{"690487":{"#nid":"690487","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Maximizing Impact: An Honors Program Alum\u2019s Story of Success ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs students, a common piece of advice we are told is to \u003Cem\u003Efollow our dreams\u003C\/em\u003E. We are told to take advantage of all the opportunities that come our way, to create opportunities we wish existed, to seize the day, to make our college experiences count, to use our time wisely\u2026 And for many of us, the natural follow up question is\u2026 \u003Cem\u003EHow\u003C\/em\u003E? \u003Cem\u003EHow do we make the most of our opportunities\u003C\/em\u003E, and perhaps even, \u003Cem\u003Ehow do we find them in the first place\u003C\/em\u003E?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Becky Byler (\u002713) has concrete insight regarding these questions. Dr. Byler grew up practicing the philosophy of \u201ctaking the long cut,\u201d a mindset that she says emphasizes \u201cleaning creatively into liminal space\u201d and\u003Cem\u003E not \u003C\/em\u003Egoing through life finding the quickest, easiest path towards a goal. She values enriching her portfolio of life experiences as opposed to taking shortcuts, and above all, being intentional with how she spends her time.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a B.S. Biomedical Engineering major within the Honors Program, Dr. Byler ensured she stayed busy at Georgia Tech. During her undergrad, she additionally attained two minors (Chemistry and Women, Science, and Technology) and a certificate in Spanish, with additional degree designations via GT\u2019s International Plan and Research Option. As part of her International Plan curricula, Dr. Byler completed academic semesters at Spain\u2019s Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Val\u00e9ncia (UPV) and Mexico\u2019s Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de M\u00e9xico (UNAM) and worked abroad in Honduras, Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru. In her last year at GT, Dr. Byler was also a Teaching Assistant for four Biomedical Engineering core courses.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Byler devoted immense effort into research initiatives, working in in the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech and at Emory\u2019s Rollins School of Public Health. Dr. Byler shared that she received some initial hesitancy as an engineer who wanted to work in the public health field, but it was precisely this \u201cresearch long cut\u0022 that had the biggest directional impact on her future profession: \u201cI must have emailed about 50 labs at Emory my freshman year until I found someone willing to take a chance on me and let me first explore what I now call \u2018humanitarian bioengineering\u2019. That first year in my two labs, I was a sponge learning all that I could on the [public health] lab\u2019s various projects... mosquito collection \u0026amp; identification, mathematical modeling, and even trapping wild squirrels in Grant Park until I gained enough knowledge to start formulating my own research ideas at the intersection of engineering and infectious disease back at Georgia Tech... like designing a biodegradable device for releasing genetically modified mosquitos to combat Dengue and developing a better microfluidic diagnostic platform for malaria after I quantified differences in infected cell stiffness.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to research, Dr. Byler explored Atlanta-based internships and global projects. Dr. Byler found her home first semester with Engineers Without Borders, ultimately holding leadership positions on well drilling and water distribution projects in Honduras and Cameroon, and she volunteered monthly with Engineering World Health to repair broken medical equipment for use in low- and middle-income countries. Dr. Byler also worked at The Carter Center as a development volunteer to improve donor recruitment and funding management for global initiatives including the guinea worm eradication program. In her final year at GT, Dr. Byler\u2019s all-female capstone team designed a sit-squat toilet for refugees (SafiChoo) that won First Prize and People\u2019s Choice Award in the 2014 Inventure Prize competition. To help her team with translation, Dr. Byler interrupted her gap year of hiking across South America to fly to Kenya to build the toilet prototypes they piloted in the Kakuma Refugee Camp.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Byler praises Georgia Tech for building her perspective on the interconnection between STEM and policy and for nurturing her governing framework of leading interdisciplinary efforts in critical spaces for social impact. Dr. Byler positively reflected on her intentionality in weaving and expanding her diverse experiences at Georgia Tech into focused, sustainable development opportunities and science diplomacy initiatives that have continued past graduation, sharing, \u201cmy policy work inherently informs the research that I do, just like my research informs the policy work that I do. I think it\u0027s kind of hard to have one without the other because my science and my research are truly grounded in community and this notion of intertwined progress and service.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Byler emphasized that opportunities arise in every single situation, even the events or experiences you might perceive as being uneventful or unrelated. It is absolutely crucial to remember that in those instances, \u201cjust placing yourself in the vicinity of people and not being afraid to walk up and have conversations, even if you don\u0027t necessarily know where they\u0027re going to lead or even if they\u0027re going to lead to anything tangible, is a mindset worth strengthening.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe connected this idea with personal experience presenting her research at a dermatology conference early in her graduate training: Dr. Byler didn\u0027t know anyone at this conference. Her poster was hung in the back corner of the exhibition hall. The conference was moving slowly, so Dr. Byler started a conversation with the person whose poster was across from hers, comparing their research projects, finding connections, and chatting about their niche interests. This initial, casual connection sparked a longer conversation and, eventually, a rich professional collaboration that added a new dimension to her translational research. Dr. Byler adds, \u201cit\u0027s now turned into about four or five different publications and has been this really, really fascinating, interesting intersection of bringing in patient perspectives and patient-centered outcomes at all stages of biotech R\u0026amp;D.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo for us students at GT, what does this mean?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOpportunities are not bound to jump out at us in the form of an email invite or a flyer taped to our dorm doors. Creating avenues for ourselves and finding ways to make the most out of situations we might have thought would not end as positively as we hoped. Creating chances to get involved and find success is about being intentional about how we use our voice, our time, and our ability to \u201cfind and connect with others in a genuine way,\u201d Dr. Byler asserts. Every conversation or new connection isn\u2019t bound to metamorphosize into a full-blown research project, but Dr. Byler emphasizes that students should \u201cmake it a habit to constantly seek new knowledge\u201d and \u201ctake a path for the sake of the path itself\u201d as she believes it is an almost foolproof way to someday land an opportunity, interest, passion, or dream that you never expected to exist.\u0026nbsp; \u201cAt the very least, you\u2019ll definitely make a new friend or have a good story to tell.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Byler was one of the recipients (not once, but seven times!) of the HP Challenge Fund, an avenue that still exists for JMHP students today. The Challenge Fund is a long-standing Honors Program initiative that provides students a $500 grant meant to encourage students to consider service-oriented experiences, motivate attendance to academic or leadership conferences, and support innovative projects of students\u2019 own design. Some of Dr. Byler\u2019s long cut adventures sponsored by the Challenge Fund include getting her Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification as her final project for her HP Bioethics Seminar, an Engineers Without Borders trip to Cameroon for a solar-powered well project, a science \u0026amp; technology policy trip to Washington DC, a biotechnology industry trip to Puerto Rico and hiking in El Yunque national forest, and attending the CDC\u2019s first ever engineering in public health symposium. Additionally, the Challenge Fund supported gear rental for Dr. Byler\u2019s fall break section hike of Appalachian Trail and travel resources to give an oral presentation on her thesis work at the Biomedical Engineering Society\u2019s annual conference. Making the most of moments and finding unique ways to combine and dive even deeper into our personal interests is a takeaway we can gain here. As Dr. Byler reflects, \u201cSometimes you only need a little financial spark to turn a thought from ember to fire! The HP Challenge Fund was pivotal during the many inflection points I had along my journey at GT.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne core piece of advice Dr. Byler emphasized was to\u003Cem\u003E know your why\u003C\/em\u003E. What exactly drives your decision to get up in the morning, to attend the event, to take the class, to do the research? Beyond the \u2018I have been doing this forever!\u2019 reason, ensure that you have a deeper, more meaningful rationale. She discussed how students might dive deep into a subject or niche area and stick with it long-term simply because they find it difficult to overcome inertia and make a shift - even if a shift is exactly what that student needs to stay inspired and committed to their work.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen you need to make a shift, however, Dr. Byler shares that it is critical to be grounded in your core beliefs and your core values. These ideas, philosophies, and ways of life create a personal framework and unique vision that you can come back to if you find that the new path you decide to take, or perhaps a career shift, does not end up fitting. For Dr. Byler, these core values are progress and service. She suggests reflecting on and generating your own list of 3-5 core values, not only to find your next step, but also to ensure you \u201cself-consistently navigate unexpected situations and outcomes.\u201d Dr. Byler expands: \u201cif you\u0027re grounded in who you are as a person, in your own value set, I think that risk will always be worth it. Jumping into those liminal spaces will always be worth it. Because without risk, you\u0027re just going to be sitting in your comfort zone.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen students get trapped in this whirlwind, it\u2019s crucial that they self-reflect. Dr. Byler explains, \u0022sometimes we don\u0027t know that paths exist to us outside of what we interact with\u2026if you don\u0027t take the time to continually check in with yourself, then I really think you\u2019re doing yourself a disservice. Some years there are more doors that I close than I leave propped open after exploring, but every long cut \u2013 whether I stay on that path or not \u2013 teaches me something about myself.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGT and Honors Program alum Dr. Becky Byler is a true inspiration. She motivates us to create our own path, urges us not to take shortcuts and instead focus on gaining valuable experiences, and inspires us to be mindful of \u201cwhy\u201d we\u2019re taking part in the activities we chose to invest time.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollowing GT, Dr. Byler pioneered first-of-its-kind graduate training at Yale University by embedding a Master of Public Health (Epidemiology) at Yale School of Public Health within a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. She also completed Yale graduate certificates in regulatory affairs, global health, and college teaching. Dr. Byler is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Yale School of Medicine where she leverages 3D biofabrication and biomaterials to \u201cbetter understand and treat scientifically and socially complex diseases that impact the Global South and its US-based diaspora.