{"688499":{"#nid":"688499","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Delta Air Lines Foundation Makes $5M Commitment for New Aerospace Engineering Building","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Delta Air Lines Foundation has made a $5 million commitment to advance the construction of Georgia Tech\u2019s new Aerospace Engineering Building. The ambitious capital project will elevate one of the nation\u2019s top-ranked aerospace programs, fuel the state\u2019s economy, and accelerate innovation across the aviation industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/building-future-aerospace-engineering\u0022\u003EAerospace Engineering Building\u003C\/a\u003E will expand research capabilities in areas such as advanced aircraft design, propulsion, materials, cybersecurity, autonomy, and emerging technologies like hydrogen and eVTOL concepts. These efforts will help drive innovation benefiting the aerospace ecosystem.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am deeply grateful to The Delta Air Lines Foundation for their support of this new world-class facility that will house one of the best aerospace engineering programs in the world,\u201d said \u00c1ngel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. \u201cTheir help and participation will be key to the development of the talent, research, and innovation that will secure our state\u2019s position as a global hub for aerospace technology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new building will serve as the home for Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EDaniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, which is ranked No. 1 among public institutions and No. 2 overall by U.S. News \u0026amp; World Report. Enrolling more than 2,300 students and leading $54.5 million in annual aerospace related research activity, the School is one of the largest and most influential aerospace engineering programs in the country.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt The Delta Air Lines Foundation, we are committed to supporting education to advance the future of aviation. Our collaboration with Georgia Tech reflects our belief in the impact of innovation and sustainable technologies. This investment will help equip students to explore new ideas, develop more efficient solutions, and contribute to a stronger, forward\u2011looking aerospace industry,\u201d said John Laughter, trustee of The Delta Air Lines Foundation and Georgia Tech graduate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Delta Air Lines Foundation\u2019s commitment aligns with Georgia Tech\u2019s goals to expand the aerospace engineering program, bolster the talent pipeline, and drive economic impact for Georgia and the Southeast.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMitchell Walker, William R.T. Oakes Jr. School Chair in the Guggenheim School, said,\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u201cThis commitment from The Delta Air Lines Foundation strengthens our ability to deliver a rigorous, hands-on aerospace engineering education through modern spaces for research, instruction, and collaboration. It will also convene leaders in aerospace technology to accelerate our work in sustainable aviation and the workforce development needed to achieve cleaner and more efficient flight.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis investment builds on the longstanding collaboration between The Delta Air Lines Foundation, Delta Air Lines, and Georgia Tech, supporting research, innovation, and workforce development that strengthens Georgia\u2019s economy and contributes to progress across the global aviation industry. Aligned with Georgia Tech\u2019s mission to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition, this significant commitment is included in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/transformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETransforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and propelling its success. By supporting Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in aerospace education and research, The Delta Air Lines Foundation is helping catalyze the ideas, technologies, and talent that will shape the future of aviation in Georgia and beyond.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Delta Air Lines Foundation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Delta Air Lines Foundation is a nonprofit corporation formed in 1968 to enhance Delta\u2019s charitable giving. The Foundation is focused on the key areas of environment, equity,\u0026nbsp;education,\u0026nbsp;and entire wellness. In the past decade, the Foundation has awarded more than $150\u0026nbsp;million in grants to nonprofit organizations across the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe ambitious capital project will elevate one of the nation\u2019s top-ranked aerospace programs, fuel the state\u2019s economy, and accelerate innovation across the aviation industry.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The ambitious capital project will elevate one of the nation\u2019s top-ranked aerospace programs, fuel the state\u2019s economy, and accelerate innovation across the aviation industry."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-02-25 12:52:29","changed_gmt":"2026-02-25 12:48:18","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679414":{"id":"679414","type":"image","title":"Proposed rendering of new Aerospace Engineering Building","body":"\u003Cp\u003EProposed rendering of new Aerospace Engineering Building, subject to change.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1771960898","gmt_created":"2026-02-24 19:21:38","changed":"1771960898","gmt_changed":"2026-02-24 19:21:38","alt":"Proposed rendering of new Aerospace Engineering Building","file":{"fid":"263576","name":"_SW-Twilight-FINAL_QL_PS.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/24\/_SW-Twilight-FINAL_QL_PS.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/24\/_SW-Twilight-FINAL_QL_PS.