical challenges in finishing advanced materials for aerospace and defense applications."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2025-12-11 18:59:54","changed_gmt":"2026-04-29 14:17:46","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680093":{"id":"680093","type":"image","title":"gap-1.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHigh-performance parts used in aerospace and defense systems need to be precise and durable, even with complex geometries. Advanced manufacturing methods enable the production of complicated parts that traditional machining can\u0027t achieve, like those seen here at GTMI\u0027s Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility. (Photo by Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777472181","gmt_created":"2026-04-29 14:16:21","changed":"1777472181","gmt_changed":"2026-04-29 14:16:21","alt":"Small metal lattice and cylindrical components arranged on a flat surface in the foreground, with several people standing and talking in a laboratory or workshop space in the background.","file":{"fid":"264332","name":"gap-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/gap-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/gap-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":61352,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/29\/gap-1.jpg?itok=hpkrY33J"}},"680094":{"id":"680094","type":"image","title":"gap-2.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECollaborative research at the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute teamed is working to improve the finishing processes for hard to machine metals like tungsten. (Photo via Halocarbon)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777472231","gmt_created":"2026-04-29 14:17:11","changed":"1777472231","gmt_changed":"2026-04-29 14:17:11","alt":"Close-up of a metal workpiece being cut by a rotating machining tool, with liquid coolant spraying around the cutting area.","file":{"fid":"264333","name":"gap-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/gap-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/gap-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":20940,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/29\/gap-2.jpg?itok=JQRGsDgl"}}},"media_ids":["680093","680094"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/engage\/manufacturing-40-consortium","title":"More about GTMI\u0027s Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium"},{"url":"https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu","title":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute"}],"groups":[{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"147","name":"Military Technology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186857","name":"go-gtmi"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Audra Davidson\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bvogel30@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBelinda Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Engagement Manager\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["bvogel30@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690020":{"#nid":"690020","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia AIM Receives Research Program Impact Award from Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing, or Georgia AIM, has received one of the highest research awards at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Outstanding Achievement in Research Program Impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe award was announced March 25, 2026 and is one of six Institute Research Awards given by Georgia Tech\u2019s Office of the Executive Vice President for Research. The portfolio of awards honors achievements in research engagement, innovation, faculty advising, and impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia AIM is a statewide coalition led by the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (EI2) and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (GTMI) to develop and deploy AI talent and innovation in manufacturing. The Georgia AIM coalition includes dozens of universities, technical colleges, nonprofits, and economic development organizations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is an incredible experience to collaborate with technology and economic development leaders around the state to lead the nation and the world in AI for manufacturing,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/stebner\u0022\u003EAaron Stebner\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia AIM co-director and the Eugene C. Gwaltney Jr. Chair in Manufacturing at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are truly honored to receive this recognition from our peers at Georgia Tech,\u201d said Tom Kurfess, GTMI Executive Director and HUSCO\/Ramirez Distinguished Chair in Fluid Power and Motion Control.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia AIM was initiated in 2021 by Stebner, EI2\u0026nbsp;Vice President David Bridges, Kurfess, Georgia AIM managing director and GTMI deputy director Steven Ferguson, and Georgia Tech executive director for strategic partnerships George White. The coalition received an initial $500,000 planning grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), which was followed by $65 million in additional grants from EDA and with additional federal, state, and private sector support now totals more than $100 million to enact projects across the state.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia AIM coalition counts many achievements on and off campus, including:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESupporting collaborations for more than thirty-five faculty, fifty research faculty and professionals, ten post docs, eighty graduate research assistants, one hundred and fifty undergraduate research assistants, and dozens of staff at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETransforming the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ampf.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EAdvanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility\u003C\/a\u003E into a national user facility for research and development to invent, test, derisk, and mature AI manufacturing and materials technologies.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBuilding a manufacturing commercialization pipeline that links faculty research, student innovation, startups, and corporate partners to introduce AI manufacturing innovations to regional and national economies.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELaunching workforce development programs that provide new opportunities and career paths thousands of students spanning K-12 engagement, technical apprenticeships and credentials, and professional education.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProviding STEM experiences including AI coding camps, robotics competitions, and advanced manufacturing competitions to thousands of students across Georgia.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E21 peer reviewed journal articles, 5 peer reviewed conference proceedings, 5 National Academies workshop presentations,\u0026nbsp;5 keynote\/plenary presentations, more than 200 conference presentations and posters, 13 invention disclosures, 7 provisional patents, 2 full patents filed to date with dozens more in process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia AIM proves that innovation scales when built alongside workforce,\u201d said Ferguson. \u201cWe built a seamless pipeline from education to industry, ensuring talent is ready to deploy AI in real manufacturing environments on day one.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe impact of Georgia AIM is grounded in collaboration \u2014 universities, industry, nonprofits and communities working together to shape the future of advanced manufacturing in Georgia,\u201d said Bridges. \u201cThis recognition underscores what a coordinated statewide effort can accomplish.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause research covers a range of activities \u2014 from research and development to commercialization and public impacts \u2014 the annual awards recognize the many facets of work in this area. The peer-driven nomination process emphasizes measurable contributions and leadership across disciplines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe strength of Georgia Tech\u2019s research enterprise begins with the talented people who push discovery forward every day,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2852\u0022\u003ETim Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E, executive vice president for Research. \u201cCongratulations to this year\u2019s honorees, who demonstrate what it means to turn bold ideas into real-world impact, advancing knowledge from fundamental science to commercial and community applications. With these awards, we celebrate their leadership, creativity, and dedication to serving the public good.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/2026-georgia-tech-research-awards\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERead more about this year\u2019s Institute Research Award winners.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing, or Georgia AIM, has received one of the highest research awards at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Outstanding Achievement in Research Program Impact.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing, or Georgia AIM, has received one of the highest research awards at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Outstanding Achievement in Research Program Impact."}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-04-26 22:37:43","changed_gmt":"2026-04-28 18:50:03","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680086":{"id":"680086","type":"image","title":"Image--1--1.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom left: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/aaron-stebner\u0022\u003EAaron Stebner\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/david-bridges\u0022\u003EDavid Bridges\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/wps-members\/donna-ennis\/\u0022\u003EDonna Ennis\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/thomas-kurfess\u0022\u003EThomas Kurfess\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/steven-ferguson\u0022\u003ESteven Ferguson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777401708","gmt_created":"2026-04-28 18:41:48","changed":"1777401708","gmt_changed":"2026-04-28 18:41:48","alt":"Photo of Aaron Stebner, David Bridges, Donna Ennis, Thomas Kurfess, Steven Ferguson with their interdisciplinary research awards","file":{"fid":"264325","name":"Image--1--1.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/28\/Image--1--1.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/28\/Image--1--1.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":325441,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/28\/Image--1--1.jpeg?itok=qjAazKf-"}},"680087":{"id":"680087","type":"image","title":"image--7-.jpeg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom left: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/steven-ferguson\u0022\u003ESteven Ferguson\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/kyle-saleeby\u0022\u003EKyle Saleeby,\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/aaron-stebner\u0022\u003EAaron Stebner\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/thomas-kurfess\u0022\u003EThomas Kurfess\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/people\/stephen-turano\u0022\u003EStephan Turano\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/weston-straka\u0022\u003EWeston Straka\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/people\/matthew-carroll\u0022\u003EMatt Carrol\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1777402017","gmt_created":"2026-04-28 18:46:57","changed":"1777402017","gmt_changed":"2026-04-28 18:46:57","alt":"Steven Ferguson, Kyle Saleeby, Aaron Stebner, Thomas Kurfess, Stephan Turano, Weston Straka and Matt Carrol holding their interdisciplinary research awards","file":{"fid":"264326","name":"image--7-.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/28\/image--7-.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/28\/image--7-.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":380279,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/28\/image--7-.jpeg?itok=VqK3-FQD"}}},"media_ids":["680086","680087"],"groups":[{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187190","name":"-go-gtmi"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ychernet3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EYanet Chernet\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690010":{"#nid":"690010","#data":{"type":"news","title":"When Promising Cures Collapse Before They Reach Patients","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHospitals filled to capacity. Case counts climbing by the hour. Quarantine became routine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe world needed a vaccine that didn\u2019t exist, and there was no clear timeline for one. No one knew how long the vaccine development process would take \u2014 or whether it would work at all.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThen, less than a year later,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pfizer.com\/news\/press-release\/press-release-detail\/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-topline-data-demonstrating\u0022\u003EPfizer and BioNTech\u003C\/a\u003E set a record for how fast a drug moved from clinical trials to federal authorization \u2014 and to people waiting as the virus surged worldwide. \u0026nbsp;That speed depended on more than scientific discovery. It hinged on trials, regulatory approval, and manufacturing at scale.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EExperience Made the Difference\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStartup BioNTech, a small biotech firm, had spent years developing \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medlineplus.gov\/genetics\/understanding\/therapy\/mrnavaccines\/\u0022\u003EmRNA technology\u003C\/a\u003E. Pfizer, a huge pharmaceutical company, brought deep experience running large clinical trials, working with regulators, and manufacturing at scale. The two companies had worked together before, which meant they did not have to build trust, decision-making structures, or workflows in the middle of a crisis. Trials moved quickly. They knew what regulators required and how to meet those demands.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Georgia Tech research, that kind of business alignment is far from common \u2014 and can explain why many promising drugs never reach patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/directory\/faculty\/hora\/index.html\u0022\u003EManpreet Hora\u003C\/a\u003E, senior associate dean for programs and professor of operations management in Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EScheller College of Business\u003C\/a\u003E, studies what happens after a drug leaves the lab. In a study published in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/10591478261419268\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProduction and Operations Management\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, he and his coauthors analyzed nearly 300 biotech\u2013pharma partnerships to understand why some drugs make it through and others stall.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cIf you are a patient, this process is out of your control,\u201d Hora said. \u201cIn some cases, it can cost lives.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhere It Breaks Down\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrug development often depends on handoffs. Small biotech firms typically generate early discoveries. Larger pharmaceutical companies step in to run trials, work with regulators, and bring products to market.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut complications can arise when companies that lack similar experience levels try to develop the drug together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDecision-making slows down. Roles become unclear. The process starts to erode.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0022That\u0027s why partner choice matters,\u0022 Hora said, comparing the process to a popular TV show. \u0022It\u0027s like going on \u003Cem\u003EShark Tank\u003C\/em\u003E \u2014 just because someone is offering money doesn\u0027t mean they\u0027re the right partner.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHora said the Pfizer\u2013BioNTech partnership worked because both companies approached the work the same way, despite the difference in their size. Pfizer is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. BioNTech was a much smaller firm.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhat Decides the Outcome\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs of September 2025,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pfizer.com\/news\/press-release\/press-release-detail\/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-topline-data-demonstrating#:~:text=This%20study%20was%20conducted%20to,or%20equivalents%20in%20other%20countries.\u0026amp;text=COMIRNATY%20(COVID%2D19%20VACCINE%2C,severe%20outcomes%20from%20COVID%2D19.\u0022\u003E5 billion doses\u003C\/a\u003E of the Pfizer\u2013BioNTech Covid vaccine have been distributed globally.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPfizer\u2019s chairman and CEO,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pfizer.com\/people\/leadership\/executives\/dr-albert_bourla\u0022\u003EAlbert Bourla\u003C\/a\u003E, attributes the unprecedented success to a \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/intuitionlabs.ai\/articles\/global-pharma-thought-leaders-profiles\u0022\u003Eworld class collaboration\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d with BioNTech. He said,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.atlanticcouncil.org\/blogs\/new-atlanticist\/pfizers-albert-bourla-on-how-the-pandemic-ends\/#:~:text=So%20that%20also%20followed%20me,during%20these%20eight%20marvelous%20months.\u0022\u003E\u0022I think it was because both companies had developed very similar cultures\u2026We were both really very purpose-driven.\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHora\u0027s research comes to the same conclusion: In an industry where drugs can take a decade to reach patients, the wrong partner can mean they never arrive at all.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new Georgia Tech study finds that when a drug succeeds or fails, the science is only half the story. The other half is whether the companies developing it actually fit together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EManpreet Hora, a professor at Georgia Tech\u0027s Scheller College of Business, analyzed nearly 300 biotech\u2013pharma partnerships and found that mismatched partners, such as companies with different experience levels, cultures, or decision-making styles, stall drug development. Roles blur. Trials drag. Promising treatments never reach patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Pfizer\u2013BioNTech Covid vaccine is the counterexample: two companies, vastly different in size, aligned on purpose and process. That alignment is what made speed possible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHora\u0027s takeaway: in an industry where drugs take a decade to reach patients, the wrong partner can mean they never arrive at all.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech research shows how misaligned biotech\u2013pharma partnerships can delay or derail drug development."}],"uid":"36410","created_gmt":"2026-04-24 16:58:28","changed_gmt":"2026-04-27 15:29:29","author":"mazriel3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680062":{"id":"680062","type":"image","title":"Biotech Partnerships","body":null,"created":"1777050820","gmt_created":"2026-04-24 17:13:40","changed":"1777050964","gmt_changed":"2026-04-24 17:16:04","alt":"Two medical professionals shaking hands in a lab","file":{"fid":"264298","name":"Biotech.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Biotech.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/Biotech.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1959093,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/24\/Biotech.png?itok=CYp9PkmA"}}},"media_ids":["680062"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"179350","name":"biomedical egnineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMichelle Azriel\u003Cbr\u003ESenior Writer, Editor \u2014 Research Communications\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:mazriel3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emazriel3@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mazriel3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689875":{"#nid":"689875","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Hidden Language of Life\u2019s Early Proteins","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHow did the earliest life on Earth build complex biological machinery with so few tools? A new study explores how the simplest building blocks of proteins \u2014 once limited to just half of today\u2019s amino acids \u2014 could still form the sophisticated structures life depends on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe paper,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S258959742600047X\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Borderlands of Foldability: Lessons from Simplified Proteins\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, is a meta-analysis of six decades of protein research and reveals that ancient proteins may have been far more complicated and dynamic than previously thought.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ERecently published in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ETrends in Chemistry\u003C\/em\u003E, the study includes Georgia Tech researchers\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/lynn-kamerlin\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELynn Kamerlin\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and Georgia Research Alliance Vasser-Woolley Chair in Molecular Design, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/academics\/degrees\/phd\/quantitative-biosciences-phd\u0022\u003EQuantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E Ph.D. candidate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/user\/231\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlfie-Louise Brownless\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECo-authors also include\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isct.ac.jp\/en\u0022\u003EInstitute of Science Tokyo\u003C\/a\u003E graduate student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKoh Seya\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/liamlongo.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELiam M. Longo\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, who serves as a specially appointed associate professor at Science Tokyo and as an affiliate research scientist at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bmsis.org\/\u0022\u003EBlue Marble Space Institute of Science\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe research has implications ranging from the origins of life and the search for life in the universe to cutting-edge medical innovation. \u201cOne of the biggest unanswered questions in science is how life first began,\u201d says Kamerlin, who is a corresponding author of the study. \u201cUnderstanding how the first protein-like molecules formed and what the earliest proteins may have been like is a key part of that puzzle.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cProteins power our bodies \u2014 and all life on Earth,\u201d she adds. \u201cSimply put, the evolution of proteins is the reason that we\u2019re able to have this conversation at all.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Protein Folding Paradox\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIf proteins are the scaffolding of life, amino acids are the components that make up that scaffolding. \u201cToday, an average protein is constructed from a chain of about 300 amino acids, involving 20 different types of amino acids,\u201d Kamerlin shares. Proteins fold when these chains twist into a specific 3-dimensional shape, creating structures critical for biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHowever, while these folds are essential, exactly\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ehow\u003C\/em\u003E a protein knows which way to fold remains a mystery. \u201cWe know that proteins didn\u2019t just fold randomly,\u201d Kamerlin shares, \u201cbecause randomly trying all possible configurations would take a protein longer than the age of the universe.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a cornerstone problem in biological science called \u201cLevinthal\u2019s Paradox,\u201d and highlights a fundamental mystery: Proteins fold incredibly quickly into very specific combinations \u2014 but like a sheet of paper spontaneously folding into an origami swan, researchers don\u2019t know how proteins \u201cchoose\u201d the folds they make.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe can predict what a protein will look like, but can\u2019t tell you how it got there,\u201d Kamerlin adds. \u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019re interested in exploring: how small early proteins developed into the complex proteins that support every living thing on today\u2019s Earth.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESimple Letters, Sophisticated Structures\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EEarly proteins likely had access to just half of today\u2019s amino acids. \u201cAbout 10-12 amino acids were likely available on early Earth,\u201d Kamerlin says. Like writing a story with just the letters \u201cA\u201d through \u201cL,\u201d researchers assumed that the \u2018vocabulary\u2019 proteins could build from such a limited amino acid alphabet would also be constrained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThere is a language to protein folding,\u201d Kamerlin explains. \u201cThat language is hidden in their structures. Our research is in trying to understand the rules \u2014 the grammar and vocabulary that dictate a protein fold.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe grammar they discovered was surprising: with a combination of creative techniques and environmental support, complex structures can arise from limited amino acid alphabets.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe found that it is possible to develop complex folds with very simple tools \u2014 and certain environments, like salty ones, can help support that,\u201d Kamerlin shares. \u201cEarly proteins could also cross-link and associate, interacting like LEGO blocks to create more complex structures.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPioneering Proteins\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENow, the team is conducting research in environments that could mimic conditions on early Earth \u2014 aiming to discover more about how these regions could have given rise to today\u2019s complex proteins. \u201cThis aspect of our research also ties into the amazing\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/2026-frontiers-science-advancing-space-exploration-0\u0022\u003Espace research\u003C\/a\u003E happening at Georgia Tech,\u201d Kamerlin says. \u201cWhile we\u2019re interested in understanding early life on Earth, our work could help inform where best to look for evidence of life beyond our planet.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKamerlin specializes in creating computer models that simulate possible scenarios \u2013 creating an opportunity to quickly and efficiently test many theories. The most compelling of these can then be tested by her collaborator and co-author at Science Tokyo, Liam Longo, in lab experiments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EProtein folding is also at the forefront of medical innovation, ranging from diagnostic tools to cancer treatments and neurodegenerative diseases. \u201cIn the broader scope, we\u2019re interested in discovering what we can design, what we can stress test, and what we can reconstruct with AI and other computational tools,\u201d Kamerlin says. \u201cBecause if you can understand how proteins fold, you gain the ability to design them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: NASA, the Human Frontier Science Program, and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.trechm.2026.03.001\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Persistent link using digital object identifier\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.trechm.2026.03.001\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHow did the earliest life on Earth build complex biological machinery with so few tools? A new study explores how the simplest building blocks of proteins formed the sophisticated structures life depends on.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Life\u2019s first alphabet was likely small \u2014 but surprisingly powerful."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-04-20 16:06:30","changed_gmt":"2026-04-27 14:35:23","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677019":{"id":"677019","type":"image","title":"Lynn Kamerlin","body":null,"created":"1746193435","gmt_created":"2025-05-02 13:43:55","changed":"1746193435","gmt_changed":"2025-05-02 13:43:55","alt":"Lynn Kamerlin headshot","file":{"fid":"260878","name":"lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/02\/lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/02\/lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":104455,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/02\/lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg?itok=UCfaKKYb"}},"680000":{"id":"680000","type":"image","title":"Amino acid diversity in peptides and proteins over time. Now, in the era of biotechnology, the amino acid alphabet is poised to expand again. (Figure Credit: \u201cThe borderlands of foldability: lessons from simplified proteins,\u201d Trends in Chemistry, 2026)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAmino acid diversity in peptides and proteins over time. Over time, the genetic code expanded into the 20-amino acid alphabet found in contemporary biology. Now, in the era of biotechnology, the amino acid alphabet is poised to expand once more. (Figure Credit: \u201cThe borderlands of foldability: lessons from simplified proteins,\u201d Koh Seya, Alfie\u2011Louise R. Brownless, Shina C. L. Kamerlin, and Liam M. Longo, \u003Cem\u003ETrends in Chemistry, \u003C\/em\u003E2026)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776701693","gmt_created":"2026-04-20 16:14:53","changed":"1776701693","gmt_changed":"2026-04-20 16:14:53","alt":"A diagram showing the history of peptides and proteins over time. It is shaped like an hourglass.","file":{"fid":"264232","name":"Fig1Kamerlin.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/20\/Fig1Kamerlin.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/20\/Fig1Kamerlin.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":591690,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/20\/Fig1Kamerlin.jpg?itok=l_Fxw_Fs"}}},"media_ids":["677019","680000"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689256":{"#nid":"689256","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Study Shows Explainability is a Must for Older Adults to Trust AI","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EVoice-activated, conversational artificial intelligence (AI) agents must provide clear explanations for their suggestions, or older adults aren\u2019t likely to trust them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s one of the main findings from a study by AI Caring on what older adults expect from explainable AI (XAI).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ai-caring.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI Caring\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is one of three AI Institutions led by Georgia Tech and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The institution supports AI research that benefits older adults and their caregivers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENiharika Mathur, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Interactive Computing, was the lead author of a paper based on the study. The paper will be presented in April at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chi2026.acm.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2026 ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) in Barcelona\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMathur worked with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/empowerment.emory.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECognitive Empowerment Program at Emory University\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to interview 23 older adults who live alone and use voice-activated AI assistants like Amazon\u2019s Alexa and Google Home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany of them told her they feel excluded from the design of these products.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe assumption is that all people want interactions the same way and across all kinds of situations, but that isn\u2019t true,\u201d Mathur said. \u201cHow older people use AI and what they want from it are different from what younger people prefer.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne example she gave is that young people tend to be informal when talking with AI. Older people, on the other hand, talk to the agent like they would a person.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf Older adults are talking to their family members about Alexa, they usually refer to Alexa as \u2018she\u2019 instead of \u2018it,\u2019\u201d Mathur said. \u201cThey tend to humanize these systems a lot more than young people.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGood Explanations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study evaluated AI explanations that drew information from four sources of data:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUser history (past conversations with the agent)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEnvironmental data (indoor temperature or the weather forecast)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EActivity data (how much time a user spends in different areas of the home)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInternal reasoning (mathematical probabilities and likely outcomes)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMathur said older users trust the agent more when it bases its explanations on data from the first three sources. However, internal reasoning creates skepticism.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInternal reasoning means the AI doesn\u2019t have enough data from the other sources to give an explanation. It provides a percentage to reflect its confidence based on what it knows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe overwhelming response was negative toward confidence scores,\u201d Mathur said. \u201cIf the AI says it\u2019s 92% confident, older adults want to know what that\u2019s based on.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is another example that Mathur said points to generational preferences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of explainable AI research that shows younger people like to see numbers in explanations, and they also tend to rely too much on explanations that contain numerical confidence. Older adults are the opposite. It makes them trust it less.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKnowing the Context\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMathur said that AI agents interacting with older adults should serve a dual purpose. They should provide users with companionship and support independence while reducing the caretaking burden often placed on family members.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome studies have shown that engineers have tended to favor caretakers in the design of these tools. They prioritize daily tasks and routines, leaving some older adults to feel like they are merely a box to be checked.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe discovered that in urgent situations, older users prefer the AI to be straightforward, while in casual settings, they desire more conversation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHow people interact with technological systems is grounded in what the stakes of the situation are,\u201d she said. \u201cIf it had anything to do with their immediate sense of safety, they did not want conversational elaboration. They want the AI to be very direct and factual.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENot Just Checking Boxes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMathur said AI agents that interact with older adults are ideally constructed with a dual purpose. They should provide companionship and autonomy for the users while alleviating the burden of caretaking that is often placed on their family members.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome studies have shown that engineers have strayed toward favoring caretakers in the design of these tools. They prioritize daily tasks and routines, leaving some older adults to feel like they are a box to be checked.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey\u2019re not being thought of as consumers,\u201d Mathur said. \u201cA lot of products are being made for them but not with them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe also said psychological well-being is one of the most important outcomes these tools should produce.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShowing older adults that they are listened to can significantly help in gaining their trust. Some interviewees told Mathur they want agents who are deliberate about understanding their preferences and don\u2019t dismiss their questions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeeting these needs reduces the likelihood of protesting and creating conflict with family members.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt highlights just how important well-designed explanations are,\u201d she said. \u201cWe must go beyond a transparency checklist.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAn AI Caring study led by Georgia Tech researchers shows that older adults are more likely to trust conversational AI systems that provide them with clear explanations for their decision-making. The study also shows that including older adults more in the design process benefits their well-being and reduces the caretaking burden of family members\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech study finds older adults are more likely to trust voice-activated AI systems when those systems clearly explain how and why they make decisions."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 14:01:07","changed_gmt":"2026-04-27 14:31:27","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679796":{"id":"679796","type":"image","title":"0A6A0355.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774965687","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 14:01:27","changed":"1774965687","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 14:01:27","alt":"An older couple sitting on a couch as a man helps them use Amazon\u0027s Alexa","file":{"fid":"263999","name":"0A6A0355.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/0A6A0355.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/0A6A0355.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":171883,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/0A6A0355.jpg?itok=t62aVqXD"}}},"media_ids":["679796"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"193860","name":"Artifical Intelligence"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"14342","name":"older adults"},{"id":"148721","name":"Amazon Alexa"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ndeen6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ENathan Deen\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Computing\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689263":{"#nid":"689263","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Transformer Explainer Shows How AI is More Math Than Human","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile people use search engines, chatbots, and generative artificial intelligence tools every day, most don\u2019t know how they work. This sets unrealistic expectations for AI and leads to misuse. It also slows progress toward building new AI applications.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are making AI easier to understand through their work on Transformer Explainer. The free, online tool shows non-experts how ChatGPT, Claude, and other large language models (LLMs) process language.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/transformer-explainer\/\u0022\u003ETransformer Explainer\u003C\/a\u003E is easy to use and runs on any web browser. It quickly went viral after its debut, reaching 150,000 users in its first three months. More than 563,000 people worldwide have used the tool so far.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGlobal interest in Transformer Explainer continues when the team presents the tool at the 2026 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chi2026.acm.org\/\u0022\u003ECHI 2026\u003C\/a\u003E). CHI, the world\u2019s most prestigious conference on human-computer interaction, will take place in Barcelona, April 13-17.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/chi-2026\/\u0022\u003ERelated: GT @ CHI 2026\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are moments when LLMs can seem almost like a person with their own will and personality, and that misperception has real consequences. For example, there have been cases where teenagers have made poor decisions based on conversations with LLMs,\u201d said Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/aereeeee.github.io\/\u0022\u003EAeree Cho\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnderstanding that an LLM is fundamentally a model that predicts the probability distribution of the next token helps users avoid taking its outputs as absolute. What you put in shapes what comes out, and that understanding helps people engage with AI more carefully and critically.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA transformer is a neural network architecture that changes data input sequence into an output. Text, audio, and images are forms of processed data, which is why transformers are common in generative AI models. They do this by learning context and tracking mathematical relationships between sequence components.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETransformer Explainer demystifies how transformers work. The platform uses visualization and interaction to show, step by step, how text flows through a model and produces predictions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing this approach, Transformer Explainer impacts the AI landscape in four main ways:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIt counters hype and misconceptions surrounding AI by showing how transformers work.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIt improves AI literacy among users by removing technical barriers and lowering the entry for learning about AI.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIt expands AI education by helping instructors teach AI mechanisms without extensive setup or computing resources.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIt influences future development of AI tools and educational techniques by providing a blueprint for interpretable AI systems.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen I first learned about transformers, I felt overwhelmed. A transformer model has many parts, each with its own complex math. Existing resources typically present all this information at once, making it difficult to see how everything fits together,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gracekimcy.github.io\/\u0022\u003EGrace Kim\u003C\/a\u003E, a dual B.S.\/M.S. computer science student.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy leveraging interactive visualization, we use levels of abstraction to first show the big picture of the entire model. Then users click into individual parts to reveal the underlying details and math. This way, Transformer Explainer makes learning far less intimidating.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany users don\u2019t know what transformers are or how they work. The Georgia Tech team found that people often misunderstand AI. Some label AI with human-like characteristics, such as creativity. Others even describe it as working like magic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFurthermore, barriers make it hard for students interested in transformers to start learning. Tutorials tend to be too technical and overwhelm beginners with math and code. While visualization tools exist, these often target more advanced AI experts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETransformer Explainer overcomes these obstacles through its interactive, user-focused platform. It runs a familiar GPT model directly in any web browser, requiring no installation or special hardware.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsers can enter their own text and watch the model predict the next word in real time. Sankey-style diagrams show how information moves through embeddings, attention heads, and transformer blocks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe platform also lets users switch between high-level concepts and detailed math. By adjusting temperature settings, users can see how randomness affects predictions. This reveals how probabilities drive AI outputs, rather than creativity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMillions of people around the world interact with transformer-driven AI. We believe that it is crucial to bridge the gap between day-to-day user experience and the models\u0027 technical reality, ensuring these tools are not misinterpreted as human-like or seen as sentient,\u201d said Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.alexkarpekov.com\/\u0022\u003EAlex Karpekov\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cExplaining the architecture helps users recognize that language generated by models is a product of computation, leading to a more grounded engagement with the technology.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECho, Karpekov, and Kim led the development of Transformer Explainer. Ph.D. students\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/alechelbling.com\/\u0022\u003EAlec Helbling\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/seongmin.xyz\/\u0022\u003ESeongmin Lee\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bhoov.com\/\u0022\u003EBen Hoover\u003C\/a\u003E, and alumni\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/zijie.wang\/\u0022\u003EZijie (Jay) Wang\u003C\/a\u003E (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/minsuk.com\/\u0022\u003EMinsuk Kahng\u003C\/a\u003E (Ph.D. CS-CSE 2019) assisted on the project.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/polochau\/\u0022\u003EPolo Chau\u003C\/a\u003E supervised the group and their work. His lab focuses on data science, human-centered AI, and visualization for social good.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcceptance at CHI 2026 stems from the team winning the best poster award at the 2024 IEEE Visualization Conference. This recognition from one of the top venues in visualization research highlights Transformer Explainer\u2019s effectiveness in teaching how transformers work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTransformer Explainer has reached over half a million learners worldwide,\u201d said Chau, a faculty member in the School of Computational Science and Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m thrilled to see it extend Georgia Tech\u0027s mission of expanding access to higher education, now to anyone with a web browser.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are making AI easier to understand through their work on Transformer Explainer. The free, online tool shows non-experts how ChatGPT, Claude, and other large language models (LLMs) process language, improving AI literacy.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are making AI easier to understand through their work on Transformer Explainer. The free, online tool shows non-experts how ChatGPT, Claude, and other large language models (LLMs) process language, improving AI literacy."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 16:42:57","changed_gmt":"2026-04-27 14:30:50","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679798":{"id":"679798","type":"image","title":"Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774975392","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 16:43:12","changed":"1774975392","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 16:43:12","alt":"CHI 2026 Transformer Explainer","file":{"fid":"264002","name":"Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":120484,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg?itok=eryBAi-R"}},"679799":{"id":"679799","type":"image","title":"Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774975428","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 16:43:48","changed":"1774975428","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 16:43:48","alt":"CHI 2026 Transformer Explainer","file":{"fid":"264003","name":"Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":69012,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg?itok=0B-WDInX"}}},"media_ids":["679798","679799"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/transformer-explainer-shows-how-ai-more-math-human","title":"Transformer Explainer Shows How AI is More Math than Human"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"170447","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"176858","name":"machine learning center"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"14646","name":"human-computer interaction"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"194384","name":"Tech AI"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689931":{"#nid":"689931","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Competition to Community: How Team Atlanta\u2019s AI Cybersecurity Breakthrough Is Going Open Source","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/team-atlanta.github.io\/\u0022\u003ETeam Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E claimed first place in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-makes-history-wins-darpa-challenge\u0022\u003EDARPA AI Cyber Challenge\u003C\/a\u003E last year, they weren\u2019t just celebrating a win\u2014they were demonstrating that artificial intelligence (AI) could autonomously detect and patch software vulnerabilities at a scale once considered impossible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, the team is working with the Linux Foundation and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/openssf.org\/\u0022\u003EOpen Source Security Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E (OpenSSF) to ensure that its breakthrough doesn\u2019t remain confined to a competition environment. The team\u2019s new initiative, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/openssf.org\/projects\/oss-crs\/\u0022\u003EOSS-CRS\u003C\/a\u003E, aims to standardize and operationalize cyber reasoning systems (CRSs) for real-world use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe AI Cyber Challenge pushed the boundaries of autonomous software security, with seven teams developing systems capable of finding and remediating vulnerabilities at scale,\u201d said \u003Cstrong\u003EAndrew Chin\u003C\/strong\u003E, a Georgia Tech Ph.D. student and lead on the OSS-CRS program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHowever, after the competition\u2019s conclusion, it has been difficult to apply these advancements to the open-source community due to infrastructure incompatibilities and the lack of long-term maintenance for the open-sourced CRS implementations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo address this gap, Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gts3.org\/\u0022\u003ESystems Software Lab\u003C\/a\u003E (SSLab), directed by Professor \u003Cstrong\u003ETaesoo Kim\u003C\/strong\u003E, is leading the development of OSS-CRS, which provides both a common framework for CRS development and the infrastructure needed to deploy these systems seamlessly across open-source projects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of this effort, the team has ported its competition-winning system, Atlantis, into the OSS-CRS framework. The move makes it compatible with laptops and other everyday machines with flexible resource and budget configurations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInteroperability is also central to the framework\u2019s design. Atlantis can be combined with other CRSs to improve performance, including systems developed by fellow AIxCC finalists and newer agentic, command-line-based tools. This modular approach reflects a key lesson the team learned from the competition: collaboration between systems can outperform any single solution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOSS-CRS has been accepted as a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/github.com\/ossf\/oss-crs\u0022\u003Esandbox project\u003C\/a\u003E within OpenSSF\u2019s AI\/ML Security Working Group, a milestone that brings added technical guidance and community support to the project. This includes:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAccess to mentorship\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDedicated working group meetings\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBroader visibility through industry events, publications, and outreach efforts\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe collaboration will also foster stronger connections with open-source maintainers, helping streamline vulnerability disclosure and remediation workflows.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETeam Atlanta, winners of the DARPA AI Cyber Challenge, are turning their competition-winning AI cybersecurity system into a real-world tool for the open-source community. In partnership with the Linux Foundation and the Open Source Security Foundation, the team has launched OSS-CRS, a framework designed to standardize and deploy autonomous cyber reasoning systems at scale. By open sourcing their technology and enabling collaboration between multiple AI systems, the initiative aims to make it easier to detect and fix software vulnerabilities\u2014strengthening the security of critical open-source infrastructure worldwide.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Team Atlanta, winners of the DARPA AI Cyber Challenge, are turning their competition-winning AI cybersecurity system into a real-world tool for the open-source community."}],"uid":"36253","created_gmt":"2026-04-21 17:28:31","changed_gmt":"2026-04-27 14:30:30","author":"John Popham","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680033":{"id":"680033","type":"image","title":"AIxCC-2025-27-web-copy.jpg","body":null,"created":"1776880174","gmt_created":"2026-04-22 17:49:34","changed":"1776880174","gmt_changed":"2026-04-22 17:49:34","alt":"A group of people standing inside of a convention hall. ","file":{"fid":"264266","name":"AIxCC-2025-27-web-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/22\/AIxCC-2025-27-web-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/22\/AIxCC-2025-27-web-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1078593,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/22\/AIxCC-2025-27-web-copy.jpg?itok=6t8OfTPC"}}},"media_ids":["680033"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"660367","name":"School of Cybersecurity and Privacy"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jpopham3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJohn Popham\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESchool of Cybersecurity and Privacy\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689952":{"#nid":"689952","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Communicating During a Crisis","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E- written by Seungho Lee\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe North American hurricane season is, for many on the East Coast and Gulf Coast, six months of vigilance, and among the resources most likely to be consulted during this time are storm tracking maps. If you learn that your home might be in the path of a storm, you probably actively search for the most current version of one of these maps. Bruce Walker, a professor in the schools of Psychology and Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech, wants to ensure that storm-tracking maps and other emergency and environmental communication tools convey the most important information in the most understandable manner to the largest number of people possible. \u201cWeather and climate affect every single person on Earth,\u201d he said, \u201cso no one can be left behind when it comes to these critical communications.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWalker is director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cicc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Inclusive Climate Communication\u003C\/a\u003E (CICC) at Georgia Tech. CICC is a new and growing consortium of researchers, organizations, agencies, and companies whose goal is to ensure that climate information of all types is widely accessible. The center is housed in the School of Psychology but has affiliated faculty from all around campus, and several universities around the U.S. CICC is expanding internationally as well, developing sub-networks in Europe, Africa, and Australia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of its efforts, the CICC is working with the coastal city of Brunswick, Georgia. Situated about 65 miles northeast of Jacksonville, Florida, Brunswick is no stranger to hurricanes and tropical storms. The city is working to develop a comprehensive Community-Based Emergency Warning System, which will include maps and other emergency communications that ensure language, culture, level of education, or other differences in lived experience are not barriers to residents understanding critical safety information. This work is supported by the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS) and the Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education (SCoRE) through the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sustainability\/seed-grants\u0022\u003ESustainability Next\u003C\/a\u003E Seed Grant Program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHurricane maps and related information can come from many sources. Government agencies, municipal emergency management agencies, media outlets, and meteorological organizations all may have their own versions, which vary in how they visually display data. The information used to generate the maps is collected and distributed to the public domain by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) every few hours. The maps that the public sees show the important information that one would expect, but they may not do so with an eye for how different people might interpret, or misinterpret, that info.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOnce we determine the best way to present hurricane data to the most people, we will work with content providers to standardize the way they generate these resources,\u201d says Walker. \u201cReliable data and what we call inclusive communications lead to better decisions by the public.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe CICC investigators\u2019 process aspires to the philosophy of Universal Design, but since no design can be 100% universal, they refer to what they create as \u201cinclusive designs.\u201d Inclusive design means adapting to the diverse needs of the broadest possible audience. Since the language skills, education, lived experience, and physical ability of the person in the storm\u2019s path can vary, these maps must present information in many alternative ways.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor those who can see the map, for example, improving the visual design (e.g., a better use of symbols and a clearer visual layout) can help. For those with vision impairment, adding audio layers (called \u201csonification\u201d) to the map can help. For many people, simply comprehending a map can itself be a challenge. In that case, adding more explanations about how to interpret a map, what different terms mean, and what the storm is likely to do can make it more understandable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll of these strategies provide multiple means of accessing, understanding, and acting on the data represented by the map. When studying how to design inclusive maps, soliciting input and suggestions from as many different potential users as possible helps the CICC team ensure that vital information is understandable and useful to the most people.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of CICC\u2019s primary goals is to take lessons from their research projects, such as the inclusive hurricane map, and derive general principles for the effective design of emergency communications tools of all types. While every disaster, from floods and wildfires to tsunamis, tornadoes, and ice storms, will require the distribution of unique pieces of data, the CICC researchers and their community partners are identifying design strategies that will make these communications understandable and actionable to everyone.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWalker and other CICC researchers engage students in this work. Isabella Martincic, a Ph.D. student in engineering psychology, shepherds many of the center\u2019s research and design efforts, including AccessCORPS, a team that makes educational materials more inclusive and accessible. Jessica Herring and Ishan Vepa, students in the M.S. program in human-computer interaction, have led the hurricane map project, including overhauling existing maps from recent storms by applying CICC design guidelines to them. And undergraduate student Cal Price has been the lead researcher on the Brunswick collaboration, engaging with both community members and civic officials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese efforts \u2014 adding more features, revamping existing maps, and consulting with weather experts and end users \u2014 demonstrate how seemingly simple changes can lead to significantly better interpretations of the data by the target audience. The research behind the inclusive hurricane maps will be presented at the 23rd International Web for All Conference, which takes place later this year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECICC researchers are also engaging in partnerships with companies that see the potential benefits of this approach. Data visualization company Highcharts, for example, is a supporter and collaborator. Since their business models revolve around distributing such information, they have a keen interest in the lessons learned from CICC research. CICC does not regard its findings as intellectual property; they prefer that good design guidelines proliferate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUltimately, our goal is for anyone to be able to look at a communication tool, quickly grasp critical pieces of information that may impact their lives and well-being, and take appropriate actions,\u201d Walker said, \u201cwhether that be for the daily weather or for an impending natural disaster.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe North American hurricane season is, for many on the East Coast and Gulf Coast, six months of vigilance, and among the resources most likely to be consulted during this time are storm tracking maps. If you learn that your home might be in the path of a storm, you probably actively search for the most current version of one of these maps.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Center for Inclusive Climate Communication (CICC) at Georgia Tech is a new and growing consortium of researchers, organizations, agencies, and companies whose goal is to ensure that climate and disaster information of all types is widely accessible."}],"uid":"27338","created_gmt":"2026-04-22 22:23:47","changed_gmt":"2026-04-24 19:26:17","author":"Brent Verrill","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680036":{"id":"680036","type":"image","title":"SideBySide_Hurricane_Maps.jpg","body":null,"created":"1776896796","gmt_created":"2026-04-22 22:26:36","changed":"1776896882","gmt_changed":"2026-04-22 22:28:02","alt":"Side\u2011by\u2011side comparison graphic showing two hurricane forecast visualizations. The left panel, labeled \u2018Conventional Hurricane Map,\u2019 displays a white cone of uncertainty over the Atlantic Ocean and southeastern United States with dated forecast points for Hurricane Florence, while the right panel, labeled \u2018Inclusive Hurricane Map,\u2019 shows a red shaded impact corridor over Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina with a storm track line and icons indicating storm categories near cities such as Atlanta, T","file":{"fid":"264270","name":"SideBySide_Hurricane_Maps.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/22\/SideBySide_Hurricane_Maps.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/22\/SideBySide_Hurricane_Maps.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":811363,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/22\/SideBySide_Hurricane_Maps.jpg?itok=K8l-PK_h"}}},"media_ids":["680036"],"groups":[{"id":"244191","name":"Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1937","name":"Bruce Walker"},{"id":"195054","name":"Center for Inclusive Climate Communications"},{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"},{"id":"10617","name":"resilience"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBrent Verrill\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications Program Manager, BBISS\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690009":{"#nid":"690009","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mark Prausnitz Receives 1934 Distinguished Professor Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen Mark Prausnitz talks about his work as a professor, researcher, and entrepreneur, one theme comes through clearly: collaboration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/drugdelivery.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrausnitz\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Regents\u2019 Professor, Regents\u2019 Entrepreneur, and J. Erskine Love Jr. Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, is this year\u2019s recipient of the Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile I may be the focal point, it\u2019s not a recognition of me as an individual. It\u2019s a recognition of everything the team has done,\u201d Prausnitz said. \u201cI know how to do some things, but there are many things I don\u2019t know how to do. That\u2019s why working with others matters. You bring people together, fill in the gaps, and solve the whole problem.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u201csome things\u201d Prausnitz knows how to do have led to revolutionary medical innovation over a 30-year career at Georgia Tech, where he has led transformative work in microneedle drug delivery, launching 10 companies in the process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring that time, Prausnitz published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers, was granted dozens of patents, and advanced his work from early laboratory studies into more than 20 human clinical trials. His research has produced multiple FDA\u2011approved or clinically tested technologies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding Prausnitz\u2019s success starts with his approach to engineering in practice. Science may begin with discovery, but engineering, as he describes it, focuses on taking something uncertain and making it work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the things that really distinguishes engineering from science is the work of problem-solving to reach an answer,\u201d he said. \u201cYou start with something diffuse and figure out how to put all the pieces together. That to me is a hallmark of engineering.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat way of thinking took shape early in his life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2026\/04\/mark-prausnitz-receives-1934-distinguished-professor-award?utm_source=newsletter\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_content=Prausnitz%20Receives%201934%20Distinguished%20Professor%20Award%C2%A0\u0026amp;utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20April%2024%2C%202026\u0022\u003ERead the full story.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/drugdelivery.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrausnitz\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Regents\u2019 Professor, Regents\u2019 Entrepreneur, and J. Erskine Love Jr. Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, is this year\u2019s recipient of the Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Prausnitz is awarded the highest honor given to a Georgia Tech professor."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-24 16:47:54","changed_gmt":"2026-04-24 16:52:12","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680061":{"id":"680061","type":"image","title":"_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg","body":null,"created":"1777049281","gmt_created":"2026-04-24 16:48:01","changed":"1777049281","gmt_changed":"2026-04-24 16:48:01","alt":"A man in a light blue lab coat standing at a laboratory bench with pipettes, containers, and scientific supplies on shelves behind him.","file":{"fid":"264295","name":"_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":152732,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/24\/_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg?itok=30tRGEiv"}}},"media_ids":["680061"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"},{"id":"94981","name":"College of Engineering; School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJulian Hills | Executive Communications Specialist\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689951":{"#nid":"689951","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/andres-j-garcia\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E has been elected to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.amacad.org\/news\/new-member-announcement-2026\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, joining an honorary society that includes Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Albert Einstein, and Martin Luther King Jr.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Academy recognizes leaders across fields of study who have addressed humanity\u2019s greatest challenges while also gathering knowledge to advance learning and the public good. This year\u2019s class of 252 honorees was elected in academia, the arts, industry, journalism, philanthropy, policy, research, and science. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda is one of nine honorees in the \u201cEngineering and Technology\u201d division. His research \u2014 both in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E where he serves as Regents\u2019 Professor and in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E where he is the executive director \u2014 aligns with the Academy\u2019s service-minded mission. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am inspired to find engineering solutions to serious health conditions to help people,\u201d he said. \u201cAs a kid, I developed a musculoskeletal condition that required biomaterial devices to treat. Although imperfect, this treatment allowed me to lead a normal life.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMoved by his personal experience, Garc\u00eda\u2019s research centers on cellular and tissue engineering, which integrate biological and engineering principles to restore organ function lost to injury or disease. By studying how cells interact with the materials around them, he and his team have engineered biomaterials for the controlled delivery of therapeutic proteins and cells that enhance tissue regeneration, which could speed the healing process for patients. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis future work will integrate biomaterials with lab\u2011grown replicas of human organs, known as organoids, that can be used to identify new therapies for a variety of human diseases. These organoids, though smaller and simpler than true organs, can mimic key functions that may help Garc\u00eda and his team to find better ways to repair damaged tissues.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda has spent the past 27 years at Georgia Tech and carries on the legacy of another Academy member \u2014 the Petit Institute\u2019s founding executive director Robert Nerem, who was inducted in 1998. Garc\u00eda credits his success to the support of his loved ones and the Yellow Jacket community. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am deeply honored and humbled,\u201d he said. \u201cThis award is only possible by the unending love and support of family, friends and mentors, my phenomenal past and present trainees, fantastic collaborators, and awesome ecosystem at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Academy was chartered in 1780 during the American Revolution by a group that included John Adams and John Hancock. It was established to recognize accomplished individuals and engage them in addressing the greatest challenges facing the young republic.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMembership has broadened over the years to celebrate excellence in a variety of fields. Honorees have included poet Robert Frost, musician John Legend, and chef Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/03\/17\/chef-and-humanitarian-jose-andres-receives-ivan-allen-jr-prize-social-courage\u0022\u003Ewho was given this year\u2019s Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda and the rest of this year\u2019s class, which includes actor Jodie Foster, will be inducted in October. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/andres-j-garcia\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E has been elected to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.amacad.org\/news\/new-member-announcement-2026\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, joining an honorary society that includes Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Albert Einstein, and Martin Luther King Jr. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The honorary society dates to the early days of the United States and honors excellence and contributions that advance society.  "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-22 18:35:45","changed_gmt":"2026-04-23 15:23:47","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680035":{"id":"680035","type":"image","title":"Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776882954","gmt_created":"2026-04-22 18:35:54","changed":"1776948169","gmt_changed":"2026-04-23 12:42:49","alt":"A man with silver hair wears a white lab coat, white shirt, and gold tie will sitting behind a lab bench with research equipment on top of it.","file":{"fid":"264268","name":"ExecDirGarcia10-lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/22\/ExecDirGarcia10-lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/22\/ExecDirGarcia10-lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2396467,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/22\/ExecDirGarcia10-lab.jpg?itok=1-GrI-YP"}}},"media_ids":["680035"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"14545","name":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ashlie.bowman@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAshlie Bowman\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJason Maderer\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689961":{"#nid":"689961","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joint Workshop Highlights Emerging Research at the Intersection of Sustainability, Mobility, and Health\u202f ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents, faculty, and researchers from\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fand\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.kennesaw.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKennesaw State University\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fgathered on April 8 for\u202fa joint workshop between Georgia Tech\u0027s\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/nsf-susmed\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENSF Sustainable Development of Smart Medical Devices\u003C\/a\u003E\u202f(SUSMED) program and KSU\u0027s\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/campus.kennesaw.edu\/offices-services\/research\/centers-facilities\/move-center\/index.php\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMobility for Everyone (MOVE) Center\u003C\/a\u003E. The full-day\u202fevent explored\u202fhow sustainable design, mobility science, and health technologies are converging to shape the next generation of medical devices.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHosted in Georgia Tech\u2019s Marcus Nanotechnology Building, the workshop brought together trainees from the\u202fNSF SUSMED program\u202fand students from the MOVE Center for a day of presentations, posters, and hands\u2011on demonstrations.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event was co\u2011led by\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2943\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHong Yeo\u003C\/a\u003E, Peterson Professor in Pediatric Research in the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fat Georgia Tech; Karam Kim, research faculty at the same school; and Ayse Tekes, associate professor in Mechanical Engineering at\u202fKSU.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am thrilled to have hosted this first joint event between the NSF NRT in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/wish\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWISH Center\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and the KSU MOVE Center. When I first envisioned it, I hoped it would spark meaningful conversations between students and researchers \u2014 but what unfolded far exceeded every expectation,\u201d Yeo said. \u201cThis was not just a gathering; it was a launchpad for exciting new collaborative projects, dynamic student exchange programs, and bold, ambitious bets on the future of our field. A heartfelt thank you to IMS Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/eric-vogel\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEric Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/wish\/members\/wish-administration\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJosh Lee\u003C\/a\u003E, the WISH Center program manager, and Karam Kim, research faculty extraordinaire \u2014 none of this would have been possible without their support.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA central goal of the workshop was to give students meaningful opportunities to present their research and engage with peers across disciplines. According to Tekes, who is the director of the MOVE Center, events like this play a critical role in shaping early career researchers.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think these events are very eye-opening,\u201d Tekes said. \u201cThey give students a real opportunity to\u202fshowcase\u202ftheir results, but also to collaborate and learn about research outside their own area. Seeing work across disciplines sparks new questions and helps them think differently.\u201d\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThroughout the day, students presented projects on wearable devices, mobility technologies, digital health tools, sustainable engineering approaches, and more. Tekes emphasized how valuable it is for students to practice communicating their work to a broad audience.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey are getting the practice to present their outputs \u2014 the key outcomes of their research \u2014 and explain the significance and importance,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re also learning to answer questions from different perspectives, because in this room you\u2019re seeing engineers, computer scientists, and clinicians.\u201d\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDue to the strong turnout and enthusiastic participation throughout the day, organizers are already planning another session next semester.\u202fBy\u202fbringing together diverse\u202fexpertise\u202ffrom\u202fboth schools, the event highlighted the shared commitment to developing medical technologies that improve mobility, health, and quality of life.\u202f\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding sources: NSF NRT-FW-HTF: NSF Traineeship in the Sustainable Development of Smart Medical Devices (Award # 2345860) and WISH Center grant from the Institute for Matter and Systems\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents, faculty, and researchers from\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fand\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.kennesaw.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKennesaw State University\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fgathered on April 8 for\u202fa joint workshop between Georgia Tech\u0027s\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/nsf-susmed\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENSF Sustainable Development of Smart Medical Devices\u003C\/a\u003E\u202f(SUSMED) program and KSU\u0027s\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/campus.kennesaw.edu\/offices-services\/research\/centers-facilities\/move-center\/index.php\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMobility for Everyone (MOVE) Center\u003C\/a\u003E. The full-day\u202fevent explored\u202fhow sustainable design, mobility science, and health technologies are converging to shape the next generation of medical devices.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Students, faculty, and researchers from\u202fGeorgia Tech\u202fand\u202fKennesaw State University\u202fgathered on April 8 for\u202fa joint workshop."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-23 12:03:37","changed_gmt":"2026-04-23 12:05:53","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680038":{"id":"680038","type":"image","title":"_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg","body":null,"created":"1776945848","gmt_created":"2026-04-23 12:04:08","changed":"1776945848","gmt_changed":"2026-04-23 12:04:08","alt":"Six workshop organizers stand in front of a projected slide reading \u201cGT NSF SUSMED x KSU MOVE Center Joint Workshop,\u201d with Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State University banners visible on both sides.","file":{"fid":"264272","name":"_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/23\/_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/23\/_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":141734,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/23\/_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg?itok=qQXapOTA"}}},"media_ids":["680038"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"14545","name":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"11726","name":"Institute for People and Technology"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWritten by Scarlett Smith\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689932":{"#nid":"689932","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Vision AI Models Improve Decision Making in Manufacturing, Energy, and Finance","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGenerative artificial intelligence (AI) is best known for creating images and text. Now, it is helping industries make better planning decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have created a new AI model for decision-focused learning (DFL), called Diffusion-DFL. Recent tests showed it makes more accurate decisions than current approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with optimizing industrial output, Diffusion-DFL lowers costs and reduces risk. Experiments also showed it performs across different fields.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2510.11590\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiffusion-DFL\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E doesn\u2019t just surpass current methods; it also predicts more accurately as problem sizes grow. The model requires less computing power despite these high-performance marks, making it more accessible to smaller enterprises.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiffusion-DFL runs on diffusion models, the same technology that powers DALL-E and other AI image generators. It is the first DFL framework based on diffusion models.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAnyone who makes high-stakes decisions under uncertainty, including supply chain managers, energy operators, and financial planners, benefits from Diffusion-DFL,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.zihaozhao.site\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZihao Zhao\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia Tech Ph.D. student who led the project.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cInstead of optimizing around a single forecast, the model evaluates many possible scenarios, so decisions account for real-world risk and become more robust.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/iclr-2026\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERelated: GT @ ICLR 2026\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo test Diffusion-DFL, the team ran experiments based on real-world settings, including:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFactory manufacturing to meet product demand\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPower grid scheduling to meet energy demand\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStock market portfolio optimization\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn each case, Diffusion-DFL made more accurate decisions than current methods. It also performed better as problems became larger and more complex. These results confirm the model\u2019s ability to make important decisions in real-world scenarios with noisy data and uncertainty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe experiments also show that Diffusion-DFL is practical, not just accurate. Training diffusion models is expensive, so the team developed a way to reduce memory use. This cut training costs by more than 99.7%. As a result, Diffusion-DFL can reach more researchers and practitioners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur score-function estimator cuts GPU memory from over 60 gigabytes to 0.13 with almost no loss in decision quality, reducing the requirement for massive computing resources,\u201d Zhao said. \u201cI hope this expands Diffusion-DFL into other domains, like healthcare, where decisions must be made quickly under complex uncertainty.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond decision-making applications, Diffusion-DFL marks a shift in DFL techniques and in the broader use of generative AI models.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn supply chain management, planners estimate future demand before deciding how much product to stock. In this DFL problem, engineers align ML models with predetermined decision objectives, like minimizing risk or reducing costs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne flaw of DFL methods is that they optimize around a single, deterministic prediction in an uncertain future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiffusion-DFL takes a different approach. Instead of making a single guess, it determines a range of possible outcomes. This leads to decisions based on many likely scenarios, rather than on a single assumed future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo do this, the framework uses diffusion models. These generative AI models create high-quality data from images, text, and audio.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe forward diffusion process involves adding noise to data until it becomes pure noise. Models trained via forward diffusion can reverse diffusion. This means they can start with noisy data and then produce meaningful insights from training examples.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReal-world data is often noisy and uncertain. Traditional DFL methods struggle in these conditions, but diffusion models are designed to handle them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause of this, Diffusion-DFL can explore many possible outcomes and choose better actions. Like image-generation AI, the model works well with complex data from different sources. This enables its use across different industries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDiffusion models have achieved significant success in generative AI and image synthesis, but our work shows their potential extends far beyond that,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/guaguakai.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKai Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CSE).