{"693130":{"#nid":"693130","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Poet Victoria Chang Named Prestigious National Book Award Finalist","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EVictoria Chang, the Margaret T. and Henry C. Bourne Chair in Poetry at Georgia Tech, has been \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nationalbook.org\/2026-national-book-award-finalists-announced\/\u0022\u003Enamed a finalist\u003C\/a\u003E for a National Book Award for Poetry, one of the nation\u2019s top literary prizes, for her book of poems, \u003Cem\u003ETree of Knowledge.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith the nod, Chang becomes one of just 180 poets named finalist for the prestigious prize since its reinstatement by the National Book Foundation in 1991.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s such an honor to have \u003Cem\u003ETree of Knowledge\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eselected as a finalist for the National Book Awards,\u201d Chang said. \u201cMy book \u003Cem\u003EOBIT\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ewas longlisted in 2020 during the pandemic, so it will be nice to celebrate in person in New York with all the other finalists.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETree of Knowledge\u003C\/em\u003E emerged from Chang\u2019s contemplation of the felling of a tree across from her house in Los Angeles, where she was living at the time. It became, as \u003Cem\u003EMother Jones\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Esaid, \u201ca meditation on abstract art, mortality, language, home, and history.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt spiraled out to me writing about trees in paintings that I was thinking about, and then to the expulsion of Chinese people from Eureka, California, in the 1800s,\u201d Chang said. \u201cI also included art that I made from historical photographs of Chinese people in Eureka, so the book threads the personal, the political, the historical, and the environmental.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe book features not only Chang\u2019s writing, but also her visual art. The collection incorporates original embroidered photo collages created by Chang using 19th-century archival images.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChang holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in East Asian Studies from the University of Michigan, a master\u2019s degree in East Asian Studies from Harvard, an MBA from Stanford University and an MFA from Warren Wilson College.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer previous collection of poetry, \u003Cem\u003EWith My Back to the World\u003C\/em\u003E, earned the prestigious Forward Prize for Best Collection, while her 2020 book \u003Cem\u003EOBIT\u003C\/em\u003E received the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. OBIT was also named a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Griffin International Poetry Prize.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe also is a Guggenheim Fellow and recipient of the Chowdhury International Prize in Literature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to her endowed chair, Chang teaches in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lmc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Literature, Media, and Communication \u003C\/a\u003Eand serves as the director of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poetry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPoetry@Tech\u003C\/a\u003E, leading one of the nation\u2019s premier poetry centers and reading series. Through the work of Poetry@Tech, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Georgia Tech students across engineering, science, and the humanities learn the value of poetry as craft, literature, and personal expression.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChang is the second Bourne Chair at Georgia Tech to be named a finalist for the prize. Her predecessor, Ilya Kaminsky, was named a finalist in 2019.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe winners will be announced Nov. 18 in New York.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChang was nominated for her collection of poems, \u0027Tree of Knowledge.\u0027\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Chang was nominated for her collection of poems, \u0027Tree of Knowledge.\u0027"}],"uid":"34600","created_gmt":"2026-10-07 14:39:53","changed_gmt":"2026-10-07 14:43:16","author":"mpearson34","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-10-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-10-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681374":{"id":"681374","type":"image","title":"RS3443_Victoria-Chang-by-Pat-Cray_lpr.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EVictoria Chang, the Margaret T. and Henry C. Bourne Chair in Poetry in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech\u0027s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1791383999","gmt_created":"2026-10-07 14:39:59","changed":"1791383999","gmt_changed":"2026-10-07 14:39:59","alt":"\u0022\u0022","file":{"fid":"265755","name":"RS3443_Victoria-Chang-by-Pat-Cray_lpr.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/07\/RS3443_Victoria-Chang-by-Pat-Cray_lpr.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/07\/RS3443_Victoria-Chang-by-Pat-Cray_lpr.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":875238,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/10\/07\/RS3443_Victoria-Chang-by-Pat-Cray_lpr.jpg?itok=Hx0BOq7c"}}},"media_ids":["681374"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1283","name":"School of Literature, Media, and Communication"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMichael Pearson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"692938":{"#nid":"692938","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AI \u0026 Society Events to Examine Real-World Trade Offs Behind AI","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtificial intelligence may operate in the digital world, but it leaves a massive and very real physical and societal footprint. What does AI\u2019s rapid growth mean for the future of humanity? How can it be steered towards a more prosperous future for all?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts will host a series of four events, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/ai-society\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAI \u0026amp; Society Series\u003C\/a\u003E, to bring together scholars, practitioners, industry leaders, and the Georgia Tech community to explore some of the most consequential questions surrounding artificial intelligence and their potential solutions. Through the interdisciplinary lens of the liberal arts, the series will examine AI\u0027s physical infrastructure, its influence on research and discovery, its evolving role in human relationships, and its impact on creativity and creative industries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cConsidering technology from a humanistic perspective has never been more necessary,\u201d said Amand Murdie, dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. \u201cAI has so much potential to be positive and transformational, but we should prioritize understanding and mitigating the challenges it creates in its wake.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe series will kick off with \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/events\/item\/692340\/people-future-data-energy-health-human-rights\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWe, the People, and AI: The Future of Data, Energy, Health, and Human Rights\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d on Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the John Lewis Student Center\u2019s Walter G. Ehmer Theater. This event will explore the infrastructure behind AI \u2014 from data centers and energy consumption to environmental and societal impacts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPanelists include Wendy H. Wong, Professor, University of British Columbia \u2013 Okanagan Campus; Caroline Gwynn Monagle, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, R1 RCM; and Marilyn A. Brown, Regents and Brook Byers Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWong\u2019s research examines global governance, technology, human rights, and civil society. Her book \u003Cem\u003EWe, the Data: Human Rights in the Digital Age\u003C\/em\u003E explores how Big Data and artificial intelligence challenge traditional understandings of human rights and won the 2024 Balsillie Prize for Public Policy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMonagle leads strategic initiatives at R1 RCM, a healthcare technology and services company, in an industry undergoing rapid technological transformation. A Georgia Tech alumna, Monagle\u2019s leadership experience at the intersection of healthcare, technology, strategy, and organizational change brings an industry perspective to the conversation about AI\u0027s impact on health and society.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrown\u2019s research examines energy policy, efficiency, electricity systems, clean-energy technologies, and resilience, providing critical expertise on the rapidly growing relationship between artificial intelligence, energy demand, infrastructure, and sustainability. Before joining Georgia Tech, she held leadership roles at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and later served as a presidentially appointed member of the Tennessee Valley Authority Board.