\u201d Dr. Byler continues her pursuit of long cuts both within and outside of her research lab including an internship in nanotechnology policy at the United Nations and co-founding Chagas Disease Alliance at Yale (CDAY) with Dr. Bernardo Lombo. CDAY brings together clinicians, researchers, public health professionals, and policymakers to better diagnose and treat Chagas Disease through active data collection in Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador, and Connecticut. Dr. Byler also serves as a member of the World Health Organization\u2019s working group on Skin Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), providing subject expertise on non-animal models of skin for R\u0026amp;D. Dr. Byler remains extensively involved with the John H. Martinson Honors Program and Stamps Presidents Scholars Program as an alum.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Becky Byler has had a multifaceted journey, taking her from Georgia Tech and the Honors Program to Yale University as a postdoctoral fellow.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dr. Becky Byler has had a multifaceted journey, taking her from Georgia Tech and the Honors Program to Yale University as a postdoctoral fellow."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-05-27 01:16:34","changed_gmt":"2026-05-27 01:16:57","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690113":{"#nid":"690113","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Student Receives Goldwater Scholarship","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe John H. Martinson Honors Program is thrilled to celebrate Melody Lee, a third-year Computer Science major with minors in Mathematics and Physics, for being named a 2026 recipient of the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMelody\u2019s application highlighted her research in simulating quantum dynamics, a project she has presented at both the Georgia Collegiate Honors Conference and for Mr. John H. Martinson. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship, a premier undergraduate award for the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering, recognizes her dedication to this research. Beyond the financial support, Melody is most excited to join the prestigious Goldwater community, where she plans to utilize their series of webinars and events to help prepare for graduate school applications. Ultimately, she intends to continue her study of physics in graduate school, potentially incorporating research experience at national labs, using mathematics and computer science-based approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond her research, Melody is a valued member of the Georgia Tech community. She brings her artistic talents to the GT Science Olympiad as part of the sign and social media team, where she enjoys designing media to promote and support the event. When she isn\u2019t researching or helping with the Science Olympiad, you can often find Melody running along the Beltline or exploring Piedmont Park.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMelody credits the Honors Program for providing her with a supportive community including her roommates. and invaluable academic opportunities, such as conference planning and presenting. Reflecting on her journey so far, Melody says that if she had the chance to do it all over again, she would engage even more with the program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe are so proud of all that Melody has achieved and cannot wait to see what she accomplishes next!\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMelody Lee, a third-year Computer Science major and member of the John H. Martinson Honors Program and Stamps President\u0027s Scholars Program, is a 2026 recipient of the Goldwater Scholarship.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Melody Lee, a third-year Computer Science major and member of the John H. Martinson Honors Program and Stamps President\u0027s Scholars Program, is a 2026 recipient of the Goldwater Scholarship."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-05-04 12:19:51","changed_gmt":"2026-05-04 12:21:16","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680148":{"id":"680148","type":"image","title":"headshot.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1777897202","gmt_created":"2026-05-04 12:20:02","changed":"1777897202","gmt_changed":"2026-05-04 12:20:02","alt":"Headshot photo of Melody Lee","file":{"fid":"264390","name":"headshot.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/headshot.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/headshot.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":95825,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/04\/headshot.jpeg?itok=Q3evRJNL"}},"680147":{"id":"680147","type":"image","title":"scioly_group_photo.JPG","body":null,"created":"1777897202","gmt_created":"2026-05-04 12:20:02","changed":"1777897202","gmt_changed":"2026-05-04 12:20:02","alt":"Photo of Melody Lee and a group of other students at the Science Olympiad","file":{"fid":"264389","name":"scioly_group_photo.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/scioly_group_photo.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/04\/scioly_group_photo.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":600744,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/04\/scioly_group_photo.JPG?itok=zH774H7h"}}},"media_ids":["680148","680147"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690065":{"#nid":"690065","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Student Secures $500k Seed Funding for Startup ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAarush Yadav, a second-year computer science major and member of the John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP), secured a $500k pre-seed for his startup\u2014The Subvocal Company\u2014from pre-seed venture capital firm Afore Capital. Aarush\u2019s love for building began long before his time at Tech, driving him to create robust innovations that improve your day-to-day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince coding a video game based on a popular book series at 8 years old, technology and innovation have been cornerstones in his life. This passion for creation led him to create his first startup, GreenSat, an Agricultural Technology company that utilized satellite data to provide actionable crop insights to small landholding Indian farmers. For GreenSat, he successfully raised $250k of venture funding and scaled it to $2M+ in annual revenue by the end of his high school career.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn his arrival at Tech, Aarush set out to build the next frontier of human-computer interaction in his current startup. The Subvocal Company sets to build a wearable that sits behind your ear and decodes your subvocalized thoughts into text to allow you to control computers and AI agents. The core function works by picking up bio signals around your face and using The Subvocal Company\u2019s proprietary foundation thought-to-text AI model to decode these signals into text\u2014allowing you to complete computer tasks without lifting a finger. The Subvocal Company currently has a working letter-level prototype that can spell out words using your thoughts at 30 words per minute.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAarush credits the JMHP community as adding significant value to his experience at Georgia Tech, shaping his ideas and thought processes significantly as a student founder. Outside of the JMHP, Aarush was previously involved in Ramblin\u2019 Hacks as a Student Head and participates in hackathons regularly. He started his work with The Subvocal Company after attending TreeHacks, Stanford University\u2019s annual hackathon, in February. Shortly after, he and his cofounder started fundraising in late February, securing the $500k pre-seed round in 2-3 weeks from Afore Capital.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAarush plans to take a leave of absence from college alongside his cofounder to work on scaling The Subvocal Company full-time. They seek to become the next default silent input interface for AI agents, aligning greatly with Aarush\u2019s belief in social entrepreneurship, \u201ccreating impact while generating profit\u201d. The John H. Martinson Honors Program wishes Aarush good luck as he continues to build and make technological innovations more accessible to all!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESecond year Computer Science major Aarush Yadav was awarded $500k pre-seed funding for The Subvocal Company.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Second year Computer Science major Aarush Yadav was awarded $500k pre-seed funding for The Subvocal Company."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-04-30 00:58:26","changed_gmt":"2026-04-30 00:59:42","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680117":{"id":"680117","type":"image","title":"Photo.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1777510713","gmt_created":"2026-04-30 00:58:33","changed":"1777510713","gmt_changed":"2026-04-30 00:58:33","alt":"Headshot of Aarush Yadav","file":{"fid":"264357","name":"Photo.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/Photo.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/Photo.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":121741,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/29\/Photo.jpeg?itok=_1P_dHNX"}},"680118":{"id":"680118","type":"image","title":"speaking-image.png","body":null,"created":"1777510713","gmt_created":"2026-04-30 00:58:33","changed":"1777510713","gmt_changed":"2026-04-30 00:58:33","alt":"Photo of Aarush Yadav giving a speech","file":{"fid":"264358","name":"speaking-image.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/speaking-image.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/speaking-image.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1483152,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/29\/speaking-image.png?itok=trU5s2Aw"}}},"media_ids":["680117","680118"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690030":{"#nid":"690030","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Student Awarded Best Teaching Assistant of the Year  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOne of the 3 Undergraduate Teaching Assistants of the Year!\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGreat teaching skills are crucial to student academic success, and they are highly valued at the John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP). Second year JMHP Neuroscience student Jason Wang was honored as a 2026 Undergraduate Teaching Assistant of the Year by the Center for Teaching and Learning. \u0026nbsp;Jason is a TA for a course called Neural Systems, Networks, and Behavior (NEUR 3002) taught by Dr. Ian Krout. Neural Systems, Networks, and Behavior is a required course for all undergraduate neuroscience students, and it \u201cexplores how animal behaviors emerge from neuronal networks and systems, with a specific focus on principles of network operation and computational applications\u201d\u003Cstrong\u003E (\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oscar.gatech.edu\/bprod\/bwckctlg.p_disp_course_detail?cat_term_in=202408\u0026amp;subj_code_in=NEUR\u0026amp;crse_numb_in=3002\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESOURCE\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E)\u003C\/strong\u003E. Jason spends 10-15 hours a week supporting student success via office hours, grading assignments, and academic guidance. Notably, he has contributed to the redesigning of NEUR 3002 to align with the CURE framework. CURE, also known as Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience, is a \u201cpedagogical framework\u201d that allows students to actively contribute to research initiatives \u201caligned with the course content and objectives\u201d.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESystems Neuroscience\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn NEUR 3002, this framework is established with three major components through a semester-long project. Students select a neural mechanism to focus on within the realm of systems neuroscience, then investigate the mechanism in humans and model organisms, applying it to pathology.