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat makes Diffusion-DFL unique is that the specific downstream application guides how the model learns to handle uncertainty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhether we are scheduling energy for power grids, balancing risk in financial portfolios, or developing early warning systems in healthcare, we can explicitly train these highly expressive models to navigate the unique complexities of each domain.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZhao and Wang collaborated with Caltech Ph.D. candidate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chrisyeh96.github.io\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Yeh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and Harvard University postdoctoral fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/alumnus-uses-ai-counter-african-poaching-improve-maternal-healthcare-access\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELingkai Kong\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E on Diffusion-DFL. Kong earned his Ph.D. in CSE from Georgia Tech in 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang will present Diffusion-DFL on behalf of the group at the upcoming International Conference on Learning Representations (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iclr.cc\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EICLR 2026\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E). Occurring April 23-27 in Rio de Janeiro, ICLR is one of the world\u2019s most prestigious conferences dedicated to artificial intelligence research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cICLR is the perfect stage for Diffusion-DFL because it brings together the exact community that needs to see the bridge between generative modeling and high-stakes decision-making for real-world applications,\u201d Wang said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPresenting Diffusion-DFL allows us to challenge the traditional training framework of diffusion models. It\u2019s about sparking a broader conversation on how we can align the training objectives of generative AI directly with actual, downstream decision-making needs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGenerative artificial intelligence (AI) is best known for creating images and text. Now, it is helping industries make better planning decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have created a new AI model for decision-focused learning (DFL), called Diffusion-DFL. Recent tests showed it makes more accurate decisions than current approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with optimizing industrial output, Diffusion-DFL lowers costs and reduces risk. Experiments also showed it performs across different fields.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2510.11590\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiffusion-DFL\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E doesn\u2019t just surpass current methods; it also predicts more accurately as problem sizes grow. The model requires less computing power despite these high-performance marks, making it more accessible to smaller enterprises.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiffusion-DFL runs on diffusion models, the same technology that powers DALL-E and other AI image generators. It is the first DFL framework based on diffusion models.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers have developed Diffusion-DFL, the first decision-focused learning model built on diffusion AI technology. It uses the same engineering behind image generators to help industries make more accurate, lower-cost planning decisions."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-04-21 17:35:24","changed_gmt":"2026-04-21 17:40:39","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680015":{"id":"680015","type":"image","title":"Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg","body":null,"created":"1776792936","gmt_created":"2026-04-21 17:35:36","changed":"1776792936","gmt_changed":"2026-04-21 17:35:36","alt":"ICLR 2026 Diffusion-DFL","file":{"fid":"264248","name":"Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/21\/Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/21\/Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":117435,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/21\/Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg?itok=2myOXxFR"}}},"media_ids":["680015"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/vision-ai-models-improve-decision-making-manufacturing-energy-and-finance","title":"Vision AI Models Improve Decision Making in Manufacturing, Energy, and Finance"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"181689","name":"Institute for Data Science and Engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"194384","name":"Tech AI"},{"id":"7850","name":"EVPR"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689835":{"#nid":"689835","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AI is Reengineering Drug Discovery by Speeding Up Testing and Scanning Petabytes of Data for Connections Between\u00a0Diseases","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIn December, The Conversation hosted a webinar on AI\u2019s revolutionary role in drug discovery and development.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience and technology editor \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/eric-smalley-944964\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEric Smalley\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E interviewed \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/jeffrey-skolnick\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJeffrey Skolnick\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, eminent scholar in computational systems biology at Georgia Institute of Technology, and \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/pharmacology\/person\/ben-brown\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBenjamin P. Brown\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, assistant professor of pharmacology at Vanderbilt University.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESkolnick has developed AI-based approaches to predict protein structure and function that may help with drug discovery and finding off-label uses of existing drugs. Brown\u2019s lab works on creating new computer models that make drug discovery faster and more reliable. Below is a condensed and edited version of the interview.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELet\u2019s start with the big picture. How is AI changing biomedical research and drug discovery, and what is the potential we are talking about?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESkolnick:\u003C\/strong\u003E The upside, potentially, is very large. One of the frustrating things about drug discovery is that, in spite of the fact that the people doing it are extraordinarily intelligent and have done an extraordinarily good job, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.apsb.2022.02.002\u0022\u003Ethe success rate is very low\u003C\/a\u003E. About \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.apsb.2022.02.002\u0022\u003E1 in 5\u003C\/a\u003E drugs will have negative health effects that outweigh its benefits. Of the ones that pass, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.apsb.2022.02.002\u0022\u003Eroughly half don\u2019t work\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn drug development, there are several key issues: Can you predict which target is driving a particular disease? Once this target is identified, how can you guarantee the drug is going to work and isn\u2019t simultaneously going to kill you?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese are outstanding problems in drug discovery in which AI can play an important, though not 100% guaranteed, role. Unlike us, AI can look at basically \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/nsr\/article\/12\/5\/nwaf050\/8029900\u0022\u003Eall available knowledge\u003C\/a\u003E. On a good day it makes strong and true connections called \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/bs.adcom.2023.02.001\u0022\u003Einsights\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d and on a bad day it does what is called \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-are-ai-hallucinations-why-ais-sometimes-make-things-up-242896\u0022\u003Ehallucinating\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d and sees things that are weak and probably false.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\u0022440\u0022 height=\u0022260\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lHC_9x3IXZ0?wmode=transparent\u0026amp;start=0\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EEric Smalley interviews Jeffrey Skolnick and Benjamin P. Brown.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of the day, many diseases do not have a cure. Most diseases are maintained, such as high cholesterol or autoimmune conditions. A treatment for cancer might buy you five years, and now you\u2019re in Stage 4 and you\u2019ve exhausted all the standard care drugs. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ph16060891\u0022\u003EAI can play a role\u003C\/a\u003E to suggest alternatives where there are none.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELet\u2019s give some basic definitions here. When we use the word drug, we\u2019re talking about a wide range of therapies. Can you explain the range \u2013 we\u2019ve got small molecule drugs, biologics, gene therapies, cell therapies.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrown:\u003C\/strong\u003E We have fairly large molecules in our bodies called proteins. They are like machines that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK26911\/\u0022\u003Ecarry out specific functions\u003C\/a\u003E and interact with one another. Oftentimes, when we\u2019re trying to treat disease, we\u2019re trying to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/mco2.261\u0022\u003Ealter functions of specific proteins\u003C\/a\u003E. Many drugs, like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0049-3848(03)00379-7\u0022\u003Easpirin\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1086\/317517\u0022\u003ETylenol\u003C\/a\u003E, are small molecules that can fit into a protein and change its function. Fundamentally, drugs don\u2019t have to just interact with proteins, but this is a major way in which our current repertoire of medications work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are also proteins that act like drugs, such as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/imr.13387\u0022\u003Eantibodies\u003C\/a\u003E. When you receive a vaccine for a virus, your body is basically given \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/B978-0-12-802174-3.00002-3\u0022\u003Einstructions on how to develop antibodies\u003C\/a\u003E. These antibodies will target some part of that virus. Your body is creating these big molecules, much bigger than aspirin, to go and interact with foreign proteins in a different way. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1590\/S1679-45082017RB4024\u0022\u003EGene therapy\u003C\/a\u003E is a larger step beyond that.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo these modalities \u2013 molecule, protein, antibody or gene \u2013 are very different types of molecules. They have different scales and rules, so the way you approach designing and discovering them various widely.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECan you briefly explain artificial neural networks, and what the \u201cdeep\u201d in deep learning means?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESkolnick:\u003C\/strong\u003E AlphaFold, developed by DeepMind, involved understanding how neural networks worked. They built a network with a lot of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/diagnostics13152582\u0022\u003Einputs, which are stimuli, and outputs with different weights\u003C\/a\u003E, similar to how your brain actually works. These simple connections, or neurons, have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-is-reinforcement-learning-an-ai-researcher-explains-a-key-method-of-teaching-machines-and-how-it-relates-to-training-your-dog-251887\u0022\u003Ereinforcement learning\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey also created sophisticated neural networks, such as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2219150120\u0022\u003Etransformers, which do specific things\u003C\/a\u003E like a special-purpose tool that can learn, and they added a mechanism called \u201cattention,\u201d which \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.inffus.2024.102417\u0022\u003Eamplifies critical details\u003C\/a\u003E. Super neural networks with transformers is what we call deep learning. These now have literally billions, if not trillions, of parameters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEssentially, these machines \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.52202\/079017-2495\u0022\u003Ecan learn higher order correlations between events\u003C\/a\u003E, meaning the patterns of conditional interactions that depend on the properties of multiple things simultaneously. In these higher order correlations, AI has the potential to see previously unknown things that are embedded in petabytes (a unit of data equivalent to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eecis.udel.edu\/%7Eamer\/Table-Kilo-Mega-Giga---YottaBytes.html\u0022\u003Ehalf of the contents of all U.S. academic research libraries\u003C\/a\u003E of biological data.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlphaFold, which \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/14789450.2025.2456046\u0022\u003Epredicts three-dimensional, bioactive forms of a protein\u003C\/a\u003E, has millions of sequences and a couple of hundred thousand structures. It can tell you, based on a particular pattern, what \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijms26146807\u0022\u003Esmall molecule to design\u003C\/a\u003E that sticks to a protein to induce some kind of structural shift.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow is this technology being used in biomedical research to understand molecular dynamics or, essentially, the biological processes involved in health and disease?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrown:\u003C\/strong\u003E In 2013, there was a Nobel Prize for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.str.2013.11.005\u0022\u003Emolecular dynamics simulations\u003C\/a\u003E, computational tools that help you understand the motions of molecules as they move according to physics. There\u2019s a huge body of scientific research built around those ideas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI and deep learning are large right now, but it\u2019s worth mentioning that for the last decade and a half, people have been \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/nchembio.576\u0022\u003Eusing much smaller machine learning algorithms\u003C\/a\u003E to help design drugs. A lot of the ideas, such as [using machine learning for virtual screening], are not new and have been in practice for a while.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith AlphaFold\u2019s technologies to help people design proteins and predict their structure, we\u2019ve changed how we think about a lot of these problems. We have this \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.omtn.2024.102295\u0022\u003Enew repertoire of approaches\u003C\/a\u003E to build ideas around and to start thinking about drug discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom 20 years ago to now, what has today\u2019s AI technology done in terms of scale of change in this process?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESkolnick:\u003C\/strong\u003E A lot of diseases, like cancers, are \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15430\/JCP.2018.23.4.153\u0022\u003Ecaused by a collection of malfunctioning proteins\u003C\/a\u003E. AI now allows us to start to think conceptually about how these diseases are organized and related to each other.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiseases tend to co-occur. For example, if you have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fendo.2024.1354372\u0022\u003Ehyperthyroidism, you\u2019re very likely to develop Alzheimer\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E. Kind of weird, right? We can look at pieces, but AI can look at all the information, integrate the collective behavior and then identify common drivers. This allows you to construct disease interrelationships which offer the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/adtp.202300332\u0022\u003Epossibility of broad spectrum treatments\u003C\/a\u003E that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/news-events\/nih-research-matters\/progress-toward-broad-spectrum-antiviral\u0022\u003Ecould treat whole collections of diseases\u003C\/a\u003E rather than narrow-spectrum treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERelatedly, AI also can help us \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/cpt.3153\u0022\u003Eunderstand disease trajectories\u003C\/a\u003E. Diseases that tend to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev-biodatasci-110123-041001\u0022\u003Eco-occur often present themselves consecutively\u003C\/a\u003E. You have disease 1, it gives you disease 2, then gives you disease 3. This suggests that if you go back to the root with disease 1, you may be able to stop a whole bunch of stuff. You can\u2019t analyze millions of trajectories and millions of data without a tool, so you couldn\u2019t do this before.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis holds a lot of promise, but one also must be careful not to overpromise. It will help, it will accelerate, but \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scienceopen.com\/hosted-document?doi=10.15212\/bioi-2025-0188\u0022\u003Eit is not a substitute yet for real experiments\u003C\/a\u003E, real clinical validation and trials.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/274693\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/ai-is-reengineering-drug-discovery-by-speeding-up-testing-and-scanning-petabytes-of-data-for-connections-between-diseases-274693\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"AI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-04-17 15:55:09","changed_gmt":"2026-04-21 00:35:09","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679992":{"id":"679992","type":"image","title":" AI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery. gorodenkoff\/iStock via Getty Images ","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;AI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery. gorodenkoff\/iStock via Getty Images\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776442339","gmt_created":"2026-04-17 16:12:19","changed":"1776442339","gmt_changed":"2026-04-17 16:12:19","alt":" AI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery. gorodenkoff\/iStock via Getty Images ","file":{"fid":"264222","name":"file-20260129-62-3xayw4-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/17\/file-20260129-62-3xayw4-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/17\/file-20260129-62-3xayw4-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2111750,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/17\/file-20260129-62-3xayw4-copy.jpg?itok=h8utD5AH"}}},"media_ids":["679992"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/ai-is-reengineering-drug-discovery-by-speeding-up-testing-and-scanning-petabytes-of-data-for-connections-between-diseases-274693","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EAuthors:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/jeffrey-skolnick-2581183\u0022\u003EJeffrey Skolnick\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u0027 Professor; Mary and Maisie Gibson Chair, and GRA Eminent Scholar in Computational Systems Biology, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/benjamin-p-brown-2581181\u0022\u003EBenjamin P. Brown\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/vanderbilt-university-1293\u0022\u003EVanderbilt University\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689352":{"#nid":"689352","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Develop First Genetic Passcode Lock to Protect Valuable DNA","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security, and other authorities have flagged a record number of unauthorized shipments of biological materials. At the same time, global intelligence communities have identified numerous attempts to smuggle sensitive biological samples in efforts of industrial theft or espionage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA small vial of genetically engineered cells can contain multiple millions of dollars\u2019 worth of intellectual property and require several years of work to develop,\u201d said Corey Wilson, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EChBE\u003C\/a\u003E). \u201cAccordingly, the protection of high-value engineered cell lines has become critically important to the biotechnology industry.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wilson.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWilson\u003C\/a\u003E and his research team have published their findings in \u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E demonstrating the effectiveness of their new biological security technology, known as GeneLock\u2122, in protecting high-value engineered cell lines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeneLock is a cybersecurity-inspired technology that protects valuable genetic material directly at the DNA level. To demonstrate its strength, Wilson\u2019s team conducted what they describe as a first-of-its-kind biohackathon, detailed in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.aeb8556\u0022\u003Enew paper\u003C\/a\u003E, to simulate unauthorized access.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeneLock greatly improves our ability to protect high-value engineered cell lines by expanding security from the lab environment to the genetic level,\u201d Wilson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEconomic Impact\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat are the stakes? Estimates place the global market for high-value genetic materials at more than $1.5 trillion, projected to reach $8 trillion by 2035. The use of these materials ranges from advanced medicines and proprietary research enzymes to specialty chemicals and sustainable materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, the protection of high-value cell lines depends on physical safeguards such as restricted lab access and secure facilities, Wilson explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe key weakness of physical security measures is once circumvented, there are typically no measures in place to protect valuable cells from theft, abuse, or unauthorized use,\u201d Wilson said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOnce a sample leaves the building, the DNA it carries typically remains fully functional. This is like placing an unlocked cellphone in a desk drawer. Anyone who gains access to the drawer can view sensitive content on the phone\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u2014or in this case will have full access to the valuable cell line.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGenetic Passcode Protection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe GeneLock biological security technology developed by Wilson and his team places a passcode on engineered cells, akin to those used on ATM machines and protected cellphones.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstead of leaving a valuable gene in readable form, the team scrambles the DNA sequence of interest. The scrambled genetic asset remains in a nonfunctional state unless the living cell where it resides receives the correct sequence of chemical inputs. Those inputs act as a molecular passcode.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOnly the right combination, delivered in the right order, rearranges the DNA into a working form,\u201d Wilson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBiohackathon Security Test\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo evaluate the technology, the researchers organized a blue team and a red team in what they describe as an ethical biohackathon. The blue team designed the encrypted DNA sequence, while the red team was challenged to discover the correct chemical passcode through experimentation in a gray box exercise, meaning the red team had partial knowledge of the system but did not have access to the internal designs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis approach for testing security strength is commonly used in cybersecurity,\u201d Wilson explained.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe blue team engineered the system inside \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E, or \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E, a bacterium widely used in biotechnology. The protected asset was a fluorescent protein gene selected as a measurable stand-in for commercially valuable targets. When the correct chemical sequence was applied, the fluorescence turned on. Without the correct passcode, the gene remained scrambled and the cells could not fluoresce green.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn practice, most DNA sequences produce valuable proteins or chemicals that are essentially invisible to the human eye, requiring specialized devices or experiments to observe,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cIf the biohackathon were conducted with a standard commercially valuable target, the penetration testing would have taken more than 10 times longer to complete, years instead of months.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe biohackathon results showed a dramatic reduction in risk. GeneLock reduced the probability of unlocking the genetic asset by random search to about 1 in 85,000 (a 0.001% chance), assuming the unauthorized user had access to the required chemical inputs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWithout access to those inputs, \u201cthe likelihood of success by chance becomes effectively negligible,\u201d said Dowan Kim (Georgia Tech PhD 2024), co-lead author of the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommercial Uses and What\u2019s Next\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the researchers used a non-commercial fluorescent protein as a test case, the implications extend much further. Many biotechnology companies rely on proprietary engineered strains. New England Biolabs, for example, produces more than 265 non-disclosed enzymes in E. coli, each representing a high-value cell line.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProtein-based drugs are also manufactured in living cells, and proprietary metabolic pathways are used to produce specialty chemicals, bioplastics, and high-value ingredients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn each case, the genetic blueprint inside the cell represents intellectual property that can be protected by our technology,\u201d said Ishita Kumar, a PhD candidate in ChBE and co-lead author of the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the team\u2019s current focus is on protecting intellectual property in the form of high-value cells, future iterations aim to strengthen biological security more broadly.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are currently developing protection measures to mitigate unauthorized use or release of sensitive cell lines that can be potentially hazardous to human health or the environment,\u201d Wilson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs it stands, GeneLock represents an important shift in biological security, enabling, for the first time, protection of valuable cells at the genetic level, even after physical security measures have been bypassed,\u201d he added.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work is already moving toward commercialization. The team filed a provisional patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in February 2026 and is forming a company to deploy the technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis research was funded by a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/show-award\/?AWD_ID=2319231\u0022\u003Egrant\u003C\/a\u003E from the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDowan Kim, Ishita Kumar, Mohamed Hassan, Luisa F. Barraza-Vergara, Christopher A. Voigt, and Corey J. Wilson, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.aeb8556\u0022\u003EProtecting cells at the genetic level and simulating unauthorized access via a biohackathon\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d Science Advances, 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New System Strengthens Security for the Biotech Industry"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeneLock is a cybersecurity-inspired technology that protects valuable genetic material directly at the DNA level. To demonstrate its strength, the rearches conducted what they describe as a first-of-its-kind biohackathon to simulate unauthorized access.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research published in Science Advances demonstrated the effectiveness of this technology in protecting high-value engineered cell lines."}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2026-04-01 17:57:53","changed_gmt":"2026-04-20 17:30:15","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679818":{"id":"679818","type":"image","title":"Wilsonresearchteam.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch team members Ishita Kumar,\u0026nbsp;Corey Wilson,\u0026nbsp;and Luisa F. Barraza-Vergara\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775066280","gmt_created":"2026-04-01 17:58:00","changed":"1775066280","gmt_changed":"2026-04-01 17:58:00","alt":"Research team members Ishita Kumar, Corey Wilson, and Luisa F. Barraza-Vergara","file":{"fid":"264022","name":"Wilsonresearchteam.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/Wilsonresearchteam.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/Wilsonresearchteam.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2729628,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/01\/Wilsonresearchteam.jpg?itok=uDoLEes8"}},"679819":{"id":"679819","type":"image","title":"biohackathon.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETo evaluate the GeneLock technology, the researchers organized a blue team and a red team into a biohackathon.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775066327","gmt_created":"2026-04-01 17:58:47","changed":"1775066327","gmt_changed":"2026-04-01 17:58:47","alt":"To evaluate the GeneLock technology, the researchers organized a blue team and a red team into a biohackathon.","file":{"fid":"264023","name":"biohackathon.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/biohackathon.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/biohackathon.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":91942,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/01\/biohackathon.jpg?itok=PdOgnWMg"}}},"media_ids":["679818","679819"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"175579","name":"biotech industry"},{"id":"3031","name":"genetic"},{"id":"1041","name":"dna"},{"id":"175113","name":"biosecurity"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:braddixon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebraddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689848":{"#nid":"689848","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Survey the Challenges of Integrating Wind and Solar Into Power Grids","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs wind and solar power \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.carbonbrief.org\/wind-and-solar-are-fastest-growing-electricity-sources-in-history\/\u0022\u003Eexpand rapidly\u003C\/a\u003E worldwide, researchers are confronting a growing challenge: how to effectively integrate them into the power grid.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWind turbines and solar panels have what economists call zero marginal cost, meaning producing additional units of electricity requires no fuel once installed. At the same time, this renewable energy varies greatly with the weather and can create operational challenges for grid operators.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new review study from Georgia Tech examines how these characteristics are reshaping electricity markets and grid operations \u2014 and why addressing the challenge requires cross-disciplinary collaboration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rser.2025.116334\u0022\u003EThe study\u003C\/a\u003E, published in \u003Cem\u003ERenewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews\u003C\/em\u003E, synthesizes more than a decade of research. It analyzes over 200 studies on the engineering, economic, and policy implications of managing renewable energy sources that are both intermittent and effectively zero-cost to operate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWind and solar are now among the lowest-cost sources of electricity in many parts of the world, but integrating them into the grid isn\u2019t simple,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/matthew-oliver\u0022\u003EMatthew Oliver\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Economics\u003C\/a\u003E and lead author of the study. \u201cThe wind doesn\u2019t always blow, and the sun isn\u2019t always shining, so output can fluctuate significantly, which complicates grid management.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe added, \u201cHistorically, variation in electricity systems generally came from the demand side, and operators could simply ramp generation up or down. Now, we have variability on both supply and demand sides.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnalyzing the Data\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELooking at the problem, Oliver knew he would need to be familiar with engineering concepts to get at the heart of the issue. He created a research team with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/daniel-matisoff\u0022\u003EDaniel Matisoff\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003C\/a\u003E; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/santiago-carlos-grijalva\u0022\u003ESantiago Grijalva\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E; and graduate student co-authors Maghfira Ramadhani (economics), Oliver Chapman (public policy), and Amanda West (electrical and computer engineering).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnalyzing over 200 studies published since 2010, the team mapped the complex interactions between electricity market design, grid operations, and renewable technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey also explored the economic implications of large amounts of zero-marginal-cost electricity entering wholesale electricity markets. Because wind and solar have very low operating costs, they can lower prices in wholesale electricity markets. That benefits consumers, but it can also make it harder for flexible conventional plants to earn enough revenue to stay available when renewable output falls.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECollaborating Across Disciplines\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team argues that successfully scaling renewable energy will depend on collaboration across traditionally separate fields.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEngineering constraints affect how electricity markets work, markets influence investment decisions, and policy shapes how those investments happen,\u201d Oliver said. \u201cWhen it comes to complex topics like this, you can\u2019t really treat engineering, economics, and policy as separate problems. They\u2019re all part of the same system.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that electricity systems with high shares of renewable energy will require coordinated solutions that combine improved engineering practices, market reforms that value flexibility and reliability, and policies that align private investment with long-term decarbonization goals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur hope is that this paper helps researchers across disciplines communicate more effectively,\u201d Oliver said. \u201cIf we want electricity systems with high levels of renewable energy to work reliably, then engineers, economists, and policymakers all have to understand how their decisions affect the others.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation\u003C\/strong\u003E: Oliver, Matthew E., et al. \u201cManaging Zero-marginal-cost, intermittent renewable energy: A survey of the engineering, economic, and Policy Challenges.\u201d \u003Cem\u003ERenewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews\u003C\/em\u003E, vol. 226, Jan. 2026.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rser.2025.116334\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.rser.2025.116334\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew interdisciplinary research highlights how engineering, economics, and policy experts must work together to manage intermittent renewable energy.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New interdisciplinary research highlights how engineering, economics, and policy experts must work together to manage intermittent renewable energy."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2026-04-17 18:04:08","changed_gmt":"2026-04-17 18:10:08","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679994":{"id":"679994","type":"image","title":"wind-solar.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETo fully integrate renewables like solar and wind in to the power grid, policy experts, engineers, and economists will have to work together.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776449170","gmt_created":"2026-04-17 18:06:10","changed":"1776449170","gmt_changed":"2026-04-17 18:06:10","alt":"Solar panels cut across the foreground of an image featuring a blue sky and a white wind turbine","file":{"fid":"264224","name":"wind-solar.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/17\/wind-solar.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/17\/wind-solar.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":565508,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/17\/wind-solar.jpg?itok=UnjDTN_b"}}},"media_ids":["679994"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECatherine Barzler\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESenior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689627":{"#nid":"689627","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Engineering a Faster Path to Life-Saving Therapies ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen Mason Chilmonczyk, M.S. ME 2017, Ph.D. ME 2020, arrived at Georgia Tech to pursue graduate degrees in mechanical engineering, his goal was to become a professor. Instead, an unexpected turn in his research led him to entrepreneurship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, he is the chief executive officer of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/andsonbiotech.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndson Biotech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a growing biotools startup he co-founded with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/fedorov\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndrei Fedorov\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate chair for graduate studies and the Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The company is commercializing a breakthrough technology Chilmonczyk developed during his doctoral research that simplifies the development and production of cell and gene therapies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/engineering-faster-path-life-saving-therapies\u0022\u003ERead the full story on the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen Mason Chilmonczyk, M.S. ME 2017, Ph.D. ME 2020, arrived at Georgia Tech to pursue graduate degrees in mechanical engineering, his goal was to become a professor. Instead, an unexpected turn in his research led him to entrepreneurship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, he is the chief executive officer of Andson Biotech, a growing biotools startup he co-founded with Andrei Fedorov, associate chair for graduate studies and the Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. The company is commercializing a breakthrough technology Chilmonczyk developed during his doctoral research that simplifies the development and production of cell and gene therapies.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"When Mason Chilmonczyk, M.S. ME 2017, Ph.D. ME 2020, arrived at Georgia Tech to pursue graduate degrees in mechanical engineering, his goal was to become a professor. Instead, an unexpected turn in his research led him to entrepreneurship."}],"uid":"35851","created_gmt":"2026-04-10 17:59:06","changed_gmt":"2026-04-16 21:03:57","author":"aritchie6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679913":{"id":"679913","type":"image","title":"Andson_Lab-10.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775843960","gmt_created":"2026-04-10 17:59:20","changed":"1775843960","gmt_changed":"2026-04-10 17:59:20","alt":"Andson Lab","file":{"fid":"264134","name":"Andson_Lab-10.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/Andson_Lab-10.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/Andson_Lab-10.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":25805113,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/10\/Andson_Lab-10.jpg?itok=U1fdQpjq"}}},"media_ids":["679913"],"groups":[{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194701","name":"go-resarchnews"},{"id":"193593","name":"gt-commercialization"},{"id":"192930","name":"gt-commercializationnews"},{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ashley.ritchie@me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAshley Ritchie\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689713":{"#nid":"689713","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Universities and U.K. Partners Strengthen Collaboration on Critical Minerals at GEMS\u20114 Symposium","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn February, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026nbsp;together with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uga.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gsu.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiamining.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Mining Association\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/world\/organisations\/british-consulate-general-atlanta\u0022\u003EBritish Consulate\u2011General Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, hosted the fourth Growing Partnerships for Essential Minerals (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGEMs\u20114\u003C\/a\u003E) workshop in Atlanta. The workshop built on a growing transatlantic partnership dedicated to advancing innovation across the critical minerals value chain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;two\u2011day event took place Feb. 4 \u2013 5, coinciding with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/office-of-the-spokesperson\/2026\/02\/2026-critical-minerals-ministerial\u0022\u003ECritical Minerals Ministerial\u003C\/a\u003E hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, which brought together more than 50 nations to strengthen and diversify global critical mineral supply chains. During this ministerial, U.K. Minister Seema Malhotra and U.S. Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg signed a Critical Minerals Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening bilateral cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom on critical mineral supply chains.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese broad efforts are supported by White House Executive Order 14363, which defines the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/genesis.energy.gov\/\u0022\u003EGenesis Mission\u003C\/a\u003E and aims to accelerate scientific discovery through AI. The order identifies critical minerals supply chain resilience as a national security imperative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Atlanta, these themes were brought to life in real time. The GEMs-4 workshop brought together researchers, policymakers, national labs, industry leaders, and workforce organizations from both the U.S. and the U.K. to address shared challenges in technology translation, permitting, investment, and talent development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe state of Georgia\u2019s integrated ecosystem, linking research universities, legacy industries, technical colleges, national labs, and public\u2011private partnerships, served as a case study. Presenters highlighted how existing industrial assets in the Southeast are being incorporated into emerging clean energy and critical minerals supply chains, offering a model for other regions seeking to build capabilities around extraction, processing, and manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA U.K. member of Parliament representing Cornwall, where the U.K. has lithium reserves and deep critical mineral expertise, joined the convening, as well as representatives from the U.K. Critical Mineral Association, Camborne School of Mines, and the University of Kent. Together, they explored opportunities and challenges, from a fundamental science to a commercialization perspective grounded in real-world experience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe alignment between the ministerial in Washington and the expertise present in Atlanta demonstrated the value of state-level engagement and how national agreements translate into practical collaboration on the ground.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Southeast has the research depth, industrial footprint, and collaborative spirit needed to lead in critical minerals innovation,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Power Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute, and founding director of the Center for Critical Mineral Solutions at Georgia Tech. \u201cGEMs\u20114 showed what\u2019s possible when universities, industry, and government partners align around shared priorities.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDay one featured strategic dialogue on critical mineral resources, innovation pathways, and partnership models. A recurring theme was the co-production of critical minerals alongside major mineral commodities. \u201cMany critical minerals are produced as byproducts of larger mining operations, making it essential to integrate recovery strategies into existing mineral industries rather than developing entirely new extraction systems,\u201d noted \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cas.gsu.edu\/profile\/w-crawford-elliott\/\u0022\u003ECrawford Elliott\u003C\/a\u003E, professor of geosciences at Georgia State University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDay two transitioned to field\u2011based learning, led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/geology.uga.edu\/directory\/people\/paul-schroeder\u0022\u003EPaul Schroeder\u003C\/a\u003E, professor of geology at the University of Georgia. Participants visited active operations to better understand how regional industrial strengths can support national and international supply chain goals. Schroeder said, \u201cConnecting people to the long-standing mineral extraction economy at the mining and plant sites, where the work gets done with an amazingly skilled workforce, underscores the unique role of Georgia\u2019s place\u2011based capacity in advancing national and transatlantic supply\u0026nbsp;chain goals.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrganizers emphasized that resilient supply chains rely on regional capabilities built over time through university collaboration, industry partnerships, and community engagement. With three years of inter\u2011university coordination now underpinning the GEMS platform, the 2026 workshop demonstrated how the Southeast is contributing actionable models for U.S.-U.K. cooperation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEcosystem-building at this scale requires participation from every part of the value chain, and we are encouraged by the model GEMs presents,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rachel-galloway-518014292\/\u0022\u003ERachel Galloway\u003C\/a\u003E, Consul General at British Consulate General Atlanta. \u201cThe collaboration across universities, industry, and government is exactly what enables long\u2011term impact on both sides of the Atlantic.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough focused dialogue and partnership-building, the symposium strengthened transatlantic collaboration, highlighted regional strengths, and accelerated innovation and translation across the critical minerals value chain, from resource characterization and processing to recycling, manufacturing, and deployment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about the GEMS initiative, visit: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn February, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026nbsp;together with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uga.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gsu.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiamining.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Mining Association\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/world\/organisations\/british-consulate-general-atlanta\u0022\u003EBritish Consulate\u2011General Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, hosted the fourth Growing Partnerships for Essential Minerals (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGEMs\u20114\u003C\/a\u003E) workshop in Atlanta. The workshop built on a growing transatlantic partnership dedicated to advancing innovation across the critical minerals value chain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In February, the Georgia Institute of Technology,  together with the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, the Georgia Mining Association, and the British Consulate\u2011General Atlanta, hosted the fourth GEMs workshop."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-04-13 17:45:13","changed_gmt":"2026-04-13 18:25:18","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679927":{"id":"679927","type":"image","title":"20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGroup photo of the attendees of the GEMs-4 symposium.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776102371","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:46:11","changed":"1776102371","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:46:11","alt":"Attendees of the GEMs-4 symposium","file":{"fid":"264149","name":"20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1521193,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg?itok=46uGjXAX"}},"679928":{"id":"679928","type":"image","title":"31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDay 2 of the symposium included a visit to a Georgia mining operation.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776102491","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:48:11","changed":"1776102491","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:48:11","alt":"Day 2 of the symposium included a visit to a Georgia mining operation","file":{"fid":"264150","name":"31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2766293,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg?itok=6UE7bW0o"}},"679929":{"id":"679929","type":"image","title":"P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAttendees at the GEMs-4 workshop\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776103013","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","changed":"1776103013","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","alt":"Attendees at the GEMs-4 workshop","file":{"fid":"264151","name":"P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":672603,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg?itok=WORRhc1_"}},"679930":{"id":"679930","type":"image","title":"P1003821-panel.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECritical Mineral Significance and Resources Panel at the GEMs-4 symposium\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776103013","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","changed":"1776103013","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","alt":"Panelists discussing at the GEMs-4 symposium","file":{"fid":"264152","name":"P1003821-panel.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003821-panel.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003821-panel.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":614552,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003821-panel.jpeg?itok=wPJagMbS"}},"679931":{"id":"679931","type":"image","title":"P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAttendee asking a question to the panel at the GEMS-4 Symposium\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776103013","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","changed":"1776103013","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","alt":"Attendee asking a question to the panel at the GEMS-4 Symposium","file":{"fid":"264153","name":"P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":646826,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg?itok=tVXDFwY1"}}},"media_ids":["679927","679928","679929","679930","679931"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sydnie.hammond@fcdo.gov.uk\u0022\u003ESydnie Hammond\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EBritish Consulate-Atlanta\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ahead13@gsu.edu\u0022\u003EAmanda Head\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Kay.Torrance@uga.edu\u0022\u003EKay Alison Torrance\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:leelemke@georgiamining.org\u0022\u003ELee Lemke\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia Mining Association\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689628":{"#nid":"689628","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech-led Research Team to Develop SHIELD Against Deadly Biological Threats ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe United States continues to face deadly infectious disease outbreaks, from emerging viruses to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, underscoring the nation\u2019s need for rapid, effective response systems. These threats extend beyond public health, disrupting daily life, straining health care systems, and impacting military readiness.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/singh\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the Carl Ring Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and professor in\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ethe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and Emory\u0026nbsp;University, has been awarded up to $6 million from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures (MCMs) against deadly biological threats that endanger public health, national security, and warfighters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDTRA\u2019s mission is to provide solutions that enable the Department of Defense, the U.S. government, and international partners to deter strategic threats. A key priority is advancing new or improved MCMs that can be deployed before or after exposure to biological or chemical agents.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh\u2019s multi-year project, Systematic Human Immune Engineering for Lethal Disease (SHIELD) Countermeasures, aims to create a threat-agnostic platform that transforms how respiratory pathogens and toxins are studied. The platform is designed to speed up the discovery, development, and production of immune-based countermeasures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-led-research-team-develop-shield-against-deadly-biological-threats\u0022\u003ERead the full story on the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe United States continues to face deadly infectious disease outbreaks, from emerging viruses to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, underscoring the nation\u2019s need for rapid, effective response systems. These threats extend beyond public health, disrupting daily life, straining health care systems, and impacting military readiness.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers led by Ankur Singh, the Carl Ring Family Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, has been awarded up to $6 million from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures (MCMs) against deadly biological threats that endanger public health, national security, and warfighters.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A team of researchers led by Ankur Singh has been awarded up to $6 million from DTRA of the U.S. Department of Defense to accelerate the development of MCMs against deadly biological threats that endanger public health, national security, and warfighters."}],"uid":"35851","created_gmt":"2026-04-10 18:23:18","changed_gmt":"2026-04-10 18:44:23","author":"aritchie6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679914":{"id":"679914","type":"image","title":"DTRA-1.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775845424","gmt_created":"2026-04-10 18:23:44","changed":"1775845424","gmt_changed":"2026-04-10 18:23:44","alt":"Ankur Singh, the Carl Ring Family Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, in his lab.","file":{"fid":"264135","name":"DTRA-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/DTRA-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/DTRA-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1085392,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/10\/DTRA-1.jpg?itok=vffgq6CB"}}},"media_ids":["679914"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"108731","name":"School of Mechanical Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ashley.ritchie@me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAshley Ritchie\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689605":{"#nid":"689605","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Use Light to Make Their Microscopic \u2018Muscle\u2019 Contract on Command","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEngineers interested in creating artificial cells to deliver drugs to unhealthy parts of the body face a key challenge: for a cell-like system to move, change shape, or divide, it needs a way to generate force on command.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBiological cells rely on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to move muscles, transport substances across membranes, and perform other functions.\u0026nbsp;Many cellular machines couple ATP hydrolysis (a process where chemical energy stored in ATP is released) directly to motion.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut some single-celled organisms called ciliates use a different strategy. A pulse of calcium triggers an ultrafast contraction, and ATP is used afterward to pump calcium back into storage and reset the system.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-69651-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E study\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E led by Georgia Tech, researchers learned how to use a similar mechanism to control the movements of artificial protein networks without relying on ATP-powered motor proteins. Instead, they used calcium as a trigger to make the networks contract or relax.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf engineers want synthetic cells that can do cell-like things, they need a way to generate force on command,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/saad-bhamla\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESaad Bhamla\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a co-author and an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cCells have to move, change shape, and divide. We\u2019re trying to build a controllable engine from simple parts.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the National Science Foundation-funded study, the team produced and purified \u003Cem\u003ETetrahymena thermophila\u003C\/em\u003E calcium-binding protein 2 (Tcb2), which is found in ciliates. The protein forms a fibrous network and contracts when exposed to calcium. The researchers reconstituted Tcb2 protein networks in the lab and then used a light-sensitive calcium chelator (a \u201ccage\u201d molecule that holds the calcium until illuminated) to control when and where calcium was released.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey projected light patterns of stars and circles to prompt the network to assemble and contract in matching shapes. Then, to continuously \u201crecharge\u201d the system, the multi-university team pulsed the light on the protein networks, repeatedly releasing calcium and driving cycles of assembly and contraction.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/researchers-use-light-make-their-microscopic-muscle-contract-command?utm_source=twitter\u0026amp;utm_medium=social\u0026amp;utm_campaign=news\u0022\u003ERead the full story.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-69651-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E study\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E led by Georgia Tech, researchers learned how to use a similar mechanism to control the movements of artificial protein networks without relying on ATP-powered motor proteins. Instead, they used calcium as a trigger to make the networks contract or relax.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Engineers interested in creating artificial cells to deliver drugs to unhealthy parts of the body face a key challenge: for a cell-like system to move, change shape, or divide, it needs a way to generate force on command."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-10 12:47:50","changed_gmt":"2026-04-10 12:49:38","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679909":{"id":"679909","type":"image","title":"artificial-cells.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775825279","gmt_created":"2026-04-10 12:47:59","changed":"1775825279","gmt_changed":"2026-04-10 12:47:59","alt":"A yellow star shape is shown next to a microscope image of an artificial cell colony that has been directed to form the shape of a star.","file":{"fid":"264130","name":"artificial-cells.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/artificial-cells.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/artificial-cells.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":17653,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/10\/artificial-cells.jpg?itok=XEcClJeF"}}},"media_ids":["679909"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/researchers-use-light-make-their-microscopic-muscle-contract-command?utm_source=twitter\u0026utm_medium=social\u0026utm_campaign=news","title":"Full Story"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications | College of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689562":{"#nid":"689562","#data":{"type":"news","title":"2026 Suddath Symposium Showcases Biomedical Applications of Synthetic Biology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe 34th\u0026nbsp;annual\u0026nbsp;Suddath Symposium, hosted by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IBB)\u0026nbsp;on March 18-19,\u0026nbsp;brought together researchers, trainees, and invited speakers from across disciplines to discuss\u0026nbsp;cutting-edge\u0026nbsp;efforts to translate synthetic biology advances into human health-relevant technologies, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and clinical tools\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe topic of the Suddath Symposium changes every year, which allows the Georgia Tech research community to annually learn about recent advances on a specific topic from across the immense fields of\u0026nbsp;bioengineering and\u0026nbsp;bioscience,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3718\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENicholas Hud\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;Regents\u2019 Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;Associate Director of IBB.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe symposium also included presentation of the\u0026nbsp;2026 Suddath Award, which recognizes outstanding graduate research. This year\u2019s award was presented to\u0026nbsp;Myeongsoo\u0026nbsp;Kim, a Ph.D. candidate in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBioengineering Graduate Program\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;for his work at the intersection of cell engineering,\u0026nbsp;cancer treatment, and biomedical imaging.\u0026nbsp;The award is presented each year by members of the Suddath family, including Vincent Suddath,\u0026nbsp;grandson of Bud and\u0026nbsp;a current\u0026nbsp;freshman\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech majoring in mathematics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe symposium and award\u0026nbsp;honor the legacy of\u0026nbsp;F. L. \u201cBud\u201d Suddath\u0026nbsp;and his lasting contributions to the Institute and the wider Georgia Tech research community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBud was influential in promoting the growth of bioscience research at Georgia Tech, efforts that helped establish\u0026nbsp;IBB\u0026nbsp;in the 1990s,\u201d Hud said. \u201cBud\u2019s\u0026nbsp;research interests were at the forefront of structural biology, a field that laid the foundation for much of what we know today about biology at the molecular level.\u0026nbsp;It\u2019s\u0026nbsp;fitting that we honor Bud\u2019s\u0026nbsp;contributions by annually providing the Georgia Tech community with the opportunity to learn about\u0026nbsp;research on a timely topic within the biological sciences.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESymposium co-chairs\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bio\/tara-l-deans\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETara Deans\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2915\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMark Styczynski\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;said that in addition to upholding the legacy of Bud Suddath, the event also\u0026nbsp;provides a unique setting and opportunity for both established researchers and trainees to interact over the course of the two day event.\u0026nbsp;The intimate format of the symposium, which is limited to approximately 100 attendees, and the annual selection of a different interdisciplinary topic\u0026nbsp;sets\u0026nbsp;it apart\u0026nbsp;from other\u0026nbsp;symposia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Suddath Symposium is an amazing opportunity to bring multiple world-class researchers right to our trainees\u2019 front door, to hear about their work and connect with them in a small setting that you can\u2019t really find at most conferences,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;Styczynski,\u0026nbsp;who is a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWe are really grateful to IBB and the Suddath family for supporting this unique event.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDeans, who is an associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;highlighted how this year\u2019s theme reflects a broader shift in the field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis year\u2019s focus on biomedical applications of synthetic biology highlights a major inflection point in the field: the transition from proof-of-concept systems to human health-relevant technologies,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u201cThe theme also reflects increasing convergence across disciplines; synthetic biology is no longer\u0026nbsp;operating\u0026nbsp;in isolation,\u0026nbsp;but it is deeply intertwined with immunology, machine learning, diagnostics, and clinical translation. Addressing real-world biomedical problems requires this kind of integration, and the symposium captured that shift very clearly.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Suddath Symposium annually serves as a cornerstone event for Georgia Tech\u2019s bioengineering and bioscience community\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;connecting researchers, honoring scientific legacy, and spotlighting the next generation of scientific innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe 34th annual Suddath Symposium brought together researchers, trainees, and invited speakers from across disciplines to discuss cutting-edge efforts to translate synthetic biology advances into human health-relevant technologies. In addition to upholding the legacy of Bud Suddath, the event also\u0026nbsp;provides a unique setting and opportunity for both established researchers and trainees to interact\u0026nbsp;in a closer setting.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The 34th annual Suddath Symposium brought together researchers, trainees, and invited speakers from across disciplines to discuss cutting-edge efforts to translate synthetic biology advances into human health-relevant technologies."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-08 14:27:05","changed_gmt":"2026-04-08 14:30:37","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679893":{"id":"679893","type":"image","title":"2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775658434","gmt_created":"2026-04-08 14:27:14","changed":"1775658434","gmt_changed":"2026-04-08 14:27:14","alt":"A presenter stands at the front of a lecture room speaking to a seated audience while a projected slide titled \u201cSynthetic Biology: Engineered Gene Circuits\u201d illustrates the design\u2013build\u2013test cycle with diagrams and icons explaining gene circuit construction and testing.","file":{"fid":"264114","name":"2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/08\/2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/08\/2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1840500,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/08\/2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg?itok=1yDWHq1D"}}},"media_ids":["679893"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687195":{"#nid":"687195","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Illness Is More Than Just Biological \u2013 Medical Sociology Shows How Social Factors Get Under the Skin and Cause\u00a0Disease","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHealth and medicine is more than just biological \u2013 societal forces can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev.publhealth.29.020907.090852\u0022\u003Eget under your skin and cause illness\u003C\/a\u003E. Medical sociologists \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=HQtYrggAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Elike me study these forces\u003C\/a\u003E by treating society itself as our laboratory. Health and illness are our experiments in uncovering meaning, power and inequality, and how it affects all parts of a person\u2019s life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, why do low-income communities \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nationalacademies.org\/read\/19015\u0022\u003Econtinue to have higher death rates\u003C\/a\u003E, despite improved social and environmental conditions across society? Foundational research in medical sociology reveals that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2307\/2626958\u0022\u003Eaccess to resources\u003C\/a\u003E like money, knowledge, power and social networks strongly affects a person\u2019s health. Medical sociologists have shown that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383498\u0022\u003Esocial class is linked to numerous diseases and mortality\u003C\/a\u003E, including risk factors that influence health and longevity. These include \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/secondhand-smoke-may-be-a-substantial-contributor-to-lead-levels-found-in-children-and-adolescents-new-study-finds-212256\u0022\u003Esmoking\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/fixing-the-global-childhood-obesity-epidemic-begins-with-making-healthy-choices-the-easier-choices-and-that-requires-new-laws-and-policies-207975\u0022\u003Eoverweight\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/hispanics-live-longer-than-most-americans-but-will-the-us-obesity-epidemic-change-things-146006\u0022\u003Eobesity\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/black-mothers-trapped-in-unsafe-neighborhoods-signal-the-stressful-health-toll-of-gun-violence-in-the-u-s-203307\u0022\u003Estress\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/loneliness-is-making-us-physically-sick-but-social-prescribing-can-treat-it-podcast-199939\u0022\u003Esocial isolation\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/health-insurance-premiums-rose-nearly-3x-the-rate-of-worker-earnings-over-the-past-25-years-271450\u0022\u003Eaccess to health care\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/kids-neighborhoods-can-affect-their-developing-brains-a-new-study-finds-184035\u0022\u003Eliving in disadvantaged neighborhoods\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMoreover, social class alone cannot explain such health inequalities. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/singh.hsoc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMy own research\u003C\/a\u003E examines how inequalities related to social class, race and gender affect \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ssmqr.2023.100234\u0022\u003Eaccess to autism services\u003C\/a\u003E, particularly among single Black mothers who rely on public insurance. This work helps explain \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1542\/peds.2019-3629\u0022\u003Edelays in autism diagnosis\u003C\/a\u003E among Black children, who often wait three years after initial parent concerns before they are formally diagnosed. White children with private insurance typically \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.18553\/jmcp.2023.29.4.378\u0022\u003Ewait from 9 to 22 months\u003C\/a\u003E depending on age of diagnosis. This is just one of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s40615-024-02280-x\u0022\u003Enumerous examples of inequalities\u003C\/a\u003E that are entrenched in and deepened by medical and educational systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedical sociologists like me investigate how all of these \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.who.int\/publications\/i\/item\/WHO-IER-CSDH-08.1\u0022\u003Efactors interact to affect a person\u2019s health\u003C\/a\u003E. This \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781003569824\u0022\u003Esocial model of illness\u003C\/a\u003E sees sickness as shaped by social, cultural, political and economic factors. We examine both \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Eindividual experiences and societal influences\u003C\/a\u003E to help address the health issues affecting vulnerable populations through large-scale reforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy studying the way \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Esocial forces shape health inequalities\u003C\/a\u003E, medical sociology helps address how health and illness extend beyond the body and into every aspect of people\u2019s lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Protesters standing in front of a federal building, holding signs in the shape of graves reading \u0026apos;16 MILLION LIVES\u0026apos; and \u0026apos;R.I.P. DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS,\u0026apos; wearing shirts that read \u0026apos;MEDICAID SAVES LIVES\u0026apos;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EAccess to health insurance is a political issue that directly affects patients. Here, care workers gathered in June 2025 to protest Medicaid cuts.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/care-workers-with-the-service-employees-international-union-news-photo\/2221731651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003ETasos Katopodis\/Getty Images for SEIU\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EOrigins of Medical Sociology in the US\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedical sociology \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/9781444314786.ch1\u0022\u003Eformally began in the U.S after World War II\u003C\/a\u003E, when the National Institutes of Health started investing in joint medical and sociological research projects. Hospitals began hiring sociologists to address questions like how to improve patient compliance, doctor-patient interactions and medical treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the focus of this early work was on issues specific to medicine, such as quality improvement or barriers to medication adherence. The goal was to study problems that could be directly applied in medical settings rather than challenging medical authority or existing inequalities. During that period, sociologists viewed illness mostly as a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/socialsystem00pars\/page\/n3\/mode\/2up\u0022\u003Edeviation from normal functioning\u003C\/a\u003E leading to impairments that require treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, the concept of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/socialsystem00pars\/page\/n3\/mode\/2up\u0022\u003Esick role\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 developed by medical sociologist Talcott Parsons in the 1950s \u2013 saw illness as a form of deviance from social roles and expectations. Under this idea, patients were solely responsible for seeking out medical care in order to return to normal functioning in society.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the 1960s, sociologists began \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/stigmanotesonman0000goff\/page\/n5\/mode\/2up\u0022\u003Ecritiquing medical diagnoses and institutions\u003C\/a\u003E. Researchers criticized the idea of the sick role because it assumed illnesses were temporary and did not account for chronic conditions or disability, which can last for long periods of time and do not necessarily allow people to deviate from their life obligations. The sick role assumed that all people have access to medical care, and it did not take into account how social characteristics like race, class, gender and age can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1467-9566.1991.tb00522.x\u0022\u003Einfluence a person\u2019s experience of illness\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Patient wearing surgical mask sitting in chair of exam room, talking to a doctor\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EEarly models of illness in medical sociology discounted the experience of the patient.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/man-talks-with-dr-stela-kostova-at-families-together-of-news-photo\/1470350026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EPaul Bersebach\/MediaNews Group\/Orange County Register via Getty Images\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParsons\u2019 sick role concept also emphasized the expertise of the physician rather than the patient\u2019s experience of illness. For example, sociologist Erving Goffman showed that the way \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781351327763\u0022\u003Ecare is structured in asylums shaped how patients are treated\u003C\/a\u003E. He also examined how the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/stigmanotesonman0000goff\/page\/n5\/mode\/2up\u0022\u003Eexperience of stigma\u003C\/a\u003E is an interactive process that develops in response to social norms. This work influenced how researchers understood chronic illness and disability and laid the groundwork for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1467-9566.2009.01161.x\u0022\u003Elater debates on what counts as pathological or normal\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the 1970s, some researchers began to question the model of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1467-954X.1972.tb00220.x\u0022\u003Emedicine as an institution of social control\u003C\/a\u003E. They critiqued how medicine\u2019s jurisdiction expanded over many societal problems \u2013 such as old age and death \u2013 which were defined and treated as medical problems. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev.so.18.080192.001233\u0022\u003EResearchers were critical of the tendency to medicalize\u003C\/a\u003E and apply labels like \u201chealthy\u201d and \u201cill\u201d to increasing parts of human existence. This shift emphasized how a medical diagnosis can carry political weight and how medical authority can affect social inclusion or exclusion.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe critical perspective aligns with critiques from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/09687599.2013.818773\u0022\u003Edisability studies\u003C\/a\u003E. Unlike medical sociology, which emerged through the medical model of disease, disability studies emerged from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bloomsbury.com\/us\/new-politics-of-disablement-9780333945674\/\u0022\u003Edisability rights activism and scholarship\u003C\/a\u003E. Rather than viewing disability as pathological, this field sees disability as a variation of the human condition rooted in social barriers and exclusionary environments. Instead of seeking cures, researchers focus on increasing accessibility, human rights and autonomy for disabled people.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA contemporary figure in this field was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/about\/\u0022\u003EAlice Wong\u003C\/a\u003E, a disability rights activist and medical sociologist who \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/obituaries\/2025\/11\/15\/disability-activist-alice-wong\/\u0022\u003Edied in November 2025\u003C\/a\u003E. Her work amplified disabled voices and helped shaped how the public understood disability justice and access to technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EStructural Forces Shape Health and Illness\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy focusing on social and structural influences on health, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Emedical sociology has contributed significantly\u003C\/a\u003E to programs addressing issues like segregation, discrimination, poverty, unemployment and underfunded schools.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, sociological research on racial health disparities invite \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383838\u0022\u003Eneighborhood interventions\u003C\/a\u003E that can help improve overall quality of life by increasing the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/free-school-meals-for-all-may-reduce-childhood-obesity-while-easing-financial-and-logistical-burdens-for-families-and-schools-223270\u0022\u003Eavailability of affordable nutritious foods\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-is-food-insecurity-152746\u0022\u003Ein underserved neighborhoods\u003C\/a\u003E or initiatives that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/socioeconomic-status-explains-most-of-the-racial-and-ethnic-achievement-gaps-in-elementary-school-237931\u0022\u003Eprioritize equal access to education\u003C\/a\u003E. At the societal level, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Elarge-scale social policies\u003C\/a\u003E such as guaranteed minimum incomes or universal health care can dramatically reduce health inequalities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022People carrying boxes of food under a tent\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=360\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=360\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=360\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=452\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=452\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=452\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EAccess to nutritious food is critical to health.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/escondido-ca-juliana-ramos-of-interfaith-community-services-news-photo\/2243706444\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EK.C. Alfred \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedical sociology has also expanded the understanding of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Ehow health care policies affect health\u003C\/a\u003E, helping ensure that policy changes take into account the broader social context. For example, a key area of medical sociological research is the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383504\u0022\u003Erising cost of and limited access to health care\u003C\/a\u003E. This body of work focuses on the complex social and organizational factors of delivering health services. It highlights the need for more state and federal regulatory control as well as investment in groups and communities that need care the most.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EModern medical sociology ultimately considers all societal issues to be health issues. Improving people\u2019s health and well-being requires improving education, employment, housing, transportation and other social, economic and political policies.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/270258\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/illness-is-more-than-just-biological-medical-sociology-shows-how-social-factors-get-under-the-skin-and-cause-disease-270258\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBy studying the way social forces shape health inequalities, medical sociology helps address how health and illness extend beyond the body and into every aspect of people\u2019s lives.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"By studying the way social forces shape health inequalities, medical sociology helps address how health and illness extend beyond the body and into every aspect of people\u2019s lives."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-01-08 15:37:58","changed_gmt":"2026-04-06 18:16:40","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-08T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-08T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678961":{"id":"678961","type":"image","title":"Lack of access to safe and affordable housing is harmful to health. Robert Gauthier\/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELack of access to safe and affordable housing is harmful to health. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/los-angeles-ca-tuesday-may-31-2022-dana-vanderford-news-photo\/1242004141\u0022\u003ERobert Gauthier\/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768232345","gmt_created":"2026-01-12 15:39:05","changed":"1768232345","gmt_changed":"2026-01-12 15:39:05","alt":"Lack of access to safe and affordable housing is harmful to health. Robert Gauthier\/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images","file":{"fid":"263064","name":"file-20260105-70-1qzwti.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/file-20260105-70-1qzwti.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/file-20260105-70-1qzwti.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":239539,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/12\/file-20260105-70-1qzwti.jpg?itok=J-V7i4lM"}}},"media_ids":["678961"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/illness-is-more-than-just-biological-medical-sociology-shows-how-social-factors-get-under-the-skin-and-cause-disease-270258","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/jennifer-singh-2531279\u0022\u003EJennifer Singh\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Professor of Sociology, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689424":{"#nid":"689424","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech-led Research Team to Develop SHIELD Against Deadly Biological Threats","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe United States continues to face deadly infectious disease outbreaks, from emerging viruses to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, underscoring the nation\u2019s need for rapid, effective response systems. These threats extend beyond public health, disrupting daily life, straining health care systems, and impacting military readiness.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/singh\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the Carl Ring Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and professor in\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ethe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and Emory\u0026nbsp;University, has been awarded up to $6 million from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures (MCMs) against deadly biological threats that endanger public health, national security, and warfighters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDTRA\u2019s mission is to provide solutions that enable the Department of Defense, the U.S. government, and international partners to deter strategic threats. A key priority is advancing new or improved MCMs that can be deployed before or after exposure to biological or chemical agents.