Aarush Yadav, a second-year computer science major and member of the John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP), secured a $500k pre-seed for his startup—The Subvocal Company—from pre-seed venture capital firm Afore Capital. Aarush’s love for building began long before his time at Tech, driving him to create robust innovations that improve your day-to-day. 

One of the 3 Undergraduate Teaching Assistants of the Year! 

Dhruv Narang, a second-year mechanical engineering major and member of the John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP), won the InVenture Prize People’s Choice Award as a cofounder of DoorTix. Dhruv is passionate about the startup space where he cultivates innovative environments dedicated to creating usable tangible products – leading to his founding of DoorTix. 

Research at Georgia Tech

Carlos's research at GT is primarily within the IceCube Collaboration, where he and his team study Arctic ice samples using “light sensors scattered about one cubic kilometer of ice,” an effort to find neutrino interactions through the light study in the observatory by identifying a soft glow produced by the interactions. Neutrinos are three of the 17 “fundamental particles that are indivisible” – they are incredibly minuscule, even smaller than atoms, and as a result, they rarely “interact with anything.” For context, Carlos explained that “throughout your whole lifetime we expect only one neutrino to interact with your body…to actually search for this [interaction], it’s really hard.”  Studying these interactions from the clearest material available, arctic ice, allows for some interesting analysis and discoveries. 

This research has brought Carlos into three ongoing papers on the following topics:  neutrinos in blazar black holes, “a new kind of statistical model to try to constrain the properties of our analysis,” and finally, on “implementing AI” in order to further the project analysis and conclusions. Carlos has enjoyed his lab work at the IceCube Collaboration over the last three and a half years, and his biggest takeaway from his experience is ensuring strong relationships with his teammates. He recommends that students and researchers “find a group that you fit well in, [a group where you are] not only doing something that you like, but also [making sure] you enjoy the work department there.” Carlos reflects, “...I work really well with my PI. I’m really happy with my research group. We’re very supportive of each other…and I think that makes all the difference.” 

Georgia Tech Academic and Extracurricular Career 

As a double-major student in math and physics, Carlos’ course load has consistently been both challenging and exciting. Starting out as a physics major, Carlos mentions that he “started taking [physics] classes regularly,” but ultimately "realized that [he] did not know the math [he] needed for the physics [he] wanted to do.” The skills he needed for his goals would only be developed if he took additional math classes that substantiated his physics knowledge. 

Upon taking linear algebra with abstract vector spaces, and then quantum mechanics, Carlos expressed that he “was really able to see physics…through the lengths of linear algebra and those connections.” This motivated him to double-major in math, expand his knowledge base even more, and dive into the research interests he had become intrinsically passionate about. Carlos additionally emphasizes that being intentional with course selection based on one’s specific future goals has been beneficial to his success at Georgia Tech. 

As a JMHP student, Carlos started out his academic career at the Hefner-Armstrong dorms (before the program was relocated to Eighth Street). He fondly recollects his many study experiences in the Honors classroom, where one “could study and…socialize with other people…[where] it was…like an internal hub where we could make those connections” with other Honors students. Additionally, his favorite “non-physics, non-major class” was an HP English course focused on the genre of horror films. Taught by Dr. Eric Lewis, the class featured “watch parties” coupled with reflective evening discussions, with the added bonus of professor-supplied sweet treats to enjoy. The HP course allowed students a lot of freedom and personalized academic engagement in project selection, project execution, etc. - a highly commended element of the course. 

Outside of his research endeavors, Carlos is involved with the Society of Physics Students community at Georgia Tech, the Brazilian Student Association, and recreationally plays Dungeons and Dragons, a hobby he’s been participating in “for well over a decade now.” He stresses the importance of having hobbies outside of work, expanding that “...I think [playing Dungeons and Dragons is] a nice bridge between having fun and friends and doing more of the creative side of things, like telling stories, playing characters” etc. 

Reflections and Future Plans 

As graduation nears, Carlos has planned to attend a Masters or PhD program in fundamental theoretical physics, and is currently in the application process for both program options. He describes this field as the study of “the core theory behind everything else,” essentially “the basis” of all other concepts. Within this next phase of his educational career, Carlos plans on shifting his research focus to a more "theoretical" and “math heavy” sector of physics, working with “creating theories, creating models,” etc., compared to his current, more “experimental,” work in particle astrophysics. 

One day, he aspires to be both a professor at a university, in addition to a full-time researcher at The Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton, an institution filled with “[physicists]...historians…philosophers” all “doing theoretical work.” Not only is it a “very prestigious” institution to be a member of, but it also supplies all basic needs for researchers, such as housing and food so that researchers can fully focus on their craft and make incredible progress in their endeavors. 

One concluding piece of advice from Carlos is that “you will only get as much out of the Honors Program as you put in….if you don’t go to the events, if you don’t take the classes, if you don't interact with your advisors, you won't get [good] things out of it.” A student’s experience at Georgia Tech is “really something [that should be] cooperative, and the Honors Program is here to make sure you’re having the most out of your experience.” 

With that in mind, let’s give another warm round of applause to Carlos for his incredible academic and research accomplishments, and his acceptance of the A. Joyce Nickelson and John C. Sutherland Undergraduate Award. He will be honored at the GT Student Honors Celebration later this semester. All the best on your future successes, Carlos!

• Outstanding Student Award (first-year start)- Esha Venkat
• Outstanding Student Award (transfer start)- Jessica DaSilva Bonet
• Emerging Leader Award- Chloe Phan
• Mentor of the Year Award- J'Avani Stinson
• Progress and Service Award- Jalana Smith
• Innovation in Honors Award- Aarush Lanjharia
• Distinguished Alumni Award- Jing Li (ISYE, '10)
• Catalyst for Change Award- Housing and Residence Life Occupancy and Resident Experience team

These students, alum, and campus partners represent the best of what makes the John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP) a dynamic community on Georgia Tech's campus.  

Outstanding Student Award winner Esha Venkat is graduating with a major in Public Policy and a Minor in Global Development.  She’s a recipient of over 70 awards—including from Points of Light, United Nations, and the World Bank—and currently runs a global non-profit with over 9,000 volunteers.  Esha is pursuing an M.S. at Georgia Tech where she will conduct research on youth-founded nonprofits, building a career at the intersection of policy, nonprofit governance, and civic engagement initiatives.  Outstanding Student Award winner Jessica DaSilva Bonet joined the JMHP as a transfer student and will graduate with a major in Civil Engineering.  She was a member of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholars Program, served as Vice President of Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society, and has been a leader in DanceTech.  After graduation, she will be working as a civil engineer in the land development sector, with a long-term goal of becoming an entrepreneur and establishing her own firm.  Both received their awards not only for their involvement and contributions to the JMHP, but for exemplifying excellence in academic achievement, leadership, creative endeavors, curiosity, and community building.

New student awards introduced this year include Emerging Leader, Mentor of the Year, Progress and Service, and Innovation in Honors. Emerging Leader Award recipient Chloe Phan was recognized for her work on the Honors Leadership Council as well as her attention to all of "the small moments that turned unfamiliar faces into close connections, like late-night study groups, spontaneous socials, and planning [her] first Field Day."  Mentor of the Year J'Avani Stinson, who also serves as a JMHP Help Desk student assistant, has built a strong foundation for the students who will join the program after him.  He reflected that, "as the Honors Program enters its 20-year anniversary, my only hope is that the program continues its upward trajectory. Since my first-year retreat, the program has done nothing but expand its events, resources, and general support for students. As a program, the John H. Martinson Honors Program is on the right track, and needs only to stay the course!"

The motto of Georgia Tech is "Progress and Service," so it is no surprise that Progress and Service Award winner Jalana Smith represents the best of Georgia Tech.  Her work with JMHP staff has helped to elevate the program through creative storytelling and marketing to make it "bigger, brighter, and better for the next generation of JMHP students while staying true to its amazing mission of fostering creativity, curiosity, and connection!"  Creativity and curiosity fuel Innovation in Honors Award winner Aarush Lanjharia, recognized for developing the burgeoning JMHP makerspace. What started with one (old!) 3D printer is becoming a small hub for student creativity that he is looking forward to watching grow, even after he's moved on.  "I hope to stay connected to the program well beyond my graduation to watch it shape future leaders. I am proud for playing a small role in shaping what JMHP will one day become."

It was not just students who were recognized for their outstanding contributions, but an alumna and campus partner as well.  Jing Li (ISYE '10) was part of the inaugural class of the newly launched Honors Program in 2006.  What she experienced in the Honors Program has formed part of the foundation of her current work in product design.

"The interdisciplinary nature of Honors Program classes have had the biggest impact on my professional career. In an HP bio-inspired design class, I learned that the architecture and design of technology systems can mimic patterns found in nature, such as neural networks. This led me to undergraduate research at the Design Intelligence Lab at Georgia Tech and taught me how to think differently about human-computer interactions. Fast forward to today, and I now approach AI product design with an interdisciplinary mindset that allows me to bring the best of different worlds together."

You can read more about Jing Li in our feature story.

Last but certainly not least, the JMHP could not thrive without the support of a wide variety of campus partners.  As a program with a living learning community component, Housing and Residence Life--particularly the Occupancy and Resident Experience team led by Alison Southern--is a crucial partner.  Members of the team include Associate Director Alison Southern, Assistant Director Jennifer Grover, Senior Program and Operations Manager Nina Gregory, Senior Project Support Specialist Tionna Johnson, Senior Occupancy Assignment Specialist LaToya Bostick, Training Specialist Mauricio Pizzaro, Student Support Coordinator II Cindy Kropf, and Student Support Specialist Jessamyn Lockett.  Handling the housing application process, dorm assignments, move out, and everything in between, this team probably fields more emails from JMHP staff than any other unit on campus!

Congratulations and thank you to all of these amazing award winners.  You are what make the JMHP a thriving community for faculty, staff, and students alike!

Dr. Emily Weigel (Biology ‘10), now a senior academic professional in the Georgia Tech School of Biological Sciences, was part of the inaugural graduating class of the Georgia Tech Honors Program. Even as a student, Weigel stood out as a trailblazer, and she has continued to champion the program ideals of “Progress and Service.” 

The John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP) is excited to welcome Mr. Gabriel “Gabe” Alvarado-Gonzalez as the new JMHP Academic Advisor starting this Spring 2026 semester! Gabe will be all JMHP students’ point of contact regarding credit alignment, curricular questions, experiential learning opportunities, and finding campus resources that support student success.  

Medina McCowin, a fourth-year biology major and member of the John H. Martinson Honors Program, received her first medical school acceptance. Medina’s interest in medicine started at the young age of eight, when she promised to become an oncologist to cure cancer and remove the burdens her mother faced during breast cancer screening. When her Great Aunt was diagnosed with endometrial cancer a few years later, her promise solidified and shaped her holistic approach to provide equitable healthcare for all. 

Esha Venkat is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of NEST4US, an international non-profit dedicated to making the world better through kindness by mobilizing volunteers worldwide.  The organization seeks to advance progress on societal issues and spark equitable solutions for the greater good. Esha’s work with NEST4US has earned her honors and recognition such as the George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award and a feature on The Today Show! Thanks to Esha’s dedication, NEST4US is celebrating their 10-anniversary, honoring a decade of service to the community. On campus, she is a proud member of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy and the JMHP community, representing the Honors Program on the Office of Undergraduate Education & Student Success Student Advisory Board. Esha was also recently accepted into the PUBP BS/MS program, so we’ll have her around for another year! You’ll frequently find Esha at Honors Leadership Council meetings, JMHP events, in the CRC, and on the Jacket Journey Leaderboard.

J’Avani Stinson is a student researcher at the Curtis Cell Physics Lab and a Co-op Pathways Intern at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). His research lies at the intersection of biology, mathematics, and physics as it applies to human health and cell biology. While at NASA, J’Avani interned in the Human Health and Performance Directorate, working on applied research in astronaut health and analogs such as the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA). He is also the Point of Contact for the Intern Outreach Committee, organizing service opportunities for the JSC community. On campus, J’Avani works as one of our JMHP Student Assistants, launching and contributing to projects such as our Alumni Wisdom Series and the expanded JMHP Awards. He is also a proud member of the College of Sciences and School of Biological Sciences, acting as a student ambassador for both groups. You’ll find J’Avani at HLC meetings, JMHP events, giving tours around campus, and at any of our GT Jazz Program performances.