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJason mentions how, \u201cstudents\u2026not only turn in a physical product, but they present their findings\u2026in a written format, or visually, and sometimes it can be multimodal.\u201d Presentation formats might include a traditional presentation, comparative infographic, NIH-style pitch, etc., all with the goal \u201cto see if [the CURE framework] enhances or improves sensibility to communicate scientific concepts\u201d as a result of the pedagogical process and deliverables involved.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJason\u2019s Teaching Assistant Mindset\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJason has worked closely with Dr. Krout to adapt the project curriculum between semesters and emphasizes the need to take student feedback into account when making these revisions. Some significant shifts they have been working on include improving the timeline of the course so students would not jump ahead in the CURE project, reducing group size, and continuing to follow up on any concerns that students have as theys work on their CURE deliverables. He reflects that adaptation is an ongoing process, rather than a one-time initiative.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn order to cultivate a sense of community with students in the course, Jason emphasizes the need for strong instructional team function from the start. Jason mentioned, \u201cI think coordination is very important, so that the students actually feel our presence\u201d and understand that \u201cwe\u2019re taking care of their concerns, we\u2019re integrating their feedback\u2026\u201d etc. Even with virtual communications, the goal is to ensure students feel comfortable enough to ask for help across the semester. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EThe TA team continues anticipating the students\u2019 needs to provide resources, such as review problems, feedback, and more. It is inspirational to see the commitment that Jason and the rest of the TA team have in order to make the academic experience as straightforward and meaningful as possible.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Piece of Advice for Students\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen asked for his biggest piece of advice for students, Jason explained that, \u201chaving that strong work ethic makes you stand out\u2026because you\u2019re the one who initiates conversations\u2026and you always want to try and make sure that\u2026you\u2019re not only working for yourself, but also for other individuals.\u201d \u0026nbsp;It is crucial that students and professionals understand the bigger picture of their work and take consistent initiative to ensure productive, efficient outcomes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Jason + JMHP Connections\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJason also balances additional responsibilities beyond his TA position, such as Project Yellow. Jason describes Project Yellow as a mental health education club for local elementary schools, and he is particularly responsible for lesson plan development and \u201c[adjusting] them to the needs of students\u2026in different settings, different time constraints, etc.\u201d He currently volunteers (2024 - present) with Emory Winship Cancer Institute. \u0026nbsp;He helps to plan special events and keeps patients company as they await treatment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJason\u2019s anticipated graduation is Fall 2026 and is actively submitting medical school applications for the 2026 - 2027 cycle. In between graduation and medical school, he is excited to explore other more technical pursuits and other activities beyond pure academics. By the end of this academic year, he will have completed four credits of VIP research along with 10 credits of undergraduate research. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EAs part of his JMHP involvement, Jason is a member of the Honors Leadership Council (HLC) in the Professional Development Committee. Jason assists with finding opportunities for professional and student development within this committee. For example, this might entail Student Challenge Fund participation, certification opportunities, and the development of a database of professional opportunities that JMHP students can easily access in the future. Reflecting on his involvement with JMHP across his time at Georgia Tech, Jason positively added that the John H. Martinson Honors Program has \u201ca little bit for everyone\u201d through the wide variety of offerings and events hosted, especially \u201cto further supplement or reinforce\u2026exposure to the field\u201d a student might be intrigued by.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECongratulations, Jason, on this incredible accomplishment! JMHP is so proud of you, and we are so excited to see where your skills, work ethic, and passion take you next.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Wang is recognized for excellence in his role as a neuroscience teaching assistant.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Jason Wang is recognized for excellence in his role as a neuroscience teaching assistant."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-04-28 17:20:29","changed_gmt":"2026-04-28 17:28:33","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680085":{"id":"680085","type":"image","title":"Jason-Wang-s-Headshot--2-.png","body":null,"created":"1777396839","gmt_created":"2026-04-28 17:20:39","changed":"1777396839","gmt_changed":"2026-04-28 17:20:39","alt":"Photo of Jason Wang","file":{"fid":"264324","name":"Jason-Wang-s-Headshot--2-.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/28\/Jason-Wang-s-Headshot--2-.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/28\/Jason-Wang-s-Headshot--2-.png","mime":"image\/png","size":757065,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/28\/Jason-Wang-s-Headshot--2-.png?itok=xjn_6zZB"}}},"media_ids":["680085"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689755":{"#nid":"689755","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Student and Team Win Big in InVenture Prize","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDhruv Narang, a second-year mechanical engineering major and member of the John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP), won the InVenture Prize People\u2019s Choice Award as a cofounder of DoorTix. Dhruv is passionate about the startup space where he cultivates innovative environments dedicated to creating usable tangible products \u2013 leading to his founding of DoorTix.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDoorTix is a ticket-buying concierge service that gets you tickets at the best prices. DoorTix is dedicated to making your ticket buying process easier and lowering your stress throughout the process. Within the project, Dhruv recalls spending countless hours and months refining the project pitch with his team alongside building buzz around DoorTix before the final. He recounts winning the People\u2019s Choice Award as surreal and rewarding as DoorTix saw a spike in users, orders, and partner interests for future scaling.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDhruv credits his time in the JMHP as the spark to his passion for building past his academic pursuits. The program\u0027s welcoming environment provided him with the support and courage to pursue DoorTix seriously and connect ideas to real-world impact. His JMHP involvement also connected him to one of his cofounders during the Oxford Study Abroad program and the other through mutual JMHP connections.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlongside his work with startups, Dhruv was a past member of the Honors Leadership Council (HLC) and is currently involved with Startup Exchange, Student Center Programs Council (SCPC), and Chi Psi Fraternity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDhruv plans to continue scaling DoorTix alongside his cofounders this summer in Georgia Tech\u2019s Startup Launch program. The team seeks to establish DoorTix as the default, intelligent way people buy tickets, focusing on improving automation, expanding partnerships, and growing their user base. The John H. Martinson Honors Program wishes Dhruv good luck as he continues to make strides in the startup space and makes his mark here at Georgia Tech!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESecond-year John H. Martinson Honors Program student Dhruv Narang and his team DoorTix are selected as the People\u0027s Choice Award Winner at the 2026 InVenture Prize.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Second-year John H. Martinson Honors Program student Dhruv Narang and his team DoorTix are selected as the People\u0027s Choice Award Winner at the 2026 InVenture Prize."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-04-14 23:08:59","changed_gmt":"2026-04-14 23:09:50","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679950":{"id":"679950","type":"image","title":"DoorTix-2026-InVenture-Prize-People-s-Choice-1.jpg","body":null,"created":"1776208150","gmt_created":"2026-04-14 23:09:10","changed":"1776208150","gmt_changed":"2026-04-14 23:09:10","alt":"Photo of InVenture Prize team DoorTix","file":{"fid":"264176","name":"DoorTix-2026-InVenture-Prize-People-s-Choice-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/14\/DoorTix-2026-InVenture-Prize-People-s-Choice-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/14\/DoorTix-2026-InVenture-Prize-People-s-Choice-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":89696,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/14\/DoorTix-2026-InVenture-Prize-People-s-Choice-1.jpg?itok=49B11y0I"}}},"media_ids":["679950"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689542":{"#nid":"689542","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Student Looks to the Future--And Out Into Space","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA senior John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP) student, Carlos M\u00e1rcio de Oliveira e Silva Filho was recently announced as Georgia Tech\u0027s 2026 A. Joyce Nickelson and John C. Sutherland Undergraduate Award winner. This incredible honor is annually presented \u201cto a top student in the college whose academic work spans mathematics and physics.\u201d\u0026nbsp; Carlos was nominated by both the School of Math and School of Physics for his excellent research and exceptional contributions in both of the aforementioned fields. He\u2019s instilled major headways in discovering and studying \u201cthe intersection\u201d of math and physics and \u201chow they connect.\u201d This is his passion.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECarlos\u0027s research at GT is primarily within the IceCube Collaboration, where he and his team study Arctic ice samples using \u201clight sensors scattered about one cubic kilometer of ice,\u201d an effort to find neutrino interactions through the light study in the observatory by identifying a soft glow produced by the interactions. Neutrinos are three of the 17 \u201cfundamental particles that are indivisible\u201d \u2013 they are incredibly minuscule, even smaller than atoms, and as a result, they rarely \u201cinteract with anything.\u201d For context, Carlos explained that \u201cthroughout your whole lifetime we expect only one neutrino to interact with your body\u2026to actually search for this [interaction], it\u2019s really hard.\u201d \u0026nbsp;Studying these interactions from the clearest material available, arctic ice, allows for some interesting analysis and discoveries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis research has brought Carlos into three ongoing papers on the following topics:\u0026nbsp; neutrinos in blazar black holes, \u201ca new kind of statistical model to try to constrain the properties of our analysis,\u201d and finally, on \u201cimplementing AI\u201d in order to further the project analysis and conclusions.\u0026nbsp;Carlos has enjoyed his lab work at the IceCube Collaboration over the last three and a half years, and his biggest takeaway from his experience is ensuring strong relationships with his teammates. He recommends that students and researchers \u201cfind a group that you fit well in, [a group where you are] not only doing something that you like, but also [making sure] you enjoy the work department there.