{"691061":{"#nid":"691061","#data":{"type":"news","title":"In Memoriam: Sam Shelton, Founding Director of the Strategic Energy Institute","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-shelton\u0022\u003ESam Shelton\u003C\/a\u003E, founding director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), longtime professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, and designer of the torch for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, passed away on June 20, 2026.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EColleagues and friends remember Shelton as a dedicated mentor, collaborator, and educator, whose curiosity, generosity, and sense of humor left a lasting impression on students and peers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSam exemplified the very best of Georgia Tech, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of engineers and educators,\u201d said Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech. \u201cI am deeply grateful for his friendship, mentorship, and leadership. My heartfelt condolences go to his family, and to the many students, colleagues, and friends whose lives he touched.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA nationally recognized leader in energy systems, Shelton founded SEI as an interdisciplinary organization that brought together engineers, researchers, policy experts, and industry leaders to advance high-impact energy solutions. That vision remains central to SEI\u2019s mission and continues to guide its work today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSam was the quintessential engineer and innovator, whose vision was always accompanied by the development and demonstration of actual products instead of leaving them as promising concepts,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/garimella\u0022\u003ESrinivas Garimella\u003C\/a\u003E, Hightower Chair in the College of Engineering and professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u201cHe had the rare ability to see through nebulous ideas and claims and get to the fundamental engineering truths. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to seek his advice, which he freely gave. I will miss his friendship and counsel very much.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring a career of more than 35 years, Shelton made lasting contributions to sustainable energy and engineering innovation. His work spanned combustion research, solar energy technologies, and offshore wind systems. He secured more than $30 million in research funding, held eight patents, founded two energy-focused companies, and helped translate research into real-world energy solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to his research, Shelton was deeply committed to education. During his academic career, he developed undergraduate and graduate courses in energy technology, teaching both in person and online. His\u0026nbsp;Energy 101 course reached tens of thousands of learners through a massive open online course platform, covering topics such as energy supply, independence, economics, and society\u2019s energy demands.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen I first started at SEI in 2016, Sam and I would meet for lunch to discuss the latest research, consider how far we\u0027ve come since the Carter administration, and grapple over the world\u2019s energy problems,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/richard-simmons\u0022\u003ERich Simmons\u003C\/a\u003E, SEI\u2019s director of Research and Studies.\u0026nbsp;\u201cSam was genuine and objective, not working backward from a preconceived notion, but working forward with an open mind to understand, appreciate, and apply the first and second law. He was also colorful and witty! We are all privileged to pay these lessons forward to future energy students.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond academia, Shelton\u2019s engineering expertise reached a global stage as the designer of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2016\/07\/20th-anniversary-atlanta-games\u0022\u003EOlympic torch for the 1996 Atlanta Games\u003C\/a\u003E, an enduring symbol of innovation recognized worldwide. \u201cThe Olympics represented world peace, mankind coming together, and overcoming adversity. It was an amazing event to think about, to witness, to live through, and be a part of helping to create it,\u201d Shelton said in a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=WyuWSPeGTXk\u0022\u003E2016 interview\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelton is survived by his\u0026nbsp;daughters, Suzie and Stacy, three granddaughters,\u0026nbsp;and a wide network of students, colleagues, and collaborators. His legacy continues through the programs he built, partnerships he fostered, and the people he helped.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.legacy.com\/us\/obituaries\/atlanta\/name\/samuel-shelton-obituary?id=61831858\u0022\u003Ememorial service\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E celebrating Shelton\u2019s life will be held Aug. 1 at 1 p.m. at The 57th Fighter Group Restaurant in Atlanta. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be directed to Roll Call, Georgia Tech\u2019s Fund for Excellence.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;Donations may be made at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/63028\/donations\/new?\u0026amp;utm_source=ALMR26Q40NY1BU02KUD\u0022\u003Egtalumni.org\/SamShelton\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-shelton\u0022\u003ESam Shelton\u003C\/a\u003E, founding director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), longtime professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, and designer of the torch for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, passed away on June 20, 2026.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EColleagues and friends remember Shelton as a dedicated mentor, collaborator, and educator, whose curiosity, generosity, and sense of humor left a lasting impression on students and peers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSam exemplified the very best of Georgia Tech, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of engineers and educators,\u201d said Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech. \u201cI am deeply grateful for his friendship, mentorship, and leadership. My heartfelt condolences go to his family, and to the many students, colleagues, and friends whose lives he touched.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Sam Shelton, founding director of the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI), longtime professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and designer of the torch for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, passed away on June 20, 2026. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-07-07 21:11:19","changed_gmt":"2026-07-08 02:35:40","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680575":{"id":"680575","type":"image","title":"SamShelton.jpg","body":null,"created":"1783458862","gmt_created":"2026-07-07 21:14:22","changed":"1783458862","gmt_changed":"2026-07-07 21:14:22","alt":"Sam Shelton, Founding Director of the Strategic Energy Institute (Photo Credit: Georgia Tech Institute Communications)","file":{"fid":"264853","name":"SamShelton.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/SamShelton.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/SamShelton.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":485843,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/07\/SamShelton.jpg?itok=LXffzX8m"}},"680574":{"id":"680574","type":"image","title":"c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1783458708","gmt_created":"2026-07-07 21:11:48","changed":"1783458708","gmt_changed":"2026-07-07 21:11:48","alt":"Sam Shelton, Founding Director of the Strategic Energy Institute","file":{"fid":"264852","name":"c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":33796,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/07\/c46785ba-dee7-4ec5-a3fb-b6ad53283937.jpeg?itok=LUMuoM7e"}}},"media_ids":["680575","680574"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691059":{"#nid":"691059","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet the Expert: Brian An","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEnergy resilience broadens the scope of urban policy\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHousing and transportation are top priorities for many city mayors, policymakers and public policy researchers\u2014including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/c9f0cadc-5bb4-5b6f-9eca-bd38a9233993\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrian An\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech\u2019s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy. But in February 2021, soon after Winter Storm Uri wreaked havoc in Texas, an eight-hour power outage at his Atlanta home became an epiphany.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile housing stability had long been on my mind, losing power drove home the importance of another piece of urban infrastructure: reliable access to electricity,\u201d says An, an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-faculty-affiliates\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEPIcenter faculty affiliate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and co-director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/urbanresearch.iac.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Urban Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIt sparked my interest in studying the intersection of energy and urban policy to help make cities and communities not only socially equitable but also resilient to extreme weather.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/06\/30\/meet-the-expert-brian-an\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the EPIcenter News Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEnergy resilience broadens the scope of urban policy\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHousing and transportation are top priorities for many city mayors, policymakers and public policy researchers\u2014including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/c9f0cadc-5bb4-5b6f-9eca-bd38a9233993\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrian An\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech\u2019s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy. But in February 2021, soon after Winter Storm Uri wreaked havoc in Texas, an eight-hour power outage at his Atlanta home became an epiphany.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile housing stability had long been on my mind, losing power drove home the importance of another piece of urban infrastructure: reliable access to electricity,\u201d says An, an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-faculty-affiliates\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEPIcenter faculty affiliate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and co-director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/urbanresearch.iac.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Urban Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIt sparked my interest in studying the intersection of energy and urban policy to help make cities and communities not only socially equitable but also resilient to extreme weather.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In this EPIcenter Expert series, meet Brian An, EPIcenter Affiliate, studying the intersection of energy resilience and urban policy to improve grid equity during extreme weather."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-07-07 16:26:49","changed_gmt":"2026-07-07 16:31:03","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680569":{"id":"680569","type":"image","title":"Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBrian An, EPIcenter Faculty Affiliate and Assistant Professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1783441679","gmt_created":"2026-07-07 16:27:59","changed":"1783441679","gmt_changed":"2026-07-07 16:27:59","alt":"Brian An, EPIcenter Faculty Affiliate and Assistant Professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy ","file":{"fid":"264847","name":"Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/07\/Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":69638,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/07\/Brian-An_IAC-faculty-profile-732x1024.jpg?itok=wcUA_U3y"}}},"media_ids":["680569"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStory Written by: Silke Schmidt\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENews Contact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690894":{"#nid":"690894","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Discover Membrane-Based Approach to More Sustainable Oil Refining","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERefining crude oil into gasoline, jet fuel, and other everyday products requires enormous amounts of energy. The atmospheric and vacuum distillation processes used in refineries worldwide consume more than 1,100 terawatt-hours of energy annually \u2014 roughly enough to power 100 million U.S. homes for a year \u2014 while generating millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESix years after demonstrating that membranes could separate crude oil at the molecular level, Georgia Tech researcher Ryan Lively is part of an international team that has taken the concept a significant step further.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team, including investigators at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), discovered that a membrane material widely believed to be non-selective for molecules as small as those found in crude can in fact selectively separate crude oil into lighter and heavier fractions in a way researchers did not expect.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPublished in \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-026-10677-3\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Etheir findings\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E suggest that using membranes to separate crude oil before distillation could significantly reduce the energy, water, and carbon footprint of petroleum refining.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lively.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELively\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the Thomas C. DeLoach Jr. Endowed Professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, served as an advisor and corresponding author on the study. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pure.kaist.ac.kr\/en\/persons\/dong-yeun-koh\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDong-Yeun Koh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor at KAIST and a former postdoc in the Lively Lab at Georgia Tech, led the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding on Earlier Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the 2020 \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E paper, Lively and collaborators demonstrated that specially designed membranes could separate crude oil into valuable fractions without relying solely on traditional heat-driven distillation. The work helped establish membrane-based crude oil fractionation as a promising alternative for reducing energy use in refining.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This work grew directly out of the challenges we identified in our original findings in the 2020 article,\u0022 Lively said. \u0022One of the key challenges that the KAIST team set out to tackle was the very low oil productivities of the membrane units, which has limited the ability of this concept to leave the lab. Along the way, we not only increased the productivities, but we also uncovered a surprising new mechanism that could make membrane-based crude oil separations even more practical.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new study built on that foundation. The researchers investigated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes, a material commonly used as a non-selective support layer in filtration systems. Because the material is porous, the team generally did not expect it to perform precise molecular separations on its own.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut what they found surprised them, Lively said. As crude oil flowed through the membrane, heavier hydrocarbon molecules accumulated within the membrane\u0027s pores. Instead of clogging the membrane, the buildup created a stable internal layer that gradually narrowed the pathways through which molecules could travel. Surprisingly, the molecules that caused the buildup in the first place were eventually excluded from entering the membrane, resulting in a steady production of higher quality oil through the narrow pathways that remained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn effect, the membrane created its own molecular-scale filter. The result was a process that allowed lighter hydrocarbons to pass through while holding back heavier components.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe membrane enriched lighter fractions such as naphtha and kerosene while achieving crude oil flow rates more than 23 times higher those reported in the 2020 paper for whole crude oils\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen Buildup Becomes an Asset\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn most filtration systems, buildup inside a membrane (or fouling) is considered a problem because it reduces performance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut according to the researchers, this study demonstrates that something different can happen under the right conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing a range of analytical techniques, the researchers found that long-chain hydrocarbon molecules accumulated inside the membrane and became an essential part of the separation process. The deposits effectively transformed larger pores into stable transport pathways measuring less than two nanometers across, they deduced based on available experimental evidence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe membrane maintained consistent separation performance during four weeks of continuous operation, suggesting the filtration pathways remained stable over time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe findings challenge traditional assumptions about membrane fouling and may offer new opportunities for designing industrial separation systems that take advantage of similar behavior,\u201d Lively said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPotential Impact on Refining\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday\u0027s refineries heat entire streams of crude oil to separate them into useful products. By using membranes to remove a substantial portion of the lighter hydrocarbons before distillation, refineries could reduce the amount of material that must undergo energy-intensive heating. Alternatively, the refinery can use the membranes to incrementally increase refinery capacity, which is currently not possible using large-scale distillation equipment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo evaluate the potential impacts of the membrane system, the researchers modeled a refinery process that incorporated a membrane separation step before conventional distillation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis study reveals a new scientific principle in which a membrane interacts with a complex mixture and spontaneously forms its own separation channels,\u0022 Koh said. \u0022Working with real crude oil supplied by HD Hyundai Oilbank allowed us to validate the technology under conditions relevant to industrial operation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0027s technoeconomic analysis showed that incorporating the membrane process could reduce distillation energy use by 30%, carbon dioxide emissions by 35%, and water consumption by 20%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApplied across U.S. atmospheric crude distillation capacity \u2014 about 18 million barrels per day \u2014 those savings would be equivalent to powering roughly 2.2 million homes, removing about 3 million passenger vehicles from the road, and supplying enough water for approximately 660,000 people each year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Turning crude oil into useful products has relied on essentially the same basic approach for more than a century,\u0022 Lively said. \u0022Membranes offer a path toward achieving those separations with dramatically lower energy requirements and emissions.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u0027s findings also suggest that the phenomenon may not be limited to a single membrane chemistry. Researchers observed similar behavior in a second membrane material, raising the possibility that the approach could be extended to other membrane systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This is a terrific piece of research that rewards curiosity,\u0022 said Andrew LIvington, vice president of research and innovation and professor at Queen Mary University of London, who was not involved with the study. \u0022This work adds significantly to the field of membrane separations of crude oil streams as it tackles the first, hard to achieve separation of heavy hydrocarbons \u2013 most work to date has focused on lighter oils\u0026nbsp;\u2013 and it uses a simple and readily available membrane.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJihoon Choi, Hyeokjun Seo, Minyong Lee, Woong-Chul Shin, Jaemin Choi, Keonwoo Choi, Min-Jun Jang, Sung Gap Im, Jae W. Lee, Ryan P. Lively, and Dong-Yeun Koh, \u0022\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-026-10677-3\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECrude oil fractionation by means of mesoporous polyacrylonitrile membranes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0022 \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E, 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPublished in \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E, the researchers\u0027 findings suggest that using membranes to separate crude oil before distillation could significantly reduce the energy, water, and carbon footprint of petroleum refining.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Published in Nature, the researchers\u0027 findings suggest that using membranes to separate crude oil before distillation could significantly reduce the energy, water, and carbon footprint of petroleum refining."}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2026-06-24 15:45:46","changed_gmt":"2026-07-06 17:19:42","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680502":{"id":"680502","type":"image","title":"RyanDong-Yeun.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProfessors Ryan Lively (Georgia Tech) and Dong-Yeun Koh (KAIST). Koh used to be postdoctoral researcher in the Lively Lab.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782316293","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 15:51:33","changed":"1782316293","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 15:51:33","alt":"Professors Ryan Lively (Georgia Tech) and Dong-Yeun Koh (KAIST). Koh used to be postdoctoral researcher in the Lively Lab.","file":{"fid":"264775","name":"RyanDong-Yeun.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/RyanDong-Yeun.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/RyanDong-Yeun.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":190547,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/RyanDong-Yeun.jpg?itok=-eLTFUXj"}},"680503":{"id":"680503","type":"image","title":"PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESchematic illustration of the membrane-based pre-fractionation process, showing the selective separation of light hydrocarbon fractions from crude oil feedstock to reduce energy requirements for subsequent atmospheric distillation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782316323","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 15:52:03","changed":"1782316323","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 15:52:03","alt":"Schematic illustration of the membrane-based pre-fractionation process, showing the selective separation of light hydrocarbon fractions from crude oil feedstock to reduce energy requirements for subsequent atmospheric distillation.","file":{"fid":"264776","name":"PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":84713,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude---Manuscript---R1---V6.jpg?itok=6Y4qawLU"}},"680504":{"id":"680504","type":"image","title":"PAN-Crude.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPhotographs illustrating the distinct color change upon fractionation of crude oils via PAN membrane.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782316357","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 15:52:37","changed":"1782316357","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 15:52:37","alt":"Photographs illustrating the distinct color change upon fractionation of crude oils via PAN membrane.","file":{"fid":"264777","name":"PAN-Crude.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":141397,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/PAN-Crude.jpg?itok=9_uTRAtb"}}},"media_ids":["680502","680503","680504"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11764","name":"filtration"},{"id":"2177","name":"membranes"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188020","name":"go-rbi"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:braddixon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebraddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"691032":{"#nid":"691032","#data":{"type":"news","title":"EPIcenter Experts in the News: AI, Prices, and the War","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEPIcenter Faculty Affiliates\u003C\/strong\u003E have recently contributed to more than a dozen news broadcasts, public radio interviews, and national media conversations on energy price trends, the war in Iran, and what these mean for everyday Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunities across Georgia and the nation are navigating a range of economic and energy-related pressures. Gas prices, inflation, and the rapid growth of data centers are shaping the cost of goods and services, influencing everyday household financial decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the same time, ongoing geopolitical tensions are driving fluctuations in global oil markets and fuel prices. The expansion of AI data centers is also increasing demand for land, power, and water resources. And conflicts involving energy infrastructure in parts of the Middle East and Europe have affected supply stability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResponding to these challenges requires careful analysis of emerging trends, supported by strong research in policy and economics. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-faculty-affiliates\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFaculty Affiliates\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E study these complex, interconnected issues affecting energy systems, costs, and access. They analyze emerging trends, evaluate policy options, and identify practical pathways forward.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/07\/01\/epicenter-affiliated-experts-inform-public-understanding-of-energy-systems-and-their-economic-impacts\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the EPIcenter News Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEPIcenter Faculty Affiliates\u003C\/strong\u003E have recently contributed to more than a dozen news broadcasts, public radio interviews, and national media conversations on energy price trends, the war in Iran, and what these mean for everyday Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunities across Georgia and the nation are navigating a range of economic and energy-related pressures. Gas prices, inflation, and the rapid growth of data centers are shaping the cost of goods and services, influencing everyday household financial decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"EPIcenter Faculty Affiliates have recently contributed to more than a dozen news broadcasts, public radio interviews, and national media conversations on energy price trends, the war in Iran, and what these mean for everyday Americans."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-07-02 19:36:58","changed_gmt":"2026-07-02 19:40:46","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680549":{"id":"680549","type":"image","title":"Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png","body":null,"created":"1783021099","gmt_created":"2026-07-02 19:38:19","changed":"1783021099","gmt_changed":"2026-07-02 19:38:19","alt":"4 panel image: clockwise from upper left - solar panels in field, data center and cooling complex, Hormuz Island, gas pump in a car\u0027s fuel port","file":{"fid":"264825","name":"Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/02\/Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/02\/Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png","mime":"image\/png","size":103965,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/02\/Adobe-Stock-Image-Collage-600x400.png?itok=GVkV7SSC"}}},"media_ids":["680549"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E | SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690903":{"#nid":"690903","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mining New Possibilities for Critical Minerals: Mapping a Stronger U.S. Supply Chain","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA new Department of Energy award will help Georgia Tech lead a regional effort to identify, recover, and reuse materials essential to energy, manufacturing, and national security.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECritical minerals power the technologies that define modern life, from batteries and semiconductors to advanced manufacturing systems and defense applications. They are also essential to the nation\u2019s energy future, manufacturing competitiveness, and national security.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/cmei\/articles\/does-office-critical-minerals-and-energy-innovation-launches-regional-consortia\u0022\u003Emajor investment\u003C\/a\u003E from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Georgia Tech is helping accelerate the development of domestic critical minerals from unconventional and secondary resources. The $7.5 million award positions the Institute to advance supply chain solutions that span resource discovery, processing, recycling, and circular materials management.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESelected by DOE\u2019s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, Georgia Tech will lead the Critical Minerals in the Atlantic Seaboard Plain (CM-MAP) project. The regional effort builds on DOE\u2019s Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) initiative and will examine potential resources across the Atlantic coastal plain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe CM-MAP project will focus on sedimentary deposits, including kaolin, bauxite, heavy mineral sands, and phosphates, as well as legacy mining residues, coal combustion byproducts, and other unconventional and secondary resources that could support future recycling and circular economy opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrawing on existing infrastructure, regional assets, industry bases, and scientific expertise, CM-MAP will establish a regional innovation ecosystem that supports domestic critical mineral production, recycling, and advanced manufacturing, while fostering new economic opportunities throughout the Southeast.