{"691898":{"#nid":"691898","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Launches Statewide Hub to Build Aerospace Technical Talent","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is leading a new NASA-supported workforce development initiative designed to expand aerospace education and strengthen Georgia\u0027s pipeline of skilled technical talent needed for future space missions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-establishes-state-hubs-to-grow-technical-aerospace-workforce\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENext Gen STEM (NGS) NASA Aerospace Skilled Technical Workforce Hubs (NAS_Hub) grant award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech will play a central role in addressing a critical labor shortage in the booming aerospace industry and enhance the state\u2019s role as an aerospace industry leader in the global space economy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeginning this fall, the three-year, $1.5 million award will establish the Southeast Space Technology \u0026amp; Aerospace Readiness Skills (SE-STARS) Hub. The hub will expand opportunities for training and workforce readiness in high-demand technical careers in aerospace.\u003Cbr\u003EThe SE-STARS Hub includes the Georgia Space Grant Consortium (GSGC), Georgia Tech\u2019s Space Research Institute (SRI), the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI), the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Georgia Southern University, Georgia College and Career Academies, Georgia Aerospace \u0026amp; Defense Alliance (GADA), and select Georgia aerospace employers to support the growing aerospace industry and NASA missions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAerospace products are Georgia\u2019s No. 1 export and the state has more than 800 companies supporting aviation, manufacturing, research, maintenance, repair, and operations.\u0026nbsp; Many aerospace and engineering positions rely on skilled technical workers whose training pathways do not require a four-year, or advanced degree. There are significant gaps in technical roles such as machinists, electronics technicians, test operators, and systems integrators. These shortages are driven by an aging workforce and a projected national shortfall of at least one million skilled technical workers by 2030. (National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, 2025). The gap also stems from the rapid pace of technological advancement, where even current skills can quickly become obsolete if not constantly renewed.\u0026nbsp; All this combines to create an urgent need for training to support new and sustainable aerospace career pathways.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStephen Ruffin\u003C\/strong\u003E, interim chair of the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering and GSGC director will serve as the principal investigator (PI).\u0026nbsp; \u003Cstrong\u003EJud Ready\u003C\/strong\u003E, executive director of SRI; \u003Cstrong\u003ELori Skillings\u003C\/strong\u003E, GSGC; \u003Cstrong\u003EHossein Taheri\u003C\/strong\u003E, Georgia Southern University; and \u003Cstrong\u003ESteven Ferguson\u003C\/strong\u003E, GTMI, will serve as co-PIs.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJeffrey McNabb\u003C\/strong\u003E, a research engineer in Georgia Tech\u2019s Aerospace Systems Design Lab (ASDL), will serve as the program manager, leading day-to-day operations and coordinating the project team.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This initiative strengthens Georgia\u0027s position as a leader in aerospace innovation and manufacturing while providing new opportunities for students and industries across the state,\u0022 said\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ERuffin.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECoordination between public education systems, industry, and workforce agencies can sometimes be limited. SE-STARS will act as a \u0022hub\u0022 to bridge these gaps, connecting Georgia Tech and its specialized research institutes with TCSG\u2019s 22 colleges and 88 campuses to provide statewide access to training.\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cAnother advantage of the program is the stronger network it creates,\u201d said Ruffin. \u201cEach organization in the SE-STARS team has unique capabilities but together we will strengthen the technical workforce pipeline across Georgia and the broader Southeast.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe SE-STARS team will collaborate with industry partners to develop curriculum aligned with workforce needs. \u201cThe easily ported curricula we develop will be tailored for other institutions to adopt directly, creating a consistent foundation of skills and competencies that employers can universally expect from program graduates across Georgia,\u201d Ready said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents will access training through a statewide network of technical colleges serving as regional instructional nodes, which offer flexible online options and hands-on paid apprenticeships to ensure broad geographic reach.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program also reaches K-12 and adult learners through career academies and specialized STEM labs, creating a structured, sustainable transition from early education to high-demand aerospace credentials.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EGTMI will support this work through its Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Program, which connects industry-informed training with pathways into high-demand advanced manufacturing careers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia\u0027s expanding aerospace and space sectors are creating high-paying jobs and driving economic growth,\u201d said Ruffin. \u201cThis program will help develop the skilled workforce needed to support that growth and Georgia\u2019s competitiveness in the space economy.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EFollowing NASA\u0027s announcement, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/atlanta\/news\/nasa-taps-georgia-tech-for-10-5-million-push-to-build-the-space-workforce\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECBS News Atlanta featured Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVideo courtesy of CBS News Atlanta.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A $1.5 million NASA award will support aerospace education, workforce development, and entrepreneurship programs across Georgia."