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUpcoming events in the AI \u0026amp; Society Series include:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI and Academic Research: The Future of Discovery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWednesday, Nov. 4 | 6:30 \u2013 9 p.m.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech Hotel \u0026amp; Conference Center \u2013 Grand Ballrooms\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI, Human Empathy, and Relationships: Is AI a Better Partner?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWednesday, Feb. 10, 2027 | 6:30 \u2013 9 p.m.\u003Cbr\u003EHistoric Academy of Medicine\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI and Creativity: Creative Industries in Flux\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWednesday, April 14, 2027 | 6:30\u20139:00 p.m.\u003Cbr\u003EWalter G. Ehmer Theater (Atlantic)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtificial intelligence may operate in the digital world, but it leaves a massive and very real physical and societal footprint. What does AI\u2019s rapid growth mean for the future of humanity? How can it be steered towards a more prosperous future for all?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Artificial intelligence may operate in the digital world, but it leaves a massive and very real physical and societal footprint. What does AI\u2019s rapid growth mean for the future of humanity? How can it be steered towards a more prosperous future for all? "}],"uid":"36009","created_gmt":"2026-09-30 15:29:38","changed_gmt":"2026-09-30 15:53:33","author":"cwhittle9","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681309":{"id":"681309","type":"image","title":"AI---society-series-16x9.png","body":null,"created":"1790783597","gmt_created":"2026-09-30 15:53:17","changed":"1790783597","gmt_changed":"2026-09-30 15:53:17","alt":"AI \u0026 Society Series","file":{"fid":"265681","name":"AI---society-series-16x9.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/30\/AI---society-series-16x9.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/30\/AI---society-series-16x9.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1234946,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/30\/AI---society-series-16x9.png?itok=hFCWGLtb"}}},"media_ids":["681309"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/ai-society","title":"AI \u0026 Society Series"}],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1285","name":"Sam Nunn School of International Affairs"},{"id":"1282","name":"School of Economics"},{"id":"1288","name":"School of History and Sociology"},{"id":"1283","name":"School of Literature, Media, and Communication"},{"id":"1284","name":"School of Modern Languages"},{"id":"1289","name":"School of Public Policy"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMegan McRainey\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:megan.mcrainey@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emegan.mcrainey@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"692530":{"#nid":"692530","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Exploring Place and Space With the Center for Interdisciplinary Media Arts","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Center for Interdisciplinary Media Arts (IMA) at Georgia Tech recently hosted 13 doctoral students and early-career scholars nationwide for a multi-day, National Science Foundation-funded workshop in spatial scholarship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpatial scholarship is a research approach focusing on social and humanistic questions, which foreground place, space, spatial data, and human experience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHeld at the Georgia Tech Library, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/sts-fieldschool\/fieldschool\u0022\u003ESpatial Scholarship Field School\u003C\/a\u003E brought together researchers from eight top academic institutions, including Carnegie Mellon University, UCLA, NYU, and Georgia Tech, to examine how technology, data, and physical environments shape one another.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParticipants shared research, joined in panel discussions with Georgia Tech faculty, and learned interdisciplinary methods such as a variation of body-mapping that uses \u0026nbsp;wearable environmental sensors to explore how data shaped their felt experience in place.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aAzGCxUC3Ac\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWatch a video about the Spatial Scholarship Field School on YouTube\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We\u0027re really proud to host this Spatial Scholarship Field School \u2014 to spend a couple of days together thinking about what it means to take space and place more seriously as part of the scholarship we do,\u0022 said Yanni Loukissas, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lmc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Literature, Media, and Communication\u003C\/a\u003E (LMC) and director of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/media-arts.gatech.edu\/center\u0022\u003EIMA\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECo-led by LMC Assistant Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/40abaa84-d467-517c-b604-d2f77da94bf0\u0022\u003ERichmond Wong\u003C\/a\u003E, the event challenged scholars to evaluate how local neighborhoods respond to emerging technologies like self-driving cars and data centers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe invited participants to walk around with wearable sensors tracking sound, temperature, light, CO2, and air quality, interpreting readings through colored LEDs,\u201d said Alexandra Teixeira Riggs, who helped facilitate the event. Riggs is a 2026 Ph.D. Digital Media graduate who now works as an assistant professor at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis activity asked participants to focus on critical and interpretive approaches to bio and environmental data, situating themselves within campus environments,\u201d Riggs said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStephen Yang, a doctoral candidate at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, said the event advanced his thinking on how people experience built environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m grateful for the thought-provoking conversations that pushed me to think hard about the taken-for-granted ways built environments are organized,\u201d Yang said. \u201cI left the Field School with many new ideas that I\u2019ll continue to ruminate on.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIMA is a collaboration between the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/library.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ELibrary\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Center for Interdisciplinary Media Arts at Georgia Tech recently hosted doctoral students and early-career scholars from around the country for a workshop on spatial scholarship.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Center for Interdisciplinary Media Arts at Georgia Tech recently hosted doctoral students and early-career scholars from around the country for a workshop on spatial scholarship."}],"uid":"34600","created_gmt":"2026-09-10 21:10:43","changed_gmt":"2026-09-29 18:33:32","author":"mpearson34","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681135":{"id":"681135","type":"image","title":"Spatial Scholarship Field School","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Associate Professor Yanni Loukissas, right, and collaborators at the Spatial Scholarship Field School lean over a large table workspace marking up a map.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1789074658","gmt_created":"2026-09-10 21:10:58","changed":"1789074658","gmt_changed":"2026-09-10 21:10:58","alt":"Attendees at the Spatial Scholarship Field School lean over a large table workspace marking up a map.","file":{"fid":"265495","name":"spacial-scholarship-image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/10\/spacial-scholarship-image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/10\/spacial-scholarship-image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":994708,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/10\/spacial-scholarship-image.jpg?itok=VVIeDfLd"}}},"media_ids":["681135"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1283","name":"School of Literature, Media, and Communication"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMichael Pearson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"692183":{"#nid":"692183","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Opens Trash Lab to Turn Campus Waste Into New Possibilities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBeginning this fall, Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff will have a new way to rethink waste. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/ipat\u0022\u003EInstitute for People and Technology\u003C\/a\u003E (IPaT) is opening the Trash Lab, a makerspace in Room S27 of the Technology Square Research Building dedicated to plastic recycling, upcycling, and circular-economy innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the heart of the new lab is the miniTrashpresso, a compact recycling and manufacturing system developed by the sustainability technology company \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.miniwiz.com\/\u0022\u003EMiniwiz\u003C\/a\u003E. The machine can take used plastics and other waste materials, process them locally, and transform them into new products in less than five minutes. By bringing manufacturing and recycling together in a single system, the Trash Lab aims to give the Georgia Tech community a way to explore sustainable design, material reuse, and the future of circular manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe launch of IPaT\u2019s new Trash Lab represents an exciting step forward for sustainability at Georgia Tech,\u201d said Jennifer Chirico, associate vice president of Sustainability. \u201cAs a living-learning lab, it provides students and researchers with hands-on opportunities to work alongside campus operations, turning used plastics into valuable new products and creating innovative solutions that support a more circular campus.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Makerspace Focused on Circular Innovation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Trash Lab expands Georgia Tech\u2019s growing network of makerspaces and innovation environments by focusing specifically on waste recovery and reuse. Instead of treating used plastics as disposable materials, the lab encourages users to view them as valuable resources that can be transformed into new products.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe miniTrashpresso represents the latest generation of recycling technology developed by Miniwiz. The company originally launched the world\u2019s first mobile recycling line, known as the Trashpresso, to support communities that lacked access to traditional recycling infrastructure. The newer miniTrashpresso is smaller, more energy-efficient, and more portable, making it suitable for campuses and community-based applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe modular system uses industrial equipment, including shredders, presses, and heating technologies, to process materials on-site. Advanced heat-induction presses and specialized molds can quickly transform recovered plastics into new objects and components. The system can also be integrated with AI-powered waste-tracking tools and robotic automation technologies that help identify, sort, and process materials more efficiently.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor IPaT leaders, the Trash Lab represents more than the addition of specialized equipment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCommunity resilience and people-centered sustainability are core research areas within IPaT,\u201d said Michael Best, executive director. \u201cOur new Trash Lab will allow the entire Georgia Tech community to not only think about upcycling and plastic reuse but to make and do innovative projects that directly demonstrate sustainable futures.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETurning Trash Into a Resource\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMiniwiz founder Arthur Huang, who developed the miniTrashpresso system, describes upcycling as a practice rooted in centuries of human ingenuity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUpcycling is actually recycling old material and turning that into something new,\u201d Huang said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThroughout history, societies have reused existing materials in construction, manufacturing, and everyday life. According to Huang, modern waste streams, particularly plastic packaging and electronic waste, represent an enormous and often untapped source of raw materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe miniTrashpresso was designed around that idea. Rather than transporting waste long distances to centralized facilities, the system enables materials to be processed where they are collected. By reducing transportation needs and creating opportunities for local manufacturing, decentralized recycling systems can help lower the environmental footprint associated with traditional waste management.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMiniwiz estimates that using recycled materials can reduce embedded energy consumption by 60% to 80% compared with using raw materials. The company has developed more than 1,200 upcycled materials and products from everyday waste streams, including plastics, food packaging, coffee cups, and electronic waste.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince its introduction, Miniwiz technology has been deployed in communities, campuses, and organizations worldwide, including projects in Taiwan, Italy, Singapore, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. According to Huang, Georgia Tech is installing and operating North America\u2019s first miniTrashpresso recycling machine from Miniwiz.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding a Community Around Sustainability\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new facility is also intended to serve as a gathering place for interdisciplinary collaboration. Students interested in sustainability, materials science, engineering, design, manufacturing, and public policy will have opportunities to experiment with new ideas while working with researchers and campus partners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen Michael Best first pitched the idea of the Trash Lab, I expected there to be interest in a space like this given the general momentum toward sustainable practices on campus, but the level of excitement from students, staff, and faculty has been outstanding,\u201d said Tim Trent, IPaT\u2019s lab director for the Trash, Craft, Prototyping, and Usability Labs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is an opportunity to create a gathering point for sustainability initiatives, act as a catalyst for partnerships, and help strengthen the many amazing networks and projects already present on campus,\u201d he said. \u201cThe IPaT Innovation Labs have a continuous focus on supporting the overall Georgia Tech research enterprise, and I\u2019m happy we are adding another piece to the portfolio.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the Trash Lab opens its doors, members of the Georgia Tech community will be invited to explore how waste materials can be reimagined as resources, prototypes, and products. By combining makerspace culture, advanced recycling technology, and sustainability research, the lab offers a tangible demonstration of how circular economy principles can move from theory into practice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Georgia Tech, the Trash Lab is not simply a place to recycle plastic. It is a space where innovation, design, and sustainability intersect, helping transform discarded materials into opportunities for learning, discovery, and impact.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E---\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFor more information about the Trash Lab, contact the IPaT Innovation Labs at \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ipat-labs@groups.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eipat-labs@groups.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew IPaT makerspace combines advanced recycling technology, hands-on learning, and sustainability innovation.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New IPaT makerspace combines advanced recycling technology, hands-on learning, and sustainability innovation."}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2026-09-01 21:33:00","changed_gmt":"2026-09-29 18:31:50","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681033":{"id":"681033","type":"image","title":"Trash Lab Ribbon Cutting","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECelebrating the opening of Georgia Tech\u0027s Trash Lab - the newest makerspace on campus which is located in the basement of TSRB\u003C\/strong\u003E. Pictured left-to-right: \u003Cstrong\u003ETim Trent\u003C\/strong\u003E, director of IPaT\u0027s Trash Lab; \u003Cstrong\u003EArthur Huang\u003C\/strong\u003E, CEO of Miniwiz; \u003Cstrong\u003EMichael Best\u003C\/strong\u003E, executive director of IPaT; \u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Chirico\u003C\/strong\u003E, associate vice president of sustainability; and \u003Cstrong\u003ERob Kadel\u003C\/strong\u003E, executive director of research program administration. They are wearing sunglasses made from recycled plastic created by using the miniTrashpresso machine.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788297893","gmt_created":"2026-09-01 21:24:53","changed":"1788530006","gmt_changed":"2026-09-04 13:53:26","alt":"Pictured left-to-right: Tim Trent, director of IPaT\u0027s Trash Lab; Arthur Huang, CEO of Miniwiz; Michael Best, executive director of IPaT; Jennifer Chirico, associate vice president of Sustainability; and Rob Kadel, executive director of research program administration.","file":{"fid":"265381","name":"Ribbon-Cutting1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/Ribbon-Cutting1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/Ribbon-Cutting1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1136224,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/01\/Ribbon-Cutting1.jpg?itok=u_x2dAAj"}},"681032":{"id":"681032","type":"image","title":"Tim-Arthur-Tai","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPictured left to right: Tim Trent, IPaT\u2019s lab director for the Trash Lab; Arthur Huang, CEO of Miniwiz; and Tai Liu, mechanical engineer with Miniwiz. In this picture, they are installing the miniTrashpresso system in the TSRB building and showing the test plastic bowl made using recycled plastic.