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh\u2019s multi-year project, Systematic Human Immune Engineering for Lethal Disease (SHIELD) Countermeasures, aims to create a threat-agnostic platform that transforms how respiratory pathogens and toxins are studied. The platform is designed to speed up the discovery, development, and production of immune-based countermeasures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh leads a collaborative team that includes Cornell University\u2019s Matthew DeLisa and Stanford University\u2019s Michael Jewett. Together, they will integrate immune-engineering technologies with advanced cell-free protein synthesis platforms to discover and manufacture protein-based MCMs. Cell-free protein synthesis is a laboratory technique that efficiently produces proteins without relying on living cells, which can be unpredictable and technically demanding when it comes to expressing complex or toxic proteins and scaling production quickly. The team expects the SHIELD Countermeasures platform to reduce the time and cost of MCM development by more than tenfold.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe foundational science and cutting-edge tools we develop will ignite future discoveries, ensuring a robust pipeline of advanced protein-based MCMs for chemical and biological defense,\u201d said Singh, who also directs the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/immunoengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThis will significantly enhance national security and equip our warfighters with next-generation biodefense capabilities.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETraditional animal models often fail to accurately replicate human immune responses, and standard tissue cultures lack the complexity required to study how immune cells interact with pathogens. In contrast, human immune organoids and immune-competent devices \u2014 built from human cells \u2014 are emerging as groundbreaking research tools. These systems recreate key immune features, such as lymph nodes and mucosal environments, within three-dimensional or microengineered platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMany organoid and engineering devices, often called organ-on-chip platforms, lack immune integration,\u201d Singh said. \u201cBecause immunity sits at the center of human health, these limitations have broad consequences. Immune-competent organ-on-chip platforms extend this concept by combining human cells with microfluidic engineering that simulates blood flow, tissue barriers, and chemical gradients.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh has previously published studies on a synthetic \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41563-024-02037-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehuman immune chip\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41551-025-01491-9\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eimmunocompetent lung on a chip\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and has also teamed up with DeLisa previously to use synthetic immune organoids for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acscentsci.2c01473\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eimmuno-profiling antibacterial MCMs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s about being able to test far larger numbers of candidate protein-based MCMs in a single experiment\u2014and to do it much faster,\u201d DeLisa said. \u201cCell-free systems allow us to produce MCMs at unprecedented speed and scale, but traditional evaluation methods can\u2019t keep up with those numbers. By combining cell-free MCM production with immune organoid technology, we can assess the potency of dozens or even hundreds of candidates at a time and characterize the resulting immune responses within just a few days.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy integrating immune cells with tissues such as lung, gut, skin, or vascular systems, these devices allow scientists to observe immune responses in real time, including cell migration, inflammation, and interactions with pathogens or therapeutics. As biological threats evolve, the development and deployment of immune-competent platforms will be critical for rapid, effective countermeasures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDTRA\u2019s investment in Singh\u2019s work highlights the urgent national priority of strengthening U.S. biodefense capabilities. The SHIELD Countermeasures platform and its cutting-edge technologies promise to transform the nation\u2019s response to biological threats and help safeguard communities from biological and chemical attacks.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003ELed by Ankur Singh, the multi-institutional SHIELD (Systematic Human Immune Engineering for Lethal Disease) project aims to transform how scientists study and respond to dangerous respiratory pathogens and toxins. The effort brings together researchers from Georgia Tech, Cornell, and Stanford to enable faster and more cost-effective development of protein-based medical countermeasures. The team expects the platform to reduce the time and cost of developing these defenses by more than tenfold, strengthening the nation\u2019s preparedness against biological threats.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech-led research team has received up to $6 million to develop SHIELD, a new platform designed to rapidly create immune-based countermeasures against a wide range of deadly biological threats."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-02 19:06:48","changed_gmt":"2026-04-02 19:17:40","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679841":{"id":"679841","type":"image","title":"DTRA-2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775156814","gmt_created":"2026-04-02 19:06:54","changed":"1775156814","gmt_changed":"2026-04-02 19:06:54","alt":"Ankur Singh, a man in a gray suit jacket with a dark pink button-up shirt stands in front of a work bench in a lab.","file":{"fid":"264047","name":"DTRA-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/02\/DTRA-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/02\/DTRA-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1541575,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/02\/DTRA-2.jpg?itok=UsJZzTJB"}}},"media_ids":["679841"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"190256","name":"G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETracie Troha | Communications Officer, Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689408":{"#nid":"689408","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Singh Family Gift Funds High-Risk Research at Center for Immunoengineering","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA philanthropic gift from the family of J.P. Singh is helping researchers at Georgia Tech push the boundaries of biomedical innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Singh Family Research Awards were established as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/immunoengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for Immunoengineering\u003C\/a\u003E, creating a seed funding program supporting both faculty and students that is designed to accelerate early-stage ideas with the potential to transform medicine. The awards support interdisciplinary projects pursuing high-risk, high-reward research that could lead to new therapies for cancer, infectious diseases, and chronic illnesses.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe gift honors the legacy of J.P. Singh and reflects his family\u2019s commitment to advancing research that could lead to safer and more effective treatments for patients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe gift is giving scientists the freedom to pursue bold ideas that might otherwise be too early or too unconventional for traditional funding,\u201d said Ankur Singh, Director of the Center for Immunoengineering and Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/schools\/biomedical-engineering\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and Emory (BME). \u201cIt allows Georgia Tech scientists to explore new frontiers in immunoengineering, from cancer to autoimmunity, and to build the scientific foundations that could ultimately lead to the next generation of transformative therapies.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe inaugural awards support four innovative projects that span multiple areas of biomedical research, including two Faculty Research Awards and two Student Fellowship Awards.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUsing AI to Guide the Immune System\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne Singh Family Faculty Research Award, given to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/17370\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndrew McShan\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, will help develop AI\u2011guided tools to design synthetic immune\u2011like molecules that can detect lipids on cell surfaces. Most current immunotherapies are designed to recognize protein fragments presented on cells, leaving a largely untapped class of disease-associated targets \u2014 lipids \u2014 beyond the reach of modern immune engineering. By enabling programmable molecules that can detect lipids on cell surfaces, the work aims to expand immune targeting beyond traditional protein targets and open new diagnostic and treatment strategies for diseases such as leukemia, tuberculosis, and inflammatory skin disorders.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn AI-guided design framework for lipid-sensing immune receptors would create an entirely new class of programmable immune molecules capable of identifying disease signals that were previously inaccessible. Such tools could enable earlier disease detection, new immune-based therapeutics, and a broader ability to engineer immune systems to recognize complex biological threats, fundamentally expanding the scope of targets addressable by modern immunotherapy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeveloping the Next Generation of Cancer Treatments\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second faculty award project, led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3702\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJohn Blazeck\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, focuses on engineering next-generation cancer immunotherapies using CAR-T cells, which are a patient\u2019s own immune cells that have been re\u2011engineered to recognize and attack specific cancer cells. The team is developing new receptors for CAR-T cells designed to improve safety while enabling immune cells to recognize multiple tumor targets simultaneously.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis approach addresses two major barriers that have limited the success of CAR-T therapies in solid tumors: the risk of attacking healthy tissues and the ability of tumors to evade treatment by changing or losing a single target antigen. If successful, the work could significantly expand the reach of CAR-T cell therapy, which has already transformed the treatment of certain blood cancers but has struggled to treat solid tumors such as breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy enabling immune cells to distinguish tumors more precisely and attack cancers that display multiple markers, the new receptor designs could make CAR-T therapies both safer and more effective. The technology could represent a major step toward translating cellular immunotherapies to the far larger population of patients with solid tumors, potentially opening the door to powerful new treatments for some of the most resistant cancers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImaging Heart Risk Early with Ultrasound\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe gift also established two Singh Family Fellow Awards, supporting graduate students pursuing innovative research in immunoengineering.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne fellowship was awarded to Yann Ferry, a graduate student advised by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/arvanitis\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECostas Arvanitis\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (ME) and BME. Ferry\u2019s project aims to advance ultrasound imaging technologies designed to visualize immune activity inside Atherosclerosis plaques, the fatty deposits that accumulate in arteries and can trigger heart attacks or strokes when they rupture.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy tracking immune cells that drive plaque inflammation and instability (called macrophages), the team aims to develop a noninvasive imaging approach that can measure the immune state of plaques in real time. If successful, the technology could transform how cardiovascular disease is diagnosed and monitored.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, physicians can detect plaque buildup but cannot easily determine whether a plaque is actively inflamed and likely to rupture. Imaging immune activity could allow doctors to identify high-risk plaques earlier, monitor how patients respond to therapy, and intervene before a heart attack or stroke occurs. Given that cardiovascular disease remains the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/fastats\/leading-causes-of-death.htm\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eleading cause of death\u003C\/a\u003E in the United States, such a tool could significantly improve prevention and treatment strategies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWorking Toward a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second fellowship supports Alexander Kedzierski, a Ph.D. student in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3691\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s\u0026nbsp; lab within ME. Kedzierski\u2019s research focuses on improving stem-cell-based treatments for Type 1 Diabetes. The project aims to design degradable biomaterials that present that help control the immune response, protecting transplanted insulin\u2011producing cells from being attacked by the body.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent experimental therapies using insulin-producing cells that are derived from stem cells have shown promise but are limited by the need for lifelong medications that suppress the immune system to prevent rejection. By engineering biomaterials that locally regulate immune responses around transplanted cells, the researchers hope to enable long-term graft survival without suppressing the entire immune system.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf successful, the approach could bring regenerative therapies for Type 1 diabetes closer to a practical cure, allowing patients to restore natural insulin production while avoiding the risks associated with chronic immunosuppressive treatment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELooking Ahead\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETogether, the projects illustrate the core mission of the Center for Immunoengineering and the Singh Family gift. By investing in bold, interdisciplinary research, the Singh family\u2019s gift is helping the Center for Immunoengineering accelerate innovations at the intersection of engineering, biology, and medicine.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the years ahead, the program is expected to expand a pipeline of high-impact research, from next-generation immunotherapies to immune-guided diagnostics and regenerative medicine. For the scientists involved, the goal is not only to advance discovery but to translate new insights about the immune system into real-world solutions for patients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EThe Center for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech has named the inaugural recipients of the Singh Family Research Awards, recognizing four interdisciplinary projects led by Andrew McShan, John Blazeck, Yann Ferry, and Alexander Kedzierski. Together, the awardees exemplify high\u2011risk, high\u2011reward research aimed at translating fundamental immune engineering advances into safer, more effective treatments for patients.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Center for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech has awarded the inaugural Singh Family Research Awards to two faculty members and two students advancing innovative immunoengineering projects."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-02 18:09:35","changed_gmt":"2026-04-02 19:16:10","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679836":{"id":"679836","type":"image","title":"Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775153384","gmt_created":"2026-04-02 18:09:44","changed":"1775153384","gmt_changed":"2026-04-02 18:09:44","alt":"Four headshots of Singh Family Award winners: Andrew McShan, John Blazeck, Yann Ferry, and Alexander Kedzierski","file":{"fid":"264042","name":"Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/02\/Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/02\/Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":160700,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/02\/Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg?itok=6yTaA74y"}}},"media_ids":["679836"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"101691","name":"College of Engineering; School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineerin"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"94321","name":"College of Engineering; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"569","name":"bioengineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by: Ankur Singh, Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEdited by: Ashlie Bowman, Communications Manager, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689051":{"#nid":"689051","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Smarter, Faster, and More Human: A Leap Toward General-Purpose Robots","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERobots are increasingly learning new skills by watching people. From folding laundry to handling food, many real-world, humanlike tasks are too nuanced to be efficiently programmed step by step.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith imitation learning, humans demonstrate a task and robots learn to copy what they see through cameras and sensors. While at the leading edge of robotics research, this approach is limited by a major constraint: Robots can only work as fast as the people who taught them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, Georgia Tech researchers have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2506.11948\u0022\u003Ecreated a tool\u003C\/a\u003E that smashes that speed barrier. The system allows robots to execute complex tasks significantly faster than human demonstrations while maintaining precision, control, and safety.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team addresses a central challenge in modern robotics: how to combine the flexibility of learning from humans with the speed and reliability required for real-world deployment. The technology could lead to wider adoption of imitation learning in industrial and household applications and even enable robots to execute humanlike tasks better than ever before.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe thing we\u2019re trying to create \u2014 and I would argue industry is also trying to create \u2014 is a general-purpose robot that can do any task that human hands can do,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/18047\u0022\u003EShreyas Kousik\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and a co-lead author on the study. \u201cTo make that work outside the lab, speed really matters.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new tool, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nadunranawaka1.github.io\/sail-policy\/\u0022\u003ESAIL\u003C\/a\u003E (Speed Adaptation for Imitation Learning), was born out of a cross-campus, interdisciplinary collaboration that brought together expertise in mechanical engineering, robotics systems, and machine learning. The research team includes Kousik; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/benjamin-joffe\u0022\u003EBenjamin Joffe\u003C\/a\u003E, senior research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute; and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/17511\u0022\u003EDanfei Xu\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Interactive Computing, along with graduate students and researchers from multiple labs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpeed Without Sacrifice\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETeaching robots to work faster than the speed of human demonstrations is challenging. Robots can behave differently at higher speeds, and small changes in the environment can cause errors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe challenge is that a robot is limited to the data it was trained on, and any changes in the environment can cause it to fail,\u201d Kousik said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESAIL addresses this challenge through a modular approach, with separate components working together to accelerate beyond the training data. The system keeps motions smooth at high speed, tracks movements accurately, adjusts speed dynamically based on task complexity, and schedules actions to account for hardware delays. This combination allows robots to move quickly while staying stable, coordinated, and precise.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the gaps we saw was that our academic robotics systems could do impressive things, but they weren\u2019t fast or robust enough for practical use,\u201d Joffe said. \u201cWe wanted to study that gap carefully and design a system that addressed it end to end.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe added, \u201cThe goal is not just to make robots faster, but to make them smart enough to know when speed helps and when it could cause mistakes.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team evaluated SAIL\u2019s performance across 12 tasks, both in simulation and on two physical robot platforms. Tasks included stacking cups, folding cloth, plating fruit, packing food items, and wiping a whiteboard. In most cases, SAIL-enabled robots completed tasks three to four times faster than standard imitation-learning systems without losing accuracy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne exception was the whiteboard-wiping task, where maintaining contact made high-speed execution difficult.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cUnderstanding where speed helps and where it hurts is critical,\u201d Kousik said. \u201cSometimes slowing down is the right decision.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile SAIL does not make robots universally adaptable on its own, it represents an important step toward robotic systems that can learn from humans without being constrained by human pace.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy showing how learned robotic behaviors can be accelerated safely and systematically, SAIL brings imitation learning closer to real-world use \u2014 where speed, precision, and reliability all matter.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECitation: Ranawaka Arachchige, et. al. \u201cSAIL: Faster-than-Demonstration Execution of Imitation Learning Policies,\u201d Conference on Robot Learning (CoRL), 2025.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDOI: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.48550\/arXiv.2506.11948\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.48550\/arXiv.2506.11948\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunding: The authors would like to acknowledge the State of Georgia and the Agricultural Technology Research Program at Georgia Tech for supporting the work described in this paper.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew AI system lets robots work faster than their human teachers without sacrificing accuracy.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New AI system lets robots work faster than their human teachers without sacrificing accuracy."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2026-03-19 15:38:45","changed_gmt":"2026-04-02 17:45:33","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679690":{"id":"679690","type":"image","title":"robot-med.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPancake-flipping robots could be just around the corner thanks to a new robot learning system from Georgia Tech. (Credit: Adobe Stock)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773934781","gmt_created":"2026-03-19 15:39:41","changed":"1773937931","gmt_changed":"2026-03-19 16:32:11","alt":"A white humanoid robot holds a blue pan while standing in a kitchen with a green backsplash","file":{"fid":"263881","name":"robot-med.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/19\/robot-med.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/19\/robot-med.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2989840,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/19\/robot-med.png?itok=2EUbFZa1"}},"679687":{"id":"679687","type":"video","title":" SAIL System Brings Us Closer to General-Purpose Robots","body":null,"created":"1773933476","gmt_created":"2026-03-19 15:17:56","changed":"1773933476","gmt_changed":"2026-03-19 15:17:56","video":{"youtube_id":"c1MbisHP75w","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/c1MbisHP75w"}}},"media_ids":["679690","679687"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECatherine Barzler, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:catherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecatherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689025":{"#nid":"689025","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Why Mosquitoes Swarm Your Head: They\u2019re Following Signals, Not Each Other","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter watching hundreds of mosquitoes buzzing around one of their colleagues and collecting 20 million data points, Georgia Tech and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have created a mathematical model that predicts how and where female mosquitoes will fly to feast on humans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new study is the first to visualize mosquito flight patterns and provides hard data for improving capture and control strategies. In addition to being a nuisance, mosquitoes transmit diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and Zika, which cause more than 700,000 deaths every year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s like a crowded bar,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, with an adjunct appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cCustomers aren\u2019t there because they followed each other into the bar. They\u2019re attracted by the same cues: drinks, music, and the atmosphere. The same is true of mosquitoes. Rather than following the leader, the insect follows the signals and happens to arrive at the same spot as the others. They\u2019re good copies of each other.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more and watch:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/03\/why-mosquitoes-swarm-your-head-theyre-following-signals-not-each-other\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Engineering newsroom\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E and \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/hundreds-of-hungry-mosquitoes-a-student-volunteer-and-a-mesh-suit-helped-us-figure-out-how-these-deadly-insects-reach-their-targets-278486\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Researchers have visualized mosquito flight behavior for the first time \u2014\u00a0which could improve mosquito-control strategies. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have visualized mosquito flight behavior for the first time \u2014\u0026nbsp;which could improve mosquito-control strategies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have visualized mosquito flight behavior for the first time \u2014\u00a0which could improve mosquito-control strategies. "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2026-03-18 20:43:56","changed_gmt":"2026-04-01 19:58:53","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679682":{"id":"679682","type":"image","title":"A female mosquito lands on a human.","body":null,"created":"1773866953","gmt_created":"2026-03-18 20:49:13","changed":"1773866953","gmt_changed":"2026-03-18 20:49:13","alt":"A female mosquito lands on a human.","file":{"fid":"263872","name":"mosquito2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/mosquito2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/mosquito2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1110207,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/18\/mosquito2.jpg?itok=hj3xhNm7"}}},"media_ids":["679682"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer (maderer@gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689321":{"#nid":"689321","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Future of AI\u2011Powered Manufacturing","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EManufacturing is undergoing a significant transformation as artificial intelligence reshapes how industrial systems operate, adapt, and scale. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EH. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (ISyE) has launched its \u003Cstrong\u003EManufacturing and AI Initiative\u003C\/strong\u003E, which brings together faculty expertise in statistics, optimization, data science, and systems engineering to address emerging challenges and opportunities in modern manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EISyE researchers are applying AI to complex manufacturing environments, including multistage production systems, asset management, quality improvement, and human\u2011centered manufacturing. Faculty leaders emphasize the importance of contextualizing large volumes of manufacturing data so AI can support reliable decision\u2011making, efficient operations, and sustainable outcomes. At the same time, the initiative acknowledges challenges such as data integration, system complexity, and the need to balance automation with human involvement. Together, these efforts position ISyE at the forefront of shaping AI\u2011powered manufacturing systems that are innovative, resilient, and socially responsible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full article in \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/magazine\/2026\/spring\/future-ai-powered-manufacturing\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EISyE Magazine\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EISyE is launching its Manufacturing and AI Initiative to unite pioneering researchers with interdisciplinary partners in the development of research and education programs that address issues of industrial, societal, and global concern.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"ISyE is advancing the next generation of manufacturing through AI\u2011driven research that integrates data analytics, optimization, and human\u2011centered systems to create smarter, more resilient industrial ecosystems. "}],"uid":"36736","created_gmt":"2026-04-01 14:59:16","changed_gmt":"2026-04-01 15:10:11","author":"ebrown386","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679812":{"id":"679812","type":"image","title":"The Future of AI-Powered Manufacturing.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775055564","gmt_created":"2026-04-01 14:59:24","changed":"1775055564","gmt_changed":"2026-04-01 14:59:24","alt":"The Future of AI-Powered Manufacturing","file":{"fid":"264016","name":"IMG_0592.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/IMG_0592.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/IMG_0592.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2937547,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/01\/IMG_0592.jpg?itok=azK3lZM3"}}},"media_ids":["679812"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnnette Filliat, ISyE Communications Writer\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689302":{"#nid":"689302","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Ready for its Closeup: PIN-Supported Lamarr.AI Uses Technology to Make Buildings More Efficient and Occupants More Comfortable","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESavannah is built on history and hospitality, which makes the collaboration between \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lamarr.ai\/\u0022\u003ELamarr.AI\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 a company named after a historic inventor and actress \u2014 and the city a match made for the big screen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome of Savannah\u2019s many old buildings are expensive to heat and cool, especially in Georgia\u2019s humid summers. They develop leaks. They need routine maintenance. But how does a building owner know where to begin with renovations or repairs? Enter Lamarr.AI, one of the first companies supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pingeorgia.org\/\u0022\u003EPartnership for Innovation\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E (PIN) new Community Investment program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Community Investment program is matching up faculty-led, faculty-spinoff startup companies that have technology that could be relevant to a community, a government, or to the civic space,\u201d said Katie O\u2019Connor, PIN\u2019s community investment manager. \u201cThe company\u2019s product is something that can help a community in a smart cities kind of way.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lamarr.ai\/\u0022\u003ELamarr.AI\u003C\/a\u003E fits the bill to a T. Its technology and the company grew out of research at Georgia Tech. Lamarr.AI\u2019s technology uses drones, imaging, and artificial intelligence (AI) to assess a building\u2019s envelope and determine the best ways to make these structures more energy efficient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe technology is like giving a building an MRI using drones, infrared and regular images, and our own AI,\u201d said Tarek Rakha, Lamarr.AI\u2019s co-founder and CEO. The drones, he explained, detect missing insulation, water intrusion, air escaping, and physical damage. AI and machine learning translate that information into 3-D models that map the defects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/ready-for-its-closeup-pin-supported-lamarr-ai-uses-technology-to-make-buildings-more-efficient-and-occupants-more-comfortable\/\u0022\u003ERead more on EI2 Webpage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EThrough PIN\u2019s new Community Investment program, Georgia Tech\u2013based Lamarr.AI is partnering with the city of Savannah to use drone\u2011 and AI\u2011driven building assessments to improve energy efficiency in historic municipal facilities.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Through PIN\u2019s new Community Investment program, Georgia Tech\u2013based Lamarr.AI is partnering with the city of Savannah to use drone\u2011 and AI\u2011driven building assessments to improve energy efficiency in historic municipal facilities."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 21:04:31","changed_gmt":"2026-03-31 21:06:53","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679807":{"id":"679807","type":"image","title":"top.tarek-rakha-GT-300x187.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELamarr.AI Co-founder and CEO Tarek Rakha\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774991086","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 21:04:46","changed":"1774991086","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 21:04:46","alt":"Lamarr.AI Co-founder and CEO Tarek Rakha","file":{"fid":"264011","name":"top.tarek-rakha-GT-300x187.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/top.tarek-rakha-GT-300x187.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/top.tarek-rakha-GT-300x187.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":10774,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/top.tarek-rakha-GT-300x187.jpeg?itok=YzFGjLYH"}}},"media_ids":["679807"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/ready-for-its-closeup-pin-supported-lamarr-ai-uses-technology-to-make-buildings-more-efficient-and-occupants-more-comfortable\/","title":"Read Full Story on EI2 Website"}],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:karen.kirkpatrick@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKaren Kirkpatrick\u003C\/a\u003E | EI2\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["karen.kirkpatrick@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689285":{"#nid":"689285","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Temporal Stability of Consumer Preferences for Solar Energy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study by EPIcenter affiliate \u003Cstrong\u003EJamal Mamkhezri\u003C\/strong\u003E examines how public preferences for solar\u2011energy policy have shifted over a six\u2011year period in New Mexico, offering one of the first long\u2011term repeated cross\u2011section analyses of willingness to pay (WTP) for renewable\u2011energy attributes. Using identical discrete choice experiment (DCE) tasks from surveys conducted in \u003Cstrong\u003E2017\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003E2023\u003C\/strong\u003E, Professor Mamkhezri evaluates how households value increases in Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), changes in rooftop versus utility\u2011scale solar shares, monthly credit\u2011banking rules, water usage in electricity generation, and smart\u2011meter information delivery options.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcross more than \u003Cstrong\u003E1,100\u003C\/strong\u003E combined respondents, the study uncovers \u003Cstrong\u003Eselective temporal stability\u003C\/strong\u003E in energy preferences. Some attributes\u2014such as support for higher RPS targets, reductions in water use, and preferences for online smart\u2011meter information\u2014remain relatively stable over time. In contrast, others shift considerably: WTP for increasing the \u003Cstrong\u003Erooftop solar share\u003C\/strong\u003E declines by more than 40%, while WTP to \u003Cstrong\u003Eprotect monthly credit banking\u003C\/strong\u003E rises more than 200%, reflecting heightened awareness of net\u2011metering debates and rapid growth in rooftop solar adoption.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImportantly, the study reveals that \u003Cstrong\u003Eenvironmental attitudes\u003C\/strong\u003E, measured through New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scores, once strongly predicted preferences for rooftop solar and smart\u2011meter technologies in 2017, but these relationships fade or even reverse by 2023\u2014signaling a shift as these technologies transition from niche, identity\u2011driven goods to mainstream infrastructure. Meanwhile, environmental attitudes continue to robustly shape preferences for RPS increases and water\u2011use reductions in both survey waves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/03\/11\/temporal-stability-of-consumer-preferences-for-solar-energy\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the EPIcenter Webpage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study by EPIcenter affiliate \u003Cstrong\u003EJamal Mamkhezri\u003C\/strong\u003E examines how public preferences for solar\u2011energy policy have shifted over a six\u2011year period in New Mexico, offering one of the first long\u2011term repeated cross\u2011section analyses of willingness to pay (WTP) for renewable\u2011energy attributes. Using identical discrete choice experiment (DCE) tasks from surveys conducted in \u003Cstrong\u003E2017\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003E2023\u003C\/strong\u003E, Professor Mamkhezri evaluates how households value increases in Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), changes in rooftop versus utility\u2011scale solar shares, monthly credit\u2011banking rules, water usage in electricity generation, and smart\u2011meter information delivery options.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study by EPIcenter affiliate Jamal Mamkhezri examines how public preferences for solar\u2011energy policy have shifted over a six\u2011year period in New Mexico, offering one of the first long\u2011term repeated cross\u2011section analyses of willingness to pay (WTP) f"}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 19:15:40","changed_gmt":"2026-03-31 19:19:10","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679805":{"id":"679805","type":"image","title":"TemporalStabilityConsumerPreferenceSolar-AdobeStock_427357720-1024x683.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1774984544","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 19:15:44","changed":"1774984544","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 19:15:44","alt":"A rural residence with solar panels installed outdoors, set among desert vegetation with mountains in the distance.","file":{"fid":"264009","name":"TemporalStabilityConsumerPreferenceSolar-AdobeStock_427357720-1024x683.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/TemporalStabilityConsumerPreferenceSolar-AdobeStock_427357720-1024x683.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/TemporalStabilityConsumerPreferenceSolar-AdobeStock_427357720-1024x683.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":175493,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/TemporalStabilityConsumerPreferenceSolar-AdobeStock_427357720-1024x683.jpeg?itok=Zb5DMaNf"}}},"media_ids":["679805"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/03\/11\/temporal-stability-of-consumer-preferences-for-solar-energy\/","title":"Full Story on the EPIcenter Webpage"}],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ggonzalez68@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGil Gonzalez\u003C\/a\u003E, EPIcenter.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689280":{"#nid":"689280","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Potential of Data Center Energy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent review by EPIcenter faculty affiliate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/constance-crozier\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConstance Crozier\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/matthew-liska\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMatthew Liska\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology) explores the growing role of data centers in providing flexibility, the ability to shift or reduce electricity use in response to grid conditions, to the electric grid as renewable energy penetration and AI-driven computing demand surge. The authors highlight that data centers, particularly those supporting high-performance computing and AI workloads, are projected to consume nearly 10% of U.S. electricity by the end of the decade, presenting both challenges and opportunities for grid stability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe paper examines various strategies for enhancing the flexibility of data center energy use. One approach is to use backup power systems, such as uninterruptible power supplies, to support the grid during emergencies. Another method involves rerouting computing jobs to different data centers in other locations to balance energy demand. The authors also discuss implementing smart scheduling techniques that shift workloads to off-peak hours, reducing strain on the grid. Additionally, they highlight adjusting processor speeds by lowering CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit) clock rates to limit power consumption when needed. Finally, the paper suggests pre-cooling data center equipment to limit the energy required for cooling during peak demand periods. Notably, experimental evidence shows that underclocking GPUs can cut power consumption by 40% with only a 22% performance loss, suggesting technical feasibility for demand-response interventions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite these technical options, the authors find that real-world cost considerations and reliability concerns limit widespread adoption. Data center operators generally do not change their behavior in response to electricity prices, as job revenue far outweighs energy costs under normal conditions. For example, a GPU rented at $2 per hour consumes only $0.04 worth of electricity at average prices, making curtailment unattractive except during extreme price spikes. Surveys indicate that operators are reluctant to compromise reliability or deploy backup systems for ancillary services. Consequently, price-based incentives alone are unlikely to drive meaningful flexibility.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/03\/24\/the-potential-of-data-center-energy\/\u0022\u003ERead more on the EPIcenter Webpage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/03\/24\/the-potential-of-data-center-energy\/\u0022\u003EListen to a podcast on the research here\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent review by EPIcenter faculty affiliate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/constance-crozier\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConstance Crozier\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/matthew-liska\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMatthew Liska\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology) explores the growing role of data centers in providing flexibility, the ability to shift or reduce electricity use in response to grid conditions, to the electric grid as renewable energy penetration and AI-driven computing demand surge. The authors highlight that data centers, particularly those supporting high-performance computing and AI workloads, are projected to consume nearly 10% of U.S. electricity by the end of the decade, presenting both challenges and opportunities for grid stability.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A recent review by EPIcenter faculty affiliate highlights that data centers, particularly those supporting high-performance computing and AI workloads, are projected to consume nearly 10% of U.S. electricity by the end of the decade."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 19:00:21","changed_gmt":"2026-03-31 19:08:59","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679804":{"id":"679804","type":"image","title":"PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1774983673","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 19:01:13","changed":"1774983673","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 19:01:13","alt":"Adobe Stock image showing solar panels, wind mills and energy storage units in a desert-like landscape with the sun setting in the background","file":{"fid":"264008","name":"PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1531847,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg?itok=VE5-39Gn"}}},"media_ids":["679804"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/03\/24\/the-potential-of-data-center-energy\/","title":"Full Story on the EPIcenter Webpage"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ggonzalez68@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGilbert Gonzalez\u003C\/a\u003E, EPIcenter\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689267":{"#nid":"689267","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Institute for People and Technology Announces Five Faculty Promotions","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for People and Technology (IPaT) at Georgia Tech is proud to announce the promotion of five research faculty whose work continues to advance the institute\u2019s mission of shaping people\u2011centered innovation across disciplines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKala Jordan\u003C\/strong\u003E has been promoted to \u003Cem\u003EResearch Scientist II\u003C\/em\u003E. With a background spanning biology, health informatics, and STEM education, Jordan brings a multidisciplinary approach to her work. She plays a key role in AI\u2011CARING, leading studies that support the development of personalized collaborative AI systems designed to improve quality of life for older adults.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENoah Posner\u003C\/strong\u003E has been promoted to \u003Cem\u003ESenior Research Scientist\u003C\/em\u003E. As manager of the Interactive Product Design Lab, Posner focuses on interactive experiences grounded in physical interaction. His research spans CAD\u2011based prototyping, rapid fabrication, and STEAM education, and he teaches courses in physical prototyping and industrial design.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPeter Presti\u003C\/strong\u003E has been promoted to \u003Cem\u003EPrincipal Research Scientist\u003C\/em\u003E. Over his 22\u2011year career at Georgia Tech, Presti has collaborated with major industry partners and federal agencies. His research spans sensor systems, biometrics, wearable computing, signal processing, embedded systems, and integrated hardware\u2011software prototyping.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERichard Starr\u003C\/strong\u003E has been promoted to \u003Cem\u003ESenior Research Scientist\u003C\/em\u003E. Starr oversees the IPaT Secure Data Enclave, developing and managing the institute\u2019s secure infrastructure for healthcare data. His work ensures campus\u2011wide compliance with HIPAA, IRB requirements, and partnership agreements.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndrew Zhao\u003C\/strong\u003E has been promoted to \u003Cem\u003EResearch Scientist II\u003C\/em\u003E. Zhao, a Georgia Tech alumnus with bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in Computer Science, specializes in social computing. His work examines how social media facilitates information flow and connection, particularly around mental health and elections. He supports the CANDOR Portal and AI\u2011CARING projects, contributing full\u2011stack development, data pipelines, LLM fine\u2011tuning, and infrastructure management.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese promotions are wonderful and well deserved. Hearty congratulations to Andrew, Kala, Richard, Noah, and Peter!\u201d said Michael Best, executive director of IPaT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese promotions are a testament to the outstanding capabilities and contributions of IPaT\u2019s research faculty community,\u201d added Maribeth Gandy Coleman, director of research for IPaT.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for People and Technology (IPaT) at Georgia Tech is proud to announce the promotion of five research faculty whose work continues to advance the institute\u2019s mission of shaping people\u2011centered innovation across disciplines.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Institute for People and Technology (IPaT) at Georgia Tech is proud to announce the promotion of five research faculty whose work continues to advance the institute\u2019s mission of shaping people centered innovation across disciplines."}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 17:35:58","changed_gmt":"2026-03-31 17:36:30","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679802":{"id":"679802","type":"image","title":"Five IPaT research faculty","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPictured: Kala Jordan, Noah Posner, Peter Presti, Richard Starr, and Andrew Zhao.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774978414","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 17:33:34","changed":"1774978496","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 17:34:56","alt":"Pictured: Kala Jordan, Noah Posner, Peter Presti, Richard Starr, and Andrew Zhao.","file":{"fid":"264006","name":"5-people-v1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/5-people-v1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/5-people-v1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":284111,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/5-people-v1.jpg?itok=4nz7w0ba"}}},"media_ids":["679802"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWalter Rich\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["walter.rich@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689249":{"#nid":"689249","#data":{"type":"news","title":"EPIcenter Launches Georgia Data Center Ordinance Hub ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E) at Georgia Tech has launched an interactive tool to help communities navigate the dynamic land-use and policy landscape surrounding data center development: the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/data-center\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Data Center Ordinance Hub\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs new data centers continue to be built and proposed in Georgia, counties and municipalities across the state are considering how to guide this growth. EPIcenter\u2019s data center dashboard provides policymakers, planners, researchers, and community stakeholders with a centralized resource to better understand how data center regulations are being developed and applied across Georgia and the U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur Data Center Hub provides Georgia communities with a one-stop shop to understand how their neighbors are managing land-use regulations for data centers,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cIt brings together clear, accessible information to help jurisdictions\u0026nbsp;plan when data center growth occurs in their area.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe dashboard is organized around five thematic areas commonly addressed in data center land-use regulations: \u003Cstrong\u003ESite Planning and Building Design, Infrastructure and Utilities, Environmental and Community Protections, Public Safety and Security, and Lifecycle Governance\u003C\/strong\u003E. Within each theme, users can explore specific regulatory topics and access the relevant ordinances enacted by Georgia communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo build the dashboard, EPIcenter researchers conducted a comprehensive review of municipal codes across the state.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe reviewed municipal codes for about 180 cities and counties across Georgia and identified ordinances that specifically address data center development,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-yang-you\/\u0022\u003EYang You\u003C\/a\u003E, EPIcenter\u2019s research associate who developed the project. \u201cIn total, we found 19 data center-specific topics that ordinances tend to cover. We analyzed ordinances across jurisdictions and organized their ordinance provisions into topics such as building placement, setbacks, infrastructure, and environmental considerations to make it easier to compare how different jurisdictions regulate data centers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou added that the dashboard also incorporates examples from outside of Georgia. By gathering ordinances from other states and pairing them with Georgia-specific examples, EPIcenter aims to provide a clear framework to help communities efficiently address data center land-use regulation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Data Center Ordinance Hub is available through the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/initiatives-in-the-southeast\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E) at Georgia Tech has launched an interactive tool to help communities navigate the dynamic land-use and policy landscape surrounding data center development: the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/data-center\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Data Center Ordinance Hub\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs new data centers continue to be built and proposed in Georgia, counties and municipalities across the state are considering how to guide this growth. EPIcenter\u2019s data center dashboard provides policymakers, planners, researchers, and community stakeholders with a centralized resource to better understand how data center regulations are being developed and applied across Georgia and the U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur Data Center Hub provides Georgia communities with a one-stop shop to understand how their neighbors are managing land-use regulations for data centers,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cIt brings together clear, accessible information to help jurisdictions\u0026nbsp;plan when data center growth occurs in their area.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Energy Policy and Innovation Center (EPIcenter) at Georgia Tech has launched an interactive tool to help communities navigate the dynamic land-use and policy landscape surrounding data center development: the Georgia Data Center Ordinance Hub."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 02:42:32","changed_gmt":"2026-03-31 13:54:10","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679785":{"id":"679785","type":"image","title":"Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1774924962","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 02:42:42","changed":"1774924962","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 02:42:42","alt":"Aerial view of a datacenter with air conditioner compressor fans on the roof of the building","file":{"fid":"263987","name":"Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/30\/Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/30\/Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":936768,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/30\/Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg?itok=xBJaUq7j"}},"679793":{"id":"679793","type":"image","title":"DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774965063","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 13:51:03","changed":"1774965063","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 13:51:03","alt":"US Map showing States Represented in the Ordinance Hub and State of Georgia with Data Centers and Local Ordinances highlighted","file":{"fid":"263995","name":"DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":400200,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg?itok=q9cFpM_p"}},"679794":{"id":"679794","type":"image","title":"DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThematic Areas covered by EPIcenter\u0027s Datacenter Ordinance Hub\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774965063","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 13:51:03","changed":"1774965063","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 13:51:03","alt":"Thematic Areas covered by EPIcenter\u0027s Datacenter Ordinance Hub","file":{"fid":"263996","name":"DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":397163,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg?itok=iCDuFZ6-"}}},"media_ids":["679785","679793","679794"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/data-center\/","title":"EPIcenter Georgia Datacenter Ordinance Hub"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689250":{"#nid":"689250","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Look to Bolster Technology Support for Menopause","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWomen in need of supportive maternal and menstrual healthcare in patriarchal societies have increasingly found outlets for disclosure in online communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat support, however, begins to disappear in these restrictive cultures once women reach menopause, according to new research from Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENaveena Karusala, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing, and master\u2019s student Umme Ammara are working toward improving existing technologies and designing new ones for a demographic they believe has been neglected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKarusala and Ammara co-authored a paper based on a study they conducted with women in urban Pakistan experiencing menopause.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWomen\u2019s health is understudied in general, but menopause is more neglected than other women\u2019s health issues,\u201d Karusala said. \u201cOur choice to focus on menopause is motivated by expanding how we holistically think about women\u2019s well-being across their lifespan.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKarusala and Ammara will present their paper in April at the 2026 ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) in Barcelona.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMasking Symptoms\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMenopause is diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without a period, vaginal bleeding, or spotting. The transition to menopause, called perimenopause, usually happens over two to eight years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHormone changes may cause symptoms such as irregular periods, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, mood swings, and brain fog.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese symptoms can be debilitating in some cases and affect daily life. However, Ammara said women are pressured to remain silent, maintain appearances, and regulate their emotions to meet social expectations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnderstanding menopause is important because a woman would be experiencing all these symptoms, and people will not understand those as actual symptoms,\u201d Ammara said. \u201cThere\u2019s been resistance to the idea of the medicalization of menopause. People don\u2019t view it as an illness, but as a life transition and something that happens naturally.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFeeling Isolated\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe women interviewed by Karusala and Ammara either stayed at home full-time or were part of the workforce.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers discovered that trusted family members might be the only sources women who stay at home and do not work turn to for disclosure.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWomen at home have the flexibility to take breaks or work at their own pace, so a lot of their experience is shaped by the emotional barriers they face,\u201d Ammara said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat could come from their husbands and family members. Some are supportive and some are not. They might weaponize it and use that term against them, or they might dismiss what they\u2019re going through.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmmara said it might be easier for women in the workforce to confide in their coworkers, but explaining to an employer that they need sick leave for menopause symptoms can be intimidating.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven in online communities that have enabled women to anonymously share their health experiences, menopause is seldom discussed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaising Awareness\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKarusala and Ammara argue in their paper that a public health approach could be the most effective way to spark conversation about menopause in a patriarchal culture in which technology use varies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey said the challenge in implementing technologies geared toward menopause support is that the condition isn\u2019t well understood in public. Improving maternal health, for example, is easier to promote within these societies because of the general understanding that motherhood is important.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere must be an existing infrastructure to build on,\u201d Karusala said. \u201cFor example, menstrual and maternal health are taught in schools and regularly discussed in primary care. Cultural and social meaning and importance are placed on motherhood.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of that doesn\u2019t exist for menopause. Primary care doctors are unprepared to talk about menopause compared to other health issues.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDesign Solutions\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmmara said that the most effective way for technologies to make an impact on women going through menopause is to directly address systemic power structures around women\u2019s health within Pakistani culture.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt can start with the husbands.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFraming the issue for husbands to understand menopause should be at the forefront of designing technology solutions,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn Islamic contexts, we suggest using faith-based framings. This has been proposed for maternal health in prior works that draw on Islamic principles to engage expectant fathers in providing care and support. Framing it around religious responsibility to involve men in the journey can also be done for menopause.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech assistant professor Naveena Karusala and master\u0027s student Umme Ammara are researching how to improve existing technologies and design new ones to better support women experiencing menopause. Their work is based on a study conducted with women in urban Pakistan, where patriarchal social norms pressure women to stay silent about menopause symptoms and limit their ability to seek support, even in online communities that have otherwise helped women discuss other health issues\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are looking at how technology can better support women experiencing menopause in urban Pakistan, where patriarchal norms leave them largely isolated and without resources for managing their symptoms."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 12:09:13","changed_gmt":"2026-03-31 13:18:07","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679788":{"id":"679788","type":"image","title":"Ammara-Umme_86A2210.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774958961","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 12:09:21","changed":"1774958961","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 12:09:21","alt":"Umme Ammar sits in a booth with laptop in front of her","file":{"fid":"263990","name":"Ammara-Umme_86A2210.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Ammara-Umme_86A2210.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Ammara-Umme_86A2210.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":95810,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/Ammara-Umme_86A2210.jpg?itok=7jqYXbcn"}}},"media_ids":["679788"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"8900","name":"women\u0027s history month"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"3543","name":"women\u0027s health"},{"id":"171911","name":"women of pakistan"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ndeen6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ENathan Deen\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Computing\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689226":{"#nid":"689226","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Energy Day Brings Leaders Together to Tackle AI Power Demands ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore than 300 leaders from industry, government, and academia gathered on Georgia Tech\u2019s campus for Energy Day, a one-day conference focused on one of today\u2019s most urgent challenges: meeting the rapidly growing energy demands of artificial intelligence (AI). \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHeld on March 19, the event was co-hosted by Georgia Tech\u2019s\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstitute for Matter and Systems\u003C\/a\u003E\u202f(IMS) and\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u202f(SEI) with plenary support from the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E. This year\u2019s theme, Energy for AI, anchored discussions on how energy systems must evolve to support an increasingly digital and computer-intensive world. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEnergy Day demonstrates how critical it is to align research, industry, and policy to manage rising power demand and modernize our energy systems,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/4478\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, SEI\u2019s executive director. \u201cAt Georgia Tech, we are committed to advancing solutions that translate research into impact at the speed innovation demands.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s Energy Day continued the momentum of past events, beginning with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-battery-day-reveals-opportunities-energy-storage-research\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBattery Day\u003C\/a\u003E in 2023. As research priorities have expanded, the event has grown to highlight Georgia Tech and the state of Georgia as national hubs for next-generation energy innovation, advanced manufacturing, and data-driven infrastructure. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program was structured to foster high-level dialogue through keynote presentations and panel discussions, as well as deeper, focused tracks on specialized technical topics. The morning session featured a fireside chat between presenting sponsor GE Vernova and Georgia Tech Executive Vice President for Research Tim Lieuwen, followed by a keynote address from Vanessa Chan, former U.S. Department of Energy official and expert in commercialization and innovation, and two panels focused on policy, materials, and the evolving energy ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGreat ideas usually come out when you bring together different perspectives,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2926\u0022\u003EEric Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of IMS. \u201cThat\u2019s why we have this event. It helps scientists think more broadly, connects policymakers to science, and demonstrates the strength of Georgia Tech\u2019s research community.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the afternoon, attendees split into three technical tracks addressing critical challenges at the intersection of energy and AI \u2014 from power delivery and storage to materials, infrastructure, and system resilience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDesigned to bring together researchers, policy makers, industry leaders, and students, Energy Day continues to drive interdisciplinary collaboration. Conversations throughout the day centered on three ideas: the magnitude and certainty of rising global energy demand, the urgency of scaling solutions efficiently, and the necessity of broad collaboration across research, industry, policy, and workforce pathways.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event concluded with a student poster session featuring more than 20 research presentations, highlighting emerging work from across Georgia Tech. Three were recognized for excellence:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFirst place:\u003C\/strong\u003E Douglas Nelson \u2014 Improving Energy Efficiency in Fume Hoods and Ultra-Low Temperature Freezers\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFinalist:\u003C\/strong\u003E Erik Barbosa \u2014 Multiscale Approach for Thermochemical Energy Storage in Buildings\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFinalist:\u003C\/strong\u003E Ricardo Cruzado Valladares \u2014 Energy-Water Nexus for Sustainable AI Data Centers\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMore than 300 experts from industry, government, and academia gathered at Georgia Tech to explore how energy systems must evolve to support the rapid growth of artificial intelligence.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"More than 300 experts from industry, government, and academia gathered at Georgia Tech to explore how energy systems must evolve to support the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. "}],"uid":"35272","created_gmt":"2026-03-27 18:53:00","changed_gmt":"2026-03-27 19:06:45","author":"aneumeister3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679766":{"id":"679766","type":"image","title":"Energy-Day-photos_0003_DSC_0456-LR.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEric Vogel welcomed attendees to Energy Day.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774637673","gmt_created":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","changed":"1774637673","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","alt":"A man stands at a podium speaking in front of a large screen displaying \u201cGeorgia Tech Energy Day: Energy for AI.\u201d The setting is a conference room with stage lighting and an audience out of frame.","file":{"fid":"263965","name":"Energy-Day-photos_0003_DSC_0456-LR.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0003_DSC_0456-LR.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0003_DSC_0456-LR.png","mime":"image\/png","size":845836,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0003_DSC_0456-LR.png?itok=nIqE6XEs"}},"679765":{"id":"679765","type":"image","title":"Energy-Day-photos_0002_DSC_0526-LR.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech EVPR Tim Lieuwen (left) with Amit Kulkarni (center) and Jim Walsh (right), both speakers from GE Vernova.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774637673","gmt_created":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","changed":"1774637673","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","alt":"Three men sit on stage in a panel discussion, smiling and holding microphones. Water bottles rest on small tables beside their chairs.","file":{"fid":"263964","name":"Energy-Day-photos_0002_DSC_0526-LR.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0002_DSC_0526-LR.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0002_DSC_0526-LR.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1124177,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0002_DSC_0526-LR.png?itok=QVABcM4a"}},"679763":{"id":"679763","type":"image","title":"Energy-Day-photos_0000_DSC_9011-LR.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMarta Hatzell served as Energy Day emcee.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774637673","gmt_created":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","changed":"1774637673","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","alt":"A wide view of a conference room shows attendees seated and facing a stage with a large screen reading \u201cGeorgia Tech Energy Day: Energy for AI.\u201d Marta Hatzell stands at a podium to the right of the screen.","file":{"fid":"263962","name":"Energy-Day-photos_0000_DSC_9011-LR.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0000_DSC_9011-LR.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0000_DSC_9011-LR.png","mime":"image\/png","size":951439,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0000_DSC_9011-LR.png?itok=i4h-upHs"}},"679762":{"id":"679762","type":"image","title":"DSC_0602-LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EVanessa Chan gave the keynote presentation at Energy Day.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774637673","gmt_created":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","changed":"1774637673","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","alt":"Vanessa Chan speaks at a podium at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, addressing an audience. She holds a clicker and stands behind a laptop during a formal presentation.","file":{"fid":"263961","name":"DSC_0602-LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/DSC_0602-LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/DSC_0602-LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":747615,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/27\/DSC_0602-LR.jpeg?itok=__7ajwHl"}},"679764":{"id":"679764","type":"image","title":"Energy-Day-photos_0001_DSC_0751-LR.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYaunzhi Tang (left) moderated the Beyond Scarcity: Building Resilient Critical Materials Supply Chains for Energy Systems panel.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774637673","gmt_created":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","changed":"1774637673","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 18:54:33","alt":"Three panelists sit on stage during a discussion, with one man gesturing as he speaks while the others listen. The moderator holds a microphone and looks toward him.","file":{"fid":"263963","name":"Energy-Day-photos_0001_DSC_0751-LR.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0001_DSC_0751-LR.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0001_DSC_0751-LR.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1056746,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/27\/Energy-Day-photos_0001_DSC_0751-LR.png?itok=4ogONbPt"}},"679767":{"id":"679767","type":"image","title":"poster-session.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents participated in the Energy Day poster session.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774638162","gmt_created":"2026-03-27 19:02:42","changed":"1774638162","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 19:02:42","alt":"A group of people stand indoors at an event, smiling and posing together while holding large ceremonial checks. Three individuals in front display checks for finalist awards and a first-place prize.","file":{"fid":"263967","name":"poster-session.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/poster-session.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/27\/poster-session.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4210955,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/27\/poster-session.png?itok=_5ad7CtO"}}},"media_ids":["679766","679765","679763","679762","679764","679767"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.neumeister@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Neumeister\u003C\/a\u003E | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Matter and Systems\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["amelia.neumeister@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688902":{"#nid":"688902","#data":{"type":"news","title":"3.8\u2011Billion\u2011Year\u2011Old Titanium Clue Sheds New Light on the Moon\u2019s Early Chemistry","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA chemical signature hidden in a 3.8\u2011billion\u2011year\u2011old lunar rock is offering new insights into the availability of oxygen within the young Moon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPublished today in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethe paper \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-69770-w\u0022\u003ETrivalent Titanium in High-Titanium Lunar Ilmenite\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d confirms titanium in a reduced, trivalent state in a black, metal-rich lunar mineral called\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eilmenite\u003C\/em\u003E. It\u2019s a state only possible in low-oxygen environments, conditions researchers refer to as \u201creducing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cModels have suggested that these reducing conditions may have varied at different locations and times across the surface of the Moon,\u201d says lead author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/advik-vira\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvik Vira\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a graduate student in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E who recently earned his doctoral degree. \u201cWe hope our microscopy technique can be a valuable step in mapping and understanding the Moon\u2019s 4.5-billion-year history.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team anticipates that their technique could be used on many of the lunar samples collected more than 50 years ago by the Apollo missions in addition to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/lunar-science\/programs\/angsa\/\u0022\u003EApollo Next Generation Samples\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 a group of lunar samples that have been stored under pristine conditions \u2014 and new samples from the planned\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/artemis-ii\/\u0022\u003EArtemis missions\u003C\/a\u003E, with Artemis II slated for launch this spring. The technique might also be applicable to samples collected from the far side of the Moon and returned in 2024 by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.planetary.org\/space-missions\/change-6\u0022\u003EChang\u2019e-6 mission\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe Moon holds clues not only to its own past, but also to the earliest eras of Earth\u2019s evolution \u2014 history that has long since been erased from our planet,\u201d Vira says. \u201cThis study is a step toward understanding the history of both and a reminder that there is still so much left to learn from the lunar rocks we\u2019ve brought back to Earth.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe School of Physics research team included corresponding authors Vira and Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/phillip-first\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhillip First\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E; in addition to graduate student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERoshan Trivedi\u003C\/strong\u003E; undergraduate students\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EGabriella Dotson, Keyes Eames\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EDean Kim,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u003Cstrong\u003E Emma Livernois\u003C\/strong\u003E; and Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/zhigang-jiang\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZhigang Jiang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, along with Institute for Matter and Systems Materials Characterization Facility Senior Research Scientist\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.research.gatech.edu\/people\/mengkun-tian\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMengkun Tian\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E Senior Research Scientist\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/brant-m-jones\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrant Jones\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/thomas-orlando\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThom Orlando\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ERegents\u0027 Professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry with a joint appointment in the School of Physics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Georgia Tech team was joined by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/addisenergy.com\/\u0022\u003EAddis Energy\u003C\/a\u003E Senior Geochemist\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKatherine Burgess\u003C\/strong\u003E; Macalester College Assistant Professor of Geology\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/geology\/facultystaff\/emily-first\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEmily First\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E; along with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lbl.gov\/\u0022\u003ELawrence Berkeley National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E Research Scientist\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energygeosciences.lbl.gov\/profile\/hlisabeth\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHarrison Lisabeth\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Senior Scientist\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/als.lbl.gov\/people\/nobumichi-tamura\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENobumichi Tamura\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EPostdoctoral Fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ETyler Farr,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ewho recently earned a Ph.D. from Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECLEVER research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe investigation began with a dark gray rock called a lunar basalt. Formed when ancient magma erupted on the Moon\u2019s surface, minerals crystallized as it cooled \u2014 preserving key information in their structures. Billions of years later, the rock was brought to Earth by the 1972 Apollo 17 mission, where a small piece is now stored at Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/clever.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Lunar Environment and Volatile Exploration Research (CLEVER)\u003C\/a\u003E, a NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) center led by Orlando.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs a NASA virtual institute, CLEVER supports researchers exploring lunar conditions and developing tools for the upcoming crewed Artemis missions, and provided the lunar samples for this research. The SSERVI also plays a critical role in training the next generation of planetary researchers: both Vira and Farr earned their Ph.D.s while on the CLEVER team.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAt CLEVER, we are very interested in understanding the impacts of space weathering,\u201d Vira says. \u201cWe implemented modern\u0026nbsp;sample preparation and advanced microscopy techniques\u0026nbsp;to image samples at the atomic level, and were curious to apply it more broadly to the collection of Apollo rocks in the Orlando Lab. This sample caught our attention.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWhen we imaged an ilmenite crystal from the lunar basalt, what struck us first was how uniform and perfect the crystal structure was,\u201d he recalls. \u201cWe found no defects from space weathering and instead saw an undamaged, pristine crystal \u2014 undisturbed for 3.8 billion years.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo investigate further, the team analyzed small chips of the rock with Burgess,\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ea member of the RISE2 SSERVI team and then a geologist at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nrl.navy.mil\/\u0022\u003EU.S. Naval Research Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E. Using state-of-the-art electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, Vira determined the oxidation state of the elements in the ilmenite\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Epresent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn spectroscopy measurements, each element leaves a distinct \u2018signature,\u2019 Vira explains. \u201cWhen we brought our results back to Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.research.gatech.edu\/mcf\/materials-characterization-facility\u0022\u003EMaterials Characterization Facility\u003C\/a\u003E, Mengkun (Tian) noticed something unusual: the signature showed titanium might be present in the trivalent state.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe presence of trivalent titanium had long been suspected in this lunar mineral. The team was intrigued.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA new window into old rocks\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWith funding from Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cstar.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Space Technology and Research (CSTAR)\u003C\/a\u003E, Vira returned to the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory to analyze additional samples. The results confirmed that more titanium was present than the mineral\u2019s formula (FeTiO\u2083) predicts \u2014 indicating a portion of the titanium present was trivalent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThat led me to place our measurements in terms of the broader geological context,\u201d Vira shares. Working with First, Vira explored how ilmenite with trivalent titanium could help reconstruct the nature of ancient magmas from the Moon, especially the chemical availability of oxygen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cBecause its location on the Moon was noted during the Apollo mission, we know exactly where this rock is from, and we can determine how old the rock is,\u201d he explains. \u201cWhen coupled with our trivalent titanium measurements, we can use that information to estimate the reducing conditions for this specific region at the specific time our rock formed.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIf the upcoming Artemis missions return samples suitable for the team\u2019s technique, these rocks could provide a new window into ancient lunar geology. The research also highlights that many lunar samples already on Earth could be reexamined to look for trivalent titanium.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThere is still so much to learn from the lunar samples we have already brought to Earth,\u201d Vira says. \u201cIt\u2019s a testament to the long-term value of each sample return mission. As technology continues to advance, this type of work will continue to give us critical insights into our planet and our place in the universe for years to come.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-69770-w\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E10.1038\/s41467-026-69770-w\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding\u003C\/strong\u003E: This work was directly supported by the NASA SSERVI under CLEVER. Researchers were also supported by the NASA RISE2 SSERVI and the Heising-Simons Foundation. Funding for collaborations between the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and Georgia Tech for the investigation of lunar minerals was provided by the Georgia Tech Center for Space Technology and Research. Sample preparation was performed at the Georgia Tech Institute for Matter and Systems, which is supported by the National Science Foundation. This work utilized the resources of the Advanced Light Source, a user facility supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, and was supported in part by previous breakthroughs obtained through the Laboratory Direct.