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia Tech is leading a new statewide workforce development initiative funded by a three-year, $1.5 million NASA award to strengthen aerospace education and address critical shortages of skilled technical workers across Georgia. The Southeast Space Technology \u0026amp; Aerospace Readiness Skills (SE-STARS) Hub will bring together Georgia Tech, the Technical College System of Georgia, universities, industry partners, and workforce organizations to create training programs, apprenticeships, and career pathways in high-demand aerospace fields. By connecting K-12 students, adult learners, technical colleges, and employers, the initiative aims to build a sustainable talent pipeline that supports Georgia\u2019s growing aerospace sector and future NASA mission\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech is leading a new NASA-supported workforce development initiative designed to expand aerospace education and strengthen Georgia\u0027s pipeline of skilled technical talent needed for future space missions. "}],"uid":"36345","created_gmt":"2026-08-24 15:43:56","changed_gmt":"2026-08-26 13:55:29","author":"gwaddell3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680962":{"id":"680962","type":"image","title":"machine-shop-for-article.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAE Machine Shop with students.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1787586344","gmt_created":"2026-08-24 15:45:44","changed":"1787586344","gmt_changed":"2026-08-24 15:45:44","alt":"Machine shop with students","file":{"fid":"265302","name":"machine-shop-for-article.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/08\/24\/machine-shop-for-article.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/08\/24\/machine-shop-for-article.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1749821,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/08\/24\/machine-shop-for-article.jpg?itok=YAPuk9Hn"}}},"media_ids":["680962"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/how-georgia-techs-step-camp-expanding-engineering-opportunities-across-georgia","title":"How Georgia Tech\u0027s STEP Camp Is Expanding Engineering Opportunities Across Georgia"}],"groups":[{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1325","name":"aerospace"},{"id":"59541","name":"workforce development"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMonique Waddell\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["monique.waddell@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690590":{"#nid":"690590","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Engineering Safer Skies","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the skies grow more congested, from low Earth orbit to downtown airspace, the need for smarter autonomous systems has never been greater. Collisions in space have become an expensive problem, and urban air mobility is an option worth exploring given the increasing traffic problems plaguing major cities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EManaging these complexities is a mathematical challenge and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/c3uae\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EControl, Coordination, and Competition under Uncertainty (C3U) Lab\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is tackling it head-on. Led by Assistant Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/sarah-hq-li\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESarah H.Q. Li\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the lab develops algorithms to help satellites make decisions to avoid orbital conflicts. She\u2018s developed an algorithm that allows a servicing satellite to assist other satellites that find themselves spinning out of control. Li is exploring airspace management for urban mobility, as well. She specializes in multi-agent systems and in interactive decision-making among autonomous vehicles, humans, and aircraft.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPreventing Debris from Derailing the Mission\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EColliding with debris can end a satellite\u2019s mission in an instant, causing significant damage or sending the spacecraft into an uncontrollable spin. With growing congestion in low Earth orbit, other objects in space can put satellites at risk, and a poorly timed maneuver, to avoid space debris or another spacecraft, can be just as dangerous as not maneuvering at all. Li\u2019s research helps autonomous satellites reason through these encounters, coordinate with servicing satellites when needed, and decide when it\u2019s safest to move or hold position.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSatellite operators haven\u2019t established methods to automate collision\u2011avoidance maneuvers,\u201d Li said. \u201cA major challenge is the significant uncertainty that space operators must manage. Uncertainty in space exceeds what ground\u2011based autonomous systems encounter.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Earth, autonomous vehicles generally know their precise location, so the problem becomes determining how far or in which direction to move. In space, position estimates can span hundreds of kilometers. Often, operators on the ground simply cannot determine whether two objects will collide. To move or not to move becomes a critical question, especially with large differences in fuel costs. \u0026nbsp;Frequent moves can quickly deplete a satellite\u2019s limited fuel. Li\u2019s algorithm incorporates guidance used for ground\u2011based autonomous systems that\u2019s modified to account for these challenges. Li\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2508.05876\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Epaper\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E presented at the\u0026nbsp;American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Astrodynamics Specialist 2025 Conference detailing this work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond collision avoidance, satellites must also survive an impact. When a satellite is hit by debris or accumulates momentum over time, it can begin spinning unpredictably. Once that happens, stabilizing the satellite becomes extremely complicated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a recent AIAA SciTech Forum \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arc.aiaa.org\/doi\/abs\/10.2514\/6.2026-0407\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Epaper\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ELi and her team demonstrated a momentum\u2011balanced contact strategy that enables a servicing satellite to safely approach and stabilize a free\u2011spinning object. They simulated a it equipped with a robotic arm that approaches the spinning object and matches its rotation. Once the two are synchronized, the robotic arm extends and grabs the spinning object and stabilizes its orientation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey\u2019re approaching this research in multiple stages. The core algorithm is already functional, so the team is building a higher\u2011fidelity simulation environment to validate their approach. Once they validate the algorithm through additional experiments, they will transition to physical tests using drones.