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788297611","gmt_created":"2026-09-01 21:20:11","changed":"1788297881","gmt_changed":"2026-09-01 21:24:41","alt":"Pictured left to right: Tim Trent, IPaT\u2019s lab director for the Trash Lab; Arthur Huang, CEO of Miniwiz; and Tai Liu, mechanical engineer with Miniwiz. In this picture, they are installing the miniTrashpresso system in the TSRB building.","file":{"fid":"265380","name":"Tim-and-Arthur-and-Tai-Liu.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/Tim-and-Arthur-and-Tai-Liu.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/Tim-and-Arthur-and-Tai-Liu.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":935131,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/01\/Tim-and-Arthur-and-Tai-Liu.jpg?itok=HSZysoaX"}},"681031":{"id":"681031","type":"image","title":"Recycled Trashpresso items","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERecycled plastic items you can make using the Trash Lab include wireless chargers, sunglasses, bowls, and other items.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788297484","gmt_created":"2026-09-01 21:18:04","changed":"1788354852","gmt_changed":"2026-09-02 13:14:12","alt":"Recycled plastic items you can make using the Trash Lab","file":{"fid":"265379","name":"ItemsYouCanMake.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/ItemsYouCanMake.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/01\/ItemsYouCanMake.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":610865,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/01\/ItemsYouCanMake.jpg?itok=L2xQj4GY"}}},"media_ids":["681033","681032","681031"],"groups":[{"id":"244191","name":"Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:walter.rich@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWalter Rich\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Manager\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute for People and Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"692647":{"#nid":"692647","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Chronicle of Digital Transformation (September 2026)","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EWe are pleased to share our latest bi-weekly update to the \u003Cstrong\u003EChronicle of Digital Transformation, the broad context of Internet of Things technologies\u003C\/strong\u003E. This update covers major developments over the last two weeks (September 1-15\u003Cem\u003E,\u003C\/em\u003E 2026).\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe update is but a very small sample of digital transformation (DT)-related events\/perspectives from around the world from a variety of countries on different continents. The Chronicle clearly illustrates that DT has a wide range of meaning across industries and countries and for that matter authors\/researchers, thereby complicating the analysis. Current interest in AI and the critical importance of the human factor notwithstanding, DT is also connected more or less strongly to IoT, blockchain, digitization, digitalization, e-commerce, e-learning, e-service, automation, cloud adoption, edge computing, 5G, 6G, Industry 4.0, robotics, cybersecurity, and other forms of computer-based frameworks.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis update and subsequent ones provide the latest additions to the foundational Chronicle posted on November 14, 2025\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2025-11\/Digital_Transformation_Through_IoT_Technologies_as_of_end_of_october_2025.pdf\u0022 rel=\u0022nofollow\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2025-11\/Digital_Transformation_Through_IoT_Technologies_as_of_end_of_october_2025.pdf\u0022\u003EDigital Transformation (April 2022 - October 2025)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAuthor:\u0026nbsp;Alain\u0026nbsp;Louchez, CDAIT Co-founder and Director Emeritus.\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChronicle of Digital Transformation, the broad context of Internet of Things technologies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;-- \u003Cem\u003EPerspectives from around the globe\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003ESeptember 1-15, 2026.\u003C\/em\u003E Author:\u0026nbsp;Alain\u0026nbsp;Louchez, CDAIT Co-founder and Director Emeritus.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The broad context of Internet of Things technologies -- Perspectives from around the globe, September 2026"}],"uid":"36164","created_gmt":"2026-09-17 17:58:27","changed_gmt":"2026-09-29 16:13:06","author":"ayura3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2026-09\/Digital_Transformation_Through_IoT_Technologies_September-2026.pdf","title":"Digital Transformation (September 2026)"}],"groups":[{"id":"47427","name":"Center for Advanced Communications Policy (CACP)"}],"categories":[{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"692429":{"#nid":"692429","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Chronicle of Digital Transformation (August 2026 v2)","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EWe are pleased to share our latest bi-weekly update to the \u003Cstrong\u003EChronicle of Digital Transformation, the broad context of Internet of Things technologies\u003C\/strong\u003E. This update covers major developments over the last two weeks (August 15-31\u003Cem\u003E,\u003C\/em\u003E 2026).\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe update is but a very small sample of digital transformation (DT)-related events\/perspectives from around the world from a variety of countries on different continents. The Chronicle clearly illustrates that DT has a wide range of meaning across industries and countries and for that matter authors\/researchers, thereby complicating the analysis. Current interest in AI and the critical importance of the human factor notwithstanding, DT is also connected more or less strongly to IoT, blockchain, digitization, digitalization, e-commerce, e-learning, e-service, automation, cloud adoption, edge computing, 5G, 6G, Industry 4.0, robotics, cybersecurity, and other forms of computer-based frameworks.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis update and subsequent ones provide the latest additions to the foundational Chronicle posted on November 14, 2025\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2025-11\/Digital_Transformation_Through_IoT_Technologies_as_of_end_of_october_2025.pdf\u0022 rel=\u0022nofollow\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2025-11\/Digital_Transformation_Through_IoT_Technologies_as_of_end_of_october_2025.pdf\u0022\u003EDigital Transformation (April 2022 - October 2025)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAuthor:\u0026nbsp;Alain\u0026nbsp;Louchez, CDAIT Co-founder and Director Emeritus.\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChronicle of Digital Transformation, the broad context of Internet of Things technologies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;-- \u003Cem\u003EPerspectives from around the globe\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003EAugust 15-31, 2026.\u003C\/em\u003E Author:\u0026nbsp;Alain\u0026nbsp;Louchez, CDAIT Co-founder and Director Emeritus.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The broad context of Internet of Things technologies -- Perspectives from around the globe, August 2026 v2"}],"uid":"36164","created_gmt":"2026-09-08 15:57:55","changed_gmt":"2026-09-29 16:12:48","author":"ayura3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2026-08-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-08-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2026-09\/Digital_Transformation_Through_IoT_Technologies_August2026-v2.pdf","title":"Digital Transformation (August 2026 v2)"}],"groups":[{"id":"47427","name":"Center for Advanced Communications Policy (CACP)"}],"categories":[{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691703":{"#nid":"691703","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Chronicle of Digital Transformation (August 2026)","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EWe are pleased to share our latest bi-weekly update to the \u003Cstrong\u003EChronicle of Digital Transformation, the broad context of Internet of Things technologies\u003C\/strong\u003E. This update covers major developments over the last two weeks (August 1-14\u003Cem\u003E,\u003C\/em\u003E 2026).\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe update is but a very small sample of digital transformation (DT)-related events\/perspectives from around the world from a variety of countries on different continents. The Chronicle clearly illustrates that DT has a wide range of meaning across industries and countries and for that matter authors\/researchers, thereby complicating the analysis. Current interest in AI and the critical importance of the human factor notwithstanding, DT is also connected more or less strongly to IoT, blockchain, digitization, digitalization, e-commerce, e-learning, e-service, automation, cloud adoption, edge computing, 5G, 6G, Industry 4.0, robotics, cybersecurity, and other forms of computer-based frameworks.