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a powerful example of how Georgia Tech brings together leading research capabilities and partnerships from industry, government, nonprofits, and national labs to address complex national challenges,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/leadership\u0022\u003ETim Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E, executive vice president for Research. \u201cBy identifying and domestically sourcing critical minerals, we are helping secure essential supply chains, while enabling the next generation of energy and materials technologies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe DOE award builds on a growing network of research, industry, regional, and international partnerships led by Georgia Tech to translate scientific discovery into real-world supply chain solutions, including:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ea149f3a1369a08e50ecd550f254e4fc6\u0022\u003EResearch leadership \u2014 Founded in 2024, Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/minerals.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Critical Mineral Solutions\u003C\/a\u003E serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research and technology development across the Institute.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e3525757baf2e98febb34b5a40cf084bc\u0022\u003ERegional partnerships \u2014Through the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Partnership for Essential Materials\u003C\/a\u003E, a flagship regional collaboration platform, Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, and the Georgia Mining Association convene stakeholders from across the critical minerals sector. The partnership brings together industry, nonprofit organizations, regional economic development agencies, national labs, universities, and technical colleges to connect, collaborate, and stay engaged in the latest developments.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022ebccf1688cc8ca7d30f05f3e54fb5b005\u0022\u003EInternational engagement \u2014 A\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.research.gatech.edu\/2026\/04\/13\/georgia-universities-and-uk-partners-strengthen-collaboration-critical-minerals-gems-4\u0022\u003EU.K.-U.S. working group\u003C\/a\u003E extends partnerships across the Southeastern United States and Southwest United Kingdom, connecting researchers, industry leaders, and government agencies working to strengthen global supply chains.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-list-item-id=\u0022e1647f02ab83f892d6c95813afcbe8a2e\u0022\u003EGeorgia Critical Mineral Supply Chain Manufacturing Demonstration Center \u2014 Supported through\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/buddycarter.house.gov\/news\/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16085\u0022\u003Econgressional funding\u003C\/a\u003E, the center is developing capabilities and regional supply chain demonstrations that connect resource development, materials processing, recycling, and advanced manufacturing.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of CM-MAP, researchers will analyze materials collected from natural deposits and industrial sites throughout the Southeast to identify their critical mineral content. The resulting large datasets will be combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches to better understand and predict where resources exist, optimize extraction pathways, and inform future recovery and recycling strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis project brings together a highly collaborative team from Georgia Tech, national labs, industry partners, and research institutions across the region,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, the principal investigator and Georgia Power Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, with a courtesy appointment in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is also the founding director of the Center for Critical Mineral Solutions and executive director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThrough this award, we are working to build secure and resilient critical materials supply chains, from resource discovery and characterization to processing, recovery, recycling, and advanced manufacturing, while also developing the skilled workforce needed to support these emerging industries,\u201d Tang said. \u201cOur vision is to create a regional innovation ecosystem that embraces both unconventional resources and circular economy approaches to maximize the value of materials already in use.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELearn more about critical materials research and workforce development efforts at Georgia Tech by visiting the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/minerals.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Critical Mineral Solutions\u003C\/a\u003E webpage.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESelected by DOE\u2019s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, Georgia Tech will lead the Critical Minerals in the Atlantic Seaboard Plain (CM-MAP) project. The regional effort builds on DOE\u2019s Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) initiative and will examine potential resources across the Atlantic coastal plain.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new Department of Energy award will help Georgia Tech lead a regional effort to identify, recover, and reuse materials essential to energy, manufacturing, and national security."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-24 17:37:05","changed_gmt":"2026-06-30 16:31:15","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680536":{"id":"680536","type":"image","title":"Picture-for-announcement-Final.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EUnited States map showing the eight regions of the CORE-CM Initiative. Courtesy: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/netl-exchange.energy.gov\/FileContent.aspx?FileID=fe48ff94-6a59-4df7-b490-54b66c8a22ad\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDepartment of Energy Core-CM Initiative\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1782837023","gmt_created":"2026-06-30 16:30:23","changed":"1782837023","gmt_changed":"2026-06-30 16:30:23","alt":"United States map showing the eight regions of the CORE-CM Initiative. Courtesy: Department of Energy Core-CM Initiative","file":{"fid":"264810","name":"Picture-for-announcement-Final.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/30\/Picture-for-announcement-Final.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/30\/Picture-for-announcement-Final.png","mime":"image\/png","size":709702,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/30\/Picture-for-announcement-Final.png?itok=7Qcc14JW"}}},"media_ids":["680536"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"194701","name":"go-resarchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMedia Contact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690910":{"#nid":"690910","#data":{"type":"news","title":"What It Takes to Deliver a Tech\u2011Heavy World Cup","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWith an estimated 500,000 visitors coming to the eight games in Atlanta over the next two months, the 2026 World Cup will be one of the biggest sporting events to come to the city since the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFIFA President Gianni Infantino likened the scale of each game to that of a Super Bowl. The success of a tournament that large will rely heavily on technology, affecting everything from the players on the pitch, all the way to viewers at home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn top of the state-of-the-art technology used at many large events, this World Cup will also see the debut of new technology. At the center of much of it will be electrical and computer engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExperts from the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) weigh in on how the field is enabling the technology behind the world\u2019s largest sporting event.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/06\/what-it-takes-deliver-tech-heavy-world-cup\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the ECE News Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWith hundreds of thousands of people attending the 104 World Cup games over the next 39 days and billions more watching at home, an immense amount of technology will be needed to ensure a seamless, safe, and enjoyable experience. Experts from ECE explain how electrical and computer engineering are facilitating some of the tournament\u0027s newest and most crucial technology.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"With hundreds of thousands of people attending the 104 World Cup games, Georgia Tech experts explain  how electrical and computer engineering are facilitating some of the tournament\u0027s newest and most crucial technology."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-24 21:24:12","changed_gmt":"2026-06-24 21:28:36","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680512":{"id":"680512","type":"image","title":"What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1782336352","gmt_created":"2026-06-24 21:25:52","changed":"1782336420","gmt_changed":"2026-06-24 21:27:00","alt":"Stock image that shows a soccer stadium as the center of an AI chip design","file":{"fid":"264785","name":"What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/24\/What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":272785,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/24\/What-It-Takes-to-Deliver-a-Tech-Heavy-World-Cup.jpeg?itok=EGonBxq9"}}},"media_ids":["680512"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/06\/what-it-takes-deliver-tech-heavy-world-cup","title":"Read Full Story on ECE News Page"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EZachary Winiecki\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EDan Watson, Georgia Tech ECE\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690711":{"#nid":"690711","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Maintains No. 1 Ranking in Energy and Fuels for Third Consecutive Year","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/best-global-universities\/united-states\/energy-fuels\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has named\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech the top-ranked public university in energy and fuels research (No. 3 nationally). The Institute has maintained this ranking every year since the category was first introduced in 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-named-top-ranked-public-university-energy\u0022\u003Econtinued recognition\u003C\/a\u003E highlights Georgia Tech\u2019s research leadership in advancing energy solutions across technology, science, policy, and economics and in delivering technically advanced solutions that is scalable, secure, and sustainable for the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe scale and integration of our energy ecosystem is among Georgia Tech\u2019s great strengths,\u201d said Executive Vice President for Research\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/leadership\u0022\u003ETim Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cA defining part of that ecosystem is the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), our interdisciplinary research institute that brings together the talents of researchers from across disciplines to accelerate energy innovation and deliver real-world solutions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESEI integrates energy activities at Georgia Tech by connecting more than 1,000 researchers across the entire energy value chain and enabling collaboration with industry, government, communities, and nonprofits.\u0026nbsp;SEI is deeply engaged in building community, developing resources, promoting thought leadership, and marshaling the full resources of Georgia Tech around tackling the tough energy and environmental problems and opportunities society faces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech\u2019s energy leadership is built on the depth of our research and the breadth of our collaborations,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, SEI\u2019s executive director. \u201cBy connecting expertise across the full energy value chain, we are advancing solutions that enhance affordability, reliability, security, and sustainability.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/em\u003E evaluates the academic research performance of universities in 51 subject areas using indicators such as publications, citations, and global and regional research reputation. Georgia Tech was assessed among 292 institutions in the U.S. and\u0026nbsp;continues its strong\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-colleges\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1569\/overall-rankings\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Estanding\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the rankings, claiming the No. 32 spot overall in the nation and No. 9 among public universities.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/best-global-universities\/united-states\/energy-fuels\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has named\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech the top-ranked public university in energy and fuels research (No. 3 nationally). The Institute has maintained this ranking every year since the category was first introduced in 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-named-top-ranked-public-university-energy\u0022\u003Econtinued recognition\u003C\/a\u003E highlights Georgia Tech\u2019s research leadership in advancing energy solutions across technology, science, policy, and economics and in delivering technically advanced solutions that is scalable, secure, and sustainable for the future.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"U.S. News \u0026 World Report has named Georgia Tech the top-ranked public university in energy and fuels research (No. 3 nationally). The Institute has maintained this ranking every year since the category was first introduced in 2024."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-09 17:01:43","changed_gmt":"2026-06-15 13:28:52","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680441":{"id":"680441","type":"image","title":"EnergyGraphic.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1781024511","gmt_created":"2026-06-09 17:01:51","changed":"1781024511","gmt_changed":"2026-06-09 17:01:51","alt":"Graphic showing #1 public university in energy in Georgia Tech colors","file":{"fid":"264700","name":"EnergyGraphic.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/09\/EnergyGraphic.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/09\/EnergyGraphic.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":134834,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/09\/EnergyGraphic.jpeg?itok=3L5Z9pvJ"}}},"media_ids":["680441"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPriya Devarajan | SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690320":{"#nid":"690320","#data":{"type":"news","title":" How the Global Energy Crisis Is Affecting Americans","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEscalating Middle East tensions are rattling global oil markets, and the effects are already showing up in American wallets, affecting everything from travel to food prices. Georgia Tech economists and public policy experts break down what Americans need to know right now.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E1. You\u2019re paying more at the pump, and it\u2019s not going away anytime soon.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGas prices are the most visible sign of the crisis, and the increases are already significant. National average retail gasoline prices are more than $1.20 higher than they were in February, before the conflict escalated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEven though U.S. petroleum production often exceeds our consumption, we are not insulated from disruptions in global oil supply because oil is a globally traded commodity,\u201d says director of the Energy Policy and Innovation Center,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIf supply is restricted anywhere in the world, prices will rise everywhere, including in the U.S.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarkets expect some relief by fall, with future prices pointing lower than today\u2019s levels. But\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/tony-harding\u0022\u003ETony Harding\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, cautions, \u201cPrices are likely to remain above pre-conflict levels for the foreseeable future, and temporary relief measures, such as Georgia\u2019s motor fuel tax suspension, will not last forever.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETaylor puts it plainly: \u201cWages are not rising faster than prices, so people are feeling the pinch and will continue to do so.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u003Cstrong\u003EYour summer plans just got more expensive.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe impact does not stop at the gas station. For Americans planning summer travel, the timing of this conflict could not be worse.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/matthew-oliver\u0022\u003EMatthew Oliver\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the School of Economics, points to commercial air travel as one of the most exposed sectors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cJet fuel prices have roughly doubled in the wake of the current oil price spike, putting immediate upward pressure on airfares,\u201d says Oliver.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ripple effects extend far beyond travel.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOil is an input into the supply chain of nearly every good at some point,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/889222ee-d2fd-599b-9140-79d7dc30afeb\u0022\u003EBobby Harris\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Economics. \u201cWhen input costs go up, prices go up.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E3. Expect to pay more at the grocery store.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe connection between Middle East tensions and the American dinner table is more direct than many realize, because petrochemicals are a key feedstock for fertilizer production.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHigher oil prices lead to higher fertilizer prices, which lead to higher food prices,\u201d says Oliver.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECombined with existing tariff pressures and tight supply chains, the strain on household budgets is coming from multiple directions at once.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf the crisis persists, there will be upward pressure on the prices of nearly every physical good,\u201d Oliver adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E4. The government\u2019s options are limited, and the clock is ticking.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWashington has tools to respond, but none are silver bullets. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve currently holds around 400 million barrels and can release about 4 million barrels per day, roughly 20% of U.S. daily demand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI see the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a tool to buy time during a crisis,\u201d says public policy professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/daniel-matisoff\u0022\u003EDan Matisoff\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cBut if the conflict drags on, we will ultimately be in a more vulnerable position.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQuick fixes like price caps or demand subsidies carry trade-offs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSubsidies can mitigate the impact of price shocks, but they can also mask important market signals that help balance supply and demand,\u201d says Harding, using Europe\u2019s 2022 energy crisis as a cautionary example.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E5. The smartest thing Americans can do right now is think about efficiency.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPeople in general tend to undervalue energy efficiency,\u201d says Matisoff. \u201cThink of energy efficiency investments as a sort of hedge or insurance against volatile energy prices.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat means considering fuel efficiency when buying a car, and looking at heat pumps, electric vehicles, and home energy upgrades when the time is right.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHigher energy prices increase the value of investing in energy efficiency upgrades to your home and adopting technologies that are less dependent on fossil fuels,\u201d says Harding.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor families navigating uncertainty, both economists and policy experts point to the same practical advice: Reduce your exposure to fossil fuel price swings before the next crisis hits.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EEscalating tensions in the Middle East are fueling global oil price volatility and driving up costs for U.S. consumers, from gas and airfare to groceries. Georgia Tech experts explain that because oil is traded globally, supply disruptions anywhere raise prices everywhere, keeping fuel costs elevated above pre-conflict levels. Higher oil prices are also increasing transportation and supply chain expenses, while rising fertilizer costs are pushing food prices higher. Although the federal government can deploy short-term measures such as tapping reserves, experts note these solutions are limited and temporary. As uncertainty continues in energy markets, households are encouraged to reduce long-term costs by improving energy efficiency and lowering reliance on fossil fuels.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Experts break down five things to know about how global oil disruptions are already hitting American households."}],"uid":"35798","created_gmt":"2026-05-18 15:28:36","changed_gmt":"2026-06-11 00:01:34","author":"Ayana Isles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680298":{"id":"680298","type":"image","title":"How the Global Energy Crisis Is Affecting Americans","body":null,"created":"1779115821","gmt_created":"2026-05-18 14:50:21","changed":"1779115944","gmt_changed":"2026-05-18 14:52:24","alt":"Hand of the man putting money into the opening gas tank of his car. Refueling car with gasoline at gas stations. ","file":{"fid":"264545","name":"AdobeStock_519017170.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/AdobeStock_519017170.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/18\/AdobeStock_519017170.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4443863,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/18\/AdobeStock_519017170.jpeg?itok=a__vbUHh"}}},"media_ids":["680298"],"related_files":{"264054":{"fid":null,"name":"Strait of Hormuz","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/03\/Strait-Of-Hormuz.jpeg","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/03\/Strait-Of-Hormuz.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":255785,"description":null}},"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"213","name":"energy"},{"id":"195138","name":"global oil disruptions"},{"id":"194980","name":"iran conflict"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/aisles3@gatech.edu \u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAyana Isles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690639":{"#nid":"690639","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Steven Ferguson Builds Better On-Ramps to Georgia Manufacturing, Education","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor Steven Ferguson, deputy director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E and executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/engage\/manufacturing-40-consortium\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium\u003C\/a\u003E, advancing Georgia\u2019s manufacturing industry and its workforce is personal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was Ferguson\u2019s own first manufacturing industry job at Glidden Paint in high school that tipped a row of dominoes, clearing his way out of poverty. Following next in the Hall County native\u2019s\u0026nbsp;favor was his receiving the Pell Grant and HOPE Grant, which led to his associate\u2019s degree and first job in education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince then, Ferguson has spent the better part of three decades advancing workforce preparation and education access in Georgia, first as chief information officer for the Technical College System of Georgia, and now through his current roles at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAccess to higher education changed the trajectory of my life. The question now is how we build systems that create those same opportunities for others \u2014 whether someone starts their career right out of high school, earns credentials while working, or returns later to pursue advanced technical education or engineering. We need to create flexible pathways that develop talent at every stage of life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESteven Ferguson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EForged in Manufacturing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFerguson was born into a family of \u201cmakers,\u201d who got by on odd jobs and money from their small bait and tackle shop on Lake Lanier and later peddling a variety of goods. At a young age, Ferguson learned salesmanship and picked up the tinkering spirit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy dad was always entrepreneurial, and I think you might even consider us manufacturers, always making fishing equipment or other things,\u201d said Ferguson. \u201cFrom a very young age, I was out making jig heads, tying flies, and bagging hooks or sinkers. It was definitely in my blood.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen he was in 10th grade, a teacher nominated Ferguson for a new youth apprenticeship program. That opportunity ultimately led to his role as an information technology apprentice at Glidden Paint, which became Ferguson\u2019s first job in the manufacturing industry. The job was a perfect fit for Ferguson, who enjoyed learning more about the manufacturing process and the practical outlet for his computing knowledge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe continued working there until he began studying computer science at North Georgia College and State University. Later, he transferred to Gainesville College (GC) to participate in a joint enrollment program designed to lead to eventual enrollment for a bachelor\u2019s degree at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, before Ferguson completed his time at GC, he had an \u003Ca\u003Eassociate\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E degree and, more importantly, a job offer. GC wanted him to train others for careers in information technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.em.gatech.edu\/2026\/05\/27\/access-steven-ferguson-manufacturing-education\/\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the Enrollment Management News Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor Steven Ferguson, deputy director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E and executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/engage\/manufacturing-40-consortium\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium\u003C\/a\u003E, advancing Georgia\u2019s manufacturing industry and its workforce is personal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was Ferguson\u2019s own first manufacturing industry job at Glidden Paint in high school that tipped a row of dominoes, clearing his way out of poverty. Following next in the Hall County native\u2019s\u0026nbsp;favor was his receiving the Pell Grant and HOPE Grant, which led to his associate\u2019s degree and first job in education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince then, Ferguson has spent the better part of three decades advancing workforce preparation and education access in Georgia, first as chief information officer for the Technical College System of Georgia, and now through his current roles at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"For Steven Ferguson, deputy director of the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute and executive director of the Georgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium, advancing Georgia\u2019s manufacturing industry and its workforce is personal."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-06-04 14:17:03","changed_gmt":"2026-06-04 14:21:17","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680416":{"id":"680416","type":"image","title":"StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESteven Ferguson, deputy director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u003C\/a\u003E and executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/manufacturing.gatech.edu\/engage\/manufacturing-40-consortium\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing 4.0 Consortium\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780582672","gmt_created":"2026-06-04 14:17:52","changed":"1780582713","gmt_changed":"2026-06-04 14:18:33","alt":"Steven Ferguson","file":{"fid":"264673","name":"StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/04\/StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/04\/StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":176331,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/04\/StevenFerguson-IMG_5862.jpg?itok=xDe8xlwi"}}},"media_ids":["680416"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.em.gatech.edu\/2026\/05\/27\/access-steven-ferguson-manufacturing-education\/","title":"Full Story on the Enrollment Management News Page"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amanda.budd@ssc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmanda Budd\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["amanda.budd@ssc.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690188":{"#nid":"690188","#data":{"type":"news","title":"What\u2019s in the Price of a Gallon of Gas?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe U.S. Energy Information Administration expects nationwide retail gasoline prices to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/outlooks\/steo\/\u0022\u003Eaverage near $4.30 a gallon\u003C\/a\u003E for April 2026 \u2013 the highest monthly average of the year. The political response has been familiar. Georgia has \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.multistate.us\/insider\/2026\/4\/6\/lawmakers-push-fuel-tax-relief-amid-rising-gas-costs\u0022\u003Esuspended its state gas tax\u003C\/a\u003E, other states are weighing their own tax holidays, and the White House has issued a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.marketplace.org\/story\/2026\/03\/19\/waiving-the-jones-act-will-boost-the-number-of-ships-available-to-transport-oil-in-the-us\u0022\u003Etemporary waiver of a law known as the Jones Act\u003C\/a\u003E in hopes of moving more domestic fuel to East Coast ports.