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe finding offers new clues about the oxygen conditions that shaped the Moon\u2019s early environment.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The finding offers new clues about the oxygen conditions that shaped the Moon\u2019s early environment."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-03-12 18:40:17","changed_gmt":"2026-03-27 14:09:07","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679604":{"id":"679604","type":"image","title":"Taken aboard Apollo 8 by Bill Anders, this iconic picture shows Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the first crewed spacecraft circumnavigated the Moon, with astronauts Anders, Frank Borman, and Jim Lovell aboard. (Credit: NASA)","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETaken aboard Apollo 8 by Bill Anders, this iconic picture shows Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the first crewed spacecraft circumnavigated the Moon, with astronauts Anders, Frank Borman, and Jim Lovell aboard. (Credit: NASA)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773340129","gmt_created":"2026-03-12 18:28:49","changed":"1774620147","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 14:02:27","alt":"Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface.","file":{"fid":"263785","name":"Screenshot-2026-03-12-at-11.32.02-AM_0.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/Screenshot-2026-03-12-at-11.32.02-AM_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/Screenshot-2026-03-12-at-11.32.02-AM_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":884051,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/12\/Screenshot-2026-03-12-at-11.32.02-AM_0.png?itok=MbOCiQtk"}},"679608":{"id":"679608","type":"image","title":"Advik Vira","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAdvik Vira\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773340703","gmt_created":"2026-03-12 18:38:23","changed":"1773340750","gmt_changed":"2026-03-12 18:39:10","alt":"Advik Vira. He is wearing a colorful science-print button up.","file":{"fid":"263789","name":"Vira-Headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/Vira-Headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/Vira-Headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":341274,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/12\/Vira-Headshot.jpg?itok=ogP_wqEd"}},"679610":{"id":"679610","type":"image","title":"An illustration\u00a0of the Apollo rock 75035\u00a0on the Moon, an atomic image of the sample, and its spectral signature.\u00a0(Credit: August Davis)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn illustration\u0026nbsp;of the Apollo rock 75035\u0026nbsp;on the Moon, an atomic image of the sample, and its spectral signature.\u0026nbsp;(Credit: August Davis)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773350645","gmt_created":"2026-03-12 21:24:05","changed":"1774620172","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 14:02:52","alt":"A figure showing moon rocks, a magnifying glass showing the internal structure, with a green wavy line emitting from the rock.","file":{"fid":"263792","name":"feature-image-suggestion--1-.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/feature-image-suggestion--1-.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/feature-image-suggestion--1-.png","mime":"image\/png","size":752836,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/12\/feature-image-suggestion--1-.png?itok=wx3iLDkB"}},"679606":{"id":"679606","type":"image","title":"An optical image of the chip\u00a0from the lunar\u00a0rock\u00a0the team investigated.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn optical image of the chip\u0026nbsp;from the lunar\u0026nbsp;rock\u0026nbsp;the team investigated.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773340509","gmt_created":"2026-03-12 18:35:09","changed":"1774620185","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 14:03:05","alt":"A chip of the lunar sample.","file":{"fid":"263787","name":"optical-image-75035.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/optical-image-75035.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/optical-image-75035.png","mime":"image\/png","size":284379,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/12\/optical-image-75035.png?itok=7TX3fZrH"}},"679607":{"id":"679607","type":"image","title":"An image of the chip from the sample, imaged using scanning electron microscopy. Titanium is shown in light blue, and white boxes show areas where\u00a0samples\u00a0were\u00a0extracted\u00a0to analyze the\u00a0ilmenite\u00a0crystal.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn image of the chip from the sample, imaged using scanning electron microscopy. Titanium is shown in light blue, and white boxes show areas where\u0026nbsp;samples\u0026nbsp;were\u0026nbsp;extracted\u0026nbsp;to analyze the\u0026nbsp;ilmenite\u0026nbsp;crystal.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773340593","gmt_created":"2026-03-12 18:36:33","changed":"1774620199","gmt_changed":"2026-03-27 14:03:19","alt":"The chip, colored in large areas with purple, with blue ribbons of color. There are a total of five white rectangles on the blue areas.","file":{"fid":"263791","name":"SEM-image-75035.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/SEM-image-75035.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/SEM-image-75035.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5511950,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/12\/SEM-image-75035.png?itok=aaHnKhSw"}}},"media_ids":["679604","679608","679610","679606","679607"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-69770-w","title":"Trivalent titanium in high-titanium lunar ilmenite"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689175":{"#nid":"689175","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tech Swarms into Athens for Clean, Old-Fashioned Computing","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe in-state rivalry between the Yellow Jackets and the Bulldogs usually heats up when Georgia Tech visits the University of Georgia. However, one Saturday last month, the focus shifted from competition to collaboration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Scientific Computing Symposium (GSCS) held its annual meeting on February 21 in Athens. Since 2009, the event has hosted researchers from across the Peach State to showcase homegrown advances in scientific computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haoningwu.github.io\/GSCS2026.html\u0022\u003EThe symposium\u003C\/a\u003E highlighted Georgia\u2019s reputation as a computing innovation hub. People from around the world come to Georgia universities to lead computing research. By advancing science, engineering, medicine, and technology, their work improves communities at home and abroad.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFaculty and students from Georgia Tech, UGA, Georgia State University, and Emory University presented at the symposium. Georgia Tech participants came from the colleges of Computing, Engineering, and Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s organizers agreed to meet in Atlanta for the 2027 symposium. Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE)\u003C\/a\u003E will host the 19th GSCS.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom healthcare to computer chip design, scientific computing underpins many of the technological advances we see in our lives,\u201d said Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~echow\/\u0022\u003EEdmond Chow\u003C\/a\u003E, associate chair of the School of CSE.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cScientific computing provides the mathematical models, simulations, and data\u2011driven tools that make modern innovation possible. It allows people to analyze complex systems, test ideas virtually before building them, and make faster, more accurate decisions across nearly every sector of society.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hmzhou.math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EHaomin Zhou\u003C\/a\u003E and Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/itshelenxu.github.io\/\u0022\u003EHelen Xu\u003C\/a\u003E delivered two of the symposium\u2019s five plenary talks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZhou presented a new method for solving the Schr\u00f6dinger equation, a landmark equation in quantum mechanics. Drawing inspiration from the mathematics used in generative artificial intelligence models, his approach develops an algorithm that more effectively simulates waves, particle motion, and other physical systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EXu focused on improving how computers move and organize data during complex calculations. Her work uses \u201ccache-friendly\u201d layouts that help computers access data more efficiently, boosting performance for scientific and engineering applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSpeaking at GSCS was a great opportunity,\u201d Xu said. \u201cThe symposium fostered connections within the scientific computing community and gave us a chance to share exciting research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe symposium showcased student work through a poster blitz and a poster session. During the blitz, 36 students each had one minute to introduce their research to the full audience. They then shared more details about their research during the poster session.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe student projects showed the range of fields supported by scientific computing. The session also provided attendees with an opportunity to connect and expand their professional networks, helping grow the field\u2019s future impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs an aerospace engineer by training and aspiring computational scientist, GSCS gave me the platform to network with other researchers in the field while showcasing my own research,\u201d said M.S. student \u003Cstrong\u003EKashvi Mundra\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI was able to connect with scientists across different disciplines whose work intersects with my own in unexpected ways. Those conversations pushed my thinking beyond my own lab\u0027s perspective, helping me see my work on physics-informed machine learning for inverse problems in a broader scientific computing context.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech students who presented posters included:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbir Haque\u003C\/strong\u003E (CSE), \u003Cem\u003EMassively Parallel Random Phase Approximation Correlation Energy via Lanczos Quadrature\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAntonio Varagnolo\u003C\/strong\u003E (CSE), \u003Cem\u003EPhysics-Enhanced Deep Surrogates for the Phonon Boltzmann Transport Equation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBen Burns\u003C\/strong\u003E (CSE), \u003Cem\u003EInfinite-Dimensional Stein Variational Inference with Derivative-Informed Neural Operators\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBen Wilfong\u003C\/strong\u003E (CSE), \u003Cem\u003EShocks without Shock Capturing; Compressible Flow at 1 quadrillion Degrees of Freedom without Loss of Accuracy\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDaniel Vickers\u003C\/strong\u003E (CSE), \u003Cem\u003EHighly-Parallel Fluid-Solid Interactions for Compressible Flows\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEric Fowler\u003C\/strong\u003E (CSE), \u003Cem\u003EHigh-Performance Tensor Contractions in Computational Chemistry\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHaoran Yan\u003C\/strong\u003E (Math), \u003Cem\u003EUnderstanding Denoising Autoencoders through the Manifold Hypothesis: A Geometric Perspective\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKashvi Mundra\u003C\/strong\u003E (CSE), \u003Cem\u003EAutoregressive Multifidelity Neural Surrogate Modeling under Scarce Data Regimes\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESebasti\u00e1n Guti\u00e9rrez Hern\u00e1ndez\u003C\/strong\u003E (Math\/CSE), \u003Cem\u003EPDPO: Parametric Density Path Optimization\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVivian Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E (AE), \u003Cem\u003EMultifidelity Operator Inference: Non-Intrusive Reduced Order Modeling from Scarce Data\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EXian Mae Hadia\u003C\/strong\u003E (CSE), \u003Cem\u003EData Efficiency of Surrogate Models: Learning Physics Data from Full Field Data vs. Inductive Bias from Approximate PDE Solvers\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EXiangming Huang\u003C\/strong\u003E (CSE), \u003Cem\u003ENeural Operator Accelerated Evolutionary Strategies for PDE-Constraint Optimization\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZhaiming Shen\u003C\/strong\u003E (Math), \u003Cem\u003EUnderstanding In-Context Learning on Structured Manifolds: Bridging Attention to Kernel Methods\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZhongjie Shi\u003C\/strong\u003E (Math), \u003Cem\u003ETowards Understanding Generalization in DP-GD: A Case Study in Training Two-Layer CNNs\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe in-state rivalry between the Yellow Jackets and the Bulldogs usually heats up when Georgia Tech visits the University of Georgia. However, one Saturday last month, the focus shifted from competition to collaboration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Scientific Computing Symposium (GSCS) held its annual meeting on February 21 in Athens. Since 2009, the event has hosted researchers from across the Peach State to showcase homegrown advances in scientific computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haoningwu.github.io\/GSCS2026.html\u0022\u003EThe symposium\u003C\/a\u003E highlighted Georgia\u2019s reputation as a computing innovation hub. People from around the world come to Georgia universities to lead computing research. By advancing science, engineering, medicine, and technology, their work improves communities at home and abroad.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers from universities across Georgia, including Georgia Tech, set aside rivalry to collaborate at the 2026 Georgia Scientific Computing Symposium, highlighting the state\u2019s growing role as a hub for innovation in scientific computing."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-03-25 13:04:13","changed_gmt":"2026-03-25 19:41:06","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679732":{"id":"679732","type":"image","title":"GSCS-2026-Head-Image.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1774443866","gmt_created":"2026-03-25 13:04:26","changed":"1774443866","gmt_changed":"2026-03-25 13:04:26","alt":"2026 Georgia Scientific Computing Symposium","file":{"fid":"263927","name":"GSCS-2026-Head-Image.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/25\/GSCS-2026-Head-Image.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/25\/GSCS-2026-Head-Image.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":217081,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/25\/GSCS-2026-Head-Image.jpeg?itok=2Vs3GesS"}},"679733":{"id":"679733","type":"image","title":"Kashvi-Mundra-Poster.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1774443901","gmt_created":"2026-03-25 13:05:01","changed":"1774443901","gmt_changed":"2026-03-25 13:05:01","alt":"2026 Georgia Scientific Computing Symposium","file":{"fid":"263928","name":"Kashvi-Mundra-Poster.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/25\/Kashvi-Mundra-Poster.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/25\/Kashvi-Mundra-Poster.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":84134,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/25\/Kashvi-Mundra-Poster.jpeg?itok=i7BjGyOA"}}},"media_ids":["679732","679733"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/tech-swarms-athens-clean-old-fashioned-computing","title":"Tech Swarms into Athens for Clean, Old-Fashioned Computing"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"168681","name":"scientific computing"},{"id":"194970","name":"2026 Georgia Scientific Computing Symposium"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689185":{"#nid":"689185","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Find Training Gaps Impacting Maritime Cybersecurity Readiness","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhether it\u2019s a fire or a flood, a ship\u2019s crew can only rely on itself and its training in emergencies at sea. The same is true for crews facing digital threats on oil tankers, cargo ships, and other commercial vessels.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENew cybersecurity research from the Georgia Institute of Technology, however, revealed that crews aboard commercial vessels were often not adequately prepared to manage cyberattacks effectively due to systemic training gaps.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe findings are based on interviews conducted by researchers with more than 20 officer-level mariners to assess the maritime industry\u2019s readiness to handle cybersecurity attacks at sea.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Historically, cybersecurity research has focused heavily on cyber-physical systems like cars, factories, and industrial plants, but ships have largely been overlooked,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/annaraymaker.dad\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnna Raymaker\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Ph.D. student and lead researcher.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat gap is concerning when more than 90% of the world\u2019s goods travel by sea. Recent incidents, from GPS spoofing to ships linked to subsea cable disruptions, show that maritime systems are increasingly part of the global cyber threat landscape.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers proposed four practical strategies to strengthen maritime cyber defenses and close the training gaps. Their findings were presented recently at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sigsac.org\/ccs\/CCS2025\/call-for-papers\/\u0022\u003EACM SIGSAC Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS).\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch6\u003E1. Make Cybersecurity Training Actually Maritime\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany of those interviewed for the study described current cybersecurity training as \u201cboilerplate\u201d \u2014 generic modules that don\u2019t reflect real shipboard risks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers recommend:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERole-specific instruction: Navigation officers should learn to detect and identify GPS spoofing. Engineers should focus on vulnerabilities in remotely monitored systems.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBridging IT and Operational Technology: Crews need to understand how attacks on IT systems can trigger physical consequences in operational technology \u2014 including collisions, groundings, or explosions.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EHands-on delivery: Replace passive PowerPoints with drills and in-person exercises that build muscle memory.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAccessible standards: Training must account for the wide range of educational backgrounds across crews and be standardized across ranks.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Ch6\u003E2. Move Beyond \u201cCall IT\u201d\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt sea, crews can\u2019t simply escalate a cyber incident to a shore-based IT department and wait. Operational resilience requires onboard readiness.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers recommend:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EVessel-specific response plans: Ships need clear, actionable protocols for threats such as AIS jamming or radar manipulation.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMilitary-style drills: Adopting MCON (Emission Control) exercises \u2014 used by the U.S. Military Sealift Command \u2014 can train crews to operate safely without electronic systems.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStronger connectivity controls: High-bandwidth satellite systems like Starlink introduce new risks. Clear policies and network segregation are essential to prevent new entry points for attackers.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Ch6\u003ERelated Article: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/when-gps-lies-at-sea-how-electronic-warfare-is-threatening-ships-and-their-crews-278181\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen GPS lies at sea: How electronic warfare is threatening ships and their\u0026nbsp;crews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E by Anna Raymaker\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Ch6\u003E3. Create Unified, Ship-Specific Regulations\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaritime cybersecurity regulations are often reactive and fragmented. Researchers argue the industry needs a cohesive, domain-specific framework.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKey recommendations include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA unified global model: Like the energy sector\u2019s NERC CIP standards, a maritime framework could mandate baseline controls such as encryption, network segmentation, and anonymous incident reporting.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERules built for real crews: Regulations designed for large naval operations don\u2019t translate well to smaller merchant or research vessels. Standards must reflect actual shipboard conditions.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFuture-proofing requirements: Autonomous ships and remotely operated vessels expand the cyber-physical attack surface. Regulations must proactively address these emerging technologies.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Ch6\u003E4. Invest in Maritime-Specific Cyber Research\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFinally, the researchers stress that long-term resilience requires deeper technical research focused on maritime systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPriority areas include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EReal-time intrusion detection systems tailored to shipboard protocols.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProactive security risk assessments of interconnected onboard systems.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECyber-physical modeling to better understand cascading failures in complex maritime environments.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Ch6\u003EThe Bottom Line\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECyber threats at sea are no longer hypothetical. Mariners report real-world incidents ranging from GPS spoofing to ransomware that disrupts global trade.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThrough our interviews with mariners, I saw firsthand how much dedication and pride they take in their work,\u201d said Raymaker. \u201cOur goal is for this research to serve as a call to action for researchers, policymakers, and industry to invest more attention in maritime cybersecurity and support the people who risk their lives every day to keep global trade, food, and energy moving.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/3719027.3744816\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA Sea of Cyber Threats: Maritime Cybersecurity from the Perspective of Mariners\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ewas presented at CCS 2025. It was written by Raymaker and her colleagues, Ph.D. students \u003Cstrong\u003EAkshaya Kumar\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EMiuyin Yong Wong\u003C\/strong\u003E, and \u003Cstrong\u003ERyan Pickren\u003C\/strong\u003E; Research Scientist \u003Cstrong\u003EAnimesh Chhotaray\u003C\/strong\u003E, Associate Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EFrank Li,\u003C\/strong\u003E Associate Professor \u003Cstrong\u003ESaman Zonouz\u003C\/strong\u003E, and Georgia Tech Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs \u003Cstrong\u003ERaheem Beyah\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearch from the Georgia Institute of Technology shows that commercial ship crews are often unprepared for cyberattacks due to inadequate, generic training, despite rising threats like GPS spoofing and ransomware. Because ships must handle incidents independently at sea, researchers recommend more practical, maritime-specific training, stronger onboard response plans, unified global cybersecurity regulations, and increased investment in ship-focused cyber research. These steps are critical to protecting maritime operations, which carry over 90% of global trade.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research from the Georgia Institute of Technology shows that commercial ship crews are often unprepared for cyberattacks due to inadequate, generic training, despite rising threats like GPS spoofing and ransomware."}],"uid":"36253","created_gmt":"2026-03-25 16:47:20","changed_gmt":"2026-03-25 18:01:30","author":"John Popham","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679738":{"id":"679738","type":"image","title":"Cyber Navy","body":null,"created":"1774461240","gmt_created":"2026-03-25 17:54:00","changed":"1774461240","gmt_changed":"2026-03-25 17:54:00","alt":"A graphic of a boat sailing across the globe with a cyber shield at its front. ","file":{"fid":"263933","name":"AdobeStock_1936842040.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/25\/AdobeStock_1936842040.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/25\/AdobeStock_1936842040.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":50518,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/25\/AdobeStock_1936842040.jpeg?itok=CQWC0YmI"}}},"media_ids":["679738"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"660367","name":"School of Cybersecurity and Privacy"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Popham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Officer II\u0026nbsp;School of Cybersecurity and Privacy\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jpopham3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689178":{"#nid":"689178","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Recognizes Excellence with 2026 Institute Research Awards","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has announced the recipients of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/institute-research-awards\/2026\u0022\u003E2026 Institute Research Awards\u003C\/a\u003E, honoring faculty, staff, and research teams whose work has made significant scientific, technological, and societal impact. Presented by the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research, the awards recognize excellence across six categories spanning innovation, mentorship, collaboration, engagement, and research program development and impact. This year\u2019s honorees reflect the breadth of Georgia Tech\u2019s research enterprise \u2014 from foundational discovery to commercialization and community partnerships \u2014 and will be recognized at the Faculty and Staff Honors Luncheon on April 24.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44908\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has announced the recipients of the 2026 Institute Research Awards, recognizing faculty, staff, and research teams for excellence in innovation, mentorship, collaboration, and research impact across the Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech has named the 2026 Institute Research Award recipients, recognizing faculty, staff, and research teams whose work advances innovation, mentorship, collaboration, and societal impact across the Institute\u2019s research enterprise."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-03-25 14:09:24","changed_gmt":"2026-03-25 17:36:38","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679734":{"id":"679734","type":"image","title":"research-awards-2026-thumb.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003E2026 Institute Research Award Winners\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774447779","gmt_created":"2026-03-25 14:09:39","changed":"1774447779","gmt_changed":"2026-03-25 14:09:39","alt":"Banner graphic with a gold star trophy and the text \u201cInstitute Research Award Winners 2026.\u201d","file":{"fid":"263929","name":"research-awards-2026-thumb.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/25\/research-awards-2026-thumb.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/25\/research-awards-2026-thumb.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1526793,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/25\/research-awards-2026-thumb.png?itok=986wY4bh"}}},"media_ids":["679734"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688969":{"#nid":"688969","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Turning Carbon Into Chemistry","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe building blocks of proteins, amino acids are essential for all living things. Twenty different amino acids build the thousands of proteins that carry out biological tasks. While some are made naturally in our bodies, others are absorbed through the food we eat.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAmino acids also play a critical role commercially where they are manufactured and added to pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, cosmetics, animal feeds, and industrial chemicals \u2014 an energy-intensive process leading to greenhouse gas emissions, resource consumption, and pollution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA landmark new system developed at Georgia Tech could lead to an alternative: a commercially scalable, environmentally sustainable method for amino acid production that is carbon negative, using more carbon than it emits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe breakthrough builds on\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-carbon-negative-method-produce-essential-amino-acids\u0022\u003Ea method that the team pioneered\u003C\/a\u003E in 2024 and solves a key issue \u2013 increasing efficiency to an unprecedented 97% and reducing the bioprocess cost by over 40%.\u0026nbsp;It\u2019s\u0026nbsp;the highest reported conversion of CO2 equivalents into amino acids using any synthetic biology system to date.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPublished in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EACS Synthetic Biology,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethe study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acssynbio.5c00352\u0022\u003ECell-Free-Based Thermophilic Biocatalyst for the Synthesis of Amino Acids From One-Carbon Feedstocks\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/catalog.gatech.edu\/programs\/bioengineering-phd\/\u0022\u003EBioengineering\u003C\/a\u003E Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERay Westenberg\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/peralta-yahya.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProfessor Pamela Peralta-Yahya\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, who holds joint appointments in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. The team also included\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EShaafique Chowdhury\u003C\/strong\u003E (Ph.D. ChBE 25) and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKimberly Wennerholm\u003C\/strong\u003E (ChBE 23)\u003Cstrong\u003E;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ealongside\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washington.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Washington\u003C\/a\u003E collaborators\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chainreaction.anl.gov\/ryan-cardiff\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERyan Cardiff\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, then a Ph.D. student and now a Chain Reaction Innovations Fellow at Argonne National Laboratory, and Charles W. H. Matthaei Endowed Professor in Chemical Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cheme.washington.edu\/facultyfinder\/james-carothers\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames M. Carothers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E; in addition to\u0026nbsp;Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Synthetic Biology Team Leader\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnnl.gov\/people\/alex-beliaev\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlexander S. Beliaev\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022This work shifts the narrative from simply reducing carbon emissions to actually consuming them to create value,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;Peralta-Yahya.\u0026nbsp;\u201cWe are taking low-cost carbon sources and building essential ingredients in a truly carbon-negative process that is efficient, effective, and scalable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHeat-Loving Organisms\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe work builds on the cell-free technology the team used in their earlier study. \u201cPreviously, we discovered that a system that uses the machinery of cells, without using actual living cells, could be used to create amino acids from carbon dioxide,\u201d Peralta-Yahya explains. \u201cBut to create a commercially viable system, we needed to increase the system\u2019s efficiency and reduce the cost.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team discovered that bits of leftover cells were consuming starting materials, and \u2014 like a machine with unnecessary gears or parts \u2014 this limited the system\u2019s efficiency. To optimize their \u201cmachine,\u201d the team would need to remove the extra background machinery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022Leftover cell parts were using key resources without helping produce the amino acids we were looking for,\u201d says Peralta-Yahya. \u201cWe knew that heating the system could be one way to purify it because heat can denature these components.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe challenge was in how to protect the essential system components from the high temperatures, she adds. \u201cWe wondered if introducing enzymes produced by a heat-loving bacterium,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EMoorella thermoacetica,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Emight protect our system, while still allowing us to denature and remove that inefficient background machinery.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe results were astounding: after introducing the enzymes, heating and \u201ccleaning\u201d the system, and letting it cool to room temperature, synthesis of the amino acids serine and glycine leaped to 97% yield \u2014 nearly three times that of the team\u2019s previous system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScaling for Sustainability\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo make the system viable for large-scale use, the team also needed to reduce costs. \u201cOne of the most costly components in this system is the cofactor tetrahydrofolate (THF),\u201d Peralta-Yahya shares. \u201cReducing the amount of THF needed to start the process was one way to make the system more inexpensive and ultimately more commercially viable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBy linking reaction steps so waste from one step fueled the next, the team devised a method to recycle THF within the system that reduces the amount of THF needed by five-fold \u2014 lowering bioprocessing costs by 42%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis decrease in cost and increase in yield is a critical step forward in creating a method with real potential for use in industry and manufacturing,\u201d Peralta-Yahya says. \u201cThis system could pave the way for moving this carbon-negative technology out of the lab and onto the continuous, industrial scale.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: The Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy (ARPA-E); U.S. Department of Energy; and the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research Program.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/acssynbio.5c00352\u0022 title=\u0022DOI URL\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/acssynbio.5c00352\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed a breakthrough system to manufacture valuable amino acids. It\u2019s the most efficient system of its kind \u2014 and removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers have developed a breakthrough system to manufacture valuable amino acids. It\u2019s the most efficient system of its kind \u2014 and removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-03-17 16:04:13","changed_gmt":"2026-03-25 14:16:42","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679657":{"id":"679657","type":"image","title":"Amino Acids","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn illustration of a chain of amino acids forming a protein (Credit: Adobe Stock)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773763467","gmt_created":"2026-03-17 16:04:27","changed":"1773763467","gmt_changed":"2026-03-17 16:04:27","alt":"Blue and orange spirals against a light blue background.","file":{"fid":"263840","name":"AdobeStock_421110334_Preview.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/17\/AdobeStock_421110334_Preview.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/17\/AdobeStock_421110334_Preview.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":483310,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/17\/AdobeStock_421110334_Preview.jpeg?itok=nVtDwueb"}}},"media_ids":["679657"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"660370","name":"Space"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689154":{"#nid":"689154","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Create First AI for Generative Polymer Design","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe words on this page mean something because they are assembled in a particular order and follow the complex rules of grammar and syntax. Creating new chemical polymers follows a similar kind of structure, with rules about what elements and groups of atoms go together and how to assemble them to make sense.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThinking about polymers in that way has led Georgia Tech materials scientists to create new generative artificial intelligence tools that are like Claude or ChatGPT for new materials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese are the first foundational models for generative polymer design that have also been validated through physical experiments: users specify the properties they need in a polymer and the model will suggest a chemical structure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELed by Regents\u2019 Entrepreneur \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mse.gatech.edu\/people\/rampi-ramprasad\u0022\u003ERampi Ramprasad\u003C\/a\u003E, the researchers \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s44387-026-00087-1\u0022\u003Edescribed their latest model this month in the Nature journal \u003Cem\u003Enpj Artificial Intelligence\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 including a test material they created and validated in the lab to prove the models work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/03\/researchers-create-first-ai-generative-polymer-design\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full story on the College of Engineering website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBy training a model on the allowed \u201cwords\u201d and \u201cgrammar\u201d of chemistry, Georgia Tech materials scientists can design polymers based on the properties users need.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"By training a model on the allowed \u201cwords\u201d and \u201cgrammar\u201d of chemistry, Georgia Tech materials scientists can design polymers based on the properties users need."}],"uid":"27446","created_gmt":"2026-03-24 16:32:52","changed_gmt":"2026-03-24 16:35:38","author":"Joshua Stewart","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679723":{"id":"679723","type":"image","title":"polymer-generative-AI-Rampi-Ramprasad-6206-t_0.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have created a chemical language AI model to generate new polymer structures based on the properties those polymers need to exhibit. Led by Rampi Ramprasad, standing, the team included postdoctoral scholar Wei Xiong, Ph.D. student Anagha Savit, and research scientist Harikrishna Sahu, who are seated left to right. (Photo: Candler Hobbs)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774369988","gmt_created":"2026-03-24 16:33:08","changed":"1774374861","gmt_changed":"2026-03-24 17:54:21","alt":"Rampi Ramprasad and three members of his research team discuss their AI model for generative polymer design in his office.","file":{"fid":"263918","name":"polymer-generative-AI-Rampi-Ramprasad-6206-t_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/24\/polymer-generative-AI-Rampi-Ramprasad-6206-t_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/24\/polymer-generative-AI-Rampi-Ramprasad-6206-t_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":960941,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/24\/polymer-generative-AI-Rampi-Ramprasad-6206-t_0.jpg?itok=LpeWtDrh"}}},"media_ids":["679723"],"groups":[{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"193176","name":"Rampi Ramprasad"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187023","name":"go-data"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jstewart@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJoshua Stewart\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jstewart@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689007":{"#nid":"689007","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Mobile App Turns Phones into At-Home Fetal Heart Monitors","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new mobile app will soon put the ability to monitor a baby\u2019s prenatal heartbeat in the hands of pregnant women who may worry about their baby\u2019s health in between doctor\u2019s visits.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudies show that one in five pregnant women experiences \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/perinatal-anxiety-one-in-five-women-experience-it-but-many-still-suffer-alone-before-or-after-childbirth-133667\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eperinatal anxiety\u003C\/a\u003E, which is characterized by intense negative thoughts about their pregnancy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDopFone turns any smartphone speaker into a Doppler radar by emitting a low-pitched ultrasound and detecting reflected signals of abdominal surface vibrations caused by a fetal heartbeat.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.alexandertadams.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlex Adams\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing, said he came up with the idea for DopFone as he and his wife, Elise, experienced two miscarriages. At the time, she couldn\u2019t reliably measure the fetal heart rate with a standard fetal Doppler monitor.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose experiences exposed gaps in the maternal healthcare process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are a lot of great devices in hospitals and clinics, but there\u2019s not much outside of those venues, even for high-risk pregnancies,\u201d Adams said. \u201cThis is about filling the gaps between checkups.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.poojitagarg.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPoojita Garg\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E joined Adams to work on DopFone while completing her master\u2019s degree at Georgia Tech. She is now pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Washington and is co-advised by Professor Swetak Patel, who earned his Ph.D. from Georgia Tech in 2008.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarg is working with the University of Washington School of Medicine to conduct DopFone\u2019s first clinical trials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarg tested DopFone on 23 patients and achieved a plus-minus of 4.9 beats per minute, well within the clinical standard range of eight beats per minute for reliable fetal heart rate measurement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdams said it measured within two beats per minute in most cases, with an error rate of less than one percent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAbout one million pregnancies in the U.S. end in miscarriage, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medicine.yale.edu\/news-article\/dr-harvey-kliman-study-finds-the-placenta-holds-answers-to-many-unexplained-pregnancy-losses\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eaccording to a study from the Yale School of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E, and doctors know little about what causes them. Adams said that number is probably higher because many go unreported.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdams and Garg said it\u2019s unclear whether the innovation could reduce the number of miscarriages. However, consistent fetal heart rate data collection outside of the doctor\u2019s office could provide a better idea of what happens leading up to a miscarriage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom there, we can take preventative action,\u201d Adams said. \u201cIf nothing else, we can give a sense of comfort to those who may be worried.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding Access\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile couples can purchase portable fetal heart rate monitors, Adams and Garg see DopFone as a low-cost alternative for those who live in areas with limited or inaccessible healthcare systems.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of potential for using it in what doctors like to call maternity deserts,\u201d Garg said. \u201cThese are areas where a pregnant person, at the time of delivery, would have to travel long distances to reach a hospital. This technology will be useful globally in underdeveloped areas of the world.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also mentioned that external add-ons and attachments aren\u2019t part of their design goals. They prefer to rely on the phone\u2019s built-in features to keep the technology accessible.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe real value is that 96% of America already has the technology in their pocket, along with 60% of the world\u2019s population,\u201d Adams said. \u201cHalf of the battle is having the right tools. The more we can get from what\u2019s already in the phone, the more we can guarantee people have access to it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENot a Substitute\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome patients may feel a constant need to check their unborn child\u2019s heart rate, and Garg acknowledged that a tool like DopFone could increase that anxiety. She and Adams said a future version of the app will tell the parent if the heart rate is within a healthy range.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of tradeoffs between a tool that could provide reassurance or create anxiety,\u201d she said. \u201cWe want the use of this tool to be recommended by a doctor and for doctors and their care teams to be kept in the loop.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe also said DopFone is not meant to replace anything that is done in a clinic.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are devices that make the whole process possible at home, but this is something that should be done in a clinic, so that\u2019s the line we want to draw,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDopFone uses smartphone speakers to emit a low-pitched ultrasound that detects reflected signals of abdominal surface vibrations caused by fetal cardiac activity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.alexandertadams.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlex Adams\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing, said he came up with the idea for DopFone as he and his wife, Elise, suffered through two miscarriages.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.poojitagarg.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPoojita Garg\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E joined Adams to work on DopFone while completing her master\u2019s at Georgia Tech. She is now pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Washington and is co-advised by Professor Swetak Patel, who earned his Ph.D. from Georgia Tech in 2008.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarg is working with the University of Washington School of Medicine to conduct DopFone\u2019s first clinical trials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarg tested DopFone on 23 patients and achieved a plus-minus of 4.9 beats per minute, well within the clinical standard for reliable fetal heart rate measurement of plus-minus 8 beats per minute.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new app will allow pregnant women to conduct an ultrasound and receive an accurate fetal heart rate from their mobile phones."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-03-18 13:23:19","changed_gmt":"2026-03-23 13:16:06","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679666":{"id":"679666","type":"image","title":"DopFone-PR-Photo-with-blur.jpg","body":null,"created":"1773840209","gmt_created":"2026-03-18 13:23:29","changed":"1773840209","gmt_changed":"2026-03-18 13:23:29","alt":"Woman holds mobile phone to the belly of a pregnant woman","file":{"fid":"263850","name":"DopFone-PR-Photo-with-blur.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/DopFone-PR-Photo-with-blur.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/DopFone-PR-Photo-with-blur.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":113510,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/18\/DopFone-PR-Photo-with-blur.jpg?itok=A5qhfUr7"}}},"media_ids":["679666"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"181431","name":"maternal"},{"id":"7677","name":"ultrasound"},{"id":"34741","name":"mobile app"},{"id":"29561","name":"pregnancy"},{"id":"190383","name":"pregnant women"},{"id":"168908","name":"smartphone"},{"id":"188420","name":"babies"},{"id":"178046","name":"fetal monitoring"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688801":{"#nid":"688801","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Energy Day: Meeting AI\u2019s Growing Energy Demands","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\u0022\u003EEnergy Day\u003C\/a\u003E returns this year on March 19 with an expanded focus and a new collaborative momentum. Cohosted by the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute for Matter and\u0026nbsp;Systems\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IMS) and the \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(SEI) \u003C\/strong\u003Ewith plenary session support from the\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E, Energy Day 2026 convenes leaders from academia, industry, government, and students to address the challenges associated with meeting the rapidly growing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESet in the heart of Tech Square on the Georgia Tech campus, this year\u2019s event explores how energy systems, materials, technologies, supply chains, and policy must evolve in response to AI\u2019s accelerating impact. As digital infrastructure expands and computation intensifies, the need for reliable, resilient, and sustainable power has never been more urgent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEnergy Day reflects Georgia Tech\u2019s strength in connecting world-class research in materials and components with the infrastructure and partnerships needed to translate discovery into scalable energy technologies that serve industry, society, and the future economy,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/people\/eric-vogel\u0022\u003EEric Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of the IMS and the Hightower Professor in Materials Science and Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnergy Day 2026 also marks an important milestone with the introduction of its first group of corporate sponsors:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gevernova.com\/\u0022\u003EGE Vernova\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.southerncompany.com\/\u0022\u003ESouthern Company\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.georgiapower.com\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Power\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/corporate.exxonmobil.com\/\u0022\u003EExxonMobil\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/southwirespark.com\/\u0022\u003ESouthwire Spark\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E, \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/gems-setra\/\u0022\u003EGems Setra\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E, \u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.tek.com\/en\u0022\u003ETektronix\u003C\/a\u003E. Their support reflects a shared commitment to advancing energy solutions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTektronix is excited to be part of Energy Day because advancing the future of energy starts with precise measurement and trusted insights,\u201d said Christopher Bohn, president of Tektronix. \u201cFrom power electronics and high voltage systems to grid scale renewables and AI driven control technologies, the breakthroughs discussed here directly align with the innovations we support through our products and solutions. Collaborating with Georgia Tech allows us to engage early with emerging research and the next generation of engineers\u2014critical collaborators in building a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient energy ecosystem.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe keynote address will be delivered by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/vanessazchan\/\u0022\u003EVanessa Z. Chan\u003C\/a\u003E, a nationally recognized leader at the intersection of\u0026nbsp;innovation, commercialization, and emerging technologies. Chan will provide insights on accelerating technological discovery, emphasizing how AI is transforming energy and materials design. She will discuss how commercialization strategies must rapidly evolve across multidisciplinary energy domains from grid modernization to advanced batteries and clean manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBuilding on the themes introduced in the keynote, the program transitions into a fireside chat with Georgia Tech EVPR\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/leadership\u0022\u003ETim Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E featuring\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kulkarniam\/\u0022\u003EAmit Kulkarni\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/james-jim-walsh\/\u0022\u003EJim Walsh\u003C\/a\u003E. Kulkarni is vice president of Product Management and Strategy for the Gas Power business within GE Vernova, where he oversees the world\u2019s largest portfolio of power generation equipment. Walsh, vice president of GE Vernova\u2019s Consulting Services, leads teams providing innovative solutions across the full spectrum of power generation, delivery, and utilization.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENext comes a policy-focused panel that will explore the surge in power demand driven by AI, how the United States is addressing today\u2019s most urgent energy challenges, and the long-term implications of today\u2019s decisions for a sustainable energy future. Bringing together leading voices in U.S. environmental and energy policy, the panel features\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/joseph-aldy-0794942\/\u0022\u003EJoe Aldy\u003C\/a\u003E of Harvard University and former special assistant to the president for Energy and Environment;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/al-mcgartland-161689a\/\u0022\u003EAl McGartland\u003C\/a\u003E of New York University\u2019s Institute for Policy Integrity and former Environmental Protection Agency lead economist and director of the National Center for Environmental Economics; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kevinrennert\/\u0022\u003EKevin Rennert\u003C\/a\u003E, fellow and director of the Comprehensive Climate Strategies Program at Resources for the Future and former staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second panel focuses on critical materials \u2014 the foundation of advanced energy systems and digital technologies. As AI, data centers, and advanced energy technologies drive demand for critical materials, securing them now requires integration and coordination across the entire value chain. Panelists include \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/people\/rachel-galloway\u0022 id=\u0022menur1su2\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/people\/rachel-galloway\u0022\u003ERachel Galloway\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;British consul general in Atlanta;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/vijaymurugesan\/\u0022\u003EVijay Murugesan\u003C\/a\u003E, head of Materials Intelligence and Digital Innovation at Amazon; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/colinspellmeyer\/?utm_source=share_via\u0026amp;utm_content=profile\u0026amp;utm_medium=member_ios\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/colinspellmeyer\/?utm_source=share_via\u0026amp;utm_content=profile\u0026amp;utm_medium=member_ios\u0022\u003EColin Spellmeyer\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;executive strategic sourcing leader at GE Vernova; \u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/charles-sims\/\u0022\u003ECharles Sims\u003C\/a\u003E, Tennessee Valley Authority Distinguished Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy at the University of Tennessee; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/nnnyeboah\/\u0022 id=\u0022menur1sua\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/nnnyeboah\/\u0022\u003ENortey Yeboah\u003C\/a\u003E, principal engineer at Southern Company. Together, they will offer perspectives on the policy and economic frameworks shaping the energy supply chain, from developing raw resources to manufacturing the technologies essential to future energy systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the afternoon, participants can dive deeper into specialized topics through three focused technical tracks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\/track1_meet_demand_for_power\u0022\u003EMeeting the Demand for Power\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d will examine how emerging technologies, advanced nuclear systems, and renewable integration can work together to deliver reliable, resilient electricity.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\/track2-data-center-infrastructure-and-resources\u0022\u003EData Center Infrastructure and Resources\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d will explore innovations in thermal management technologies, energy-efficient computing, and the broader resource impacts of expanding digital infrastructure.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\/track3-grid-technologies-and-markets\u0022\u003EGrid Technologies and Markets\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d will highlight strategies for strengthening grid capacity, incorporating demand-side management, and optimizing carbon performance as energy systems evolve.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMeeting the rapidly rising electricity demand driven by AI requires bold ideas, coordinated action, and research that moves at the speed of innovation,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of the SEI. \u201cEnergy Day 2026 brings together the people and expertise needed to shape resilient, sustainable energy systems for the future. At Georgia Tech, we see this event as a catalyst for new partnerships, new solutions, and a shared commitment to strengthening the nation\u2019s energy foundation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnergy Day 2026 is designed for researchers advancing emerging energy technologies, policymakers navigating shifting regulatory and geopolitical landscapes, industry professionals seeking insight into emerging tools and supply chains, and students preparing to enter one of the most consequential sectors of the decade. It also welcomes anyone interested in AI, sustainability, electrification, and critical materials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoin us to explore the future of energy. To learn more and register, visit:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\u0022 target=\u0022_new\u0022\u003EEnergy Day 2026\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\u0022\u003EEnergy Day\u003C\/a\u003E returns this year on March 19 with an expanded focus and a new collaborative momentum. Cohosted by the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute for Matter and\u0026nbsp;Systems\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IMS) and the \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(SEI) with plenary session support from the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E, Energy Day 2026 convenes leaders from academia, industry, government, and students to address the challenges associated with meeting the rapidly growing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Join us on March 19 as we explore one of the most urgent questions facing the nation: How do we power an AI\u2011driven future?"}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-03-06 20:46:52","changed_gmt":"2026-03-20 16:57:12","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679541":{"id":"679541","type":"image","title":"EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772830025","gmt_created":"2026-03-06 20:47:05","changed":"1772830025","gmt_changed":"2026-03-06 20:47:05","alt":"Georgia Tech Energy Day 2026 Header Image with three boxes showing an image of a datacenter, an electric bulb with energy sources around it and a multi-colored critical mineral ","file":{"fid":"263714","name":"EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/06\/EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/06\/EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":147447,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/06\/EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg?itok=i6baP0eA"}}},"media_ids":["679541"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"194607","name":"Batteries"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E | Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688798":{"#nid":"688798","#data":{"type":"news","title":"$8.9 Million Approved for Georgia Forestry Innovation Initiative ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia\u2019s forest industry has long been a pillar of the state\u2019s rural economy. But in recent years, mill closures and shifting markets have put pressure on landowners, workers, and entire communities, particularly in south Georgia. A recently approved $8.9 million \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatrees.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Forestry-Task-Force-Report-FINAL.pdf\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Forestry Innovation Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E will help chart a new path forward, creating more value from Georgia\u2019s abundant forest resources and expanding opportunities for the people and regions depending on them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is pleased to partner with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatrees.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Forestry Commission\u003C\/a\u003E on the approved $8.9 million Georgia Forestry Innovation Initiative included in Gov. Brian Kemp\u2019s amended FY 2026 budget. This effort aims to transform low-value wood and mill byproducts into high-value materials, strengthening Georgia\u2019s forest-based economy and supporting new commercial opportunities across the state. The initiative will establish pilot facilities and accelerate technology to business transfer in partnership with industry, with the long-term goal of enabling multiple manufacturing sites across Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe appreciate the state\u2019s investment in helping move these innovations from the lab to Georgia businesses,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2863\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECarson Meredith\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERenewable Bioproducts Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (RBI). \u201cWe also acknowledge the critical support of industry collaborators and partners like the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gfagrow.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Forestry Association\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gffgrow.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Forestry Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work builds on collaborative interdisciplinary research at Georgia Tech involving \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E Professors \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/andreas-bommarius\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndreas Bommarius\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/christopher-luettgen\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChris Luettgen\u003C\/a\u003E and Meredith; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/stefan-france\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStefan France\u003C\/a\u003E and Professor of the Practice \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/anthony-j-bo-arduengo\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EA.J. \u201cBo\u201d Arduengo\u003C\/a\u003E; and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/isye.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EH. Milton Stewart School of Industrial Systems and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/valerie-thomas\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EValerie Thomas\u003C\/a\u003E. Gary Black, RBI program manager, has also contributed to this effort. It is led by RBI\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rbi1.gatech.edu\/research\/center-for-renewables-based-economy-from-wood\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for a Renewables-Based Economy from Wood\u003C\/a\u003E (ReWOOD.) The effort reflects years of cross-disciplinary collaboration among faculty and staff committed to advancing sustainable, wood-based technologies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is pleased to partner with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatrees.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Forestry Commission\u003C\/a\u003E on the approved $8.9 million Georgia Forestry Innovation Initiative included in Gov. Brian Kemp\u2019s amended FY 2026 budget. This effort aims to transform low-value wood and mill byproducts into high-value materials, strengthening Georgia\u2019s forest-based economy and supporting new commercial opportunities across the state.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech is pleased to partner with the Georgia Forestry Commission on the approved $8.9 million Georgia Forestry Innovation Initiative included in Gov. Brian Kemp\u2019s amended FY 2026 budget. "}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-03-06 17:18:30","changed_gmt":"2026-03-20 13:02:58","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679569":{"id":"679569","type":"image","title":"georgia-forest.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is pleased to partner with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatrees.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Forestry Commission\u003C\/a\u003E on the approved $8.9 million Georgia Forestry Innovation Initiative included in Gov. Brian Kemp\u2019s amended FY 2026 budget.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773166846","gmt_created":"2026-03-10 18:20:46","changed":"1773166846","gmt_changed":"2026-03-10 18:20:46","alt":"Tall pine trees in a sunlit forest with dense green grasses and undergrowth covering the forest floor.","file":{"fid":"263745","name":"georgia-forest.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/10\/georgia-forest.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/10\/georgia-forest.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1769985,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/10\/georgia-forest.jpeg?itok=tKeLvrC4"}}},"media_ids":["679569"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EJennifer Martin\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jennifer.martin@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ejennifer.martin@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688391":{"#nid":"688391","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Robot Pollinator Could Produce More, Better Crops for Indoor Farms","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new robot could solve one of the biggest challenges facing indoor farmers: manual pollination.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIndoor farms, also known as vertical farms, are popular among agricultural researchers and are expanding across the agricultural industry. Some benefits they have over outdoor farms include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYear-round production of food crops\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELess water and land requirements\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENot needing pesticides\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EReducing carbon emissions from shipping\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EReducing food waste\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agritecture.com\/blog\/2021\/7\/20\/5-ways-vertical-farming-is-improving-nutrition\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Esome studies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E indicate that indoor farms produce more nutritious food for urban communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, these farms are often inaccessible to birds, bees, and other natural pollinators, leaving the pollination process to humans. The tedious process must be completed by hand for each flower to ensure the indoor crop flourishes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/ai-ping-hu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAi-Ping Hu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a principal research engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), has spent years exploring methods to efficiently pollinate flowering plants and food crops in indoor farms to find a way to efficiently pollinate flower plants and food crops in indoor farms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHu,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/shreyas-kousik\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAssistant Professor Shreyas Kousik of the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and a rotating group of student interns have developed a robot prototype that may be up to the task.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe robot can efficiently pollinate plants that have both male and female reproductive parts. These plants only require pollen to be transferred from one part to the other rather than externally from another flower.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENatural pollinators perform this task outdoors, but Hu said indoor farmers often use a paintbrush or electric tootbrush to ensure these flowers are pollinated.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKnowing the Pose\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn early challenge the research team addressed was teaching the robot to identify the \u201cpose\u201d of each flower. Pose refers to a flower\u2019s orientation, shape, and symmetry. Knowing these details ensures precise delivery of the pollen to maximize reproductive success.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s crucial to know exactly which way the flowers are facing,\u201d Hu said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou want to approach the flower from the front because that\u2019s where all the biological structures are. Knowing the pose tells you where the stem is. Our device grasps the stem and shakes it to dislodge the pollen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEvery flower is going to have its own pose, and you need to know what that is within at least 10 degrees.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EComputer Vision Breakthrough\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHarsh Muriki\u003C\/strong\u003E is a robotics master\u2019s student at Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing, who used computer vision to solve the pose problem while interning for Hu and GTRI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMuriki attached a camera to a FarmBot to capture images of strawberry plants from dozens of angles in a small garden in front of Georgia Tech\u2019s Food Processing Technology Building. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/farm.bot\/?srsltid=AfmBOoqh1Z8vSs3WflZisgw5DsOUSo8shD4VtY0Y8_VmVpVyt0Iwalxo\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFarmBot\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is an XYZ-axis robot that waters and sprays pesticides on outdoor gardens, though it is not capable of pollination.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe reconstruct the images of the flower into a 3D model and use a technique that converts the 3D model into multiple 2D images with depth information,\u201d Muriki said. \u201cThis enables us to send them to object detectors.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMuriki said he used a real-time object detection system called YOLO (You Only Look Once) to classify objects. YOLO is known for identifying and classifying objects in a single pass.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVed Sengupta\u003C\/strong\u003E, a computer engineering major who interned with Muriki, fine-tuned the algorithms that converted 3D images into 2D.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis was a crucial part of making robot pollination possible,\u201d Sengupta said. \u201cThere is a big gap between 3D and 2D image processing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s not a lot of data on the internet for 3D object detection, but there\u2019s a ton for 2D. We were able to get great results from the converted images, and I think any sector of technology can take advantage of that.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESengupta, Muriki, and Hu co-authored a paper about their work that was accepted to the 2025 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in Atlanta.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeasuring Success\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe pollination robot, built in Kousik\u2019s Safe Robotics Lab, is now in the prototype phase.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHu said the robot can do more than pollinate. It can also analyze each flower to determine how well it was pollinated and whether the chances for reproduction are high.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt has an additional capability of microscopic inspection,\u201d Hu said. \u201cIt\u2019s the first device we know of that provides visual feedback on how well a flower was pollinated.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about the robot, visit the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/saferoboticslab.me.gatech.edu\/research\/towards-robotic-pollination\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESafe Robotics Lab project page\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EManual pollination is one of the biggest challenges for indoor farmers. These farms are often inaccessible to birds, bees, and other natural pollinators, leaving the pollination process to humans. The tedious process must be completed by hand for each flower to ensure the indoor crop flourishes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech research led by Ai-Ping Hu and Shreyas Kousik team is working to solve that. A robot they\u0027ve developed can efficiently pollinate plants that have both male and female reproductive parts. These plants only require pollen to be transferred from one part to the other rather than externally from another flower.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A research team that expands GTRI, the College of Engineering, and the College of Computing have developed a robot capable of pollinating flowers in indoor farms."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-02-19 18:58:12","changed_gmt":"2026-03-20 12:54:01","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679370":{"id":"679370","type":"image","title":"Harsh-Muriki_86A0006.jpg","body":null,"created":"1771527500","gmt_created":"2026-02-19 18:58:20","changed":"1771527500","gmt_changed":"2026-02-19 18:58:20","alt":"Harsh Muriki","file":{"fid":"263520","name":"Harsh-Muriki_86A0006.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/19\/Harsh-Muriki_86A0006.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/19\/Harsh-Muriki_86A0006.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":140654,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/19\/Harsh-Muriki_86A0006.jpg?itok=rd0rv1Yt"}}},"media_ids":["679370"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187991","name":"go-robotics"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"11506","name":"computer vision"},{"id":"180840","name":"computer vision systems"},{"id":"669","name":"agriculture"},{"id":"194392","name":"AI in Agriculture"},{"id":"170254","name":"urban gardening"},{"id":"94111","name":"farming"},{"id":"14913","name":"urban farming"},{"id":"23911","name":"bees"},{"id":"6660","name":"flowers"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ndeen6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ENathan Deen\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Computing\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688487":{"#nid":"688487","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Study Could Show How TikTok\u2019s Algorithm Affects Youth Mental Health","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2026-02-18\/mark-zuckerberg-tesimony-la-social-media-trial?utm_source=chatgpt.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Etook the witness stand\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court to defend his company from accusations that social media harms children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA lawsuit filed by a 20-year-old plaintiff alleges Instagram and other social media apps are designed to make young users addicted to their platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, social media experts believe the algorithms that drive content on these platforms play a role in hooking users and keeping them scrolling for extensive periods of time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new study led by Georgia Tech might confirm this suspicion.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing recently acquired data from more than 10,000 adolescent users,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.munmund.net\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMunmun De Choudhury\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E will audit TikTok\u2019s recommendation algorithm and study its impact on young people\u2019s behavior and mental health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDe Choudhury is leading a multi-institutional research team on a four-year, $1.7 million grant from the Huo Family Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe hope to learn the different types of negative exposures that young people experience when using TikTok,\u201d De Choudhury said. \u201cThis can help us characterize what they\u2019re watching and build computational methods to understand the consumption behaviors of these participants and how they\u2019re affected by the algorithm.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDe Choudhury, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing, is collaborating with Amy Orben, a professor at the University of Cambridge, and Homa Hosseinmardi, an assistant professor at UCLA, on the project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESocial media platforms have become increasingly reluctant to share their data in recent years, posing a challenge for researchers like De Choudhury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe can\u2019t do the type of studies we did 10 years ago with X (formerly Twitter) because the API is much more restrictive,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are limited ways to programmatically access people\u2019s data now.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe must go through a tedious, manual process to get around declining access to social media data. This data-gathering process is essential given the sensitive nature of mental health research. You want data that is shared with consent.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrben collected TikTok data from more than 10,000 young people in the UK who consented to provide their personal data archives in accordance with the European Union\u2019s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe collected data includes watch histories, which De Choudhury said distinguishes this research from other social media studies that focus on what users post.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe don\u2019t understand passive social media consumption very well, so we hope to close that gap and learn what that looks like,\u201d she said. \u201cThat could complement or contrast what we know about people\u2019s active engagement on these platforms. Is what they\u2019re consuming directly related to what they\u2019re posting? How does passive consumption affect young people\u2019s mental health?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA clearer picture of how algorithm-based content affects young people could result in design interventions to minimize negative effects. De Choudhury said studying data from young people is critical because it\u2019s not too late to steer them away from unhealthy behavioral patterns.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSome of the earliest signs or symptoms of mental health conditions appear in adolescence,\u201d she said. \u201cIf appropriate care and support are provided, maybe it\u2019s possible to prevent these symptoms from becoming full-blown in the future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBeyond TikTok\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat the research team learns about TikTok could also provide broader insight into other social media platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETikTok has been influential in how social media platforms display video content. Competitors like Instagram and X modeled their video presentation after TikTok\u2019s, which can easily lead to doomscrolling.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur hope is that our findings can be generalized, with the caveat the data we have is exclusively from TikTok,\u201d De Choudhury said. \u201cOther platforms have similar video-sharing and consumption features where the video automatically plays from one to the next. We hope what we learn from TikTok will be applicable to people\u2019s activities elsewhere, though it will require future work beyond this project to draw concrete conclusions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESimulating Feeds with AI\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDe Choudhury said an additional part of the study will be using artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate video feeds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2024, Hosseinmardi led a study at the University of Pennsylvania on YouTube\u2019s recommendation algorithm and used bots that either followed or ignored the recommendations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDe Choudhury said they will use a similar method for TikTok.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe feeds will be realistic but generated by AI to see the potential pathways to consumption rabbit holes,\u201d she said. \u201cThis should give us some insight into how algorithms influence the negative and positive exposures people might be having on TikTok.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFoundation Expands Reach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBased in the UK and established in 2009, the Huo Family Foundation supports community education initiatives in the UK, the U.S., and China.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe organization announced in January its launch of the Huo Family Foundation Science Programme.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/huofamilyfoundation.org\/news\/updates\/huo-family-foundation-awards-17-6m-for-groundbreaking-research\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe new program is committing $17.6 million to fund 20 new multi-year research grants\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E that explore the impact of digital technology on the brain development, social behavior, and mental health of young people.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDigital technology is profoundly shaping childhood and young adulthood, yet there is limited causal evidence of its effects,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said Yan Huo, founder of the Huo Family Foundation, in a press release.\u0026nbsp;\u201cWe are proud to support exceptional researchers advancing vital scientific understanding.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELed by Georgia Tech professor Munmun De Choudhury, a multi-institutional research team is launching a $1.7 million study to examine how TikTok\u2019s recommendation algorithm influences the mental health of adolescent users. The project focuses on passive consumption by analyzing the watch histories of over 10,000 young participants and using AI to simulate content \u0022rabbit holes.\u0022 By identifying patterns of negative exposure, the researchers aim to develop design interventions that can steer teenagers away from unhealthy behavioral patterns and support early mental health care.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech-led research team is conducting a multi-year study using data from more than 10,000 adolescents to investigate how TikTok\u2019s recommendation algorithm and passive content consumption impact youth mental health."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-02-24 14:29:28","changed_gmt":"2026-03-20 12:52:52","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679406":{"id":"679406","type":"image","title":"208A9267-2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1771943377","gmt_created":"2026-02-24 14:29:37","changed":"1771943377","gmt_changed":"2026-02-24 14:29:37","alt":"Munmun De Choudhury","file":{"fid":"263567","name":"208A9267-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/24\/208A9267-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/24\/208A9267-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":104533,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/24\/208A9267-2.jpg?itok=3fEZjVVt"}}},"media_ids":["679406"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"167543","name":"social media"},{"id":"190947","name":"tiktok"},{"id":"10343","name":"mental health"},{"id":"10824","name":"Children And Adolescents"},{"id":"5660","name":"algorithms"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688223":{"#nid":"688223","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Department of Energy Award to Power Nuclear Research With Machine Learning","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe future of clean energy depends on algorithms as much as it does atoms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/people\/qi-tang\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQi Tang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is building machine learning (ML) models to accelerate nuclear fusion research, making it more affordable and more accurate. Backed by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Tang\u2019s work brings clean, sustainable energy closer to reality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang has received an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/early-career\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEarly Career Research Program (ECRP) award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E from the DOE Office of Science. The grant supports Tang with $875,000 disbursed over five years to craft ML and data processing tools that help scientists analyze massive datasets from nuclear experiments and simulations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is the first faculty member from Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Computing and School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) to receive the ECRP. He is the seventh Georgia Tech researcher to earn the award and the only GT awardee among this year\u2019s 99 recipients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore than a milestone, the award reflects a shift in how nuclear research is done. Today, progress depends on computing and data science as much as on physics and engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am honored and excited to receive the ECRP award through DOE\u2019s Advanced Scientific Computing Research program, an organization I care about deeply,\u201d said Tang, an assistant professor in the School of CSE.