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis update and subsequent ones provide the latest additions to the foundational Chronicle posted on November 14, 2025\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2025-11\/Digital_Transformation_Through_IoT_Technologies_as_of_end_of_october_2025.pdf\u0022 rel=\u0022nofollow\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2025-11\/Digital_Transformation_Through_IoT_Technologies_as_of_end_of_october_2025.pdf\u0022\u003EDigital Transformation (April 2022 - October 2025)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAuthor:\u0026nbsp;Alain\u0026nbsp;Louchez, CDAIT Co-founder and Director Emeritus.\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChronicle of Digital Transformation, the broad context of Internet of Things technologies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;-- \u003Cem\u003EPerspectives from around the globe\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003EAugust 1-14, 2026.\u003C\/em\u003E Author:\u0026nbsp;Alain\u0026nbsp;Louchez, CDAIT Co-founder and Director Emeritus.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The broad context of Internet of Things technologies -- Perspectives from around the globe, August 2026."}],"uid":"36164","created_gmt":"2026-08-14 21:55:35","changed_gmt":"2026-09-29 16:12:30","author":"ayura3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2026-08-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-08-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/2026-08\/Digital_Transformation_Through_IoT_Technologies_August2026.pdf","title":"Digital Transformation (August 2026)"}],"groups":[{"id":"47427","name":"Center for Advanced Communications Policy (CACP)"}],"categories":[{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"692629":{"#nid":"692629","#data":{"type":"news","title":"BBISS Insights Series #1 Reflection: AI, Digital Twins, and Infrastructure Resilience","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EArtificial intelligence is reshaping how society manages complex systems. Its potential to strengthen critical infrastructure is receiving growing attention. The first Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS) Insights Series event of the fall semester explored how AI, digital twins, and advanced data analytics are being applied to improve the resilience of energy and water systems. The discussion brought together Dan Molzahn, associate professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Clint Loe, senior digital consultant at Trinnex. Together, they highlighted how AI is beginning to help utilities and communities respond to growing pressures on infrastructure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOpening the event, Ameet Pinto, BBISS faculty director for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration, noted that many critical infrastructure systems are facing unprecedented challenges. Aging assets, climate-related impacts, severe weather events, and growing demands on energy and water systems are testing the resilience of infrastructure that communities depend on. At the same time, infrastructure systems increasingly generate vast amounts of operational data through sensors, meters, and monitoring technologies. The opportunities for AI technologies to transform this data into actionable information and inform policy are just beginning to be explored.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETurning Infrastructure Data into Action\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMolzahn\u0027s presentation focused on the electric grid and the ways AI-enhanced optimization can support smarter infrastructure management. He described the ongoing transition from large, centralized power plants to more distributed systems that incorporate renewable energy, battery storage, electric vehicles, and other distributed energy resources. While these technologies create opportunities for cleaner and more resilient energy systems, they also introduce new layers of complexity for planners and operators.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmong the examples Molzahn shared was research examining how electric vehicle charging could affect emergency evacuations during disasters such as wildfires. Traditional evacuation planning focuses on optimizing transportation networks for rapidly moving vehicles away from danger. However, with more EVs on the roads, consideration must be given to ensure that EVs will have sufficient charge to travel a safe distance when an evacuation order is given without overloading the electrical grid. By linking transportation and power-system models, researchers are demonstrating how planning strategies can significantly reduce stress on infrastructure while supporting faster evacuations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWildfire mitigation was another major focus. In recent years, several devastating wildfires have been linked to electricity infrastructure, prompting utilities to increasingly rely on Public Safety Power Shutoffs during high-risk conditions. Molzahn discussed how machine learning and optimization tools can help utilities make these difficult decisions more quickly by balancing ignition risk and minimizing customer outages.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe also highlighted emerging cybersecurity concerns associated with the trend towards more distributed energy resources. Decentralized and digitally connected energy infrastructure, such as internet-connected solar and battery systems, can be more vulnerable than legacy centralized energy sources. AI is playing an important role in identifying potential vulnerabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPractical Applications in the Water Sector\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELoe offered examples of how AI is already being deployed by water utilities and municipalities. One pressing challenge involves identifying lead service lines. New federal regulations require utilities to locate and replace lead service lines, but many organizations lack complete records identifying pipe materials. Loe described how utilities can combine statistical sampling and machine learning models to estimate which service lines are most likely to contain lead. Rather than excavating thousands of suspect locations, utilities can use AI to narrow the search, reducing costs while still meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining confidence in the results.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELoe also explained the overarching challenges of maintaining aging water infrastructure. Utilities across the country have significant backlogs of aging pipes that need replacement but lack the resources to replace every asset at once. Machine learning models can predict which pipes are most likely to fail, while optimization tools can prioritize and package disparate replacement jobs into efficient and practical construction projects for which funding can more easily be obtained. This approach allows organizations to move beyond simple age-based replacement strategies and incorporate factors such as risk, community priorities, paving schedules, traffic impacts, and equity considerations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Human Element\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the discussion centered on AI, both speakers repeatedly emphasized that people remain critical to successful implementation. Panelists and audience members also discussed the importance of keeping \u0022humans in the loop\u0022 since utility systems directly affect public safety. AI may generate recommendations, identify risks, or highlight priorities, but engineers, operators, and planners should remain responsible for evaluating those recommendations and making final decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorkforce development emerged as another important theme. Both the water and energy sectors face challenges replacing experienced workers as many long-time professionals approach retirement. AI offers opportunities to preserve and transfer institutional knowledge that could enable smaller workforces, but both speakers stressed that future professionals will need expertise that spans engineering, data science, computing, and domain knowledge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELooking Ahead\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe discussion demonstrated that infrastructure resilience is increasingly both a physical and digital challenge. From wildfire management and grid reliability to lead service line replacements and predictive maintenance, AI and digital twins are enabling new opportunities to improve how critical systems are planned, operated, and maintained. However, better algorithms alone will not be enough to counter our aging infrastructure, climate impacts, cybersecurity risks, and rising resource demands. The thoughtful integration of advanced tools and human expertise and judgment built on a foundation of public trust offers the most effective solutions for keeping essential systems running.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENext in the Insights Series\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn October 14, BBISS will hold the next Insights Series at the John Lewis Student Center in the Rafael Bras Meeting Room. The topic will be \u201cAI for Climate Resilience.\u201d This session will explore how artificial intelligence is being leveraged to address pressing sustainability challenges and strengthen communities, infrastructure, and environmental systems in a changing climate. The program will open with an update from Jennifer Chirico on the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/climate-action-plan\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClimate Action Plan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Presentations from leading researchers will follow, including Suhas Jain, Ali Sarhadi, Abigale Stangl, and Iris Tien, followed by an interactive panel discussion. Breakfast will be served. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/forms.monday.com\/forms\/862ffc67f4bc814b6e29724eb0ca88b8?r=use1\u0022\u003ERegistration is required\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAI, digital twins, and advanced data analytics are emerging as tools for strengthening critical energy and water infrastructure amid aging assets, climate impacts, severe weather, cybersecurity risks, and rising resource demands. This BBISS Insights Series discussion emphasized that translating operational data into actionable decisions can be streamlined by combining advanced technology and human expertise.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"AI, digital twins, and advanced data analytics can be used to translate operational data into useful decisions when combined with human expertise."}],"uid":"27338","created_gmt":"2026-09-16 19:40:37","changed_gmt":"2026-09-16 19:54:33","author":"Brent Verrill","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681180":{"id":"681180","type":"image","title":"Insights_1_Data_Ctr_Resilience","body":null,"created":"1789586878","gmt_created":"2026-09-16 19:27:58","changed":"1789587432","gmt_changed":"2026-09-16 19:37:12","alt":"Panel discussion in a lecture room featuring two seated speakers at the front of the room and a presenter standing beside a lectern. A large display behind the speakers shows an image of the Georgia Tech Library building, while audience members are seated at tables facing the discussion. The room has light wood paneling throughout the space.","file":{"fid":"265545","name":"Insights_1_Data_Ctr_Resilience.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/16\/Insights_1_Data_Ctr_Resilience.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/16\/Insights_1_Data_Ctr_Resilience.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1009837,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/16\/Insights_1_Data_Ctr_Resilience.jpg?itok=MvgPCPUb"}}},"media_ids":["681180"],"groups":[{"id":"244191","name":"Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"194655","name":"AI infrastructure"},{"id":"10617","name":"resilience"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBrent Verrill\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications Manager, BBISS\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"692108":{"#nid":"692108","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Getting Food to the Neighborhoods That Need It Most","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBBISS researcher\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/nicole-kennard\u0022\u003ENicole Kennard\u003C\/a\u003E is mapping how Atlanta\u0027s local food ecosystem functions today, how the people inside it envision its future, and where the opportunities for transformation lie. A summer research trip to Europe brought back fresh models and new energy for the work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHow does Atlanta\u0027s local food ecosystem function today? How do the people working inside it envision its future? And where are the opportunities for transformation?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose three questions drive the systems and network mapping research of Nicole Kennard, a research scientist and assistant director for Community-Engaged Research at Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustainablesystems.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBrook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems\u003C\/a\u003E (BBISS). Within a systems map, Kennard charts intersecting food challenges and the intervention strategies that could address them. A companion social network map reveals the relationships that already exist across the food ecosystem and who needs to be brought together to create change. Both feed into the Atlanta Food System Research Network, an effort to increase coordination and build teams around the food system\u0027s most stubborn, systemic challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe mapping regularly shows one significant gap: One in eight metro Atlantans are struggling to access food. Although more local farmers are growing good food, there is a \u201cmissing middle layer\u201d of infrastructure connecting that food to those who need it, according to Atlanta\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/climateresilientatl.com\/climate-resilience-action-plan-2026-low.pdf\u0022\u003E2026 Climate Resilience Action Plan\u003C\/a\u003E. Food produced by smaller farms often can\u2019t enter traditional supply chains due to small quantities, so new models are needed to move that food in ways that people can access it within their everyday routines. A summer research trip through France, Belgium, and the U.K. provided her with fresh models for closing that gap.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I learned a lot from these models that I\u0027m trying to bring back to Atlanta for my systems mapping research,\u0022 Kennard said. \u0022One of the biggest issues is we\u0027re missing that middle layer \u2014 better ways to distribute local food so it\u0027s reaching all neighborhoods equitably, and it\u0027s actually accessible.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s not Kennard\u0027s first time working on food systems abroad. After graduating from Georgia Tech with a degree in materials science and engineering and running a student-led hydroponics project that grew food for the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.acfb.org\/\u0022\u003EAtlanta Community Food Bank\u003C\/a\u003E, she spent nearly four years in the U.K. as a Fulbright Scholar, earning a master\u0027s in sustainable agriculture and food security at Newcastle University before completing a Ph.D. in chemistry and biosciences at the University of Sheffield in 2023. That background, she said, is part of what draws her to the field. \u0022Food is the great connector.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBringing Ideas Home From Europe\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis summer, Kennard split her time between France, Belgium, and a return visit to Sheffield. At Georgia Tech-Europe, the institute\u0027s Metz campus, she met with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/paul-l-voss\u0022\u003EPaul Voss\u003C\/a\u003E, director of academic programs, to explore future partnerships around sustainable entrepreneurship and research, potentially bringing BBISS-affiliated faculty and coursework to the campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Montpellier, she presented her work to three organizations clustered on a single campus: INRAE (France\u0027s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment), L\u0027Institut Agro Montpellier, and CIRAD, the country\u0027s international agricultural development research arm, along with MOISA, an interdisciplinary CIRAD-affiliated research unit focused on sustainable food systems. There, she encountered a \u0022right-to-food\u0022 pilot in which Montpellier residents, half of whom live in poverty, pay a voluntary monthly amount on a sliding scale, from as little as 1 euro to 150 euros, and all receive a flat 100 euros back, redeemable at a handful of partner supermarkets. She also saw \u0022social grocery stores\u0022 reaching rural areas through mobile markets, and digital platforms, letting neighbors pool their money to buy directly from local farmers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKennard also attended the European Ecological Economics Society Conference in Belgium, where she presented her food systems mapping research and learned about other local food models, specifically farmer-based cooperatives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Sheffield, Kennard gave a talk on community-engaged research methods and came away with insights from their local food network, \u2018\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sheffood.org.uk\/\u0022\u003EShefFood,\u2019\u003C\/a\u003E which is community-led rather than run by the university or city (though both have seats on its board). Leadership rotates every couple of years to keep it grounded in the community it serves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Campus to Community\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKennard\u0027s Atlanta work leans heavily on the students and community partners building it with her. This semester, she is working with incoming computer science Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tristan-daniel-8b9b26253\/\u0022\u003ETristan Daniel\u003C\/a\u003E to automate her network map, scraping newsletters, news articles, and annual tax filings to keep the map\u0027s data updated in near-real time.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rhutviahircde.my.canva.site\/rhutvi-ahir\u0022\u003ERhutvi Ahir\u003C\/a\u003E, a master\u2019s student in city and regional planning, has been working on integrating the systems map into a publicly available and interactive online platform.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast semester, through a BBISS 2025 Sustainability Next Seed Grant project, Kennard, along with principal investigators\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/johannes-milz\u0022\u003EJohannes Milz,\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/ingeborg-rocker\u0022\u003EIngeborg Rocker,\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/carl-disalvo\u0022\u003ECarl DiSalvo\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ic.