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=jjvorcAAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003Eenergy economist\u003C\/a\u003E, I am often asked about what contributes to gas prices and what different policies can do to affect them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe price of a retail gallon of gas is the sum of four things: the cost of crude oil, refining, distribution and marketing, and taxes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn nationwide figures from January 2026, crude oil accounted for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/petroleum\/gasdiesel\/\u0022\u003Eabout 51% of the pump price\u003C\/a\u003E, refining roughly 20%, distribution and marketing about 11% and taxes about 18%. That mix shifts with conditions: When crude oil prices spike, that can drive more than 60% of the price; when the price drops, taxes and logistics are larger shares of the cost.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECrude Oil is the Biggest Ingredient\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause the price of crude oil is the largest element, most of the price at the pump is derived from the global oil market.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy\u0022\u003EPrivacy Policy\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms\u0022\u003ETerms of Service\u003C\/a\u003E apply.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsually, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1257\/aer.99.3.1053\u0022\u003Ebig swings in crude prices\u003C\/a\u003E come mainly from shifts in global demand and expectations \u2013 not from supply disruptions, according to widely cited research in 2009 by the economist Lutz Kilian.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut what is happening in early 2026 with the war in Iran is one of the exceptions: a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/us-is-less-prone-to-oil-price-shocks-than-in-past-decades-277709\u0022\u003Eclassic supply shock\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.iea.org\/reports\/oil-market-report-april-2026\u0022\u003ESevere disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz\u003C\/a\u003E and attacks on Middle East oil infrastructure have taken millions of barrels a day off the global market.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost drivers generally can\u2019t quickly reduce how much they drive or how much gas they use when prices rise, so \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dallasfed.org\/research\/economics\/2020\/0616\u0022\u003Egasoline demand doesn\u2019t change much in the short run\u003C\/a\u003E. That means a jump in crude costs tends to result in people paying more rather than driving less.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERefining, Regulations, and the California Puzzle\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERefining turns crude into gasoline at industrial scale. The U.S. doesn\u2019t have a single gasoline market, though. Roughly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/gasoline-standards\/reformulated-gasoline\u0022\u003Ea quarter of U.S. gasoline\u003C\/a\u003E is a cleaner-burning blend of petroleum-derived chemicals called \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/gasoline-standards\/reformulated-gasoline\u0022\u003Ereformulated gasoline\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d which is required in urban areas across 17 states and the District of Columbia to reduce smog.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECalifornia uses an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.arb.ca.gov\/our-work\/programs\/fuels-enforcment-program\/california-reformulated-gasoline\u0022\u003Eeven stricter formulation\u003C\/a\u003E that few out-of-state refineries make. California is also geographically isolated: No pipelines bring gasoline in from other U.S. refining regions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECalifornia\u2019s gasoline prices have long run above the national average, explained in part by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/detail.php?id=65184\u0022\u003Ehigher state taxes\u003C\/a\u003E and stricter environmental rules. But since a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.csb.gov\/exxonmobil-torrance-refinery-explosion-\/\u0022\u003Erefinery fire in Torrance, California, in 2015\u003C\/a\u003E reduced production capacity, the state\u2019s prices have been \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haas.berkeley.edu\/energy-institute\/about\/in-the-media\/mystery-gasoline-surcharge\/\u0022\u003Eabout 20 to 30 cents a gallon\u003C\/a\u003E higher than what those factors would indicate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnergy economist and University of California, Berkeley, professor Severin Borenstein has called this the \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haas.berkeley.edu\/energy-institute\/about\/in-the-media\/mystery-gasoline-surcharge\/\u0022\u003Emystery gasoline surcharge\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d and attributes it to the fact that there isn\u2019t as much competition between refineries or gas stations in California as in other states. California\u2019s own Division of Petroleum Market Oversight says the surcharge cost the state\u2019s drivers \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.ca.gov\/publications\/2025\/division-petroleum-market-oversight-2024-annual-report\u0022\u003Eabout $59 billion from 2015 to 2024\u003C\/a\u003E. It\u2019s not exactly clear who is getting that money, but it could be \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyathaas.wordpress.com\/2023\/01\/09\/whats-the-matter-with-californias-gasoline-prices\/\u0022\u003Egas stations themselves or refineries\u003C\/a\u003E, through complex contracts with gas stations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGetting the Gas Into Your Car\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe distribution and marketing category covers the costs of everything involved in getting the gasoline from the refinery gate to your tank.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGasoline moves by pipeline, ship, rail and truck to wholesale terminals, and then by local delivery truck to service stations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the retailer\u2019s end, the key factors are station rent and labor, the cost to buy gasoline in bulk to be able to sell it, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/credit-cards\/learn\/what-are-credit-card-interchange-fees\u0022\u003Ecredit card fees\u003C\/a\u003E of as much as 6 to 10 cents a gallon at current prices, and franchise fees paid to the national brand, such as Sunoco or ExxonMobil, for permission to put their branding on the gas station.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost gas station operators net \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.convenience.org\/Media\/conveniencecorner\/Who-Makes-Money-Selling-Gas\u0022\u003Eonly a few cents per gallon\u003C\/a\u003E on fuel itself \u2013 which is why many gas stations are really convenience stores with pumps out front. Borenstein and some of his collaborators have also documented that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/003355397555118\u0022\u003Eretail gas prices rise quickly\u003C\/a\u003E when wholesale costs climb but fall slowly when wholesale costs drop.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Question of Gas Tax Holidays\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe federal government charges a tax on fuel, of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/tools\/faqs\/faq.php?id=10\u0026amp;t=5\u0022\u003E18.4 cents a gallon for gasoline\u003C\/a\u003E and 24.3 cents a gallon for diesel. States charge their own taxes, ranging from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/taxfoundation.org\/data\/all\/state\/gas-taxes-state\/\u0022\u003E70.9 cents a gallon for gas\u003C\/a\u003E in California to 8.95 cents in Alaska.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen gas prices rise, many politicians start talking about temporarily suspending their state\u2019s gas tax. That does reduce prices, but not as much as politicians \u2013 or consumers \u2013 might hope. Research on past gas tax holidays has found that consumers get \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu\/issues\/2022\/6\/15\/effects-of-a-state-gasoline-tax-holiday\u0022\u003Eabout 79% of the reduction\u003C\/a\u003E in gas taxes. That means oil companies and fuel retailers keep about one-fifth of the tax cut for themselves rather than passing that savings to the public.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGas tax holidays also reduce funding for what the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/blog.turbotax.intuit.com\/tax-deductions-and-credits-2\/the-highs-and-lows-of-gasoline-tax-15098\/\u0022\u003Etaxes are designed to pay for\u003C\/a\u003E, typically roads and bridges. That pushes road and bridge upkeep costs onto future drivers and general taxpayers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is an additional problem, too: Taxes on gasoline are supposed to charge drivers for some of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nber.org\/papers\/w14685\u0022\u003Ecosts their driving imposes on everyone else\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 carbon emissions, local air pollution, congestion and crashes. But Borenstein has found that U.S. fuel tax levels are already \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energyathaas.wordpress.com\/2022\/02\/28\/cut-the-electricity-tax-not-the-gas-tax\/\u0022\u003Efar below the true cost to society\u003C\/a\u003E. Removing the tax on drivers effectively raises the costs for everyone else.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Jones Act: A Small Number That Adds Up\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/soaring-gas-prices-prompt-trump-to-ease-oil-tanker-rules-how-waiving-the-jones-act-affects-what-you-pay-at-the-pump-278387\u0022\u003E1920 Jones Act\u003C\/a\u003E is a federal law that requires cargo moving between U.S. ports to travel on vessels built and registered in the U.S., owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed primarily by U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Of the world\u2019s 7,500 oil tankers, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2026\/03\/18\/jones-act-suspended-shipping-oil\/\u0022\u003Eonly 54 meet this requirement\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cato.org\/blog\/jones-act-forces-us-gasoline-take-long-way-home\u0022\u003EOnly 43 of these\u003C\/a\u003E can transport refined fuels such as gasoline.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, despite significant refining capacity on the Gulf Coast, some U.S. gasoline is exported overseas even as the Northeast imports fuel, in part reflecting the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/analysis\/transportationfuels\/padd1n3\/\u0022\u003Erelatively high cost of moving fuel\u003C\/a\u003E between U.S. ports.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEconomists Ryan Kellogg and Rich Sweeney estimate that the law \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nber.org\/papers\/w31938\u0022\u003Eraises East Coast gasoline prices by about a penny and a half per gallon\u003C\/a\u003E on average, costing drivers roughly $770 million a year. In light of the war\u2019s effect on gas prices, the Trump administration has \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/soaring-gas-prices-prompt-trump-to-ease-oil-tanker-rules-how-waiving-the-jones-act-affects-what-you-pay-at-the-pump-278387\u0022\u003Etemporarily suspended the Jones Act requirements\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 an action more commonly taken when \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/publication\/september-2017-jones-act-waivers\u0022\u003Ehurricanes knock out Gulf Coast refineries and pipeline networks\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat Moves the Number\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe result of all these factors is that the price that drivers see at the pump mostly reflects the global price of crude, plus a stack of domestic costs, only some of which are inefficient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETax holidays give a partial, short-lived rebate. Jones Act waivers trim pennies, though permanent repeal may cause more fundamental changes, such as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cato.org\/publications\/policy-analysis\/jones-act-burden-america-can-no-longer-bear\u0022\u003Ereduced rail and truck transport of all goods\u003C\/a\u003E, which could lower costs, emissions and infrastructure damage associated with cargo transportation. Harmonizing fuel blends across states and seasons may lower prices somewhat, but likely at the expense of increased emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, the best protection against oil price shocks is a more efficient gas-burning vehicle, or \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2026\/04\/02\/evs-autos-energy-oil-iran-war-electric-transport-fossil-fuels.html\u0022\u003Eone that doesn\u2019t burn gasoline\u003C\/a\u003E at all. In the meantime, the best I can offer as an economist is clarity about what that $4.30 actually buys.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/whats-in-the-price-of-a-gallon-of-gas-281494\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech energy economist Bobby Harris said U.S. gasoline prices are driven mainly by crude oil costs, with refining, distribution and taxes accounting for a smaller and shifting share of what consumers pay at the pump.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech energy economist Bobby Harris said U.S. gasoline prices are driven mainly by crude oil costs, with refining, distribution and taxes accounting for a smaller and shifting share of what consumers pay at the pump. "}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-07 13:46:11","changed_gmt":"2026-06-01 14:59:37","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680213":{"id":"680213","type":"image","title":"What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGas prices were well over $4 a gallon on April 28, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/fuel-prices-are-displayed-at-a-brooklyn-gas-station-on-news-photo\/2273575764\u0022\u003ESpencer Platt\/Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778162898","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 14:08:18","changed":"1778162898","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 14:08:18","alt":"A person filling gas in his car with the gas prices shown in the foreground","file":{"fid":"264457","name":"What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":243115,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/What-s-inthepriceofagallonofgas.jpeg?itok=ROlYqpjU"}},"680212":{"id":"680212","type":"image","title":"the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices.png","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAs of January 2026.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EChart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/petroleum\/gasdiesel\/\u0022 rel=\u0022nofollow noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EU.S. Energy Information Administration\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022javascript:void(0)\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022\u003EGet the data\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/CnmrT\/1\/#embed\u0022\u003EEmbed\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/CnmrT\/full.png\u0022\u003EDownload image\u003C\/a\u003E Created with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.datawrapper.de\/_\/CnmrT\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDatawrapper\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1778162088","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 13:54:48","changed":"1778162088","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 13:54:48","alt":"Chart showing cost distribution of crude oil, refining, marketing and distribution and taxes for gas and diesel","file":{"fid":"264456","name":"the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":81655,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/the-cost-of-crude-oil-is-a-key-driver-of-gas-and-diesel-prices_0.png?itok=p_-8Gzh1"}},"680210":{"id":"680210","type":"image","title":"BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA tanker truck delivers fuel to a gas station. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/detail\/IranUSOil\/aa65c07d8aa34344acfa1aa5bcfda39c\/photo\u0022\u003EAP Photo\/Erin Hooley\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778161952","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 13:52:32","changed":"1778161952","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 13:52:32","alt":"A tanker truck delivers fuel to a gas station. AP Photo\/Erin Hooley","file":{"fid":"264454","name":"BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":101295,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260429-57-ux2drz.jpeg?itok=SkqSopUw"}},"680211":{"id":"680211","type":"image","title":"BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESuspending the Jones Act allows foreign-based oil tankers to sail between U.S. ports. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/detail\/OilPrices\/773825116ccd4cf8943c40836038be54\/photo?vs=false\u0026amp;currentItemNo=25\u0026amp;startingItemNo=0\u0022\u003EAP Photo\/Eric Gay\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778161998","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 13:53:18","changed":"1778161998","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 13:53:18","alt":"An oil tanker ship with the sun in the background and a man with a cap with a fishing poll in the foreground","file":{"fid":"264455","name":"BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":127210,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/BobbyHarris-file-20260318-71-tw0cca.jpeg?itok=1ZUJVvv4"}}},"media_ids":["680213","680212","680210","680211"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/whats-in-the-price-of-a-gallon-of-gas-281494","title":"Original Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/robert-i-harris-2669057\u0022 rel=\u0022author\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERobert I. Harris\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Professor of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Research Communications\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690486":{"#nid":"690486","#data":{"type":"news","title":"INTERSECT 2026 Marks a Decade of Impact in Advancing the Southeast\u2019s Energy Policy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s INTERSECT 2026 brought together leading voices in energy on May 18 to explore critical issues in the Southeast\u2019s energy ecosystem. Hosted by the Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E), INTERSECT coincided with the center\u2019s 10th anniversary, reflecting its sustained impact in convening cross-sector leaders to advance regional energy innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith more than 150 attendees from industry, academia, and research organizations, the event\u2019s high-level engagement underscored the urgency of critical issues facing the energy sector today, including the surging electricity demand, resiliency of the grid, and evolving supply chains, as well as the value of a dedicated space for candid, solutions-oriented dialogue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cINTERSECT 2026 demonstrated the power of bringing together leaders who are actively shaping the future of energy,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cWhat began as a forum to explore emerging ideas has grown into a critical platform for aligning perspectives and advancing actionable solutions across the Southeast.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s program focused on real-world implementation challenges, including managing large-scale load growth and coordinating infrastructure investments to meet demand reliably and affordably. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/intersect-2026\/\u0022\u003EPanels\u003C\/a\u003E featuring leaders from utilities, global energy corporations, and research organizations emphasized the importance of aligning strategy across sectors to ensure that the Southeast remains competitive and resilient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.southerncompany.com\/about\/leadership\/chris-womack.html\u0022\u003EChris Womack\u003C\/a\u003E, chairman, president, and CEO of Southern Company, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the unprecedented scale of current energy demands.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMeeting this moment requires us to think differently \u2014 serving growth while ensuring reliability, resilience, and long-term value for our customers and communities,\u201d said Womack.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaunched in 2017, the inaugural INTERSECT conference marked the launch of EPIcenter itself and established Georgia Tech\u2019s commitment to connecting research, industry insight, and policy development. It focused on the need to bridge the gap between rapidly advancing technologies and slower-moving regulatory and market frameworks, a theme that continues to shape its mission today.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs INTERSECT 2026 concluded, participants pointed to a shared takeaway: With its\u0026nbsp;industrial base, growing population, and integrated energy systems,\u0026nbsp;the Southeast is uniquely positioned to lead in the next phase of the energy transition. With AI-driven power demand and grid infrastructure playing a significant role going forward, it is imperative to bring together the right voices to shape policies and strategies that will connect ideas to action.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s INTERSECT 2026 brought together leading voices in energy on May 18 to explore critical issues in the Southeast\u2019s energy ecosystem. 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Laura Taylor with Chris Womack","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEPIcenter Director Laura Taylor with Southern Company Chairman and CEO Chris Womack during the keynote address\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779842599","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 00:43:19","changed":"1779842670","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 00:44:30","alt":"EPIcenter Director Laura Taylor with Southern Company Chairman and CEO Chris Womack during the keynote address","file":{"fid":"264600","name":"Intersect-2026-33.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/Intersect-2026-33.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/Intersect-2026-33.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5201223,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/Intersect-2026-33.jpg?itok=ghZ3_4bp"}},"680353":{"id":"680353","type":"image","title":"IMG_1467.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIntersect 2026 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QII.","file":{"fid":"264608","name":"IMG_1449.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1449.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1449.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2495542,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1449.jpg?itok=vr1zD1ce"}},"680352":{"id":"680352","type":"image","title":"IMG_1514.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EModerator Craig Jones (Oglethorpe Power Corporation) with Panelists Lisa Epifani (ClearPath, William Pizer (Resources for the Future) and Brad Townsend (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779847353","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 02:02:33","changed":"1779848242","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 02:17:22","alt":"Moderator Craig Jones (Oglethorpe Power Corporation) with Panelists Lisa Epifani (ClearPath, William Pizer (Resources for the Future) and Brad Townsend (Center for Climate and Energy 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Corporation)","file":{"fid":"264609","name":"IMG_1464.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1464.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1464.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2152246,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1464.jpg?itok=Qqri1Y77"}},"680356":{"id":"680356","type":"image","title":"IMG_1536.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EModerator Elaine Johns (Vantage Point Solutions and EnerVision) with Panelists Wayne Gossage (Jefferson Energy Cooperative), Michael Goodroe (Sawnee EMC) and Jeremy Nelms (Flint Energies)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779847849","gmt_created":"2026-05-27 02:10:49","changed":"1779847849","gmt_changed":"2026-05-27 02:10:49","alt":"Moderator Elaine Johns (Vantage Point Solutions and EnerVision) with Panelists Wayne Gossage (Jefferson Energy Cooperative), Michael Goodroe (Sawnee EMC) and Jeremy Nelms (Flint Energies)","file":{"fid":"264610","name":"IMG_1536.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1536.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1536.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2400022,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/IMG_1536.jpg?itok=dxTsR50P"}}},"media_ids":["680346","680347","680353","680348","680354","680352","680355","680356"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || Research Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690463":{"#nid":"690463","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Students Advance Energy, Science Innovation Through National Lab Internships","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech students are gaining hands-on research experience at U.S. national laboratories this summer, reinforcing the Institute\u2019s strong and enduring partnerships across the national lab system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe highly competitive\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/wdts\/About\/Laboratory-Participants\u0022\u003ELaboratory Placement program\u003C\/a\u003E is a paid opportunity offered through the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/wdts\/suli\u0022\u003EScience Undergraduate Laboratory Internships\u003C\/a\u003E. It provides students from a wide range of disciplines an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at leading facilities, including\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.anl.gov\/\u0022\u003EArgonne National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ameslab.gov\/\u0022\u003EAmes National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lbl.gov\/\u0022\u003ELawrence Berkeley National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nlr.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Laboratory of the Rockies\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003EOak Ridge National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pppl.gov\/\u0022\u003EPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.srnl.gov\/\u0022\u003ESavannah River National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program\u2019s 2026 cohort includes 16 Georgia Tech students from disciplines such as artificial intelligence, materials science, aerospace engineering, nuclear engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and physics. Their research placements reflect the interdisciplinary nature of today\u2019s scientific challenges, with projects covering bioinformatics, high-energy and condensed matter physics, accelerator science, environmental management, and advanced materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany of the internships are closely aligned with national energy priorities, with students working in research areas including nuclear energy, hydrogen and chemical systems, materials for energy applications, plasma and fusion sciences, and complex engineered systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech\u2019s deep engagement with the national laboratory system creates unparalleled opportunities for our students to contribute to the future of energy,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute. \u201cBy connecting interdisciplinary talent with world-class research environments, we are not only advancing discovery but also shaping the next generation of leaders who will drive secure, sustainable, and resilient energy systems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking alongside national lab scientists, students will not only gain access to world-class facilities but benefit from mentorship and professional networks, while contributing to research critical to national security, economic competitiveness, and a more sustainable energy future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese internships demonstrate the strength of Georgia Tech\u2019s relationships across the federal research ecosystem,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gov.gatech.edu\/staff-directory\u0022\u003ERobert Knotts\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of Federal Relations in the Office of Institute Relations. \u201cThey provide a direct pathway for students to engage in public service through mission-driven research at national laboratories \u2014 while strengthening connections that are vital to advancing national priorities in energy, security, and innovation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech students are gaining hands-on research experience at U.S. national laboratories this summer, reinforcing the Institute\u2019s strong and enduring partnerships across the national lab system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe highly competitive\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/wdts\/About\/Laboratory-Participants\u0022\u003ELaboratory Placement program\u003C\/a\u003E is a paid opportunity offered through the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/wdts\/suli\u0022\u003EScience Undergraduate Laboratory Internships\u003C\/a\u003E. It provides students from a wide range of disciplines an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at leading facilities, including\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.anl.gov\/\u0022\u003EArgonne National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ameslab.gov\/\u0022\u003EAmes National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lbl.gov\/\u0022\u003ELawrence Berkeley National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nlr.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Laboratory of the Rockies\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003EOak Ridge National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pppl.gov\/\u0022\u003EPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.srnl.gov\/\u0022\u003ESavannah River National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech students are gaining hands-on research experience at U.S. national laboratories this summer, reinforcing the Institute\u2019s strong and enduring partnerships across the national lab system."