\u201d Carlos reflects, \u201c...I work really well with my PI. I\u2019m really happy with my research group. We\u2019re very supportive of each other\u2026and I think that makes all the difference.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Academic and Extracurricular Career\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\tAs a double-major student in math and physics, Carlos\u2019 course load has consistently been both challenging and exciting. Starting out as a physics major, Carlos mentions that he \u201cstarted taking [physics] classes regularly,\u201d but ultimately \u0022realized that [he] did not know the math [he] needed for the physics [he] wanted to do.\u201d The skills he needed for his goals would only be developed if he took additional math classes that substantiated his physics knowledge.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUpon taking linear algebra with abstract vector spaces, and then quantum mechanics, Carlos expressed that he \u201cwas really able to see physics\u2026through the lengths of linear algebra and those connections.\u201d This motivated him to double-major in math, expand his knowledge base even more, and dive into the research interests he had become intrinsically passionate about.\u0026nbsp;Carlos additionally emphasizes that being intentional with course selection based on one\u2019s specific future goals has been beneficial to his success at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs a JMHP student, Carlos started out his academic career at the Hefner-Armstrong dorms (before the program was relocated to Eighth Street). He fondly recollects his many study experiences in the Honors classroom, where one \u201ccould study and\u2026socialize with other people\u2026[where] it was\u2026like an internal hub where we could make those connections\u201d with other Honors students. Additionally, his favorite \u201cnon-physics, non-major class\u201d was an HP English course focused on the genre of horror films. Taught by Dr. Eric Lewis, the class featured \u201cwatch parties\u201d coupled with reflective evening discussions, with the added bonus of professor-supplied sweet treats to enjoy. The HP course allowed students a lot of freedom and personalized academic engagement in project selection, project execution, etc. - a highly commended element of the course.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOutside of his research endeavors, Carlos is involved with the Society of Physics Students community at Georgia Tech, the Brazilian Student Association, and recreationally plays Dungeons and Dragons, a hobby he\u2019s been participating in \u201cfor well over a decade now.\u201d He stresses the importance of having hobbies outside of work, expanding that \u201c...I think [playing Dungeons and Dragons is] a nice bridge between having fun and friends and doing more of the creative side of things, like telling stories, playing characters\u201d etc.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EReflections and Future Plans\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs graduation nears, Carlos has planned to attend a Masters or PhD program in fundamental theoretical physics, and is currently in the application process for both program options. He describes this field as the study of \u201cthe core theory behind everything else,\u201d essentially \u201cthe basis\u201d of all other concepts. Within this next phase of his educational career, Carlos plans on shifting his research focus to a more \u0022theoretical\u0022 and \u201cmath heavy\u201d sector of physics, working with \u201ccreating theories, creating models,\u201d etc., compared to his current, more \u201cexperimental,\u201d work in particle astrophysics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOne day, he aspires to be both a professor at a university, in addition to a full-time researcher at The Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton, an institution filled with \u201c[physicists]...historians\u2026philosophers\u201d all \u201cdoing theoretical work.\u201d Not only is it a \u201cvery prestigious\u201d institution to be a member of, but it also supplies all basic needs for researchers, such as housing and food so that researchers can fully focus on their craft and make incredible progress in their endeavors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOne concluding piece of advice from Carlos is that \u201cyou will only get as much out of the Honors Program as you put in\u2026.if you don\u2019t go to the events, if you don\u2019t take the classes, if you don\u0027t interact with your advisors, you won\u0027t get [good] things out of it.\u201d A student\u2019s experience at Georgia Tech is \u201creally something [that should be] cooperative, and the Honors Program is here to make sure you\u2019re having the most out of your experience.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith that in mind, let\u2019s give another warm round of applause to Carlos for his incredible academic and research accomplishments, and his acceptance of the A. Joyce Nickelson and John C. Sutherland Undergraduate Award. He will be honored at the GT Student Honors Celebration later this semester. All the best on your future successes, Carlos!\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn H. Martinson Honors Program student Carlos M\u00e1rcio de Oliveira e Silva Filho reflects on his future as the winner of the A. Joyce Nickelson and John C. Sutherland Undergraduate Award.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"John H. Martinson Honors Program student Carlos M\u00e1rcio de Oliveira e Silva Filho reflects on his future as the winner of the A. Joyce Nickelson and John C. Sutherland Undergraduate Award."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-04-07 19:42:19","changed_gmt":"2026-04-07 19:43:07","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679886":{"id":"679886","type":"image","title":"CarlosBlogPostImage.png","body":null,"created":"1775590951","gmt_created":"2026-04-07 19:42:31","changed":"1775590951","gmt_changed":"2026-04-07 19:42:31","alt":"Photo of John H. Martinson Honors Program student Carlos M\u00e1rcio de Oliveira e Silva Filho","file":{"fid":"264106","name":"CarlosBlogPostImage.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/07\/CarlosBlogPostImage.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/07\/CarlosBlogPostImage.png","mime":"image\/png","size":12967131,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/07\/CarlosBlogPostImage.png?itok=z7q-E7VS"}}},"media_ids":["679886"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689173":{"#nid":"689173","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Announces 2026 Award Winners","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe John H. Martinson Honors Program is proud to announce the recipients of their 2025 - 2026 awards.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOutstanding Student Award (first-year start)- Esha Venkat\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOutstanding Student Award (transfer start)- Jessica DaSilva Bonet\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEmerging Leader Award- Chloe Phan\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMentor of the Year Award- J\u0027Avani Stinson\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProgress and Service Award- Jalana Smith\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInnovation in Honors Award- Aarush Lanjharia\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDistinguished Alumni Award- Jing Li (ISYE, \u002710)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECatalyst for Change Award- Housing and Residence Life Occupancy and Resident Experience team\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese students, alum, and campus partners represent the best of what makes the John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP) a dynamic community on Georgia Tech\u0027s campus. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOutstanding Student Award winner \u003Cstrong\u003EEsha Venkat \u003C\/strong\u003Eis graduating with a major in Public Policy and a Minor in Global Development. \u0026nbsp;She\u2019s a recipient of over 70 awards\u2014including from Points of Light, United Nations, and the World Bank\u2014and currently runs a global non-profit with over 9,000 volunteers. \u0026nbsp;Esha is pursuing an M.S. at Georgia Tech where she will conduct research on youth-founded nonprofits, building a career at the intersection of policy, nonprofit governance, and civic engagement initiatives. \u0026nbsp;Outstanding Student Award winner \u003Cstrong\u003EJessica DaSilva Bonet \u003C\/strong\u003Ejoined the JMHP as a transfer student and will graduate with a major in Civil Engineering. \u0026nbsp;She was a member of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholars Program, served as Vice President of Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society, and has been a leader in DanceTech. \u0026nbsp;After graduation, she will be working as a civil engineer in the land development sector, with a long-term goal of becoming an entrepreneur and establishing her own firm. \u0026nbsp;Both received their awards not only for their involvement and contributions to the JMHP, but for exemplifying excellence in academic achievement, leadership, creative endeavors, curiosity, and community building.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENew student awards introduced this year include Emerging Leader, Mentor of the Year, Progress and Service, and Innovation in Honors. Emerging Leader Award recipient \u003Cstrong\u003EChloe Phan\u003C\/strong\u003E was recognized for her work on the Honors Leadership Council as well as her attention to all of \u0022the small moments that turned unfamiliar faces into close connections, like late-night study groups, spontaneous socials, and planning [her] first Field Day.\u0022 \u0026nbsp;Mentor of the Year \u003Cstrong\u003EJ\u0027Avani Stinson\u003C\/strong\u003E, who also serves as a JMHP Help Desk student assistant, has built a strong foundation for the students who will join the program after him. \u0026nbsp;He reflected that, \u0022as the Honors Program enters its 20-year anniversary, my only hope is that the program continues its upward trajectory. Since my first-year retreat, the program has done nothing but expand its events, resources, and general support for students. As a program, the John H. Martinson Honors Program is on the right track, and needs only to stay the course!\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe motto of Georgia Tech is \u0022Progress and Service,\u0022 so it is no surprise that Progress and Service Award winner \u003Cstrong\u003EJalana Smith\u003C\/strong\u003E represents the best of Georgia Tech. \u0026nbsp;Her work with JMHP staff has helped to elevate the program through creative storytelling and marketing to make it \u0022bigger, brighter, and better for the next generation of JMHP students while staying true to its amazing mission of fostering creativity, curiosity, and connection!\u0022 \u0026nbsp;Creativity and curiosity fuel Innovation in Honors Award winner \u003Cstrong\u003EAarush Lanjharia\u003C\/strong\u003E, recognized for developing the burgeoning JMHP makerspace. What started with one (old!) 3D printer is becoming a small hub for student creativity that he is looking forward to watching grow, even after he\u0027s moved on. \u0026nbsp;\u0022I hope to stay connected to the program well beyond my graduation to watch it shape future leaders. I am proud for playing a small role in shaping what JMHP will one day become.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was not just students who were recognized for their outstanding contributions, but an alumna and campus partner as well. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJing Li\u003C\/strong\u003E (ISYE \u002710) was part of the inaugural class of the newly launched Honors Program in 2006. \u0026nbsp;What she experienced in the Honors Program has formed part of the foundation of her current work in product design.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0022The interdisciplinary nature of Honors Program classes have had the biggest impact on my professional career. In an HP bio-inspired design class, I learned that the architecture and design of technology systems can mimic patterns found in nature, such as neural networks. This led me to undergraduate research at the Design Intelligence Lab at Georgia Tech and taught me how to think differently about human-computer interactions. Fast forward to today, and I now approach AI product design with an interdisciplinary mindset that allows me to bring the best of different worlds together.