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENavigating City Skyways\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, C3U is focused on urban mobility issues with shared air space. As traffic negatively impacts major cities, and supply and demand for goods increases, the airways become a major consideration for transportation in urban areas. Once more urban airways are open, much like highways, there must be a system to avoid collision and confusion.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;In shared airspace, multiple drones, each traveling to their own destination, must navigate potential conflicts as they cross one another\u2019s paths. To manage this, Li applies principles from auction theory. In this framework, drones \u201cbid\u201d for access to specific portions of the airspace based on vehicle-specific preferences like specific altitudes, routes and visibility.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAn auctioneer\u2011like mechanism, similar to an air traffic controller, evaluates these bids and assigns routes accordingly, sometimes granting a preferred path, and other times determining that no safe route is available. The system is designed to encourage each drone to bid truthfully according to its actual needs, preventing both overbidding and underbidding,\u201d Li explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy ensuring truthful participation, the mechanism can allocate airspace efficiently and fairly, allowing individually optimal decisions to produce coordinated, system\u2011wide safety.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEconomic models typically assume a direct link between price and reward, but engineering doesn\u2019t work that way,\u201d Li said. \u201cIn our world, everything depends on dynamics\u2014how vehicles move, how routes connect, and how safety constraints interact in real time. Our inputs are acceleration vectors to the drone, which controls how the drone moves through space, and the outputs are where it ends up. Only after that can we determine the true \u2018reward.\u2019 Engineering forces us to account for complex physical behavior. Part of my work is figuring out how to bridge those two worlds.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI Anticipating Human Intent\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EC3U is also exploring how large language models (LLMs), advanced systems designed to understand and generate human language, can help autonomous aircraft understand human pilots. They are developing an LLM\u2011enabled system that can listen to real\u2011time radio communications and interpret pilot intentions, allowing autonomous aircraft to anticipate pilot in unpredictable environments rather than simply reacting to it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a recent \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2509.14063\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Epaper\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E Li co-authored, she examined how LLMs can predict and improve landings at airports without a control tower.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cWe are looking at using LLMs to process information so autonomous systems can infer what pilots are planning,\u201d Li explained. \u201cBy converting unstructured audio into structured content, the system allows autonomous aircraft to plan more safely.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Li, the project represents another step toward a future where autonomous vehicles can navigate complex, uncertain environments by understanding dynamics and the human language shaping the airspace around them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca\u003EThe C\u00b3U Lab\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E develops algorithms that allow satellites and planes to make complex decisions in uncertain environments.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Sarah Li creates technology that helps satellites and aircraft make smart, real\u2011time decisions in crowded, unpredictable conditions."}],"uid":"36345","created_gmt":"2026-06-02 13:10:25","changed_gmt":"2026-06-02 13:22:01","author":"gwaddell3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680400":{"id":"680400","type":"image","title":"Sarah-li-lab.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/c3uae\/\u0022\u003EControl, Coordination, and Competition under Uncertainty (C3U) Lab\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780405947","gmt_created":"2026-06-02 13:12:27","changed":"1780405947","gmt_changed":"2026-06-02 13:12:27","alt":"c3u lab","file":{"fid":"264656","name":"Sarah-li-lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/Sarah-li-lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/Sarah-li-lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":223705,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/02\/Sarah-li-lab.jpg?itok=RlF2rDjA"}},"680399":{"id":"680399","type":"image","title":"chart-cropped.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPredictions from GoalPredictor and TrajAirNet vs. true path of N624AQ\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780405841","gmt_created":"2026-06-02 13:10:41","changed":"1780405841","gmt_changed":"2026-06-02 13:10:41","alt":"Predictions from GoalPredictor and TrajAirNet vs. true path of N624AQ","file":{"fid":"264655","name":"chart-cropped.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/chart-cropped.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/02\/chart-cropped.png","mime":"image\/png","size":383507,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/02\/chart-cropped.png?itok=jwd1XgoI"}}},"media_ids":["680400","680399"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/georgia-tech-collaborate-67-million-nasa-university-leadership-initiative","title":"Georgia Tech to Collaborate on $6.7 Million NASA University Leadership Initiative"},{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/10\/ae-professors-research-aims-improve-decision-making-artificial-intelligence","title":"AE Professor\u2019s Research Aims to Improve Decision-Making in Artificial Intelligence"}],"groups":[{"id":"1239","name":"School of Aerospace Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1325","name":"aerospace"},{"id":"179801","name":"urban air mobility"},{"id":"169609","name":"satellite"},{"id":"189101","name":"algorithm design"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMonique Waddell\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["monique.waddell@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}