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-26 14:34:26","changed_gmt":"2026-05-26 19:23:02","author":"pdevarajan3","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":[],"hg_media":{"680345":{"id":"680345","type":"image","title":"National Lab Student Internships 2026","body":null,"created":"1779823309","gmt_created":"2026-05-26 19:21:49","changed":"1779823332","gmt_changed":"2026-05-26 19:22:12","alt":"Logos of national labs including Oak Ridge National Lab, AMES Lab, Argonne National Lab, Savannah River National Lab, PPPL, National Lab of the Rockies, National Fusion Facility, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Brookhaven National Lab and Sandia national lab","file":{"fid":"264598","name":"GT-Students-Interning-at-Labs_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/GT-Students-Interning-at-Labs_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/26\/GT-Students-Interning-at-Labs_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2027423,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/26\/GT-Students-Interning-at-Labs_1.jpg?itok=SiYNOZ89"}}},"media_ids":["680345"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || Research Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690386":{"#nid":"690386","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Vida Jamali Receives the Inaugural Dr. James Robert and Margaret Spencer Early Career Fellowship","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Professor Vida Jamali is the inaugural recipient of the new Dr. James Robert and Margaret Spencer Early Career Fellowship in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE@GT).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHer outstanding research accomplishments and contributions to the School and Georgia Tech led to this selection,\u201d said Professor Christopher W. Jones, the John F. Brock III School Chair in ChBE@GT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe $20,000 in discretionary funding from this one-year fellowship will support \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vidajamali.github.io\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJamali\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s research activities focused on developing new tools for \u003Cem\u003Ein situ\u003C\/em\u003E liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy, stochastic thermodynamics, and nanoscience-based platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Spencers established the endowment from which the term fellowship funding comes in 2017. This endowment will eventually lead to the establishment of a professorship in ChBE@GT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBob Spencer is a successful alumnus who has remained connected to our chemical engineering program,\u201d according to Jones. \u201cHis family\u2019s gift will allow ChBE@GT to support an early career professor at a critical stage of their development\u2014the crucial years just before their promotion and tenure review. We are grateful for their support and generosity.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/vida-jamali-receives-inaugural-dr-james-robert-and-margaret-spencer-early-career\u0022\u003ERead Full Story on the ChBE Newspage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Professor Vida Jamali is the inaugural recipient of the new Dr. James Robert and Margaret Spencer Early Career Fellowship in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE@GT).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHer outstanding research accomplishments and contributions to the School and Georgia Tech led to this selection,\u201d said Professor Christopher W. Jones, the John F. Brock III School Chair in ChBE@GT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe $20,000 in discretionary funding from this one-year fellowship will support \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vidajamali.github.io\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJamali\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s research activities focused on developing new tools for \u003Cem\u003Ein situ\u003C\/em\u003E liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy, stochastic thermodynamics, and nanoscience-based platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Assistant Professor Vida Jamali is the inaugural recipient of the new Dr. James Robert and Margaret Spencer Early Career Fellowship in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE@GT)."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-19 20:50:46","changed_gmt":"2026-05-19 20:54:42","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680322":{"id":"680322","type":"image","title":"vida_image_0.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EVida Jamali, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1779223851","gmt_created":"2026-05-19 20:50:51","changed":"1779223851","gmt_changed":"2026-05-19 20:50:51","alt":"Vida Jamali, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"264569","name":"vida_image_0.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/19\/vida_image_0.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/19\/vida_image_0.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":30687,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/19\/vida_image_0.jpeg?itok=tgpG-de0"}}},"media_ids":["680322"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:braddixon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBrad Dixon\u003C\/a\u003E, ChBE\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690194":{"#nid":"690194","#data":{"type":"news","title":"When oil prices spike, where does the money go?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe market for oil is global, which is why events like the war in Iran affect oil prices \u2013 and prices of the wide range of products made from oil \u2013 literally everywhere. Federal data shows that the price at the primary crude oil hub in the U.S. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/dnav\/pet\/hist\/RWTCD.htm\u0022\u003Ewas US$66 a barrel in late February 2026\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran \u2013 and $101 a barrel on April 13. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/04\/09\/nx-s1-5745144\/oil-company-profits-high-oil-prices\u0022\u003ESimilar price increases\u003C\/a\u003E have reverberated around the globe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=WhCSHYkAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003Eenergy economist\u003C\/a\u003E and an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=p4hJf78AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Einternational trade economist\u003C\/a\u003E, we field a lot of questions during such episodes, because when oil prices go up, manufacturers, businesses and ultimately \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/soaring-gas-prices-and-disrupted-supply-chains-will-ripple-out-to-increase-costs-in-every-store-and-sector-of-the-economy-278349\u0022\u003Econsumers pay more\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESome basic economics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECrude oil may be the most important commodity in the global economic system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s a literal fuel for the industrial economy. It powers the engines that drive transportation and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pavementinteractive.org\/reference-desk\/materials\/asphalt\/asphalt-production-and-oil-refining\/\u0022\u003Epaves the roads\u003C\/a\u003E vehicles drive on. It\u2019s a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/tools\/faqs\/faq.php?id=34\u0026amp;t=6\u0022\u003Esource for plastics\u003C\/a\u003E from which the world\u2019s products get made and packaged, and a key ingredient at some point in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/oil-isnt-just-fuel-iran-conflict-could-disrupt-markets-for-everything-from-plastics-to-fertilizers-277946\u0022\u003Ealmost every supply chain\u003C\/a\u003E. Even \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/hormuz-closure-threatens-the-global-food-supply-why-grocery-price-hikes-are-coming-279899\u0022\u003Efertilizers that boost the food supply\u003C\/a\u003E are made from it. In short, it is difficult to imagine modern life without \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.business-standard.com\/world-news\/oil-role-modern-life-petrochemicals-impact-everyday-products-explained-126032300615_1.html\u0022\u003Eoil and its derivatives\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd when its supply changes, its price changes. Economists explain this using a fundamental model of our field: the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/l\/law-of-supply-demand.asp\u0022\u003Esupply-demand\u003C\/a\u003E diagram. When there\u2019s less of something to go around, competition among consumers who want it and companies that need it can drive the price up.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESometimes this process can play out over time, allowing people to adjust their purchasing or activities to dampen price shocks. But when a significant source of the world\u2019s oil is effectively blocked without much advance notice, such as when the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/hormuz-closure-threatens-the-global-food-supply-why-grocery-price-hikes-are-coming-279899\u0022\u003Ethe U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz\u003C\/a\u003E, prices can rise sharply in a short period of time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA natural question many people ask when oil prices spike is: Where does all that additional money go, and who benefits from it?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome people have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mitpress.mit.edu\/9780262536165\/energy-and-civilization\/\u0022\u003Ewritten\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/press.princeton.edu\/books\/paperback\/9780691159638\/the-oil-curse\u0022\u003Eentire\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/global.oup.com\/academic\/product\/the-world-for-sale-9780197651537\u0022\u003Ebooks\u003C\/a\u003E dissecting all the places that money goes when it leaves consumers\u2019 pockets. But ultimately, the bulk of the money heads in the direction of the source of the oil itself \u2013 the oil companies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat they do with the money varies widely, depending on where in the world an oil company is operating and who owns it. What also matters is the business environment \u2013 the set of laws and regulations \u2013 in which the company operates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMiddle East faces danger\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOil producers in the Middle East face significant new risk because of the war in Iran, including threats to production, processing locations and shipping routes. These risks raise their costs for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/gulfs-worst-case-scenario-2026-04-08\/\u0022\u003Einsurance, security and transportation\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/why-the-persian-gulf-has-more-oil-and-gas-than-anywhere-else-on-earth-279303\u0022\u003Eproduction costs in the region\u003C\/a\u003E are relatively low, so higher global oil prices typically still translate into strong profits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor a major exporter such as Saudi Arabia, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/saudi-aramco-oil-colossus-2024-05-30\/\u0022\u003Ethe government owns and controls nearly all oil production\u003C\/a\u003E, so high prices generally benefit the government\u2019s finances and investments, even during a war. In Saudi Arabia, oil revenue has historically been used to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/agsi.org\/analysis\/aramco-and-the-saudi-government-budget\/\u0022\u003Efund public spending\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWest Texas gets a windfall\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dallasfed.org\/research\/energy11\/permian\u0022\u003EPermian Basin\u003C\/a\u003E, the largest oil field in the U.S., is a long way from the Persian Gulf. When global oil prices rise because of the war in Iran, oil companies operating in West Texas effectively get a windfall gain: Prices rise more quickly than costs, at least in the short run.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe immediate effect is more income from higher prices. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.houstonpublicmedia.org\/articles\/economy\/2026\/03\/11\/545798\/texas-oil-iran-war-gas-prices\/\u0022\u003EThe money largely goes to company owners\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 meaning shareholders \u2013 through dividends, debt reduction, company-backed purchases of its own stock, and reinvestment in drilling and production. Over time, companies may decide to spend some of that windfall on building more production capacity or \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/breakingviews\/us-shale-wont-repeat-old-boom-iran-war-2026-04-02\/\u0022\u003Epipelines to get more oil and gas to market\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENorth Sea boosts government revenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the North Sea, between the island of Great Britain and Scandinavia, a mix of multinational and government-owned companies produce most of the oil.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the U.K., private shareholders are the primary beneficiaries of higher profits from increased oil prices, though an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/commonslibrary.parliament.uk\/research-briefings\/cbp-9578\/\u0022\u003Eadditional tax on oil and gas companies\u2019 profits\u003C\/a\u003E means the government also collects a significant share of the money, which it uses to help pay public expenses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Norway, oil revenues flow into the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nbim.no\/en\/\u0022\u003EGovernment Pension Fund Global\u003C\/a\u003E, the world\u2019s largest sovereign wealth fund, valued at over $2 trillion. Laws govern how much, and for what purposes, money can be withdrawn from the fund, supporting \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nbim.no\/en\/about-us\/about-the-fund\/\u0022\u003Epublic spending and preserving wealth\u003C\/a\u003E for future generations. This is a similar model to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/apfc.org\/\u0022\u003EAlaska\u2019s state-owned program\u003C\/a\u003E, funded by oil revenue, that pays for government services and sends an annual dividend to every permanent resident.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERussian oligarchs get rich\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERussian oil is subject to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.politico.com\/newsletters\/national-security-daily\/2026\/04\/13\/the-return-of-russia-oil-sanctions-00869329\u0022\u003Estringent economic sanctions\u003C\/a\u003E imposed by major industrial countries as a response to the Russian invasion and occupation of parts of Ukraine. While the U.S. cannot control how much Russia charges for its oil, it can control services needed to move Russian oil around the world. Under current price sanctions, Western shipping, insurance and financing can be used to ship and sell Russian crude oil only if the price is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sanctionsnews.bakermckenzie.com\/g7-sets-price-cap-for-russian-oil-at-usd-60-per-barrel\/\u0022\u003Ebelow $60 per barrel\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERussia\u2019s oil industry is dominated by government-controlled companies whose \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c4g6xgv1n41o\u0022\u003Eleaders maintain close ties\u003C\/a\u003E to President Vladimir Putin. The dealings of those shadowy figures are often shrouded in secrecy, but it is likely that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/investigates\/section\/comrade-capitalism\/\u0022\u003Ethey and Putin\u2019s military-industrial complex\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 not the Russian people \u2013 are the main beneficiaries of high oil prices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat this means for you\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEveryday U.S. consumers may not like the idea of their hard-earned cash going into the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.tu.no\/artikler\/the-10-wealthiest-people-in-the-oil-industry\/231147\u0022\u003Ealready deep pockets\u003C\/a\u003E of any of these groups. But in the short run, there\u2019s not much to do but pay the price. For the long run, however, people around the world are already thinking and talking about, and opting for, sources of energy that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/us-is-less-prone-to-oil-price-shocks-than-in-past-decades-277709\u0022\u003Edon\u2019t depend on fossil fuels\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/when-oil-prices-spike-where-does-the-money-go-280763\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe market for oil is global, which is why events like the war in Iran affect oil prices \u2013 and prices of the wide range of products made from oil \u2013 literally everywhere. Federal data shows that the price at the primary crude oil hub in the U.S. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/dnav\/pet\/hist\/RWTCD.htm\u0022\u003Ewas US$66 a barrel in late February 2026\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran \u2013 and $101 a barrel on April 13. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/04\/09\/nx-s1-5745144\/oil-company-profits-high-oil-prices\u0022\u003ESimilar price increases\u003C\/a\u003E have reverberated around the globe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=WhCSHYkAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003Eenergy economist\u003C\/a\u003E and an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=p4hJf78AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Einternational trade economist\u003C\/a\u003E, we field a lot of questions during such episodes, because when oil prices go up, manufacturers, businesses and ultimately \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/soaring-gas-prices-and-disrupted-supply-chains-will-ripple-out-to-increase-costs-in-every-store-and-sector-of-the-economy-278349\u0022\u003Econsumers pay more\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEveryday U.S. consumers may not like the idea of their hard-earned cash going into the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.tu.no\/artikler\/the-10-wealthiest-people-in-the-oil-industry\/231147\u0022\u003Ealready deep pockets\u003C\/a\u003E of any of the oil-producing groups. But in the short run, there\u2019s not much to do but pay the price. For the long run, however, people around the world are already thinking and talking about, and opting for, sources of energy that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/us-is-less-prone-to-oil-price-shocks-than-in-past-decades-277709\u0022\u003Edon\u2019t depend on fossil fuels\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2013affiliated energy and trade economists describe how higher oil prices don\u2019t just hurt consumers\u2014they also shift enormous amounts of money to oil producers, with impacts varying by region, ownership, and government policy."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-07 20:10:19","changed_gmt":"2026-05-07 20:20:00","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680221":{"id":"680221","type":"image","title":"file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIn general, when supply of a product is reduced, prices rise. As a result, even when demand remains stable, the quantity consumers buy decreases because of higher prices. Matthew E. Oliver and Tibor Besede\u0161, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/\u0022\u003ECC BY-NC-ND\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778184730","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 20:12:10","changed":"1778184730","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 20:12:10","alt":"Graph showing supply demand of crude oil with price plotted in the Y axis and quantity in million barrels per day in the X axis during the months of Feb-April 2026.","file":{"fid":"264465","name":"file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":115393,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260415-71-kc4tq8.jpeg?itok=T4qXe3oZ"}},"680222":{"id":"680222","type":"image","title":"file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA satellite photo shows damage from the war at Saudi Arabia\u2019s Ras Tanura oil refinery, which must be repaired before full operations can resume. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/vantor-satellite-image-shows-the-damaged-sections-and-burnt-news-photo\/2263898268\u0022\u003ESatellite image (c) 2026 Vantor via Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778184836","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 20:13:56","changed":"1778184836","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 20:13:56","alt":"A satellite photo shows damage from the war at Saudi Arabia\u2019s Ras Tanura oil refinery, which must be repaired before full operations can resume. Satellite image (c) 2026 Vantor via Getty Images","file":{"fid":"264466","name":"file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":869181,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-ul6ilw.jpeg?itok=t6bc4Mxq"}},"680223":{"id":"680223","type":"image","title":"file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDrilling rigs in the North Sea are still operating and shipping oil. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/detail\/DenmarkCarbonCapture\/9c2bf7ede3bf4f4b9a938934131da66d\/photo\u0022\u003EAP Photo\/James Brooks\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778184879","gmt_created":"2026-05-07 20:14:39","changed":"1778184879","gmt_changed":"2026-05-07 20:14:39","alt":"Drilling rigs in the North Sea. AP Photo\/James Brooks","file":{"fid":"264467","name":"file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":249017,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/07\/file-20260416-63-4z9v13.jpeg?itok=7sBRd-Bu"}}},"media_ids":["680221","680222","680223"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/when-oil-prices-spike-where-does-the-money-go-280763","title":"Original Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthors\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/matthew-e-oliver-2656330\u0022 rel=\u0022author\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMatthew E. Oliver\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAssociate Professor of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/tibor-besedes-2656327\u0022 rel=\u0022author\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETibor Besede\u0161\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EProfessor of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690139":{"#nid":"690139","#data":{"type":"news","title":"EPIcenter Awards Inaugural Funding to Advance Energy Policy Impact in the Southeast","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E) at Georgia Tech has awarded funding to a new cohort of faculty through its ACCELERATE program, an initiative designed to strengthen Georgia Tech\u2019s thought leadership and real\u2011world impact in energy policy, decision\u2011making, and innovation across the Southeast.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEight faculty members received funding for projects that advance Georgia Tech energy research by generating early insights, expanding shared research tools, and exploring solutions related to energy policy, grid reliability, clean energy incentives, and industry\u2011driven innovation shaping Georgia\u2019s energy future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy supporting timely, policy-relevant research and engagement that connect Georgia Tech expertise with pressing regional energy challenges, the ACCELERATE program encourages collaboration across the Institute and with external partners, supports graduate student involvement, and amplifies research outputs that inform policy, regulatory, and market decisions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cACCELERATE is designed to help early- and mid-career faculty move quickly on ideas that can shape energy policy and practice,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cBy supporting both early\u2011stage collaboration and more developed policy research, the program enables Georgia Tech researchers to engage decision\u2011makers and stakeholders when it matters most.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProposals considered for funding were grounded in policy and behavioral research, including studies that examined how past or potential policies and regulations worked, and analyses of current market and behavioral outcomes that revealed management, policy, or regulatory gaps and opportunities. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunded projects span a range of disciplines and policy\u2011focused topics aligned with EPIcenter\u2019s mission, with a strong emphasis on challenges facing Georgia and the Southeast. Collectively, the awards support research development, data creation, stakeholder engagement, and public-facing thought leadership intended to inform energy policy and implementation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022As electricity demand grows, it is increasingly important to understand how\u0026nbsp;industrial processes could use energy flexibly to enable efficient use of renewable resources like solar and wind,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/micah-ziegler\u0022\u003EMicah Ziegler\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy. \u201cSupport from the EPIcenter ACCELERATE program enables us to ask fundamental questions about how to design flexible systems and supply chains.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAwards ranged from $5,000 to $75,000. Projects that received ACCELERATE funding include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeasuring the Alignment Between Legislators\u2019 Energy Bill Votes and Their District Characteristics in the Georgia House of Representatives\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/planning.gatech.edu\/people\/clio-andris\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClio Andris\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u003C\/strong\u003E Associate Professor, School of City and\u0026nbsp;Regional Planning and School of Interactive Computing\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStrengthening Georgia Tech\u2019s National Energy Modeling of Priority Research Areas\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/marilyn-brown\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMarilyn Brown\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Regents\u0027 Professor and Brook\u0026nbsp;Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProtecting Consumers From Price Volatility: Evidence and Policy Lessons From Georgia\u0027s Natural Gas Market\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/dylan-brewer\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDylan Brewer\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Economics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECan Place-Based Incentives Accelerate the Energy Transition?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/gaurav-doshi\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGaurav Doshi\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, School of Economics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Revolving Door in Utility Regulation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/f276dd8a-0e13-5b66-b4cf-3d2960e01b2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMichelle Graff\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow Do Data Centers Affect Tradeoffs Between Reliability and Decarbonization?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researchers:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/anthony-harding\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETony Harding\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, and\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/c9f0cadc-5bb4-5b6f-9eca-bd38a9233993\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBrian An\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECalculating the Emissions Cost of the Solar Rebound for the United States\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researcher:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/matthew-oliver\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMatt Oliver\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Associate Professor, School of Economics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEvaluating Long-Duration Flexibility of Industrial Demand in Electric Power Systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFaculty Researchers:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/micah-ziegler\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMicah Ziegler\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E,\u0026nbsp;assistant professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, and\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/constance-crozier\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EConstance Crozier\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Assistant Professor, H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EACCELERATE is an annual program open to all Georgia Tech faculty, focusing on policy\u2011 and decision\u2011relevant research that advances energy affordability, reliability, resilience, and decarbonization in the region.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore information about EPIcenter\u2019s research areas and programs is available at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eepicenter.energy.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E) at Georgia Tech has awarded funding to a new cohort of faculty through its ACCELERATE program, an initiative designed to strengthen Georgia Tech\u2019s thought leadership and real\u2011world impact in energy policy, decision\u2011making, and innovation across the Southeast.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEight faculty members received funding for projects that advance Georgia Tech energy research by generating early insights, expanding shared research tools, and exploring solutions related to energy policy, grid reliability, clean energy incentives, and industry\u2011driven innovation shaping Georgia\u2019s energy future.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Energy Policy and Innovation Center at Georgia Tech has awarded funding to a new faculty cohort through its ACCELERATE program, designed to strengthen Georgia Tech\u2019s thought leadership and real world impact in energy policy in the Southeast."