Esha and J’Avani form a dynamic duo dedicated to service on campus and in local communities. As members of the Stamps President’s Scholars Ambassadors’ Community Service Committee and members of the JMHP Civic Service Committee, they organize opportunities for GaTech students to get involved. Keep an eye out for them getting lunch together at Rays!

EAS 3110 prepares students for situations and opportunities beyond a traditional classroom environment by emphasizing experiential, applied learning that mirrors real-world professional practice. Students are not only guided but encouraged to engage with stakeholders in the Greater Atlanta community to develop communication, negotiation, and systems-thinking skills that are essential in professional settings but are rarely fully developed through lecture-based instruction alone. They are encouraged to utilize their curiosity and creativity to create bold solutions that address challenges in clean energy. The course directly aligns with the John H. Martinson Honors Program’s pillars of curiosity, creativity, and connection to equip students with the skills to better navigate the challenges presented in careers across energy, sustainability, policy, and business.

Dr. Garcia is a full-time lecturer in the School of City & Regional Planning since his arrival at Georgia Tech in 2019. A holder of two Master of Science degrees in Computer Networks and in Sustainability and Climate Change, as well as a doctoral degree in Educational Technology, Dr. Garcia is passionate about the fields of transition to clean energy, climate change, and community engagement. A recipient of awards including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Individual Climate Leadership Award, Green Ring Award, and Excellence in Climate Leadership Award, Dr. Garcia is dedicated to utilizing his expertise in guiding the transition to clean energy to spark growing John H. Martinson Honors Program leaders’ passion in developing solutions that are not only environmentally effective but also technically feasible and economically viable.

Dr. Garcia’s teaching experience with the John H. Martinson Honors Program began in Spring 2023. Alongside this course, he teaches Sustainable Urban Development in the School of City and Regional Planning, Climate Policy in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, and Sustainable Systems in the Scheller College of Business. He also supports the Georgia Tech Office of Sustainability as a Resilience Expert and serves as a U.S. Subject Matter Expert for the IPCC pre-scoping Special Report on Cities and Climate Change.

Dr. Garcia excitedly reflects on his favorite part of John H. Martinson Honors Program students, saying:

“JMHP students bring intellectual curiosity, rigor, and willingness to engage with complex and interdisciplinary challenges, which greatly enrich the learning environment. It is a privilege to work with such motivated students, and I am deeply honored to contribute to their academic and professional development.”

As Dr. Garcia begins teaching EAS 3110 in Spring 2026, he is excited to welcome a new cohort of students to his course, looking forward to discussing the challenges of clean energy and sustainability and supporting their intellectual growth and professional development. The John H. Martinson Honors Program is excited to continue working with Dr. Garcia this spring as he cultivates the next generation of clean energy leaders!

If you are a Georgia Tech student interested in taking EAS 3110 in a future semester, consider contacting Dr. Garcia to learn more.

For Jing, participation in the Honors Program (as it was called from 2006 – 2025) was transformational both academically and socially.  She said that it was, “exciting to be accepted into the inaugural class of the Honors Program! I was thrilled to be selected and loved being part of the program.”  She built strong connections with Honors Program faculty, including one (Dr. Daniel Vollaros) who got her involved in volunteering and mentoring.  She said that her volunteer experience with Read Aloud Chattanooga, “left a lasting impression on me, and helped inspire my journey to serve in the education sector of the Peace Corps.”

Coming to Atlanta from Arizona, the Honors Program helped build friendships in a new city and have turned into sustained relationships that she maintains to this day.  She reflected that, “the friendships and relationships that I formed during the class have only grown over time - I’ve stayed in touch with several friends who now work in Silicon Valley tech companies and gone to weddings of HP friends.” As a student athlete, Jing’s experience was a bit different from other Honors Program students.  She missed out on the residential experience of the program, as she lived in Woodruff Residence Hall with other swimmers, but she was still an active participant in a variety of activities and classes.  Jing attended events such as course rollout luncheons and field days with incoming first year students.  She also participated in the mentorship program and served as an ambassador for a variety of recruiting events such as Preview Georgia Tech, Women’s Receptions, Girls Night Out, and FUTURES. 

Participation in the Honors Program also enabled Jing to get the most out of her Georgia Tech experience.  She was a recipient of a Student Challenge Fund grant to participate in the Beijing and Singapore study abroad program, which had an impact on her professional development.  Jing said that the program allowed her to gain exposure to international business operations while taking ISYE major-specific courses.  Her impact and involvement on campus were wide, as she was a founding sister in Alpha Phi sorority, was a finalist for Ms. Georgia Tech, and conducted research on bio-inspired design in the Design Intelligence Lab.  Her research interest was fueled by Honors Program coursework on sustainable environmental and manufacturing systems and biologically inspired design.  The combination of these two courses built the foundation for her undergraduate research. She reflected on her experience, saying:

The GT Design Intelligence Lab fostered my lifelong curiosity for working in the human-machine interaction space and taught me to keep a user-centric mindset while considering sustainability impacts and design elements inspired by nature. In the 10+ years that I’ve worked at Accenture, I’ve always focused on emerging technology and innovation. The HP approach taught me to think outside the box, challenge the status quo to come up with more innovative ideas and how to create structure in new spaces. All of this has paved the foundation for my professional career, starting from shipping mobile apps and exploring new wearable products for enterprise clients, to diving into the Metaverse and more recently building products that accelerate cost efficiency and productivity with GenAI. 

In fall 2026, the John H. Martinson Honors Program will admit it’s 20th class, and Jing Li has some words to guide them.

Take advantage of everything the Honors Program offers! Not only the smaller sections of core classes, but really tap into the opportunities to expand your horizons by learning differently and gaining exposure to different cultures in the living and learning community. One of the biggest benefits that I remember of the HP was how it encouraged entrepreneurship - if you have an idea and want to ship it, you should challenge yourself to find a path to bring it to life! 

She shared the story of a fellow Honors Program classmate who was passionate about accessibility to biking for all, regardless of financial means. He pitched an idea about an on-campus bike-sharing program (long before the sharing economy was booming) and started a small-scale program running out of the Honors Program residence hall. This kind of innovative spirit that inspired Jing Li and her classmates continues today.  We are proud of her and all our alums and can’t wait to see where the next 20 years will take us!

EMSaT is a student organization founded to increase access to and knowledge of emergency medical services at Georgia Tech. Sammy learned of EMSaT during one of their signature events the contributed to Campus Ready award – the CPR-Athon held on Tech Green. Since joining EMSaT, Sammy has participated in subsequent CPR trainings, patrols for campus events, and was recently appointed Treasurer of the organization. 

Sammy has had an active role in the JMHP community through his involvement with the Honors Leadership Council’s New Student Onboarding Committee, the First-Year Retreat as a Retreat Guide, and the GT 1000 JMHP sections as a Team Leader. Furthermore, Sammy is the Safety Officer of the Yellow Jacket Archery Club and the Kendo Club at GT and plays in the GT Marching Band on the Cymbal Line. 

Sammy fondly reflects on his time in EMSaT, saying: 

"The thing that attracted me to becoming an EMT was the fact that EMTs make a real difference to each patient's life, but first, I have to make a difference in my course completion, insert GT student laughter."

Sammy intends to continue his training in human health services. In addition to his change of major to Biomedical Engineering with a Pre-Med declaration, he recently completed his EMT-Basic certification at RC Health. Future plans include earning his Advanced EMT certification before graduation from GT and getting his Paramedic license soon after. The John H. Martinson Honors Program wishes Sammy luck as he continues his training and applies for medical school!

If you are a Georgia Tech student interested in EMS, considering joining EMSaT or applying for the Todd Family Fund EMS Scholarship in partnership with Grady EMS Academy.

Martinson is a longtime advocate for excellence in higher education and has provided significant philanthropic support for honors programs at several leading institutions across the country. As a result of this commitment, Georgia Tech will expand and enhance its Honors Program to serve more students, enrich the undergraduate experience, and elevate the program’s national standing.

“We are deeply grateful to Mr. Martinson for his generosity and commitment to the next generation of leaders,” said Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera. “Through this extraordinary investment in the newly named John H. Martinson Honors Program, we will help more of our students reach their full potential and expand the high-impact opportunities available to them.”

Martinson is chairman of Martinson Ventures, a private technology investment firm. His personal connection to Georgia Tech runs deep — his father, Raymond Martinson, earned a mechanical engineering degree from Tech in 1941.

Thanks to this commitment, the Honors Program will increase its entering class size and enhance programming designed to help students deepen their academic experience and graduate with the Honors Program designation. The expanded program is scheduled to launch in fall 2026, with the goal of achieving national prominence among honors programs across peer institutions.

“We've built a strong foundation, but this donation is what will take it to the next level,” said Amy D’Unger, faculty director of the John H. Martinson Honors Program. “It has the power to be transformative, creating an experience that will enhance our ability to create the next generation of leaders.”

Alongside the naming, the Honors Program will shift from its former place within the Undergraduate Curriculum unit to become a standalone unit in the Office of Undergraduate Education and Student Success. This change reflects both the program’s expanded scope and its growing impact on Georgia Tech’s academic community.

“This commitment will empower the Honors Program to reach new levels of excellence, while remaining deeply rooted in the values that make Georgia Tech a top destination for high-achieving, purpose-driven students,” said Steven Girardot, vice provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success. “We are incredibly grateful to Mr. Martinson for investing in our Honors Program and in the future of undergraduate education at Georgia Tech.”

Martinson said he was drawn to the Georgia Tech Honors Program because of its commitment to experiential learning and entrepreneurial emphasis. “Georgia Tech students are among the brightest and most innovative in the country,” he said. “I am vested in the success of the program to double its total number of students and engage faculty to achieve a top 10 honors ranking nationwide.”

The John H. Martinson Honors Program serves students across the Institute, providing interdisciplinary coursework, faculty mentorship, and community-based learning. As it grows in size and ambition, the program will continue to shape the next generation of scholars, leaders, and innovators — both at Georgia Tech and beyond.

Martinson’s commitment has propelled the continued momentum of Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech and contributed to the Institute’s record-setting fundraising year in Fiscal Year 2025. 

In the words of Sarvasv Barara, he is a “senior by credit hours, third year by time at Tech, and first year at heart.”  He is from from New Delhi, India and majoring in Computer Science with a concentration in Intelligence and Information Internetworks, with a particular passion for learning about recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI).  He has been an excellent student, graduating this May with a 4.00 GPA and having never missed a single class in his time at Georgia Tech (really!), with an unmatched devotion to the Honors Program. 

He has served as a member and Community Building Committee lead for the Honors Leadership Council (HLC), where he led the development of amazing community building events, including HProm (remember when we set off the fire alarm at the Exhibition Hall with the fog machines??). He has also served for multiple years as a Resident Assistant (RA) for the Honors Program residence halls in Eighth Street Apartments and taken a wide variety of HP classes where he was able to build close relationships with fellow HP students and truly dive deep into the class topics with them.  Being a member of the Honors Program, serving on HLC, and being an RA supporting class after class of first year students have been some of the most valuable parts of his Georgia Tech experience. 

Outside of the Honors Program, Sarvasv has been an active member of the Georgia Tech community.  He has served as a teaching assistant for linear algebra and calculus and participated in co-ops and internships with Nokia, Intel, and Mobitech.  He’s also been an avid researcher, publishing a research paper entitled “'The Optimized Differential Transform: ‘Goldilocks’ Order of the Polynomial Solution” in IEEE Xplore and writing a thesis on quantum computing.  After graduation, Sarvasv aims to deepen his expertise in computer science, especially in the field of AI, by engaging in cutting-edge research and developing innovative solutions to real-world problems. His goal is to contribute to advancements in AI that are ethical, effective, and impactful.  Luckily, we’ll still have Sarvasv around, as he is returning to Georgia Tech this coming fall to pursue his master’s degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Machine Learning.  Ultimately, he aspires to build a career in artificial intelligence, leveraging his skills to drive technological advancements that help make lives better across the world.