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am grateful to my former colleagues at Los Alamos National Laboratory and collaborators at other national laboratories, including Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, and Argonne. I am also thankful for my Ph.D. students at Georgia Tech, whose dedication and creativity make this award possible.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[Related:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-faculty-applies-high-performance-computing-scientific-machine-learning-interests-studies\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew Faculty Applies High-Performance Computing, Scientific Machine Learning Interests to Studies in Plasma Physics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA problem in nuclear research is that fusion simulations are challenging to understand and use. These simulations generate enormous datasets that are too large to store, move, and analyze efficiently.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pamspublic.science.energy.gov\/WebPAMSExternal\/Interface\/Common\/ViewPublicAbstract.aspx?rv=a756f612-3409-44b8-89ea-7421bf0840e5\u0026amp;rtc=24\u0026amp;PRoleId=10\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn his ECRP proposal to DOE\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Tang introduced new ML methods to improve the analysis and storage of particle data.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang\u2019s approach balances shrinking data so it is easier to store and transfer while preserving the most important scientific features. His multiscale ML models are informed by physics, so the reduced data still reflects how fusion systems really behave.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith Tang\u2019s research, scientists can run larger, more realistic fusion models and analyze results more quickly. This accelerates progress toward practical fusion energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn contrast to generic black-box-type compression tools, we aim at preserving the intrinsic structures of the particle dataset during the data reduction processes,\u201d Tang said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTaking this approach, we can meet our goal of achieving high-fidelity preservation of critical physics with minimum loss of information.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComputing is essential in modern research because of the amount of data produced and captured from experiments and simulations. In the era of exascale supercomputers, data movement is a greater bottleneck than actual computation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDOE operates three of the world\u2019s four exascale supercomputers. These machines can calculate one quintillion (a billion billion) operations per second.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe exascale era began in 2022 with the launch of Frontier at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Aurora followed in 2023 at Argonne National Laboratory. El Capitan arrived in 2024 at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith Tang\u2019s data reduction approaches, all of DOE\u2019s supercomputers spend more time on science and less time waiting for data transfers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cQi\u2019s work in computational plasma physics and nuclear fusion modeling has been groundbreaking,\u201d said \u003Cstrong\u003EHaesun Park\u003C\/strong\u003E, Regents\u2019 Professor and Chair of the School of CSE.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are proud of Qi and what this award means for him, Georgia Tech, and the Department of Energy toward leveraging computation to solve challenges in science and engineering, such as sustainable energy.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch6\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrevious Georgia Tech recipients of DOE Early Career Research Program awards include:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/26\/doe-recognizes-georgia-tech-researchers-prestigious-early-career-awards\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EItamar Kimchi\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor, School of Physics\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/26\/doe-recognizes-georgia-tech-researchers-prestigious-early-career-awards\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESourabh Saha\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/wenjing-liao-awarded-doe-early-career-award-model-simplification-deep-learning\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWenjing Lao\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor, School of Mathematics\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/news\/2018\/06\/professor-lively-receives-does-early-career-award\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERyan Lively\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Thomas C. DeLoach Professor, School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/josh-kacher\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJosh Kacher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor, School of Materials Science and Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/khabar.com\/community-newsmakers\/devesh-ranjan-receives-early-career-award-from-u-s-department-of-energy\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevesh Ranjan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Eugene C. Gwaltney Jr. School Chair and professor, Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/people\/qi-tang\u0022\u003EQi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E is building machine learning (ML) models to accelerate nuclear fusion research, making it more affordable and more accurate. Backed by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Tang\u2019s work brings clean, sustainable energy closer to reality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang has received an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/early-career\u0022\u003EEarly Career Research Program (ECRP) award\u003C\/a\u003E from the DOE Office of Science. The grant supports Tang with $875,000 disbursed over five years to craft ML and data processing tools that help scientists analyze massive datasets from nuclear experiments and simulations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is the first faculty member from Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Computing and School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) to receive the ECRP. He is the seventh Georgia Tech researcher to earn the award and the only GT awardee among this year\u2019s 99 recipients.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u0027s Qi Tang has received an Early Career Research Program award from the Department of Energy\u0027s Office of Science. The $875,000 grant supports Tang for five years to craft ML tools that analyze data from nuclear experiments and simulations. "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-02-12 15:11:55","changed_gmt":"2026-03-20 12:52:31","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679267":{"id":"679267","type":"image","title":"Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg","body":null,"created":"1770909124","gmt_created":"2026-02-12 15:12:04","changed":"1770909124","gmt_changed":"2026-02-12 15:12:04","alt":"DOE ECRP Qi Tang","file":{"fid":"263400","name":"Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/12\/Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/12\/Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":125283,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/12\/Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg?itok=mPLUykJZ"}}},"media_ids":["679267"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/department-energy-award-power-nuclear-research-machine-learning","title":"Department of Energy Award to Power Nuclear Research with Machine Learning"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"663","name":"Department of Energy"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688648":{"#nid":"688648","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New \u2018Touchable Sound\u2019 Museum Display Makes Data More Accessible","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBlind and low vision (BLV) people may soon have access to and more easily understand scientific data in museum exhibits through new \u201ctouchable sound\u201d displays.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssociate Professor Jessica Roberts and Ph.D. student Emily Amspoker of Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing are working with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gacoast.uga.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u2019s Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant in Savannah\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Together, they\u2019ve developed a prototype display that uses sonification and texture to convey sea floor habitat information from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/graysreef.noaa.gov\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGray\u2019s Reef National Marine Sanctuary\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E off the coast of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESonification is the process of translating data points into sound.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe display functions as a map that BLV users can follow to learn about each habitat. It is made from a wooden board with laser-cut patterns engraved into the surface. Each pattern represents information about the four types of habitats found in Gray\u2019s Reef. Each pattern has a distinct sound that corresponds to a legend on the board, which provides an audio description of each habitat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe four habitats are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFlat sand \u2014 smooth sandy seafloor with little topographic variation that provides habitat for burrowing organisms such as worms, clams, and sand dollars.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERippled sand \u2014 sandy bottom shaped into small wave-like ridges by currents and wave action; supports microhabitats of small invertebrates and attracts fish feeding on buried prey.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESparse live bottom \u2014 areas of exposed hard surfaces with scattered attached organisms like sponges, corals, and algae, offering structure and shelter for reef-associated fish and invertebrates.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDense live bottom \u2014 hard-bottom reef areas with abundant attached marine life, providing high biodiversity and offering food, and breeding sites for numerous species.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy allowing learners to explore these habitats, the team hopes to emphasize the importance of protecting diverse ocean habitats.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur job was to figure out how we can use sounds and touch to represent each of the four habitat types so our visitors can explore the ocean without being able to see it,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERoberts said the project is critical to advance understanding of how science and informal learning can be more inclusive to those who have difficulty processing visual data displays.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis was particularly exciting to figure out how we could broaden accessibility to data sets because just like so much other scientific data, it\u2019s out there and available, but when it\u2019s presented to the public, it\u2019s usually in visual form,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are many open questions about how to do this well within a museum with complex scientific data. We\u2019re moving the needle on that, but there\u2019s a long way to go.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERight Combination\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmspoker and Roberts created three different versions of the prototype. One was sound-only, one was texture-only, and the other was a combination of sound and texture.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe expected the multimodal version would work best,\u201d Amspoker said. \u201cWe found people used sound and texture in different ways when interacting with it. In cases where people relied on texture, it was still difficult to tell when they crossed the barrier from one texture to another. Sound was very useful in that case.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmspoker said computer vision and an app she designed allow the technology to be deployed on any surface, whether a mobile device, a wooden board, or even a classroom floor. A camera set up above the display tracks the user\u2019s hand movements.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt figures out where you are on the board, and then our code uses the location of your finger to decide what sound should play from the computer,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat\u2019s nice about our system is it only needs a computer and a webcam, and you can use whatever materials you have on hand for the map.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding on a Legacy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERoberts said she is building on the work of a previous NSF-funded collaboration with Dr. Amy Bower, a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts who is blind.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBower lost her vision in graduate school, but because of her lifelong interest in oceanography, she set out to create ways to learn about ocean data through sound.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2021, she launched the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/accessibleoceans.whoi.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAccessible Oceans\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E project through the National Science Foundation\u2019s Advancing Informal STEM Learning program. The interdisciplinary team, including Roberts and collaborators Leslie Smith of Your Ocean Consulting and Jon Bellona of the University of Oregon, created auditory displays of sonified data for museums.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2023, the team published \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tos.org\/oceanography\/article\/expanding-access-to-ocean-science-through-inclusively-designed-data-sonifications\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ean article in \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOceanography,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E the official magazine of the Oeanography Society\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cInformal learning environments are increasingly recognizing the importance of employing multiple modalities to engage all learners and are leveraging sound to enhance visitor experience,\u201d the authors wrote.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile sonic additions of music, soundscapes, and field recordings add qualitative value, there is a need to explore the potential of sound to facilitate engagement with quantitative information. Data sonification is a promising avenue for increasing accessibility to data within the museum context.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have created a prototype \u201ctouchable sound\u201d museum exhibit that helps blind and low-vision visitors explore scientific data by combining tactile maps with sonification of seafloor habitats. The display translates information about different ocean environments into distinctive textures and sounds so users can follow a physical map of Gray\u2019s Reef National Marine Sanctuary and hear data-driven audio cues. The team hopes this multimodal approach will make complex visual data more inclusive and broaden access to informal science learning.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers have developed a prototype \u201ctouchable sound\u201d museum display that uses sonification and tactile maps to make complex scientific data about ocean habitats more accessible to blind and low-vision visitors."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-03-03 15:13:03","changed_gmt":"2026-03-20 12:52:09","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679503":{"id":"679503","type":"image","title":"2026-Jessica-Roberts-Reef-Data-Sonification-2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772550793","gmt_created":"2026-03-03 15:13:13","changed":"1772550793","gmt_changed":"2026-03-03 15:13:13","alt":"Jessica Roberts","file":{"fid":"263675","name":"2026-Jessica-Roberts-Reef-Data-Sonification-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/03\/2026-Jessica-Roberts-Reef-Data-Sonification-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/03\/2026-Jessica-Roberts-Reef-Data-Sonification-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":118705,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/03\/2026-Jessica-Roberts-Reef-Data-Sonification-2.jpg?itok=UaqIj7yh"}}},"media_ids":["679503"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"360","name":"accessibility"},{"id":"194701","name":"go-resarchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"9092","name":"museums"},{"id":"181370","name":"oceanography"},{"id":"176552","name":"data sonification"},{"id":"1102","name":"blind"},{"id":"2751","name":"visually impaired"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683928":{"#nid":"683928","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Twenty Years After Katrina: How Levee Failures Changed America","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, it wasn\u2019t just another storm \u2014 it was one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. Entire neighborhoods disappeared, families were scattered, and lives were split into \u201cbefore\u201d and \u201cafter.\u201d Nearly 20 years later, the haunting images of submerged rooftops and boat rescues remain vivid.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Surge That Shattered New Orleans\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Aug. 29, 2005, early reports claimed New Orleans had \u201cdodged the bullet.\u201d But offshore winds funneled water into the city\u2019s canals, triggering multiple catastrophic levee failures. The Lower Ninth Ward, where most fatalities occurred, was devastated as many residents, misled by comparisons to Hurricane Camille, chose not to evacuate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cKatrina\u2019s storm surge was exceptional,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/hermann-m-fritz\u0022\u003EHermann Fritz\u003C\/a\u003E, a civil engineering professor at Georgia Tech. \u201cIn some areas, we saw water levels over 27 feet\u0026nbsp;\u2014 that\u2019s like a three-story building.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile much attention focused on New Orleans\u2019 levee failures, Fritz points out that the surge\u2019s sheer height and energy would have overwhelmed even more robust defenses in some areas. \u201cKatrina showed us that nature can produce forces beyond our engineering designs,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Disaster of Inequality\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe storm didn\u2019t strike evenly; it exposed and deepened existing social and economic inequalities. \u201cThe disaster hit lower-income Black neighborhoods hardest,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/allen-hyde\u0022\u003EAllen Hyde\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor of history and sociology. He notes how years of segregation, disinvestment, and discriminatory housing policies left these communities uniquely vulnerable. Hyde continues, \u201cMany homes were in low-lying, flood-prone areas, and residents often lacked access to reliable transportation, making evacuation difficult or impossible.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia\u2019s Changing Landscape: Migration and Impact\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKatrina displaced hundreds of thousands and claimed a staggering toll of more than 1,800 lives. Georgia quickly absorbed many evacuees, reshaping its demographics and infrastructure. \u201cHurricane Katrina led to one of the largest displacements of people due to a natural disaster,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/shatakshee-dhongde\u0022\u003EShatakshee Dhongde\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor of economics. \u201cIt changed the demographics of Georgia in measurable ways, from school enrollment to the labor market.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe U.S. Census Bureau tracked this migration, noting spikes in Louisiana-born residents in metro Atlanta. Local school districts enrolled hundreds of new students almost overnight, while housing markets saw increased demand from families looking for permanent homes. The arrival of so many displaced residents didn\u2019t just strain schools and housing \u2014 it reshaped the state\u2019s economy. Dhongde notes that evacuees often brought new skills, business ideas, and networks. At the same time, the state and local governments faced the financial burden of expanding social services, healthcare, and housing assistance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDhongde adds, \u201cThe impact of a disaster doesn\u2019t stop at the water\u2019s edge. It travels with people, and those effects can last for years.\u201d While the influx strained services, it also enriched Georgia\u2019s cultural and economic fabric.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHyde notes, \u201cGentrification made many neighborhoods unaffordable for former residents,\u201d and adds that many Black evacuees didn\u2019t return to New Orleans due to economic barriers and post-Katrina gentrification. Cultural communities scattered across cities like Atlanta, Houston, and Baton Rouge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELessons the Levees Still Teach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Fritz, Katrina remains a wake-up call for coastal preparedness.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E\u201cWe can\u2019t stop hurricanes,\u201d he says, \u201cbut we can improve how we design and maintain our defenses, and how we evacuate people before it\u2019s too late.\u201d He warns that climate change, with its potential to intensify storms, makes those improvements even more urgent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDhongde sees a parallel need for social and economic planning. \u201cDisaster preparedness isn\u2019t just about sandbags and levees,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s also about ensuring the communities receiving evacuees have the resources and support systems to integrate them successfully.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFinally, Hyde stresses the importance of engaging youth and communities in preparedness efforts. \u201cYouth advocacy programs, like those we\u2019re piloting in Georgia, empower young people in marginalized neighborhoods with knowledge and agency to build long-term resilience. Disaster planning must be a community effort, inclusive and forward-looking.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwenty years after Hurricane Katrina\u2019s catastrophic landfall, its legacy of destruction, displacement, and deepened inequality continues to shape communities and challenge disaster preparedness across the U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina\u2019s catastrophic landfall, its legacy of destruction, displacement, and deepened inequality continues to shape communities and challenge disaster preparedness across the U.S."}],"uid":"35798","created_gmt":"2025-08-18 20:59:51","changed_gmt":"2026-03-19 13:11:54","author":"Ayana Isles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-08-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-08-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677735":{"id":"677735","type":"image","title":"Hurricane Katrina New Orleans","body":null,"created":"1755620033","gmt_created":"2025-08-19 16:13:53","changed":"1755620033","gmt_changed":"2025-08-19 16:13:53","alt":"Flooding in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina","file":{"fid":"261668","name":"AdobeStock_243012601.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/19\/AdobeStock_243012601.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/19\/AdobeStock_243012601.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3672480,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/19\/AdobeStock_243012601.jpeg?itok=Mj7riyMS"}},"677737":{"id":"677737","type":"image","title":"Katrina.jpg","body":null,"created":"1755622437","gmt_created":"2025-08-19 16:53:57","changed":"1755622437","gmt_changed":"2025-08-19 16:53:57","alt":"Three changes since Katrina that still have an impact two decades later","file":{"fid":"261671","name":"Katrina.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/19\/Katrina.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/19\/Katrina.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1316301,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/19\/Katrina.jpg?itok=IvnP-aCU"}}},"media_ids":["677735","677737"],"groups":[{"id":"658168","name":"Experts"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"1647","name":"Hurricane Katrina"},{"id":"1860","name":"hurricane"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:aisles3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAyana Isles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESenior Media Relations Representative\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689012":{"#nid":"689012","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Cohort of Computing Students Named Squarepoint Foundation Scholars","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFive Georgia Tech computer science (CS) students have been named Squarepoint Foundation Scholars, receiving merit- and need-based scholarships for their undergraduate studies. The Squarepoint Foundation is providing $100,000 to fund the awards, which offer $10,000 per year for two years to rising third-year students.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow in its second year of supporting the College of Computing, the Squarepoint Foundation continues to expand opportunities, enabling students to focus fully on their studies and pursue activities outside the classroom. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA selection committee led by \u003Cstrong\u003EMary Hudachek-Buswell\u003C\/strong\u003E, interim chair of the School of Computing Instruction (SCI), chose this year\u2019s cohort.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese students exemplify the curiosity, talent, and determination we strive to cultivate in computer science,\u201d Hudachek-Buswell said. \u201cThe Squarepoint Foundation Scholarships will give them the opportunity to focus fully on their studies while pursuing research and projects that have the potential to make a real-world impact.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe scholars have demonstrated strong leadership across campus, with all five serving as teaching assistants (TAs) and earning faculty honors. The cohort is also engaged in\u0026nbsp;research and study abroad opportunities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFounded in 2021, the Squarepoint Foundation supports STEM education and research while partnering with organizations worldwide to expand opportunity and access.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are proud to continue our partnership with Georgia Tech, as we extend our support to a number of students working towards achieving their academic goals,\u201d said \u003Cstrong\u003EAllison Henry\u003C\/strong\u003E, Squarepoint Foundation manager.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Squarepoint Foundation aims to increase access to education, ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to pursue the degree of their choice, no matter their circumstances. We wish these talented students the best of luck as they undertake their studies and recognize them for their hard work and dedication to the STEM field.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeet the Scholars\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaria Cymbalyuk\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECymbalyuk studies \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/threads-better-way-learn-computing\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECybersecurity and Information Internetwork threads\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, focusing on how technical systems shape who is protected or exposed in digital environments. She\u2019s interested in supporting public defenders and improving access to justice through technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis scholarship made this semester feel less financially stressful and more like I can focus on building the skills and experiences I care about,\u201d Cymbalyuk said. \u201cI want to use my skills to build tools and do research that supports public interest organizations.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMarziah Islam\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIslam concentrates on the People and Intelligence threads, exploring how humans interact with technology. She is developing a sign-language learning mobile app through a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vip.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVertically Integrated Project\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and hopes to build accessible, reliable systems in healthcare technology. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am fascinated by the intersection of humans and computing, and I want to design technology that better supports real people,\u201d Islam said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESahadev Bharath\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBharath studies Architecture and Information Internetworks threads, with interests in low-level programming, operating systems, and large-scale systems. He plans to begin his career in software engineering, focusing on distributed systems and AI infrastructure.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cComing from India, being able to afford out-of-state tuition has been a challenge. This scholarship relieves financial stress and gives me more time to focus on my academics and career,\u201d Bharath said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am passionate about teaching and sharing my knowledge with fellow students. Being a TA has been extremely fulfilling and motivates me to continue contributing to education.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoie Yeung\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYeung studies Information Internetworks and Intelligence threads, with a focus on data and artificial intelligence. She has received the President\u2019s Volunteer Service Award for completing more than 100 service hours in one year. In addition to pursuing a career in software engineering, she is passionate about mentoring younger girls and addressing the gender gap in STEM. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI want to create meaningful and impactful technology while giving back to my communities. I also aim to show younger girls that they can succeed in computing despite the gender gap,\u201d Yeung said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJun Hong Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang studies system architecture and intelligence with a minor in mathematics, concentrating on computer architecture and low-level optimization. He is considering careers in software engineering, research, or entrepreneurship at the intersection of hardware and software.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m especially interested in how hardware and software intersect, and I hope to use my work to create solutions that are meaningful and helpful for the world,\u201d Wang said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe scholarships offer vital support as these students keep advancing research, leadership, and influence in computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Squarepoint Foundation is providing $100,000 to fund the awards, which offer $10,000 per year for two years to rising third-year students.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Squarepoint Foundation is providing $100,000 to fund the awards, which offer $10,000 per year for two years to rising third-year students. "}],"uid":"36613","created_gmt":"2026-03-18 16:23:48","changed_gmt":"2026-03-18 17:11:18","author":"Emily Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679669":{"id":"679669","type":"image","title":"sp2.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA new cohort of computing students has been named Squarepoint Foundation scholars.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773851158","gmt_created":"2026-03-18 16:25:58","changed":"1773851158","gmt_changed":"2026-03-18 16:25:58","alt":"A new cohort of computing students has been named Squarepoint Foundation scholars.","file":{"fid":"263855","name":"sp2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/sp2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/sp2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2146822,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/18\/sp2.jpg?itok=kj6YWko0"}}},"media_ids":["679669"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"660374","name":"School of Computing Instruction"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:emily.smith@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EEmily Smith\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Computing\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688956":{"#nid":"688956","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Future Focused: The 2026 Southeastern Energy Conference at Georgia Tech ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe 2026\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyexpo.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESoutheastern Energy Conference\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s annual student-led energy and sustainability conference, took place on Feb. 18. Organized by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyclub.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Club\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, the conference welcomed more than 150 attendees, including industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, and students, featuring dynamic discussions on the future of energy. The theme, \u0022Future Focused: Advancing the Energy of Tomorrow,\u0022 highlighted the industry\u2019s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and collaboration as participants explored emerging technologies, evolving policies, and strategies shaping the energy landscape of tomorrow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event kicked off with a keynote address from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/ceser\/person\/alex-fitzsimmons\u0022\u003EAlex Fitzsimmons\u003C\/a\u003E, acting undersecretary of the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) at the U.S. Department of Energy. He shared insights into the administration\u2019s work at the intersection of cybersecurity and the rapidly evolving U.S. energy sector. The first panel of the day, \u201cEnergy Innovation,\u201d explored leaders\u2019 perspectives on organizational innovation within the industry. With Tech undergraduate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/neil-ansu-ghosh\/\u0022\u003ENeil Ghosh\u003C\/a\u003E moderating the panel,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/roderick-jackson-b1a3381\/\u0022\u003ERoderick Jackson\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jamie-barber-0686599\/\u0022\u003EJamie Barber\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mark-tozzi\/\u0022\u003EMark Tozzi\u003C\/a\u003E discussed emerging energy technologies and their potential impact on the industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELater, the Industry Showcase featured representatives from energy companies such as GE Vernova, Cherry Street Energy, Orion, GTA, Kimley Horn, and E4E Solutions, providing valuable networking and career development opportunities for students and professionals. A panel on \u201cOvercoming Growing Pains\u201d followed, with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/josh-stallings-a942b91a2\/\u0022\u003EJosh Stallings\u003C\/a\u003E, vice president of Power Delivery Strategy and Support at Georgia Power;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dan-molzahn-26001aa\/\u0022\u003EDaniel Molzahn\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE); and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lisawichmannberry\/\u0022\u003ELisa Berry\u003C\/a\u003E, GE Vernova\u2019s technical director for Decarbonization and Data Centers for the Americas region. The discussion was moderated by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/radhikasharmaga\/\u0022\u003ERadhika Sharma\u003C\/a\u003E, co-president of the Energy Club and a graduate student in ECE, and focused on current challenges facing the rapidly growing energy industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the standout moments of the conference was the Student Symposium, where 16 student researchers presented their work while competing for $1,000 in prize money sponsored by Cobb EMC. Projects ranged from residential demand management optimization studies to the challenges and viability of hydrogen combustion engines.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/erik-barbosa-45758416b\/\u0022\u003EErik Barbosa\u003C\/a\u003E earned first place for his research on a multiscale approach to thermochemical energy storage within buildings.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/daksh-adhikari\/\u0022\u003EDaksh Adhikari\u003C\/a\u003E received second place for examining the mitigation of flow boiling instabilities with active flow control, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/william-schertzer\/\u0022\u003EWilliam Schertzer\u003C\/a\u003E placed third for work using machine learning and neural networks to model anion exchange membrane degradation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe final event of the day, \u201cScaling Emergent Energy Technologies,\u201d focused on growing the newest energy technologies within the industry. Moderated by Georgia Tech undergraduate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/james-lovely-aa5753288\/\u0022\u003EJames Lovely\u003C\/a\u003E, the panel included\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ldb\/\u0022\u003ELuke Bockewitz\u003C\/a\u003E, director of business development at Kinetics;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/nian-liu-68740b7a\/\u0022\u003ENian Liu\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor and Robert G. Miller Faculty Fellow in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tomcuthbertiii\/\u0022\u003EThomas Cuthbert\u003C\/a\u003E, chief technology officer at Emrgy. The conference closed with a keynote speech from James Marlow, president and CEO of Southface Institute, who provided a framework for thinking through innovation and tactical advice for aspiring energy innovators and leaders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The level of organization and vision demonstrated by the students was outstanding,\u201d Molzahn said. \u201cBy focusing on the evolving energy landscape and inviting experts from across the field, they created an event that sparked important conversations for our campus.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was an honor to serve as the Energy Club\u2019s 2026 conference chair and work alongside the strong energy community at Georgia Tech,\u201d said Jonathan Acree. \u201cMeaningful innovation in energy depends on collaboration, and it was truly encouraging to see such an interdisciplinary group of talented students, researchers, and industry leaders come together around the shared goal of advancing our energy future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe conference also highlighted Georgia Tech\u2019s role as a hub for forward-thinking dialogue on global energy challenges \u2014 and the importance of collaboration and innovation in shaping the evolving energy landscape and fostering the next generation of leaders in the field.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWritten by Georgia Tech students:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bradenqueen\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBraden Queen\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/orit-endalk\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOrit\u0026nbsp;Endalk,\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/maxzhang32\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEli Acree\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/radhikasharmaga\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERadhika Sharma\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe 2026\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyexpo.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESoutheastern Energy Conference\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s annual student-led energy and sustainability conference, took place on Feb. 18. Organized by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyclub.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Club\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, the conference welcomed more than 150 attendees, including industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, and students, featuring dynamic discussions on the future of energy. The theme, \u0022Future Focused: Advancing the Energy of Tomorrow,\u0022 highlighted the industry\u2019s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and collaboration as participants explored emerging technologies, evolving policies, and strategies shaping the energy landscape of tomorrow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The 2026\u00a0Southeastern Energy Conference, Georgia Tech\u2019s annual student-led energy and sustainability conference welcomed more than 150 attendees and featured dynamic discussions on the future of energy."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-03-16 16:17:05","changed_gmt":"2026-03-16 17:03:33","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679644":{"id":"679644","type":"image","title":"DSC02443-LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Energy Club student members with Alex Fitzsimmons (middle), Under Secretary of Energy (Acting) at U.S. Department of Energy\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773677896","gmt_created":"2026-03-16 16:18:16","changed":"1773677896","gmt_changed":"2026-03-16 16:18:16","alt":"Energy Club members with Alex Fitzsimmons (middle), Under Secretary of Energy (Acting) at U.S. Department of Energy","file":{"fid":"263825","name":"DSC02443-LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/16\/DSC02443-LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/16\/DSC02443-LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1287697,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/16\/DSC02443-LR.jpeg?itok=ebJf-6fl"}},"679648":{"id":"679648","type":"image","title":"IMG_9700-LR.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPoster Session at the 2026 Southeastern Energy Conference\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773677896","gmt_created":"2026-03-16 16:18:16","changed":"1773677896","gmt_changed":"2026-03-16 16:18:16","alt":"Poster Session at the 2026 Southeastern Energy 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2026.","file":{"fid":"263826","name":"IMG_9706-LR.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/16\/IMG_9706-LR.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/16\/IMG_9706-LR.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":621893,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/16\/IMG_9706-LR.jpg?itok=aEwHVw9u"}},"679646":{"id":"679646","type":"image","title":"IMG_9691-LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPoster Session at the 2026 Southeastern Energy Conference\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773677896","gmt_created":"2026-03-16 16:18:16","changed":"1773677896","gmt_changed":"2026-03-16 16:18:16","alt":"Poster Session at the 2026 Southeastern Energy Conference","file":{"fid":"263827","name":"IMG_9691-LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/16\/IMG_9691-LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/16\/IMG_9691-LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":834148,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/16\/IMG_9691-LR.jpeg?itok=AT-4yTt9"}},"679647":{"id":"679647","type":"image","title":"IMG_9702-LR.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEnergy Club Team at the Southeastern Energy Conference\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773677896","gmt_created":"2026-03-16 16:18:16","changed":"1773677896","gmt_changed":"2026-03-16 16:18:16","alt":"Energy Club Team at the Southeastern Energy 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Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || Communications Program Manager, Strategic Energy Institute\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688755":{"#nid":"688755","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Engineers Week Brings Georgia Tech Research to Classrooms Across the State","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore than 6,200 high school students across Georgia tuned in for Engineers Week 2026. Through a series of online talks, Georgia Tech researchers shared a glimpse of the technologies shaping the future. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA national initiative held February 23\u201327, the event highlighted research spanning cybersecurity, aerospace engineering, robotics, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. The program virtually brought engineers into classrooms statewide, who offered online learning experiences centered on inquiry, problem solving, and design.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a great collaborative effort between the College of Engineering, the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI), and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI),\u201d said Sean Mulvanity, program lead at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/outreach\/stem-at-gtri\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESTEM@GTRI.\u003C\/a\u003E \u201cWe provided students from across the state the opportunity to interact with leaders in a variety of engineering fields.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach day featured a different engineer discussing the real-world challenges driving their work. Cybersecurity professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/17433\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESaman Zonouz\u003C\/a\u003E began the week with a talk on protecting critical digital systems that power modern life. Aerospace engineer professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/adam-m-steinberg\u0022\u003EAdam Steinberg\u003C\/a\u003E followed with insights into developing faster, cleaner engines for next-generation supersonic aircraft. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/juergen-rauleder\u0022\u003EJuergen Rauleder\u003C\/a\u003E, also an aerospace engineer professor, then introduced students to aerodynamics research conducted in Georgia Tech\u0027s wind tunnel \u2014 one of the largest in the United States.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELater sessions expanded the conversation across disciplines. Civil and environmental engineering professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/lauren-stewart\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELauren Stewart\u003C\/a\u003E discussed designing buildings and infrastructure capable of withstanding extreme loads, while mechanical engineer professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/aaron-stebner\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAaron Stebner\u003C\/a\u003E closed the week with his talk, \u003Cem\u003E\u201c3D Printing Titanium: Realizing the Superhero Powers of Ironman,\u201d\u003C\/em\u003E exploring advances in additive manufacturing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese talks show engineering isn\u2019t just theory,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/steven-ferguson\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESteven Ferguson\u003C\/a\u003E, GTMI principal research scientist. \u201cStudents are hearing directly about the kinds of problems people are working on right now.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne session featured \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Faparna-srinidhi-jagannathan-10655823b%2F\u0026amp;data=05%7C02%7Cychernet3%40gatech.edu%7C5b33de3205984ef8f05408de7aeea5b4%7C482198bbae7b4b258b7a6d7f32faa083%7C1%7C0%7C639083362547434014%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C\u0026amp;sdata=MvM%2F5DS3783hgYAvqDD3Uj00PvsQot9Q1afZ3ldx1s0%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAparna Srinidhi Jagannathan\u003C\/a\u003E, a third-year biomedical engineering student and undergraduate researcher at Georgia Tech, who spoke about her research in the Exoskeleton and Prosthetic Intelligent Controls (EPIC) Lab. Jagannathan is developing a wearable biofeedback system designed to help patients with gait disorders\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Eimprove balance and coordination while walking. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the things I value about being an engineer is the ability to turn abstract ideas and theories into tangible devices and technologies through research and design,\u201d Jagannathan said. \u201cEngineers Week empowers students with the knowledge that they, too, can meaningfully contribute to engineering. It reminds them that they can lead projects that benefit the communities around them.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEngineers Week at Georgia Tech was presented by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A week of virtual talks opened a window into the research shaping everything from supersonic flight to wearable biofeedback devices."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMore than 6,200 high school students across Georgia tuned in for Engineers Week 2026, joining a series of online talks hosted by Georgia Tech that offered a glimpse into the technologies shaping the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"More than 6,200 high school students across Georgia tuned in for Engineers Week 2026, joining a series of online talks hosted by Georgia Tech that offered a glimpse into the technologies shaping the future. "}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-03-05 21:55:51","changed_gmt":"2026-03-12 20:24:43","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: ychernet3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYanet Chernet\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer I\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688899":{"#nid":"688899","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Renews Memorandum of Understanding With Sandia","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESince 2020, Georgia Tech has partnered with Sandia National Laboratories, a federally funded research and development center focused on national security. In February, the two institutions renewed their collaboration with a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), reaffirming a relationship that has already strengthened research capabilities on both sides.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe partnership has driven progress in areas ranging from hypersonics to bioscience, while also deepening institutional ties beyond research. Joint faculty appointments \u2014 such as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/mazumdar\u0022\u003EAnirban Mazumdar\u003C\/a\u003E, who holds roles at both Sandia and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u2014 demonstrate how closely the organizations work together. The collaboration has also expanded student talent pipelines, providing more avenues for Georgia Tech students to pursue careers at the national lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt its core, this partnership is about people,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u201cSandia and Georgia Tech share a commitment to discovery and developing the talent, creativity, and collaboration our nation needs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe renewed MOU, he said, \u201cstrengthens connections between our researchers, opens new doors for our students, and builds meaningful career pathways into national service. When our communities work together to address national priorities, we not only accelerate technological advances \u2014 we expand opportunities for the people who will shape the future of our nation\u2019s security.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder the new MOU, Sandia and Georgia Tech will focus on integrated research across key national security\u2011aligned areas, including secure artificial intelligence and computing, quantum technologies, critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, energy and grid resilience, and hypersonics.\u0026nbsp;The partnership emphasizes connecting manufacturing, computation, and systems approaches directly to national security applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTogether, we have been solving new and unprecedented challenges in science and engineering, and now we have a great opportunity to develop this partnership,\u201d said Dan Sinars, Sandia\u2019s deputy chief research officer. \u201cOur research benefits both national security and national prosperity, and keeps the country at the forefront of the world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith this strengthened connection, the partners aim to grow their shared research footprint through increased funding, publications, and faculty-led startups. Over the long term, Georgia Tech intends to become one of Sandia\u2019s top hiring pipelines, ensuring that talent developed through joint research continues into national security careers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHistory of the Partnership\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute\u2019s collaboration with Sandia began in the mid\u20112010s, when the labs selected Georgia Tech as one of its partner institutions. The first MOU, signed in 2015, formalized the relationship and outlined initial technical focus areas.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2018,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/george-white\u0022\u003EGeorge White\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of strategic partnerships, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/olof-westerstahl\u0022\u003EOlof Westerstahl\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026nbsp;senior director strategic initiatives in the Office of Corporate Engagement, helped expand the partnership. They launched \u201cSandia Day,\u201d an event designed to introduce Georgia Tech faculty to Sandia researchers and spark new collaborations. By 2020, the organizations signed a second MOU that expanded the partnership\u2019s technical focus areas to include energy and grid security, materials and nanotechnology, advanced electronics, advanced manufacturing, advanced computing, cyber and information security, bioscience, hypersonics, quantum information science, and engineering sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe results have been substantial. Since 2018, Sandia has sponsored $35 million in research collaborations with Georgia Tech. Researchers from both institutions have co-authored 450 publications since 2016. Research activity continues to accelerate, with $1.6 million in new contracts in the past year alone. As of August 2025, Sandia employs 325 Georgia Tech alumni \u2014 a testament to the impact of the growing talent pipeline.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe view our work with Sandia as the model for engagement with other national labs,\u201d said White. \u201cWith the new MOU, we will continue to grow the Sandia partnership. I would like to see our footprint double in scope in the next five years.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Sandia partnership will expand research impact, talent pipelines, and national security innovation.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Sandia partnership will expand research impact, talent pipelines, and national security innovation."}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2026-03-12 16:13:11","changed_gmt":"2026-03-12 18:20:44","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679602":{"id":"679602","type":"image","title":"Georgia-Tech-Signing-10.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPhoto by Alicia Bustillos from Sandia National Laboratories\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773332018","gmt_created":"2026-03-12 16:13:38","changed":"1773332018","gmt_changed":"2026-03-12 16:13:38","alt":"Group of people at Georgia Tech\/Sandia MOU signing","file":{"fid":"263782","name":"Georgia-Tech-Signing-10.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/Georgia-Tech-Signing-10.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/12\/Georgia-Tech-Signing-10.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1227985,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/12\/Georgia-Tech-Signing-10.jpg?itok=fTlNkTlI"}}},"media_ids":["679602"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688893":{"#nid":"688893","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Sheepdogs Reveal a Better Way to Guide Robot Swarms","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESheepdogs, bred to control large groups of sheep in open fields, have demonstrated their skills in competitions dating back to the 1870s.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn these contests, a handler directs a trained dog with whistle signals to guide a small group of sheep across a field and sometimes split the flock cleanly into two groups. But sheep do not always cooperate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology studied how handler\u2013dog teams manage these unpredictable flocks in sheepdog trials and found principles that extend beyond livestock herding.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adx6791\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Estudy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E published in \u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eas the cover feature, the researchers applied those insights to computer simulations showing how similar strategies could improve the control of robot swarms, autonomous vehicles, AI agents, and other networked systems where many machines must coordinate their actions despite uncertain conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGroup Movement Dynamics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBirds, bugs, fish, sheep, and many other organisms move in groups because it benefits individuals, including protection from predators,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bhamla.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESaad Bhamla\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. \u201cThe puzzle is that the \u2018group\u2019 is not a single organism. It is built from many individuals, each making local, imperfect decisions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen a predator threatens a herd of sheep, individuals near the edge often move toward the center to reduce their own risk, Bhamla explained. \u201cThis is \u2018selfish herd\u2019 behavior,\u201d he said. \u201cShepherds exploit that instinct using trained dogs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom examining hours of contest footage, the researchers found that controlling small groups of sheep can be harder than managing large ones. A larger group, with more sheep protected in the center, may behave more coherently than a small group as the animals constantly shift between two instincts: \u201cfollow the group\u201d and \u201cflee the dog.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat switching behavior makes the group unpredictable,\u201d said Tuhin Chakrabortty, a former postdoctoral researcher in the Bhamla Lab who co-led the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELooking closely at how dogs and their handlers guide small groups, the researchers found that unpredictability in the flock\u2019s behavior does not always make control harder. \u201cUnder the right conditions, that \u2018noisy\u2019 behavior might actually be a benefit,\u201d Bhamla said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESuccessful Sheep Herding\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESheepdog handlers categorize sheep by how strongly they respond to a dog\u2019s threatening pressure. Some very responsive sheep might panic under too much pressure, while others might ignore mild pressure and require stronger positioning by the dog.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers observed that successful control often followed a two-step pattern. First, the dog subtly influenced the sheep\u2019s orientation while the animals were mostly standing still. Once the flock was aligned in the desired direction, the dog increased pressure to trigger movement. The timing of those actions was critical, because alignment within a small group could disappear quickly as individuals switched between instincts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn our simulations, increasing pressure makes the flock reach the desired orientation faster, but how long the flock stays aligned is set mainly by noise,\u201d Chakrabortty said. \u201cIn essence, dogs can steer the direction, but they can\u2019t hold that decision indefinitely, so timing matters.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeveloping Computer Models\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo understand the broader implications of that behavior, the team developed computer models that captured how sheep respond both to the dog and to one another. The models allowed the researchers to test different strategies for guiding groups whose members make independent decisions under uncertainty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey then applied those ideas to simulations of robotic swarms. Engineers often design such systems so that each robot blends signals from all nearby robots before deciding how to move. While that approach works well when signals are clear, it can break down when information is noisy or conflicting, Bhamla explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo explain why that switching strategy can work under noisy conditions, the researchers used an analogy of a smoke-filled room where only one person can see the exit, and no one knows who that person is. If everyone polls everyone else and averages the guesses, the one correct signal can get diluted by many noisy ones.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat\u2019s the counterintuitive part. When only one person has the right information, averaging can wash out the signal. But if you follow one person at a time, and keep switching who that is, the right information can spread through the crowd,\u201d Bhamla said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBuilding on that idea, the researchers tested a strategy inspired by the switching behavior they observed in sheep. In the simulations, each robot paid attention to just one source at a time (either a guiding signal or a neighboring robot) and switched that source from one step to the next.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder noisy conditions, this switching strategy required less effort to keep the group moving along a desired path than either averaging-based strategies or fixed leader-follower strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers call their approach the Indecisive Swarm Algorithm. The name reflects a counterintuitive insight: allowing influence to shift among individuals over time can make groups easier to guide when conditions are uncertain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur findings suggest that the same dynamics that make small animal groups unpredictable may also offer new ways to control complex engineered systems,\u201d Bhamla said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECITATION: Tuhin Chakrabortty and Saad Bhamla, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adx6791\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EControlling noisy herds: Temporal network restructuring improves control of indecisive collectives\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d \u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E, 2026\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was funded in part by Schmidt Sciences as part of a \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/16\/saad-bhamla-named-2025-schmidt-polymath\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESchmidt Polymath\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E grant to Saad Bhamla.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers studying sheepdog trials found new principles for guiding unpredictable groups and used them to develop computer models that could improve coordination in robot swarms, autonomous vehicles, and other networked systems.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers studying sheepdog trials found new principles for guiding unpredictable groups and used them to develop computer models that could improve coordination in robot swarms, autonomous vehicles, and other networked systems."}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2026-03-11 19:59:46","changed_gmt":"2026-03-12 15:53:25","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679589":{"id":"679589","type":"video","title":"SMART Dogs herding sheep on a farm, looks like flock of bird pattern","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESMART Dogs herding sheep on a farm, looks like flock of bird pattern\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773260200","gmt_created":"2026-03-11 20:16:40","changed":"1773260200","gmt_changed":"2026-03-11 20:16:40","video":{"youtube_id":"_CjwqIX6C2I","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/_CjwqIX6C2I?si=bfsxIT77-iAJCm-2"}},"679590":{"id":"679590","type":"video","title":"A dog herding sheep in a sheepdog trial","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA dog herding sheep in a sheepdog trial\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773260676","gmt_created":"2026-03-11 20:24:36","changed":"1773260676","gmt_changed":"2026-03-11 20:24:36","video":{"youtube_id":"cnPOXfUC8rc","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/cnPOXfUC8rc?si=41jH8u3UQ_qjgqWn"}},"679591":{"id":"679591","type":"video","title":" Controlling \u0027Noisy\u0027 Sheep Herds","body":"\u003Cp\u003EControlling \u0027noisy\u0027 sheep herds\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773260974","gmt_created":"2026-03-11 20:29:34","changed":"1773260974","gmt_changed":"2026-03-11 20:29:34","video":{"youtube_id":"EMHmDPpe8HE","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/EMHmDPpe8HE?si=_5DFsk_BafsIK78R"}},"679584":{"id":"679584","type":"image","title":"Sheepdog herding sheep","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESheepdog herding in a sheepdog trial competition\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773259589","gmt_created":"2026-03-11 20:06:29","changed":"1773261394","gmt_changed":"2026-03-11 20:36:34","alt":"Sheepdog herding sheep","file":{"fid":"263762","name":"sheepdog1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/11\/sheepdog1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/11\/sheepdog1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":226432,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/11\/sheepdog1.jpg?itok=sbHIPJIH"}},"679588":{"id":"679588","type":"image","title":"Sheeping herding resistant sheep","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESheepdogs first align the flock\u2019s direction, then apply pressure to trigger movement before the sheep lose alignment.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773259967","gmt_created":"2026-03-11 20:12:47","changed":"1773261607","gmt_changed":"2026-03-11 20:40:07","alt":"Sheepdog herding seep","file":{"fid":"263766","name":"sheepdog2-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/11\/sheepdog2-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/11\/sheepdog2-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":196318,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/11\/sheepdog2-copy.jpg?itok=F3wbneis"}}},"media_ids":["679589","679590","679591","679584","679588"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1240","name":"School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"194958","name":"Sheepdogs"},{"id":"194959","name":"Herding"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: braddixon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebraddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688825":{"#nid":"688825","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Charles Nimo Receives Roland Ewubare Fellowship in Societal Engagement and Impact","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech doctoral student Charles Nimo has been selected as the newest recipient of the Roland Ewubare Fellowship in Societal Engagement and Impact, a philanthropic program supporting underrepresented graduate students whose research advances community focused, socially relevant scholarship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunded by Roland Ewubare, a distinguished Nigerian lawyer and corporate executive, the fellowship recognizes emerging scholars whose master\u2019s or doctoral work meaningfully connects with societal engagement and impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program expands opportunities for graduate researchers committed to addressing real world challenges through innovative, community centered inquiry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENimo is a third year Ph.D. student in computer science and a graduate research assistant in the Technologies and International Development Lab led by Michael L. Best, executive director of the Institute for People and Technology and professor in both the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and the School of Interactive Computing. He is co-advised by Irfan Essa, professor in the School of Interactive Computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENimo\u2019s research explores human centered natural language processing for healthcare, as well as multilingual AI systems in low resource contexts. Nimo develops tools to evaluate and improve the safety, robustness, and global inclusion of language technologies. His broader goal is to build AI systems that are fair, reliable, and effective across diverse languages and cultures, helping ensure that technological advances benefit communities often overlooked in mainstream AI development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m very grateful to receive this fellowship for societal impact,\u201d Nimo said. \u201cThank you for this support and believing in the work, and I\u2019m excited to keep building research that translates into real world benefit.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENimo earned his B.S. in electrical and computer engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, and his M.S. in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech doctoral student Charles Nimo has been selected as the newest recipient of the Roland Ewubare Fellowship in Societal Engagement and Impact.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech doctoral student Charles Nimo has been selected as the newest recipient of the Roland Ewubare Fellowship in Societal Engagement and Impact."}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2026-03-10 15:34:49","changed_gmt":"2026-03-10 19:50:43","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679558":{"id":"679558","type":"image","title":"Charles Nimo ","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECharles Nimo is a third year Ph.D. student in computer science.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773156769","gmt_created":"2026-03-10 15:32:49","changed":"1773156840","gmt_changed":"2026-03-10 15:34:00","alt":"Charles Nimo","file":{"fid":"263733","name":"Charles-Nimo-copy-cropped-Smaller-FINAL.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/10\/Charles-Nimo-copy-cropped-Smaller-FINAL.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/10\/Charles-Nimo-copy-cropped-Smaller-FINAL.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":456125,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/10\/Charles-Nimo-copy-cropped-Smaller-FINAL.jpg?itok=qogb7bPV"}}},"media_ids":["679558"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWalter Rich\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["walter.rich@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688513":{"#nid":"688513","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Proving the Hypothesis: Kendreze Holland Becomes First Project ENGAGES Scholar to Earn Doctorate ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was a hypothesis. I was the experiment, and the hypothesis was proven true.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECan an\u0026nbsp;inner-city student who grew up below the poverty line\u0026nbsp;earn a Ph.D. and make a career in research?\u0026nbsp;In theory, yes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe barriers are many.\u0026nbsp;But\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2451929424001888\u0022\u003Eliterature\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;suggests that early exposure to\u0026nbsp;STEM and research opportunities\u0026nbsp;can increase the odds\u0026nbsp;for students in need.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor\u0026nbsp;Kendreze\u0026nbsp;Holland,\u0026nbsp;the idea of\u0026nbsp;making it to college\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;earning an advanced degree\u0026nbsp;was a hypothesis.\u0026nbsp;Sure, theoretically\u0026nbsp;it could be done\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;but\u0026nbsp;in his\u0026nbsp;own home, not\u0026nbsp;everyone\u0026nbsp;had\u0026nbsp;even\u0026nbsp;made it past high school.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOften,\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;first\u0026nbsp;question\u0026nbsp;on the way to\u0026nbsp;scientific discovery\u0026nbsp;is:\u0026nbsp;What if? What if a student like Holland received the right help at the right time?\u0026nbsp;What if he\u0026nbsp;was guided\u0026nbsp;along the way by\u0026nbsp;mentors\u0026nbsp;who were leaders in their fields? What if\u0026nbsp;he was given the opportunity to develop professional skills\u0026nbsp;and make valuable connections?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland asked himself: What if he could be the one to\u0026nbsp;prove the hypothesis true?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIntroduction\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland grew up\u0026nbsp;in northwest\u0026nbsp;Atlanta,\u0026nbsp;one of seven children\u0026nbsp;raised by a single mother.\u0026nbsp;Being\u0026nbsp;one of so many children, most would struggle to stand out. But Holland always\u0026nbsp;sought\u0026nbsp;to be different.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy perpetual intention was to be less of a burden to my mother,\u201d he said. \u201cSince my mother\u2019s education limited her abilities to help with my schoolwork, I went above the call of duty to stand out in academics.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis mother\u2019s education was cut short in ninth grade so she could raise her first child,\u0026nbsp;Holland\u2019s older sister,\u0026nbsp;and no one in his family had gone to college.\u0026nbsp;In his mind, he had\u0026nbsp;three career paths\u0026nbsp;to choose from: football, hip hop, or retail.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStanding at a solid 5 foot 8,\u0026nbsp;the first\u0026nbsp;would have been difficult,\u201d he joked. \u201cAnd the latter two were not my calling.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJust like his mother, the course of his life changed in his ninth-grade year. For\u0026nbsp;Holland,\u0026nbsp;it began an academic journey\u0026nbsp;he never expected.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2012, he was attending\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/best.atlantapublicschools.us\/\u0022\u003EB.E.S.T.\u0026nbsp;Academy\u003C\/a\u003E, an all-boys\u0026nbsp;public\u0026nbsp;school for grades six through\u0026nbsp;12\u0026nbsp;focused on\u0026nbsp;business and STEM.\u0026nbsp;Biology\u0026nbsp;class\u0026nbsp;was\u0026nbsp;just another hour\u0026nbsp;waiting to pass\u0026nbsp;for\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;15-year-old\u0026nbsp;Holland,\u0026nbsp;until the day\u0026nbsp;two guest speakers from\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;walked into the room with \u201csome weird\u0026nbsp;apparatuses and mechanical chopsticks.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two guests\u0026nbsp;used the equipment\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;gel electrophoresis systems and pipettes\u0026nbsp;\u2014 to show the boys\u0026nbsp;what research can look like in real life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis experience sparked within me a drive for science, and it was the first time I realized that I wanted to, and could,\u0026nbsp;attain\u0026nbsp;an advanced scientific degree,\u201d Holland said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two speakers were\u0026nbsp;Manu Platt, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/schools\/biomedical-engineering\u0022\u003EWallace H.\u0026nbsp;Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech and Emory University, and Jerald Dumas, a postdoctoral researcher.\u0026nbsp;Platt and Dumas\u0026nbsp;were\u0026nbsp;there\u0026nbsp;to recruit students for a new program\u0026nbsp;called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/projectengages.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EProject ENGAGES\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;within the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IBB).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program was co-founded by Platt and the late Robert M. Nerem, IBB\u2019s founding executive director, to give\u0026nbsp;students\u0026nbsp;like Holland an opportunity\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;participate\u0026nbsp;in real research projects\u0026nbsp;that would hopefully\u0026nbsp;plant a seed\u0026nbsp;in the next generation of scientists.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents\u0026nbsp;come from\u0026nbsp;one of eight partner schools in Atlanta. Once\u0026nbsp;accepted, they\u0026nbsp;are\u0026nbsp;connected\u0026nbsp;to a Georgia Tech graduate\u0026nbsp;student who\u0026nbsp;mentors them and\u0026nbsp;supervises their work, and\u0026nbsp;they\u0026nbsp;get paid to\u0026nbsp;work in\u0026nbsp;their assigned\u0026nbsp;lab\u0026nbsp;for\u0026nbsp;one year.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProject ENGAGES\u0026nbsp;does more than\u0026nbsp;expose students to STEM concepts and ideas. It\u0026nbsp;equips them with the skills and knowledge to carry out their own independent research projects.\u0026nbsp;They also\u0026nbsp;have\u0026nbsp;opportunities to\u0026nbsp;establish\u0026nbsp;connections with university faculty and industry representatives who can provide career guidance and support.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMethods\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough Holland\u0026nbsp;didn\u2019t\u0026nbsp;meet the program\u2019s age requirement\u0026nbsp;in 2012, he applied again\u0026nbsp;the next year and\u0026nbsp;was accepted.\u0026nbsp;During his junior and senior years of high\u0026nbsp;school,\u0026nbsp;he\u0026nbsp;worked\u0026nbsp;in Platt\u2019s lab, where he aided with\u0026nbsp;projects\u0026nbsp;involving proteins, cell cultures, and\u0026nbsp;antibodies.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOver the course of those two years, the growth I saw scientifically, professionally, and in maturity, all corroborated my belief that\u0026nbsp;Kendreze\u0026nbsp;was going far, and able to push past whatever goals and obstacles he comes up against,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said Platt,\u0026nbsp;now the\u0026nbsp;director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nibib.nih.gov\/labs-at-nibib\/center-for-biomedical-engineering-technology-acceleration-beta\u0022\u003ECenter for Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration\u003C\/a\u003E housed within the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nibib.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Institute of\u0026nbsp;Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland\u0027s experience sparked\u0026nbsp;a love for science\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;a career-long connection with Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;After high school, he\u0026nbsp;graduated summa cum laude\u0026nbsp;with a degree in chemistry\u0026nbsp;from Georgia State University.\u0026nbsp;As an undergraduate, he stayed connected with Tech and with IBB as a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\/petit-undergraduate-research-scholars-program\u0022\u003EPetit Scholar\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;a yearlong mentorship program and research experience for top students around Atlanta.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI really wanted to stay close to home, and I felt like everything was in my backyard,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are many people who come\u0026nbsp;here\u0026nbsp;from other places\u0026nbsp;to Tech because of the great\u0026nbsp;science that is going on.\u0026nbsp;There\u2019s\u0026nbsp;something special about Atlanta, and\u0026nbsp;I\u2019m\u0026nbsp;just getting the best of what I can from it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe credits his\u0026nbsp;time\u0026nbsp;in Project ENGAGES\u0026nbsp;with\u0026nbsp;giving him the confidence and resilience\u0026nbsp;to continue toward his goals.\u0026nbsp;Like many others in the program, he was a first-generation college student\u0026nbsp;with little to no\u0026nbsp;guidance\u0026nbsp;for his academic career.\u0026nbsp;The\u0026nbsp;holistic approach\u0026nbsp;of Project ENGAGES\u0026nbsp;provided\u0026nbsp;professional development opportunities and standardized test preparation\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;ready\u0026nbsp;him\u0026nbsp;for life in college and beyond.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI knew I\u0026nbsp;wanted to go to grad school, but I didn\u2019t know I was going to do all these things,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u201cHaving that one goal sprouted a lot of side quests that just grew into something bigger.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter graduating from\u0026nbsp;Georgia State\u0026nbsp;in 2020, Holland was accepted into Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioengineering Graduate Program\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;as a doctoral student.\u0026nbsp;In December\u0026nbsp;2025, he became the first Project ENGAGES\u0026nbsp;alumnus\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;successfully defend his dissertation,\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;he\u0026nbsp;is expected to graduate\u0026nbsp;this spring.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/lakeita-servance\u0022\u003ELakeita\u0026nbsp;Servance\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;assistant\u0026nbsp;director of Outreach Initiatives at IBB, was\u0026nbsp;the program manager for Project ENGAGES when Holland was accepted\u0026nbsp;and cheered him on\u0026nbsp;more than 10 years later as he\u0026nbsp;presented his\u0026nbsp;doctoral\u0026nbsp;research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs I sat in that room while he was defending his dissertation and\u0026nbsp;sharing his research with all of us, I still reflected on that boy\u0026nbsp;I saw at 16 years old,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was\u0026nbsp;this full circle moment to see him make it all the way back here.\u0026nbsp;The investment\u0026nbsp;we made over a decade ago has paid off in such a large way.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResults\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to being the first in his family to go to college and earn an advanced degree, Holland\u0026nbsp;received financial support from the National Science Foundation\u2019s Graduate Research Fellowship Program;\u0026nbsp;was\u0026nbsp;awarded\u0026nbsp;multiple\u0026nbsp;prestigious\u0026nbsp;fellowships, including FORD,\u0026nbsp;GEM, and Herbert P. Haley;\u0026nbsp;landed an internship\u0026nbsp;with 3M Corporate Research Materials Laboratory;\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;served as a\u0026nbsp;mentor\u0026nbsp;in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/nakatani-ries\/\u0022\u003ENakatani Research and International Experience for Students\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;He has\u0026nbsp;published papers, led panel discussions,\u0026nbsp;applied\u0026nbsp;for patents, and\u0026nbsp;presented his research at national conferences.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAll that stemmed from Project ENGAGES,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd more importantly, I applied\u0026nbsp;to be a mentor for the ENGAGES program.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland said some of\u0026nbsp;his\u0026nbsp;most\u0026nbsp;meaningful experiences have come from\u0026nbsp;being able to give back.\u0026nbsp;He has served as a mentor, both formally and informally,\u0026nbsp;to more than half a dozen students,\u0026nbsp;some\u0026nbsp;who\u0026nbsp;come\u0026nbsp;from backgrounds\u0026nbsp;much like his own.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0026nbsp;wanted to\u0026nbsp;give\u0026nbsp;back to the program because it poured so much into me. They were able to get me all the way to the Ph.D. level, so I knew that I could use my grind to help other students.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConclusion\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHaving proved the hypothesis true, Holland is turning his focus to the future, considering his options in academia and corporate research while he continues to work as a postdoc at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis research in John\u0026nbsp;Blazeck\u2019s\u0026nbsp;lab\u0026nbsp;focuses on cellular engineering using CRISPR gene editing technology\u0026nbsp;to regulate gene profiles, meaning he and other researchers can turn certain genes up and others down to affect\u0026nbsp;the way cells respond.\u0026nbsp;Though he is currently working with yeast cells, he hopes that his research will translate into mammalian cells that could have more clinical applications.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn terms of diseases and disorders, you can use it to tune genes to help someone experiencing cancer\u0026nbsp;by helping immune cells or stopping cancer cells from dividing rapidly,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can also help other cells to survive longer, and longer cell viability means potentially a patient can survive longer.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat began as a presentation in\u0026nbsp;a\u0026nbsp;high school science class has led Holland\u0026nbsp;to a future he never expected.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2815\u0022\u003ETequila Harris\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W.\u0026nbsp;Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;co-director of Project ENGAGES, said\u0026nbsp;his story shows others that they can do the same.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI believe his achievements will inspire and motivate generations of students to pursue dreams that they may not have known they had.\u0026nbsp;Kendreze\u0026nbsp;Holland has fundamentally shown others that there are multiple pathways to engage in STEM and that opportunities and access to advanced degrees can\u0026nbsp;be\u0026nbsp;attained\u0026nbsp;by those willing to do the work.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland\u0027s story is symbolic of the ultimate goal for Project ENGAGES:\u0026nbsp;to change the lives of talented young people who may never have had the opportunity to succeed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat\u2019s why I was so adamant about getting my Ph.D.,\u201d he said,\u0026nbsp;\u201cto show\u0026nbsp;that one could potentially overcome what they were going through to do something extraordinary.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProject ENGAGES is possible thanks to philanthropic support from our generous community: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/60129\/donations\/new?designation_id=55a493\u0026amp;\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDonate here\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor Kendreze Holland, the idea of making it to college and earning an advanced degree was a hypothesis. Holland asked himself: What if he could be the one to prove the hypothesis true?