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-05-05 15:53:02","changed_gmt":"2026-05-06 02:11:13","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680187":{"id":"680187","type":"image","title":"ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEPIcenter ACCELERATE Program Recipients: Top (Left to Right) - Clio Andris, Marilyn Brown, Dylan Brewer, Gaurav Doshi, Michelle Graff; Bottom (Left to Right) - Tony Harding, Brian An, Matt Oliver, Micah Ziegler, Constance Crozier\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1778033435","gmt_created":"2026-05-06 02:10:35","changed":"1778033435","gmt_changed":"2026-05-06 02:10:35","alt":"EPIcenter ACCELERATE Program Recipients: Top (Left to Right) - Clio Andris, Marilyn Brown, Dylan Brewer, Gaurav Doshi, Michelle Graff; Bottom (Left to Right) - Tony Harding, Brian An, Matt Oliver, Micah Ziegler, Constance Crozier","file":{"fid":"264429","name":"ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/05\/05\/ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":382746,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/05\/05\/ACCELERATE-Program-Funding-Recipients--EPIcenter---1-.jpg?itok=9suDx9ym"}}},"media_ids":["680187"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689912":{"#nid":"689912","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Is Building for an AI Future That May Not Happen","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWalton County, Georgia, didn\u2019t ask to become a test case for the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.meta.com\/about\/?srsltid=AfmBOorq5DbaO21MiOmnzavdCGimvjUKN-1Hxf4u3ZVf7y4qlNfEjReW\u0022\u003EMeta\u003C\/a\u003E, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, made the decision for them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2018, the company broke ground in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.socialcirclega.gov\/\u0022\u003ESocial Circle\u003C\/a\u003E, a small town an hour east of Atlanta with about 5,000 residents, to build one of its largest U.S. data centers. It opened in 2020.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELocal officials called it a win.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022\/\/\/Users\/mazriel3\/Downloads\/Shane%20Short,\u0022\u003EShane Short\u003C\/a\u003E, president and CEO of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/choosewalton.com\/\u0022\u003EDevelopment Authority of Walton County\u003C\/a\u003E, said the plant generates about $10 million annually in property tax revenue and has led to road improvements and expanded broadband.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EElectric vehicle maker\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rivian.com\/\u0022\u003ERivian\u003C\/a\u003E followed Meta\u2019s lead and began construction on a plant near Social Circle in September 2025, adding to the area\u2019s rapid industrial growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut for residents, the shift from a largely rural, agricultural economy to an energy-intensive industrial one has put new pressure on power and water systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey\u2019re seeing higher water and power bills, worse air quality, and very few jobs in return for this, while large corporations get tax benefits,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scs.gatech.edu\/people\/ahmed-saeed\u0022\u003EAhmed Saeed\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computer Science\u003C\/a\u003E, describing why residents in some communities push back on new data center development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESaeed and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/josiah-hester\u0022\u003EJosiah Hester\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor of interactive computing and computer science and director of the Center for Advancing Responsible AI, have spent the past year studying the energy, water, and financial demands associated with these facilities, and how those costs are distributed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EBetting on Demand\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI data centers run on specialized chips that use large amounts of electricity. That power generates heat, which requires energy- and water-intensive cooling.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe state is adding capacity based on expected demand, not current use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast year, the Georgia Public Service Commission approved an estimated $16 billion expansion for Georgia Power to support that growth. It is expected to produce about 10 gigawatts of electricity at a given time. That\u2019s enough energy to power about 7.5 million homes for a year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf that demand materializes, the electricity is used. If it doesn\u2019t, the cost still has to be paid.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EGrid Stability\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThose workloads can put a very large demand on the grid all at once, and then remove it just as quickly,\u201d Saeed said. \u201cThat sudden change is difficult for the system to handle.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat volatility is a separate issue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven if data center operators pay for the infrastructure they use, large swings in demand can still strain grid operations, especially during peak periods or extreme weather.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhat Comes Next\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBack in Walton County, the Meta facility is already\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.covnews.com\/news\/cities\/social-circle-planning-commission-recommends-latest-data-center-request\/\u0022\u003Eattracting additional data centers\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach new site adds power and water infrastructure designed to operate for decades.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe servers inside need to be upgraded every few years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESaeed and Hester said if Georgia wants to remain an AI and cloud hub, the state needs to set the terms and companies need to meet them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat starts with disclosure \u2014 how much power data centers draw from the grid, how that demand spikes, and how much water they use. It includes clear expectations for how those facilities respond when the grid is under stress, and protections for the communities where they\u2019re built.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers maintain that \u201cbuild it and hope\u201d is not a strategy.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The state is spending $16 billion to power data centers that could be obsolete in seven years. Two Georgia Tech researchers say residents will pay for that gamble either way."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia is betting $16 billion on power infrastructure to support an AI-driven data center boom that may not materialize \u2014 and residents will pay either way.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe story follows two Georgia Tech researchers who argue the state is building for speculative demand: AI workloads drive massive, volatile energy use, data centers become obsolete within years, and efficiency gains only increase total consumption.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn places like Walton and Newton counties, the promised benefits \u2014 tax revenue and development \u2014 collide with higher utility costs, water strain, and minimal job creation. If demand falls short, the financial burden of overbuilt infrastructure shifts to ratepayers, leaving communities with the costs long after the companies move on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The state is spending $16 billion to power data centers that could be obsolete in seven years. Two Georgia Tech researchers say residents will pay for that gamble either way."}],"uid":"36410","created_gmt":"2026-04-21 14:45:44","changed_gmt":"2026-05-04 16:27:22","author":"mazriel3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680009":{"id":"680009","type":"image","title":"Data centers","body":null,"created":"1776780028","gmt_created":"2026-04-21 14:00:28","changed":"1776780264","gmt_changed":"2026-04-21 14:04:24","alt":"AI rendering of the servers inside of a data center","file":{"fid":"264242","name":"Data-Centers.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/21\/Data-Centers.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/21\/Data-Centers.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2439341,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/21\/Data-Centers.png?itok=xre68az6"}}},"media_ids":["680009"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"194190","name":"AI data centers"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMichelle Azriel\u003Cbr\u003ESr. Writer-Editor\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:mazriel3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emazriel3@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690057":{"#nid":"690057","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hyundai Motor Group, Georgia Tech Sign MOU on Hydrogen Mobility Development ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHyundai Motor Group and the Georgia Institute of Technology have announced an expansion of their growing collaboration to advance hydrogen-powered transportation, deepen applied research and education, and accelerate the use of zero-emissions vehicles in Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBuilding upon a multifaceted relationship, the two are bringing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and fueling infrastructure to campus \u2014 turning Georgia Tech into one of the nation\u2019s most prominent campus-based examples for hydrogen mobility.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHyundai Motor Group is proud to strengthen our collaboration with Georgia Tech as we work together to accelerate the future of clean mobility. Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in innovation and its commitment to developing the next generation of problem-solvers make it a natural partner in advancing technologies,\u201d said Ken Ram\u00edrez, executive vice president and head of Global Energy and Hydrogen Business at Hyundai Motor Group. \u201cBy combining the university\u2019s excellent research with Hyundai\u2019s global experience, we are creating the foundation for real-world solutions that will help drive the energy transition and inspire future mobility leaders.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERam\u00edrez is also a 1991 Georgia Tech graduate and a member of the Georgia Tech Advisory Board.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s very fulfilling to donate a handful of our NEXO fuel cell SUVs as part of our expanding relationship with Georgia Tech. Hydrogen-powered NEXO fuel cell vehicles will immediately serve to expand the clean mobility footprint on campus while providing real-world experiences with the cutting edge of zero-emissions transportation technology,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said Randy Parker, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech has a long history of working with industry to move breakthrough technologies from the lab into the real world. By expanding our work with Hyundai, we\u2019re advancing hydrogen research, reducing emissions on our campus, and strengthening Georgia\u2019s role in the future of clean mobility,\u0022 Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow the Partnership Drives Hydrogen Innovation and Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe partnership includes the\u0026nbsp;donation of four Hyundai NEXO fuel cell electric SUVs by Hyundai Motor North America\u0026nbsp;and a\u0026nbsp;hydrogen electrolyzer project, which will be installed at Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;North Avenue Research Area, positioning Tech as one of the most visible real-world test beds for hydrogen mobility in the U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe vehicles and infrastructure will support campus operations and interdisciplinary research. Key areas of focus include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering\u003C\/strong\u003E: Exploring hydrogen-based systems and mobility solutions.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESustainability\u003C\/strong\u003E: Assessing the environmental benefits of hydrogen technologies.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnergy systems\u003C\/strong\u003E: Understanding the integration of hydrogen fuel cells into current infrastructure.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPublic policy\u003C\/strong\u003E: Evaluating the regulatory and social implications of hydrogen adoption.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis initiative connects Georgia Tech\u2019s research enterprise with campus operations, using the Institute as a living laboratory for clean transportation technologies. Faculty and students will study:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EReal-world performance of hydrogen technology.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInfrastructure requirements for large-scale deployment.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEnvironmental impacts of hydrogen energy systems.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInsights gathered from this initiative aim to inform and accelerate the widespread use of hydrogen technology in campuses, fleets, cities, and freight corridors. The initiative also supports Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/strategicplan.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Estrategic plan\u003C\/a\u003E, which includes the goal of expanding the use of zero-emissions vehicles powered by sustainable energy sources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy Is the Partnership with Georgia Tech Key to Hyundai Motor Group\u2019s Vision?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe collaboration between Hyundai and Georgia Tech is a testament to the power of aligning academic expertise with corporate innovation. Beyond hydrogen energy, the partnership seeks to advance innovation in the areas of:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAutonomous driving\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EElectric vehicle (EV) batteries\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECharging infrastructure\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMaterials science\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECybersecurity\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, Hyundai\u2019s presence in Georgia underscores its commitment to the region. Georgia is home to the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America and also serves as a hub for zero-emissions transportation through HTWO Logistics, a clean logistics partnership that operates Hyundai XCIENT fuel cell heavy-duty trucks in logistics operations near Savannah. The collaboration with Georgia Tech builds on this regional foundation, reinforcing the link between education, research, and Hyundai\u0027s long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s Next for the Partnership?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe partnership between Hyundai and Georgia Tech represents more than an investment in research. It\u2019s a shared effort to lead the next generation of mobility advancements. Additional announcements about the partnership\u2019s research projects, educational programs, and vehicle deployment are expected in the coming months.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia Tech has entered into a multiyear partnership with Hyundai Motor Group to advance hydrogen mobility solutions on campus, expanding research, education, and real-world application of zero-emissions transportation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech has entered into a multiyear partnership with Hyundai Motor Group to advance hydrogen mobility solutions on campus, expanding research, education, and real-world application of zero-emissions transportation. "}],"uid":"35797","created_gmt":"2026-04-29 18:54:35","changed_gmt":"2026-04-30 13:43:04","author":"Siobhan Rodriguez","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":{"680125":{"id":"680125","type":"image","title":"\u00c1ngel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech, and Ken Ram\u00edrez, executive vice president and head of Global Energy and Hydrogen Business at Hyundai Motor Group","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u00c1ngel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech, and Ken Ram\u00edrez, executive vice president and head of Global Energy and Hydrogen Business at Hyundai Motor Group, commemorate MOU to further collaborate on hydrogen mobility development.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777556386","gmt_created":"2026-04-30 13:39:46","changed":"1777556386","gmt_changed":"2026-04-30 13:39:46","alt":"\u00c1ngel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech, and Ken Ram\u00edrez, executive vice president and head of Global Energy and Hydrogen Business at Hyundai Motor Group","file":{"fid":"264365","name":"-Photo-2--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/-Photo-2--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/-Photo-2--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3627344,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/30\/-Photo-2--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg?itok=oogQA24U"}},"680112":{"id":"680112","type":"image","title":"-Photo-3--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","body":null,"created":"1777489041","gmt_created":"2026-04-29 18:57:21","changed":"1777489041","gmt_changed":"2026-04-29 18:57:21","alt":"Image of Hyundai solar vehicles","file":{"fid":"264351","name":"-Photo-3--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/-Photo-3--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/29\/-Photo-3--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1491306,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/29\/-Photo-3--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg?itok=pyPah714"}},"680126":{"id":"680126","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech and Hyundai Motor Group leaders at MOU signing","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech and Hyundai Motor Group leaders at MOU signing.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1777556502","gmt_created":"2026-04-30 13:41:42","changed":"1777556502","gmt_changed":"2026-04-30 13:41:42","alt":"Georgia Tech and Hyundai Motor Group leaders","file":{"fid":"264366","name":"-Photo-1--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/-Photo-1--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/30\/-Photo-1--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3233894,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/30\/-Photo-1--HMG-and-GT-sign-MOU-to-Further-Collaborate-on-Hydrogen-Mobility-Development.jpg?itok=BH8UZzpo"}}},"media_ids":["680125","680112","680126"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:media@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emedia@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689932":{"#nid":"689932","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Vision AI Models Improve Decision Making in Manufacturing, Energy, and Finance","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGenerative artificial intelligence (AI) is best known for creating images and text. Now, it is helping industries make better planning decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have created a new AI model for decision-focused learning (DFL), called Diffusion-DFL. Recent tests showed it makes more accurate decisions than current approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with optimizing industrial output, Diffusion-DFL lowers costs and reduces risk. Experiments also showed it performs across different fields.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2510.11590\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiffusion-DFL\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E doesn\u2019t just surpass current methods; it also predicts more accurately as problem sizes grow. The model requires less computing power despite these high-performance marks, making it more accessible to smaller enterprises.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiffusion-DFL runs on diffusion models, the same technology that powers DALL-E and other AI image generators. It is the first DFL framework based on diffusion models.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAnyone who makes high-stakes decisions under uncertainty, including supply chain managers, energy operators, and financial planners, benefits from Diffusion-DFL,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.zihaozhao.site\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZihao Zhao\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia Tech Ph.D. student who led the project.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cInstead of optimizing around a single forecast, the model evaluates many possible scenarios, so decisions account for real-world risk and become more robust.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/iclr-2026\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERelated: GT @ ICLR 2026\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo test Diffusion-DFL, the team ran experiments based on real-world settings, including:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFactory manufacturing to meet product demand\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPower grid scheduling to meet energy demand\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStock market portfolio optimization\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn each case, Diffusion-DFL made more accurate decisions than current methods. It also performed better as problems became larger and more complex. These results confirm the model\u2019s ability to make important decisions in real-world scenarios with noisy data and uncertainty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe experiments also show that Diffusion-DFL is practical, not just accurate. Training diffusion models is expensive, so the team developed a way to reduce memory use. This cut training costs by more than 99.7%. As a result, Diffusion-DFL can reach more researchers and practitioners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur score-function estimator cuts GPU memory from over 60 gigabytes to 0.13 with almost no loss in decision quality, reducing the requirement for massive computing resources,\u201d Zhao said. \u201cI hope this expands Diffusion-DFL into other domains, like healthcare, where decisions must be made quickly under complex uncertainty.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond decision-making applications, Diffusion-DFL marks a shift in DFL techniques and in the broader use of generative AI models.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn supply chain management, planners estimate future demand before deciding how much product to stock. In this DFL problem, engineers align ML models with predetermined decision objectives, like minimizing risk or reducing costs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne flaw of DFL methods is that they optimize around a single, deterministic prediction in an uncertain future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiffusion-DFL takes a different approach. Instead of making a single guess, it determines a range of possible outcomes. This leads to decisions based on many likely scenarios, rather than on a single assumed future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo do this, the framework uses diffusion models. These generative AI models create high-quality data from images, text, and audio.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe forward diffusion process involves adding noise to data until it becomes pure noise. Models trained via forward diffusion can reverse diffusion. This means they can start with noisy data and then produce meaningful insights from training examples.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReal-world data is often noisy and uncertain. Traditional DFL methods struggle in these conditions, but diffusion models are designed to handle them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause of this, Diffusion-DFL can explore many possible outcomes and choose better actions. Like image-generation AI, the model works well with complex data from different sources. This enables its use across different industries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDiffusion models have achieved significant success in generative AI and image synthesis, but our work shows their potential extends far beyond that,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/guaguakai.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKai Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CSE).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat makes Diffusion-DFL unique is that the specific downstream application guides how the model learns to handle uncertainty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhether we are scheduling energy for power grids, balancing risk in financial portfolios, or developing early warning systems in healthcare, we can explicitly train these highly expressive models to navigate the unique complexities of each domain.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZhao and Wang collaborated with Caltech Ph.D. candidate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chrisyeh96.github.io\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Yeh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and Harvard University postdoctoral fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/alumnus-uses-ai-counter-african-poaching-improve-maternal-healthcare-access\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELingkai Kong\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E on Diffusion-DFL. Kong earned his Ph.D. in CSE from Georgia Tech in 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang will present Diffusion-DFL on behalf of the group at the upcoming International Conference on Learning Representations (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iclr.cc\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EICLR 2026\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E). Occurring April 23-27 in Rio de Janeiro, ICLR is one of the world\u2019s most prestigious conferences dedicated to artificial intelligence research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cICLR is the perfect stage for Diffusion-DFL because it brings together the exact community that needs to see the bridge between generative modeling and high-stakes decision-making for real-world applications,\u201d Wang said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPresenting Diffusion-DFL allows us to challenge the traditional training framework of diffusion models. It\u2019s about sparking a broader conversation on how we can align the training objectives of generative AI directly with actual, downstream decision-making needs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGenerative artificial intelligence (AI) is best known for creating images and text. Now, it is helping industries make better planning decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have created a new AI model for decision-focused learning (DFL), called Diffusion-DFL. Recent tests showed it makes more accurate decisions than current approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with optimizing industrial output, Diffusion-DFL lowers costs and reduces risk. Experiments also showed it performs across different fields.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2510.11590\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiffusion-DFL\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E doesn\u2019t just surpass current methods; it also predicts more accurately as problem sizes grow. The model requires less computing power despite these high-performance marks, making it more accessible to smaller enterprises.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiffusion-DFL runs on diffusion models, the same technology that powers DALL-E and other AI image generators. It is the first DFL framework based on diffusion models.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers have developed Diffusion-DFL, the first decision-focused learning model built on diffusion AI technology. It uses the same engineering behind image generators to help industries make more accurate, lower-cost planning decisions."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-04-21 17:35:24","changed_gmt":"2026-04-21 17:40:39","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680015":{"id":"680015","type":"image","title":"Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg","body":null,"created":"1776792936","gmt_created":"2026-04-21 17:35:36","changed":"1776792936","gmt_changed":"2026-04-21 17:35:36","alt":"ICLR 2026 Diffusion-DFL","file":{"fid":"264248","name":"Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/21\/Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/21\/Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":117435,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/21\/Diffusion-DFL-Head-Image.jpg?itok=2myOXxFR"}}},"media_ids":["680015"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/vision-ai-models-improve-decision-making-manufacturing-energy-and-finance","title":"Vision AI Models Improve Decision Making in Manufacturing, Energy, and Finance"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"181689","name":"Institute for Data Science and Engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"194384","name":"Tech AI"},{"id":"7850","name":"EVPR"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689713":{"#nid":"689713","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Universities and U.K. Partners Strengthen Collaboration on Critical Minerals at GEMS\u20114 Symposium","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn February, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026nbsp;together with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uga.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gsu.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiamining.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Mining Association\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/world\/organisations\/british-consulate-general-atlanta\u0022\u003EBritish Consulate\u2011General Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, hosted the fourth Growing Partnerships for Essential Minerals (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGEMs\u20114\u003C\/a\u003E) workshop in Atlanta. The workshop built on a growing transatlantic partnership dedicated to advancing innovation across the critical minerals value chain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;two\u2011day event took place Feb. 4 \u2013 5, coinciding with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/office-of-the-spokesperson\/2026\/02\/2026-critical-minerals-ministerial\u0022\u003ECritical Minerals Ministerial\u003C\/a\u003E hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, which brought together more than 50 nations to strengthen and diversify global critical mineral supply chains. During this ministerial, U.K. Minister Seema Malhotra and U.S. Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg signed a Critical Minerals Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening bilateral cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom on critical mineral supply chains.