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou can read more about Jing Li in our \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/honorsprogram.gatech.edu\/whats-happening\/see-all-news\/inaugural-honors-program-cohort-member-looks-back-her-experience\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Efeature story\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ELast but certainly not least, the JMHP could not thrive without the support of a wide variety of campus partners. \u0026nbsp;As a program with a living learning community component, Housing and Residence Life--particularly the \u003Cstrong\u003EOccupancy and Resident Experience team led by Alison Southern\u003C\/strong\u003E--is a crucial partner. \u0026nbsp;Members of the team include Associate Director Alison Southern, Assistant Director Jennifer Grover, Senior Program and Operations Manager Nina Gregory, Senior Project Support Specialist Tionna Johnson, Senior Occupancy Assignment Specialist LaToya Bostick, Training Specialist Mauricio Pizzaro, Student Support Coordinator II Cindy Kropf, and Student Support Specialist Jessamyn Lockett. \u0026nbsp;Handling the housing application process, dorm assignments, move out, and everything in between, this team probably fields more emails from JMHP staff than any other unit on campus!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECongratulations and thank you to all of these amazing award winners. \u0026nbsp;You are what make the JMHP a thriving community for faculty, staff, and students alike!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents, alums, and campus partners are celebrated with awards from the John H. Martinson Honors Program.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Students, alums, and campus partners are celebrated with awards from the John H. Martinson Honors Program."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-03-25 01:13:23","changed_gmt":"2026-03-25 02:13:55","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679730":{"id":"679730","type":"image","title":"JMHP-2026-Awards-Winners.png","body":null,"created":"1774401215","gmt_created":"2026-03-25 01:13:35","changed":"1774401215","gmt_changed":"2026-03-25 01:13:35","alt":"Photos of the 2026 John H. Martinson Honors Program award winners.","file":{"fid":"263925","name":"JMHP-2026-Awards-Winners.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/24\/JMHP-2026-Awards-Winners.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/24\/JMHP-2026-Awards-Winners.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1834092,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/24\/JMHP-2026-Awards-Winners.png?itok=A19UZ4Mk"}}},"media_ids":["679730"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688558":{"#nid":"688558","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Alum Finds Success in the Sciences","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Emily Weigel (Biology \u201810), now a senior academic professional in the Georgia Tech School of Biological Sciences, was part of the inaugural graduating class of the Georgia Tech Honors Program. Even as a student, Weigel stood out as a trailblazer, and she has continued to champion the program ideals of \u201cProgress and Service.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EWeigel often reflects on the formative impact of her Honors Program coursework. Classes such as The Psychology of Creativity\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003Ewhere she conducted a study on the relationship between adoption and creativity, helped shape her path toward biological sciences and teaching. Even courses and interactions outside her major broadened her perspective and provided meaningful support, such as mentorship from HP faculty like Dr. Nick Hud and Dr. Greg Nobles.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EWhen discussing the Honors Program, Weigel highlights the influence those early students had on campus. Through the Challenge Fund, Honors students launched initiatives ranging from GT Trailblazers, a student organization that encourages outdoor recreation and environmental service projects, to personal passion projects, like creating \u201crentable bike programs decades before they were cool.\u201d One of the most significant efforts she participated in was publishing the first edition of \u003Cem\u003EThe Tower\u003C\/em\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s student-run undergraduate research journal showcasing academic excellence across campus via publication. She also speaks fondly of the community she found within the program and the lasting connections it fostered.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EDuring her time as a student, Weigel contributed to major developments at Georgia Tech. She completed the newly established International Plan while spending 18 months studying and interning abroad in Germany. She also joined the inaugural Georgia Tech women\u2019s rugby team after an impromptu recruitment on the Burger Bowl (now Couch Park). Continuing her legacy of firsts, she was part of the first G. Wayne Clough Tech Promise cohort.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EToday, Weigel is a leader in higher education. As an instructor in the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), she plays a pivotal role in preparing future educators by teaching introductory pedagogy courses for new undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants in the School of Biological Sciences. Her dedication earned her a place on the Georgia Tech 2024 40 Under 40 list. And when she\u2019s not teaching or advising, you can often find her enjoying a cup of Kaldi\u2019s Coffee.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHonors Program alum Dr. Emily Weigel has flourished as a faculty member in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Honors Program alum Dr. Emily Weigel has flourished as a faculty member in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-02-26 20:55:02","changed_gmt":"2026-03-10 15:05:25","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-26T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-26T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679463":{"id":"679463","type":"image","title":"Weigel-profile_pic_cropped.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772139315","gmt_created":"2026-02-26 20:55:15","changed":"1772139315","gmt_changed":"2026-02-26 20:55:15","alt":"Headshot of Dr. Emily Weigel","file":{"fid":"263627","name":"Weigel-profile_pic_cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/26\/Weigel-profile_pic_cropped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/26\/Weigel-profile_pic_cropped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":15853,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/26\/Weigel-profile_pic_cropped.jpg?itok=527sd5zh"}}},"media_ids":["679463"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["honorsprogram@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688805":{"#nid":"688805","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Welcomes New Academic Advisor","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe John H. Martinson Honors Program (JMHP) is excited to welcome Mr. Gabriel \u201cGabe\u201d Alvarado-Gonzalez as the new JMHP Academic Advisor starting this Spring 2026 semester! Gabe will be all JMHP students\u2019 point of contact regarding credit alignment, curricular questions, experiential learning opportunities, and finding campus resources that support student success.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcross Gabe\u2019s prior roles as an Academic Advisor at Georgia State University Advisement Center and Admissions Counselor at Dalton State College, and in the present in the JMHP, Gabe has consistently prioritized empathetic communication. At every meeting, his primary intention is putting student needs, student success, and student perspectives at the forefront of the conversation. He describes the significance of adaptation in the advising sphere, mentioning that because not everyone is the same it is important to adapt his advising style depending on the student. \u0026nbsp;For example, this might be finding an element of \u201ccommon ground\u201d to break the ice at the beginning of an advising session, striking up an interesting conversation to make meetings feel less overwhelming, and maintaining a consistently positive attitude that helps every single student feel both welcomed and seen.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf you are a current or incoming JMHP student who would like to schedule an advising session, Gabe\u2019s biggest recommendation is this: come prepared with at least a brief plan and\/or a list of questions. It is completely okay if you are not sure where to start \u2013 that is why Gabe is here to help.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA principal piece of advice Gabe has for all students who might be struggling with balance or figuring out what comes next is simply taking a step back and reflecting on what is working versus what is not. Amidst the overwhelm and stress that is sometimes inevitable as a student, taking a personal life audit might help clarify or pinpoint areas of growth. Sometimes, the best plan of action is simply to rest and \u201cchill out,\u201d with the understanding that things will work out. This does not mean letting go of all responsibilities or goals, but rather that you are very intentional about taking breaks, prioritizing rest, and being present within your life.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn a similar note, Gabe described how one of the best pieces of advice he has received in his life has been that \u201cone day if you\u0027re going to look back or blink, you will realize that you didn\u0027t live in the moment,\u201d in other words, \u201cyou need to appreciate the present moment\u201d in the present moment. With that in mind, students and staff members alike should know that rest is not only a good idea, but a necessity.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOutside of his academic advising role on campus, Gabe is looking forward to getting back into musical theater and additionally, continuing to attend live music festivals \u0026amp; musicals in Atlanta. He is a big fan of Broadway productions (especially Hairspray, Dear Evan Hanson, Waitress, and more) and loves to listen to Ariana Grande, Melanie Martinez, pop music, EDM music, and soundtracks. Nintendo, Pok\u00e9mon, Ru Paul\u2019s Drag Race, and Horror Film are additional media pieces of choice.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn the note of hobbies and balancing them with academics and work life, Gabe\u2019s best recommendation is to not overdo it. Focus on what makes you the most excited. Hobbies and the arts are meant to rejuvenate you. Therefore, they should not drain you or take too much attention away from academics or career goals.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeet with Gabe or stop by and say hi at the Honors office. He is excited to start formally advising students soon this semester and is truly looking forward to connecting with JMHP students.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGabriel (Gabe) Alvarado-Gonzalez joins the John H. Martinson Honors Program as the new Academic Advisor II.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Gabriel (Gabe) Alvarado-Gonzalez joins the John H. Martinson Honors Program as the new Academic Advisor II."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-03-09 13:54:05","changed_gmt":"2026-03-09 13:55:47","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679545":{"id":"679545","type":"image","title":"Gabe_website.png","body":null,"created":"1773064456","gmt_created":"2026-03-09 13:54:16","changed":"1773064456","gmt_changed":"2026-03-09 13:54:16","alt":"Gabriel Alvarado-Gonzalez giving a presentation","file":{"fid":"263718","name":"Gabe_website.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/09\/Gabe_website.