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat began as a presentation in a high school science class has led Holland to a future he never expected \u2013 planning to graduate from Georgia Tech with a Ph.D. in bioengineering this spring. His story is symbolic of the ultimate goal for the Project ENGAGES program: to change the lives of talented young people who may never have had the opportunity to succeed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In December 2025, he became the first Project ENGAGES alumnus to successfully defend his dissertation, and he is expected to graduate this spring. "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-02-25 13:55:09","changed_gmt":"2026-03-09 17:59:22","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679431":{"id":"679431","type":"image","title":"Holland-Lab.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772045667","gmt_created":"2026-02-25 18:54:27","changed":"1772045667","gmt_changed":"2026-02-25 18:54:27","alt":"A man in a lab coat wearing safety goggles and gloves puts samples into a machine in a scientific lab","file":{"fid":"263594","name":"Holland-Lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/Holland-Lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/Holland-Lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1197473,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/25\/Holland-Lab.jpg?itok=3WyFADtX"}}},"media_ids":["679431"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ashlie.bowman@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688606":{"#nid":"688606","#data":{"type":"news","title":"IPaT Research Scientists Supporting Pediatric Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/ipat\u0022\u003EInstitute for People and Technology\u003C\/a\u003E (IPaT) is deeply engaged in advancing pediatric research and clinical innovation through a partnership with the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ptc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EChildren\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E (PTC). The center brings clinical experts from Children\u2019s together with Georgia Tech scientists and engineers to develop technological solutions to problems in the health and care of children. The PTC provides opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration to create breakthrough discoveries that enhance the lives of children and young adults in Georgia and beyond.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIPaT is supporting research within two of PTC\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pedsresearch.org\/centers\/pediatric-technology-center\/pillar-leadership\u0022\u003Ethree core research pillars\u003C\/a\u003E: data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence; and patient\u2011centered care delivery. PTC\u2019s third research pillar is focused on technologies and devices. With the expertise of IPaT\u2019s research scientists, these joint efforts combine scientific expertise, clinical insight, and shared funding that are helping to transform research innovations into operational tools that directly support pediatric patient care at Children\u2019s.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIPaT is bringing two core competencies to both of these research pillars,\u201d said Maribeth Gandy Coleman, IPaT\u2019s director of research. \u201cFirst, we\u2019re advocating for and supporting the use of people-centered techniques to inform the research and co-designing the resulting system with all the stakeholders. Second, we\u2019re also making sure we can translate this research into a real return on investment for Children\u2019s. We are ensuring that what we design can be deployed in the hospital, and that it can be integrated with their existing systems and merge as seamlessly as possible with their existing workflows.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESupporting Data Science, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence (Pillar 1)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EPillar 1 focuses on harnessing artificial intelligence to enable more personalized and predictive pediatric care. The work aims to improve data collection infrastructure, support equitable AI practices, and build a Children\u2019s-Georgia Tech pediatric AI collaboration that integrates advanced AI tools into clinical workflows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClinical Deterioration Prediction\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EOne of the flagship projects within Pillar 1 involves developing machine learning models that can detect clinical deterioration in hospitalized children. The goal is to identify when a patient needs urgent escalation to the intensive care unit \u2014 faster and more accurately than traditional monitoring.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo achieve this, IPaT research scientists are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EExtracting and securely transferring electronic health record (EHR) data from Children\u2019s clinical systems.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETraining predictive models using that real\u2011world data.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBuilding the software infrastructure required to deploy these models inside Children\u2019s.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIntegrating model outputs directly into the EHR using Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources\u0026nbsp;communication protocols. (FHIR is an international standard for the electronic exchange of healthcare information.)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis infrastructure is intentionally designed not just for this single project but as a repeatable, scalable framework for future AI\u2011enabled clinical tools developed through the Children\u2019s-Georgia Tech partnership.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI-Enhanced Decision-Making for Hospital Operations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EA second emerging project under Pillar 1 aims to address one of healthcare\u2019s most persistent operational challenges: ICU capacity management. Seasonal fluctuations, such as surges in flu or Covid\u201119 cases, can create sudden ICU demand surges and staff illnesses, which can make scheduling and staffing decisions challenging.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIPaT is building models that incorporate historical hospital activity, seasonal variation, and real\u2011time census and staffing levels to predict scheduling needs and help Children\u2019s optimize resource allocation. This research is just beginning, but holds the potential for improving both care delivery and staff well\u2011being. More importantly, IPaT is applying user-centered design and research techniques along with the engineering work to engage with Children\u2019s people and processes to ensure that these prediction and resource allocation models actually work, and that they will actually be used and useful in the Children\u2019s clinical environment.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESupporting Patient\u2011Centered Care Delivery (Pillar 2)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EPillar 2 seeks to improve pediatric outcomes by focusing on the \u201cwhole child\u201d \u2014 physical, psychological, social, and emotional well\u2011being \u2014 while accounting for the needs of families, caregivers, and community environments. Particular emphasis is placed on behavioral health, rural healthcare access, and chronic illness in underserved populations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIPaT contributes to this work on two fronts:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUser Experience and Workflow Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIPaT\u2019s user experience (UX) researchers conduct interviews, workflow studies, and design evaluations with Children\u2019s clinicians and staff. This human\u2011centered research helps shape the interfaces, processes, and technologies needed to deliver patient\u2011centered care in practical, usable ways. These contributions ensure that tools created through the partnership align with the realities of clinical practice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EData Integration for Behavioral and Social Insights\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFor Pillar 2 research,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/ipat\/sde\u0022\u003EIPaT\u2019s secure data enclave\u003C\/a\u003E enables Children\u2019s EHR data to be transferred, stored, and analyzed in a HIPAA\u2011compliant environment. Researchers are using this infrastructure to combine clinical data with voluntarily contributed social media information from consenting participants. The aim is to explore indicators of psychological well\u2011being, behavioral health trends, and early warnings related to self\u2011harm.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Secure, Scalable Data Infrastructure to Support Both Pillars\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe IPaT secure data enclave provides a protected, secure environment for storing and analyzing sensitive patient information. It serves as the backbone connecting Georgia Tech researchers with Children\u2019s clinical systems. Both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 research initiatives rely on this Georgia Tech IPaT-managed secure infrastructure to safely enable:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEHR data transfer and storage.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMachine learning model development.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETesting and validation workflows.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEventual operational deployment back into Children\u2019s systems.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis secure, scalable architecture is central to the shared goal of translating research into actionable clinical tools.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAccelerating Pediatric Discovery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s partnership with Children\u2019s represents a powerful model for cross\u2011institutional innovation. By aligning IPaT\u2019s strengths in human\u2011centered design, machine learning, and secure data systems with Children\u2019s clinical expertise, IPaT is helping to build solutions that move quickly from concept to bedside.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs these projects grow, especially with the ongoing expansion of the clinical deterioration system and the launch of the AI-enhanced operations initiative, IPaT research scientists anticipate even greater opportunities to support Children\u2019s mission and improve pediatric health outcomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThank you to Richard Starr for providing insight about these research projects.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for People and Technology (IPaT) is deeply engaged in advancing pediatric research and clinical innovation through a partnership with the Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center at Georgia Tech (PTC).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Institute for People and Technology (IPaT) is deeply engaged in advancing pediatric research and clinical innovation through a partnership with the Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center at Georgia Tech (PTC). "}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2026-02-27 19:40:01","changed_gmt":"2026-03-05 15:05:05","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679477":{"id":"679477","type":"image","title":"Photo of the joint Children\u0027s and Georgia Tech Pillar 1 team taken September 2025.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA photo of the joint Children\u0027s and Georgia Tech Pillar 1 research team taken September 2025. Six research faculty members from IPaT are in the picture: Peter Presti, Maribeth Gandy Coleman, Clint Zeagler, Jeremy Johnson, Richard Starr, Kala Jordan and Christine Taylor, a graduate research assistant in IPaT.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1772215469","gmt_created":"2026-02-27 18:04:29","changed":"1772222909","gmt_changed":"2026-02-27 20:08:29","alt":"Photo of the joint Children\u0027s and Georgia Tech Pillar 1 team taken September 2025.","file":{"fid":"263644","name":"IMG_2185-copy3-smaller-cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/27\/IMG_2185-copy3-smaller-cropped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/27\/IMG_2185-copy3-smaller-cropped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1659699,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/27\/IMG_2185-copy3-smaller-cropped.jpg?itok=S6xXxovw"}}},"media_ids":["679477"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWalter Rich\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688716":{"#nid":"688716","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Research Priorities Chart Course Toward Impactful, Energy-Efficient Computing","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers applied their expertise to a national research program that will shape the future of computing. Their work may yield more energy-efficient computers and better predictions for environmental challenges like carbon storage, tsunamis, wildfires, and sustainable energy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Department of Energy Office of Science recently released two reports through its Advanced Scientific Computing Research (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/science\/ascr\/advanced-scientific-computing-research\u0022\u003EASCR\u003C\/a\u003E) program. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/ascr\/Community-Resources\/Program-Documents\u0022\u003Ereports\u003C\/a\u003E were produced by workshops that brought together researchers from universities, national labs, government, and industry to set priorities for scientific computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/slim.gatech.edu\/people\/felix-j-herrmann\u0022\u003EFelix Herrmann\u003C\/a\u003E served on the organizing committee for the Workshop on Inverse Methods for Complex Systems under Uncertainty. Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~pchen402\/group.html\u0022\u003EPeng Chen\u003C\/a\u003E joined Herrmann as a workshop participant, contributing expertise in data science and machine learning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInverse methods work backward from outcomes to find their causes. Scientists use these tools to study complex systems, like designing new materials with targeted properties and using past wildfires to map vulnerable areas and behavior of future fires.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/biblio\/2583339\u0022\u003EASCR report\u003C\/a\u003E highlighted Herrmann\u2019s work on seismic exploration and monitoring through digital twins. Founded on inverse methods, digital twins upgrade from static models to virtual systems that accurately mirror their physical counterparts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDigital twins integrate real-time data sources, including fluid flows, monitoring and control systems, risk assessments, and human decisions. These models also account for uncertainty and address data gaps or limitations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe DOE organized the workshop to support the growing role of inverse modeling. The group identified four priority research directions (PRDs) to guide future work. The PRDs are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 1: Discovering, exploiting, and preserving structure\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 2: Identifying and overcoming model limitations\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 3: Integrating disparate multimodal and\/or dynamic data\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 4: Solving goal-oriented inverse problems for downstream tasks\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA digital twin is a system you can control, like to optimize operations or to minimize risk,\u201d said Herrmann, who holds joint appointments in the Schools of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computational Science and Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDigital twins give you a principled way to consider uncertainties, which there are a lot in subsurface monitoring. If you inject carbon dioxide too fast, you will will increase the pressure and may fracture the rock. If you inject too slow, then the process may become too costly. Digital twins help us make balanced decisions under uncertainty.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESupercomputers, algorithms, and artificial intelligence now power modern science. However, these tools consume enormous amounts of energy. This raises concerns about how to sustain computing and scientific research as we know them in the decades ahead.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessors\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vuduc.org\/v2\/\u0022\u003ERich Vuduc\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hyesoon.github.io\/\u0022\u003EHyesoon Kim\u003C\/a\u003E co-authored\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/biblio\/2476961\u0022\u003Ethe report\u003C\/a\u003E from the Workshop on Energy-Efficient Computing for Science. At the three-day ASCR workshop, participants identified five key research directions:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 1: Co-design energy-efficient hardware devices and architectures for important workloads\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 2: Define the algorithmic foundations of energy-efficient scientific computing\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 3: Reconceptualize software ecosystems for energy efficiency\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 4: Enable energy-efficient data management for data centers, instruments, and users\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 5: Develop integrated, scalable energy measurement and modeling capabilities for next-generation computing systems\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m cautiously optimistic about the future of energy-efficient computing. The ASCR report says, from a technological point of view, there are things we can do,\u201d said Vuduc.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe report lays out paths for how we might design better apps, hardware systems, and algorithms that will use less energy. This is recognition that we should think about how architectures and software work together to drive down energy usage for systems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers applied their expertise to a national research program that will shape the future of computing. Their work may yield more energy-efficient computers and better predictions for environmental challenges like carbon storage, tsunamis, wildfires, and sustainable energy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Department of Energy Office of Science recently released two reports through its Advanced Scientific Computing Research (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/science\/ascr\/advanced-scientific-computing-research\u0022\u003EASCR\u003C\/a\u003E) program. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/ascr\/Community-Resources\/Program-Documents\u0022\u003Ereports\u003C\/a\u003E were produced by workshops that brought together researchers from universities, national labs, government, and industry to set priorities for scientific computing.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech faculty members contributed to two DOE Advanced Scientific Computing Research program workshops. Recently published reports of their work may yield more energy-efficient computers and better predictions for environmental challenges."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-03-04 13:29:44","changed_gmt":"2026-03-04 21:01:18","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679513":{"id":"679513","type":"image","title":"ASCR-Report-Authors.png","body":null,"created":"1772630996","gmt_created":"2026-03-04 13:29:56","changed":"1772630996","gmt_changed":"2026-03-04 13:29:56","alt":"DOE Office of Science ASCR Reports","file":{"fid":"263685","name":"ASCR-Report-Authors.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Authors.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Authors.png","mime":"image\/png","size":578789,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Authors.png?itok=dQ53-joi"}},"679514":{"id":"679514","type":"image","title":"ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772631052","gmt_created":"2026-03-04 13:30:52","changed":"1772631052","gmt_changed":"2026-03-04 13:30:52","alt":"ASCR Workshop on Inverse Methods for Complex Systems under Uncertainty","file":{"fid":"263686","name":"ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":56325,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg?itok=rZGhJhnP"}},"679515":{"id":"679515","type":"image","title":"ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772631087","gmt_created":"2026-03-04 13:31:27","changed":"1772631087","gmt_changed":"2026-03-04 13:31:27","alt":"ASCR Workshop on Energy-Efficient Computing for Science","file":{"fid":"263687","name":"ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":58857,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg?itok=-0arX_Rb"}}},"media_ids":["679513","679514","679515"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-research-priorities-chart-course-toward-impactful-energy-efficient-computing","title":"New Research Priorities Chart Course Toward Impactful, Energy-Efficient Computing"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"663","name":"Department of Energy"},{"id":"179230","name":"digital twin"},{"id":"15030","name":"high-performance computing"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688680":{"#nid":"688680","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute Names Strategic Initiative Leaders to Advance Microbial Innovation and Business Integration ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERenewable Bioproducts Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (RBI) has appointed two additional Strategic Initiative Leaders (SILs) to help shape the next phase of its research and engagement strategy: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2842\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/21500\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETitiksha Fernandes\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESILs serve on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/about\/people?role=62\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERBI\u2019s leadership team\u003C\/a\u003E and play a strategic role in expanding interdisciplinary collaboration, strengthening Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in the bioeconomy, and catalyzing new research and education initiatives across campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u201cRBI\u2019s work has always been about connecting strong science and engineering to the needs of Georgia\u2019s forestry and renewable materials industries,\u201d said Carson Meredith, director of RBI. \u201cJoel and Titiksha bring leadership that strengthens both sides of that work \u2014 advancing the biological foundations of renewable systems while building the business and entrepreneurship capacity needed to translate discovery into durable impact.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvancing Microbial Biotechnology for the Forest Bioeconomy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka,\u003C\/a\u003E Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor and Associate Chair for Research in the School of Biological Sciences, will lead a strategic initiative focused on microbial biotechnology in renewable bioproducts. His initiative leverages microbiology and microbiome engineering in a systems approach to address woody biomass utilization, biorefining, microbial contamination in pulp and paper processing, and the development of forest and plant feedstocks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe effort complements RBI\u2019s existing strengths in chemistry and engineering, including initiatives such as the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/research\/center-for-renewables-based-economy-from-wood\u0022\u003ECenter for a Renewables-Based Economy from Wood (ReWOOD)\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/research\/center-for-renewables-based-economy-from-wood\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E,\u003C\/a\u003E by bringing cutting-edge microbial science into the modernization of the forest industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe initiative centers on two core areas: improving biomass deconstruction and bioconversion, and engineering plant and soil microbiomes to support the development of climate-resilient biomass feedstocks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNatural microbiomes, those microbes that are intimately associated with plants and soils, already drive the natural cycles that break down organic matter, recycle nutrients, and help plants to grow better,\u201d said Kostka. \u201cIf we understand and engineer those systems more intentionally, we can unlock more efficient bioconversion pathways and help build a forest bioeconomy that is both productive and climate resilient.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKostka\u2019s research studies the role of microbes in the functioning of ecosystems ranging from oceans to terrestrial subsurface environments. Through this initiative, he aims to connect that foundational microbial science to use-inspired solutions in renewable bioproducts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBridging Business and Bioproducts\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/renewablebioproducts.gatech.edu\/people\/titiksha-fernandes\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETitiksha Fernandes\u003C\/a\u003E will lead RBI\u2019s initiative to develop structured collaboration with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EScheller College of Business\u003C\/a\u003E. Her effort will establish a strategic framework for exploring deeper RBI\u2013Scheller engagement across research, education, and entrepreneurship.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe initiative will explore integrating business training into RBI fellowship programs, engaging business graduate students in RBI research, strengthening industry partnerships, and advancing joint entrepreneurship activities that translate scientific discoveries into ventures.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cScientific innovation alone doesn\u2019t create impact,\u201d said Fernandes. \u201cWe need the strategy, entrepreneurship, and systems thinking that allow discoveries to move from the lab into markets and communities. This initiative is about building those pathways intentionally.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFernandes currently serves as extension professional for the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/centers-and-initiatives\/ray-c-anderson-center-for-sustainable-business\/drawdown\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDrawdown Georgia Business Compact,\u003C\/a\u003E an initiative of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/centers-and-initiatives\/ray-c-anderson-center-for-sustainable-business\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERay C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business\u003C\/a\u003E. In this role, she advances initiatives in materials circularity and food and agriculture. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and is a Certified Circular Economy Manager, with experience designing sustainability and resource efficiency policy at national and state levels, including work on e-waste reform in India and circular economy implementation in the U.S.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003ERBI\u2019s Strategic Initiative Leaders are appointed for renewable 12-month terms and are expected to foster new interdisciplinary collaborations that extend beyond their home units. Leaders participate in shaping research directions, reviewing fellowship proposals, developing workshops and symposia, and connecting faculty, students, industry, and national laboratories.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI) has appointed two additional Strategic Initiative Leaders (SILs) to help shape the next phase of its research and engagement strategy: Joel Kostka and Titiksha Fernandes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI) has appointed two additional Strategic Initiative Leaders (SILs) to help shape the next phase of its research and engagement strategy: Joel Kostka and Titiksha Fernandes. "}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-03-03 19:26:26","changed_gmt":"2026-03-04 18:22:00","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679510":{"id":"679510","type":"image","title":"2sded.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772565994","gmt_created":"2026-03-03 19:26:34","changed":"1772565994","gmt_changed":"2026-03-03 19:26:34","alt":"Side-by-side photos of Joel Kostka and Titiksha Fernandes","file":{"fid":"263682","name":"2sded.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/03\/2sded.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/03\/2sded.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1008966,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/03\/2sded.jpg?itok=5hmBs1l4"}}},"media_ids":["679510"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: ychernet3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYanet Chernet\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer I\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687898":{"#nid":"687898","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yuanzhi Tang Named Executive Director of the Strategic Energy Institute","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has appointed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E as executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), effective Feb. 1.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang will lead the strategic vision, interdisciplinary research efforts, and internal and external partnerships at SEI, strengthening connections across Georgia Tech\u2019s Colleges, Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRI), the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), and external partners to advance energy-related initiatives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFounded in 2004, SEI is one of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/interdisciplinary-research-institutes\u0022\u003EIRIs\u003C\/a\u003E and serves as a campuswide hub for energy research, education, and engagement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is the Georgia Power Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. Her research and leadership focus on advancing secure, circular, and sustainable energy systems by integrating Earth, environmental, biological, materials, and sustainability sciences and innovations. She previously served as an initiative lead on critical minerals and sustainable resources at SEI as well as the associate director for interdisciplinary research at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustainablesystems.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBrook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cProfessor Tang brings a strong record of research impact, leadership of complex initiatives, and a collaborative approach that will help elevate Georgia Tech\u2019s energy research enterprise,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/julia-kubanek-0\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/a\u003E, vice president for Interdisciplinary Research at Georgia Tech. \u201cShe brings deep expertise in fundamental Earth and environmental science, including water, soil, and energy research, while also leading state and regional partnerships in emerging, applied areas such as critical minerals. Most importantly, she is community-minded with excellent listening and consensus-building skills.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs executive director, Tang will develop and communicate a unifying vision to advance interdisciplinary energy research and strategic thought leadership at Georgia Tech, integrating expertise across engineering, sciences, computing, business, design, economics, policy, and the humanities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is also the founding director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/minerals.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Critical Mineral Solutions\u003C\/a\u003E and leads a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Emultidisciplinary coalition\u003C\/a\u003E spanning three University System of Georgia institutions. The coalition connects research, industry, and policy to build Georgia\u2019s critical minerals innovation ecosystem, while driving resource advancement, workforce development, and economic impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m honored to serve as the executive director of SEI. Georgia Tech\u2019s energy research and the people behind it have always inspired me. I\u2019m eager to listen, learn, and work alongside our community,\u201d said Tang. \u201cSEI connects research excellence with real-world impact, and I look forward to partnering across campus, industry, government, and communities to translate breakthrough ideas into solutions that strengthen energy security, reliability, and affordability.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Strategic Energy Institute\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Strategic Energy Institute (SEI) serves as a system integrator for more than 1,000 Georgia Tech researchers working across the entire energy value chain. SEI brings together expertise to address complex energy challenges, from commercializing scalable technologies to informing long-term energy strategy and policy. Through research, education, community building, resource development, and thought leadership, SEI mobilizes Georgia Tech\u2019s collective strengths to advance reliable, affordable, and lower-carbon energy solutions for a growing global demand.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has appointed Yuanzhi Tang as executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), effective Feb. 1.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang will lead the strategic vision, interdisciplinary research efforts, and internal and external partnerships at SEI, strengthening connections across Georgia Tech\u2019s Colleges, Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRI), the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), and external partners to advance energy-related initiatives.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech has appointed Yuanzhi Tang as executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI), effective Feb. 1."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-02 16:53:07","changed_gmt":"2026-03-04 00:13:05","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679151":{"id":"679151","type":"image","title":"Yuanzhi Tang","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770048693","gmt_created":"2026-02-02 16:11:33","changed":"1770048784","gmt_changed":"2026-02-02 16:13:04","alt":"Yuanzhi Tang","file":{"fid":"263274","name":"Yuanzhi-Tang-pic2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/02\/Yuanzhi-Tang-pic2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/02\/Yuanzhi-Tang-pic2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1451744,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/02\/Yuanzhi-Tang-pic2.jpg?itok=r5N6d_LB"}}},"media_ids":["679151"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688531":{"#nid":"688531","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Utility Structure, Pricing, and Energy Incentive Programs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent study by EPIcenter affiliates Brian An and John Kim and researchers at Georgia Tech, Iowa State University, and Clemson University examines how utility-level characteristics\u2014such as ownership structure, electricity pricing, and incentive programs\u2014shape residential electricity consumption in the Southeastern U.S. Using data from 105 electric utilities in Georgia and North Carolina, the authors analyze how governance models (investor-owned, municipal, cooperative), demographic factors, and program offerings interact to influence household energy use.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study finds that higher electricity rates and greater shares of college-educated residents are associated with lower household consumption, while larger homes, electric heating, and higher incomes drive usage upward. Notably, electric vehicle (EV) incentive programs correlate with increased household electricity demand\u2014even after controlling for public charging infrastructure\u2014suggesting these programs effectively promote EV adoption and at-home charging. In contrast, energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) programs show no clear relationship with consumption in multivariate models.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/02\/24\/utility-structure-pricing-and-energy-incentive-programs\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story and listen to a related podcast on the EPIcenter Newspage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent study by EPIcenter affiliates Brian An and John Kim and researchers at Georgia Tech, Iowa State University, and Clemson University examines how utility-level characteristics\u2014such as ownership structure, electricity pricing, and incentive programs\u2014shape residential electricity consumption in the Southeastern U.S. Using data from 105 electric utilities in Georgia and North Carolina, the authors analyze how governance models (investor-owned, municipal, cooperative), demographic factors, and program offerings interact to influence household energy use.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A recent study by EPIcenter affiliates Brian An and John Kim and researchers at Georgia Tech, Iowa State University, and Clemson University examines how utility-level characteristics shape residential electricity consumption in the Southeastern U.S."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-25 20:16:46","changed_gmt":"2026-02-25 20:24:02","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679438":{"id":"679438","type":"image","title":"UtilityStructure--Pricing-EPIcenter-02242026-AdobeStock_559085927-1024x684.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1772050633","gmt_created":"2026-02-25 20:17:13","changed":"1772050633","gmt_changed":"2026-02-25 20:17:13","alt":"Stacks of coins topped with green icons representing clean energy and sustainability.","file":{"fid":"263601","name":"UtilityStructure--Pricing-EPIcenter-02242026-AdobeStock_559085927-1024x684.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/UtilityStructure--Pricing-EPIcenter-02242026-AdobeStock_559085927-1024x684.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/UtilityStructure--Pricing-EPIcenter-02242026-AdobeStock_559085927-1024x684.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":76977,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/25\/UtilityStructure--Pricing-EPIcenter-02242026-AdobeStock_559085927-1024x684.jpeg?itok=_PkMnlJG"}}},"media_ids":["679438"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/02\/24\/utility-structure-pricing-and-energy-incentive-programs\/","title":"Read Full Story on the EPIcenter Webpage"}],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E | SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ggonzalez68@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688526":{"#nid":"688526","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Beyond the Cost of EV Ownership and Adoption","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent study by EPIcenter faculty affiliates Joe F. Bozeman III (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology) and Daniel C. Matisoff (Carter School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology), along with John D. Kim (Carter School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology) and co-authors Sanya Carley, David M. Konisky, Jeremy J. Michalek, and Destenie Nock, examines U.S. household electric vehicle (EV) ownership and adoption intent beyond upfront costs, focusing on charging access, travel behavior, housing, and demographics. The study utilizes a nationally representative survey of 2,870 households to examine how these factors shape both current EV ownership rates and consumers\u2019 intentions to purchase or lease an EV in the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study finds that EV ownership remains relatively low among households with \u201cmedian\u201d characteristics \u2014 approximately 1% of household vehicles are electric \u2014 but increases substantially when households report access to community charging infrastructure. In contrast, single\u2011vehicle households and households located in states without Tesla dealerships exhibit significantly lower EV ownership rates. When examining adoption intent, the authors find that access to community and workplace charging, trust in the federal government, more liberal political ideology, younger age, and urban residence are consistently associated with higher stated interest in EV adoption. Notably, single\u2011vehicle households express significantly greater intent to adopt one in the future, despite being less likely to own an EV today. The analysis also reveals that public transit users show elevated EV adoption intent at earlier stages of consideration, suggesting potential complementarities between transit use and personal vehicle electrification.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/02\/10\/beyond-the-cost-of-ev-ownership-and-adoption\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story and listen to a related podcast on the EPIcenter Newspage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent study by EPIcenter faculty affiliates Joe F. Bozeman III (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology) and Daniel C. Matisoff (Carter School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology), along with John D. Kim (Carter School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology) and co-authors Sanya Carley, David M. Konisky, Jeremy J. Michalek, and Destenie Nock, examines U.S. household electric vehicle (EV) ownership and adoption intent beyond upfront costs, focusing on charging access, travel behavior, housing, and demographics. The study utilizes a nationally representative survey of 2,870 households to examine how these factors shape both current EV ownership rates and consumers\u2019 intentions to purchase or lease an EV in the future.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A recent Georgia Tech study examines U.S. household electric vehicle (EV) ownership and adoption intent beyond upfront costs, focusing on charging access, travel behavior, housing, and demographics."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-25 20:07:56","changed_gmt":"2026-02-25 20:23:27","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679436":{"id":"679436","type":"image","title":"EPIcenterEV_Study-Feb102026AdobeStock_125980820.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1772050115","gmt_created":"2026-02-25 20:08:35","changed":"1772050115","gmt_changed":"2026-02-25 20:08:35","alt":"Row of electric vehicles parked on a street and charging from charging poles","file":{"fid":"263599","name":"EPIcenterEV_Study-Feb102026AdobeStock_125980820.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/EPIcenterEV_Study-Feb102026AdobeStock_125980820.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/EPIcenterEV_Study-Feb102026AdobeStock_125980820.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":295742,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/25\/EPIcenterEV_Study-Feb102026AdobeStock_125980820.jpeg?itok=yU9f7DgC"}}},"media_ids":["679436"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/02\/10\/beyond-the-cost-of-ev-ownership-and-adoption\/","title":"Read Full Story on the EPIcenter Webpage"}],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"194607","name":"Batteries"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E | SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ggonzalez68@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688485":{"#nid":"688485","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Major Geosynthetic Research Hub Moves to Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeosynthetics are a category of materials\u2014textiles, grids, membranes, composites, and more\u2014that are used in infrastructure projects like roads, retaining walls and landfills.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECivil Engineering Professor David Frost, the new president of the Geosynthetic Institute, said geosynthetic materials are an important technology for engineers working to design more resilient infrastructure to withstand the increasingly severe natural disasters of the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeosynthetics are a resilience maker,\u201d Frost said. \u201cWhether to enhance the strength, alter the hydraulic conductivity, limit the deformation or control various rate processes, geosynthetics inherently augment the engineering properties of natural geomaterials.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead the rest of the article on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/major-geosynthetic-research-hub-moves-georgia-tech\u0022\u003ESchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) is relocating to Georgia Tech and bringing with it a new range of opportunities for students interested in this dynamic and growing field.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) is relocating to Georgia Tech and bringing with it a new range of opportunities for students interested in this dynamic and growing field."}],"uid":"35146","created_gmt":"2026-02-23 21:10:38","changed_gmt":"2026-02-23 21:20:00","author":"mweinman3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679401":{"id":"679401","type":"image","title":"FrostGSI.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor David Frost, the president of the Geosynthetic Institute, stands in front of the organization\u0027s new home on Means Street.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1771881064","gmt_created":"2026-02-23 21:11:04","changed":"1771881064","gmt_changed":"2026-02-23 21:11:04","alt":"A man standing in front of glass double doors with the Georgia Tech logo.","file":{"fid":"263558","name":"GSI1-Edit.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/23\/GSI1-Edit.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/23\/GSI1-Edit.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1816791,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/23\/GSI1-Edit.jpg?itok=2ah2bXIY"}}},"media_ids":["679401"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1253","name":"School of Civil and Envrionmental Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMelissa Fralick\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["melissa.fralick@ce.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688452":{"#nid":"688452","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Challenges and Opportunities of Cold Weather and Technology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile Italy\u2019s 2026 Winter Olympics draw the world\u2019s attention to snow and ice, Georgia Tech researchers are also confronting cold at its most extreme.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome labs in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (ECE) use liquid nitrogen and liquid helium to chill cryogenic test systems to as low as 4 Kelvins (K), or -452.47 degrees Fahrenheit (F), temperatures that rival the coldest regions of deep space.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt this point, materials and electronic devices stop behaving in familiar ways, which is exactly why ECE researchers use these extreme conditions to explore and\u0026nbsp;develop new semiconductor technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cElectronics are very temperature dependent,\u201d Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/john-d-cressler\u0022\u003EJohn Cressler\u003C\/a\u003E said, whose lab houses some of these cryogenic test systems. \u201cWhether you see it or not, every electronic you buy has a tested temperature spec associated with it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent commercially sold devices, including most cell phones, are made to run between 32 F and 85 F. Researchers in ECE test across a far wider range, as they develop technology with extraterrestrial and quantum computing applications in mind.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther ECE teams work in natural extremes, carrying instruments into polar regions where cold creates challenges that no lab can fully replicate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJust as cold pushes athletes in different ways, it guides ECE research down its own distinct paths.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/challenges-and-opportunities-technology-cold\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full story on the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u0027s website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn labs chilled to 4 kelvins (-450 degrees!) and on expeditions to polar regions, Georgia Tech scientists are discovering how extreme cold simultaneously challenges and advances technology in computing, space exploration, and the interpretation of Earth\u2019s natural signals.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In labs chilled to 4 kelvins (-450 degrees!) and on expeditions to polar regions, Georgia Tech scientists are discovering how extreme cold simultaneously challenges and advances technology in computing, space exploration, and more."}],"uid":"36558","created_gmt":"2026-02-20 18:51:26","changed_gmt":"2026-02-20 19:43:10","author":"zwiniecki3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679385":{"id":"679385","type":"image","title":"cold-techs--1-.gif","body":null,"created":"1771613526","gmt_created":"2026-02-20 18:52:06","changed":"1771613526","gmt_changed":"2026-02-20 18:52:06","alt":"Tech in the Cold","file":{"fid":"263540","name":"cold-techs--1-.gif","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/20\/cold-techs--1-.gif","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/20\/cold-techs--1-.gif","mime":"image\/gif","size":23995589,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/20\/cold-techs--1-.gif?itok=4pbIyOsL"}}},"media_ids":["679385"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/challenges-and-opportunities-technology-cold","title":"Read the Full Story"}],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"660370","name":"Space"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"167686","name":"Semiconductors"},{"id":"1228","name":"memory"},{"id":"179829","name":"cold"},{"id":"623","name":"Technology"},{"id":"170841","name":"silicon-germanium"},{"id":"167146","name":"space"},{"id":"2868","name":"atmosphere"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EZachary Winiecki\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["zwiniecki3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688132":{"#nid":"688132","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Obstacle or Accelerator? How Imperfections Affect Material Strength","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EImagine a material cracking \u2014 now imagine what happens if there are small inclusions in the material. Do they create an obstacle course for the crack to navigate, slowing it down? Or do they act as weak points, helping the crack spread faster?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHistorically, most engineers believed the former, using heterogeneities, or differences, in materials to make materials stronger and more resilient. However, research from Georgia Tech is showing that, in some cases, heterogeneities make materials weaker and can even accelerate cracks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELed by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/itamar-kolvin\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EItamar Kolvin\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.aps.org\/prl\/abstract\/10.1103\/j4vb-y1ng\u0022\u003EDual Role for Heterogeneity in Dynamic Fracture\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EPhysical Review Letters\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethis fall.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhile Kolvin\u2019s work is theoretical, the results of the research are widely applicable. \u201cPredicting this type of toughening effect helps engineers decide how much reinforcement to add to a material, and the best way to do so,\u201d he says. \u201cCracks are complex \u2014 they interact with the material, change shape, and respond dynamically. All of this affects the overall toughness, which impacts safety.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBuilding Strong Materials\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study found that the key to crack behavior starts at the microscopic level where the material\u2019s microscopic structure influences how it resists cracks running at different speeds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cCracks propagate by breaking bonds, and that costs energy,\u201d he explains. \u201cOn top of this, materials experience extreme deformations close to where the crack runs, which costs additional energy. In some materials, the amount of this energy cost can depend on the crack\u2019s speed because of microscopic friction between molecules.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOther materials, like window glass, are mostly indifferent to the crack speed. These materials are made of simple molecules, allowing a crack to propagate slowly or quickly using the same amount of energy. The researchers found that including heterogeneities can help strengthen these materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMaterials made of more complex molecules, like polymer plastics and gels, on the other hand,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eare\u003C\/em\u003E velocity dependent: it takes more energy for a crack to propagate faster. In these materials, heterogeneities are less effective at toughening, and if the crack is fast enough, heterogeneities could help it advance. \u201cThat\u2019s something we didn\u2019t expect when we started,\u201d Kolvin says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDisorder Versus Design\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAfter discovering which types of materials can benefit from heterogeneities, Kolvin wanted to investigate the best way to add them. \u201cNatural materials like rocks are usually very messy and disordered,\u201d he explains, \u201cbut in engineering, heterogenous materials tend to be patterned.\u201d For example, imagine a manufactured material: heterogeneities may be added in a grid-like or other patterned way. Now, contrast that with the irregular freckles and inclusions you might see in a rock found in a streambed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKolvin\u2019s question was simple: which material was stronger? The results, again, were surprising. The disordered case \u2014 similar to what is found in nature \u2014 created the toughest material.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAmong the patterned materials the team tested, only one was as tough as the disordered case \u2014 and every other pattern tested made the material weaker.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFrom Lab to Landscape\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAt Georgia Tech, Kolvin\u2019s lab focuses on the mechanics of materials \u2014 both solid and fluid. \u201cWe are using our expertise in physics to explore questions across different fields,\u201d he says. \u201cA common concept is treating materials as continua \u2014 zooming out from molecular detail to look at how materials deform and flow at the large scale.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis current research follows suit with applications ranging from investigating the smallest material microstructures to predicting earthquake fractures. \u201cEarthquake faults are highly disordered, and simulating these ruptures is a major challenge, usually requiring supercomputers to solve crack propagation in three dimensions,\u201d Kolvin says. \u201cBut with the tools our study has developed, we can simulate similar conditions and large systems using just a desktop computer.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis opens the doors for scientists, engineers, physicists, and geologists to explore problems right from their own computer, allowing more researchers access to more tools,\u201d he adds. \u201cAnd new tools often lead to new discoveries.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDOI:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1103\/j4vb-y1ng\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1103\/j4vb-y1ng\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearch from Georgia Tech is showing how cracks occur and spread through materials \u2014 and how best to prevent them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research from Georgia Tech is showing how cracks occur and spread through materials \u2014 and how best to prevent them. "}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-02-09 17:14:44","changed_gmt":"2026-02-19 17:33:17","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679225":{"id":"679225","type":"image","title":"\u201cCracks are complex \u2014 they interact with the material, change shape, and respond dynamically,\u0022 says Kolvin. \u0022All of this affects the overall toughness, and that impacts safety.\u201d (Adobe Stock)","body":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cCracks are complex \u2014 they interact with the material, change shape, and respond dynamically,\u0022 says Kolvin. \u0022All of this affects the overall toughness, and that impacts safety.\u201d (Adobe Stock)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770657667","gmt_created":"2026-02-09 17:21:07","changed":"1770657667","gmt_changed":"2026-02-09 17:21:07","alt":"A crack in a building wall.","file":{"fid":"263358","name":"AdobeStock_494169649.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/09\/AdobeStock_494169649.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/09\/AdobeStock_494169649.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2360933,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/09\/AdobeStock_494169649.jpeg?itok=Q7lTZSc8"}},"679224":{"id":"679224","type":"image","title":"Itamar Kolvin","body":"\u003Cp\u003EItamar Kolvin\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770657296","gmt_created":"2026-02-09 17:14:56","changed":"1770657296","gmt_changed":"2026-02-09 17:14:56","alt":"Itamar Kolvin","file":{"fid":"263357","name":"Itamar-Kolvin.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/09\/Itamar-Kolvin_0.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/09\/Itamar-Kolvin_0.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":154592,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/09\/Itamar-Kolvin_0.jpeg?itok=e0T6C0ih"}}},"media_ids":["679225","679224"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687813":{"#nid":"687813","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Fusion to Self-Driving Cars, High Performance Computing and AI are Everywhere in 2026","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile not as highlight-reel worthy as the Winter Olympics and the World Cup, experts expect high-performance computing (HPC) to have an even bigger impact on daily life in 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers say HPC and artificial intelligence (AI) advances this year are poised to improve how people power their homes, design safer buildings, and travel through cities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tangqi.github.io\/\u0022\u003EQi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, scientists will take progressive steps toward cleaner, sustainable energy through nuclear fusion in 2026.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am very hopeful about the role of advanced computing and AI in making fusion a clean energy source,\u201d said Tang, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFusion systems involve many interconnected processes happening across different scales. Modern simulations, combined with data-driven methods, allow us to bring these pieces together into a unified picture.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang\u2019s research connects HPC and machine learning with fusion energy and plasma physics. This year, Tang is continuing work on large-scale nuclear fusion models.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnly a few experimental fusion reactors exist worldwide compared to more than 400 nuclear fission reactors. Tang\u2019s work supports a broader effort to turn fusion from a promising idea into a practical energy source.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENuclear fusion occurs in plasma, the fourth state of matter, where gas is heated to millions of degrees. In this extreme state, electrons are stripped from atoms, creating a hot soup of fast-moving ions and free electrons. In plasma, hydrogen atoms overcome their natural electrical repulsion, collide, and fuse together. This releases energy that can power cities and homes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComputers interpret extreme temperatures, densities, pressures, and plasma particle motion as massive datasets. Tang works to assimilate these data types from computer models and real-world experiments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo do this, he and other researchers rely on machine learning approaches to analyze data across models and experiments more quickly and to produce more accurate predictions. Over time, this will allow scientists to test and improve fusion reactor designs toward commercial use.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond energy and nuclear engineering,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pk.linkedin.com\/in\/umarkhayaz\u0022\u003EUmar Khayaz\u003C\/a\u003E sees broader impacts for HPC in 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHPC is the need of the day in every field of engineering sciences, physics, biology, and economics,\u201d said Khayaz, a CSE Ph.D. student in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHPC is important enough to say that we need to employ resources to also solve social problems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKhayaz studies dynamic fracture and phase-field modeling. These areas explore how materials break under sudden, rapid loads.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELike nuclear fusion, Khayaz says dynamic fracture problems are complex and data-intensive. In 2026, he expects to see more computing resources and computational capabilities devoted to understanding these problems and other emerging civil engineering challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECSE Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ahren09.github.io\/\u0022\u003EYiqiao (Ahren) Jin\u003C\/a\u003E sees a similar relationship between infrastructure and self-driving vehicles. He believes AI will innovate this area in 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech, Jin develops efficient multimodal AI systems. An autonomous vehicle is a multimodal system that uses camera video, laser sensors, language instructions, and other inputs to navigate city streets under changing scenarios like traffic and weather patterns.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJin says multimodal research will move beyond performance benchmarks this year. This shift will lead to computer systems that can reason despite uncertainty and explain their decisions. In result, engineers will redefine how they evaluate and deploy autonomous systems in safety-critical settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMany foundational problems in perception, multimodal reasoning, and agent coordination are being actively addressed in 2026. These advances enable a transition from isolated autonomous systems to safer, coordinated autonomous vehicle fleets,\u201d Jin said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs these systems scale, they have the potential to fundamentally improve transportation safety and efficiency.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile not as highlight-reel worthy as the Winter Olympics and the World Cup, experts expect high-performance computing (HPC) to have an even bigger impact on daily life in 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers say HPC and artificial intelligence (AI) advances this year are poised to improve how people power their homes, design safer buildings, and travel through cities.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers say HPC and artificial intelligence (AI) advances this year are poised to improve how people power their homes, design safer buildings, and travel through cities."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-01-29 14:30:57","changed_gmt":"2026-02-19 15:53:29","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-29T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-29T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679125":{"id":"679125","type":"image","title":"CSE-in-2026_2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1769704332","gmt_created":"2026-01-29 16:32:12","changed":"1769704332","gmt_changed":"2026-01-29 16:32:12","alt":"CSE in 2026","file":{"fid":"263246","name":"CSE-in-2026_2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/CSE-in-2026_2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/CSE-in-2026_2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":348721,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/29\/CSE-in-2026_2.jpg?itok=JDq9Sr_p"}}},"media_ids":["679125"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/fusion-self-driving-cars-high-performance-computing-and-ai-are-everywhere-2026","title":"From Fusion to Self-Driving Cars, High Performance Computing and AI are Everywhere in 2026"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"172288","name":"School of Computational Science Engineering"},{"id":"167864","name":"School of Civil and Environmental Engineering"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"15030","name":"high-performance computing"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"194384","name":"Tech AI"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687826":{"#nid":"687826","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yellow Jacket Connection Sparks Glaucoma Research Fund at Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAn estimated 4 million Americans have glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that can lead to irreversible blindness.\u0026nbsp;Now, Georgia Tech is home to a Glaucoma Research Fund that will\u0026nbsp;support cutting-edge work to understand and advance treatments for the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new initiative was sparked by ongoing research at Georgia Tech \u2014 and a Yellow Jacket connection: when\u0026nbsp;Postdoctoral Research Fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHannah Youngblood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.brightfocus.org\/news\/a-key-protein-could-alter-risk-for-pseudoexfoliation-glaucoma\/\u0022\u003Ework on exfoliation glaucoma (XFG)\u003C\/a\u003E was featured by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.brightfocus.org\/\u0022\u003EBrightFocus Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;it caught the attention of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Rucker,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ean Alabama resident who was diagnosed with XFG several years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EExcited that the research could change outcomes for people like her \u2014 and proud that it\u2019s happening at her husband\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPhilip Rucker\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s, EE 72, alma mater \u2014 Jennifer Rucker reached out to Youngblood and her advisor,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E Professor and Kelly Sepcic Pfeil, Ph.D. Chair\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/raquel-lieberman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAs the wife of a Georgia Tech graduate and an individual with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, I was inspired to support the scientists whose efforts may help me and others,\u201d Jennifer Rucker says.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EWhat followed was a meaningful dialogue and a shared sense of purpose \u2014 and the creation of the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund (Wreck Glaucoma! Fund).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt meant so much that Jennifer took the initiative to reach out to learn more about our research,\u201d says Lieberman. \u201cMoments like this remind me how deeply meaningful it is to connect with people in the broader community who are navigating glaucoma. Opportunities for such personal connections are rare, but they inspire and further motivate us to achieve our lab\u2019s mission to improve the lives of individuals suffering from blindness diseases.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Personal Connection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EYoungblood\u2019s interest in glaucoma research also stems from a personal connection: her father\u0026nbsp;was diagnosed with glaucoma as a young adult.\u0026nbsp;Now, Youngblood\u0026nbsp;studies the genetic and molecular factors behind XFG in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lieberman.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELieberman research lab\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cXFG is an aggressive form of the disease with no known cure,\u201d Youngblood says.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EWhile scientists know that XFG is the result of abnormal accumulation of proteins in the eye, current treatments only address symptoms rather than treating the root cause of the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe know XFG is driven by protein buildup, but we still don\u2019t know\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ewhy\u003C\/em\u003E it happens,\u201d she explains. \u201cMy work studying specific genetic variants aims to uncover this.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Genetics of Glaucoma\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn particular, Youngblood is researching the role of LOXL1, a protein that plays a role in soft tissue throughout the body, including the eyes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cResearch has shown that people with variants in the genes responsible for this protein are more likely to have XFG,\u201d she says. \u201cThat made me curious to see if the variants might be impacting the structure of the LOXL1 protein itself and how those variants might lead to disease.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EYoungblood is currently testing her theory in the lab. \u201cMy hope is that new insight into proteins like LOXL1 will bring us closer to treatments that address XFG at its source,\u201d she says. \u201cThe new Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund is a tremendous step forward in making that hope a reality.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESupport the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPlease visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/59801\/donations\/new?designation_id=a000015611000\u0026amp;\u0022\u003EGlaucoma Research Fund support page\u003C\/a\u003E to give to this specific program. To discuss additional philanthropic opportunities, please contact the College of Sciences Development Team:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:development@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Edevelopment@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYour investment ensures that these scholars and researchers have world-class resources, facilities, and mentors to excel in this critical work. Thank you for helping us shape the future.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen\u0026nbsp;Postdoctoral Research Fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHannah Youngblood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s\u0026nbsp;work on exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) was featured by the\u0026nbsp;BrightFocus Foundation,\u0026nbsp;it caught the attention of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Rucker,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ean Alabama resident who was diagnosed with XFG several years ago. What followed was a meaningful dialogue and a shared sense of purpose \u2014 and the creation of the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund (Wreck Glaucoma! Fund).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"When\u00a0Postdoctoral Research Fellow\u00a0Hannah Youngblood\u2019s\u00a0work on exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) was featured by the\u00a0BrightFocus Foundation,\u00a0it caught the attention of\u00a0Jennifer Rucker,\u00a0an Alabama resident who was diagnosed with XFG several years ago. "}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-01-29 17:23:21","changed_gmt":"2026-02-19 15:19:24","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679130":{"id":"679130","type":"image","title":"Hannah Youngblood","body":null,"created":"1769722230","gmt_created":"2026-01-29 21:30:30","changed":"1769722339","gmt_changed":"2026-01-29 21:32:19","alt":"Hannah Youngblood","file":{"fid":"263251","name":"Headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/Headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/Headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":42055,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/29\/Headshot.jpg?itok=1PjOSH2M"}},"679127":{"id":"679127","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1769707506","gmt_created":"2026-01-29 17:25:06","changed":"1769722356","gmt_changed":"2026-01-29 21:32:36","alt":"Raquel Lieberman","file":{"fid":"263248","name":"083.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/083.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/083.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":14074756,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/29\/083.jpg?itok=qPG_sbYX"}}},"media_ids":["679130","679127"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/59801\/donations\/new?designation_id=a000015611000\u0026","title":"Make a Gift to Support the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"193234","name":"Campaign Stories"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688369":{"#nid":"688369","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Future of Healing: Smart Bandage Could Transform Diabetic Wound Care and Beyond","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile most people don\u2019t think twice about a cut or scrape, for those with diabetes, every wound is a potential threat that requires vigilant care.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiabetic foot ulcers, for example, are slow to heal and can increase the risk of infection, hospitalization, and even amputation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo address this critical challenge, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have developed a sensor designed to monitor chronic wounds in real-time. Embedded directly into a bandage, this flexible, low-cost device could transform wound management for diabetic patients and other critical applications \u2014 such as providing direct treatment to soldiers on the battlefield or managing chronic wounds in elderly populations and patients with limited healthcare access \u2014 by reducing invasive bandage changes and ensuring timely medical intervention.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor diabetic patients with foot ulcers, long-term monitoring and care are essential,\u201d said GTRI Principal Research Engineer and Project Lead Judy Song. \u201cWe were inspired by the success of wearable glucose monitors to develop a compact, affordable sensor tailored to wound care.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis project was supported by GTRI\u2019s Independent Research and Development (IRAD) program between 2022-2025 and reflects the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration across Georgia Tech. Researchers from three out of GTRI\u2019s eight laboratories developed the sensor with experts from the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering and the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Tech and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAbout \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/conditions-and-diseases\/diabetes\/foot-ulcers\u0022\u003Eone in four\u003C\/a\u003E people with diabetes will develop a foot ulcer at some point in their lives, making it one of the leading causes of foot amputations. For these patients, nerve damage and poor blood flow hinder the body\u2019s natural healing process and allow wounds to linger and worsen.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the initial phases of their research, the team noted that nitric oxide (NO) had been previously identified as a key biomarker for wound health due to its central role in the healing process. Nitric oxide improves blood flow, reduces inflammation, promotes tissue growth and fights infection. By tracking nitric oxide levels in wounds, clinicians could determine whether a wound is improving or detect early signs of trouble.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Nitric oxide plays a fascinating, almost paradoxical, role in wound healing,\u201d said GTRI Senior Research Engineer Victoria Razin, who is co-leading the project. \u201cIt\u2019s essential for processes like blood flow and tissue repair, but can also signal when something is going wrong.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the core of the smart bandage is a flexible sensor powered by a three-electrode system capable of detecting changes in nitric oxide. The team used advanced Aerosol Jet\u00ae printing techniques to fabricate the sensor, significantly reducing production costs from thousands of dollars to just a few dollars per unit and making the design more affordable and scalable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTypically, prototyping these sensors can cost thousands of dollars, but our approach brought costs down dramatically,\u201d said Chuck Zhang, the Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. Chair and Professor in ISYE and a program director at the National Science Foundation (NSF), who oversaw sensor fabrication for this project. \u201cLower costs let us iterate quickly and deliver something that could have real healthcare impact.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo test the sensor\u2019s accuracy, the team conducted extensive laboratory studies in both biological and simulated wound conditions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn one set of experiments, endothelial cell cultures were used to create \u201cwounds\u201d by scraping the cell layers. As the cells migrated to repair the gap, nitric oxide production increased, and the sensor successfully tracked these changes in real-time. Additional fluid tests using blood plasma and red blood cells demonstrated that the sensor could reliably detect nitric oxide in a variety of conditions that closely mimic real-world wound environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese experiments confirmed that the sensor can identify the fluctuations in nitric oxide associated with different phases of wound healing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELab testing was led by Dr. Wilbur Lam, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and at Emory University School of Medicine, with support from Kirby Fibben, a biomedical engineering Ph.D. student at Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022There\u2019s a significant clinical need for real time, minimally invasive sensor technologies that detect nitric oxide,\u201d said Dr. Lam. \u201cWhile we\u2019re starting with wound healing, there\u2019s multiple other applications for vascular, hematologic, and pulmonary diseases as well.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe next step in the project is integrating the sensor into a functional wearable device. The team is combining the sensor with a miniaturized potentiostat (MicroPS) \u2013 a small electronic device that measures chemical signals \u2013 along with flexible electronic components and a system to transmit data to a mobile app.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe MicroPS, designed by the GTRI research team, led by GTRI Research Engineer Curtis Mulady, enables compact electrochemical measurements and the wireless platform transmits nitric oxide readings from the bandage to a mobile app via Bluetooth. The app uploads the data to a cloud platform, giving clinicians the ability to remotely monitor wound progress in real time. This system could reduce the need for frequent in-person checkups, enabling earlier interventions and improving outcomes for patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFuture iterations of the bandage aim to include \u201cclosed-loop\u201d systems capable of both monitoring and treating wounds, said GTRI\u2019s Song. For example, sensors could trigger a response, like releasing therapeutic agents or antimicrobials directly to the wound, when abnormalities are detected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are also exploring commercialization pathways, including partnerships with medical device companies or the formation of a startup.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis sensor meets a real need for early detection of infection and to evaluate wound healing, and I believe it could have significant commercial success,\u201d said Peter Hesketh, a professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering who led sensor design and performance testing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther contributors to this project from GTRI include Mulady, Cora Weidner, Maxwell Blanchard, Rachel Erbrick and Christopher Heist. Zhaonan \u201cZeke\u201d Liu, a postdoctoral fellow in ISYE, assisted with sensor fabrication, while Rizky Ilhamsyah, a graduate research assistant in the School of Mechanical Engineering, contributed to sensor design and performance testing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Anna Akins\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EPhotos: Sean McNeil\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EGTRI Communications\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003Cbr\u003EAtlanta, Georgia USA\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information, please contact \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:gtri.media@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Egtri.media@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about GTRI, visit: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute | GTRI\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGTRI and Georgia Tech have developed a smart bandage that could transform wound care for diabetic patients, battlefield soldiers, and others by enabling real-time insights and reducing invasive bandage changes for timely treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"GTRI and Georgia Tech have developed a smart bandage that could transform wound care for diabetic patients, battlefield soldiers, and others by enabling real-time insights and reducing invasive bandage changes for timely treatment."}],"uid":"35874","created_gmt":"2026-02-18 19:06:21","changed_gmt":"2026-02-18 19:18:25","author":"Anna Akins","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679351":{"id":"679351","type":"image","title":"2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_23.JPG","body":null,"created":"1771439806","gmt_created":"2026-02-18 18:36:46","changed":"1771439806","gmt_changed":"2026-02-18 18:36:46","alt":"A photo of some of the researchers leading the project written about. ","file":{"fid":"263501","name":"2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_23.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_23.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_23.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":14672403,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_23.JPG?itok=oXM8Z-Ko"}},"679350":{"id":"679350","type":"image","title":"2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_30.JPG","body":null,"created":"1771439636","gmt_created":"2026-02-18 18:33:56","changed":"1771439636","gmt_changed":"2026-02-18 18:33:56","alt":"A photo of some of the researchers leading the project written about. ","file":{"fid":"263500","name":"2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_30.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_30_0.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_30_0.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":15655217,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_30_0.JPG?itok=IMk9L6R1"}},"679348":{"id":"679348","type":"image","title":"2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_13.JPG","body":null,"created":"1771439373","gmt_created":"2026-02-18 18:29:33","changed":"1771439373","gmt_changed":"2026-02-18 18:29:33","alt":"A photo of a Georgia Tech graduate student operating the Aerosol Jet\u00ae printer to fabricate the sensor. ","file":{"fid":"263498","name":"2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_13.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_13.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_13.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":16282934,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_13.JPG?itok=1OcSDjG3"}},"679347":{"id":"679347","type":"image","title":"2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_04.JPG","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGTRI and Georgia Tech\u0027s smart bandage could revolutionize wound care by enabling real-time insights on healing and reducing invasive bandage changes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1771439244","gmt_created":"2026-02-18 18:27:24","changed":"1771439244","gmt_changed":"2026-02-18 18:27:24","alt":"A close-up of the Aerosol Jet printer as it designs a sensor prototype. ","file":{"fid":"263497","name":"2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_04.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_04_1.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_04_1.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":10790154,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/18\/2026_0108_image_ATAS_wound-healing-sensor_04_1.JPG?itok=LJKojKRi"}}},"media_ids":["679351","679350","679348","679347"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"194610","name":"National Interests\/National Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"179693","name":"biomedical sensors"},{"id":"192132","name":"improving human condition"},{"id":"543","name":"National Security"},{"id":"94241","name":"diabetes treatments"},{"id":"12463","name":"Wound Healing"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor more information, please contact \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:gtri.media@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Egtri.media@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWriter: Anna Akins (anna.akins@gtri.gatech.edu).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688066":{"#nid":"688066","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Leanne West Named 2026 Innovator of the Year in Pediatric Health","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2937\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELeanne West\u003C\/a\u003E, chief engineer of pediatric technologies at Georgia Tech and a national leader in pediatric health innovation, has been honored as a 2026 Innovator of the Year in Pediatric Health by\u202fthe \u003Cem\u003EAtlanta Business Chronicle\u003C\/em\u003E\u202fand selected as one of\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.titan100.biz\/2026-georgia-titan-100\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETitan CEO\u2019s 2026 Georgia Titan 100 Honorees\u003C\/a\u003E. These recognitions celebrate West\u2019s leadership and impact in pediatric health innovation at both the local and national level.