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese broad efforts are supported by White House Executive Order 14363, which defines the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/genesis.energy.gov\/\u0022\u003EGenesis Mission\u003C\/a\u003E and aims to accelerate scientific discovery through AI. The order identifies critical minerals supply chain resilience as a national security imperative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Atlanta, these themes were brought to life in real time. The GEMs-4 workshop brought together researchers, policymakers, national labs, industry leaders, and workforce organizations from both the U.S. and the U.K. to address shared challenges in technology translation, permitting, investment, and talent development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe state of Georgia\u2019s integrated ecosystem, linking research universities, legacy industries, technical colleges, national labs, and public\u2011private partnerships, served as a case study. Presenters highlighted how existing industrial assets in the Southeast are being incorporated into emerging clean energy and critical minerals supply chains, offering a model for other regions seeking to build capabilities around extraction, processing, and manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA U.K. member of Parliament representing Cornwall, where the U.K. has lithium reserves and deep critical mineral expertise, joined the convening, as well as representatives from the U.K. Critical Mineral Association, Camborne School of Mines, and the University of Kent. Together, they explored opportunities and challenges, from a fundamental science to a commercialization perspective grounded in real-world experience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe alignment between the ministerial in Washington and the expertise present in Atlanta demonstrated the value of state-level engagement and how national agreements translate into practical collaboration on the ground.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Southeast has the research depth, industrial footprint, and collaborative spirit needed to lead in critical minerals innovation,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Power Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute, and founding director of the Center for Critical Mineral Solutions at Georgia Tech. \u201cGEMs\u20114 showed what\u2019s possible when universities, industry, and government partners align around shared priorities.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDay one featured strategic dialogue on critical mineral resources, innovation pathways, and partnership models. A recurring theme was the co-production of critical minerals alongside major mineral commodities. \u201cMany critical minerals are produced as byproducts of larger mining operations, making it essential to integrate recovery strategies into existing mineral industries rather than developing entirely new extraction systems,\u201d noted \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cas.gsu.edu\/profile\/w-crawford-elliott\/\u0022\u003ECrawford Elliott\u003C\/a\u003E, professor of geosciences at Georgia State University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDay two transitioned to field\u2011based learning, led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/geology.uga.edu\/directory\/people\/paul-schroeder\u0022\u003EPaul Schroeder\u003C\/a\u003E, professor of geology at the University of Georgia. Participants visited active operations to better understand how regional industrial strengths can support national and international supply chain goals. Schroeder said, \u201cConnecting people to the long-standing mineral extraction economy at the mining and plant sites, where the work gets done with an amazingly skilled workforce, underscores the unique role of Georgia\u2019s place\u2011based capacity in advancing national and transatlantic supply\u0026nbsp;chain goals.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrganizers emphasized that resilient supply chains rely on regional capabilities built over time through university collaboration, industry partnerships, and community engagement. With three years of inter\u2011university coordination now underpinning the GEMS platform, the 2026 workshop demonstrated how the Southeast is contributing actionable models for U.S.-U.K. cooperation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEcosystem-building at this scale requires participation from every part of the value chain, and we are encouraged by the model GEMs presents,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rachel-galloway-518014292\/\u0022\u003ERachel Galloway\u003C\/a\u003E, Consul General at British Consulate General Atlanta. \u201cThe collaboration across universities, industry, and government is exactly what enables long\u2011term impact on both sides of the Atlantic.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough focused dialogue and partnership-building, the symposium strengthened transatlantic collaboration, highlighted regional strengths, and accelerated innovation and translation across the critical minerals value chain, from resource characterization and processing to recycling, manufacturing, and deployment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about the GEMS initiative, visit: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn February, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026nbsp;together with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uga.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gsu.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiamining.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Mining Association\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/world\/organisations\/british-consulate-general-atlanta\u0022\u003EBritish Consulate\u2011General Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, hosted the fourth Growing Partnerships for Essential Minerals (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGEMs\u20114\u003C\/a\u003E) workshop in Atlanta. The workshop built on a growing transatlantic partnership dedicated to advancing innovation across the critical minerals value chain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In February, the Georgia Institute of Technology,  together with the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, the Georgia Mining Association, and the British Consulate\u2011General Atlanta, hosted the fourth GEMs workshop."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-04-13 17:45:13","changed_gmt":"2026-04-13 18:25:18","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679927":{"id":"679927","type":"image","title":"20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGroup photo of the attendees of the GEMs-4 symposium.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776102371","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:46:11","changed":"1776102371","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:46:11","alt":"Attendees of the GEMs-4 symposium","file":{"fid":"264149","name":"20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1521193,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg?itok=46uGjXAX"}},"679928":{"id":"679928","type":"image","title":"31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDay 2 of the symposium included a visit to a Georgia mining operation.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776102491","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:48:11","changed":"1776102491","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:48:11","alt":"Day 2 of the symposium included a visit to a Georgia mining operation","file":{"fid":"264150","name":"31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2766293,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg?itok=6UE7bW0o"}},"679929":{"id":"679929","type":"image","title":"P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAttendees at the GEMs-4 workshop\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776103013","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","changed":"1776103013","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","alt":"Attendees at the GEMs-4 workshop","file":{"fid":"264151","name":"P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":672603,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg?itok=WORRhc1_"}},"679930":{"id":"679930","type":"image","title":"P1003821-panel.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECritical Mineral Significance and Resources Panel at the GEMs-4 symposium\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776103013","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","changed":"1776103013","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","alt":"Panelists discussing at the GEMs-4 symposium","file":{"fid":"264152","name":"P1003821-panel.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003821-panel.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003821-panel.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":614552,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003821-panel.jpeg?itok=wPJagMbS"}},"679931":{"id":"679931","type":"image","title":"P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAttendee asking a question to the panel at the GEMS-4 Symposium\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776103013","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","changed":"1776103013","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","alt":"Attendee asking a question to the panel at the GEMS-4 Symposium","file":{"fid":"264153","name":"P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":646826,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg?itok=tVXDFwY1"}}},"media_ids":["679927","679928","679929","679930","679931"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194612","name":"Workforce Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sydnie.hammond@fcdo.gov.uk\u0022\u003ESydnie Hammond\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EBritish Consulate-Atlanta\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ahead13@gsu.edu\u0022\u003EAmanda Head\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Kay.Torrance@uga.edu\u0022\u003EKay Alison Torrance\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:leelemke@georgiamining.org\u0022\u003ELee Lemke\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia Mining Association\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689444":{"#nid":"689444","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Why the Strait of Hormuz Is More Than an Energy Crisis ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERising oil and gasoline prices have been the center of attention since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But that immediate effect tells only part of the story. Because oil and gas underpin production, transportation, and logistics, higher energy costs will gradually move through supply chains \u2014 meaning the most significant economic consequences may not appear for months.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe effects move slowly and appear in places people do not connect to energy,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/econ.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/tibor-besedes\u0022\u003ETibor Besedes\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the School of Economics. \u201cOil and natural gas are part of the cost structure for an enormous range of goods.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAbout 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows through the waterway linking the Persian Gulf to world markets. When that flow is constrained, the impact ripples outward across industries most people never associate with an energy crisis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn complex supply chains, a disruption in one critical link, even if only briefly, can cascade through the system, well beyond the initial event,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/pinar-keskinocak\u0022\u003EPinar Keskinocak\u003C\/a\u003E, chair and professor in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. \u201cAs delays persist and compound, interconnected systems often take a long time to recover, rebalance, and return to normal.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrice Pressures That Arrive Quietly\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEarly effects are already visible.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJet fuel availability is tightening, and diesel prices are rising across Asia. China has ordered refineries to stop exporting fuel, creating shortages that are increasing shipping costs for U.S. imports, from consumer electronics to pharmaceuticals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe strait is also a key corridor for naphtha, a feedstock used to produce plastics, packaging, solvents, textiles, and pharmaceutical components. Roughly 85% of Middle Eastern polyethylene exports move through the strait.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cConsumers won\u0027t see the effect of this quickly,\u201d Besedes says, \u201cbut the longer the strait is closed, the higher the cost will be of all of these products naphtha is used for.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAluminum is equally exposed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSmelters require sustained, low-cost energy,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/expert\/chris-gaffney\u0022\u003EChris Gaffney\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor of the practice in the Stewart School. \u201cThe Middle East accounted for roughly 21% of U.S. unwrought aluminum imports in 2025. When energy prices spike or supply is constrained, capacity is reduced or shut down, and those decisions are difficult and slow to reverse.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFertilizer is one of the clearest examples of delayed inflation. Natural gas is essential for its production, and Persian Gulf states account for one-third of global urea exports and half of global sulfur exports. Urea prices at the New Orleans import hub have already climbed sharply.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe won\u0027t see the effects quickly, but rather in six to 12 months, depending on the crop and its cycle,\u201d Besedes says. \u201cWithout or with less fertilizer, crop yields will decrease, resulting in higher prices.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy Hormuz Is Different From Other Chokepoints\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn top of all those factors, the strait closure presents a uniquely dangerous vulnerability.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnlike a port strike or canal blockage, there is no meaningful way to reroute volume,\u201d says Gaffney. \u201cIf it is disrupted, flow is constrained rather than redirected.\u201d Pipeline alternatives replace only a fraction of the 20 million barrels per day that normally transit the strait.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cChoke point vulnerability arises when a large portion of flow depends on a route that is hard to substitute,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/mathieu-dahan\u0022\u003EMathieu Dahan\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the Stewart School. \u201cHormuz has no scalable alternatives with sufficient capacity.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/alan-erera\u0022\u003EAlan Erera\u003C\/a\u003E, senior associate chair in the Stewart School expanded on Dahan\u2019s point, noting that strait disruptions raise costs across manufacturing and distribution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cShips are rerouted onto longer paths, which drives up fuel and labor costs, ties up vessels and containers for longer periods, and ultimately raises inventory costs for shippers because capital is locked up while goods are still in transit,\u201d Erera said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen Geopolitics Meets Global Supply Chains\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally, the strait closure raises the risk of wartime miscalculation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe haven\u2019t seen a disruption on this scale since the tanker wars of the late 1980s,\u201d said Larry Rubin, associate professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs. Gulf states\u0027 dependence on the strait constrains both regional actors and U.S. strategy, raising risks around crisis decision-making.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERubin also points to a dimension most coverage has missed entirely. \u201cOne thing that has been overlooked by many commentators is the fact that the Iranian people have probably been hit the hardest economically,\u201d he says. \u201cThey were already in a challenging situation. The Iranian economy won\u0027t recover quickly after the war.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResilience Has a Short Memory\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, for the United States, \u201cThe Strategic Petroleum Reserve provides a buffer, and domestic energy production has improved resilience,\u201d says Gaffney. \u201cBut the gap remains between enabling capacity and sustaining resilience. Policy can support infrastructure, but it cannot ensure private sector participants invest in resilience when cost pressures rise.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor policymakers and industry leaders, the disruption reinforces a familiar pattern. \u0022The supply chain remains optimized for efficiency rather than resilience, in part due to the high investment costs required to build flexibility,\u0022 says Dahan.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGaffney added that resilience does improve after disruption, but that \u201cit erodes over time if not actively maintained.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven if the strait reopens, higher costs and slow restart timelines mean the system will not snap back. Experts suggest that when headlines have moved on from this disruption, it will still be shaping prices across the economy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe closure of the Strait of Hormuz is sending shockwaves far beyond rising gas prices, threatening to reshape global supply chains for months or even years to come. With roughly 20% of the world\u0027s oil and liquefied natural gas flowing through this critical chokepoint, disruptions are already rippling across industries from plastics and pharmaceuticals to aluminum, fertilizers, and consumer electronics. Unlike other trade disruptions, the strait offers no scalable rerouting alternatives, forcing longer shipping paths that drive up fuel, labor, and inventory costs worldwide. Experts warn that the most severe economic consequences \u2014 including higher food prices, reduced crop yields, and costlier manufactured goods \u2014 may not surface for six to twelve months, long after headlines have moved on. As global supply chains remain optimized for efficiency over resilience, the Hormuz crisis exposes just how vulnerable interconnected economies are to a single point of failure in international energy trade.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech experts warn that disruptions at the world\u0027s most critical energy choke point will ripple far beyond oil and gas prices. "}],"uid":"35798","created_gmt":"2026-04-03 15:45:08","changed_gmt":"2026-04-03 17:36:56","author":"Ayana Isles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679846":{"id":"679846","type":"image","title":"Strait of Hormuz","body":null,"created":"1775237120","gmt_created":"2026-04-03 17:25:20","changed":"1775237252","gmt_changed":"2026-04-03 17:27:32","alt":"Image of a map of Iran, with a magnifying glass over the Strait of Hormuz","file":{"fid":"264054","name":"Strait-Of-Hormuz.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/03\/Strait-Of-Hormuz.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/03\/Strait-Of-Hormuz.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":255785,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/03\/Strait-Of-Hormuz.jpeg?itok=98t95NPB"}}},"media_ids":["679846"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"194610","name":"National Interests\/National Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"167074","name":"Supply Chain"},{"id":"194979","name":"strait of hormuz"},{"id":"8319","name":"iran"},{"id":"194980","name":"iran conflict"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:aisles3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAyana Isles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689280":{"#nid":"689280","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Potential of Data Center Energy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent review by EPIcenter faculty affiliate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/constance-crozier\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConstance Crozier\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/matthew-liska\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMatthew Liska\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology) explores the growing role of data centers in providing flexibility, the ability to shift or reduce electricity use in response to grid conditions, to the electric grid as renewable energy penetration and AI-driven computing demand surge. The authors highlight that data centers, particularly those supporting high-performance computing and AI workloads, are projected to consume nearly 10% of U.S. electricity by the end of the decade, presenting both challenges and opportunities for grid stability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe paper examines various strategies for enhancing the flexibility of data center energy use. One approach is to use backup power systems, such as uninterruptible power supplies, to support the grid during emergencies. Another method involves rerouting computing jobs to different data centers in other locations to balance energy demand. The authors also discuss implementing smart scheduling techniques that shift workloads to off-peak hours, reducing strain on the grid. Additionally, they highlight adjusting processor speeds by lowering CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit) clock rates to limit power consumption when needed. Finally, the paper suggests pre-cooling data center equipment to limit the energy required for cooling during peak demand periods. Notably, experimental evidence shows that underclocking GPUs can cut power consumption by 40% with only a 22% performance loss, suggesting technical feasibility for demand-response interventions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite these technical options, the authors find that real-world cost considerations and reliability concerns limit widespread adoption. Data center operators generally do not change their behavior in response to electricity prices, as job revenue far outweighs energy costs under normal conditions. For example, a GPU rented at $2 per hour consumes only $0.04 worth of electricity at average prices, making curtailment unattractive except during extreme price spikes. Surveys indicate that operators are reluctant to compromise reliability or deploy backup systems for ancillary services. Consequently, price-based incentives alone are unlikely to drive meaningful flexibility.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/03\/24\/the-potential-of-data-center-energy\/\u0022\u003ERead more on the EPIcenter Webpage\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/03\/24\/the-potential-of-data-center-energy\/\u0022\u003EListen to a podcast on the research here\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent review by EPIcenter faculty affiliate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/constance-crozier\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConstance Crozier\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/matthew-liska\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMatthew Liska\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology) explores the growing role of data centers in providing flexibility, the ability to shift or reduce electricity use in response to grid conditions, to the electric grid as renewable energy penetration and AI-driven computing demand surge. The authors highlight that data centers, particularly those supporting high-performance computing and AI workloads, are projected to consume nearly 10% of U.S. electricity by the end of the decade, presenting both challenges and opportunities for grid stability.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A recent review by EPIcenter faculty affiliate highlights that data centers, particularly those supporting high-performance computing and AI workloads, are projected to consume nearly 10% of U.S. electricity by the end of the decade."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 19:00:21","changed_gmt":"2026-03-31 19:08:59","author":"pdevarajan3","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":{"679804":{"id":"679804","type":"image","title":"PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1774983673","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 19:01:13","changed":"1774983673","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 19:01:13","alt":"Adobe Stock image showing solar panels, wind mills and energy storage units in a desert-like landscape with the sun setting in the background","file":{"fid":"264008","name":"PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1531847,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/PotentialofDatacenterEnergy-AdobeStock_248626760.jpeg?itok=VE5-39Gn"}}},"media_ids":["679804"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/2026\/03\/24\/the-potential-of-data-center-energy\/","title":"Full Story on the EPIcenter Webpage"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ggonzalez68@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGilbert Gonzalez\u003C\/a\u003E, EPIcenter\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689249":{"#nid":"689249","#data":{"type":"news","title":"EPIcenter Launches Georgia Data Center Ordinance Hub ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E) at Georgia Tech has launched an interactive tool to help communities navigate the dynamic land-use and policy landscape surrounding data center development: the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/data-center\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Data Center Ordinance Hub\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs new data centers continue to be built and proposed in Georgia, counties and municipalities across the state are considering how to guide this growth. EPIcenter\u2019s data center dashboard provides policymakers, planners, researchers, and community stakeholders with a centralized resource to better understand how data center regulations are being developed and applied across Georgia and the U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur Data Center Hub provides Georgia communities with a one-stop shop to understand how their neighbors are managing land-use regulations for data centers,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cIt brings together clear, accessible information to help jurisdictions\u0026nbsp;plan when data center growth occurs in their area.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe dashboard is organized around five thematic areas commonly addressed in data center land-use regulations: \u003Cstrong\u003ESite Planning and Building Design, Infrastructure and Utilities, Environmental and Community Protections, Public Safety and Security, and Lifecycle Governance\u003C\/strong\u003E. Within each theme, users can explore specific regulatory topics and access the relevant ordinances enacted by Georgia communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo build the dashboard, EPIcenter researchers conducted a comprehensive review of municipal codes across the state.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe reviewed municipal codes for about 180 cities and counties across Georgia and identified ordinances that specifically address data center development,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/people-yang-you\/\u0022\u003EYang You\u003C\/a\u003E, EPIcenter\u2019s research associate who developed the project. \u201cIn total, we found 19 data center-specific topics that ordinances tend to cover. We analyzed ordinances across jurisdictions and organized their ordinance provisions into topics such as building placement, setbacks, infrastructure, and environmental considerations to make it easier to compare how different jurisdictions regulate data centers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou added that the dashboard also incorporates examples from outside of Georgia. By gathering ordinances from other states and pairing them with Georgia-specific examples, EPIcenter aims to provide a clear framework to help communities efficiently address data center land-use regulation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Data Center Ordinance Hub is available through the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/initiatives-in-the-southeast\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Energy Policy and Innovation Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEPIcenter\u003C\/a\u003E) at Georgia Tech has launched an interactive tool to help communities navigate the dynamic land-use and policy landscape surrounding data center development: the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/data-center\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Data Center Ordinance Hub\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs new data centers continue to be built and proposed in Georgia, counties and municipalities across the state are considering how to guide this growth. EPIcenter\u2019s data center dashboard provides policymakers, planners, researchers, and community stakeholders with a centralized resource to better understand how data center regulations are being developed and applied across Georgia and the U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur Data Center Hub provides Georgia communities with a one-stop shop to understand how their neighbors are managing land-use regulations for data centers,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of EPIcenter. \u201cIt brings together clear, accessible information to help jurisdictions\u0026nbsp;plan when data center growth occurs in their area.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Energy Policy and Innovation Center (EPIcenter) at Georgia Tech has launched an interactive tool to help communities navigate the dynamic land-use and policy landscape surrounding data center development: the Georgia Data Center Ordinance Hub."