{"689263":{"#nid":"689263","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Transformer Explainer Shows How AI is More Math than Human","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile people use search engines, chatbots, and generative artificial intelligence tools every day, most don\u2019t know how they work. This sets unrealistic expectations for AI and leads to misuse. It also slows progress toward building new AI applications.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are making AI easier to understand through their work on Transformer Explainer. The free, online tool shows non-experts how ChatGPT, Claude, and other large language models (LLMs) process language.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/transformer-explainer\/\u0022\u003ETransformer Explainer\u003C\/a\u003E is easy to use and runs on any web browser. It quickly went viral after its debut, reaching 150,000 users in its first three months. More than 563,000 people worldwide have used the tool so far.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGlobal interest in Transformer Explainer continues when the team presents the tool at the 2026 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chi2026.acm.org\/\u0022\u003ECHI 2026\u003C\/a\u003E). CHI, the world\u2019s most prestigious conference on human-computer interaction, will take place in Barcelona, April 13-17.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/chi-2026\/\u0022\u003ERelated: GT @ CHI 2026\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are moments when LLMs can seem almost like a person with their own will and personality, and that misperception has real consequences. For example, there have been cases where teenagers have made poor decisions based on conversations with LLMs,\u201d said Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/aereeeee.github.io\/\u0022\u003EAeree Cho\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnderstanding that an LLM is fundamentally a model that predicts the probability distribution of the next token helps users avoid taking its outputs as absolute. What you put in shapes what comes out, and that understanding helps people engage with AI more carefully and critically.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA transformer is a neural network architecture that changes data input sequence into an output. Text, audio, and images are forms of processed data, which is why transformers are common in generative AI models. They do this by learning context and tracking mathematical relationships between sequence components.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETransformer Explainer demystifies how transformers work. The platform uses visualization and interaction to show, step by step, how text flows through a model and produces predictions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing this approach, Transformer Explainer impacts the AI landscape in four main ways:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIt counters hype and misconceptions surrounding AI by showing how transformers work.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIt improves AI literacy among users by removing technical barriers and lowering the entry for learning about AI.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIt expands AI education by helping instructors teach AI mechanisms without extensive setup or computing resources.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIt influences future development of AI tools and educational techniques by providing a blueprint for interpretable AI systems.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen I first learned about transformers, I felt overwhelmed. A transformer model has many parts, each with its own complex math. Existing resources typically present all this information at once, making it difficult to see how everything fits together,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gracekimcy.github.io\/\u0022\u003EGrace Kim\u003C\/a\u003E, a dual B.S.\/M.S. computer science student.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy leveraging interactive visualization, we use levels of abstraction to first show the big picture of the entire model. Then users click into individual parts to reveal the underlying details and math. This way, Transformer Explainer makes learning far less intimidating.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany users don\u2019t know what transformers are or how they work. The Georgia Tech team found that people often misunderstand AI. Some label AI with human-like characteristics, such as creativity. Others even describe it as working like magic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFurthermore, barriers make it hard for students interested in transformers to start learning. Tutorials tend to be too technical and overwhelm beginners with math and code. While visualization tools exist, these often target more advanced AI experts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETransformer Explainer overcomes these obstacles through its interactive, user-focused platform. It runs a familiar GPT model directly in any web browser, requiring no installation or special hardware.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsers can enter their own text and watch the model predict the next word in real time. Sankey-style diagrams show how information moves through embeddings, attention heads, and transformer blocks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe platform also lets users switch between high-level concepts and detailed math. By adjusting temperature settings, users can see how randomness affects predictions. This reveals how probabilities drive AI outputs, rather than creativity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMillions of people around the world interact with transformer-driven AI. We believe that it is crucial to bridge the gap between day-to-day user experience and the models\u0027 technical reality, ensuring these tools are not misinterpreted as human-like or seen as sentient,\u201d said Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.alexkarpekov.com\/\u0022\u003EAlex Karpekov\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cExplaining the architecture helps users recognize that language generated by models is a product of computation, leading to a more grounded engagement with the technology.