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Interactive Computing\u003C\/a\u003E, convened 16 community and civic partners for a participatory design workshop mapping how food moves across metro Atlanta and where better data sharing could prevent waste. Drawing on feedback from that session, DiSalvo\u2019s team is now exploring tools such as digital maps that show where surplus food, refrigerated trucks, and distribution sites are located, as well as a dedicated messaging system to coordinate what is now handled through ad hoc texts and calls.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis fall, DiSalvo\u2019s graduate students in the interdisciplinary M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction program \u2014 from computing, design, and social science backgrounds \u2014 will turn those concepts into early prototypes to test with partners, giving students experience designing technology for real community needs rather than just commercial products.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiSalvo says the core issue isn\u2019t only a lack of food, but the difficulty of coordinating people, resources, and logistics at scale. \u201cThere\u2019s so much need with food insecurity, and resources as well. It\u2019s a coordination challenge. Most people didn\u2019t get into this because they love logistics; they have a commitment to feeding people,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe credits Kennard with helping position Georgia Tech as a hub for food systems and community-engaged sustainability research. \u201cNicole\u2019s work is important \u2014 not just her food systems research, but also the oversight she gives to community-based research. It\u2019s amazing we have her as a colleague.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiSalvo isn\u0027t the only faculty collaborator.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/sofia-perez-guzman\u0022\u003ESof\u00eda P\u00e9rez-Guzm\u00e1n\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and a BBISS Faculty Fellow, has partnered with Kennard to survey Atlanta residents in West End and citywide about how they access food. Their next step: building a tool based on what they learned.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We\u0027re designing a decision-making tool that helps connect food locally, from producers to distributors and food access points in the community,\u0022 P\u00e9rez-Guzm\u00e1n said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENot every connection requires a grant or a formal project. Through the networks she is building and her continued engagement, Kennard has linked a local consulting group with a co-op needing strategic guidance and introduced a farmers market organizer to a food rescue partner. Community partner Fresh Harvest even referenced her food system network map in a recent presentation to WABE radio\u003Ca\u003E.\u003C\/a\u003E According to Kennard, it generated a lot of buzz, underscoring the appetite that Atlantans have for a shared picture of the food distribution ecosystem.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETwo Maps, One Goal\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth of Kennard\u0027s maps are expected to go live by the end of the summer. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/foodfutures.research.gatech.edu\/atlanta-food-systems-network-map\/\u0022\u003Enetwork map\u003C\/a\u003E identifies the organizations working in the space and how they connect. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/foodfutures.research.gatech.edu\/atlanta-food-systems-map\/#:~:text=Sustainable%20Systems%20(BBISS).-,Systems%20Map,-Alongside%20the%20network\u0022\u003Esystems map\u003C\/a\u003E, still being finalized, distills her interviews and engagement work into nine key thematic areas emerging as priorities for the city, along with competing visions of what a more resilient food system could look like.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe maps also anchor the research network Kennard co-leads with Emory University Associate Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/envs.emory.edu\/people\/bios\/burchfield-emily.html\u0022\u003EEmily Burchfield\u003C\/a\u003E and agrifood systems researcher\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/katem-d\/\u0022\u003EKate Mundon-Dixon\u003C\/a\u003E. The network has held two gatherings so far, one at a local hydroponic farm, where attendees added their own connections to the map. The network\u2019s active listserv now includes more than 55 organizations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Kennard, the goal was never a single map or tool. It was building the foundation and the infrastructure that let everyone else act together. \u0022I wanted to create this foundational research so that the academics and partners most poised to address specific challenges can create those teams and move forward together,\u0022 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe added that while most of her work is Atlanta-focused, it has implications for regional food access across Georgia. \u201cA key insight that came from my systems mapping work is the need to connect rural and urban growers to move forward a statewide agenda for a resilient food system,\u201d Kennard said. \u201cMy colleague at Emory, Emily Burchfield, is doing a lot more of the rural engagement, and we hope to align our work later.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEverybody in Atlanta\u0027s food space is doing amazing work, she added, noting that, \u0022If we can better align and coordinate under a shared vision and strategy, then we can actually move the needle on systems change, instead of just a few isolated things happening in different neighborhoods.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThree questions drive Nicole Kennard\u0027s research into Atlanta\u0027s local food system. How does Atlanta\u0027s local food ecosystem function today? How do the people working inside it envision its future? And where are the opportunities for transformation? She uses a systems map and a social network map to document what she learns and to connect Atlanta\u0027s food producers, distributers, and consumers.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Nicole Kennard researches Atlanta\u0027s food system using mapping and visualization techniques."}],"uid":"27338","created_gmt":"2026-08-28 17:04:53","changed_gmt":"2026-09-11 15:07:38","author":"Brent Verrill","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-08-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-08-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681003":{"id":"681003","type":"image","title":"Kennard_Food_Network_Workshop.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EL to R: Carl DiSalvo, Ingeborg Rocker, Nicole Kennard, Johannes Milz, and Vanshika Kumar.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1787936912","gmt_created":"2026-08-28 17:08:32","changed":"1787940193","gmt_changed":"2026-08-28 18:03:13","alt":"Five people stand side by side in a meeting or workshop space with large planning boards displayed behind them. The boards are covered with flowcharts, diagrams, handwritten notes, and sticky notes outlining process maps and project planning information. The group is positioned in front of the displays, with name tags visible.","file":{"fid":"265350","name":"Kennard_Food_Network_Workshop.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/08\/28\/Kennard_Food_Network_Workshop.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/08\/28\/Kennard_Food_Network_Workshop.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":985145,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/08\/28\/Kennard_Food_Network_Workshop.jpg?itok=5XSOpsDM"}}},"media_ids":["681003"],"groups":[{"id":"244191","name":"Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"},{"id":"106351","name":"food systems"},{"id":"11278","name":"Urban Agriculture"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBrent Verrill\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications Manager, BBISS\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"692242":{"#nid":"692242","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nine BBISS Faculty Fellows Appointed","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS) is pleased to announce the appointment of nine new faculty fellows for 2026. Selected for their outstanding leadership in sustainability-related research, these faculty members will join a growing community of scholars working to advance innovative solutions to some of the world\u0027s most pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEstablished in 2014, the BBISS Faculty Fellows program brings together distinguished faculty from across Georgia Tech to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, strengthen the sustainability research community, and advance the Institute\u0027s mission of generating real-world impact through research, education, and engagement. Serving three-year terms, fellows act as strategic advisors, community ambassadors, and thought leaders within the broader sustainability ecosystem. Building on this foundational vision, the BBISS Faculty Fellows program has evolved to meet the dynamic needs of modern sustainability leaders. The newly revamped program emphasizes active leadership development, offering tailored networking opportunities, connections with broader sustainability networks, and focused training to help fellows grow as influential voices in their respective fields. Through these enhancements, the BBISS Faculty Fellows program aims to empower early-career researchers to maximize their reach, elevate their research, and innovate transformative sustainability solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe 2026 cohort represents a wide range of expertise spanning AI and sustainability, sustainable finance, computational materials discovery, infrastructure systems, environmental chemistry, urban resilience, and community-engaged research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe 2026 BBISS Faculty Fellows are:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ebdd6fbeb1f5c84612d7d8b8ec428501d\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lmc.