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 02:42:32","changed_gmt":"2026-03-31 13:54:10","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679785":{"id":"679785","type":"image","title":"Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1774924962","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 02:42:42","changed":"1774924962","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 02:42:42","alt":"Aerial view of a datacenter with air conditioner compressor fans on the roof of the building","file":{"fid":"263987","name":"Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/30\/Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/30\/Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":936768,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/30\/Datacenter-Cooling-TopView.jpeg?itok=xBJaUq7j"}},"679793":{"id":"679793","type":"image","title":"DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774965063","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 13:51:03","changed":"1774965063","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 13:51:03","alt":"US Map showing States Represented in the Ordinance Hub and State of Georgia with Data Centers and Local Ordinances highlighted","file":{"fid":"263995","name":"DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":400200,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final.jpg?itok=q9cFpM_p"}},"679794":{"id":"679794","type":"image","title":"DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThematic Areas covered by EPIcenter\u0027s Datacenter Ordinance Hub\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774965063","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 13:51:03","changed":"1774965063","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 13:51:03","alt":"Thematic Areas covered by EPIcenter\u0027s Datacenter Ordinance Hub","file":{"fid":"263996","name":"DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":397163,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/DataCenterDashboard-HeaderImage-Final2.jpg?itok=iCDuFZ6-"}}},"media_ids":["679785","679793","679794"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/data-center\/","title":"EPIcenter Georgia Datacenter Ordinance Hub"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || SEI Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689137":{"#nid":"689137","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Four Challenges to the U.S. Energy Transition","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEfficiently transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy means looking at so much more than just the technology we use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReliable energy is required to keep safe in cold winters and hot summers, making it a matter of national security. There are also vying economic policies to consider, political and financial incentives to navigate, and questions of social and economic inequality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExperts in Georgia Tech\u2019s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts examine \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/featured-news\/2026\/03\/us-energy-transition-challenges\u0022\u003Ethe challenges we face with the U.S. energy transition,\u003C\/a\u003E and work to help make it safe, fair, and effective for all.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EChallenge No. 1: Managing National Security \u2014 with Adam N. Stulberg, professor and chair of the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EChallenge No. 2: Confronting Inequality \u2014 with Bijesh Mishra, a postdoctoral scholar in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EChallenge No. 3: Choosing the Right Economic Policies \u2014 with Bobby Harris, an assistant professor in the School of Economics.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EChallenge No. 4: Navigating Financial and Political Incentives \u2014 with Kate Pride Brown, a sociologist in the School of History and Sociology.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/featured-news\/2026\/03\/us-energy-transition-challenges\u0022\u003ERead the article on the Ivan Allen College website.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EReliable energy is required to keep safe in cold winters and hot summers, making it a matter of national security. There are also vying economic policies to consider, political and financial incentives to navigate, and questions of social and economic inequality. Experts in Georgia Tech\u2019s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts examine the challenges we face with the U.S. energy transition, and work to help make it safe, fair, and effective for all.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Reliable energy is a matter of national security. There are also vying economic policies to consider, political and financial incentives to navigate, and questions of social and economic inequality to consider."}],"uid":"35766","created_gmt":"2026-03-23 18:34:56","changed_gmt":"2026-03-23 20:13:07","author":"dminardi3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679717":{"id":"679717","type":"image","title":"MERCURY--1-.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774291064","gmt_created":"2026-03-23 18:37:44","changed":"1774291064","gmt_changed":"2026-03-23 18:37:44","alt":"Power lines running through open land.","file":{"fid":"263909","name":"MERCURY--1-.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/23\/MERCURY--1-.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/23\/MERCURY--1-.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1363201,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/23\/MERCURY--1-.jpg?itok=3CSxj0Wp"}}},"media_ids":["679717"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1285","name":"Sam Nunn School of International Affairs"},{"id":"1282","name":"School of Economics"},{"id":"1288","name":"School of History and Sociology"},{"id":"1289","name":"School of Public Policy"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:dminardi3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EDi Minardi\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["dminardi3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688801":{"#nid":"688801","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Energy Day: Meeting AI\u2019s Growing Energy Demands","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\u0022\u003EEnergy Day\u003C\/a\u003E returns this year on March 19 with an expanded focus and a new collaborative momentum. Cohosted by the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute for Matter and\u0026nbsp;Systems\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IMS) and the \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(SEI) \u003C\/strong\u003Ewith plenary session support from the\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E, Energy Day 2026 convenes leaders from academia, industry, government, and students to address the challenges associated with meeting the rapidly growing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESet in the heart of Tech Square on the Georgia Tech campus, this year\u2019s event explores how energy systems, materials, technologies, supply chains, and policy must evolve in response to AI\u2019s accelerating impact. As digital infrastructure expands and computation intensifies, the need for reliable, resilient, and sustainable power has never been more urgent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEnergy Day reflects Georgia Tech\u2019s strength in connecting world-class research in materials and components with the infrastructure and partnerships needed to translate discovery into scalable energy technologies that serve industry, society, and the future economy,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/people\/eric-vogel\u0022\u003EEric Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of the IMS and the Hightower Professor in Materials Science and Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnergy Day 2026 also marks an important milestone with the introduction of its first group of corporate sponsors:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gevernova.com\/\u0022\u003EGE Vernova\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.southerncompany.com\/\u0022\u003ESouthern Company\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.georgiapower.com\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Power\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/corporate.exxonmobil.com\/\u0022\u003EExxonMobil\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/southwirespark.com\/\u0022\u003ESouthwire Spark\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E, \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/gems-setra\/\u0022\u003EGems Setra\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E, \u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.tek.com\/en\u0022\u003ETektronix\u003C\/a\u003E. Their support reflects a shared commitment to advancing energy solutions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTektronix is excited to be part of Energy Day because advancing the future of energy starts with precise measurement and trusted insights,\u201d said Christopher Bohn, president of Tektronix. \u201cFrom power electronics and high voltage systems to grid scale renewables and AI driven control technologies, the breakthroughs discussed here directly align with the innovations we support through our products and solutions. Collaborating with Georgia Tech allows us to engage early with emerging research and the next generation of engineers\u2014critical collaborators in building a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient energy ecosystem.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe keynote address will be delivered by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/vanessazchan\/\u0022\u003EVanessa Z. Chan\u003C\/a\u003E, a nationally recognized leader at the intersection of\u0026nbsp;innovation, commercialization, and emerging technologies. Chan will provide insights on accelerating technological discovery, emphasizing how AI is transforming energy and materials design. She will discuss how commercialization strategies must rapidly evolve across multidisciplinary energy domains from grid modernization to advanced batteries and clean manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBuilding on the themes introduced in the keynote, the program transitions into a fireside chat with Georgia Tech EVPR\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/leadership\u0022\u003ETim Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E featuring\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kulkarniam\/\u0022\u003EAmit Kulkarni\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/james-jim-walsh\/\u0022\u003EJim Walsh\u003C\/a\u003E. Kulkarni is vice president of Product Management and Strategy for the Gas Power business within GE Vernova, where he oversees the world\u2019s largest portfolio of power generation equipment. Walsh, vice president of GE Vernova\u2019s Consulting Services, leads teams providing innovative solutions across the full spectrum of power generation, delivery, and utilization.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENext comes a policy-focused panel that will explore the surge in power demand driven by AI, how the United States is addressing today\u2019s most urgent energy challenges, and the long-term implications of today\u2019s decisions for a sustainable energy future. Bringing together leading voices in U.S. environmental and energy policy, the panel features\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/joseph-aldy-0794942\/\u0022\u003EJoe Aldy\u003C\/a\u003E of Harvard University and former special assistant to the president for Energy and Environment;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/al-mcgartland-161689a\/\u0022\u003EAl McGartland\u003C\/a\u003E of New York University\u2019s Institute for Policy Integrity and former Environmental Protection Agency lead economist and director of the National Center for Environmental Economics; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kevinrennert\/\u0022\u003EKevin Rennert\u003C\/a\u003E, fellow and director of the Comprehensive Climate Strategies Program at Resources for the Future and former staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second panel focuses on critical materials \u2014 the foundation of advanced energy systems and digital technologies. As AI, data centers, and advanced energy technologies drive demand for critical materials, securing them now requires integration and coordination across the entire value chain. Panelists include \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/people\/rachel-galloway\u0022 id=\u0022menur1su2\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/people\/rachel-galloway\u0022\u003ERachel Galloway\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;British consul general in Atlanta;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/vijaymurugesan\/\u0022\u003EVijay Murugesan\u003C\/a\u003E, head of Materials Intelligence and Digital Innovation at Amazon; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/colinspellmeyer\/?utm_source=share_via\u0026amp;utm_content=profile\u0026amp;utm_medium=member_ios\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/colinspellmeyer\/?utm_source=share_via\u0026amp;utm_content=profile\u0026amp;utm_medium=member_ios\u0022\u003EColin Spellmeyer\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;executive strategic sourcing leader at GE Vernova; \u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/charles-sims\/\u0022\u003ECharles Sims\u003C\/a\u003E, Tennessee Valley Authority Distinguished Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy at the University of Tennessee; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/nnnyeboah\/\u0022 id=\u0022menur1sua\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/nnnyeboah\/\u0022\u003ENortey Yeboah\u003C\/a\u003E, principal engineer at Southern Company. Together, they will offer perspectives on the policy and economic frameworks shaping the energy supply chain, from developing raw resources to manufacturing the technologies essential to future energy systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the afternoon, participants can dive deeper into specialized topics through three focused technical tracks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\/track1_meet_demand_for_power\u0022\u003EMeeting the Demand for Power\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d will examine how emerging technologies, advanced nuclear systems, and renewable integration can work together to deliver reliable, resilient electricity.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\/track2-data-center-infrastructure-and-resources\u0022\u003EData Center Infrastructure and Resources\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d will explore innovations in thermal management technologies, energy-efficient computing, and the broader resource impacts of expanding digital infrastructure.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\/track3-grid-technologies-and-markets\u0022\u003EGrid Technologies and Markets\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d will highlight strategies for strengthening grid capacity, incorporating demand-side management, and optimizing carbon performance as energy systems evolve.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMeeting the rapidly rising electricity demand driven by AI requires bold ideas, coordinated action, and research that moves at the speed of innovation,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of the SEI. \u201cEnergy Day 2026 brings together the people and expertise needed to shape resilient, sustainable energy systems for the future. At Georgia Tech, we see this event as a catalyst for new partnerships, new solutions, and a shared commitment to strengthening the nation\u2019s energy foundation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnergy Day 2026 is designed for researchers advancing emerging energy technologies, policymakers navigating shifting regulatory and geopolitical landscapes, industry professionals seeking insight into emerging tools and supply chains, and students preparing to enter one of the most consequential sectors of the decade. It also welcomes anyone interested in AI, sustainability, electrification, and critical materials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoin us to explore the future of energy. To learn more and register, visit:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\u0022 target=\u0022_new\u0022\u003EEnergy Day 2026\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energyday\u0022\u003EEnergy Day\u003C\/a\u003E returns this year on March 19 with an expanded focus and a new collaborative momentum. Cohosted by the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/matter-systems.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute for Matter and\u0026nbsp;Systems\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IMS) and the \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(SEI) with plenary session support from the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E, Energy Day 2026 convenes leaders from academia, industry, government, and students to address the challenges associated with meeting the rapidly growing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Join us on March 19 as we explore one of the most urgent questions facing the nation: How do we power an AI\u2011driven future?"}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-03-06 20:46:52","changed_gmt":"2026-03-20 16:57:12","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679541":{"id":"679541","type":"image","title":"EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772830025","gmt_created":"2026-03-06 20:47:05","changed":"1772830025","gmt_changed":"2026-03-06 20:47:05","alt":"Georgia Tech Energy Day 2026 Header Image with three boxes showing an image of a datacenter, an electric bulb with energy sources around it and a multi-colored critical mineral ","file":{"fid":"263714","name":"EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/06\/EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/06\/EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":147447,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/06\/EnergyDayEmailHeader.jpg?itok=i6baP0eA"}}},"media_ids":["679541"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"194607","name":"Batteries"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E | Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688223":{"#nid":"688223","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Department of Energy Award to Power Nuclear Research With Machine Learning","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe future of clean energy depends on algorithms as much as it does atoms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/people\/qi-tang\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQi Tang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is building machine learning (ML) models to accelerate nuclear fusion research, making it more affordable and more accurate. Backed by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Tang\u2019s work brings clean, sustainable energy closer to reality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang has received an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/early-career\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEarly Career Research Program (ECRP) award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E from the DOE Office of Science. The grant supports Tang with $875,000 disbursed over five years to craft ML and data processing tools that help scientists analyze massive datasets from nuclear experiments and simulations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is the first faculty member from Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Computing and School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) to receive the ECRP. He is the seventh Georgia Tech researcher to earn the award and the only GT awardee among this year\u2019s 99 recipients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore than a milestone, the award reflects a shift in how nuclear research is done. Today, progress depends on computing and data science as much as on physics and engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am honored and excited to receive the ECRP award through DOE\u2019s Advanced Scientific Computing Research program, an organization I care about deeply,\u201d said Tang, an assistant professor in the School of CSE.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am grateful to my former colleagues at Los Alamos National Laboratory and collaborators at other national laboratories, including Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, and Argonne. I am also thankful for my Ph.D. students at Georgia Tech, whose dedication and creativity make this award possible.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[Related:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-faculty-applies-high-performance-computing-scientific-machine-learning-interests-studies\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew Faculty Applies High-Performance Computing, Scientific Machine Learning Interests to Studies in Plasma Physics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA problem in nuclear research is that fusion simulations are challenging to understand and use. These simulations generate enormous datasets that are too large to store, move, and analyze efficiently.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pamspublic.science.energy.gov\/WebPAMSExternal\/Interface\/Common\/ViewPublicAbstract.aspx?rv=a756f612-3409-44b8-89ea-7421bf0840e5\u0026amp;rtc=24\u0026amp;PRoleId=10\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn his ECRP proposal to DOE\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Tang introduced new ML methods to improve the analysis and storage of particle data.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang\u2019s approach balances shrinking data so it is easier to store and transfer while preserving the most important scientific features. His multiscale ML models are informed by physics, so the reduced data still reflects how fusion systems really behave.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith Tang\u2019s research, scientists can run larger, more realistic fusion models and analyze results more quickly. This accelerates progress toward practical fusion energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn contrast to generic black-box-type compression tools, we aim at preserving the intrinsic structures of the particle dataset during the data reduction processes,\u201d Tang said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTaking this approach, we can meet our goal of achieving high-fidelity preservation of critical physics with minimum loss of information.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComputing is essential in modern research because of the amount of data produced and captured from experiments and simulations. In the era of exascale supercomputers, data movement is a greater bottleneck than actual computation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDOE operates three of the world\u2019s four exascale supercomputers. These machines can calculate one quintillion (a billion billion) operations per second.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe exascale era began in 2022 with the launch of Frontier at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Aurora followed in 2023 at Argonne National Laboratory. El Capitan arrived in 2024 at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith Tang\u2019s data reduction approaches, all of DOE\u2019s supercomputers spend more time on science and less time waiting for data transfers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cQi\u2019s work in computational plasma physics and nuclear fusion modeling has been groundbreaking,\u201d said \u003Cstrong\u003EHaesun Park\u003C\/strong\u003E, Regents\u2019 Professor and Chair of the School of CSE.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are proud of Qi and what this award means for him, Georgia Tech, and the Department of Energy toward leveraging computation to solve challenges in science and engineering, such as sustainable energy.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch6\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrevious Georgia Tech recipients of DOE Early Career Research Program awards include:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/26\/doe-recognizes-georgia-tech-researchers-prestigious-early-career-awards\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EItamar Kimchi\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor, School of Physics\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/26\/doe-recognizes-georgia-tech-researchers-prestigious-early-career-awards\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESourabh Saha\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/wenjing-liao-awarded-doe-early-career-award-model-simplification-deep-learning\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWenjing Lao\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor, School of Mathematics\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/news\/2018\/06\/professor-lively-receives-does-early-career-award\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERyan Lively\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Thomas C. DeLoach Professor, School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/josh-kacher\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJosh Kacher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor, School of Materials Science and Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/khabar.com\/community-newsmakers\/devesh-ranjan-receives-early-career-award-from-u-s-department-of-energy\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevesh Ranjan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Eugene C. Gwaltney Jr. School Chair and professor, Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/people\/qi-tang\u0022\u003EQi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E is building machine learning (ML) models to accelerate nuclear fusion research, making it more affordable and more accurate. Backed by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Tang\u2019s work brings clean, sustainable energy closer to reality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang has received an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/early-career\u0022\u003EEarly Career Research Program (ECRP) award\u003C\/a\u003E from the DOE Office of Science. The grant supports Tang with $875,000 disbursed over five years to craft ML and data processing tools that help scientists analyze massive datasets from nuclear experiments and simulations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is the first faculty member from Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Computing and School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) to receive the ECRP. He is the seventh Georgia Tech researcher to earn the award and the only GT awardee among this year\u2019s 99 recipients.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u0027s Qi Tang has received an Early Career Research Program award from the Department of Energy\u0027s Office of Science. The $875,000 grant supports Tang for five years to craft ML tools that analyze data from nuclear experiments and simulations. "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-02-12 15:11:55","changed_gmt":"2026-03-20 12:52:31","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679267":{"id":"679267","type":"image","title":"Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg","body":null,"created":"1770909124","gmt_created":"2026-02-12 15:12:04","changed":"1770909124","gmt_changed":"2026-02-12 15:12:04","alt":"DOE ECRP Qi Tang","file":{"fid":"263400","name":"Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/12\/Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/12\/Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":125283,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/12\/Qi-TangStory-Cover.jpg?itok=mPLUykJZ"}}},"media_ids":["679267"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/department-energy-award-power-nuclear-research-machine-learning","title":"Department of Energy Award to Power Nuclear Research with Machine Learning"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"663","name":"Department of Energy"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688716":{"#nid":"688716","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Research Priorities Chart Course Toward Impactful, Energy-Efficient Computing","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers applied their expertise to a national research program that will shape the future of computing. Their work may yield more energy-efficient computers and better predictions for environmental challenges like carbon storage, tsunamis, wildfires, and sustainable energy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Department of Energy Office of Science recently released two reports through its Advanced Scientific Computing Research (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/science\/ascr\/advanced-scientific-computing-research\u0022\u003EASCR\u003C\/a\u003E) program. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/ascr\/Community-Resources\/Program-Documents\u0022\u003Ereports\u003C\/a\u003E were produced by workshops that brought together researchers from universities, national labs, government, and industry to set priorities for scientific computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/slim.gatech.edu\/people\/felix-j-herrmann\u0022\u003EFelix Herrmann\u003C\/a\u003E served on the organizing committee for the Workshop on Inverse Methods for Complex Systems under Uncertainty. Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~pchen402\/group.html\u0022\u003EPeng Chen\u003C\/a\u003E joined Herrmann as a workshop participant, contributing expertise in data science and machine learning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInverse methods work backward from outcomes to find their causes. Scientists use these tools to study complex systems, like designing new materials with targeted properties and using past wildfires to map vulnerable areas and behavior of future fires.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/biblio\/2583339\u0022\u003EASCR report\u003C\/a\u003E highlighted Herrmann\u2019s work on seismic exploration and monitoring through digital twins. Founded on inverse methods, digital twins upgrade from static models to virtual systems that accurately mirror their physical counterparts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDigital twins integrate real-time data sources, including fluid flows, monitoring and control systems, risk assessments, and human decisions. These models also account for uncertainty and address data gaps or limitations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe DOE organized the workshop to support the growing role of inverse modeling. The group identified four priority research directions (PRDs) to guide future work. The PRDs are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 1: Discovering, exploiting, and preserving structure\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 2: Identifying and overcoming model limitations\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 3: Integrating disparate multimodal and\/or dynamic data\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 4: Solving goal-oriented inverse problems for downstream tasks\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA digital twin is a system you can control, like to optimize operations or to minimize risk,\u201d said Herrmann, who holds joint appointments in the Schools of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computational Science and Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDigital twins give you a principled way to consider uncertainties, which there are a lot in subsurface monitoring. If you inject carbon dioxide too fast, you will will increase the pressure and may fracture the rock. If you inject too slow, then the process may become too costly. Digital twins help us make balanced decisions under uncertainty.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESupercomputers, algorithms, and artificial intelligence now power modern science. However, these tools consume enormous amounts of energy. This raises concerns about how to sustain computing and scientific research as we know them in the decades ahead.