Conolly Burgess and Nicolas Montero are both May 2025 graduates who are majoring in Aerospace Engineering.  Conolly hails from Charleston, SC and was in the inaugural class of transfer students to join the HP, while Nicolas is from New Bern, NC and is of Cuban and Italian descent.  Both have excelled academically and been deeply involved in the Honors Program and a wide range of other academic and social pursuits.  Conolly loves engaging in a wide range of creative projects, including building things like picnic benches and developing things like Python simulations of the three-body problem and various NASA missions.  Nicolas enjoys all things outdoors, including running, cycling, and playing sports, as well as varied interests such as  reading, chess, fitness, philosophy, and traveling the world. 

Both are avid researchers, with Conolly working three semesters in the BTZ Combustion Lab, which led to him achieving all three of his High Powered Rocketry certifications and receiving the Department of Defense SMART Scholarship and Nicolas working in the HPEPL lab, leading to the publication of three research papers, a presentation at the Georgia Collegiate Honors Council conference, and receipt of the President’s Undergraduate Research Award.  Conolly has been a leader in his fraternity, Theta Chi, where he served in the position of Risk Manager, while Nicolas has been a Prototyping Instructor and Welding Master for the Flowers Invention Studio.  Living in the Honors Program residence hall provided Conolly with a valuable memory.  He said that “living in a room of equally driven people with widely different interests helped me expand my creative interests beyond aerospace and introduced me to the joy of creating projects with friends that blend your individual interests.”  Nicolas also found that some of his most valued memories at Georgia Tech were because of the Honors Program.  He stated that:

the relationships I first formed via HP in my freshman year underpin my current social setting. In other words, my day-one friends are still my best friends (and roommates!) to date.  Living in proximity to like-minded individuals under the supportive umbrella of the Honors Program (and its members) allowed me to explore my interests and passions without fear. Therefore, I advocate for early involvement in the HP—the magnitude of its positive impact on my life will be felt for years to come!

Like Sarvasv, Conolly and Nicolas are both headed to graduate school after graduating in just a few days.  Conolly will stay at Georgia Tech to earn a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, while Nicolas will head to Colorado State University to pursue a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, focusing on laser diagnostics for spacecraft-oriented, electric propulsion plasma research and possibly going on to earn a Ph.D.

These students represent some of the very best in the Honors Program, embodying intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, leadership, creativity, and community building.  We can’t wait to see what they do in the years to come.  Congratulations to them all!

Jessica is an active and accomplished member of the Georgia Tech and Honors Program communities.  She is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers,  Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society), Chi Epsilon (Civil Engineering Honor Society), and DanceTech.  She was just elected the President of Georgia Tech’s chapter of Chi Epsilon.  In her spare time, she loves dancing, travelling, trying new cuisine, and spending time with her friends and family. 

One of the experiences that Jessica has valued the most in the Honors Program is the opportunity to take smaller, discussion-based classes that have expanded her worldview.  She reflected that: 

One of my favorite classes that I have taken with the Honors Program is the Food and Society course taught by Dr. Bill Winders. I took this class in spring 2024 when I first came to Tech, and I really valued everything I learned in the class, such as learning about our complex food system and understanding the history of food and how it has evolved. Not only was I able to expand my knowledge on food and society, but I was able to learn a lot more about Tech and what our school does to contribute to our food and society system.

After graduation, Jessica plans to work towards attaining her Professional Engineering (PE) license, earning a master’s degree in structural engineering, and working as a civil engineer.  She is excited about what the future holds and appreciative of the support and recognition of the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation.  The Honors Program congratulates Jessica DaSilva on her recognition and is excited to see what she accomplishes in the future.

Melody Lee is a second-year member of the Honors Program and a Stamps President’s Scholar.  She comes to Georgia Tech from Cary, NC and is pursuing a major in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics.  Some of her favorite things are the “three Rs”- reading, running, and research, and she serves as the Editor-in-Chief of The Tower, Georgia Tech’s undergraduate research journal!  Her Millennium Fellow project focuses on the impact of societal pressures and culture on women in the Atlanta area. In particular, it seeks to identify plausible infrastructural changes that may be introduced to better support women in the workplace. With her drive and motivation, with an underlying belief in the importance of making others’ stories heard, Melody seeks a world in which all people receive the support and encouragement they need to flourish and thrive.  After her Millennium Fellowship and Georgia Tech experience are over, she hopes to pursue a PhD in either Theoretical Computer Science or Computational Science and Engineering.  Reflecting on her achievement, she says:

My hope is that the lessons learned and applied from the Millenium Fellowship allow me to become a more effective leader and changemaker as I teach the next generation of industry professionals, scientists, and researchers.

Sriya Surapaneni is a fourth-year student from Denver, CO who is majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Computational Data Analysis.  She’s active in the GT Society of Women Engineers, Student Government Association, and on the Office of Undergraduate Education’s Student Advisory Board (OUE is the home unit of the Honors Program).  She’s also a tour guide, researcher, TA, and singer with the a cappella group Nothin’ but Treble.  Her Millennium Fellow project is part of the AI Research Ethics Initiative at the intersection of AI, ethics, and healthcare.  It seeks to develop a comprehensive ethical framework for biomedical AI research, focusing on transparency, accountability, and the responsible use of technology. She plans on pursuing graduate degree(s) in artificial intelligence for biomedical engineering.  She stated that:

The Millennium Fellowship has taught me the value of advocacy and resilience, which are traits I intend to carry with me throughout school and life.  Furthermore, interacting and working with peers who are equally motivated to make a change in our community is inspiring, and I hope to continue serving my community once I graduate.

She’s been a dedicated member of the Honors Program and said that it has provided her with some of her most cherished memories at Georgia Tech, including conversation in the residence hall, outings, and classes with amazing faculty members.  She said that she “appreciate[d] how the Honors Program cares about mentorship, professional development, and socialization right from the beginning, especially as an out-of-state student” and that her “time at Tech wouldn’t be the same without Honors.”

Esha Venkat is a sophomore majoring in Public Policy with concentrations in Energy & Environment Policy and Science & Technology Policy.  Her policy focus is perfect for someone from Ashburn, VA, which is just outside of Washington, DC.  She has served as a leader in many capacities and organizations, including Points of Light, Giving Tuesday, Rileys Way Foundation, YOUNGA, ICANHELP, World Bank’s Global Youth Climate Network, UNESCO, Good Deeds Day, Civics Unplugged, Millennium Campus Network, Be Strong Global, UNA-USA, Global Peace HQ, Youth and Service America.  She was also just recently named a “walk-on” Stamps President’s Scholar.  She’s active on campus in the Honors Leadership Council and a variety of clubs and organizations and is the founder and COO of global non-profit NEST4US, which is a philanthropic platform whose mission is to make the world better through kindness by mobilizing volunteers worldwide to advance progress on societal issues and spark solutions for the greater good.  The organization is fueled by 7,500+ volunteers who have contributed $4.5+ million dollars in value of volunteer hours, impacting tens of thousands of people in over 30 countries.  Her work with NEST4US formed the basis of her Millennium Fellows project, which will promote service projects.  She hopes that her work will “break current narratives by amplifying the voices of minority groups, rally citizens to use their voices to create positive lasting change, spark intergenerational dialogue, and give back agency to those spearheading collaborative community-based systems reformation.” She brings this passion to the Honors Program, where she works on the Civic Service Committee of the Honors Leadership Council to curate volunteer opportunities for Yellow Jackets across campus and Atlanta.

These students truly represent the best of the Honors Program and of Georgia Tech, and we commend them for their work in the Millennium Fellows program.

Additional information on Georgia Tech’s Millennium Fellows is available here. 

Excellence in research was recognized with first and second place awards in a best essay contest in four categories: Engineering and Computer Science; Humanities; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; and Social Sciences and Business.  Georgia Tech students took home three of the essay awards, which were selected by a panel of 10 faculty members from eight different colleges and universities.  The Georgia Tech award winners included:

• Guilherme Ryuji Weber Nakamura 
  First Place, Engineering and Computer Science: “Progress on Polyethylene- and Polypropylenimine for CO2 Capture by Molecular Dynamics Simulations”
   
• Aparna Srinidhi Jagannathan         
  Second Place, Humanities: “Prostheses and Their Role in the Perception of Disability”
   
• Emma Poma  
  Second Place: Natural Sciences and Mathematics: “Dynamics of Cell Spreading with Hyaluronan Glycocalyx”

The conference was a huge success in large part because of the participation of over 30 Honors Program student volunteers who helped with creating paper panels, doing logistics, checking in attendees, and serving as moderators.  Twelve students from Georgia Tech also presented their research in a poster or panel session.  Students who participated in several conference-related activities were able to earn a special badge in the Honors Program’s Jacket Journey student engagement program. 

Here is some more about the conference, by the numbers!

• 1 keynote speaker
• 2 days
• 8 award winners (3 from Georgia Tech)
• 10 faculty paper judges
• 12 presenters from Georgia Tech
• 15 colleges or universities represented
• 16 paper sessions
• 31 Honors Program student volunteers
• 56 posters
• 102 abstracts submitted
• 181 registrants

For more information about the conference, visit honorsprogram.gatech.edu/gchc. 

Competitors for Tipzy (such as Touchtunes) do exist, but they have a potential flaw: venue owners can lose control of the music that is being played.  Pigue said that:

There are viral Tik Toks of people playing “Monster Mash” eight times over at crowded sports bars. We separate ourselves from these services through our ability to maintain the “vibe” at each bar. Employees can configure their “preferred vibe,” set through genre configurations, and we use this vibe, alongside the current playlist, to algorithmically decide if a song request should go through or not. That way the bar can still take requests while sticking true to the style of their venue. 

The team now is programming, networking, marketing, and designing to get Tipzy into more venues.  So far, their website and app have accepted over 2,000 song requests at four venues in New Orleans, with plans to expand to other cities.

Pigue graduates from Georgia Tech this week and will be starting to work full time for Tipzy.  While he’s ready to leave, he acknowledges that it will be hard to leave Georgia Tech and his friends behind.   He did a co-op while at Tech in addition to working at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).  He was active in a variety of intramural sports, as well as with the Juggling Club and the Seek Discomfort Club, where he experienced skydiving and getting painted up with GT’s “Gold Fellas” for a freezing cold football game.  He took a variety of Honors Program classes and fondly remembers events like Whirlyball, visits to the Atlanta Zoo, and boba tea nights.  But what matters most to him are the friends that he made.

The most important aspect of HP to me was the people I met in the Honors Program dorms my freshman year. My freshman year started in 2020 and all my classes were online. Despite that, I made many friends who stuck with me for all five years at Tech and even as many of them have moved on from GT, have stayed close. 

We wish Robert the best as he embarks on his next adventure! You can learn more about Tipzy on their website and use its services on the web app. 

The event is part of an effort to "kick off" (pardon the football pun) increased engagement with the almost 2,500 people who have graduated from the Honors Program since its inception in 2006.  In addition to what will surely become a yearly tradition of Homecoming tailgates, the Honors Program is looking to build mentoring opportunities to connect alums and current students.  These efforts began in spring 2024 with the first Honors Program Student and Alum Networking Night, held at the Historic Academy of Medicine (the next one will be held on March 12, 2025).  

Amie Raines, the Program and Operations Manager in the Honors Program who is spearheading alumni engagement efforts, stated, "a new strategic initiative within the Honors Program that I was tasked with and most excited for, is strengthening our alumni engagement efforts. When engaged, alumni can play such a vital role as it relates to student belonging and success and strategic planning. It was so amazing to talk with so many alumni already at our first kickoff event of the semester!"

We are excited to continue building a dynamic community in the Honors Program, with strong connections between faculty, staff, students, alums, and families.  