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECho, Karpekov, and Kim led the development of Transformer Explainer. Ph.D. students\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/alechelbling.com\/\u0022\u003EAlec Helbling\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/seongmin.xyz\/\u0022\u003ESeongmin Lee\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bhoov.com\/\u0022\u003EBen Hoover\u003C\/a\u003E, and alumni\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/zijie.wang\/\u0022\u003EZijie (Jay) Wang\u003C\/a\u003E (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/minsuk.com\/\u0022\u003EMinsuk Kahng\u003C\/a\u003E (Ph.D. CS-CSE 2019) assisted on the project.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/polochau\/\u0022\u003EPolo Chau\u003C\/a\u003E supervised the group and their work. His lab focuses on data science, human-centered AI, and visualization for social good.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcceptance at CHI 2026 stems from the team winning the best poster award at the 2024 IEEE Visualization Conference. This recognition from one of the top venues in visualization research highlights Transformer Explainer\u2019s effectiveness in teaching how transformers work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTransformer Explainer has reached over half a million learners worldwide,\u201d said Chau, a faculty member in the School of Computational Science and Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m thrilled to see it extend Georgia Tech\u0027s mission of expanding access to higher education, now to anyone with a web browser.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile people use search engines, chatbots, and generative artificial intelligence tools every day, most don\u2019t know how they work. This sets unrealistic expectations for AI and leads to misuse. It also slows progress toward building new AI applications.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are making AI easier to understand through their work on Transformer Explainer. The free, online tool shows non-experts how ChatGPT, Claude, and other large language models (LLMs) process language.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/transformer-explainer\/\u0022\u003ETransformer Explainer\u003C\/a\u003E is easy to use and runs on any web browser. It quickly went viral after its debut, reaching 150,000 users in its first three months. More than 563,000 people worldwide have used the tool so far.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGlobal interest in Transformer Explainer continues when the team presents the tool at the 2026 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chi2026.acm.org\/\u0022\u003ECHI 2026\u003C\/a\u003E). CHI, the world\u2019s most prestigious conference on human-computer interaction, will take place in Barcelona, April 13-17.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are making AI easier to understand through their work on Transformer Explainer. The free, online tool shows non-experts how ChatGPT, Claude, and other large language models (LLMs) process language, improving AI literacy."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2026-03-31 16:42:57","changed_gmt":"2026-04-17 18:58:09","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679798":{"id":"679798","type":"image","title":"Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774975392","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 16:43:12","changed":"1774975392","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 16:43:12","alt":"CHI 2026 Transformer Explainer","file":{"fid":"264002","name":"Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":120484,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Head-Image.jpg?itok=eryBAi-R"}},"679799":{"id":"679799","type":"image","title":"Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg","body":null,"created":"1774975428","gmt_created":"2026-03-31 16:43:48","changed":"1774975428","gmt_changed":"2026-03-31 16:43:48","alt":"CHI 2026 Transformer Explainer","file":{"fid":"264003","name":"Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":69012,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/31\/Transformer-Explainer-Text-Image.jpg?itok=0B-WDInX"}}},"media_ids":["679798","679799"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/transformer-explainer-shows-how-ai-more-math-human","title":"Transformer Explainer Shows How AI is More Math than Human"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"170447","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"176858","name":"machine learning center"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"14646","name":"human-computer interaction"},{"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":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\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":""}},"689488":{"#nid":"689488","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Graduate Programs Stand Among the Nation\u2019s Best in 2026 Rankings","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u2019s graduate programs once again earned broad national recognition in the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-graduate-schools\u0022\u003E 2026 U.S. News \u0026amp; World Report rankings\u003C\/a\u003E. The latest results highlight Georgia Tech\u2019s sustained strength in research-driven graduate education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and programs designed to meet evolving workforce and societal needs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s College of Engineering remained among the nation\u2019s elite, ranking \u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 4 overall\u003C\/strong\u003E in Best Engineering Schools and maintaining its position among the top institutions nationwide.