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/09\/Gabe_website.png","mime":"image\/png","size":11393056,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/09\/Gabe_website.png?itok=dUOdm9OI"}}},"media_ids":["679545"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688654":{"#nid":"688654","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Student Secures First Medical School Acceptance","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedina McCowin, a fourth-year biology major and member of the John H. Martinson Honors Program, received her first medical school acceptance. Medina\u2019s interest in medicine started at the young age of eight, when she promised to become an oncologist to cure cancer and remove the burdens her mother faced during breast cancer screening. When her Great Aunt was diagnosed with endometrial cancer a few years later, her promise solidified and shaped her holistic approach to provide equitable healthcare for all.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedina joyfully reflects on her experience receiving her first medical school acceptance:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u201cI knew that the decisions would be sent out that day, so I kept myself occupied with a morning workout class and some light cleaning. I decided to check my email and saw the acceptance, and immediately started crying. There was a mix of overwhelming relief, validation, and gratitude, as a dream that I had wanted for the past thirteen years and spent thousands of hours studying, researching, volunteering, and working for had finally come true. It was almost a confirmation that I belong in the field of medicine.\u201d\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs one of four children and a Navy brat, Medina learned the importance of resiliency and independence early in life. These values guided her time in the John H. Martinson Honors Program, where she engaged in academic environments that tackled challenges with curiosity and confidence. Taking the Leaders in Progress and Service Forum when applying to medical school allowed her to explore and develop solutions for complex problems, preparing her to engage in the medical school interview process and for the medical field\u2019s dynamic environment centered on thoughtful discussion and analysis.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedina is excited to begin her journey post-grad through expanding her medical knowledge and exploring the intricacies of patient care. Going forward, she is guided by her passion for making her family proud and caring for her patients as people first and foremost. The John H. Martinson Honors Program wishes Medina luck as she finishes her time at Georgia Tech and pursues a career in medicine!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMedina McCowin reflects on her experiences at Georgia Tech leading her to the medical profession.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Medina McCowin reflects on her experiences at Georgia Tech leading her to the medical profession."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-03-03 17:35:00","changed_gmt":"2026-03-03 17:35:45","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679507":{"id":"679507","type":"image","title":"d687c5b7-e3e8-413b-bd17-e65426138ca3.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772559314","gmt_created":"2026-03-03 17:35:14","changed":"1772559314","gmt_changed":"2026-03-03 17:35:14","alt":"Photo of Medina McGowan","file":{"fid":"263679","name":"d687c5b7-e3e8-413b-bd17-e65426138ca3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/03\/d687c5b7-e3e8-413b-bd17-e65426138ca3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/03\/d687c5b7-e3e8-413b-bd17-e65426138ca3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":748434,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/03\/d687c5b7-e3e8-413b-bd17-e65426138ca3.jpg?itok=91OBE5xZ"}}},"media_ids":["679507"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687625":{"#nid":"687625","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Students Honored as Stamps President\u0027s Scholars","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDuring the Spring 2024 semester, two John H. Martinson Honors Program scholars had the honor of being selected as walk-ons for the Stamps President\u2019s Scholars Program at Georgia Tech. The Stamps President\u2019s Scholars program is a merit-based scholarship that offers a full-ride, enrichment funds, and a national community for its students. Every year, a select handful of second-year students are selected to join the Stamps President\u2019s Scholars Program based on their everyday adherence to the program\u2019s pillars: Scholarship, Leadership, Progress, and Service. Meet our scholars, Esha Venkat (PUBP \u201826) and J\u2019Avani Stinson (BIO \u201827).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEsha Venkat is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of NEST4US, an international non-profit dedicated to making the world better through kindness by mobilizing volunteers worldwide. \u0026nbsp;The organization seeks to advance progress on societal issues and spark equitable solutions for the greater good. Esha\u2019s work with NEST4US has earned her honors and recognition such as the George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award and a feature on The Today Show! Thanks to Esha\u2019s dedication, NEST4US is celebrating their 10-anniversary, honoring a decade of service to the community. On campus, she is a proud member of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy and the JMHP community, representing the Honors Program on the Office of Undergraduate Education \u0026amp; Student Success Student Advisory Board. Esha was also recently accepted into the PUBP BS\/MS program, so we\u2019ll have her around for another year! You\u2019ll frequently find Esha at Honors Leadership Council meetings, JMHP events, in the CRC, and on the Jacket Journey Leaderboard.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJ\u2019Avani Stinson is a student researcher at the Curtis Cell Physics Lab and a Co-op Pathways Intern at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). His research lies at the intersection of biology, mathematics, and physics as it applies to human health and cell biology. While at NASA, J\u2019Avani interned in the Human Health and Performance Directorate, working on applied research in astronaut health and analogs such as the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA). He is also the Point of Contact for the Intern Outreach Committee, organizing service opportunities for the JSC community. On campus, J\u2019Avani works as one of our JMHP Student Assistants, launching and contributing to projects such as our Alumni Wisdom Series and the expanded JMHP Awards. He is also a proud member of the College of Sciences and School of Biological Sciences, acting as a student ambassador for both groups. You\u2019ll find J\u2019Avani at HLC meetings, JMHP events, giving tours around campus, and at any of our GT Jazz Program performances.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEsha and J\u2019Avani form a dynamic duo dedicated to service on campus and in local communities. As members of the Stamps President\u2019s Scholars Ambassadors\u2019 Community Service Committee and members of the JMHP Civic Service Committee, they organize opportunities for GaTech students to get involved. Keep an eye out for them getting lunch together at Rays!\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn H. Martinson Honors Program students Esha Venkat and J\u0027Avani Stinson embody the motto \u0022Progress and Service\u0022 as Stamps President\u0027s Scholars.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"John H. Martinson Honors Program students Esha Venkat and J\u0027Avani Stinson embody the motto \u0022Progress and Service\u0022 as Stamps President\u0027s Scholars."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-01-23 03:04:39","changed_gmt":"2026-01-23 03:06:15","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-22T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-22T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679068":{"id":"679068","type":"image","title":"76e6de7b-6a04-40b9-b0e4-44cde8f36396.jpg","body":null,"created":"1769137491","gmt_created":"2026-01-23 03:04:51","changed":"1769137491","gmt_changed":"2026-01-23 03:04:51","alt":"Esha Venkat and J\u0027Avani Stinson","file":{"fid":"263184","name":"76e6de7b-6a04-40b9-b0e4-44cde8f36396.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/22\/76e6de7b-6a04-40b9-b0e4-44cde8f36396.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/22\/76e6de7b-6a04-40b9-b0e4-44cde8f36396.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":58919,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/22\/76e6de7b-6a04-40b9-b0e4-44cde8f36396.jpg?itok=6m9IsQN3"}},"679069":{"id":"679069","type":"image","title":"d0894739-a005-420d-b81f-7b8e4bbc0ada.jpg","body":null,"created":"1769137528","gmt_created":"2026-01-23 03:05:28","changed":"1769137528","gmt_changed":"2026-01-23 03:05:28","alt":"Esha Venkat","file":{"fid":"263185","name":"d0894739-a005-420d-b81f-7b8e4bbc0ada.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/22\/d0894739-a005-420d-b81f-7b8e4bbc0ada.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/22\/d0894739-a005-420d-b81f-7b8e4bbc0ada.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":314932,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/22\/d0894739-a005-420d-b81f-7b8e4bbc0ada.jpg?itok=vwU3bItv"}},"679070":{"id":"679070","type":"image","title":"7386ad5e-e227-4a97-be11-f50793d004fd.jpg","body":null,"created":"1769137554","gmt_created":"2026-01-23 03:05:54","changed":"1769137554","gmt_changed":"2026-01-23 03:05:54","alt":"J\u0027Avani Stinson","file":{"fid":"263186","name":"7386ad5e-e227-4a97-be11-f50793d004fd.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/22\/7386ad5e-e227-4a97-be11-f50793d004fd.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/22\/7386ad5e-e227-4a97-be11-f50793d004fd.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":716278,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/22\/7386ad5e-e227-4a97-be11-f50793d004fd.jpg?itok=PQi4UqTp"}}},"media_ids":["679068","679069","679070"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687528":{"#nid":"687528","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Professor Guides the Next Generation of Clean Energy Leaders","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Jairo H Garcia, a long-time John H. Martinson Honors Program faculty member, teaches students about the promises and pitfalls of clean energy technology in class EAS 3110: Energy, Environment, and Society. In this interdisciplinary seminar-style course, students are engaged in timely and practical discussions about the future of energy and climate solutions, participating in a semester-long project titled The Carbon Reduction Challenge \u2013 a high-impact team project where students design and implement practical strategies to reduce carbon footprints for an organization or institution of their choice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEAS 3110 prepares students for situations and opportunities beyond a traditional classroom environment by emphasizing experiential, applied learning that mirrors real-world professional practice. Students are not only guided but encouraged to engage with stakeholders in the Greater Atlanta community to develop communication, negotiation, and systems-thinking skills that are essential in professional settings but are rarely fully developed through lecture-based instruction alone. They are encouraged to utilize their curiosity and creativity to create bold solutions that address challenges in clean energy. The course directly aligns with the John H. Martinson Honors Program\u2019s pillars of curiosity, creativity, and connection to equip students with the skills to better navigate the challenges presented in careers across energy, sustainability, policy, and business.