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/624a4663-6439-585b-8bb0-3633dbbf089f\u0022\u003EHeidi Biggs\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022eccad3040096319a501aee63554cbcea4\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/bowen-jennifer\u0022\u003EJennifer Bowen\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, College of Sciences.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ecfc8499e98dcbc37448e99cb5e031457\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/aa477a68-e824-5441-84f8-f9c968a402d7\u0022\u003EGaurav Doshi\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Economics, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e352d0010b0267e54c3729870e34e18a9\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/directory\/faculty\/he\/index.html\u0022\u003EXindi He\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, Scheller College of Business.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e511b1bb49a5411509b3a05c9f8d430d9\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/guoxiang-emma-hu\u0022\u003EGuoxiang (Emma) Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022eff1911cdc56eb3366df5283d34c60f51\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/user\/1086\u0022\u003ESuhas Jain\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e3f1be2753a61bfecda57015bdc34aafe\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arch.gatech.edu\/people\/patrick-kastner\u0022\u003EPatrick Kastner\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, College of Design.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e1682e55bd4bbe9706aa51550522f9131\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ic.gatech.edu\/people\/cindy-kaiying-lin\u0022\u003ECindy Kaiying Lin\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Interactive Computing, College of Computing.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e229f30d28bf1947b353468d749f1ef4c\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/julia-yang\u0022\u003EJulia Yang\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Engineering.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECollectively, their research addresses the sustainability of interconnected human, natural, and engineered systems, encompassing topics such as watershed resilience, resource stewardship, carbon cycling, circular materials management, and evidence-based environmental decision-making. Their diverse expertise fosters new interdisciplinary collaborations that accelerate the development of practical, scalable solutions for communities, industries, and ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are delighted to welcome this exceptional group of faculty leaders to the BBISS community,\u201d said BBISS Executive Director Beril Toktay. \u201cTheir expertise, creativity, and commitment to sustainability will help expand opportunities for collaboration and accelerate the impact of sustainability research across Georgia Tech and beyond.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS) has appointed nine new faculty fellows for 2026, selected for their leadership in sustainability research. These fellows will join an interdisciplinary community aiming to develop innovative solutions to environmental, social, and economic challenges. The BBISS Faculty Fellows program supports early-career researchers with leadership development and collaboration opportunities to enhance their impact in sustainability fields.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS) has appointed nine new faculty fellows for 2026, selected for their leadership in sustainability research."}],"uid":"27338","created_gmt":"2026-09-03 13:13:43","changed_gmt":"2026-09-03 13:19:00","author":"Brent Verrill","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681058":{"id":"681058","type":"image","title":"2026_BBISS_Fellows_Collage.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E(L to R, Top to Bottom) Heidi Biggs, Jennifer Bowen, Gaurav Doshi, Xindi He, Guoxiang (Emma) Hu, Suhas Jain, Patrick Kastner, Cindy Kaiying Lin, and Julia Yang.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788441245","gmt_created":"2026-09-03 13:14:05","changed":"1788441245","gmt_changed":"2026-09-03 13:14:05","alt":"Collage of nine headshot portraits arranged in a three-by-three grid. The portraits show individuals photographed from the shoulders up in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings, including office spaces, landscaped outdoor areas, and neutral backgrounds, with professional or business-casual attire. The images are evenly spaced and presented in a consistent square format with varied background colors and lighting conditions.","file":{"fid":"265408","name":"2026_BBISS_Fellows_Collage.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/03\/2026_BBISS_Fellows_Collage.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/03\/2026_BBISS_Fellows_Collage.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":734909,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/03\/2026_BBISS_Fellows_Collage.jpg?itok=00FtNGVb"}}},"media_ids":["681058"],"groups":[{"id":"244191","name":"Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBrent Verrill\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications Manager, BBISS\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691717":{"#nid":"691717","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Essie Knows Best","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech industrial design students traveled to an Atlanta nursing home expecting to redesign gardening tools for older adults. Instead, they discovered that the residents themselves were their most important teachers. Working alongside horticultural therapy participants at A.G. Rhodes, the students observed how aging changes the way people interact with everyday objects and learned that good design begins with listening, not assumptions. Together, they developed practical solutions that restored small but meaningful moments of independence, proving that the people living with a problem are indispensable partners in solving it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.research.gatech.edu\/feature\/essie-knows-best\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The lesson only nursing home residents can teach Georgia Tech design students."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech industrial design students traveled to an Atlanta nursing home expecting to redesign gardening tools for older adults. Instead, they discovered that the residents themselves were their most important teachers. Working alongside horticultural therapy participants at A.G. Rhodes, the students observed how aging changes the way people interact with everyday objects and learned that good design begins with listening, not assumptions. Together, they developed practical solutions that restored small but meaningful moments of independence, proving that the people living with a problem are indispensable partners in solving it.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Designing with people, rather than for them, can restore independence while teaching future designers lessons no classroom alone can provide."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2026-08-17 13:40:52","changed_gmt":"2026-08-17 16:37:22","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-08-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-08-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680891":{"id":"680891","type":"image","title":"essie-final-thumb.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE: Georgia Tech industrial design student Olivia Chan (left) works alongside A.G. Rhodes resident Essie Bailey-Demic during a horticultural therapy session. By observing and designing with residents rather than for them, students developed tools that help restore independence.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1786981054","gmt_created":"2026-08-17 15:37:34","changed":"1786981054","gmt_changed":"2026-08-17 15:37:34","alt":"Two people work with potted plants in a greenhouse filled with hanging and tabletop greenery during a gardening activity.","file":{"fid":"265223","name":"essie-final-thumb.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/08\/17\/essie-final-thumb.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/08\/17\/essie-final-thumb.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":518282,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/08\/17\/essie-final-thumb.jpg?itok=pFwAUrAx"}}},"media_ids":["680891"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195203","name":"go-noshow"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}