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESeveral engineering disciplines continued to rank among the nation\u2019s best, with multiple programs placing in the top five. The College\u2019s consistent performance reflects its leadership in research, innovation, and graduate training that closely aligns with industry and global challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETop engineering rankings include:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 1\u003C\/strong\u003E Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 1\u003C\/strong\u003E Biomedical Engineering (tied), up from No. 2\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 2\u003C\/strong\u003E Aerospace Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 3\u003C\/strong\u003E Civil Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 3\u003C\/strong\u003E Mechanical Engineering (tied), up from No. 5\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 4\u003C\/strong\u003E Environmental Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 5\u003C\/strong\u003E Chemical Engineering (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 5\u003C\/strong\u003E Computer Engineering (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECollege of Computing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech continued to demonstrate national strength in computing, ranking \u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 7 overall\u003C\/strong\u003E among Best Computer Science Schools in the 2026 rankings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENotable computing rankings include:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 5\u003C\/strong\u003E Artificial Intelligence, up from No. 6\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 6\u003C\/strong\u003E Systems (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 13\u003C\/strong\u003E Theory (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 15\u003C\/strong\u003E Programming Language\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese rankings reflect Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in emerging and foundational computing technologies, as well as its role in applying computation across disciplines to address real\u2011world challenges and strengthen industries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGraduate programs at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy earned strong national placements in the 2026 rankings, highlighting the school\u2019s growing visibility at the intersection of technology, policy, and governance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHighlights include:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 2\u003C\/strong\u003E Information and Technology Management (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 10\u003C\/strong\u003E Environmental Policy and Management (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 23\u003C\/strong\u003E Public Policy Analysis (tied), up from No. 26\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScheller College of Business\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Scheller College of Business continued its momentum in the 2026 rankings, earning a \u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 9 national ranking\u003C\/strong\u003E in Best Part-Time MBA Programs, rising from No. 10 last year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScheller also received recognition across a range of graduate business disciplines, with several programs newly ranked in 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENotable Scheller rankings include:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 8\u003C\/strong\u003E Information Systems (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 15\u003C\/strong\u003E Supply Chain Management (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 16\u003C\/strong\u003E Business Analytics (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s graduate programs in the physical sciences earned continued national recognition, reflecting strength in foundational research areas that support advances in engineering, computing, sustainability, and health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScience program rankings include:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 20\u003C\/strong\u003E Chemistry (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 22\u003C\/strong\u003E Physics (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 26\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EMathematics (tied)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENo. 29\u003C\/strong\u003E Earth Sciences (tied), up from No. 33\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E*Please note that this summary includes the latest rankings issued by U.S. News \u0026amp; World Report for 2026. Not all Georgia Tech Colleges, Schools, and subjects are ranked every year by this organization.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u2019s graduate programs earned broad national recognition in the 2026 \u003Cem\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/em\u003E rankings, underscoring Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in research\u2011driven, interdisciplinary graduate education. The College of Engineering ranked No. 4 overall, with multiple disciplines in the top five, including No. 1 Industrial and Systems Engineering and No. 1 Biomedical Engineering (tied), while computing programs ranked No. 7 nationally with top placements in artificial intelligence and systems. Strong rankings across public policy, business, and the sciences further highlight Georgia Tech\u2019s excellence in preparing graduates to address evolving workforce needs and global challenges.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"U.S. News placements reflect sustained excellence across graduate programs."}],"uid":"35798","created_gmt":"2026-04-07 05:17:20","changed_gmt":"2026-04-07 06:37:54","author":"Ayana Isles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679871":{"id":"679871","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech Campus in Spring ","body":null,"created":"1775541838","gmt_created":"2026-04-07 06:03:58","changed":"1775542172","gmt_changed":"2026-04-07 06:09:32","alt":"Tech tower in the background of pink spring flowers.","file":{"fid":"264089","name":"DSC00168.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/07\/DSC00168.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/07\/DSC00168.