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Garcia is a full-time lecturer in the School of City \u0026amp; Regional Planning since his arrival at Georgia Tech in 2019. A holder of two Master of Science degrees in Computer Networks and in Sustainability and Climate Change, as well as a doctoral degree in Educational Technology, Dr. Garcia is passionate about the fields of transition to clean energy, climate change, and community engagement. A recipient of awards including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s Individual Climate Leadership Award, Green Ring Award, and Excellence in Climate Leadership Award, Dr. Garcia is dedicated to utilizing his expertise in guiding the transition to clean energy to spark growing John H. Martinson Honors Program leaders\u2019 passion in developing solutions that are not only environmentally effective but also technically feasible and economically viable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Garcia\u2019s teaching experience with the John H. Martinson Honors Program began in Spring 2023. Alongside this course, he teaches Sustainable Urban Development in the School of City and Regional Planning, Climate Policy in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, and Sustainable Systems in the Scheller College of Business. He also supports the Georgia Tech Office of Sustainability as a Resilience Expert and serves as a U.S. Subject Matter Expert for the IPCC pre-scoping Special Report on Cities and Climate Change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Garcia excitedly reflects on his favorite part of John H. Martinson Honors Program students, saying:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cJMHP students bring intellectual curiosity, rigor, and willingness to engage with complex and interdisciplinary challenges, which greatly enrich the learning environment. It is a privilege to work with such motivated students, and I am deeply honored to contribute to their academic and professional development.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs Dr. Garcia begins teaching EAS 3110 in Spring 2026, he is excited to welcome a new cohort of students to his course, looking forward to discussing the challenges of clean energy and sustainability and supporting their intellectual growth and professional development. The John H. Martinson Honors Program is excited to continue working with Dr. Garcia this spring as he cultivates the next generation of clean energy leaders!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf you are a Georgia Tech student interested in taking EAS 3110 in a future semester, consider contacting Dr. Garcia to learn more.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Jairo Garcia teaches John H. Martinson Honors Program students about the challenges and promise of clean energy technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dr. Jairo Garcia teaches John H. Martinson Honors Program students about the challenges and promise of clean energy technologies."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2026-01-21 03:30:54","changed_gmt":"2026-01-21 03:32:51","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679044":{"id":"679044","type":"image","title":"garcia1.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1768966265","gmt_created":"2026-01-21 03:31:05","changed":"1768966265","gmt_changed":"2026-01-21 03:31:05","alt":"Dr. Garcia with colleagues and students","file":{"fid":"263156","name":"garcia1.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/20\/garcia1.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/20\/garcia1.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":940895,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/20\/garcia1.jpeg?itok=jLdzJar3"}},"679045":{"id":"679045","type":"image","title":"garcia2.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1768966331","gmt_created":"2026-01-21 03:32:11","changed":"1768966331","gmt_changed":"2026-01-21 03:32:11","alt":"Dr. Garcia\u0027s students presenting their research","file":{"fid":"263157","name":"garcia2.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/20\/garcia2.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/20\/garcia2.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1150062,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/20\/garcia2.jpeg?itok=GqmU5diI"}}},"media_ids":["679044","679045"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686864":{"#nid":"686864","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Inaugural Honors Program Cohort Member Looks Back on Her Experience","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the John H. Martinson Honors Program approaches its 20th anniversary year in 2026 \u2013 2027, we\u2019re reflecting back on some of the amazing students who have graduated from the program since its inception in 2006.\u0026nbsp;Jing Li was in the very first class of Honors Program students admitted in fall 2006 and was a Georgia Tech varsity swimmer during her time on campus.\u0026nbsp; Jing graduated with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE) in 2010 and now works in San Francisco as a Product Management Senior Principal at Accenture where she focuses on emerging technology and product innovation for enterprise clients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Jing, participation in the Honors Program (as it was called from 2006 \u2013 2025) was transformational both academically and socially.\u0026nbsp; She said that it was, \u201cexciting to be accepted into the inaugural class of the Honors Program! I was thrilled to be selected and loved being part of the program.\u201d\u0026nbsp; She built strong connections with Honors Program faculty, including one (Dr. Daniel Vollaros) who got her involved in volunteering and mentoring.\u0026nbsp; She said that her volunteer experience with Read Aloud Chattanooga, \u201cleft a lasting impression on me, and helped inspire my journey to serve in the education sector of the Peace Corps.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComing to Atlanta from Arizona, the Honors Program helped build friendships in a new city and have turned into sustained relationships that she maintains to this day.\u0026nbsp; She reflected that, \u201cthe friendships and relationships that I formed during the class have only grown over time - I\u2019ve stayed in touch with several friends who now work in Silicon Valley tech companies and gone to weddings of HP friends.\u201d\u0026nbsp;As a student athlete, Jing\u2019s experience was a bit different from other Honors Program students.\u0026nbsp; She missed out on the residential experience of the program, as she lived in Woodruff Residence Hall with other swimmers, but she was still an active participant in a variety of activities and classes.\u0026nbsp; Jing attended events such as course rollout luncheons and field days with incoming first year students.\u0026nbsp; She also participated in the mentorship program and served as an ambassador for a variety of recruiting events such as Preview Georgia Tech, Women\u2019s Receptions, Girls Night Out, and FUTURES.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParticipation in the Honors Program also enabled Jing to get the most out of her Georgia Tech experience.\u0026nbsp; She was a recipient of a Student Challenge Fund grant to participate in the Beijing and Singapore study abroad program, which had an impact on her professional development.\u0026nbsp; Jing said that the program allowed her to gain exposure to international business operations while taking ISYE major-specific courses.\u0026nbsp; Her impact and involvement on campus were wide, as she was a founding sister in Alpha Phi sorority, was a finalist for Ms. Georgia Tech, and conducted research on bio-inspired design in the Design Intelligence Lab.\u0026nbsp; Her research interest was fueled by Honors Program coursework on sustainable environmental and manufacturing systems and biologically inspired design.\u0026nbsp; The combination of these two courses built the foundation for her undergraduate research.\u0026nbsp;She reflected on her experience, saying:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe GT Design Intelligence Lab fostered my lifelong curiosity for working in the human-machine interaction space and taught me to keep a user-centric mindset while considering sustainability impacts and design elements inspired by nature. In the 10+ years that I\u2019ve worked at Accenture, I\u2019ve always focused on emerging technology and innovation. The HP approach taught me to think outside the box, challenge the status quo to come up with more innovative ideas and how to create structure in new spaces. All of this has paved the foundation for my professional career, starting from shipping mobile apps and exploring new wearable products for enterprise clients, to diving into the Metaverse and more recently building products that accelerate cost efficiency and productivity with GenAI.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn fall 2026, the John H. Martinson Honors Program will admit it\u2019s 20th class, and Jing Li has some words to guide them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETake advantage of everything the Honors Program offers! Not only the smaller sections of core classes, but really tap into the opportunities to expand your horizons by learning differently and gaining exposure to different cultures in the living and learning community. One of the biggest benefits that I remember of the HP was how it encouraged entrepreneurship - if you have an idea and want to ship it, you should challenge yourself to find a path to bring it to life!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe shared the story of a fellow Honors Program classmate who was passionate about accessibility to biking for all, regardless of financial means.\u0026nbsp;He pitched an idea about an on-campus bike-sharing program (long before the sharing economy was booming) and started a small-scale program running out of the Honors Program residence hall.\u0026nbsp;This kind of innovative spirit that inspired Jing Li and her classmates continues today.\u0026nbsp; We are proud of her and all our alums and can\u2019t wait to see where the next 20 years will take us!\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E2010 graduate Jing Li reflects on being a member of the first group of admitted Honors Program students in fall 2006.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"2010 graduate Jing Li reflects on being a member of the first group of admitted Honors Program students in fall 2006."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2025-12-11 14:30:47","changed_gmt":"2025-12-11 14:33:34","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678823":{"id":"678823","type":"image","title":"Jing_1.jpg","body":null,"created":"1765463506","gmt_created":"2025-12-11 14:31:46","changed":"1765463506","gmt_changed":"2025-12-11 14:31:46","alt":"Jing Li","file":{"fid":"262911","name":"Jing_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/11\/Jing_1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/11\/Jing_1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3016610,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/11\/Jing_1_0.jpg?itok=jcLaqQm6"}},"678824":{"id":"678824","type":"image","title":"Jing_GT-graduation-HP.JPG","body":null,"created":"1765463537","gmt_created":"2025-12-11 14:32:17","changed":"1765463537","gmt_changed":"2025-12-11 14:32:17","alt":"Jing Li at graduation in 2010","file":{"fid":"262912","name":"Jing_GT-graduation-HP.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/11\/Jing_GT-graduation-HP_0.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/11\/Jing_GT-graduation-HP_0.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1134994,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/11\/Jing_GT-graduation-HP_0.JPG?itok=_yzDnSlv"}},"678825":{"id":"678825","type":"image","title":"Jing_GT-swim.jpg","body":null,"created":"1765463571","gmt_created":"2025-12-11 14:32:51","changed":"1765463571","gmt_changed":"2025-12-11 14:32:51","alt":"Ji9ng Li, four year varsity letter winner on the GT swim team","file":{"fid":"262913","name":"Jing_GT-swim.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/11\/Jing_GT-swim_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/11\/Jing_GT-swim_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":166427,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/11\/Jing_GT-swim_0.jpg?itok=g28hbuda"}}},"media_ids":["678823","678824","678825"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686765":{"#nid":"686765","#data":{"type":"news","title":"JMHP Student Excels in Emergency Medicine","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESamuel \u201cSammy\u201d Martinez, a third-year biomedical engineering major and member of the John H. Martinson Honors Program, attended the 2025 National Collegiate EMS Foundation (NCEMSF) Conference on behalf of Emergency Medical Services at Tech (EMSaT). At the conference, EMSaT was awarded bronze in the NCEMSF Campus Ready category, an award meant to recognize excellence in emergency management and disaster preparedness of collegiate EMS organizations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEMSaT is a student organization founded to increase access to and knowledge of emergency medical services at Georgia Tech. Sammy learned of EMSaT during one of their signature events the contributed to Campus Ready award \u2013 the CPR-Athon held on Tech Green. Since joining EMSaT, Sammy has participated in subsequent CPR trainings, patrols for campus events, and was recently appointed Treasurer of the organization.