This is the first time that the Georgia Tech Honors Program (HP) has hosted the conference.  HP faculty, staff, and students are working hard to put together all aspects of the conference to make it an event to remember.  The theme reflects the Georgia Tech motto "Progress and Service."  Interim Director and Associate Director Dr. Amy D'Unger, who serves as the current Vice President of the GCHC and will assume the presidency at the February meetings, says that the theme is "a nod to the role that honors education plays in developing the next generation of thought leaders to advance the human condition."

The HP invites honors students from Georgia and beyond to submit abstract proposals for oral presentations, academic posters, and/or creative activities.  For more information about the conference, visit honorsprogram.gatech.edu/gchc. 

First, Saif joined the Residence Hall Association (RHA), where he has worked to make spaces more accessible to all and has received the Presidential Pin (RHA’s highest honor) in recognition of his work. Drawing attention to campus accessibility issues, he has been successful in getting sidewalk repairs completed, signage updated, and hands-free door access to locked spaces.  He has also presented on multiple issues facing students with disabilities across campus to various levels of administration, including the head of Campus Services, multiple deans, and the provost.

Building off this work, he transitioned into a leadership role with the ABLE Alliance, moving from the VP to the President role. In that position, he hopes to “smooth the way” for future Georgia Tech students so that they encounter fewer challenges and access issues.  Saif reflected that, “It's my hope that with ABLE Alliance I can continue to build up an infrastructure in which future students will be able to attend this school, and never once even have to think about any of the issues that I [experienced].”

But his work in advocating for those with disabilities is only one part of his accomplishments since coming to Georgia Tech.  Since he was a child, Saif has engaged his active imagination, sometimes to cope with lack of access to physical spaces.

When I was really young, about four or 5 years old, I remember when my family had gone to survey the forest in our backyard when our new house was being built. Everyone else went to go see what was behind the tree line, but I had to stay in the car since I was unable to walk alongside everyone else. At that moment, I instead imagined what the forest would look like since I was unable to go there myself, imagining a rushing river with clear water wetting a craggily outcropping of smooth grey stones. I touched the water with my hands and felt it surrounding my finger as it pressed against the stone, trying to wash it away as it stood firm against its force. I could hear it, I could feel it, I could smell it all as if I was right there. I continued to imagine like this, creating my own settings and worlds when I couldn't go out into this one.

COVID was a moment of intense isolation for Saif, and he realized that writing could be a way of sharing his active imagination—and the characters and places he created—with the outside world.  His passion for writing has culminated in his latest book publication, titled Beyond.  It’s his first full-length novel, set in a land with a constantly changing landscape with all sorts of “wicked and wonderful things.”  He’s also shared his passion for reading and writing through the creation of the Honors Program Literary Society (HPLS), a group that connects book lovers for discussion and bi-weekly programming.  Saif serves as the President and fellow HP student Jenna Prokash is the VP.  HPLS has been a big focus of Saif’s involvement with the Honors Program, but he comes from a family of Honors Program involvement.  Both of his sisters have been part of the Honors Program, and it has given Saif “an environment in which [he’s] able to pursue additional engagement and activities outside of GT work.”  Indeed, he’s pushed himself with all those “engagements and activities,” whether advocating for those who live with disabilities or bringing those who love to read together in community.  Saif reflected that, “each day I'm determined to make the next one better,” and he’s making things better for those around him at the same time.

After a conversation with Rahul Saxena, the director of Create-X, the team members decided to apply to the I2P (Ideas to Prototype) program, which aided in the development of their product.  They expanded their concept from just the blue light pole cameras to all cameras on campus, forming a company called Synopta to develop them.  Through collaboration with the Georgia Tech Police Department and with some assistance from Dr. D’Unger in the Honors Program, the group has spent summer 2024 testing their technology on cameras in locations around campus.  Kaustubh reflected on their partnership with GTPD:

GTPD has been [open] with its resources and…willingness to help us develop the technology of the future. They’ve been with us every step of the way so far and it has been an amazing experience. 

All of the student leaders of Synopta have a passion for coding to solve societal problems, but that’s not all that they enjoy! They are active on campus, including involvement in HyTech racing and Robojackets and enjoy other pursuits like skiing and playing guitar (Kaustubh), hiking and woodworking (Sahil), tennis and playing music (Mrinal), and swimming and India drumming (Ashwath).  Kaustubh also shared:

As HP students we have all had great experiences with Honors Program classes and really appreciate the special learning experience they give. Having a community of like-minded individuals within these classes gave us the confidence to jump on our ideas in the first place. 

The Honors Program is proud of what the students in Synopta have accomplished and look forward to seeing what the future of campus security holds in store.

Our mission is to make the world better through kindness by mobilizing volunteers worldwide to advance progress on societal issues and spark equitable solutions for the greater good. Through NEST4US, we tackle over 14 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and a plethora of societal issues including global hunger, climate change, mental health, poverty, quality education, social justice, etc. What once began as a small project eight years ago is now a multifaceted global organization fueled by 7,500+ volunteers who altogether have contributed $4.5+ million dollars in value of volunteer hours, impacting tens of thousands in 30+ countries across 6 continents.

NEST4US has five core programs providing volunteer opportunities for people to give back to their communities.  Recently, she has sought to scale up one of those programs, NEST Nurtures, through an application to the Clinton Foundation's 2024 Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI) Cohort.  The CGI University is a student leadership development program for those seeking to develop innovative solutions to complex global challenges, including those addressed by NEST4US.  NEST Nurtures focuses on tackling global hunger, poverty, and food waste through a three-pronged approach: food rescues, hunger-based service projects, and feeding thehungry initiatives.  Venkat says:

By organizing zero hunger service opportunities, hosting sustainability workshops, and advocating for zero waste through awareness campaigns, we engage the public to drive collaborative civic action. Over the years, through NEST Nurtures, we’ve served 300,000+ meals, executed 18,000+ food rescues, and recovered 2.5 million pounds of surplus food, equivalent to $4,25,0000+ in value of meals donated and 1,705,000+ pounds of carbon emissions saved.

She hopes that CGI University will provide the tools and skills to increase awareness and action around food waste reduction.

We are excited to see the next steps for Esha and for NEST4US.  The work with CGI University will continue the collaborations that Esha has had with national and international organizations and events such as Points of Light, Giving Tuesday, Rileys Way Foundation, UNESCO, YOUNGA, Global Youth Climate Network, ICANHELP, Good Deeds Day, Civics Unplugged, Be Strong Global, World Bank Group, UNA-USA, Global Peace HQ, and Youth Service America.  Esha Venkat is certainly being the change that she wants to see in the world!

Follow the work of Esha Venkat and NEST4US across a variety of social media channels.

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinnest/ (@joinnest)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nest4us/ (@NEST4US)
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/joinnest4 (@joinnest4)
• YouTube/TikTok: NEST4US
• Website: www.nest4us.org 
• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nest4us 
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/nest4us
• Esha Venkat LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshavenkat/

Samantha was a dedicated member of the HP community, serving on the Honors Leadership Council (HLC) for most of her time at Georgia Tech.  She was the Chair of the New Student Onboarding Committee and served as Director of Internal Affairs, one of the two co-executive director positions on the HLC.  Samantha was also a guide and facilitator at our incoming new student retreats, helping to welcome new first-year and transfer students joining the HP in the fall. Her dedication to service extended beyond just the HP, however.  She served as the Secretary of the Lambda Sigma service organization and spent hours volunteering as a mentor for young women in STEM (both GT and high school students) and planting trees and working in food pantries around the Atlanta area.

As a scholar, Samantha excelled, particularly in the area of undergraduate research at the intersection of biomedical engineering and computing. She was accepted into the St. Jude Symposium for Predoctoral Research for research focused on the genetic and mechanical control of uterine elastogenesis (which is important for proper functioning during pregnancy and childbirth).  She also received the Stephen E. Brossette Scholarship for research combining Biomedical Engineering and Computing and was recognized with a Georgia Tech President's Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) for her work.  She also brought her expertise and enthusiasm into the classroom and labor force, serving as a teaching assistant for Biostatistics, Biomechanics, and Conservation Principles and a Research and Development intern for Proctor and Gamble. Samantha also utilized Georgia Tech’s resources to explore interests in music and video recording, including making recruitment videos for the HP!

While Samantha’s accomplishments to date have been impressive, she holds even greater promise for what she’ll accomplish in the future. She stated that, “Tech was so great I wanted five more years in college” and plans to begin graduate school in fall 2024.  In the meantime, she is continuing to pursue her passion for research, doing work in molecular biology and coding for a geophysics laboratory.  Samantha’s life goals include improving healthcare through research and mentoring young people and fellow scientists.  We have no doubt that she will achieve these goals and are proud that she will be representing the HP.  Congratulations to Samantha Mutiti on being the recipient of the Honors Program Outstanding Student Award.

Saliaris is now a senior, about to graduate with a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Operations and Supply Chain Management.  His time at Georgia Tech has been marked by excellence, being on the Dean’s List for three years and holding a variety of leadership roles, including serving as the Kitchen Manager at the Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity and various positions in Boy Scout troops.  Now his journey, which brought him from his home in Billings, Montana to Atlanta, Georgia, is taking him to Switzerland, where he will begin his training at the Culinary Arts Academy.  In applying to the program, he emphasized how the “academy’s blend of traditional techniques and innovative culinary education was the ideal environment for [him] to advance [his] skills.”  He’ll focus on both traditional and modern cuisines and hopes to launch a gourmet restaurant or a line of artisanal baked goods that blend Swiss precision and Greek flair.  Saliaris is also considering consulting roles that would utilize his academic training to help new culinary ventures integrate innovative practices.  His degree in Business Administration with a focus on Operations and Supply Chain Management at Georgia Tech has equipped him with a strong foundation in managing processes and logistics efficiently, which can help with everything from sourcing farm-to-table fresh ingredients to making sure organizations are practicing their craft in an ethical and sustainable way.  Saliaris says,

Ultimately, my aim is to fuse these business strategies with culinary creativity to create a unique dining experience that not only delights the palate but also operates on principles of efficiency and sustainability. This blend of business acumen and culinary artistry will allow me to innovate within the industry while upholding the high standards of quality and service that are expected in top-tier culinary establishments.

During his final semester this spring, Saliaris took an Honors Program class that further enriched his understanding of global food systems.  He said that HTS 2018, Food and Society,

opened my eyes to the broader social implications of food beyond just its nutritional value. We discussed how food choices are influenced by and reflect our identities, cultures, and social structures. The course also covered the evolution of food systems, particularly in the U.S., and provided insights into how these systems impact everything from what food is available to societal values around eating. This deep dive into the complex world of food systems resonated with me as someone passionate about the culinary arts, especially with my interest in sustainable and ethical food sourcing. Learning about the challenges in the food industry, including the intricacies of agricultural practices and food marketing, helped me understand the importance of responsible management in culinary operations.

In addition to his Honors Program (HP) classwork, Saliaris has been involved in a variety of HP activities that have grown his leadership experience and sense of community.  He’s also been able to apply his skills in real-world context through fraternity kitchen management and community service projects. 

We are so glad that the HP has been part of Panagiotis Saliaris’s academic journey and can’t wait to see what he does next in his training at the Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland.  The HP staff are happy to volunteer to taste test any baklava or galaktoboureko that you make, Panagiotis!

Carlos is a third-year Physics and Mathematics major from Brazil who has been extremely active in undergraduate research.  He serves as an undergraduate research assistant at the Center of Nonlinear Dynamics and for the IceCube Collaboration, which maintains and operates the largest neutrino telescope in the world, located in the South Pole. His research has been recognized with three Tower Awards, one PURA award, a published paper by the Astrophysics Journal, and now the Letson Internship.

He will use funding from the Letson Internship to continue his research with IceCube Collaboration, with the goal of studying and understanding a type of particle called neutrinos.  Not much is known about neutrinos other than that they are very hard to detect and are one of the fundamental building blocks of the universe. Carlos’s role in the research is to identify possible sources outside our galaxy that produce the neutrinos we observe at the IceCube Observatory. He’s currently investigating a class of objects called blazars, which are supermassive black holes (hundreds of times greater than our sun) that are a galaxy's heart, actively consuming surrounding matter and expelling it as a very bright and energetic jet pointed in our direction.  Dr. Ignacio Taboada will supervise the project.