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2071714,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/24\/_SW-Twilight-FINAL_QL_PS.jpg?itok=8biFMKKW"}}},"media_ids":["679414"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/building-future-aerospace-engineering","title":"Building the Future of Aerospace Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"660364","name":"Aerospace Engineering"},{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1262","name":"Office of Development"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"6317","name":"AE"},{"id":"2082","name":"aerospace engineering"},{"id":"351","name":"development"},{"id":"194752","name":"transforming tomorrow"},{"id":"2096","name":"philanthropy"}],"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:anne.stanford@dev.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAnne Stanford\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003EOffice of Development\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688257":{"#nid":"688257","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Christos Athanasiou to Receive 2025 Eshelby Mechanics Award for Young Faculty","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChristos Athanasiou\u003C\/strong\u003E, assistant professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, has been selected to receive the 2025 Eshelby Mechanics Award for Young Faculty. Presented annually by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asme.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the award recognizes rapidly emerging junior faculty who exemplify originality, depth, and impact in the development and application of mechanics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Eshelby Mechanics Award was established in 2012\u202fin memory of\u202fProfessor John Douglas Eshelby\u0026nbsp;to promote the field of mechanics, among young researchers. The award will be formally presented at the 2026 Applied Mechanics Division Awards Banquet during the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in November.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAthanasiou and his team advance the fundamental mechanics and physics of materials and translates these insights into systems-level design strategies that address global challenges in resource efficiency and sustainable development. His research integrates advanced experimental methods capable of capturing material behavior under realistic operational conditions, mechanics-based design principles, and tailored AI- and physics-informed modeling frameworks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETogether, these efforts enable the development of life-cycle-efficient, cost-effective materials and structures for applications ranging from sustainable packaging to aerospace systems and space construction. His recent work published in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2502613122\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E (PNAS)\u003C\/em\u003E introduced a bioinspired framework to improve plastic recycling while addressing a foundational mechanics question: how can we build reliable structures from inherently variable materials?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAthanasiou is also the recipient of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/opportunities\/career-faculty-early-career-development-program\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2024 NSF CAREER Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/christos-athanasiou-receives-asme-orr-early-career-award\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EASME Orr Early Career Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and is a Climate Tech Fellow at the New York Climate Exchange.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChristos Athanasiou\u003C\/strong\u003E, assistant professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, has been selected to receive the 2025 Eshelby Mechanics Award for Young Faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The award recognizes early-career researchers who\u2019ve made impactful contributions to the field of mechanics."}],"uid":"36345","created_gmt":"2026-02-13 16:57:40","changed_gmt":"2026-02-13 17:03:06","author":"gwaddell3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679280":{"id":"679280","type":"image","title":"headshot-anthansiou.png","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/christos-e-athanasiou\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChristos E Athanasiou\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAssistant Professor\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1771002011","gmt_created":"2026-02-13 17:00:11","changed":"1771002011","gmt_changed":"2026-02-13 17:00:11","alt":"Christos Anthanasiou headshot","file":{"fid":"263417","name":"headshot-anthansiou.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/13\/headshot-anthansiou.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/13\/headshot-anthansiou.png","mime":"image\/png","size":943888,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/13\/headshot-anthansiou.png?itok=hBe5dgbw"}}},"media_ids":["679280"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/christos-athanasiou-receives-asme-orr-early-career-award","title":"Christos Athanasiou Receives the ASME Orr Early Career Award"},{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/04\/georgia-tech-researchers-pioneer-eco-friendly-building-materials-earth-and-mars","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Pioneer Eco-Friendly Building Materials for Earth and Mars"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1239","name":"School of Aerospace Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"42921","name":"Exhibitions"},{"id":"42891","name":"Georgia Tech Arts"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2082","name":"aerospace engineering"}],"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\u003EMonique Waddell\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["monique.waddell@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}