\u202fIn January, West was also named chief research and innovation officer at Shriners Children\u2019s, a role that expands her longstanding commitment to pediatric innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more than a decade, West has been instrumental in the partnership between Georgia Tech and Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta, working through the Pediatric Technology Center (PTC) to translate clinical needs into engineered solutions for children. In this role, she has worked alongside Children\u2019s clinicians, nurses, and researchers to identify unmet needs, form multidisciplinary teams, and guide projects from early concepts through prototyping, validation, funding, and regulatory pathways. The Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta PTC established Atlanta as a nationally recognized hub for pediatric technology innovation enabling clinician-driven research, accelerating translational projects, and fostering a culture in which engineering solutions are shaped directly by real clinical experience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2019,\u202fWest began building a relationship with Shriners, working to understand their most pressing clinical needs. She then connected clinicians with researchers at Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Kennesaw State University to foster collaborations focused on real-world clinical challenges. She also supported teams with promising prototypes by helping them navigate national funding opportunities and pathways at the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), accelerating the transition from lab discoveries to patient care.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver time, this steady engagement evolved into a strong research partnership. In June 2025, Shriners announced they are joining the robust pediatric innovation ecosystem in Atlanta by establishing the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/07\/03\/shriners-childrens-establish-research-institute-science-square\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EShriners Children\u2019s Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u202f(SCRI). SCRI will be co-located with Georgia Tech as the anchor tenant at Science Square. This investment will be transformational for the future of pediatric research and innovation in the state of Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat excites me most is what we can accomplish together when we combine our strengths to align around a children-first mindset to improve the healthcare of children everywhere,\u201d said West. \u201cKids will benefit in ways no one organization could achieve alone.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWest\u2019s leadership in pediatric innovation doesn\u2019t stop there. In November 2025, she consolidated three major gatherings into the first International Pediatric Healthcare Innovation Summit,\u202fcombining the Pediatric Innovation Day, the International Society for Pediatric Innovation\u2019s (iSPI) biennial PEDS2040 event, and the joint meeting of the FDA-funded Pediatric Device Consortia. The Summit highlighted the work of Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta, bringing together more than 150 representatives from children\u2019s hospitals, startups, venture capitalists, clinicians, patients, and leaders from across the Georgia innovation ecosystem, strengthening the region\u2019s global presence in pediatric health innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs president of the International Children\u2019s Advisory Network (iCAN), West continues to elevate the voices of young people with chronic and rare conditions and their caregivers. Under her leadership, iCAN partners with industry, regulators, and the FDA to ensure pediatric patients are included in device and drug development, clinical trials, healthcare education, and regulatory conversations. She also champions opportunities that train and inspire youth and early career professionals to pursue roles across healthcare and life sciences \u2014 from clinicians and innovators to public health leaders and patient advocates.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWest served as an invited speaker at the 2025 World Health Organization\u2019s World Children\u2019s Health Day on the Importance of Clinical Trials for the Safety of Children, and at the FDA\u2019s meeting on the Implementation of the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act and Pediatric Research Equity Act. She continues to contribute nationally through service on the Medical Device Innovation Consortium\u2019s (MDIC) NEST executive committee to advance use of real-world evidence in regulatory submissions, particularly for pediatric devices, and the MDIC Patient Value committee. In addition, she serves on the iSPI executive team, the Patient Focused Medicines Development board, the Pediatric Trials Network steering committee, and as a judge for MedTech Innovator.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWest\u2019s awards and new role reflect the cumulative impact of more than a decade of leadership, partnership-building, and translational work across the worldwide pediatric ecosystem. West and her fellow honorees will be officially recognized at the 2026 Health Care Champion Awards on March 19 and at the Titan 100 Awards on May 7.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis recognition celebrates West\u2019s leadership and impact in pediatric health innovation at both the local and national level.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"This recognition celebrates West\u2019s leadership and impact in pediatric health innovation at both the local and national level."}],"uid":"34760","created_gmt":"2026-02-06 13:07:47","changed_gmt":"2026-02-18 19:04:26","author":"Laurie Haigh","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679212":{"id":"679212","type":"image","title":"Leanne West","body":null,"created":"1770398827","gmt_created":"2026-02-06 17:27:07","changed":"1770398857","gmt_changed":"2026-02-06 17:27:37","alt":"Leanne West","file":{"fid":"263344","name":"Leanne-West-Article.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/06\/Leanne-West-Article.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/06\/Leanne-West-Article.png","mime":"image\/png","size":614238,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/06\/Leanne-West-Article.png?itok=e73deBxO"}}},"media_ids":["679212"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laurie.haigh@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ELaurie Haigh\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688362":{"#nid":"688362","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Partners with RMS Aerospace to Advance Autonomous UAV Technology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rotorcraft.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVertical Lift Research Center of Excellence\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (VLRCOE) and RMS Aerospace have entered into a strategic partnership to develop an AI-enabled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the U.S. Army and federal government. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERMS is an engineering firm highly specialized in aerial and maritime combat systems, with offices in Texas and Georgia. This partnership combines VLRCOE\u2019s strengths in rotorcraft aeromechanics and advanced configurations with RMS\u2019 operational defense and applied systems engineering expertise to address a critical need for the U.S. Army.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe military has phased out or retired other drone vehicles, including the MQ-1 Gray Eagle, RQ-7 Shadow, and OH-58 Kiowa Warrior. Deploying a new AI-powered UAV can take over the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions typically flown by those older UAVs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/georgia-tech-partners-rms-aerospace-advance-autonomous-uav-technology\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the AE Webpage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rotorcraft.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVertical Lift Research Center of Excellence\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (VLRCOE) and RMS Aerospace have entered into a strategic partnership to develop an AI-enabled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the U.S. Army and federal government. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"e-Scout, is a first-of-its-kind AI-enabled tactical drone designed to address critical gaps in U.S. military support. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-18 16:45:43","changed_gmt":"2026-02-18 16:45:43","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/georgia-tech-partners-rms-aerospace-advance-autonomous-uav-technology","title":"Read Full Story on the AE Webpage"}],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"147","name":"Military Technology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKelsey Gulledge || AE Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688283":{"#nid":"688283","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Concept to Prototype: How Georgia Tech Students Are Shaping a Sustainable Energy Future","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hack.energyclub.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergyHack@GT\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s second annual student-run energy and sustainability hackathon, took place over the weekend of Jan. 23 \u2013 25, 2026. Organized by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyclub.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Club at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E, the hackathon\u2019s mission was to unite passionate students, tackle critical challenges in the energy industry, and foster innovation and collaboration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the course of 36 hours, participants collaborated in teams to brainstorm, design, and prototype projects that promote sustainable practices based on diverse problem statements, addressing this year\u2019s tracks: \u003Cstrong\u003Erenewables; electrification \u0026amp; mobility; and smart grid.\u003C\/strong\u003E These themes targeted urgent issues, from balancing renewable energy supply and demand to safeguarding infrastructure against cyber threats and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the arrival of a winter storm and the hackathon shifting to a fully virtual format, students persevered and produced top-tier projects, which were evaluated by a panel of judges.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event kicked off with an engaging opening ceremony featuring inspiring keynote speeches that set the tone for the hackathon\u2019s ambitious objectives. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/spotlight-ann-dunkin-sei-distinguished-external-fellow\u0022\u003EAnn Dunkin\u003C\/a\u003E, Distinguished External Fellow at Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), served as the first of these keynotes, presenting her experiences as chief information officer for the U.S. Department of Energy. She gave participants, whether newcomers or veterans in the energy space, diverse problems to tackle, ranging from cybersecurity risks in substations to climate concerns in the age of artificial intelligence. Dunkin emphasized that no matter the challenge, a strong team can always develop innovative solutions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI was impressed by the quality and completeness of the solutions that the students created over about 40 hours,\u201d said Dunkin. \u0022Students created real solutions that meet market needs, and they conveyed an incredible amount of information in the three minutes they had to present their solutions.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the switch to a virtual format, participants could still talk to mentors throughout the event. These mentors included a Google lead, startup CEOs, Ph.D. researchers, and other professionals with decades of experience in the energy industry. Mentors provided feedback on participants\u2019 ideas and guided them to think more deeply about the problems they chose. The various workshops also provided participants with a chance to dig deep into specific topics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/michaelklevy\/\u0022\u003EMichael Levy\u003C\/a\u003E, U.S. utilities lead at global consulting firm \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.baringa.com\/en\/\u0022\u003EBaringa\u003C\/a\u003E, presented his workshop on using data and modeling to shape utility decisions, policy, and regulatory strategy. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gevernova.com\/\u0022\u003EGE Vernova\u003C\/a\u003E representatives presented \u201cThe Energy of Change,\u201d an interactive workshop featuring climate simulations and team challenges to explore the trade-offs between cost, grid capacity, and carbon impact in the real world. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mlh.io\/\u0022\u003EMajor League Hacking\u003C\/a\u003E provided guides on GitHub Copilot and Google AI Studio. The final workshop, \u201cOrg Efficiency in Early Startups,\u201d was led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rhunterharris\/\u0022\u003EHunter Harris\u003C\/a\u003E from the technology incubator complex \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atlantatechvillage.com\/\u0022\u003EAtlanta Tech Village\u003C\/a\u003E. Harris taught participants what to prioritize in an early startup, including how to build a management structure and find the right strategy for attracting customers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/troy-rice\/\u0022\u003ETroy Rice\u003C\/a\u003E, vice president and general manager of Florida Power and Light under NextEra Energy, gave a keynote speech on utility business models and how to set yourself apart in a large industry. Rice discussed his experience, which began as a Tech graduate from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EH. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. After learning about NextEra\u2019s business model, he eventually created and taught an internal class called \u201cHow NextEra Makes Money.\u201d Rice used this story to explain the importance of becoming an expert in knowledge that others in your company overlook. He also discussed the future of energy generation, emphasizing the growth of renewable energy in utility portfolios and often-overlooked potential career opportunities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe energy and creativity culminated in the Project Expo, where 22 innovative solutions were showcased. Representatives from the Strategic Energy Institute, Microsoft, NextEra Energy, GE Vernova, and Georgia Tech professors judged projects, offering insights and feedback.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe closing ceremony celebrated the participants\u2019 achievements and the event highlights, featuring \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/emily-a-morris\/\u0022\u003EEmily Morris\u003C\/a\u003E, founder and CEO of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/emrgy.com\/\u0022\u003EEmrgy\u003C\/a\u003E, as the final keynote speaker. Morris shared insights from her experience as a technology startup founder in the energy sector, discussing the unique challenges of navigating a risk-averse industry. She encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to start by envisioning their future press release to clarify their end goal and avoid getting lost in immediate challenges. Morris emphasized the importance of leveraging your network, whether your Georgia Tech connections or hometown community, regardless of whether you pursue academia, industry, or the startup world.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith more than 110 registered participants, 22 project submissions, and leaders from some of the biggest energy and tech companies, EnergyHack@GT served as a platform for innovation and learning, showcasing the potential of student-led initiatives in shaping the future of energy and sustainability. Awards were presented to the top three projects for their creativity and impact, with the winning teams receiving cash prizes provided by the startup \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tractian.com\/en\u0022\u003ETractian\u003C\/a\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBest Overall Hack: AppliScan\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESecond Place: TeraWatt\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThird Place: WattsUp\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETake a look at all the projects submitted: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyhack-gt-26.devpost.com\/project-gallery.\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/energyhack-gt-26.devpost.com\/project-gallery\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Georgia Tech students: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bradenqueen\/\u0022\u003EBraden Queen\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/linkedin.com\/in\/orit-endalk-725b61325\u0022\u003EOrit Endalk\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/radhikasharmaga\/\u0022\u003ERadhika Sharma\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hack.energyclub.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnergyHack@GT\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s second annual student-run energy and sustainability hackathon, took place over the weekend of Jan. 23\u0026nbsp;\u2013 25, 2026. Organized by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyclub.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Club at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E, the hackathon\u2019s mission was to unite passionate students, tackle critical challenges in the energy industry, and foster innovation and collaboration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the course of 36 hours, participants collaborated in teams to brainstorm, design, and prototype projects that promote sustainable practices based on diverse problem statements, addressing this year\u2019s tracks: \u003Cstrong\u003Erenewables\u003C\/strong\u003E; \u003Cstrong\u003Eelectrification \u0026amp; mobility\u003C\/strong\u003E; and \u003Cstrong\u003Esmart grid\u003C\/strong\u003E. These themes targeted urgent issues, from balancing renewable energy supply and demand to safeguarding infrastructure against cyber threats and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the arrival of a winter storm and the hackathon shifting to a fully virtual format, students persevered and produced top-tier projects, which were evaluated by a panel of judges.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"EnergyHack@GT, Georgia Tech\u2019s second annual student-run energy and sustainability hackathon, took place over the weekend of Jan. 23 \u2013 25, 2026. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-16 19:47:39","changed_gmt":"2026-02-18 00:53:20","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679297":{"id":"679297","type":"image","title":"EnergyClubLeadershipTeam.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEnergy Club Team\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1771271270","gmt_created":"2026-02-16 19:47:50","changed":"1771271270","gmt_changed":"2026-02-16 19:47:50","alt":"Energy Club Team on the Hackathon Day","file":{"fid":"263439","name":"EnergyClubLeadershipTeam.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/EnergyClubLeadershipTeam.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/EnergyClubLeadershipTeam.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3141261,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/16\/EnergyClubLeadershipTeam.jpeg?itok=MyWYw0tD"}},"679299":{"id":"679299","type":"image","title":"TeamsWorking.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1771271336","gmt_created":"2026-02-16 19:48:56","changed":"1771271336","gmt_changed":"2026-02-16 19:48:56","alt":"Hackathon Team Members Busy at Work","file":{"fid":"263441","name":"TeamsWorking.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/TeamsWorking.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/TeamsWorking.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":349906,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/16\/TeamsWorking.jpeg?itok=S0Kc6yj-"}},"679298":{"id":"679298","type":"image","title":"Judges.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1771271336","gmt_created":"2026-02-16 19:48:56","changed":"1771271336","gmt_changed":"2026-02-16 19:48:56","alt":"EnergyHack@GT 2026 Judges","file":{"fid":"263440","name":"Judges.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/Judges.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/Judges.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":106682,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/16\/Judges.jpeg?itok=vzc63_Eu"}},"679300":{"id":"679300","type":"image","title":"Teamsworking2.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1771271336","gmt_created":"2026-02-16 19:48:56","changed":"1771271336","gmt_changed":"2026-02-16 19:48:56","alt":"EnergyHack@GT Teams at work","file":{"fid":"263442","name":"Teamsworking2.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/Teamsworking2.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/Teamsworking2.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":358794,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/16\/Teamsworking2.jpeg?itok=1lj-KMSl"}},"679301":{"id":"679301","type":"image","title":"WinningTeam.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEnergyHack@GT 2026 Winning Team\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1771271336","gmt_created":"2026-02-16 19:48:56","changed":"1771271336","gmt_changed":"2026-02-16 19:48:56","alt":"Winners of EnergyHack@GT 2026","file":{"fid":"263443","name":"WinningTeam.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/WinningTeam.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/16\/WinningTeam.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":77205,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/16\/WinningTeam.jpeg?itok=05BjMDDP"}}},"media_ids":["679297","679299","679298","679300","679301"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"193158","name":"Student Competition Winners (academic, innovation, and research)"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Georgia Tech students: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bradenqueen\/\u0022\u003EBraden Queen\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/linkedin.com\/in\/orit-endalk-725b61325\u0022\u003EOrit Endalk\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/radhikasharmaga\/\u0022\u003ERadhika Sharma\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687820":{"#nid":"687820","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Confronting the Roadblocks in Medical Technology Innovation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute for Matter and Systems\u003C\/a\u003E (IMS) hosted its second Boundaries and Breakthroughs panel on Jan. 27, bringing together leading clinicians, engineers, and data experts to examine why\u0026nbsp;promising medical technologies often fail to translate into clinical practice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EModerated by IMS Executive Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/people\/eric-vogel\u0022\u003EEric Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E, the panel explored how innovation, regulation, economics and clinical realities intersect to shape the future of medical devices.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe panel featured \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/17689\u0022\u003EJon Duke\u003C\/a\u003E, physician and director of the Center for Health Analytics and Informatics at Georgia Tech Research Institute; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/matthew-t-flavin\u0022\u003EMatthew Flavin\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/hyunjoo-oh\u0022\u003EHyunJoo Oh\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the schools of Industrial Design and Interactive Computing; and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/med.emory.edu\/departments\/pediatrics\/divisions\/pulmonary\/profile\/?u=LGUGLAN\u0022\u003ELokesh Guglani\u003C\/a\u003E, pediatric pulmonologist and clinician-researcher at Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVogel opened the event by highlighting the gap between technological novelty and real-world medical adoption.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAbout 75% of medical device start-ups never achieve commercial success or make it to market, and some industry estimates push this higher,\u201d Vogel said. \u201cEven those that reach the market often fail to gain meaningful adoption. This may be because technologists optimize for platforms five or 10 years out and are rewarded by novelty, whereas clinicians demand reliability, interpretability, and outcomes that hold up with real patients, real workflows, and real liability.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThroughout the discussion, panelists examined the balance between rapid innovation and clinical safety, noting that the level of invasiveness often determines how bold developers can be.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe must remember that in medicine\u2014and especially when we\u0027re dealing with human lives\u2014there\u0027s a significant asymmetry of the harm that could be done,\u201d said Guglani. \u201cEven a small change or an oversight at the design level of a medical device can have significant downstream repercussions for patients and create liability for institutions and providers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFlavin and Duke added that excessive conservatism, particularly around non-invasive wearable, can also slow potentially life-changing advancements.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll panelists agreed that breakthrough technology alone is not enough to ensure clinical adoption. Usability, workflow fit, and time efficiency often determine whether clinicians adopt a device. Tools that require lengthy calibration or add to a clinician\u2019s already tight schedule rarely succeed. Even when a technology integrates well, reimbursement barriers can prevent adoption.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cA lot of technologies come out, but then if the clinic is using them and is not being reimbursed for the time spent, that creates a bottleneck,\u201d said Guglani.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEconomic constraints also shape who benefits from innovation. Children with rare diseases, stroke survivors, and other small or heterogeneous patient groups often struggle to attract investors, even when their needs are urgent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe panelists also discussed the dual role of regulatory and manufacturing standards. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements ensures consistent, safe production, but force teams to lock designs earlier than ideal, adding cost and slowing iteration. These requirements protect patients but also function as an economic filter for many early-stage technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe conversation then turned to data, AI, and the education of future innovators. Despite massive amounts of health data, many clinically important areas remain data\u2011scarce. Wearable devices, such as smart watches, may help close these gaps, but AI models remain limited by the quality of input data.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen asked about preparing the next generation of MedTech innovators, panelists emphasized the importance of \u201cinterface literacy\u201d or the ability to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries and understand how design decisions cascade into real clinical environments. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou really do have to be able to be interdisciplinary,\u201d said Duke. \u201cNow of course what makes things go is not often the knowledge of the domain, but the person\u2019s role or connectivity into the system.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVogel closed by emphasizing that successful medical technology development requires \u201congoing, honest collaboration\u201d across fields. The Boundaries and Breakthroughs series will continue that mission in February with a panel on the future of the electric grid.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EClinicians and researchers outlined why breakthrough devices often fall short in clinical settings and emphasized the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and practical workflow integration.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Clinicians and researchers outlined why breakthrough devices often fall short in clinical settings and emphasized the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and practical workflow integration."}],"uid":"35272","created_gmt":"2026-01-29 16:04:43","changed_gmt":"2026-02-16 15:15:01","author":"aneumeister3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-29T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-29T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679124":{"id":"679124","type":"image","title":"Bioelectronics and MedTech panel","body":null,"created":"1769700549","gmt_created":"2026-01-29 15:29:09","changed":"1769700715","gmt_changed":"2026-01-29 15:31:55","alt":"A panel of five speakers sits on tall stools at the front of a classroom, participating in a moderated discussion. The moderator on the left holds papers while addressing the group. A large presentation slide behind the panel displays names and academic titles. Audience members are partially visible in the foreground, and tables, chairs, and a water bottle are arranged throughout the room.","file":{"fid":"263245","name":"bioelectronics_and_medTech_panel.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/bioelectronics_and_medTech_panel.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/bioelectronics_and_medTech_panel.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":668931,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/29\/bioelectronics_and_medTech_panel.jpg?itok=C-PG3Fe5"}}},"media_ids":["679124"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.neumeister@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Neumeister\u003C\/a\u003E | Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Matter and Systems\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["amelia.neumeister@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688211":{"#nid":"688211","#data":{"type":"news","title":"2026 Awardees Announced for Regenerative Engineering and Medicine Center Collaborative Seed Grant ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdvancing the frontiers of regenerative medicine means more than pushing scientific boundaries \u2014 it means improving and extending human life. The Regenerative Engineering and Medicine Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.regenerativeengineeringandmedicine.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EREM\u003C\/a\u003E) is a partnership with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.emory.edu\/home\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEmory University\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uga.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E (UGA) that supports this mission through inter-institutional collaborations in research in regenerative medicine.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 2010, competitive peer-reviewed seed grants have been awarded annually to interdisciplinary teams with representation from at least two of the three institutions, leading to clinical trials, licensed technologies, start-up companies, and external funding for additional research. The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EIBB\u003C\/a\u003E) is excited to announce the 2026 REM Collaborative Seed Grant awardees: Melissa Kemp (Georgia Tech) and Rabindra Tirouvanziam (Emory); Yang Liu (UGA) and Yong Teng (Emory); and Steven Stice (UGA) and Zhexing Wen (Emory).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKemp and Tirouvanziam were awarded funding for their proposal, \u201cPredicting Personalized Extracellular Vesicle (EV) Responses for Directed Myeloid\u2011Targeted Immunotherapy.\u201d Their project combines computer modeling and lab\u2011grown lung tissue to better understand how immune cells communicate during lung infections and inflammation in different people. This research could help scientists design more precise, patient\u2011specific therapies for respiratory diseases, potentially improving treatments for conditions ranging from viral infections to chronic inflammation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We are grateful for the support from REM that allows us to extend our labs into new, interdisciplinary research,\u201d Kemp said. \u201cThis pilot project will allow us to develop and experimentally validate multicellular models of the lung environment. Our goal is to use our platforms to test potential therapeutics that operate by controlling communication between cell types.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is wonderful to be supported by REM for this collaboration between Georgia Tech and Emory labs,\u201d Tirouvanziam agreed. \u201cWe hope to turn this pilot into a large extramural project with a focus on novel immunotherapy.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELiu and Teng were awarded funding for their proposal, \u201cAI\u2011Guided Profiling of Migratory Cancer Stem Cell Communication in Head and Neck Cancer.\u201d\u0026nbsp; Their project aims to uncover how the most aggressive cancer stem cells move and \u201ctalk\u201d to nearby immune and tissue cells, using advanced microfluidic tools and artificial intelligence to study how these cells help cancer spread and resist treatment.\u0026nbsp; Understanding these hidden communication pathways could lead to earlier detection of dangerous cancer cell types and inspire new therapies that prevent recurrence and improve survival for patients with head and neck cancer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe combine microfluidic tools with artificial intelligence to monitor individual cancer cells in action and study how they interact with the immune microenvironment \u2014 capturing behaviors that are missed in bulk experiments and shedding light on how aggressive cancer cells escape therapy,\u201d Liu said of the project.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStice and Wen were awarded funding for their application, \u201cUse of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Organoids to Assess Mesenchymal Stromal Cell\u2013Derived Extracellular Vesicles Mechanism of Action.\u201d\u0026nbsp; Their project uses lab\u2011grown human brain organoids to study how tiny therapeutic particles called extracellular vesicles that are released by stem cells might reduce brain inflammation and protect neurons affected by Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u0026nbsp; Revealing how these vesicles work at a molecular level could help advance new treatments that go beyond symptom management and move toward slowing or preventing Alzheimer\u2019s progression.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are used in the body to communicate with cells around an injury and are known to repair brain tissue in Alzheimer\u2019s animal models,\u201d Stice said.\u0026nbsp; \u201cUnderstanding the signaling mechanisms used by EVs in Alzheimer\u2019s brain organoids will directly lead to better EV manufacturing processes and potency for neurodegenerative diseases, and ultimately better therapies.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s funded work illustrates how collaboration across institutions accelerates discoveries. Together, these teams are pushing healing technologies closer to real\u2011world impact, where they can make a tangible difference for patients affected by serious illness.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EThe 2026 Regenerative Engineering and Medicine (REM) Collaborative Seed Grants have been awarded to three interdisciplinary research teams from Georgia Tech, Emory University, and the University of Georgia, supporting innovative projects in personalized immunotherapy, cancer metastasis, and Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Together, these collaborations advance the frontiers of regenerative medicine and accelerate the development of next\u2011generation therapies with the potential to transform patient care.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The 2026 awards support three cross\u2011institutional teams advancing innovative research in personalized immunotherapy, cancer stem cell communication, and therapies for Alzheimer\u2019s disease. "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-02-11 21:18:14","changed_gmt":"2026-02-11 21:26:17","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679264":{"id":"679264","type":"image","title":"cancer-technologies.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1770845087","gmt_created":"2026-02-11 21:24:47","changed":"1770845087","gmt_changed":"2026-02-11 21:24:47","alt":"Illustration of cancer cells, with a highlighted tumor cell in the center targeted by a digital crosshair.","file":{"fid":"263397","name":"cancer-technologies.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/11\/cancer-technologies.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/11\/cancer-technologies.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8956181,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/11\/cancer-technologies.jpeg?itok=SCsWPN9q"}}},"media_ids":["679264"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ashlie.bowman@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686337":{"#nid":"686337","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Hosts Annual Summit Devoted to Pediatric Health Innovation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EImagine a world where pediatric gastrointestinal disease could be diagnosed by swallowing a capsule-sized camera, where heart defects could be corrected by biodegradable implants, and where ADHD could be diagnosed through virtual reality. Georgia Tech and its partners are helping bring these world-changing ideas to life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Nov. 5 \u2013 6, Georgia Tech hosted the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ispi4kids.org\/phis2025\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Healthcare Innovation Summit 2025\u003C\/a\u003E (PHIS), a one-of-a-kind event that brought champions of children\u2019s health together to share knowledge, facilitate collaborative initiatives, and accelerate medical innovation. The summit was co-presented by the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Innovation Network\u003C\/a\u003E (PIN), the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ispi4kids.org\/about\/\u0022\u003EInternational Society for Pediatric Innovation\u003C\/a\u003E (ISPI), and the FDA-funded \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/industry\/medical-products-rare-diseases-and-conditions\/pediatric-device-consortia-grants-program\u0022\u003EPediatric Device Consortia\u003C\/a\u003E (PDC).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event included a tour of the new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.choa.org\/locations\/arthur-m-blank-hospital\u0022\u003EArthur M. Blank Hospital\u003C\/a\u003E, technology showcases, workshops, panel discussions, a poster session, and a pitch competition where companies were awarded funding from the Pediatric Device Consortia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is committed to advancing medicine, but in particular pediatric medicine, which is normally underfunded compared to adult healthcare,\u201d Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera said. \u201cWe are committed to playing our part, and we\u0027re doing that in partnership with the best organizations, combining our engineering skills with clinical partners who understand the most important needs of children.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECabrera was a guest speaker for the event, which took place at two locations across campus: the newly opened \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/realestate.gatech.edu\/science-square\u0022\u003EScience Square\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/studentcenter.gatech.edu\/historic-academy-medicine\u0022\u003EHistoric Academy of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E. He emphasized that championing causes such as pediatric healthcare innovation not only aligns with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/strategicplan.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s mission\u003C\/a\u003E, but also with the vision surrounding the new infrastructure being built across campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u0027re committed to turning our city and our neighborhood into a hub of innovation, and the area of life sciences is one of those areas that we are supporting \u2014 including our new Science Square neighborhood, which is devoted to precisely this,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough industry events happen every year, what makes PHIS unique is its goal of uniting not only clinicians and healthcare administrators, but also researchers, investors, and entrepreneurs. \u0026nbsp;Attendees are united around a shared goal of solving systemic problems and, ultimately, saving and improving the lives of children. Julia Kubanek, Georgia Tech\u2019s Vice President for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/interdisciplinary-research\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Research\u003C\/a\u003E, said that this collaborative approach provides a unique opportunity to progress ideas and technologies that impact the industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cParticularly in the pediatric space, the market is relatively small. When you have a specialized pediatric technology, it\u0027s sometimes difficult to get the resources to advance that into clinical trials and into products that can go to market,\u201d she said. \u201cThis environment that the summit creates is a supportive one for solving those problems and advancing life-saving research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile this was the third year that the event featured a pitch competition, it was the first year that winners were awarded monetary prizes. By bringing startups and investors together, the PHIS plays a vital role in getting impactful research from conceptual to consumer ready. This year\u2019s winners included: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/luminoah.com\/\u0022\u003ELuminoah\u003C\/a\u003E in first place, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.rhaeos.com\/\u0022\u003ERhaeos\u003C\/a\u003E in second, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.acqumenmedical.com\/\u0022\u003EAcQumen Medical\u003C\/a\u003E in third.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough the event does encourage friendly competition, the ultimate goal remains to improve the lives of children and their families through collaboration, thought leadership, and innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur north star is taking care of children,\u201d Anthony Chang, founder of ISPI, said in his opening remarks. \u201cI think we underestimate how much we learn together. I look at our jobs not as jobs but as a special calling \u2014 taking care of children.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to PIN, ISPI, and PDC, the event was sponsored by Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/corporate.gatech.edu\/?utm_source=research\u0026amp;utm_medium=website\u0026amp;utm_id=092023\u0022\u003EOffice of Corporate Engagement\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.shrinerschildrens.org\/en\u0022\u003EShriner\u2019s Children\u2019s Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.choa.org\/\u0022\u003EChildren\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgia.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Department of Economic Development\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gra.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.icanresearch.org\/\u0022\u003EInternational Children\u2019s Advisory Network\u003C\/a\u003E, among others.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Nov. 5 \u2013 6, Georgia Tech hosted the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ispi4kids.org\/phis2025\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Healthcare Innovation Summit 2025\u003C\/a\u003E (PHIS), a one-of-a-kind event that brought champions of children\u2019s health together to share knowledge, facilitate collaborative initiatives, and accelerate medical innovation. The summit was co-presented by the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Innovation Network\u003C\/a\u003E (PIN), the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ispi4kids.org\/about\/\u0022\u003EInternational Society for Pediatric Innovation\u003C\/a\u003E (ISPI), and the FDA-funded \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/industry\/medical-products-rare-diseases-and-conditions\/pediatric-device-consortia-grants-program\u0022\u003EPediatric Device Consortia\u003C\/a\u003E (PDC).\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Pediatric Healthcare Innovation Summit 2025 convened experts, entrepreneurs, and clinicians to accelerate breakthrough technologies and collaborative solutions aimed at transforming pediatric care."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2025-11-10 23:39:49","changed_gmt":"2026-02-11 19:33:13","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678590":{"id":"678590","type":"image","title":"20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg","body":null,"created":"1762818046","gmt_created":"2025-11-10 23:40:46","changed":"1762818046","gmt_changed":"2025-11-10 23:40:46","alt":"President \u00c1ngel Cabrera of Georgia Tech stands at a podium and delivers a speech.","file":{"fid":"262645","name":"20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/10\/20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/10\/20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1306762,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/10\/20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg?itok=GllnmzPt"}}},"media_ids":["678590"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ashlie.bowman@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688134":{"#nid":"688134","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Wine, Science, and Spectroscopy: Georgia Tech Outreach Produces Published Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENew work from Georgia Tech is showing how a simple glass of wine can serve as a powerful gateway for understanding advanced research and technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe project, inspired by an Atlanta Science Festival event hosted by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/andrew-mcshan\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndrew McShan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, develops an innovative outreach and teaching module around nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, and is designed for easy adoption in introductory chemistry and biochemistry courses.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPublished earlier this year in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EJournal of Chemical Education,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethe study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acs.jchemed.5c00652\u0022\u003EAutomated Chemical Profiling of Wine by Solution NMR Spectroscopy: A Demonstration for Outreach and Education\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d was led by a team from the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry including lead author McShan, Ph.D. students\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELily Capeci\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EElizabeth A. Corbin, Ruoqing Jia\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMiriam K. Simma\u003C\/strong\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EF. N. U. Vidya\u003C\/strong\u003E, Academic Professional\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMary E. Peek\u003C\/strong\u003E, and Georgia Tech NMR Center Co-Directors\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJohannes E. Leisen\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u003Cstrong\u003E Hongwei Wu\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cNMR is one of the most widely used analytical tools in chemistry and the life sciences, and Georgia Tech hosts one of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/nmr-center\/\u0022\u003Ethe most cutting-edge NMR centers\u003C\/a\u003E in the world,\u201d McShan says. \u201cOur study shows that you don\u2019t need advanced training to appreciate how powerful tools like NMR work and how those tools are used in research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAll materials, tutorials, and data are freely available via\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mcshan.chemistry.gatech.edu\/static\/outreach\/2025_Tutorial_Wine%20NMR.pdf\u0022\u003Eonline tutorials\u003C\/a\u003E and a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9_QPgV14mbs\u0022\u003EYouTube video\u003C\/a\u003E, enabling educators to replicate or adapt the activity even in settings with limited access to NMR facilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWine sleuthing at the Atlanta Science Festival\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFrom families with K-12 students to undergraduates to adults with no prior chemistry experience, nearly 130 visitors explored wine chemistry at the Georgia Tech NMR Center during the Atlanta Science Festival event. With McShan\u2019s guidance, they identified and quantified more than 70 chemical components that influence wine taste, aroma, and quality by analyzing the chemical composition, structure, and dynamics of molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETaking on the role of wine investigators (a real-world application of NMR), the group investigated examples of wine fraud, learning to identify harmful additives like methanol, antifreeze, and lead acetate \u2013 additives that played roles in both historical and modern wine scandals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cBy connecting the science to something familiar like wine, we were able to spark curiosity and excitement across age groups,\u201d says McShan. \u201cThis a framework for how complex analytical techniques can be made inclusive, interactive, and inspiring whether in the classroom or at a science festival.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScience for all\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study underscores the potential of NMR and other powerful technologies as outreach opportunities \u2013 from engaging the public to better teaching undergraduate students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAfter the event, adults said they learned how chemical composition affects wine characteristics and how NMR is used in research and industry,\u201d McShan says. \u201cYounger participants learned key concepts about wine composition and found benefits from the sensory elements, like watching the spectrometer in action.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThey aim to use these takeaways to continue developing outreach tools. \u201cMy end goal is to develop NMR into a practical teaching tool by grounding the technique in real-world examples,\u201d adds McShan. \u201cUsing this approach is a clear avenue to introducing the general public to the world-class instruments used by researchers at Georgia Tech and exposing undergraduate students to the powerful analytical techniques they are likely to encounter throughout their careers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: National Science Foundation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew work from Georgia Tech is showing how a simple glass of wine can serve as a powerful gateway for understanding advanced research and technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New work from Georgia Tech is showing how a simple glass of wine can serve as a powerful gateway for understanding advanced research and technologies."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-02-09 17:35:37","changed_gmt":"2026-02-10 14:14:53","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679226":{"id":"679226","type":"image","title":"The study underscores the potential of NMR and other powerful technologies as outreach opportunities \u2013 from engaging the public, to better teaching undergraduate students.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe study underscores the potential of NMR and other powerful technologies as outreach opportunities \u2013 from engaging the public, to better teaching undergraduate students.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770658548","gmt_created":"2026-02-09 17:35:48","changed":"1770658548","gmt_changed":"2026-02-09 17:35:48","alt":"An abstract glass of wine consisting of points, lines, and shapes.","file":{"fid":"263359","name":"AdobeStock_212736055.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/09\/AdobeStock_212736055.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/09\/AdobeStock_212736055.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1267237,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/09\/AdobeStock_212736055.jpeg?itok=cjJ2nonC"}},"673456":{"id":"673456","type":"image","title":"Andrew McShan","body":null,"created":"1711032511","gmt_created":"2024-03-21 14:48:31","changed":"1711032492","gmt_changed":"2024-03-21 14:48:12","alt":"Andrew McShan","file":{"fid":"256854","name":"McShan_photo.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/21\/McShan_photo.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/21\/McShan_photo.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":96566,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/03\/21\/McShan_photo.jpeg?itok=aCepzxdB"}}},"media_ids":["679226","673456"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"42921","name":"Exhibitions"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688055":{"#nid":"688055","#data":{"type":"news","title":"SEI Initiative Lead Profile: Jennifer Chirico","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/jennifer-chirico\u0022\u003EJennifer Chirico\u003C\/a\u003E leads the energy and infrastructure initiative at Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E. She is a longtime Yellow Jacket, bringing more than 25 years of sustainability experience as the inaugural associate vice president of Sustainability at Georgia Tech. In this role, she oversees the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOffice of Sustainability\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and works across the Institute on emissions reductions, clean energy, water management, circular economy, sustainable technology, and strategy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChirico led the development and publication of the Institute\u2019s first\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/climate-action-plan\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClimate Action Plan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and co-led Tech\u2019s sustainability plan,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/sustainability-next-plan\/\u0022\u003ESustainability Next\u003C\/a\u003E. She is LEED Green Associate (Leed GA) accredited and holds certifications in the Carbon Disclosure Project, the Global Reporting Initiative, WaterSense, climate action planning, and Home Energy Survey Professional.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe holds a Ph.D. in public policy from Georgia Tech, a master\u2019s in public health with a major in environmental health, and a bachelor\u2019s degree in management from Georgia Tech. She has published books and written numerous chapters on sustainability related to systems thinking, net zero strategies, adaptive management, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on leadership for the collective well-being.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBelow is a brief Q\u0026amp;A with Chirico in which she discusses her focus areas and how her work at Georgia Tech influences the energy and infrastructure initiative here.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your field of expertise, and at what point in your life did you first become interested in this area?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy field of expertise is sustainability, with a focus on the intersection of environmental, social, and economic systems. Although I began my career in finance, I discovered my passion for sustainability during a year I spent working abroad in New Zealand in 2000. That experience opened my eyes to the importance of balancing economic development with environmental stewardship and social responsibility. When I returned to the United States, I pursued a master\u2019s degree in environmental health, followed by a Ph.D. in environmental policy. Over the past 25 years, I\u2019ve dedicated my career to advancing sustainability and creating meaningful impacts. I continue to be inspired by the tangible, positive results that emerge when organizations integrate sustainability principles into their decision-making.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat questions or challenges sparked your current work at Georgia Tech? What are the big issues facing the campus infrastructure right now as it relates to energy?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the most pressing challenges today is strengthening resilience for our infrastructure, well-being, and natural resources. As our environment continues to change, the ability to both mitigate impacts and adapt effectively is essential to our success. In my work, I am committed to advancing a healthier, safer, and more sustainable campus. Much of my work focuses on planning, reporting, and guiding efforts to build a stable, reliable, and clean energy infrastructure. A major part of this involves balancing firm energy sources with intermittent renewable sources in a way that ensures both reliability and sustainability. Georgia Tech has already made meaningful progress by installing over 1 megawatt of solar capacity and piloting the Stryten battery storage system. These projects demonstrate what is possible. We still have a long way to go to reduce our emissions and scale clean energy solutions across campus. Continuing to strengthen our energy resilience and expand renewable integration will be critical to meeting our long\u2011term goals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat interests you the most about leading the energy and infrastructure initiative? Why is your initiative important to Georgia Tech\u2019s energy goals?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat interests me most is the opportunity to collaborate with some of the nation\u2019s top energy researchers to identify the most resilient, scalable, and forward\u2011thinking energy solutions for our campus. I\u2019m particularly passionate about bridging the gap between research and operations to support turning innovative work into tangible, real\u2011world applications that strengthen Georgia Tech\u2019s infrastructure. Building strong partnerships across academics, operations, and industry is central to this effort. When these groups work together, we can accelerate progress, pilot new technologies, and create a living-learning campus that demonstrates what a resilient, low\u2011carbon future can look like.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are the broader regional, global, and social benefits of the energy and infrastructure initiative at Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt creates benefits that reach far beyond our campus. By implementing clean, resilient energy systems, we contribute to regional progress in the Southeast. Our campus can serve as a model and test bed, demonstrating scalable solutions and sharing best practices with peer institutions, local governments, and industry partners. Globally, our research and operational innovations support the broader transition to cleaner, more reliable energy systems. And socially, these efforts promote healthier communities, reduce environmental burdens, and help prepare a skilled workforce for the rapidly growing energy sector.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are your hobbies?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy favorite hobbies are hiking, reading, yoga, and paddleboarding. I also love spending time in nature and with family and friends.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/jennifer-chirico\u0022\u003EJennifer Chirico\u003C\/a\u003E leads the energy and infrastructure initiative at Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E. She is a longtime Yellow Jacket, bringing more than 25 years of sustainability experience as the inaugural associate vice president of Sustainability at Georgia Tech. In this role, she oversees the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOffice of Sustainability\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and works across the Institute on emissions reductions, clean energy, water management, circular economy, sustainable technology, and strategy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is a brief Q\u0026amp;A with Chirico in which she discusses her focus areas and how her work at Georgia Tech influences the energy and infrastructure initiative here.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A brief Q\u0026A with Jennifer Chirico, who leads the energy and infrastructure initiative at Georgia Tech\u2019s Strategic Energy Institute. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-05 20:54:20","changed_gmt":"2026-02-05 20:55:40","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679201":{"id":"679201","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Chirico","body":null,"created":"1770324628","gmt_created":"2026-02-05 20:50:28","changed":"1770324677","gmt_changed":"2026-02-05 20:51:17","alt":"Jennifer Chirico","file":{"fid":"263332","name":"JenniferChirico23-R10406-P45-006.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/05\/JenniferChirico23-R10406-P45-006.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/05\/JenniferChirico23-R10406-P45-006.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":805166,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/05\/JenniferChirico23-R10406-P45-006.jpeg?itok=ls1dH7Fk"}}},"media_ids":["679201"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688002":{"#nid":"688002","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet the Expert: Marilyn Brown","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EModeling how the U.S. can meet changing energy needs \u2014 today and tomorrow\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn illustrious career focused on understanding the nuances of energy policy through analytics has shaped the career of Marilyn Brown, the Regents \u0026amp; Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe oil shortages of the 1970s galvanized Marilyn Brown to focus her graduate research on ways to improve energy security and affordability. This focus launched an impactful career for Brown, currently a Regents \u0026amp; Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong the way she was an Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Illinois, a two-term Presidentially appointed regulator of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Energy Engineering Division Director and Program Manager of Oak Ridge National Laboratory\u2019s research on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and the electric grid.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the years, Brown has authored seven books, 350 publications, and contributed to the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports for which the IPCC shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELeading local climate impact efforts\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInterested in the physical sciences and mathematics early on, Brown worked on understanding the \u201cdiffusion\u201d of innovation: how advances propagate in the energy field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer current projects focus on both local and national climate-related challenges. This research has been enriched by surveys of energy service providers, utility regulators, manufacturers, consumers, and low-income households.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding the role of influencers and perceived risks and paybacks, helps optimize energy policies and programs. With this premise in mind, Brown has explored the consequences of high energy bills on households living on the edge. She led the first nationwide evaluation of the world\u2019s largest low-income energy efficiency initiative, the Weatherization Assistance Program. The results documented the magnitude of the problem of inefficient housing nationwide, and the particularly high energy burden of low-income households in the South.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/02\/03\/meet-the-expert-marilyn-brown\/\u0022\u003EFull Story on the EPIcenter Newspage.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAn illustrious career focused on understanding the nuances of energy policy through analytics has shaped the career of Marilyn Brown, the Regents \u0026amp; Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe oil shortages of the 1970s galvanized Marilyn Brown to focus her graduate research on ways to improve energy security and affordability. This focus launched an impactful career for Brown, currently a Regents \u0026amp; Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"An illustrious career focused on understanding the nuances of energy policy through analytics has shaped the career of Marilyn Brown, the Regents \u0026 Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-03 19:13:46","changed_gmt":"2026-02-03 19:30:27","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679180":{"id":"679180","type":"image","title":"Marilyn-A-Brown-DSC_2963-copy300px.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMarilyn Brown\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770146898","gmt_created":"2026-02-03 19:28:18","changed":"1770146898","gmt_changed":"2026-02-03 19:28:18","alt":"Marilyn Brown","file":{"fid":"263309","name":"Marilyn-A-Brown-DSC_2963-copy300px.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/03\/Marilyn-A-Brown-DSC_2963-copy300px.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/03\/Marilyn-A-Brown-DSC_2963-copy300px.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":79664,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/03\/Marilyn-A-Brown-DSC_2963-copy300px.jpg?itok=JC_qH5RF"}}},"media_ids":["679180"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:epicenter@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGil Gonzalez\u003C\/a\u003E || EPIcenter Program Coordinator\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["epicenter@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688000":{"#nid":"688000","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Small Modular Reactors and Smart Energy Cities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study by Georgia Tech researchers Brian An, Daein Kang, John Kim, and Moe Kyaw Thu analyzes how national governments describe Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in official energy policy documents. Using natural language processing (NLP) on more than 800,000 words extracted from 66 national and international energy plans, the authors assess whether SMRs are framed as narrowly technical innovations or as contributors to broader urban energy transitions. Their findings show that SMR discourse remains dominated by references to reactor design, regulation, and safety, while themes central to modern energy planning\u2014such as resilience, urban\u2013rural equity, cogeneration, and diversified energy services\u2014appear inconsistently and with low prominence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerhaps most notably, governance\u2011related concepts such as community engagement, siting justice, and public trust are largely absent from the dominant keyword clusters revealed through TF\u2011IDF and LDA analysis. This pattern contrasts with long\u2011standing evidence that nuclear deployment outcomes hinge on procedural fairness, transparency, and risk communication. As cities face rising electricity demand, climate\u2011driven outages, growing data center loads, and new siting pressures, the lack of urban\u2011relevant framing in national SMR strategies may limit the technology\u2019s ability to support equitable and resilient energy systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe authors conclude that viewing SMRs chiefly as engineering solutions risks missing their potential contributions to multi\u2011service energy portfolios and resilience planning. They argue that meaningful integration of SMRs into smart energy cities will require a broader policy architecture\u2014one that explicitly addresses governance, cross\u2011sectoral applications, spatial justice, and local participation. Expanding future analyses to include state, provincial, and municipal policies will also be essential, given that these levels of government oversee land use, community engagement, and emergency management\u2014factors central to nuclear siting and energy justice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more and listen to a podcast on the paper, please \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/01\/27\/small-modular-reactors-and-smart-energy-cities\/\u0022\u003Evisit the EPIcenter Newspage\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study by Georgia Tech researchers Brian An, Daein Kang, John Kim, and Moe Kyaw Thu analyzes how national governments describe Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in official energy policy documents. Using natural language processing (NLP) on more than 800,000 words extracted from 66 national and international energy plans, the authors assess whether SMRs are framed as narrowly technical innovations or as contributors to broader urban energy transitions. Their findings show that SMR discourse remains dominated by references to reactor design, regulation, and safety, while themes central to modern energy planning\u2014such as resilience, urban\u2013rural equity, cogeneration, and diversified energy services\u2014appear inconsistently and with low prominence.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study by Georgia Tech researchers Brian An, Daein Kang, John Kim, and Moe Kyaw Thu analyzes how national governments describe Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in official energy policy documents. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-03 18:46:45","changed_gmt":"2026-02-03 18:49:20","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-28T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-28T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679179":{"id":"679179","type":"image","title":"SMR-AdobeStock_1360249117.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1770144411","gmt_created":"2026-02-03 18:46:51","changed":"1770144411","gmt_changed":"2026-02-03 18:46:51","alt":"Stock Image: Showing SMRs stored.","file":{"fid":"263308","name":"SMR-AdobeStock_1360249117.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/03\/SMR-AdobeStock_1360249117.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/03\/SMR-AdobeStock_1360249117.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":245059,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/03\/SMR-AdobeStock_1360249117.jpeg?itok=0IEEHyUu"}}},"media_ids":["679179"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:epicenter@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGil Gonzalez\u003C\/a\u003E || EPIcenter Program Coordinator\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["epicenter@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687994":{"#nid":"687994","#data":{"type":"news","title":"EPIcenter Student Affiliate Wins School of Economics Paper Prize","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfi Ramadhani, a graduate student in economics and a student affiliate of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Energy Policy Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E, has won a prize for the best research paper from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Economics\u003C\/a\u003E. The research developed in the paper was supported by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/students\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u2019s Graduate Student Summer Research Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe prize recognizes outstanding student research produced within the School and highlights the value of EPIcenter\u2019s sustained research support and professional development for graduate students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/maghfira-ramadhani\u0022\u003ERamadhani\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E award-winning paper, titled \u201cBattery Storage and Natural Gas Generator Market Power,\u201d was developed during his participation in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/epicenter-announces-selection-six-students-inaugural-summer-research-program\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u2019s Summer Research Program\u003C\/a\u003E for graduate and doctoral students pursuing energy policy research at Georgia Tech. Through the program, he received research mentoring and communications coaching that strengthened his work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis award reflects what can happen when students have the time, mentorship, and support to fully develop their ideas,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cOur Summer Research Program is designed to help graduate students advance rigorous energy policy research while also building the skills needed to communicate that work effectively.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESupporting Graduate Research in Energy Policy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program supports graduate students whose work contributes to energy policy and innovation. Student affiliates receive funding, mentorship, and access to EPIcenter\u2019s research and communications resources, helping them build their academic profiles and translate complex research for broader audiences.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, they gain valuable opportunities to present their work, participate in EPIcenter programs and events, share their research through EPIcenter\u2019s communications platforms, and build their skills through tailored collaboration and training with EPIcenter staff.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the summer, Ramadhani worked closely with EPIcenter staff and mentors. The program\u2019s stipend allowed him to spend those months fully focused on his research, rather than taking on teaching or other responsibilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Participating in the program really made my summer productive. I got a lot of good feedback on how to shape the idea into a paper,\u0022 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvancing Emerging Scholars\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERamadhani\u2019s recognition reflects EPIcenter\u2019s broader commitment to supporting graduate students whose research addresses critical energy and policy challenges. By pairing research support with mentorship and communications training, the center helps students develop work that earns recognition well beyond the program itself.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfi Ramadhani, a graduate student in economics and a student affiliate of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Energy Policy Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E, has won a prize for the best research paper from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Economics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;The research developed in the paper was supported by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/students\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u2019s Graduate Student Summer Research Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Afi Ramadhani, a graduate student in economics and a student affiliate of Georgia Tech\u2019s Energy Policy Innovation Center, has won a prize for the best research paper from the School of Economics. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-03 17:05:04","changed_gmt":"2026-02-03 17:08:30","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679177":{"id":"679177","type":"image","title":"Afi_headshot.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAfi Ramadhani, Ph.D. student at the School of Economics and EPIcenter Student Affiliate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770138316","gmt_created":"2026-02-03 17:05:16","changed":"1770138316","gmt_changed":"2026-02-03 17:05:16","alt":"Afi Ramadhani","file":{"fid":"263305","name":"Afi_headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/03\/Afi_headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/03\/Afi_headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":87641,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/03\/Afi_headshot.jpg?itok=ytJ1qzbp"}}},"media_ids":["679177"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"193158","name":"Student Competition Winners (academic, innovation, and research)"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687932":{"#nid":"687932","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Build Something That Matters This Summer: Apply to Startup Launch by March 17","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEvery year, hundreds of Georgia Tech students take a leap that changes their careers forever: They decide to spend their summer building a startup.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat opportunity is here again. \u003Cstrong\u003EApplications for the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/airtable.com\/appaTqlTL2zQkXBBR\/pagdkIvjQbvDbSD2F\/form\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2026 Summer Startup Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E cohort are now open.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf you\u2019ve identified a meaningful problem, have begun talking to real users, or feel a pull to build something bigger than a class project, this is your moment. Startup Launch gives you the structure, support, and ecosystem to take your idea further than you ever thought possible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Launchpad With a Proven Track Record\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the past year alone, CREATE\u2011X founders have:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELed their startup to successful acquisitions. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERaised six-figure funding rounds.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGained acceptance into highly selective Y Combinator. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBuilt products used by customers, communities, and companies across industries.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ability to identify a problem, validate real user needs, build something that works, and communicate that value \u2014 that combination makes students stand out in a competitive job market. Employers notice it. Graduate programs notice it. And investors notice it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is why Startup Launch isn\u2019t just a summer project.\u003Cbr\u003EIt becomes a defining career asset.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat You Get in Startup Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStartup Launch is intentionally built to give students every advantage while they build their venture. This year, we\u2019ve expanded support even further.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParticipants receive:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E$200,000 in-kind services like accounting and cloud credits.\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDedicated coaching and mentorship\u003C\/strong\u003E from experienced founders and startup experts.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExclusive workshops and founder-focused programming.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAccess to the CREATE-X network,\u003C\/strong\u003E a community of builders, investors, and potential customers.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou\u2019ll spend the summer fully immersed in your startup, surrounded by peers also tackling ambitious problems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd you\u2019ll leave with something real to show for it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EApplications for the Summer 2026 cohort close March 17.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/airtable.com\/appaTqlTL2zQkXBBR\/pagdkIvjQbvDbSD2F\/form\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EApply to Startup Launch today\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X\u2019s Summer 2026 Startup Launch is open for students, faculty, alumni, and researchers to build real startups over 12-weeks with funding, mentorship, and proven entrepreneurial infrastructure. The program has a strong track record, with past founders raising funding, achieving acquisitions, and earning acceptance into highly selective accelerators. Participants receive $5k in optional seed funding, up to $200,000 in in-kind services, hands-on coaching, founder-focused workshops, and access to the CREATE\u2011X network. More than a summer experience, Startup Launch helps students build real ventures and stand out to employers, graduate programs, and investors.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"CREATE-X\u2019s Summer 2026 Startup Launch program invites students, faculty, alumni, and researchers to build meaningful startups with funding, mentorship, and access to the CREATE-X network."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2026-02-02 20:48:17","changed_gmt":"2026-02-02 20:48:28","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679162":{"id":"679162","type":"image","title":"Startup-Launch-2026-Promo-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px---1-_0.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EVarious founders pitch at Demo Day. \u0022Apply for today. Get the advantage in the market.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770064835","gmt_created":"2026-02-02 20:40:35","changed":"1770065289","gmt_changed":"2026-02-02 20:48:09","alt":"Various founders pitch at Demo Day. \u0022Apply for today. Get the advantage in the market.\u0022","file":{"fid":"263288","name":"Startup-Launch-2026-Promo-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px---1-_0.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/02\/Startup-Launch-2026-Promo-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px---1-_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/02\/Startup-Launch-2026-Promo-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px---1-_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":540636,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/02\/Startup-Launch-2026-Promo-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px---1-_0.png?itok=eEM4uLiZ"}}},"media_ids":["679162"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/airtable.com\/appaTqlTL2zQkXBBR\/pagdkIvjQbvDbSD2F\/form","title":" Apply to Startup Launch "}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687390":{"#nid":"687390","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Discover How Worms Clean Their Environment Without a Brain","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen centimeter-long aquatic worms, such as \u003Cem\u003ET. tubifex\u003C\/em\u003E or \u003Cem\u003ELumbriculus variegatus\u003C\/em\u003E, are placed in a Petri dish filled with sub-millimeter sized sand particles, something surprising happens. Over time, the worms begin to spontaneously clean up their surroundings. They sweep particles into compact clusters, gradually reshaping and organizing their environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.aps.org\/prx\/abstract\/10.1103\/yxp1-t43g\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Estudy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E recently published in \u003Cem\u003EPhysical Review X,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ea team of researchers show that this remarkable sweeping behavior does not require a brain, or any kind of complex interaction between the worms and the particles. Instead, it emerges from the natural undulating motion and flexibility that the worms possess.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study was co-led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bhamla.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESaad Bhamla\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Antoine Deblais of the University of Amsterdam.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDeblais said: \u201cIt is fascinating to see how living worms can organize their surroundings just by moving.\u201d Bhamla added: \u201cTheir activity and flexibility alone are enough to collect particles and reshape their environment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy building simple robotic and computer models that mimic the living worms, the researchers discovered that only these two ingredients \u2013 activity and flexibility \u2013 are sufficient to reproduce the sweeping and collecting effects. The result is a self-organized, dynamic form of environmental restructuring driven purely by motion and shape.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOrder emerges\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe results do not just teach us a surprising lesson about worms. Understanding how these organisms spontaneously collect particles has much broader implications. On the technological side, what the researchers have learned could inspire the design of soft robots that clean or sort materials without needing sensors or pre-programmed intelligence.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESuch robots, like the worms, would simply move and let order emerge from motion. \u201cBrainless\u201d machines of this sort could perhaps one day help remove microplastics or sediments from aquatic environments, or perform complex tasks in unpredictable terrains.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom a biological perspective, the results also offer insights into how elongated living organisms \u2013 not just worms, but also filamentous bacteria, or cytoskeletal filaments \u2013 can structure and modify their own habitats through simple physical interactions. Understanding this structuring and modifying behaviour has been a central question for, e.g., earthworms in their role in soil aeration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom a biological perspective, the results also offer insights into how elongated living organisms \u2013 not just worms, but also filamentous bacteria, or cytoskeletal filaments \u2013 can structure and modify their own habitats through simple physical interactions. Understanding this structuring and modifying behaviour has been a central question for, e.g., earthworms in their role in soil aeration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETeam effort\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis project grew out of curiosity about how living systems shape their environment without centralized control. Initial experiments with worms, conducted by Harry Tuazon (Bioengineering PhD 2024) at Georgia Tech, showed the unexpected particle collection patterns. This led the team to attempt to reproduce the behavior using robotic and simulated counterparts \u2013 something that worked surprisingly well. In the project, experimentalists and theorists worked side by side, allowing the team to uncover the physical principles behind this seemingly purposeful behavior.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECo-first author Rosa Sinaasappel conducted the robot experiments at the University of Amsterdam. \u201cBy mimicking the worms\u2019 motion with simple brainless robots connected by flexible rubber links, we could pinpoint the two ingredients that are essential for the sweeping mechanism,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECo-first author Prathyusha Kokkoorakunnel Ramankutty, a research scientist in the Bhamla Lab at Georgia Tech, performed the computer simulations of the behavior. \u201cOur computational model, built on simple ingredients like propulsion and flexibility, shows that this principle works across different scales and can be adapted for new designs, as demonstrated by a soft robotic sweeper that autonomously \u2018cleans\u2019 and reorganizes particles without programmed intelligence,\u201d she explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers will continue to investigate this type of behaviour in the future. While a mathematical model of active sweeping is now presented in a simple form, many challenging questions raised by this complex system remain open for theoreticians.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMultiple groups of students helped greatly with the robot experiments, doing projects in the lab. Their efforts ranged from performing the experiments to replacing the in total about 200 batteries, after perhaps one of the most difficult tasks: wrestling them free from the child-proof packaging.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.aps.org\/prx\/abstract\/10.1103\/yxp1-t43g\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EParticle Sweeping and Collection by Active and Living Filaments\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Sinaasappel, R., Prathyusha, K. R., Tuazon, Harry, Mirzahossein, E., Illien, P., Bhamla, Saad, and A. Deblais.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EPhysical Review X\u003C\/em\u003E (2026)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETiny worms, big surprises! When placed in sand-filled Petri dishes, centimeter-long aquatic worms like T. tubifex spontaneously sweep up particles and reorganize their environment \u2014 all without a brain. Researchers discovered that this surprising behavior emerges purely from the worms\u2019 motion and flexibility.