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessors\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vuduc.org\/v2\/\u0022\u003ERich Vuduc\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hyesoon.github.io\/\u0022\u003EHyesoon Kim\u003C\/a\u003E co-authored\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/biblio\/2476961\u0022\u003Ethe report\u003C\/a\u003E from the Workshop on Energy-Efficient Computing for Science. At the three-day ASCR workshop, participants identified five key research directions:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 1: Co-design energy-efficient hardware devices and architectures for important workloads\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 2: Define the algorithmic foundations of energy-efficient scientific computing\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 3: Reconceptualize software ecosystems for energy efficiency\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 4: Enable energy-efficient data management for data centers, instruments, and users\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPRD 5: Develop integrated, scalable energy measurement and modeling capabilities for next-generation computing systems\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m cautiously optimistic about the future of energy-efficient computing. The ASCR report says, from a technological point of view, there are things we can do,\u201d said Vuduc.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe report lays out paths for how we might design better apps, hardware systems, and algorithms that will use less energy. This is recognition that we should think about how architectures and software work together to drive down energy usage for systems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers applied their expertise to a national research program that will shape the future of computing. Their work may yield more energy-efficient computers and better predictions for environmental challenges like carbon storage, tsunamis, wildfires, and sustainable energy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Department of Energy Office of Science recently released two reports through its Advanced Scientific Computing Research (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/science\/ascr\/advanced-scientific-computing-research\u0022\u003EASCR\u003C\/a\u003E) program. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.osti.gov\/ascr\/Community-Resources\/Program-Documents\u0022\u003Ereports\u003C\/a\u003E were produced by workshops that brought together researchers from universities, national labs, government, and industry to set priorities for scientific computing.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech faculty members contributed to two DOE Advanced Scientific Computing Research program workshops. Recently published reports of their work may yield more energy-efficient computers and better predictions for environmental challenges."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-03-04 13:29:44","changed_gmt":"2026-03-04 21:01:18","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679513":{"id":"679513","type":"image","title":"ASCR-Report-Authors.png","body":null,"created":"1772630996","gmt_created":"2026-03-04 13:29:56","changed":"1772630996","gmt_changed":"2026-03-04 13:29:56","alt":"DOE Office of Science ASCR Reports","file":{"fid":"263685","name":"ASCR-Report-Authors.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Authors.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Authors.png","mime":"image\/png","size":578789,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Authors.png?itok=dQ53-joi"}},"679514":{"id":"679514","type":"image","title":"ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772631052","gmt_created":"2026-03-04 13:30:52","changed":"1772631052","gmt_changed":"2026-03-04 13:30:52","alt":"ASCR Workshop on Inverse Methods for Complex Systems under Uncertainty","file":{"fid":"263686","name":"ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":56325,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Inverse-methods.jpg?itok=rZGhJhnP"}},"679515":{"id":"679515","type":"image","title":"ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772631087","gmt_created":"2026-03-04 13:31:27","changed":"1772631087","gmt_changed":"2026-03-04 13:31:27","alt":"ASCR Workshop on Energy-Efficient Computing for Science","file":{"fid":"263687","name":"ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":58857,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/04\/ASCR-Report-Energy-Efficient-Computing.jpg?itok=-0arX_Rb"}}},"media_ids":["679513","679514","679515"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-research-priorities-chart-course-toward-impactful-energy-efficient-computing","title":"New Research Priorities Chart Course Toward Impactful, Energy-Efficient Computing"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"663","name":"Department of Energy"},{"id":"179230","name":"digital twin"},{"id":"15030","name":"high-performance computing"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687898":{"#nid":"687898","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yuanzhi Tang Named Executive Director of the Strategic Energy Institute","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has appointed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E as executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), effective Feb. 1.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang will lead the strategic vision, interdisciplinary research efforts, and internal and external partnerships at SEI, strengthening connections across Georgia Tech\u2019s Colleges, Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRI), the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), and external partners to advance energy-related initiatives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFounded in 2004, SEI is one of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/interdisciplinary-research-institutes\u0022\u003EIRIs\u003C\/a\u003E and serves as a campuswide hub for energy research, education, and engagement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is the Georgia Power Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. Her research and leadership focus on advancing secure, circular, and sustainable energy systems by integrating Earth, environmental, biological, materials, and sustainability sciences and innovations. She previously served as an initiative lead on critical minerals and sustainable resources at SEI as well as the associate director for interdisciplinary research at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustainablesystems.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBrook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cProfessor Tang brings a strong record of research impact, leadership of complex initiatives, and a collaborative approach that will help elevate Georgia Tech\u2019s energy research enterprise,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/julia-kubanek-0\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/a\u003E, vice president for Interdisciplinary Research at Georgia Tech. \u201cShe brings deep expertise in fundamental Earth and environmental science, including water, soil, and energy research, while also leading state and regional partnerships in emerging, applied areas such as critical minerals. Most importantly, she is community-minded with excellent listening and consensus-building skills.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs executive director, Tang will develop and communicate a unifying vision to advance interdisciplinary energy research and strategic thought leadership at Georgia Tech, integrating expertise across engineering, sciences, computing, business, design, economics, policy, and the humanities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang is also the founding director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/minerals.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Critical Mineral Solutions\u003C\/a\u003E and leads a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Emultidisciplinary coalition\u003C\/a\u003E spanning three University System of Georgia institutions. The coalition connects research, industry, and policy to build Georgia\u2019s critical minerals innovation ecosystem, while driving resource advancement, workforce development, and economic impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m honored to serve as the executive director of SEI. Georgia Tech\u2019s energy research and the people behind it have always inspired me. I\u2019m eager to listen, learn, and work alongside our community,\u201d said Tang. \u201cSEI connects research excellence with real-world impact, and I look forward to partnering across campus, industry, government, and communities to translate breakthrough ideas into solutions that strengthen energy security, reliability, and affordability.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Strategic Energy Institute\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Strategic Energy Institute (SEI) serves as a system integrator for more than 1,000 Georgia Tech researchers working across the entire energy value chain. SEI brings together expertise to address complex energy challenges, from commercializing scalable technologies to informing long-term energy strategy and policy. Through research, education, community building, resource development, and thought leadership, SEI mobilizes Georgia Tech\u2019s collective strengths to advance reliable, affordable, and lower-carbon energy solutions for a growing global demand.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has appointed Yuanzhi Tang as executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), effective Feb. 1.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang will lead the strategic vision, interdisciplinary research efforts, and internal and external partnerships at SEI, strengthening connections across Georgia Tech\u2019s Colleges, Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRI), the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), and external partners to advance energy-related initiatives.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech has appointed Yuanzhi Tang as executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI), effective Feb. 1."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-02-02 16:53:07","changed_gmt":"2026-03-04 00:13:05","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679151":{"id":"679151","type":"image","title":"Yuanzhi Tang","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770048693","gmt_created":"2026-02-02 16:11:33","changed":"1770048784","gmt_changed":"2026-02-02 16:13:04","alt":"Yuanzhi Tang","file":{"fid":"263274","name":"Yuanzhi-Tang-pic2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/02\/Yuanzhi-Tang-pic2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/02\/Yuanzhi-Tang-pic2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1451744,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/02\/Yuanzhi-Tang-pic2.jpg?itok=r5N6d_LB"}}},"media_ids":["679151"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E || Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688502":{"#nid":"688502","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Understanding the Data Center Building Boom ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWritten by: Anne Wainscott-Sargent\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs artificial intelligence (AI) drives explosive growth in data centers, communities across the U.S. are facing rising electricity costs, new industrial development, and mounting strain on an aging power grid.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech, several faculty members are approaching these sustainability challenges from different but complementary angles: examining how data center policy affects local communities, modeling how AI-driven demand reshapes regional energy systems, and building tools that help the public understand the tradeoffs embedded in grid planning. Together, their work highlights how better data, thoughtful policy, and public engagement can guide more resilient and equitable decisions in an AI-powered future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI\u2019s Hidden Footprint: How Data Centers Reshape Communities\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAhmed Saeed studies the infrastructure most people never see. An assistant professor in the School of Computer Science and a Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS) Faculty Fellow, Saeed focuses on how data centers \u2014 the backbone of modern AI \u2014 are built, operated, and regulated, and what their growth means for host communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cData centers are the infrastructure for our digital life, so more of them are necessary to keep doing what we\u2019re doing,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EData center energy consumption could double or triple by 2028, accounting for up to 12% of U.S. electricity use, according to a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/escholarship.org\/uc\/item\/32d6m0d1\u0022\u003Ereport by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E. U.S. spending on data center construction jumped nearly 70% between May 2023 and May 2024, according to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/americanedgeproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Americas-AI-Surge-Powering-Growth-in-Every-State.pdf\u0022\u003EAmerican Edge Project\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia is an AI data center hub, ranked fourth globally, with $4.6 billion in AI-related venture capital invested across 368 deals, the American Edge Project reported. At a recent \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/sustainability-fellowship-supports-professors-data-center-research\u0022\u003Etown hall in DeKalb County, Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E, Saeed helped residents connect AI\u2019s promise to its local consequences. Training large AI models can require tens of thousands of graphics processing units (GPUs) running for days or weeks, driving an unprecedented wave of data center construction. AI-focused chips, he noted, can consume 10 to 14 times more power than traditional processors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat demand often shows up as pressure on local infrastructure. Communities are increasingly concerned about electricity and water use, grid upgrades, and who ultimately pays. In Virginia, Saeed pointed to a legal dispute in which consumer advocates warned that data centers could raise electricity bills by 5% in the short term and up to 50% over time, while utilities argued those investments were inevitable and could benefit customers in the long run.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnvironmental concerns add another layer. Saeed cited controversies over water use and backup diesel generators in states, including Georgia and Tennessee, alongside a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling that tightened generator regulations. While diesel generators are clearly harmful, he cautioned that long-term, rigorous evidence linking data centers to regional health impacts remains limited.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESaeed\u2019s research aims to reduce those impacts directly. By optimizing how workloads are scheduled across large server fleets, his team has demonstrated power savings of 4 \u2013 12%, a meaningful gain if U.S. data centers approach projected levels of up to 12% of national electricity use by 2028.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Saeed, data centers are akin to highways: essential to modern life, disruptive to nearby communities, and shaped by policy choices. The question, he argues, is not whether AI infrastructure should exist, but how transparently and fairly it is built.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEconomist Probes the Energy Costs of the AI Boom\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile headlines often frame AI as an energy crisis, Georgia Tech environmental and energy economist and BBISS Faculty Fellow Tony Harding is focused on measuring its real \u2014 and uneven \u2014 impacts. Harding, an assistant professor in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, uses economic modeling to examine how AI adoption affects energy use, emissions, and local communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/ae0e3b\u0022\u003Erecent work\u003C\/a\u003E published in \u003Cem\u003EEnvironmental Research Letters\u003C\/em\u003E, Harding and his co-author analyzed how productivity gains from AI could influence national energy demand. Their findings suggest that, at a macro level, AI-related activity may increase annual U.S. energy use by about 0.03% and CO\u2082 emissions by roughly 0.02%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThose numbers are small in the context of the overall economy,\u201d Harding said. \u201cBut the impacts are highly uneven.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat unevenness is evident in where data centers are built. While Northern Virginia remains the country\u2019s top data center hub, with 343 operational data centers, states like Georgia, which currently has 94 operational data centers, are rapidly attracting facilities due to reliable power and favorable tax policies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHarding\u2019s latest research focuses on local effects, asking why data centers cluster in urban areas, how they influence housing markets, what happens to electricity prices, and whether they exacerbate water stress. Early evidence suggests large facilities can increase local electricity rates, contributing to public backlash and regulatory response. In Georgia, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psc.ga.gov\/site\/assets\/files\/8617\/media_advisory_data_centers_rule_1-23-2025.pdf\u0022\u003EPublic Service Commission\u003C\/a\u003E has begun requiring new, high power draw customers (like data centers) to cover more of the costs associated with grid expansion.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHarding\u2019s goal is to give policymakers better evidence to design incentives and guardrails. \u201cTo manage these technologies responsibly,\u201d he said, \u201cwe need a clear picture of their intended and unintended consequences.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGamifying a Strained and Aging Power Grid\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDaniel Molzahn is tackling another side of the problem: how to modernize an aging power grid under growing demand. Electricity demand is expected to rise about 25% by 2030, driven by data centers, electric vehicles, and broadscale electrification. At the same time, much of the U.S. electricity grid is nearing the end of its lifespan, with many transformers being decades old.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo make these challenges tangible, Molzahn, an associate professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, developed a browser-based game with a group of students through Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vip.gatech.edu\/frm_display\/team-listings\/entry\/1303\/\u0022\u003EVertically Integrated Projects\u003C\/a\u003E program called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/currentcrisis.itch.io\/current-crisis\u0022\u003ECurrent Crisis\u003C\/a\u003E. Players take on the role of a utility decision-maker, balancing reliability, wildfire risk, renewable integration, and affordability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe game grew out of Molzahn\u2019s National Science Foundation CAREER award and reflects his belief that complex systems are best understood experientially. Its initial focus is wildfire resilience, modeling how grid infrastructure can both spark and suffer damage from fires.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut resilience comes at a cost. Burying power lines, for example, reduces wildfire risk but dramatically increases expenses. Players must confront the same tradeoffs utilities face: improve reliability or keep rates low.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMolzahn hopes the game will help students and the public grapple with the realities of planning future power systems. \u201cThese choices aren\u2019t abstract,\u201d he said. \u201cThey shape affordability, resilience, and our path toward a cleaner grid.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project now involves nearly 40 students from across campus, supported by Sustainability NEXT funding and a collaboration with Jessica Roberts, former BBISS Faculty Fellow and director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tiles.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ETechnology-Integrated Learning Environments (TILES) Lab\u003C\/a\u003E in the School of Interactive Computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs a learning scientist, I look at how to engage people with science and scientific data and get people having conversations they might not otherwise have,\u201d says Roberts, who hopes the seed grant helps the team determine first that they are going in the right direction and, second, how to broaden the impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne student, Stella Quinto Lima, a graduate research assistant in Human-Centered Computing, has made the game the focus of her doctoral thesis. Through the game, she wants players to notice their misconceptions about the power grid, energy use, and AI, and to use critical thinking to identify, question, and possibly undo those misconceptions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cI hope that we can really engage adults and help them see it\u2019s not black and white. The game is not only about power grids, but how AI affects the grid, how it affects our lives, and how it will impact our future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team plans to expand the game\u2019s features, use it in outreach programs, and analyze player decisions as a source of data to study energy-system decision-making.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to change the conversation about power and power grid stability, reliability, and sustainability, Roberts said, \u201cand find a way to get this message to a larger public.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs artificial intelligence (AI) drives explosive growth in data centers, communities across the U.S. are facing rising electricity costs, new industrial development, and mounting strain on an aging power grid.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Explosive data center growth requires research to inform policies which manage the building of this critical infrastructure."}],"uid":"27338","created_gmt":"2026-02-24 20:29:10","changed_gmt":"2026-02-25 16:43:42","author":"Brent Verrill","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679428":{"id":"679428","type":"image","title":"Giarusso_Saeed_Molzhan_Headshots_Collage_Sized","body":null,"created":"1772037433","gmt_created":"2026-02-25 16:37:13","changed":"1772037615","gmt_changed":"2026-02-25 16:40:15","alt":"Three men\u0027s individual portrait-style photos are arranged side by side, each showing a person from the shoulders up. The individuals wear collared shirts and appear in different lighting settings, including a dark background, a neutral studio backdrop, and a bright white background.","file":{"fid":"263591","name":"Giarusso_Saeed_Molzhan_Headshots_Collage_Sized.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/Giarusso_Saeed_Molzhan_Headshots_Collage_Sized.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/Giarusso_Saeed_Molzhan_Headshots_Collage_Sized.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":872348,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/25\/Giarusso_Saeed_Molzhan_Headshots_Collage_Sized.jpg?itok=TPizgOZr"}}},"media_ids":["679428"],"groups":[{"id":"244191","name":"Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBrent Verrill\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications Program Manager, BBISS\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687813":{"#nid":"687813","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Fusion to Self-Driving Cars, High Performance Computing and AI are Everywhere in 2026","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile not as highlight-reel worthy as the Winter Olympics and the World Cup, experts expect high-performance computing (HPC) to have an even bigger impact on daily life in 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers say HPC and artificial intelligence (AI) advances this year are poised to improve how people power their homes, design safer buildings, and travel through cities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tangqi.github.io\/\u0022\u003EQi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, scientists will take progressive steps toward cleaner, sustainable energy through nuclear fusion in 2026.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am very hopeful about the role of advanced computing and AI in making fusion a clean energy source,\u201d said Tang, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFusion systems involve many interconnected processes happening across different scales. Modern simulations, combined with data-driven methods, allow us to bring these pieces together into a unified picture.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETang\u2019s research connects HPC and machine learning with fusion energy and plasma physics. This year, Tang is continuing work on large-scale nuclear fusion models.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnly a few experimental fusion reactors exist worldwide compared to more than 400 nuclear fission reactors. Tang\u2019s work supports a broader effort to turn fusion from a promising idea into a practical energy source.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENuclear fusion occurs in plasma, the fourth state of matter, where gas is heated to millions of degrees. In this extreme state, electrons are stripped from atoms, creating a hot soup of fast-moving ions and free electrons. In plasma, hydrogen atoms overcome their natural electrical repulsion, collide, and fuse together. This releases energy that can power cities and homes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComputers interpret extreme temperatures, densities, pressures, and plasma particle motion as massive datasets. Tang works to assimilate these data types from computer models and real-world experiments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo do this, he and other researchers rely on machine learning approaches to analyze data across models and experiments more quickly and to produce more accurate predictions. Over time, this will allow scientists to test and improve fusion reactor designs toward commercial use.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond energy and nuclear engineering,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pk.linkedin.com\/in\/umarkhayaz\u0022\u003EUmar Khayaz\u003C\/a\u003E sees broader impacts for HPC in 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHPC is the need of the day in every field of engineering sciences, physics, biology, and economics,\u201d said Khayaz, a CSE Ph.D. student in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHPC is important enough to say that we need to employ resources to also solve social problems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKhayaz studies dynamic fracture and phase-field modeling. These areas explore how materials break under sudden, rapid loads.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELike nuclear fusion, Khayaz says dynamic fracture problems are complex and data-intensive. In 2026, he expects to see more computing resources and computational capabilities devoted to understanding these problems and other emerging civil engineering challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECSE Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ahren09.github.io\/\u0022\u003EYiqiao (Ahren) Jin\u003C\/a\u003E sees a similar relationship between infrastructure and self-driving vehicles. He believes AI will innovate this area in 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech, Jin develops efficient multimodal AI systems. An autonomous vehicle is a multimodal system that uses camera video, laser sensors, language instructions, and other inputs to navigate city streets under changing scenarios like traffic and weather patterns.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJin says multimodal research will move beyond performance benchmarks this year. This shift will lead to computer systems that can reason despite uncertainty and explain their decisions. In result, engineers will redefine how they evaluate and deploy autonomous systems in safety-critical settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMany foundational problems in perception, multimodal reasoning, and agent coordination are being actively addressed in 2026. These advances enable a transition from isolated autonomous systems to safer, coordinated autonomous vehicle fleets,\u201d Jin said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs these systems scale, they have the potential to fundamentally improve transportation safety and efficiency.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile not as highlight-reel worthy as the Winter Olympics and the World Cup, experts expect high-performance computing (HPC) to have an even bigger impact on daily life in 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers say HPC and artificial intelligence (AI) advances this year are poised to improve how people power their homes, design safer buildings, and travel through cities.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers say HPC and artificial intelligence (AI) advances this year are poised to improve how people power their homes, design safer buildings, and travel through cities."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-01-29 14:30:57","changed_gmt":"2026-02-19 15:53:29","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-29T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-29T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679125":{"id":"679125","type":"image","title":"CSE-in-2026_2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1769704332","gmt_created":"2026-01-29 16:32:12","changed":"1769704332","gmt_changed":"2026-01-29 16:32:12","alt":"CSE in 2026","file":{"fid":"263246","name":"CSE-in-2026_2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/CSE-in-2026_2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/CSE-in-2026_2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":348721,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/29\/CSE-in-2026_2.jpg?itok=JDq9Sr_p"}}},"media_ids":["679125"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/fusion-self-driving-cars-high-performance-computing-and-ai-are-everywhere-2026","title":"From Fusion to Self-Driving Cars, High Performance Computing and AI are Everywhere in 2026"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"172288","name":"School of Computational Science Engineering"},{"id":"167864","name":"School of Civil and Environmental Engineering"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"15030","name":"high-performance computing"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"194384","name":"Tech AI"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}