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESammy has had an active role in the JMHP community through his involvement with the Honors Leadership Council\u2019s New Student Onboarding Committee, the First-Year Retreat as a Retreat Guide, and the GT 1000 JMHP sections as a Team Leader. Furthermore, Sammy is the Safety Officer of the Yellow Jacket Archery Club and the Kendo Club at GT and plays in the GT Marching Band on the Cymbal Line.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESammy fondly reflects on his time in EMSaT, saying:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022\u003Cem\u003EThe thing that attracted me to becoming an EMT was the fact that EMTs make a real difference to each patient\u0027s life, but first, I have to make a difference in my course completion, \u003Cstrong\u003Einsert GT student laughter\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u0022\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESammy intends to continue his training in human health services. In addition to his change of major to Biomedical Engineering with a Pre-Med declaration, he recently completed his EMT-Basic certification at RC Health. Future plans include earning his Advanced EMT certification before graduation from GT and getting his Paramedic license soon after. The John H. Martinson Honors Program wishes Sammy luck as he continues his training and applies for medical school!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf you are a Georgia Tech student interested in EMS, considering joining\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/emsat\/\u0022\u003EEMSaT\u003C\/a\u003E or applying for the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/emsat\/todd-family-fund-scholarship\/\u0022\u003ETodd Family Fund EMS Scholarship\u003C\/a\u003E in partnership with Grady EMS Academy.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESamuel \u0022Sammy\u0022 Martinez and the EMSaT team increase access to and knowledge of emergency medical services at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Samuel \u0022Sammy\u0022 Martinez and the EMSaT team increase access to and knowledge of emergency medical services at Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"27332","created_gmt":"2025-12-07 20:02:39","changed_gmt":"2025-12-07 20:07:02","author":"Amy D\u0027Unger","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678774":{"id":"678774","type":"image","title":"img_6190.jpg","body":null,"created":"1765137773","gmt_created":"2025-12-07 20:02:53","changed":"1765137773","gmt_changed":"2025-12-07 20:02:53","alt":"Members of the EMSaT team (Sammy Martinez on right)","file":{"fid":"262849","name":"img_6190.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/07\/img_6190.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/07\/img_6190.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3483295,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/07\/img_6190.jpg?itok=HZ4EKu_9"}},"678775":{"id":"678775","type":"image","title":"IMG_1046.jpg","body":null,"created":"1765137773","gmt_created":"2025-12-07 20:02:53","changed":"1765137773","gmt_changed":"2025-12-07 20:02:53","alt":"CPR-Athon (Sammy Martinez on right)","file":{"fid":"262850","name":"IMG_1046.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/07\/IMG_1046.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/07\/IMG_1046.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":683972,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/07\/IMG_1046.jpg?itok=d8F1oG5n"}}},"media_ids":["678774","678775"],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["honorsprogram@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684187":{"#nid":"684187","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tech\u2019s Honors Program Receives $10M Commitment, Named for John H. Martinson","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Honors Program has received a transformative $10 million commitment from philanthropist and venture capitalist John H. Martinson. In recognition of his generous investment, the program will now be known as the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/honorsprogram.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJohn H. Martinson Honors Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMartinson is a longtime advocate for excellence in higher education and has provided significant philanthropic support for honors programs at several leading institutions across the country. As a result of this commitment, Georgia Tech will expand and enhance its Honors Program to serve more students, enrich the undergraduate experience, and elevate the program\u2019s national standing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are deeply grateful to Mr. Martinson for his generosity and commitment to the next generation of leaders,\u201d said Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera. \u201cThrough this extraordinary investment in the newly named John H. Martinson Honors Program, we will help more of our students reach their full potential and expand the high-impact opportunities available to them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMartinson is chairman of Martinson Ventures, a private technology investment firm. His personal connection to Georgia Tech runs deep \u2014 his father, Raymond Martinson, earned a mechanical engineering degree from Tech in 1941.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThanks to this commitment, the Honors Program will increase its entering class size and enhance programming designed to help students deepen their academic experience and graduate with the Honors Program designation. The expanded program is scheduled to launch in fall 2026, with the goal of achieving national prominence among honors programs across peer institutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u0027ve built a strong foundation, but this donation is what will take it to the next level,\u201d said Amy D\u2019Unger, faculty director of the John H. Martinson Honors Program. \u201cIt has the power to be transformative, creating an experience that will enhance our ability to create the next generation of leaders.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlongside the naming, the Honors Program will shift from its former place within the Undergraduate Curriculum unit to become a standalone unit in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/undergraduate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EOffice of Undergraduate Education and Student Success\u003C\/a\u003E. This change reflects both the program\u2019s expanded scope and its growing impact on Georgia Tech\u2019s academic community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis commitment will empower the Honors Program to reach new levels of excellence, while remaining deeply rooted in the values that make Georgia Tech a top destination for high-achieving, purpose-driven students,\u201d said Steven Girardot, vice provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success. \u201cWe are incredibly grateful to Mr. Martinson for investing in our Honors Program and in the future of undergraduate education at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMartinson said he was drawn to the Georgia Tech Honors Program because of its commitment to experiential learning and entrepreneurial emphasis. \u201cGeorgia Tech students are among the brightest and most innovative in the country,\u201d he said. \u201cI am vested in the success of the program to double its total number of students and engage faculty to achieve a top 10 honors ranking nationwide.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe John H. Martinson Honors Program serves students across the Institute, providing interdisciplinary coursework, faculty mentorship, and community-based learning. As it grows in size and ambition, the program will continue to shape the next generation of scholars, leaders, and innovators \u2014 both at Georgia Tech and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMartinson\u2019s commitment has propelled the continued momentum of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/transformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETransforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and contributed to the Institute\u2019s record-setting fundraising year in Fiscal Year 2025.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Honors Program has received a transformative $10 million commitment from philanthropist and venture capitalist John H. Martinson.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s Honors Program has received a transformative $10 million commitment from philanthropist and venture capitalist John H. Martinson."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2025-08-27 21:42:39","changed_gmt":"2025-08-28 11:20:51","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677827":{"id":"677827","type":"image","title":"John H. Martinson Honors Program Naming Celebration","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA celebration took place for the naming of the John H. Martinson Honors Program on Aug. 27, with Martinson pictured center. Photo by Joya Chapman.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1756379602","gmt_created":"2025-08-28 11:13:22","changed":"1756379602","gmt_changed":"2025-08-28 11:13:22","alt":"John H. Martinson Honors Program Naming Celebration","file":{"fid":"261771","name":"DSC_3721.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/28\/DSC_3721.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/28\/DSC_3721.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2185328,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/28\/DSC_3721.jpg?itok=LmAcSdhq"}},"677828":{"id":"677828","type":"image","title":"John H. Martinson Honors Program Naming Celebration","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMartinson is pictured center with students from the John H. Martinson Honors Program. Photo by Joya Chapman.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1756379665","gmt_created":"2025-08-28 11:14:25","changed":"1756379828","gmt_changed":"2025-08-28 11:17:08","alt":"John H. Martinson Honors Program Naming Celebration","file":{"fid":"261772","name":"DSC_3771.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/28\/DSC_3771.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/28\/DSC_3771.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2298050,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/28\/DSC_3771.jpg?itok=oP2dzsSL"}},"677829":{"id":"677829","type":"image","title":"John H. Martinson Honors Program Naming Celebration","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPresident \u00c1ngel Cabrera speaks at the John H. Martinson Honors Program Naming Celebration on Aug. 27. Photo by Joya Chapman.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1756379766","gmt_created":"2025-08-28 11:16:06","changed":"1756379766","gmt_changed":"2025-08-28 11:16:06","alt":"John H. Martinson Honors Program Naming Celebration","file":{"fid":"261773","name":"DSC_9038.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/28\/DSC_9038.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/28\/DSC_9038.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1211778,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/28\/DSC_9038.jpg?itok=KyH_t_xa"}}},"media_ids":["677827","677828","677829"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/honorsprogram.gatech.edu\/","title":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"}],"groups":[{"id":"72437","name":"John H. Martinson Honors Program"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1262","name":"Office of Development"},{"id":"281961","name":"Office of Undergraduate Education \u0026 Student Success"}],"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:rachael.greene@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ERachael Greene\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003EOffice of Undergraduate Education and Student Success\u003C\/p\u003E\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":""}}}