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" When placed in sand-filled Petri dishes, centimeter-long aquatic worms like T. tubifex spontaneously sweep up particles and reorganize their environment \u2014 all without a brain."}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2026-01-16 17:53:26","changed_gmt":"2026-01-30 16:43:16","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679027":{"id":"679027","type":"image","title":"worms1.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA real worm in a Petri dish (top left) and a robot worm (bottom right) clean their environments of tiny particles in a very similar manner.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768586012","gmt_created":"2026-01-16 17:53:32","changed":"1768586012","gmt_changed":"2026-01-16 17:53:32","alt":"A real worm in a Petri dish (top left) and a robot worm (bottom right) clean their environments of tiny particles in a very similar manner.","file":{"fid":"263138","name":"worms1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/16\/worms1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/16\/worms1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1129149,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/16\/worms1.png?itok=xCfPAW8e"}},"679028":{"id":"679028","type":"video","title":" Two types of worms clean and organize their environment","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo types of worms clean and organize their environment\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768586293","gmt_created":"2026-01-16 17:58:13","changed":"1768586293","gmt_changed":"2026-01-16 17:58:13","video":{"youtube_id":"H2I8IxNG4vA","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=H2I8IxNG4vA"}},"679029":{"id":"679029","type":"video","title":"Different types of robots lead to different types of cleaning behavior","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDifferent types of robots lead to different types of cleaning behavior\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768586384","gmt_created":"2026-01-16 17:59:44","changed":"1768586384","gmt_changed":"2026-01-16 17:59:44","video":{"youtube_id":"h2k9pcmZ_ck","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h2k9pcmZ_ck\u0026t=2s"}}},"media_ids":["679027","679028","679029"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194900","name":"worms"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon, braddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687795":{"#nid":"687795","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Better Brain-Machine Interfaces Could Allow the Paralyzed to Communicate Again","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast summer, a team of researchers reported using a brain-computer interface to detect words people with paralysis imagined saying, even without them physically attempting to speak. They also found they could differentiate between the imagined words they wished to express and the person\u2019s private inner thoughts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s a significant step toward helping people with diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, reconnect with language after they\u2019ve lost the ability to talk. And it\u2019s part of a long-running clinical trial on brain-computer interfaces involving biomedical engineers from Georgia Tech and Emory University alongside collaborators at Stanford University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brown University, and the University of California, Davis.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETogether, they\u2019re exploring how implanted devices can read brain signals and help patients use assistive devices to recover some of their lost abilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpeech has become one of the hottest areas for these interfaces as scientists leverage the power of artificial intelligence, according to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bio\/chethan-pandarinath\u0022\u003EChethan Pandarinath\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and Emory and one of the researchers involved in the trials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe can place electrodes in parts of the brain that are related to speech,\u201d he said, \u201cand even if the person has lost the ability to talk, we can pick up the electrical activity as they try to speak and figure out what they\u2019re trying to say.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/magazine\/2025\/fall\/allowing-paralyzed-communicate-again\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full story in Helluva Engineer magazine.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBiomedical engineer Chethan Pandarinath collaborates with neurosurgeons and scientists across the country in a massive project to help patients with ALS or stroke damage reconnect with the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Biomedical engineer Chethan Pandarinath collaborates with neurosurgeons and scientists across the country in a massive project to help patients with ALS or stroke damage reconnect with the world."}],"uid":"27446","created_gmt":"2026-01-28 20:16:09","changed_gmt":"2026-01-28 20:19:50","author":"Joshua Stewart","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-28T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-28T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679122":{"id":"679122","type":"image","title":"Pandarinath-Brain-Interface_web.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring a research session, a participant imagines saying the text cue on the screen. The bottom text is the brain-computer interface\u2019s prediction of the imagined words. (Photo courtesy: Chethan Pandarinath)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1769631407","gmt_created":"2026-01-28 20:16:47","changed":"1769631407","gmt_changed":"2026-01-28 20:16:47","alt":"During a research session, a participant looks at a monitor and imagines saying the text cue displayed on screen. Text below the cue shows the brain-computer interface\u2019s prediction of her imagined words.","file":{"fid":"263243","name":"Pandarinath-Brain-Interface_web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/28\/Pandarinath-Brain-Interface_web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/28\/Pandarinath-Brain-Interface_web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":738032,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/28\/Pandarinath-Brain-Interface_web.jpg?itok=B3-ADFDu"}}},"media_ids":["679122"],"groups":[{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jstewart@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJoshua Stewart\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jstewart@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687234":{"#nid":"687234","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Chelsea Ekwegh Honored as Millennium Fellow for Work in Urban Sustainability","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChelsea Ekwegh, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, has made it her mission to reshape how cities think about energy. After being selected for the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/undergraduate.gatech.edu\/38-georgia-tech-students-selected-as-2025-millennium-fellows\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2025 Millennium Fellowship\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a prestigious leadership development program that supports student-led projects advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, she is tackling the challenge of helping cities transition toward clean, efficient, and equitable energy systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe fellowship, a joint initiative of the United Nations Academic Impact and the Millennium Campus Network, empowers undergraduates around the world to design and lead social impact projects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEkwegh\u2019s project,\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003Etitled Bridging Energy Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban Development\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003Eexplores ways to connect new and old technologies so cities can evolve without leaving people or infrastructure behind.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer inspiration for the project comes from her experience growing up in Nigeria, where power outages and generator pollution were a daily challenge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/chelsea-ekwegh-honored-millennium-fellow-work-urban-sustainability\u0022\u003ERead more on the ME School Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChelsea Ekwegh, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, has made it her mission to reshape how cities think about energy. After being selected for the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/undergraduate.gatech.edu\/38-georgia-tech-students-selected-as-2025-millennium-fellows\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2025 Millennium Fellowship\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a prestigious leadership development program that supports student-led projects advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, she is tackling the challenge of helping cities transition toward clean, efficient, and equitable energy systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe fellowship, a joint initiative of the United Nations Academic Impact and the Millennium Campus Network, empowers undergraduates around the world to design and lead social impact projects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEkwegh\u2019s project,\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003Etitled Bridging Energy Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban Development\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003Eexplores ways to connect new and old technologies so cities can evolve without leaving people or infrastructure behind.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Ekwegh\u2019s project, titled Bridging Energy Infrastructure for Sustainable Urban Development, explores ways to connect new and old technologies so cities can evolve without leaving people or infrastructure behind."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-01-13 14:04:34","changed_gmt":"2026-01-28 18:56:34","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-26T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-26T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678967":{"id":"678967","type":"image","title":"Chelsea-Ekwegh-headshot_web.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChelsea Ekwegh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768313232","gmt_created":"2026-01-13 14:07:12","changed":"1769626524","gmt_changed":"2026-01-28 18:55:24","alt":"Chelsea Ekwegh Headshot","file":{"fid":"263070","name":"Chelsea-Ekwegh-headshot_web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/13\/Chelsea-Ekwegh-headshot_web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/13\/Chelsea-Ekwegh-headshot_web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":127067,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/13\/Chelsea-Ekwegh-headshot_web.jpg?itok=50vmfhkQ"}}},"media_ids":["678967"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/chelsea-ekwegh-honored-millennium-fellow-work-urban-sustainability","title":"Read Full Story on the ME Webpage"}],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687712":{"#nid":"687712","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lights, Camera, Memory!","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECan flickering light and sound help fight Alzheimer\u2019s disease?\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EOn this episode of \u003Cem\u003EHoly Shift!\u003C\/em\u003E, host Angela Gill Nelms chats with Dr. Annabelle Singer from Georgia Tech and Emory University, whose groundbreaking research explores how carefully timed lights and sounds may help \u201ctune\u201d the brain, boost memory, and change the course of Alzheimer\u2019s disease. \u0026nbsp;From building theater lights as a kid to decoding how brain waves shape memory, Dr. Singer is proving that sometimes the brightest ideas come from unexpected places.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/holyshiftresearch.transistor.fm\/5\u0022\u003ETune in to hear how groundbreaking science is lighting the way toward healthier brains and brighter futures.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECan flickering light and sound help fight Alzheimer\u2019s disease?\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Can flickering light and sound help fight Alzheimer\u2019s disease?"}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2026-01-27 15:58:34","changed_gmt":"2026-01-27 16:00:16","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679105":{"id":"679105","type":"image","title":"Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAnnabelle Singer\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1769529538","gmt_created":"2026-01-27 15:58:58","changed":"1769529538","gmt_changed":"2026-01-27 15:58:58","alt":"Annabelle Singer","file":{"fid":"263224","name":"Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/27\/Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/27\/Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":109140,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/27\/Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg?itok=fQ30Icm-"}}},"media_ids":["679105"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/holyshiftresearch.transistor.fm\/5","title":"Listen to the full podcast"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kelly.petty@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKelly Petty\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kelly.petty@bme.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687358":{"#nid":"687358","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New LLMs Could Provide Strength-based Job Coaching for Autistic People","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPeople with autism seeking employment may soon have access to a new AI-based job-coaching tool thanks to a six-figure grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/jennifer-kim\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Kim\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eilab.gatech.edu\/mark-riedl.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMark Riedl\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E recently received a $500,000 NSF grant to develop large language models (LLMs) that provide strength-based job coaching for autistic job seekers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two Georgia Tech researchers work with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/excel.gatech.edu\/excel-staff\/heather-dicks\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHeather Dicks\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a career development advisor in Georgia Tech\u2019s EXCEL program, and other nonprofit organizations to provide job-seeking resources to autistic people.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDicks said the average job search for people with autism can take three to six months in a good economy. It can take up to 18 months in a bad one. However, the new LLMs from Georgia Tech could help to reduce stress and fast-track these job seekers into employment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKim is an assistant professor who specializes in human-computer interaction technology that benefits neurodivergent people. Riedl is a professor and an expert in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u2019s goal is to identify job-search pain points and understand how job coaches create better employment prospects for their autistic clients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLarge-language models have an opportunity to support this kind of work if we can have more data about each different individual strength,\u201d Kim said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to know what worked for them in specific settings at work, what didn\u2019t work, and what kind of accommodations can better help them. That includes how they should prepare for interviews, how they can better represent their skills, how they can address accommodations they need, and how to write a cover letter. It\u2019s a broad range.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDicks has advocated for neurodivergent people and helped them find employment for 20 years. She worked at the Center for the Visually Impaired in Atlanta before coming to Georgia Tech in 2017.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe said most nonprofits that support neurodivergent people offer career development programs and many contract job coaches, but limited coach availability often leads to long waitlists. However, LLMs could fill this availability gap to address the immediate needs of job seekers who may not have access to a job coach.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese organizations often run at a slow pace, and there\u2019s high turnover,\u201d Dicks said. \u201cAn AI tool could get the job seeker quicker support. Maybe they don\u2019t even need to wait on the government system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf they\u2019re on a waitlist, it can help the user put together a resume and practice general interview questions. When the job coach is ready to work with them, they\u2019re able to hit the ground running.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENailing the Interview\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDicks said the job interview is one of the biggest challenges for people with autism.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey have trouble picking up on visual and nonverbal cues \u2014 the tone of the interview, figuring out the nuances that a question is hinting at,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re not giving the warm and fuzzy vibes that allow them to connect on a personal level.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s why Kim wants the models to reflect a strength-based coaching approach. Strength-based coaching is particularly effective for individuals with autism. Many possess traits that employers value. These include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EClose attention to detail\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStrong technical proficiency\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUnique problem-solving perspectives\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe issue is that they don\u2019t know how these strengths can be applied in the workplace,\u201d Kim said. \u201cOnce they understand this, they can communicate with employers about their strengths and the accommodations employers should provide to the job seeker so they can successfully apply their skills at work.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHandling Rejection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStill, Kim understands that candidates will need to handle rejection to make it through the search process. She envisions LLMs that help them refocus their energy and regain their confidence after being turned down.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen you get a lot of rejection emails, it\u2019s easy to feel you\u2019re not good enough,\u201d she said. \u201cBeing constantly reminded about your strengths and their prior successes can get them through the stressful job-seeking process.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDicks said the models should also be able to provide feedback so that candidates don\u2019t repeat mistakes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt can tell them what would\u2019ve been a better answer or a better way to say it,\u201d Dicks said. \u201cIt can also encourage them with reminders that you get 100 noes before you get a yes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYou\u2019re Hired, Now What?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDicks said the role of a job coach doesn\u2019t end the moment a client is hired. Government-contracted job coaches may work with their clients for up to 90 days after they start a new job to support their transition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, she said, sometimes that isn\u2019t enough. Many companies have probationary periods exceeding three months. Autistic individuals may struggle with on-the-job training or communicating what accommodations they need from their new employer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese are just a few gaps an AI tool can fill for these individuals after they\u2019re hired.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI could see these models evolving to being supportive at those critical junctures of the probationary period being over or the one-year job review or the annual evaluation that everyone dreads,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDicks has an average caseload of 15 students, whom she assists in landing jobs and internships through the EXCEL program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEXCEL provides a mentorship program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities from the time they set foot on campus through graduation and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information and to apply, visit EXCEL\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/excel.gatech.edu\/home\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ewebsite\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are using an NSF grant to create new large-language models that help autistic job seekers understand their strengths and how to leverage them during the application process.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are using an NSF grant to create new large-language models that help autistic job seekers understand their strengths and how to leverage them during the application process."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-01-15 19:04:04","changed_gmt":"2026-01-22 13:41:09","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679012":{"id":"679012","type":"image","title":"Jennifer-Kim_86A4154-copy.jpg","body":null,"created":"1768503854","gmt_created":"2026-01-15 19:04:14","changed":"1768503854","gmt_changed":"2026-01-15 19:04:14","alt":"Jennifer Kim","file":{"fid":"263123","name":"Jennifer-Kim_86A4154-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/Jennifer-Kim_86A4154-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/Jennifer-Kim_86A4154-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":71820,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/15\/Jennifer-Kim_86A4154-copy.jpg?itok=hbn_0e9T"}}},"media_ids":["679012"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"6053","name":"Autism"},{"id":"191680","name":"neurodiverse"},{"id":"780","name":"employment"},{"id":"174112","name":"excel program"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"193556","name":"large language models"},{"id":"7011","name":"NSF grant"},{"id":"6957","name":"Job Search"},{"id":"13786","name":"job search strategies"},{"id":"194701","name":"go-resarchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686983":{"#nid":"686983","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Gazing Into the Mind\u2019s Eye With Mice \u2013 How Neuroscientists Are Seeing Human Vision More\u00a0Clearly","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the nursery rhyme about three blind mice, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.31209\u0022\u003Emouse eyesight is surprisingly sensitive\u003C\/a\u003E. Studying how mice see has helped researchers discover unprecedented details about how individual brain cells communicate and work together to create a mental picture of the visual world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=P5IKL5UAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003EI am a neuroscientist\u003C\/a\u003E who studies how brain cells drive visual perception and how these processes can fail in conditions \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/cercor\/bhab025\u0022\u003Esuch as autism\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haider.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMy lab\u003C\/a\u003E \u201clistens\u201d to the electrical activity of neurons in the outermost part of the brain called the cerebral cortex, a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.17-18-07079.1997\u0022\u003Elarge portion of which\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7551\/mitpress\/7131.003.0038\u0022\u003Eprocesses visual information\u003C\/a\u003E. Injuries to the visual cortex can lead to blindness and other visual deficits, even when the eyes themselves are unhurt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding the activity of individual neurons \u2013 and how they work together while the brain is actively using and processing information \u2013 is a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/mapping-how-the-100-billion-cells-in-the-brain-all-fit-together-is-the-brave-new-world-of-neuroscience-170182\u0022\u003Elong-standing goal of neuroscience\u003C\/a\u003E. Researchers have moved much closer to achieving this goal thanks to new technologies aimed at the mouse visual system. And these findings will help scientists better see how the visual systems of people work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EThe Mind in the Blink of an Eye\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers long thought that vision in mice appeared \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/s0042-6989(00)00081-x\u0022\u003Esluggish with low clarity\u003C\/a\u003E. But it turns out visual cortex neurons in mice \u2013 just like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.pneurobio.2024.102656\u0022\u003Ethose in humans, monkeys, cats and ferrets\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 require \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0623-08.2008\u0022\u003Especific visual features to trigger activity\u003C\/a\u003E and are particularly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/nature11665\u0022\u003Eselective in alert and awake conditions\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy colleagues and I and others have found that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-021-24311-5\u0022\u003Emice are especially sensitive to\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-021-24311-5\u0022\u003Evisual stimuli directly in front of them\u003C\/a\u003E. This is surprising, because mouse eyes face outward rather than forward. Forward-facing eyes, like those of cats and primates, naturally have a larger area of focus straight ahead compared to outward-facing eyes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2048%2C1787\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Microscopy image of stacks of neurons\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2048%2C1787\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=524\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=524\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=524\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=658\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=658\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=658\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EThis image shows neurons in the mouse retina: cone photoreceptors (red), bipolar neurons (magenta), and a subtype of bipolar neuron (green).\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/nihgov\/35882593476\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EBrian Liu and Melanie Samuel\/Baylor College of Medicine\/NIH via Flickr\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis finding suggests that the specialization of the visual system to highlight the frontal visual field appears to be \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/361719a0\u0022\u003Eshared between mice and humans\u003C\/a\u003E. For mice, a visual focus on what\u2019s straight ahead may help them be more \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2021.06.094\u0022\u003Eresponsive to shadows or edges\u003C\/a\u003E in front of them, helping them avoid looming predators or better \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuron.2021.03.010\u0022\u003Ehunt and capture insects for food\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImportantly, the center of view is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm14155266\u0022\u003Emost affected in aging and many visual diseases\u003C\/a\u003E in people. Since mice also rely heavily on this part of the visual field, they may be particularly useful models to study and treat visual impairment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Thousand Voices Drive Complicated Choices\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdvances in technology have greatly accelerated scientific understanding of vision and the brain. Researchers can now routinely record the activity of thousands of neurons at the same time and pair this data with real-time video of a mouse\u2019s face, pupil and body movements. This method can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aav7893\u0022\u003Eshow how behavior interacts with brain activity\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s like spending years listening to a grainy recording of a symphony with one featured soloist, but now you have a pristine recording where you can hear every single musician with a note-by-note readout of every single finger movement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing these improved methods, researchers like me are studying how specific types of neurons work together during complex visual behaviors. This involves analyzing how factors such as movement, alertness and the environment influence visual activity in the brain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, my lab and I found that the speed of visual signaling is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2025.02.009\u0022\u003Ehighly sensitive to what actions are possible\u003C\/a\u003E in the physical environment. If a mouse rests on a disc that permits running, visual signals travel to the cortex faster than if the mouse views the same images while resting in a stationary tube \u2013 even when the mouse is totally still in both conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn order to connect electrical activity to visual perception, researchers also have to ask a mouse what it thinks it sees. How have we done this?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe last decade has seen researchers debunking long-standing \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fnsys.2014.00173\u0022\u003Emyths about mouse learning and behavior\u003C\/a\u003E. Like other rodents, mice are also \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/im-a-neuroscientist-who-taught-rats-to-drive-their-joy-suggests-how-anticipating-fun-can-enrich-human-life-239029\u0022\u003Esurprisingly clever\u003C\/a\u003E and can learn how to \u201ctell\u201d researchers about the visual events they perceive through their behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, mice can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1523\/jneurosci.3560-13.2013\u0022\u003Elearn to release a lever\u003C\/a\u003E to indicate they have detected that a pattern has brightened or tilted. They can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.celrep.2017.08.047\u0022\u003Erotate a Lego wheel left or right\u003C\/a\u003E to move a visual stimulus to the center of a screen like a video game, and they can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.50340\u0022\u003Estop running on a wheel\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fnbeh.2020.00104\u0022\u003Eand lick a water spout\u003C\/a\u003E when they detect the visual scene has suddenly changed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Mouse drinking from a metal water spout\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EMice can be trained to drink water as a way to \u2018tell\u2019 researchers they see something.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/photo\/mouse-drinking-from-a-spout-royalty-free-image\/178825439\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003Efelixmizioznikov\/iStock via Getty Images Plus\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMice can also use visual cues to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2018.01.038\u0022\u003Efocus their visual processing\u003C\/a\u003E to specific parts of the visual field. As a result, they can more quickly and accurately respond to visual stimuli that appear in those regions. For example, my team and I found that a faint visual image in the peripheral visual field is difficult for mice to detect. But once they do notice it \u2013 and tell us by licking a water spout \u2013 their subsequent responses are \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-020-14355-4\u0022\u003Efaster and more accurate\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese improvements come at a cost: If the image unexpectedly appears in a different location, the mice are slower and less likely to respond to it. These findings resemble those found in studies on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/00335558008248231\u0022\u003Espatial attention in people\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy lab has also found that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41593-025-01888-4\u0022\u003Eparticular types of inhibitory neurons\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 brain cells that prevent activity from spreading \u2013 strongly control the strength of visual signals. When we activated certain inhibitory neurons in the visual cortex of mice, we could effectively \u201cerase\u201d their perception of an image.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese kinds of experiments are also revealing that the boundaries between perception and action in the brain are \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41593-025-02114-x\u0022\u003Emuch less separate than once thought\u003C\/a\u003E. This means that visual neurons will respond differently to the same image in ways that depend on behavioral circumstances \u2013 for example, visual responses differ if the image will be \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41586-019-1787-x\u0022\u003Esuccessfully detected\u003C\/a\u003E, if it appears \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuron.2025.06.001\u0022\u003Ewhile the mouse is moving\u003C\/a\u003E, or if it appears \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aav3932\u0022\u003Ewhen the mouse is thirsty or hydrated\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how different factors shape how cortical neurons rapidly respond to visual images will require advances in computational tools that can separate the contribution of these behavioral signals from the visual ones. Researchers also need technologies that can isolate how specific types of brain cells carry and communicate these signals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EData Clouds Encircling the Globe\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis surge of research on the mouse visual system has led to a significant increase in the amount of data that scientists can not only gather in a single experiment but also publicly share among each other.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMajor national and international research centers focused on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/brain-map.org\/\u0022\u003Eunraveling the circuitry of the mouse visual system\u003C\/a\u003E have been leading the charge in ushering in new optical, electrical and biological \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.internationalbrainlab.com\/\u0022\u003Etools to measure large numbers of visual neurons\u003C\/a\u003E in action. Moreover, they make \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/brain-map.org\/atlases#mouse\u0022\u003Eall the data publicly available\u003C\/a\u003E, inspiring \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mouse.digital-brain.cn\/projectome\/pfc\u0022\u003Esimilar efforts around the globe\u003C\/a\u003E. This collaboration accelerates the ability of researchers to analyze data, replicate findings and make new discoveries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETechnological advances in data collection and sharing can make the culture of scientific discovery more efficient and transparent \u2013 a major \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fninf.2023.1276407\u0022\u003Edata informatics goal\u003C\/a\u003E of neuroscience in the years ahead.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf the past 10 years are anything to go by, I believe such discoveries are just the tip of the iceberg, and the mighty and not-so-blind mouse will play a leading role in the continuing quest to understand the mysteries of the human brain.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/268334\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/gazing-into-the-minds-eye-with-mice-how-neuroscientists-are-seeing-human-vision-more-clearly-268334\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudying how mice see has helped researchers discover unprecedented details about how individual brain cells communicate and work together to create a mental picture of the visual world.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Studying how mice see has helped researchers discover unprecedented details about how individual brain cells communicate and work together to create a mental picture of the visual world."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2025-12-16 13:42:12","changed_gmt":"2026-01-21 19:21:40","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678887":{"id":"678887","type":"image","title":" Mice have complex visual systems that can clarify how vision works in people. Westend61\/Getty Images","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMice have complex visual systems that can clarify how vision works in people. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/photo\/germany-research-laboratory-mouse-climbing-out-of-royalty-free-image\/544546223\u0022\u003EWestend61\/Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1766065654","gmt_created":"2025-12-18 13:47:34","changed":"1766065654","gmt_changed":"2025-12-18 13:47:34","alt":" Mice have complex visual systems that can clarify how vision works in people. Westend61\/Getty Images","file":{"fid":"262977","name":"file-20251213-56-fdaib6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/18\/file-20251213-56-fdaib6.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/18\/file-20251213-56-fdaib6.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":80137,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/18\/file-20251213-56-fdaib6.jpg?itok=21uzzcB5"}}},"media_ids":["678887"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/gazing-into-the-minds-eye-with-mice-how-neuroscientists-are-seeing-human-vision-more-clearly-268334","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/bilal-haider-2512267\u0022\u003EBilal Haider\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687279":{"#nid":"687279","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet the Expert: Daniel Matisoff","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, Daniel Matisoff was intrigued by the ability of economic markets to help solve environmental problems. \u201cLearning about the regulatory role of governments in cap-and-trade markets for reducing carbon emissions shaped my career path,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/daniel-matisoff\u0022\u003EMatisoff\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy and EPIcenter\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-faculty-affiliates\/\u0022\u003Efaculty affiliate\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIt helped me decide to enter academia after earning my PhD in public policy at Indiana University, where I compared voluntary and mandatory emission reduction policies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, Matisoff continues research activities in this space and also directs a professional\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/masters\/mseem\u0022\u003Emaster\u2019s program\u003C\/a\u003E whose graduates help implement environmental policies in the public and private sector. Soon after joining the Georgia Tech faculty in 2009, he began to focus on market transformation through regulation, government subsidies and other financial incentives.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis led to an award-winning 2023\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/01\/19\/ecolabels-innovation-and-green-market-transformation-learning-leed\u0022\u003Ebook\u003C\/a\u003E about the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program. It sparked the construction industry\u2019s green building movement and incentivized early adopters of sustainable technology to create new supply chains. For Matisoff, LEED is a perfect example of using governance as a lever for environmental change.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/epicenter\/2026\/01\/20\/meet-the-expert-dan-matisoff\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the EPIcenter Webpage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Policies for greening the grid: rooftop solar panels and community solar programs "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPolicies for greening the grid: rooftop solar panels and community solar programs\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, Daniel Matisoff was intrigued by the ability of economic markets to help solve environmental problems. \u201cLearning about the regulatory role of governments in cap-and-trade markets for reducing carbon emissions shaped my career path,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/daniel-matisoff\u0022\u003EMatisoff\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy and EPIcenter\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-faculty-affiliates\/\u0022\u003Efaculty affiliate\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIt helped me decide to enter academia after earning my PhD in public policy at Indiana University, where I compared voluntary and mandatory emission reduction policies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, Matisoff continues research activities in this space and also directs a professional\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/masters\/mseem\u0022\u003Emaster\u2019s program\u003C\/a\u003E whose graduates help implement environmental policies in the public and private sector. Soon after joining the Georgia Tech faculty in 2009, he began to focus on market transformation through regulation, government subsidies and other financial incentives.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Meet Daniel Matisoff: Professor of Public Policy and EPIcenter affiliate"}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-01-14 13:30:25","changed_gmt":"2026-01-20 18:02:00","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-14T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-14T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679041":{"id":"679041","type":"image","title":"Dan-Matisoff-High-Res-Photo-1-768x1151.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDan Matisoff\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768932077","gmt_created":"2026-01-20 18:01:17","changed":"1768932077","gmt_changed":"2026-01-20 18:01:17","alt":"Dan Matisoff","file":{"fid":"263152","name":"Dan-Matisoff-High-Res-Photo-1-768x1151.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/20\/Dan-Matisoff-High-Res-Photo-1-768x1151.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/20\/Dan-Matisoff-High-Res-Photo-1-768x1151.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":82427,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/20\/Dan-Matisoff-High-Res-Photo-1-768x1151.jpg?itok=8lCKiuuO"}}},"media_ids":["679041"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ggonzalez68@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGil Gonzalez\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EProgram Coordinator\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWritten by: Silke Schmidt\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ggonzalez68@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687342":{"#nid":"687342","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Rusty Roberts Receives Top Test and Evaluation Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERussell L. (Rusty) Roberts, director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute\u0027s (GTRI) Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems (ATAS) Laboratory, was awarded the International Test and Evaluation Association\u0027s (ITEA) 2025 Allen R. Matthews Award, the association\u0027s highest honor for lifetime achievement in test and evaluation (T\u0026amp;E).\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ENamed for ITEA\u0027s founder, the Allen R. Matthews Award recognizes individuals whose careers have produced lasting and significant contributions to the T\u0026amp;E community. It is reserved for those whose impact is measured not only in technical achievements, but also in sustained leadership and service to the profession.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ERoberts is a nationally recognized expert in T\u0026amp;E. He has spent decades helping the Department of Defense modernize how it evaluates complex systems. This includes work in electronic warfare and threat radar environments. He leads ATAS at GTRI, where he has launched and continues to guide a cross-Institute T\u0026amp;E initiative that brings together GTRI\u0027s technical resources to support the Office of the Secretary of Defense\u0027s Test Resource Management Center and the network of Department of Defense test and training ranges.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EUnder Roberts\u0027 leadership, GTRI has delivered multiple high-impact test assets. These include sophisticated threat radar systems that allow United States forces to evaluate sensors and electronic countermeasures against realistic representations of adversary surface-to-air missile threats.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERoberts began his path into T\u0026amp;E in the United States Army. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in electrical engineering, he served as a Signal Corps officer with assignments at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and in Kaiserslautern, Germany. As a platoon leader and company commander, he led an operational test of the Tactical Automated Switching System. This was his first exposure to formal operational testing and the realities of fielding new communications technology for soldiers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Army later sent Roberts to graduate school at Georgia Tech for advanced study in electrical engineering. This was followed by a teaching tour at West Point. As an Associate Professor and later course director for a senior-level two-semester electronics sequence, he strengthened both his technical depth and his ability to communicate complex concepts to the next generation of Army officers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen his active-duty commitment ended, Roberts transitioned to the Army Reserve. He attended a Georgia Tech alumni job fair in Atlanta. That event led him to GTRI, where he joined as an associate project director on what was then the largest project ever awarded to the Institute. This project involved a threat radar system intended as a test asset for the T\u0026amp;E community. The role immersed him in the operations and needs of major ranges such as China Lake, the Nevada Test and Training Range, and Eglin Air Force Base. It also set the course for a career spent designing and delivering advanced test capabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERoberts helped guide a broader shift in how threat systems are developed for T\u0026amp;E. Early in his GTRI career, teams focused on highly specialized single-threat \u0022point solutions\u0022 that were extremely accurate but time-consuming and expensive to build. Today, he advocates and leads work toward modular and open architecture radar systems. These can be reconfigured to emulate multiple threats using shared hardware and powerful software-defined back ends. This approach improves agility and helps keep pace with rapid advances in adversary systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond his technical leadership, Roberts has been a central figure in ITEA. He is a past president of the association and has been actively involved since the early 1990s. Over the decades, he has championed the importance of professional societies in helping T\u0026amp;E practitioners share lessons learned, grow their networks, and advance their careers. He has also been a vocal advocate for bringing more early-career engineers and scientists into the T\u0026amp;E profession. He continues to encourage embedding systems engineering and T\u0026amp;E thinking throughout the system development lifecycle.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn its statement on the award, ITEA said \u201cWith nearly five decades of dedicated service to our Nation, including over 30 years of continuous and influential involvement in test and evaluation, Rusty Roberts stands as a national asset to the T\u0026amp;E profession and a treasured member of the ITEA family.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERoberts\u0027 career highlights Georgia Tech and GTRI\u0027s long-standing role in advancing the science and practice of test and evaluation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWriter: \u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Weems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGTRI Communications\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003Cbr\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).\u202fFounded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 3,000 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $919 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry.\u202fGTRI\u0027s renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERussell L. (Rusty) Roberts, director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute\u0027s (GTRI) Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems (ATAS) Laboratory, was awarded the International Test and Evaluation Association\u0027s (ITEA) 2025 Allen R. Matthews Award, the association\u0027s highest honor for lifetime achievement in test and evaluation (T\u0026amp;E).\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Russell L. (Rusty) Roberts, director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute\u0027s (GTRI) Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems (ATAS) Laboratory, was awarded the International Test and Evaluation Association\u0027s (ITEA) 2025 Allen R. Matthews Award."}],"uid":"35875","created_gmt":"2026-01-15 14:21:09","changed_gmt":"2026-01-15 14:25:42","author":"cweems8","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679004":{"id":"679004","type":"image","title":"IMG_5735.JPG","body":null,"created":"1768486927","gmt_created":"2026-01-15 14:22:07","changed":"1768486927","gmt_changed":"2026-01-15 14:22:07","alt":"Rusty Roberts (r.) accepts  the International Test and Evaluation Association\u0027s (ITEA) 2025 Allen R. Matthews Award.","file":{"fid":"263114","name":"IMG_5735.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/IMG_5735.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/IMG_5735.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":687531,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/15\/IMG_5735.JPG?itok=6i7Ckur7"}},"679005":{"id":"679005","type":"image","title":"IMG_5745.JPG","body":null,"created":"1768486927","gmt_created":"2026-01-15 14:22:07","changed":"1768486927","gmt_changed":"2026-01-15 14:22:07","alt":"Rusty Roberts speaks at a podium to a gathering of the International Test and Evaluation Association.","file":{"fid":"263115","name":"IMG_5745.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/IMG_5745.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/IMG_5745.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2551467,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/15\/IMG_5745.JPG?itok=L9D4QSi8"}}},"media_ids":["679004","679005"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["christopher.weems@gtri.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687340":{"#nid":"687340","#data":{"type":"news","title":"GTRI Researcher Joseph Greene Receives IEEE-USA McClure Citation of Honor","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) Research Engineer Joseph Greene has received the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ieeeusa.org\/volunteers\/awards-recognition\/professionalism\/mcclure\/#:~:text=Past%20Recipients-,Purpose,activities%20in%20the%20United%20States.\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIEEE-USA George F. McClure Citation of Honor\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. This national award\u0026nbsp;recognizes exemplary contributions to advancing professional activities for engineers in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGreene, of GTRI\u2019s Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL), said his first reaction to the award was shaped by the very security awareness culture he supports at work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are in training season for phishing emails at GTRI,\u201d he said with a laugh. \u201cSo, my first reaction was almost disbelief. I thought, \u2018There has to be something going on here.\u2019 I went and confirmed it before I let myself believe it was real.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce he verified the message was legitimate, the significance of the honor began to sink in.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBeyond the recognition itself, what really mattered to me was the reflection of impact,\u201d Greene said. \u201cIEEE is really my home away from home. A lot of my time outside of GTRI is dedicated to IEEE and its programming, so to see that work recognized in this way was incredibly meaningful.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe McClure Citation of Honor is focused on professional activities. For Greene, that focus aligns directly with how he has chosen to invest his time in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hkn.ieee.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIEEE and in IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the organization\u2019s honor society for electrical and computer engineers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGreene\u2019s involvement with IEEE-HKN began as an undergraduate at Boston University, and continued through graduate school and into his professional career. Over time, he moved from chapter-level activities into roles that support the wider society, particularly in areas such as data management, AI-enabled tools, and mentoring programs that connect students with alumni and professionals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe describes IEEE and IEEE-HKN as a kind of infrastructure for the profession, giving students and early-career engineers a place to test their leadership skills, build networks, and learn how to work across disciplines. In the interview, Greene emphasized how much of his volunteer work focuses on creating systems that make those experiences easier to access and more sustainable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERather than focusing only on one-time events, he has helped build programs that can be replicated and scaled, from virtual mentoring and career panels to tools that help chapters track engagement and connect with each other. Those efforts support the kind of professional development that the McClure Citation seeks to highlight, including career readiness, leadership, and the ability to engage with broader policy and societal issues that affect engineers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGreene said that one of the most rewarding aspects of his IEEE-HKN work is seeing students and young professionals realize how much they have to offer, even early in their careers. Through mentoring and leadership opportunities, he has watched them gain confidence, find their communities, and begin to shape the profession they are entering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat same systems-focused mindset carries over to Greene\u2019s research at GTRI, where he works at the intersection of optics, algorithms, and emerging sensing technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is basically optical design meets deep learning to push what is possible with physical systems,\u201d he said, describing his work in computational imaging. \u201cI find myself interfacing across a wide range of projects where I either inspire next-generation algorithms or next-generation optical design to meet key needs in our primarily Department of Defense portfolio.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn that role, Greene often thinks about how to integrate new concepts into real-world systems in a way that advances capability without introducing unacceptable levels of risk.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe major drive I have at the Institute is to balance risk with innovation,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want designs that are truly new and push forward what our sponsors can do, but we cannot demand an incredible amount of risk that would prohibit us from achieving those successes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA significant portion of his recent work focuses on neuromorphic imaging, or event-based vision, a sensing approach that operates differently from traditional cameras.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe goal of these cameras is to redo the paradigm in which we interrogate the world,\u201d Greene explained. \u201cYou are more interested in motion and change than in static walls around you. Event-based cameras respond to action. They suppress a lot of static information and can pull out minute changes in the world around you, even with very faint contrast.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause these devices are relatively new and not yet standardized, Greene said there is still foundational work to do.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese are new and largely unstandardized devices,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we take one off the shelf and try to relate it back to theory, there are gaps. We want to calibrate and characterize practical devices so we can provide real guarantees to our sponsors about how they will perform in the real world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the same time, he is helping explore mission-focused applications where the technology\u2019s strengths, such as high dynamic range and performance in ultra\u2013low light, can make a meaningful difference.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are very particular use cases where this technology can have a big impact,\u201d Greene said. \u201cIt has already generated excitement in areas like autonomous vehicles because of its performance across a wide range of lighting conditions, including ultra\u2013low light.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhether he is helping a student chapter modernize its data systems, advising early-career engineers through IEEE-HKN programs, or designing a new imaging approach for a sponsor, Greene sees a common thread running through his volunteer service and his work at GTRI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth, he said, are about building structures that help people see more clearly, make better decisions, and respond more effectively to complex problems. The McClure Citation of Honor recognizes that broad kind of impact, one that spans technical leadership, professional development, and community building across the engineering profession.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoseph Greene is an exemplar of GTRI\u2019s mission to \u201cserve national security\u201d and \u201ceducate future technology leaders\u201d as one of \u201cthe foremost innovators\u0026nbsp;creating a secure nation, a prosperous Georgia, and a sustainable world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWriter: \u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Weems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhotos:\u003Cstrong\u003E Christopher J. Moore\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGTRI Communications\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003Cbr\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).\u202fFounded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 3,000 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $919 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry.\u202fGTRI\u0027s renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) Research Engineer Joseph Greene, Ph.D. has received the IEEE-USA George F. McClure Citation of Honor. This national award recognizes exemplary contributions to advancing professional activities for engineers in the United States. Greene is a member of GTRI\u2019s Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL).\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research Engineer Joseph Greene, of GTRI\u2019s Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL), was recognized recognized for the student-centric initiatives he has developed"}],"uid":"35875","created_gmt":"2026-01-15 14:11:26","changed_gmt":"2026-01-15 14:17:26","author":"cweems8","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679000":{"id":"679000","type":"image","title":"Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped.jpg","body":null,"created":"1768486305","gmt_created":"2026-01-15 14:11:45","changed":"1768486305","gmt_changed":"2026-01-15 14:11:45","alt":"Joseph Greene, seated with hands clasped.","file":{"fid":"263110","name":"Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":11986834,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/15\/Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped.jpg?itok=SaWZfA3q"}},"679001":{"id":"679001","type":"image","title":"Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped-standing.jpg","body":null,"created":"1768486305","gmt_created":"2026-01-15 14:11:45","changed":"1768486305","gmt_changed":"2026-01-15 14:11:45","alt":"Joseph Greene poses in an office suite.","file":{"fid":"263111","name":"Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped-standing.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped-standing.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped-standing.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5682139,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/15\/Joseph-Greene--hands-clasped-standing.jpg?itok=TM1zgZ8R"}},"679002":{"id":"679002","type":"image","title":"Joseph-Greene--looking-upward-stairwell.jpg","body":null,"created":"1768486305","gmt_created":"2026-01-15 14:11:45","changed":"1768486305","gmt_changed":"2026-01-15 14:11:45","alt":"Joseph Greene poses looking upward while standing in a stairway.","file":{"fid":"263112","name":"Joseph-Greene--looking-upward-stairwell.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/Joseph-Greene--looking-upward-stairwell.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/Joseph-Greene--looking-upward-stairwell.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5628802,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/15\/Joseph-Greene--looking-upward-stairwell.jpg?itok=aLpqj_Ts"}}},"media_ids":["679000","679001","679002"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["christopher.weems@gtri.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686521":{"#nid":"686521","#data":{"type":"news","title":"LIDAR Lab-mates Moving Humanoid Robots Closer to Adaptability in the Real World","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EViral videos abound with humanoid robots performing amazing feats of acrobatics and dance but finding videos of a humanoid robot performing a common household task or traversing a new multi-terrain environment easily, and without human control, are much rarer. This is because training humanoid robots to perform these seemingly simple functions involves the need for simulation training data that lack the complex\u0026nbsp;dynamics and degrees of freedom of motion that are inherent in humanoid robots.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo achieve better training outcomes with faster\u0026nbsp;deployment results, Fukang Liu and Feiyang Wu, graduate students under Professor Ye Zhao from the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and faculty member of the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines, have published a duo of papers in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.\u0026nbsp;This is a collaborative work with three other IRIM affiliated faculties, Profs. Danfei Xu, Yue Chen, and Sehoon Ha, as well as Prof. Anqi Wu from School of Computational Science and Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo\u0026nbsp;develop more reliable motion learning for humanoid robots and enable humanoid robots to perform complex whole-body movements in the real world,\u0026nbsp;Fukang led a team and developed Opt2Skill, a hybrid robot learning framework that combines model-based trajectory optimization with reinforcement learning. \u0026nbsp;Their framework integrates dynamics and contacts into the trajectory planning process and generates high-quality, dynamically feasible datasets, which result in more reliable motion learning for humanoid robots and improved position tracking and task success rates. This approach shows a promising way to augment the performance and generalization of humanoid RL policies using dynamically feasible motion datasets. Incorporating torque data also improved motion stability and force tracking in contact-rich scenarios, demonstrating that torque information plays a key role in learning physically consistent and contact-rich humanoid behaviors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile other datasets, such as inverse kinematics or human demonstrations, are valuable, they don\u2019t always capture the dynamics needed for reliable whole-body humanoid control.\u201d said by Fukang Liu. \u201cWith our Opt2Skill framework, we combine trajectory optimization with reinforcement learning to generate and leverage high-quality, dynamically feasible motion data. This integrated approach gives robots a richer and more physically grounded training process, enabling them to learn these complex tasks more reliably and safely for real-world deployment. - Fukang Liu\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn another line of humanoid research,\u0026nbsp;Feiyang established a one-stage training framework that allows humanoid robots to learn locomotion more efficiently and with greater environmental adaptability. Their framework, Learn-to-Teach (L2T), unlike traditional two-stage \u201cteacher-student\u201d approaches, which first train an expert in simulation and then retrain a limited-perception student, teaches both simultaneously, sharing knowledge and experiences in real time. The result of this two-way training is a 50% reduction in training data and time, while maintaining or surpassing state-of-the-art performance in humanoid locomotion. The lightweight policy learned through this process enables the lab\u2019s humanoid robot to traverse more than a dozen real-world terrains\u2014grass, gravel, sand, stairs, and slopes\u2014without retraining or depth sensors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy training an expert and a deployable controller together, we can turn rich simulation feedback into a lightweight policy that runs on real hardware, letting our humanoid adapt to uneven, unstructured terrain with far less data and hand-tuning than traditional methods. - Feiyang Wu\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy the application of these training processes, the team hopes to speed the development of deployable humanoid robots for home use, manufacturing, defense, and search and rescue assistance in dangerous environments. These methods also support advances in embodied intelligence, enabling robots to learn richer, more context-aware behaviors.Additionally, the training data process can be applied to research to improve the functionality and adaptability of human assistive devices for medical and therapeutic uses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs humanoid robots move from controlled labs into messy, unpredictable real-world environments, the key is developing embodied intelligence\u2014the ability for robots to sense, adapt, and act through their physical bodies,\u201d said Professor Ye Zhao. \u201cThe innovations from our students push us closer to robots that can learn robust skills, navigate diverse terrains, and ultimately operate safely and reliably alongside people. - Prof. Ye Zhao\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAuthor - Christa M. Ernst\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELiu F, Gu Z, Cai Y, Zhou Z, Jung H, Jang J, Zhao S, Ha S, Chen Y, Xu D, Zhao Y. Opt2skill: Imitating dynamically-feasible whole-body trajectories for versatile humanoid loco-manipulation. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters. 2025 Oct 13.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWu F, Nal X, Jang J, Zhu W, Gu Z, Wu A, Zhao Y. Learn to teach: Sample-efficient privileged learning for humanoid locomotion over real-world uneven terrain. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters. 2025 Jul 23.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Dual publications on learning methods that improve agility and versatility in complex task completion"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETo achieve better training outcomes with faster\u0026nbsp;deployment results, Fukang Liu and Feiyang Wu, graduate students under Professor Ye Zhao from the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and faculty member of the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines, have published a duo of papers in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.\u0026nbsp;This is a collaborative work with three other IRIM affiliated faculties, Profs. Danfei Xu, Yue Chen, and Sehoon Ha, as well as Prof. Anqi Wu from School of Computational Science and Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"To achieve better training outcomes with faster deployment results, Fukang Liu and Feiyang Wu have published a duo of papers in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters."}],"uid":"27863","created_gmt":"2025-11-18 20:40:13","changed_gmt":"2026-01-14 15:00:51","author":"Christa Ernst","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678666":{"id":"678666","type":"image","title":"Digit-Team-6-11_8_25-CME-for-Nov-LIDAR-News.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMembers of the LIDAR Lab involved with the research with the DIGIT robot used in the trainings.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763498422","gmt_created":"2025-11-18 20:40:22","changed":"1763498422","gmt_changed":"2025-11-18 20:40:22","alt":"The LIDAR Research Team with Digit Robot","file":{"fid":"262724","name":"Digit-Team-6-11_8_25-CME-for-Nov-LIDAR-News.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/18\/Digit-Team-6-11_8_25-CME-for-Nov-LIDAR-News.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/18\/Digit-Team-6-11_8_25-CME-for-Nov-LIDAR-News.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5426313,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/18\/Digit-Team-6-11_8_25-CME-for-Nov-LIDAR-News.png?itok=FmwisY4a"}}},"media_ids":["678666"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/opt2skill.github.io\/","title":" Opt2Skill on GitHub"},{"url":"https:\/\/lidar-learn-to-teach.github.io\/","title":"Learn-to-Teach (L2T) on GitHub"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"142761","name":"IRIM"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"186857","name":"go-gtmi"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"98751","name":"College of Engineering; George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChrista M. Ernst\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EKlaus Advance Computing Building 1120E | 266 Ferst Drive | Atlanta GA | 30332\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["christa.ernst@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687242":{"#nid":"687242","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Energy Policy and Innovation Center Launches Interactive Dashboard ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (EPIcenter) has collaborated with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/daniel-matisoff\u0022\u003EDan Matisoff\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003C\/a\u003E and EPIcenter\u2019s faculty affiliate, to develop a new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/saf\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Data Dashboard\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u003C\/a\u003E designed to provide clear, accessible insights into the rapidly evolving SAF market.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe interactive dashboard compiles and visualizes data gathered by\u0026nbsp;Matisoff, along with\u0026nbsp;Program and Operations Manager\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/2af53a9b-d638-574a-a72e-567d586c3cef\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMichael Morley\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;offering a comprehensive view of SAF production, feedstock availability, and policy trends.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEPIcenter Research Associate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-yang-you\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYang You\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has designed the dashboard to translate complex datasets into policy-relevant insights for decision-makers. By organizing key metrics into interactive visuals, the dashboard helps stakeholders assess market readiness and identify regulatory actions that could accelerate SAF adoption.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEmphasizing the importance of data-driven insights, Matisoff said, \u201cThe Department of Energy has a Grand Challenge to produce 3 billion gallons a year of Sustainable Aviation Fuel by 2030, and 35 billion gallons a year by 2050. By compiling and visualizing SAF data, we can help policymakers and researchers understand progress towards these goals, where the key opportunities and bottlenecks are \u2013 and how to move forward effectively\u201d.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy SAF Matters\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWhile aviation only accounts for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is a rapidly growing share, and decarbonizing this sector is considered one of the most challenging aspects of the energy transition. Produced from renewable feedstocks, sustainable aviation fuel offers a pathway to reduce lifecycle emissions from air travel without requiring major changes to aircraft or infrastructure. However, SAF production and deployment face hurdles related to cost, supply chain development, and policy support.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEPIcenter\u2019s Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E highlighted the dashboard\u2019s role in addressing these challenges:\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cSustainable aviation fuel is a cornerstone of decarbonizing air travel, but the market is complex and rapidly evolving. The dashboard provides clarity by organizing the relevant data in a way that\u2019s accessible and actionable for decision-makers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis tool is meant to bridge analysis and action,\u201d said You. \u201cBy visualizing SAF production, capacity, and offtake dynamics, the dashboard allows policymakers and stakeholders to see where the market is moving, where gaps remain, and how targeted infrastructure investments or supportive policies could unlock scale.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe EPIcenter SAF Dashboard is intended as a resource for industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers working to accelerate SAF adoption. By providing transparent, data-driven insights, Georgia Tech aims to support informed decisions that advance innovation and sustainability in aviation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo explore the dashboard and learn more about Georgia Tech\u2019s work on sustainable aviation fuel, visit\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/saf\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u2019s SAF page\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (EPIcenter) has collaborated with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/daniel-matisoff\u0022\u003EDan Matisoff\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003C\/a\u003E and EPIcenter\u2019s faculty affiliate, to develop a new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/saf\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Data Dashboard\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u003C\/a\u003E designed to provide clear, accessible insights into the rapidly evolving SAF market.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s Energy Policy and Innovation Center has collaborated with Dan Matisoff, EPIcenter\u2019s faculty affiliate, to develop a new Sustainable Aviation Fuel Data Dashboard to provide clear, accessible insights into the rapidly evolving SAF market. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-01-13 17:04:00","changed_gmt":"2026-01-13 17:10:35","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678970":{"id":"678970","type":"image","title":"SAFDashboard-AdobeStock.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1768324007","gmt_created":"2026-01-13 17:06:47","changed":"1768324007","gmt_changed":"2026-01-13 17:06:47","alt":"Fuel Truck carrying Sustainable Aviation Fuel near an airplane","file":{"fid":"263073","name":"SAFDashboard-AdobeStock.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/13\/SAFDashboard-AdobeStock.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/13\/SAFDashboard-AdobeStock.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":831898,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/13\/SAFDashboard-AdobeStock.jpeg?itok=bJdX1-Z0"}}},"media_ids":["678970"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/saf\/","title":"EPIcenter SAF Dashboard"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686197":{"#nid":"686197","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Software Center Director to Lead Next Wave of Scientific Discovery","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists across Georgia Tech rely on powerful software tools to propel breakthroughs in fields ranging from physics to biology. Now, software experts who make that research possible are gaining a new leader.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe College of Computing named Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vuduc.org\/v2\/\u0022\u003ERich Vuduc\u003C\/a\u003E as director of the Center for Scientific Software Engineering (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ssecenter.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECSSE\u003C\/a\u003E). The Georgia Tech hub is dedicated to building reliable, high-performance software for scientists. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder Vuduc\u2019s leadership, CSSE strives to accelerate the pace and increase the quality of scientific discovery by developing custom software tools and best practices tailored to researchers\u2019 needs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere is a reproducibility and reliability problem right now with scientific software,\u201d Vuduc said. \u201cThe promise of CSSE is to leverage capabilities shared between Georgia Tech, Schmidt Sciences, and industry experts to address this problem.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIssues arise because scientists often need to develop their own software for experiments or data analysis. However, troubleshooting coding issues and other bugs can slow down research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo assist these scientists, CSSE receives their input to create custom software tools and best practices. The center employs professional software engineers who build and deliver products tailor-made to the needs of researchers at Georgia Tech and broader scientific communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond its research focus, CSSE helps Georgia Tech fulfill its educational mission. The center provides students with direct access and exposure to real-world software engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the center enters its third year, Vuduc wants to better prepare students for employment by enhancing their hands-on experience while learning from CSSE engineers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo achieve this goal, Vuduc is working to establish a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.infoready4.com\/#competitionDetail\/1999204\u0022\u003EPh.D. fellowship program\u003C\/a\u003E in which CSSE engineers mentor students. This program would connect academic inquiry with industry expertise, creating the next generation of dynamic leaders in computational science. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVuduc also envisions pairing CSSE with Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vip.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EVertically Integrated Projects (VIP) program\u003C\/a\u003E. This approach would allow undergraduate students to earn class credit while working with CSSE engineers on large software engineering projects spanning multiple semesters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe center gives our students access to something that is very unique to find in a university environment,\u201d Vuduc said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe software engineers in CSSE mostly come from industry. They have over 65 years of combined experience doing real-world software engineering that students can learn from.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVuduc is a 2010 recipient of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/awards.acm.org\/bell\u0022\u003EGordon Bell Prize\u003C\/a\u003E and a leading expert in high-performance computing (HPC). He was a finalist for the award in 2020 and 2022.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Gordon Bell Prize, often referred to as the Nobel Prize in supercomputing due to the scope and magnitude of research it recognizes, celebrates achievement in HPC research and application.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVuduc joined Georgia Tech in 2007 as one of the first faculty hired for the new Division of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE). Not a stranger of leading new units, he saw CSE begin offering M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 2008 and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/founding-school\u0022\u003Eattain school status in 2010\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 2021, Vuduc has served as co-director of the Center for Research into Novel Computing Hierarchies (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crnch.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECRNCH\u003C\/a\u003E).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECRNCH is an interdisciplinary research center at Georgia Tech that explores technologies and approaches that will usher the next generation of computing. Areas CRNCH studies include quantum computing, brain-inspired computing, and approximate computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVuduc will step down as CRNCH co-director to fulfill his role as CSSE director. The College of Computing will lead a search for CRNCH\u2019s next co-director.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn a sense, the CRNCH to CSSE transition was partly a natural one because one thing that contributes to software challenges is that hardware platforms are also changing and evolving very rapidly,\u201d said Vuduc.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPeople are exploring radically new hardware systems and we will have to write software configured for those too. Centers, like CRNCH and CSSE, strongly position Georgia Tech to lead these endeavors.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlessandro (Alex) Orso\u003C\/strong\u003E, the previous CSSE director, departed Georgia Tech earlier this year to become\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.uga.edu\/alex-orso-named-dean-of-ugas-college-of-engineering\/\u0022\u003Edean of the University of Georgia\u2019s College of Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. Orso and Distinguished Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EIrfan Essa\u003C\/strong\u003E wrote the proposal to bring CSSE to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech formed CSSE in 2022 after securing an $11 million grant from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.schmidtsciences.org\/\u0022\u003ESchmidt Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his spouse, Wendy Schmidt, founded the philanthropic venture that funds science and technology research and talent networking programs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s CSSE is part of Schmidt Sciences\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.schmidtsciences.org\/viss\/\u0022\u003EVirtual Institute for Scientific Software (VISS) program\u003C\/a\u003E. This network helps scientists obtain more robust, flexible, scalable open-source software.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESchmidt Sciences is investing $40 million in VISS over five years at four universities: Georgia Tech, University of Washington, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Cambridge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECSSE uses the funding to employ a software engineering lead, three senior and two junior software engineers. The Schmidt Sciences grant equips these engineers with computing resources to build scientific software. Along with the director, an advisory board guides the group\u2019s work to meet the point of need for scientists in the field.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am grateful to Schmidt Sciences for their support of CSSE. It aligns with our college\u2019s strategic goals and expertise in scientific software, and I am delighted that Rich has agreed to take on this important role,\u201d said Vivek Sarkar, Dean and John P. Imlay Jr. Chair of Computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI know that Rich is committed to growing CSSE\u0027s internal and external visibility and long-term sustainability. I am confident that he will also help further socialize CSSE among internal stakeholders across Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists across Georgia Tech rely on powerful software tools to propel breakthroughs in fields ranging from physics to biology. Now, software experts who make that research possible are gaining a new leader.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe College of Computing named Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vuduc.org\/v2\/\u0022\u003ERich Vuduc\u003C\/a\u003E as director of the Center for Scientific Software Engineering (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ssecenter.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECSSE\u003C\/a\u003E). The Georgia Tech hub is dedicated to building reliable, high-performance software for scientists. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder Vuduc\u2019s leadership, CSSE strives to accelerate the pace and increase the quality of scientific discovery by developing custom software tools and best practices tailored to researchers\u2019 needs.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The College of Computing named Professor Rich Vuduc as director of the Center for Scientific Software Engineering (CSSE). The Georgia Tech hub is dedicated to building reliable, high-performance software for scientists.  "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2025-11-05 14:01:46","changed_gmt":"2026-01-09 13:38:07","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678546":{"id":"678546","type":"image","title":"Vuduc-CSSE-Director.jpg","body":null,"created":"1762351373","gmt_created":"2025-11-05 14:02:53","changed":"1762351373","gmt_changed":"2025-11-05 14:02:53","alt":"Rich Vuduc CSSE Director","file":{"fid":"262598","name":"Vuduc-CSSE-Director.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/05\/Vuduc-CSSE-Director.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/05\/Vuduc-CSSE-Director.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":82857,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/05\/Vuduc-CSSE-Director.jpg?itok=o-JZUe-T"}}},"media_ids":["678546"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-software-center-director-lead-next-wave-scientific-discovery","title":"New Software Center Director to Lead Next Wave of Scientific Discovery"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"172288","name":"School of Computational Science Engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"183717","name":"Center for Research into Novel Computing Hierarchies"},{"id":"15030","name":"high-performance computing"},{"id":"170965","name":"software engineering"},{"id":"194841","name":"Center for Scientific Software Engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}