For Carlos, the internship will be an invaluable experience on his path to graduate school and an academic position and hopefully result in his second journal article publication.  But all of that is still very much a work in progress.  Carlos reflected that  “life is unpredictable, which is one factor that makes it beautiful. Reading a book is not as thrilling when you know the ending.”  His involvement with the Honors Program has also brought some great experiences.  He serves as a member of HLC, the Honors Leadership Council, which is the student leadership organization in the Honors Program.  He brought his love of research and the Honors Program(HP) together by representing the HP at the Georgia Collegiate Honors Council annual research conference, where he won a second-place award for his research paper on blazars.  But his best HP experience has been in the classroom.  As unlikely as it sounds, it was an English class that was the most compelling for this Physics and Math double major.  He took an HP version of ENGL 1102 with Dr. Eric Lewis, who Carlos said

went above and beyond and is, overall, a genuinely lovely and incredibly supportive person. The class was themed around horror movies, so he would organize after-hour watch parties for us to watch the film we would be studying. He would bake us something utterly delicious at every watch party and conduct exciting discussions afterward. The event was so popular that we often brought friends outside the class to watch the movies with us.

Carlos has been a valued member of the HP community and his research is helping unlock some of the biggest secrets of the universe.  We congratulate him and wish him luck during his Letson internship this summer. 

Chelsea and Ikenna came together with teammates Andrew Grant, Lauren Henry, Arrington Goss, and Milca Takou to create Makr Papr, which was initially focused on a “plethora of problems,” until they decided to hone in on smart name tags, which they dubbed the Only Tag.  With a tap on an Only Tag, a conference or event attendee can access their customizable business card and the event’s information hub, allowing for quick networking and content sharing.  The team plans to leverage its second-place win in the InVenture Prize competition to increase publicity for Only Tag and secure a patent.  Chelsea would like to go on and earned an MBA and work in either the business or technology fields, while Ikenna plans on attending graduate school for a master’s degree and Ph.D. and believes that his experience on the Makr Papr has set him up for success in that endeavor.  He reflected that he would like to “use these team skills as [he] moves forward in [his] education and throughout life in general.”

Creating innovative products and winning major prizes aren’t the only things that Chelsea and Ikenna do.  On campus, Chelsea is interning for Georgia Tech’s Office of Infrastructure and Sustainability. She is also the academic coordinator of ColorstackGT and a member of the Black Student Computing Organization (BSCO) and the National Society of Black Engineers. She de-stresses by working out and painting.  Ikenna serves as a Georgia Tech Tour Guide, participates in the Georgia Tech Winterguard, plays for the GT Symphony, and works with Data Science @ GT, the largest student-run data science organization on campus.  Being Honors Program students, they have also taken a variety of HP classes in math, computing, philosophy, and public policy.  Chelsea’s introductory computer science class, taken through the HP, opened the door to coding for her and the “opportunity to apply some of [her] project ideas into fruition.”

Congratulations to Chelsea Manning and Ikenna Okoro on their InVenture Prize win.  We can’t wait to see what happens next with Makr Papr and the Only Tag!  For more information on the Inventure Prize, visit https://inventureprize.gatech.edu.

Ihsaan hails from right here in Atlanta, while Papa is from Winneba, a coastal town in Ghana's central region, and both joined the Honors Program as transfer students.  Ihsaan will pursue an internship at Lockheed Space as a system engineering intern, possibly working to help develop a human lunar landing system to support the efforts of Blue Origin, while Papa will be working at Airbus as an assembly, test, and launch operations intern assisting in the integration of spacecraft hardware and systems.

In their applications for the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, both El-Amin and Quainoo highlighted what makes them special and particularly well-suited for the rigorous internship.  El-Amin focused on his creativity outside of the world of aerospace engineering, particularly in music and photography, while Quainoo emphasized his personal growth in being able to embrace disappointment and use it as a catalyst for improvement. Quainoo stated that he hoped to inspire “the next generation of minority aerospace engineers to see that there are people who look like them who have come this far in the industry, which, coincidentally, is what Patti Grace Smith did for me.”  Both El-Amin and Quainoo see the fellowship as a stepping stone to the next level in their aerospace engineering training.  El-Amin hope to complete the BS/MS program here at Georgia Tech and go right into the aerospace industry, possibly with a little bit of travel in between.  Quainoo would like to explore the different facets of the aerospace industry to find just the right fit and then head back to graduate school for additional training in that area.  The Patti Grace Smith Fellowship is one way to get connections with people working across the broad industry.

Outside of their stellar academic achievements and passion for aerospace engineering, El-Amin and Quainoo are active on campus.  El-Amin participates in the GT Musicians Network, GT Creatives, and AeroAfroAstro, while Quainoo is a soccer fan and intramural player who has been involved in leadership coaching, peer mentoring, and study abroad where he conducted research to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.  Both have been active in the Honors Program, taking advantage of the relationships they developed at the incoming student retreat and in Honors Program classes.  Reflecting on his Honors Program experience, Quainoo said:

The Honors Program has also been a much-needed helping hand to me in my journey here at Tech. As a transfer student in the chaotic, fast-paced environment of Georgia Tech, it is very hard to get someone to explain the different opportunities Tech has to offer, and before you realize it, some of the opportunities may have slipped away. But that HP orientation program helped me to get settled and understand the different paths I could take and how to maximize my relatively short time here at Tech. And, considering where I am today, I would say it has been a success!

Congratulations to Ihsaan El-Amin and Papa Quainoo on being named 2024 Patti Grace Smith Fellows.  You can read more about all the 2024 Georgia Tech Patti Grace Smith Fellows on the School of Aerospace Engineering website. 

In Nigeria, I visited my grandfather's old home and community. Visiting my grandfather's community exposed me to the privileges of growing up in America and left me wondering what I could do to help. At the time, I felt as an aerospace engineer, there wasn’t much things spacecraft development could do to help communities like this. But my mindset changed when SpaceX launched their first Starlink satellites. I realized the benefit this array of satellites will have for remote communities which helped me see the positive impact aerospace engineering can have on rural and remote communities. This changed how I wanted to utilize aerospace engineering technology in my future career.

Otebele wrote about this experience in her Brook Owens Fellowship application, in addition to demonstrating her creativity by creating a cookbook that highlighted different dishes and their significance in her life.  The cookbook ranged from discussing her Nigerian heritage, interest in learning the Korean language, and the impact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Japanese Club had on her (she transferred from Embry-Riddle to Georgia Tech).

On campus, Nina serves as an Aerospace Ambassador for the School of Aerospace Engineering, providing support with departmental tours and career fairs.  She is also conducting research supervised by Dr. Rosario Gerhardt in the School of Materials Science and Engineering on composite materials for liquid rocket propulsion systems and nanotechnology.  She also works in the High-Power Electric Propulsion Lab supporting the Janus project. 

For fun and cultural engagement, Otebele is a member of the Samulnori (사물놀이) Club on campus and plays traditional Korean instruments.  She has also found support through the Honors Program.  She states that:

My first semester here as a transfer student was very challenging. However, I found comfort in Honors ENG 1102. The smaller class size made it easier to meet new people. In fact, I made my first friends in that class! I really enjoyed the projects we did. I felt free to express my creativity and escape from stressors outside of the class. One of my favorite projects from that class was the "Choose Your Own Project" where I chose to analyze the effectiveness of live action versus animated horror. I really like how supportive my professor was of my chosen project and the advice he gave me to help me develop it.

Otebele has big plans after graduation, just like the namesake of the fellowship she has won.  She would like to become a researcher for an aerospace company, applying the technical skills she gains from her Amazon Prime Air internship as well as the leadership and teamwork skills she’ll build through mentorship and participation in the Brooke Owens summer conference. 

We’re confident that she is going to achieve great things and congratulate her on being named a 2024 Brook Owens Fellow.  You can read more about Nina Otebele’s award on the College of Engineering website. 

Carlos Márcio de Oliveira e Silva Filho won the second place paper award for all STEM papers.  Congrats to the three of them!

The following students presented their research:

• Samadhi Attanayaka- "Design and Application of MXene-Based Cortisol Sweat Sensors"
• Jay Jani- "Socioeconomic Status and Financial Implications in High Grade Glioma Resection: A Retrospective Study"
• Supratim Kundu- "Breaking String Obfuscation"
• Anubha Mahajan- "JAMIA Meta-Analysis Interface"
• Quincey Nielson- "Analyzing Outerrise Fault Parameters for Seismic and Tsunami Potential Using Semi-Automated Python Toolbox"
• Carlos Márcio de Oliveira e Silva Filho- "Study on Simultaneous Emissions of Neutrinos and γ-Rays by Blazars" (AWARD WINNER)
• Guilherme Ryuji Weber Nakamura- "Distribution and Transport of CO2 in Hydrated Hyperbranched Poly(ethylenimine) Membranes: Molecular Dynamics Simulations"

Georgia Tech will host the February 2025 annual GCHC conference.

What’s a savvy Tech student to do?  Invent a solution, of course!  From this problem was born Reinvend, a vending company that partners with local restaurants to provide college students with 24/7 access to healthy, filling meals. According to Peart:

Reinvend is bringing students exactly what they want; good food, whenever. Reinvend delivers fulfilling meals from all your favorite restaurants to strategically placed, vending machines right on campus. We work with restaurants to create custom compact packaging that allows for food texture and flavor to be preserved while refrigerated, and fit into our vending machine compartments. We use custom rotary vending machines which allow for customers to retrieve their meals from a small locker located on the machines rotating drum. Our menu ranges from baked goods, to rice bowls, sandwiches and more. When food gets close to the best buy date, we donate all meals to food rescue non-profit organizations.

Peart has a history of being an entrepreneur.  She founded her first startup, SLATE, during her first year at Tech.  Her partners and co-founders were her first friends, met through the Honors Program.  She got involved with the Create-X I2P program, giving her the confidence to create new products, like Reinvend.  That first year on campus was when Peart was introduced to typical student eating patterns—a bit erratic and not always healthy.  The transition in 24/7 food access from NYC to Atlanta was also a bit of a shock, and services like Uber and Doordash proved to be cost prohibitive on a student budget.  Enter Reinvend. 

The idea began with exploring ways to earn passive income through vending machines and blossomed into a solution for the campus food problem.  Peart created a prototype for the Reinvend machine, as well as a customer-facing brand Chew – Want (a play on the phrase “what you want”).  As Peart says, “at Reinvend we always aim to stock our vending machines with exactly what Chew-Want.”  After her second year, she began developing a business plan and, while studying abroad at Georgia Tech in Lorraine, met her business partner Gabe Shafiq.  After returning to Georgia Tech, they launched the company and applied for Create-X.  Their involvement with Create-X led to participation in the Fusen portfolio, which is a venture capital fund started by Christopher Klaus.

They spent the past summer refining the brand and participated in Demo Day, allowing them to showcase the startup to students and investors, and then built up a group of brand ambassadors over the fall.  About the brand ambassador program, Peart said:

We started the student ambassador program on campus as a way for students to work with us on developing the best product for them. The program is for anyone looking to gain experience, work on something meaningful, or just believes in Reinvend’s mission. Its super chill and is meant to just be a fun way for students to get involved and for us to make sure that we are always being customer centric with our practices. Students get to make a visible difference on campus, meet like-minded people and get cool merch. So, if anyone has ever been interested in the startup world this may be their chance.

They will be opening another round of student brand ambassador applications this spring. 

They are now working with GT dining to introduce the vending machines across campus and hope to compete in the InVenture Prize this spring.  Peart has a vision for Reinvend to become the “future of automated convenience” on college campuses, focusing on consistency of product quality and open lines of communication with students to understand their wants and needs.  Future machines could include things like school supplies and beauty products, just to name a few.  You could even find them in unexpected places, like nightclubs where you need that perfect pair of flat shoes or apartment buildings, where residents might need toiletries or grocery items.  Reflecting on the future of Reinvend, Peart says:

Convenience is what drives innovation, making things easier to do or get is what we all pay for, and the fastest service wins.  Always having the products you need be no further than the front door is by far the fastest and most convenient. Vending machines are simply not being used to their full potential in the US. In many Asian countries buying products from vending machines is just as common as from a normal storefront if not more popular because its literally faster, and we hope to bring that same culture to Atlanta. 

• Best Overall Project (Rohan Thandu, ME, on team Big Hero 6)
• Best Aerospace Engineering Project (Varun Roy, on team GenetriX)
• Best Electrical and Computer Engineering Project (Bernardo Perez, on team FRMBX)

We talked to Bernardo and Rohan to learn more about their projects, their time in the Honors Program, and what they plan to do after graduation.

Bernardo Perez is a fourth-year electrical engineering major from Iowa City, IA who was a member of the team FRMBX (short for “Farm Box”).  Farm Box is a 2’x2’x5’ box that autonomously grows plants. It is equipped with sensors to monitor the growing environment, grow lights, and an irrigation system to water the plants. The box is aimed at researchers to help them gather information about the best conditions for growing different plants in a controlled environment. A demonstration video of the project can be found online.  FRMBX won for the best project in Electrical and Computer Engineering. 

Bernardo plans to continue pursuing his ECE education with a master’s degree after graduation.  While at Tech, he’s been involved in a variety of clubs and activities, including through the HP.  He’s held a leadership role on a RoboJackets team that develops soccer-playing robots (including competing in the RoboCup 2023 competition in France), published a paper on HLS (High-Level Synthesis), and conducted research through the ECE Opportunity Research Scholar’s program with Sharc Lab.  Bernardo took a variety of HP classes and lived in HP housing, where he met some of his closest friends who continue to be his roommates today!

Rohan Thandu is a fall 2023 Mechanical Engineering graduate from Sammamish, WA who was a member of the team Big Hero 6.  Their team developed Unravl, a device that aims to revolutionize the textured hair care industry, making it faster and less painful to take down braids while being safe and ergonomically friendly for the braider.  The Swella Unravl Device received recognition for being the best overall project (tied) among 129 total teams.  The project was sponsored by Swella and conducted under the guidance and technical expertise of Dr. Tequila Harris (Professor, ME).  The team plans to showcase their product at the Inventure Prize competition this spring.  Rohan is returning to GT this semester to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering focusing on robotics and automation, and then plans to pursue a career working at the intersections of engineering and computer science. 

Rohan will take his experiences in VIP classes (GT EcoCAR) and undergraduate research on sleep apnea with him out into the “real world” post-graduation.  While at Tech, he took a variety of Honors Program classes and met some of his best friends in the HP dorm.  Rohan reflected that:

taking HP classes provided me with the chance to connect with many professors and other like – minded students which fostered a free and creative learning environment...Sharing the ups and downs of all four years together with my [HP] friends has been an invaluable and defining experience for me. These relationships not only added enjoyment to my college years but also provided a sense of home away from home, making every shared milestone, dinner, and late-night discussion that much more meaningful.

Congrats to Bernardo and Rohan, as well as HP member Varun Roy from team GentriX, on their outstanding fall 2023 Capstone Expo wins!  We’re proud of your accomplishments and can’t wait to see what you do in the future.

Georgia Tech is home to one of the TEDx groups, TEDxGeorgiaTech, run by Executive Director Kaitlyn Crutcher.  Kaitlyn is a second-year Computer Science major from the Atlanta area and a member of the Georgia Tech Honors Program (HP).  Additional members of the HP also serve on the leadership team, including Austin Coley as the Director of Community, Fisayo Aromolaran as the lead on the Programming Team, and Melody Lee on the Production Team. Their most recent event on November 10, 2023 included another member of the Honors Program, Marie Wibisana, as a featured speaker.  The fall salon was focused on the theme “Evolve,” which encouraged speakers to engage with the ideas of continual change, adaptation, and progress.

The event was led by Executive Director Kaitlyn Crutcher. In addition to her leadership of TEDxGeorgiaTech, Kaitlyn serves as a business analyst in the Georgia Tech Consult Your Community (CYC), which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing pro-bono consulting for small businesses. For the national taskforce of CYC, she is the Conference Innovation Lead, where her team is working with Emory to create a March 2024 conference bringing all the CYC chapters together. Kaitlyn is also a Research Assistant within the AI-CARING Institute, which is a multi-university collaboration to create technological solutions for people with Mild Cognitive Impairment.  She has been very involved with the HP, including serving as a guide at the new student retreat held in August 2023.

HP member Marie Wibisana addressed this year’s theme—Evolve—with her talk “Dear Freshman: You’re Not Alone.  A Love Letter to Those Struggling.”  You can see her Powerpoint and a video of the event online.  Marie is a first year Computational Media major from Jakarta, Indonesia.  She shared this about her presentation:

As an international freshman who has never really been to the U.S, I struggle with adapting to an extremely new environment. My presentation was an open love letter to fellow struggling people that they are not alone, that change and adapting to a new environment will be difficult but will mold them into a better version of themselves. My presentation also highlights that there is no singular definition to ‘THE College Experience.’ I drew digital art on my presentation slides, aiming for a conversational storytelling approach. I also sang a childhood Indonesian song with my ukulele at the end of the presentation. 

In addition to her involvement with TEDxGeorgiaTech, Marie is a web designer and front-end developer on GT Web Development Club’s project team. Her team is creating the GT Club Explorer Website, a website that will showcase all 500+ clubs at Georgia Tech. She is also involved in the Georgia Tech International Ambassadors (GTIA), an organization that hosts intercultural events (night markets and seminars) and brings a safe space for current and incoming international students. Marie is also a digital artist, vlogger, and YouTube content creator.  While she’s only been on campus for one semester, she’s enjoyed attending HP events, including the pumpkin patch visit to Southern Belle Farms.

It’s no surprise that curious, creative, and innovative students such as Austin, Fisayo, Kaitlyn, Marie, and Melody in the HP would be drawn to TEDx.  The HP is proud of its strong representation among the team leading TEDxGeorgiaTech!  You can follow TEDxGeorgiaTech on Instagram at @tedxgeorgiatech.

This year, 22 Georgia Tech students were selected by the United Nations to participate in the Millennium Fellows program—more than double the number selected for last year’s program.  Two of those students, Noah Egan and Rachel Mason, are members of the Georgia Tech Honors Program.  We asked Noah and Rachel to reflect on what drew them to the Millennium Fellowship and their time at Georgia Tech in the Honors Program.

Noah Egan is a fourth-year computer science major who has been involved in undergraduate research on biological systems such as the collective behavior of ants and competition in nature.  Rachel Mason is a third-year biology major on the pre-med track.  Her research has been in the Lobachev Lab (genome stability) and in the area of cancer treatment.  Both Noah and Rachel love the outdoors, which is no surprise given the focus on sustainability that’s at the heart of the Millennium Fellowship.  Noah spends time backpacking with Outdoor Recreation Georgia Tech (ORGT), while Rachel is a cascading instructor with ORGT.

Both Rachel and Noah highlighted their impressive background in biological research in their Millennium Fellowship applications.  Noah is combining his interest in environmental preservation and increasing diversity and inclusion in STEM fields into a project that focuses on educational outreach programs for local Atlanta high schools and community colleges.  The programs will focus on building awareness about STEM careers that focus on sustainability, such as engineering alternatives for clean fuel sources.  Rachel and her partner James Shin are focusing on reducing inequalities in access to cancer care.  They are working with the organization Be the Match to connect cancer patients with bone marrow donors.  Marrow donation can save the lives of those with blood disorders, including cancer, but those in racial and ethnic minority groups may struggle to find matching donors.  Rachel will work to help close the racial gap so that Black patients are equally likely to find a bone marrow donor as their white counterparts.

After graduation, Noah hopes to enroll in a PhD program in computational biology, continuing with a career in academia.  He would like to run a research lab focused on collective behavior and sustainability.  Rachel hopes to enroll in an MD-PhD program and pursue high-impact cancer research through cell therapies.  She is particularly interested in continuing to mentor and volunteer to further the goal of health equity for all.

Noah and Rachel have been members of the Honors Program community since joining in their first year and living in the HP living learning community.  While Noah missed the HP incoming student retreat because of COVID, his experience of living in the HP dorm has led to the development of close friendships that have remained through his time at Georgia Tech.  Both have taken numerous HP classes, and Rachel cites Dr. Paul Verhaeghen as particularly impactful in inspiring vibrant conversations among her HP friends.

The Honors Program is proud of what Noah Egan and Rachel Mason have accomplished so far in their time at Georgia Tech, including being named Millennium Fellows, and looks forward to seeing what the future holds for them.  Congrats!

HP student Jordan Artis, a member of the VIP team, served as the lead student conference coordinator for SoccerCon.  In that capacity, she handled all of the RSVPs, served as a student speaker, worked with the City of Atlanta to have Mayor Andre Dickens submit a brief video presentation for the conference, and arranged for special guests like former Atlanta United player Greg Garza and Atlanta Journal-Constitution sportswriter Doug Roberson.  She even designed the amazing logo!  Dr. Bowman felt that Jordan’s “creativity, leadership, and hard work produced the finest elements of the conference.”  Jordan reflected on her experience this way:

Before this, I had zero experience planning anything, let alone a conference that would have over 130 people in attendance. So, for me, my biggest takeaway (as cliche as it may be) is that you never know until you try.  From working with Vera Zeigler who has been on the biggest stage in front of 70,000 fans at Atlanta United games to getting the Mayor of Atlanta to do a video for us, both of those connections started with a simple email. Beyond this, I would also say it is important to seek discomfort. If you had told me last year that I would take a leading role in planning a whole conference, I would have thought you were joking. However, now I am grateful for the last eight months of work as I achieved many firsts: I successfully conquered my first ever public speaking engagement, I now have legitimate experience in event planning, and I also gained some marketing/advertising experience. It was uncomfortable at times, but ultimately, I found peace in the unfamiliarity.

Other HP students, including Anna Abernathy, Yaron Bernstein, Johan Gouws, Vinay Govindaraju, Daniel Holman, Abel Tilahun, and Ryan Zhou participated in the INTA 3242 class, VIP class, and/or various aspects of the conference. 

Johan’s research focused on the diversification of national soccer teams (such as France having a large number of players of North African descent) and its impact on style and culture of play.  Johan said that he enjoyed SoccerCon “immensely and had some great conversations with various people about [his] research topic, why [he] chose it, and how to better go about [his] research.”  Abel’s research focused on the social, political, and economic impacts on the host country before and after large soccer events such as the World Cup. The event allowed him to connect with awardee Ogba Afeworki and encouraged him to join the VIP team in fall 2023 to participate in building a mobile application for the 2026 World Cup.  Ryan reflected that the experience taught him that “while we have learned many powerful lessons on the relation of soccer to global politics and public policy, many grassroots efforts go unnoticed at the global and academic level which deserve greater recognition.”  In addition to his contributions through two research posters, Vinay served as the team leader of the Discrete Research Team for the VIP.

Overall, it was an extremely successful event, with students and attendees learning much from the experience.  The work will continue—with several Honors Program students participating—in Dr. Bowman’s VIP classes on Soccer, Community, Innovation, Politics (SCIP) in fall 2023 where they will continue their research, produce documentary films, work on community engagement, and develop a podcast centered on soccer and society.  

You can read more about SoccerCon in this article by David Hopings, the Director of Storytelling for Soccer in the Streets and a participant in the conference.

Joey Gemini has served as the co-president for the last two years and handed over the leadership of the organization to Honors Program students Connor Johnson and Alfonso Lagares de Toledo when the rocket touched down from its launch (a GTXR tradition).  Gemini is an AE major from Chicago, IL who oversaw the vehicle's high-level development, manufacturing, and administrative operations in his role as co-president.  Of the Honors Program’s involvement, Gemini said:

The Honors Program was essential in supporting our launch effort as they generously covered the flight costs for HP students.  Our team strives to fund travel expenses for students so there is no barrier to entry to attend launch; the support and contributions from the Honors Program are key in making that possible.  

Connor Johnson, a third-year AE major from Midlothian, Virginia, is excited to step into the role of co-president and guide the design of next year’s rockets, using the valuable information about two-stage rocket integration procedures and design improvements gained from the summer 2023 launch.  Johnson has been actively involved in undergraduate research on gas turbine engine emissions and worked with the GT Mobile STEM Laboratory VIP, which aims to create an array of science demonstrations to bring to K-12 schools.  He’s also been an active participant in Honors Program classes and activities, with his favorite experience being in Dr. John Cressler's IAC 2002: Science, Engineering, and Religion class and the community that emerged from it.  He’s also been an HP intramural sports champion, helping out the dodgeball, kickball, and softball teams.

In addition to Johnson and Lagares de Toledo who are serving as the incoming co-presidents, Honors Program students Morgan Gregg, Robert Ajluni, Joseph Clary, and Prem Pendkar are also on the team.  Morgan is a second-year AE major from Huntersville, NC.  The experience gained from GTXR has led to her finding her footing in avionics, where she will be continuing next year as the Supporting Systems Lead.  Morgan is involved with Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics and serves as a mentor at the Aero Maker Space.  Morgan reports that her involvement with the close-knit community of the Honors Program has led to her meeting people who are now among her closest friends at Georgia Tech.

The Honors Program is proud of the HP student members and leadership of the GTXR and looks forward to an even more impressive launch in 2024!

You can read an additional story about the launch online or follow GTXR on Instagram.

Two students stand out with what they have accomplished even before starting at Georgia Tech. 

Ayush Pai is a transfer student who is coming to Georgia Tech from the University of Florida.  In his application to the Honors Program, he cited his eagerness to participate in the Student Challenge Fund to “create innovative, service-oriented projects.” After being inspired by his volunteer experiences with the Shooting Stars Foundation, he wants to develop additional innovative service projects that can make a real impact on people's lives.

His decision to transfer was driven by Georgia Tech’s strengths in computer science overall, and AI specifically.  Pai has developed a system to bring AI technology onto the basketball court, assisting referees.  No more missed traveling or double dribble calls, as AI can step in when referees miss something.  You can read the full story about Pai’s innovation here and see a video of him talking about the program on YouTube. 

Esha Venkat is a first-year HP student from Ashburn, VA who will be majoring in Public Policy and minoring in Science, Technology, and Society.  Esha is one of the founders of NEST4US, a 501(c)3 organization that seeks to mobilize “volunteers worldwide to advance progress on societal issues and spark equitable solutions for the greater good.”  Their core programs address more than 14 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  Esha has spent over 4,000 hours in volunteer work around issues such as global hunger, climate change, mental health, quality education, and social injustice.  NEST4US has over 6,000 volunteers who have contributed over $3 million in value through their volunteer efforts across more than 30 countries.

In her Honors Program application, Esha stated that “joining the Honors LLC would amplify my Georgia Tech experience by serving as a platform where I’ll network with fellow ambitious students and industry experts to continue effectively bridging the gaps in the social fabric of our ever-changing world.”  You can read more about Esha’s accomplishments on the NEST4US founder’s page.

The weekend silent retreats will be held at Ignatius House Retreat Center, where students can engage in silent reflection with the comfort of a private bedroom and bathroom and gourmet meals, all situated on a gorgeous 20-acre wooded campus on the Chattahoochee River in Sandy Springs, GA.

The retreats are open to ALL Honors Program students, regardless of religious or secular spiritual tradition (or no spiritual tradition at all).  They will be held multiple times throughout the fall and spring semesters and focus on such themes as spirituality in nature, mindfulness, and science and spirituality.  Participants can focus on various aspects of their well-being, including having a sense of purposeful existence and meaning in life, seeking harmony with the universe, extending compassion towards others, practicing gratitude, and engaging in self-reflection.

Thanks to the generosity of GT benefactors, Honors Program students can attend this retreat at no cost.

Read more about this opportunity and how to apply.  Thank you to Dr. Cressler and the generous GT benefactors who are focused on improving the well-being of Georgia Tech students, including those in the Honors Program.

In her role as a Residence Hall Director, she guides the Resident Assistants in implementing programming that meets the needs of the HP student population. Programming is often done thematically each month, such as focusing on health relationships in February and inclusive community building in March.  Jordan also conducts a biweekly HD Café, where she can connect with residents over coffee and snacks, hear what’s going on in their lives, share campus resources, and give them a space to decompress.  She has a special interest in working with high-achieving students, like those in the Honors Program, to challenge and support them in developing as leaders that prioritize wellbeing.  The programming that she provides has recently been recognized for its excellence by the Southeastern Association of Housing Officers (SEAHO) at their annual conference.

SEAHO brings together people who work in all aspects of on-campus living in the southeast to share knowledge and connect.  At this year’s SEAHO meeting, Jordan presided over a session titled “Weird Flex, But Okay…Disrupting the Pain Olympics in High-Achieving Student Populations” where presenters shared best practices for disrupting unhealthy habits and redirecting students towards a more sustainable work ethic that is centered on positive wellbeing.  Here is the abstract for the session she crafted:

When is the last time that you heard a group of students one-upping each other on who stayed up the latest to study for an exam? Or who skipped the most meals because they were just “too busy”? Collegiate environments that celebrate and normalize over-involvement are failing to support students’ fight against burnout; this issue of the “Pain Olympics” is especially harmful for high-achieving student populations. How can Housing Professionals disrupt and redirect students’ focus on competition and image in order to integrate sustainable habits into their collegiate routine? This presentation will aid in this pursuit by defining the high-achieving student population, outlining the issue of the Pain Olympics and burnout, and providing specific practices to promote student well-being and sustainable work-ethic.

Her work in crafting this session—and the content that she shared in it—was given the “Best of SEAHO” award by the Programming Committee.  We are so “honored” that Jordan was hired to be the Hall Director for the Honors Program and are proud to celebrate her achievement of being recognized by peers in the housing and residence life community for excellence in programming and student support.  Thank you and congratulations, Jordan!

This year, ten Georgia Tech students were selected by the United Nations to participate in the Millennium Fellows program.  Two of those students, Eyas Ayesh and Shania Khatri, are members of the Georgia Tech Honors Program Living Learning Community.  We asked Eyas and Shania to reflect on what drew them to the Millennium Fellowship and their time at Georgia Tech in the Honors Program.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Eyas: I am senior mechanical engineering student graduating in the spring. I am Palestinian-American, but I was mainly raised in the United Arab Emirates. During my time at Georgia Tech I was the vice president of the medical robotics club and the president of the Arab student organization. I also participated in various research labs, but most recently I have been working with GTRI on research concerning the effects of optical turbulence on atmospheric lidar and I have been awarded a President’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) to work on this research. In my free time, I practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu and compete whenever I have the chance. Last may I competed in the IBJJF Atlanta Spring Open and won first place in my division.

Shania: I’m a senior at Georgia Tech, graduating this December. I hail from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and will be leaving Tech with a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in biomedical science. In my free time I volunteer at the Atlanta Zoo, shadow at the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta and Pittsburgh, and work as a medical intern at the Premier Family Clinic in Chamblee, GA. In my time at Tech I’ve completed four years of evolution and microbiology research at Georgia Tech and the University of Pittsburgh. Although I’m very proud of the work I did studying antibiotic resistance in the lab, my proudest accomplishment from my time at Tech is my work to make STEM research and education accessible to everyone. In 2020 during the pandemic, I submitted a proposal to the College of Science’s Strategic Plan Proposal for a full-time, funded summer program for underrepresented students. Dr. Will Ratcliff, Dr. Todd Streelman, and I received funding from the Sutherland Dean’s Chair Fund and brought this idea to life. 

What did you highlight about yourself in the Millennium Fellows application?

Eyas: I talked about my frustration with the current state of sustainability resources and the accessibility of these resources. I am very passionate about open-learning platforms and open-source designs and software and I wanted to combine my passion to solve the problem I saw in the current sustainability landscape.

Shania: My application to MCN discussed my work in the creation of the Summer College Research Internship (SCRI) – an undergraduate-run summer program for local Atlanta community college students to do paid, full-time scientific research at Georgia Tech. The class of 2022 SCRI interns included historically underrepresented students who entered the lab with zero research experience. With the help of myself, their undergraduate TAs, and their laboratory mentors and faculty, we taught them how to read scientific literature, plan experiments, analyze their own data, and communicate their findings in an oral presentation and poster presentation. I feel very strongly that the mentorship these historically underrepresented students received at SCRI and similar programs built their confidence in their abilities, connected them with faculty and students who believed in them, and made them more likely to pursue STEM careers and even to think about transferring to Tech in the future. The Millennium Fellowship focuses on furthering sustainable development goals in the community. My work creating the SCRI program focuses on goals four and ten- ensuring quality education and promoting life-long learning for all, and reducing inequalities within the country. 

What do you plan to do as your project or focus area during your Millennium Fellows semester?

Eyas: I plan to build a free open-learning platform that contains educational modules on sustainability and access to open-source designs such as plastic shredders for individuals to be able to take sustainability initiatives into their own hands. Moreover, I would like to eventually have a collaborative section where people can share their own designs and lectures.

Shania: My semester with the Millennium Fellowship has been spent working on outreach for SCRI. I want to extend SCRI’s impact to students of all ages. I am planning events during the school year for local Atlanta k-12 students to engage with scientific research in an easy-to-understand and interactive way. We are also trying to increase SCRI’s impact by integrating our curriculum with existing College of Sciences summer programs so community college students receive extra support and mentorship they may need to thrive as likely first-generation scientists.

What are your plans for after graduation?

Eyas: After I graduate, I want to focus on graduate school. I will be pursuing my masters in mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech and I hope to eventually pursue a Ph.D. I will also spend my time working on my project after graduating as I intend to launch the platform in April of 2023.

Shania: After graduation I will be joining the Wright Lab at the University of Pittsburgh as a research specialist to continue my work studying antibiotic resistance in bacteria. While I continue my research, I will be working as an emergency medical technician for my local EMS department, and continue my volunteer work at the Zoo and Children’s Hospital! I hope to matriculate into medical school in a few years where I plan to bring my passion for STEM education and accessibility to the graduate school level. I intend to use the values I learned at the Millennium Fellowship after graduation and throughout life. There are so many seemingly insurmountable issues to tackle in the world. Joining a cohort of amazing, motivated, and genuine students who work to face these issues in our community, and having the chance to lead them as Campus Director has been so inspiring. I will always carry this energy of facing my issues head on, and continually searching for ways to serve my community at each of my next steps.

Tell us a little bit about your involvement with the Honors Program, including some of your favorite experiences or memories.

Eyas: Honors is important to me because it is where I made some of my closest friends here at Georgia Tech. My favorite memories in HP are the simplest ones where my friends and I would just hang out in the Hefner Residence Hall common room to study or at “Willage” to grab lunch.

Shania: The Honors Program has yielded some of my closest friends and provided a welcoming environment of funny, kind, talented people to a very nervous freshman who came to Tech in 2018. Through the Honors Program, I took English Composition II and Introduction to Psychology. Both were amazing classes with wonderful professors, and I thrived with the small class size and the ability to work with my classmates since many of us lived together in the Honors dorms. I think the Honors Program is so important. Any program that helps students find mentorship, career development, and life-long friendships at Tech is so valuable for closing the gap of success in college for minority students. I appreciate the effort Honors puts into having a help desk so students always have someone to talk to, resume workshops, guest lectures, and social activities. My favorite memory was definitely the Honors freshman retreat. I made so many friends and loved the activities we did. 

My best memories at Tech involve all of the things I did off-campus with friends I know I’ll be close with my whole life. In freshman year, my Honors friends and I explored every single neighborhood along the MARTA stops. In sophomore year we lived next door in apartments of four, like an episode of Friends, and shared baking supplies and stories. In junior year, we picked up thrifting and started going to every single Goodwill, Salvation Army, and vintage store we could find. And this year we’ve started exploring outside of Atlanta in Asheville and Savannah.
 

The first award is being given this April 2023 to Sarah Sorme, a graduating Neuroscience major who has been active in the Honors Program throughout her time at Georgia Tech.  Sarah’s Georgia Tech resume is impressive.  She served as co-director of the Honors Leadership Council in the role of Executive Director of Strategic Planning and was instrumental in guiding the HP (which is based on being together in community) through the COVID-19 pandemic.  She also served in numerous other HP leadership roles,

including on the New Student Onboarding Committee, Community Outreach Committee, as a first-year retreat guide, and as editor of the Honors Program newsletter (The HyPe).  Sarah currently serves as the Honors Program representative to the Office of Undergraduate Education Student Advisory Board.

Outside of the HP and OUE, Sarah has conducted extensive research in neuroscience and  served as both a teaching assistant and a research assistant.  She is currently completing an undergraduate research thesis on brain network activity.  Her involvement in neuroscience research led to her helping to establish the Neuroscience Student Advisory Council, all while maintaining a perfect 4.00 GPA in Neuroscience with a Psychology minor.

Reflecting on her time in the Honors Program, Sarah said:

"The Honors Program has been an empowering community of passionate, creative peers, faculty, and staff. It has been invaluable to be part of such a diverse group united by common traits, willing to discuss and collaborate on a variety of projects. I have grown so much as a leader and team member in my roles with the Honors Leadership Council, working with motivated, amazing students to serve our peers and enhance the program for future cohorts."

After graduation, Sarah wants to use her cognitive science knowledge and leadership experiences to develop human-centered technology to improve society.  At Tech, she has been interested in diving deep into the communities she joined—such as the Honors Program—and using feedback to improve experiences for current and future members.  She hopes to continue this practice of community engagement after leaving Georgia Tech.  Sarah is graduating this May and will be working at Publicis Sapient as a junior product manager.  She eventually wants to work in educational technology, developing personalized learning tools for K – 12 students.

Congratulations to Sarah Sorme on being named the first Honors Program Outstanding Student Award winner.  We thank you for your service to the HP and wish you well after graduation.

 

ASHLEY GOODNIGHT

Ashley Goodnight is a third-year Electrical Engineering major from Clarksville, MD.  During her time at Georgia Tech she has been involved in research in the Opportunity Research Scholars (ORS) Program.  Her technical interests are in radio frequency and microwave engineering.

Ashley’s project was Unmanned Aircraft Systems, sponsored by Florida Power & Light (FPL). The goal was to accurately inventory FPL equipment by gathering data (GPS location, model, serial number) from RFID tags attached to power pole assets, then sending it to a database via an RFID reader. The RFID reader is placed on a drone, allowing wireless communication from a distance. Her team’s system demonstrated performance far beyond the required specifications, working from distances up to 180 ft away, heights up to 60 ft, and speeds up to 30 mph.  Reflecting on her work, Ashley said:

The Capstone Expo is my most valued memory at Georgia Tech. It was the culmination of everything I’ve learned during my time at Tech as well as my team’s efforts over the past two semesters. Presenting at the Capstone Expo allowed me to take a step back and truly appreciate all the hard work my team dedicated to the project and see how much we accomplished. Attending the Capstone Expo was an amazing experience that let me explore the research and opportunities outside of my major as well as network with other students, faculty, and corporate sponsors.

After graduation in fall 2023, Ashley plans on pursuing a PhD in Electrical Engineering with a focus on electromagnetics. During her capstone project, she was heavily involved in the antenna engineering aspects and gained experience with industry-standard software like Ansys HFSS and Autodesk EAGLE.

As a member of the Honors Program, Ashley took a wide variety of HP classes on everything from coding in Python (CS 1301) to the structure of America’s electrical grid (PUBP 335).  However, she felt that the most important thing that she gained from her experience in the HP was friends.  She noted that starting college during the pandemic made it challenging to make friends, but through the Honors Program, she met her best friend and current roommate.

MATTHEW REINGOLD

Matthew Reingold is a fourth-year Materials Science and Engineering major from Roswell, GA. During his time at Georgia Tech he has been involved in undergraduate research on electronic materials, and he spent a summer interning at Sandia National Laboratories. Outside of science and engineering, Matthew has been involved in music on campus, performing with the marching band and symphony orchestra on French horn, mellophone, and piano.

Matthew’s senior capstone team, the Power (Density) Rangers, designed and fabricated supercapacitors using a novel graphene material developed by the sponsor, HeXalayer. Supercapacitors are a critical energy storage system behind the transition to electric vehicles and a renewable energy grid. Additionally, the team designed a method to introduce a conductive polymer to the device, which significantly improved the energy storage capabilities.

After he graduates this semester, Matthew is interning at nLIGHT in Portland, OR, then returning to Georgia Tech to complete his Master’s Degree in Materials Science and Engineering. Matthew is interested in continuing to pursue energy storage materials research after he completes his graduate degree.

Matthew began his college career at Georgia Tech by studying computer science and media archeology through the Honors Program, in addition to his core engineering classes. His most valued experience during his time in the Honors Program was his freshman seminar on mindfulness and meditation; he has continued to utilize the methods explored during that course throughout his college career. Matthew’s favorite aspect of Georgia Tech overall is the friends he’s made along the way. Seriously!

The faculty and staff of the Honors Program are so proud of Ashley and Matthew and can’t wait to see all the exciting things that they do after graduation.  Congratulations!

Fourth year neurosciences major Sarah Sorme reflected on the trip by saying that, “this is my fourth year living in Atlanta but my first time visiting the Oakland Cemetery - I wish I had gone sooner!  It's a gorgeous place with so much history.  I enjoyed planting flowers to help beautify the place even more while hanging out with old and new HP friends.  I'd love to return when the flowers are in bloom, and I definitely want to do the full guided tour!"  Fourth year biomedical engineering major Jillian Foltz said, "I had so much fun volunteering in the surroundings of the beautiful cemetery.  It was great meeting other Honors students and getting to know them throughout the day. Hopefully we get to do more events with Oakland!"

Thanks to all the fantastic Honors Program students who donated their time and energy to making historic Oakland Cemetery a more beautiful Atlanta landmark.  The Community Outreach Committee of the Honors Leadership Council plans service events like this for HP students throughout the year so that the Honors Program can give back to the Atlanta community that it calls home.

Vibha is a first-year biomedical engineering major and computer science minor from Seattle, WA who had been engaged around campus through the New Student Onboarding Committee of the Honors Leadership Council and the GT Jadoo competitive Bollywood fusion dance team.  She has been active in planning the fall 2023 Honors Program New Student Retreat and has traveled around the U.S. competing with GT Jadoo.

In PUBP 3042, her team tackled the Jump into STEM Challenge around sustainability and resiliency, addressing the issue of water crises in poor communities of color, which have been exacerbated by climate change.  Using Jackson, MS as a case study, the team developed a plan to install rainwater cisterns in Jackson households while also creating an initiative to educate the public about issues of water conservation and climate change.  Vibha reflected that,

though this project, I learned about the disproportionate impact of climate change on people of color and low-income communities, the department of Energy’s environmental justice initiative, and how to apply it when creating solutions to environmental problems. 

Overall, ten Georgia Tech teams competed in the Jump into STEM Challenge, with two of those teams coming in first place and runner up.  JUMP into STEM finalists are invited to present their solutions during the final competition in 2023 and compete for a paid summer 2023 internship at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, or Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Vibha plans to take her passion for problem solving into the real world through her program of study at Georgia Tech and her post-graduation career plans.  She would like to focus on undergraduate research—which is a central feature of the Honors Program curriculum for many students—in the area of biomedical technology and hopes to get a job in the biotech industry working in regenerative medicine.  Congratulations to Vibha and her teammates on their Jump into STEM Challenge win.  We are so proud of all of the Honors Program students and their accomplishments at Georgia Tech and in the larger community!

After observing the amount of food that was being thrown away in campus dining facilities and talking to GT Dining workers in cafeterias around campus, Zou and his teammates got the initial idea to install cameras on dining facilities’ trash cans to begin measuring food waste.  It developed into “Raccoon Eyes,” which detects the type and quantity of food being disposed of, then asks the student or staff member why the food is being thrown away.  That response and the data collected from the camera is then sent to a member of the research team for analysis and information on the carbon impact of the food being thrown away is shared with the person disposing it.  These data can help GT Dining and students/staff with selecting appropriate portion sizes and with finding recipes that have wide appeal and lead to less waste.

Zou has been inspired by the experience of project-based learning at Georgia Tech and participation in the Honors Program.  He says:

I love and have a lot of fun applying the amazing technologies and their intricacies I learned in school to…impactful areas where no one has thought to look, which was one of my major inspirations to work on our senior design project. Not only are the technologies we try to implement cool but also the awesome people I meet and join me along the way as we struggle through to create something real…I've got the chance to meet and work with some of the brightest and most amazing people that I won't be able to anywhere else and the fun, laughs, and memories we've made are really my greatest accomplishments here at Tech.

He credits HP classes like the Startup Lab with Dr. Furst and the Micro/Nano Revolution with Dr. Cressler for giving him insights into the work that he’d like to pursue in the future.  Regarding Dr. Furst’s class, Zou reflected:

he (Professor Furst) really does "teach the secrets of the universe" as he mentions regarding the economic and psychology behind humans and self-interaction. I've learned an incredible amount of insights and knowledge through him regarding startup success as well as lessons that should be applied overall in life such as how we fool our minds everyday through the many bias and shortfalls of our mind, how to properly conduct customer interviews to analyze true underlying and authentic customer demand/need, how startups put us in a position to succeed by expressing who we are by choosing ourselves, how to plan and adapt based on types of risks, and the Not-Not principle that is needed to drive innovation.

Ivan plans to pursue a master’s degree, and possibly a PhD, post-graduation while he explores the feasibility of creating a startup around Raccoon Eyes.  He is interested in working in the area of AI applications, which he learned about through his Capstone Expo project.  In his last semester at Tech, he hopes to continue his involvement with the Honors Program, including through HP intramural sports teams.  Congratulations to Ivan Zou and the members of his winning Capstone Design Expo team!

In summer 2022, ten Honors Program students participated in the “HP at Oxford” Program and were able to earn up to six credit hours that could be applied to the HP curriculum requirement.  They took HP classes such as HTS 3032: European Intellectual History, HTS 3033: History of Medieval England, and MGT 4803: International Business Ethics, with the option of earning additional credit from MUSI 3621: Composers and their Music and ID 2242: History of Art and Architecture.

Honors Program students also participated in some enrichment activities to further enhance their experience.  They participated in an HP walking tour of Oxford with seasoned guide David Gunnell, where they got to see the city and the college through Mr. Gunnell’s insights and experience.  HP students also worked to create an amazing Tumblr blog, which is online at hpoxfordprogram.tumblr.com.  On the blog, they shared their favorite experiences, reflections on what they have learned from international travel, and photos of their journey. 

Here are some of the reflections from Honors Program students on their “HP at Oxford” experience, as well as the fantastic photos that they shared.  We encourage all Georgia Tech students, and especially members of the Honors Program, to apply for this amazing experience.  Information is available at oxford.gatech.edu.

LILY KACHMAR

Participating in the Oxford Program has been one of the best experiences of my life, and the memories that I have made during this time will stick with me forever. I have visited so many amazing places, learned about other cultures, made new friends, eaten amazing foods, and ultimately learned how to become a respectful world traveler.

PAUL HUTCHINSON

The Oxford Program has given me a fulfilling opportunity to study abroad: forming new friendships, seeing beautiful old sites, and engaging in a culture distinct from my own. More broadly, the program has allowed me to live in new cultures, gain respect for them, and give me a new perspective on American culture.

CONNOR MCPHILLIAMY

This study abroad has been one of, if not the best experience I’ve had in my life. The chance to spend five weeks traveling around Western Europe, to countries like Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, and France, and then to spend six weeks in Oxford with free weekends to travel to even more places on my own (Ireland, Spain, and Scotland to name a few) has been incredibly fun and educational. I’ve made new friends, had too many new experiences to count, and the ability to experience first-hand numerous different cultures while abroad.