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1305471,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/07\/DSC00168.JPG?itok=v2q1RiqK"}}},"media_ids":["679871"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194455","name":"2026 rankings"},{"id":"61051","name":"US News \u0026 World Report"},{"id":"168328","name":"grad school"},{"id":"194981","name":"best graduate schools"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\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\u003Cdiv\u003ESenior Media Relations Representative\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687826":{"#nid":"687826","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yellow Jacket Connection Sparks Glaucoma Research Fund at Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAn estimated 4 million Americans have glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that can lead to irreversible blindness.\u0026nbsp;Now, Georgia Tech is home to a Glaucoma Research Fund that will\u0026nbsp;support cutting-edge work to understand and advance treatments for the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new initiative was sparked by ongoing research at Georgia Tech \u2014 and a Yellow Jacket connection: when\u0026nbsp;Postdoctoral Research Fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHannah Youngblood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.brightfocus.org\/news\/a-key-protein-could-alter-risk-for-pseudoexfoliation-glaucoma\/\u0022\u003Ework on exfoliation glaucoma (XFG)\u003C\/a\u003E was featured by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.brightfocus.org\/\u0022\u003EBrightFocus Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;it caught the attention of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Rucker,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ean Alabama resident who was diagnosed with XFG several years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EExcited that the research could change outcomes for people like her \u2014 and proud that it\u2019s happening at her husband\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPhilip Rucker\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s, EE 72, alma mater \u2014 Jennifer Rucker reached out to Youngblood and her advisor,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E Professor and Kelly Sepcic Pfeil, Ph.D. Chair\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/raquel-lieberman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAs the wife of a Georgia Tech graduate and an individual with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, I was inspired to support the scientists whose efforts may help me and others,\u201d Jennifer Rucker says.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EWhat followed was a meaningful dialogue and a shared sense of purpose \u2014 and the creation of the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund (Wreck Glaucoma! Fund).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt meant so much that Jennifer took the initiative to reach out to learn more about our research,\u201d says Lieberman. \u201cMoments like this remind me how deeply meaningful it is to connect with people in the broader community who are navigating glaucoma. Opportunities for such personal connections are rare, but they inspire and further motivate us to achieve our lab\u2019s mission to improve the lives of individuals suffering from blindness diseases.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Personal Connection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EYoungblood\u2019s interest in glaucoma research also stems from a personal connection: her father\u0026nbsp;was diagnosed with glaucoma as a young adult.\u0026nbsp;Now, Youngblood\u0026nbsp;studies the genetic and molecular factors behind XFG in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lieberman.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELieberman research lab\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cXFG is an aggressive form of the disease with no known cure,\u201d Youngblood says.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EWhile scientists know that XFG is the result of abnormal accumulation of proteins in the eye, current treatments only address symptoms rather than treating the root cause of the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe know XFG is driven by protein buildup, but we still don\u2019t know\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ewhy\u003C\/em\u003E it happens,\u201d she explains. \u201cMy work studying specific genetic variants aims to uncover this.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Genetics of Glaucoma\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn particular, Youngblood is researching the role of LOXL1, a protein that plays a role in soft tissue throughout the body, including the eyes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cResearch has shown that people with variants in the genes responsible for this protein are more likely to have XFG,\u201d she says. \u201cThat made me curious to see if the variants might be impacting the structure of the LOXL1 protein itself and how those variants might lead to disease.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EYoungblood is currently testing her theory in the lab. \u201cMy hope is that new insight into proteins like LOXL1 will bring us closer to treatments that address XFG at its source,\u201d she says. \u201cThe new Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund is a tremendous step forward in making that hope a reality.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESupport the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPlease visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/59801\/donations\/new?designation_id=a000015611000\u0026amp;\u0022\u003EGlaucoma Research Fund support page\u003C\/a\u003E to give to this specific program. To discuss additional philanthropic opportunities, please contact the College of Sciences Development Team:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:development@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Edevelopment@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYour investment ensures that these scholars and researchers have world-class resources, facilities, and mentors to excel in this critical work. Thank you for helping us shape the future.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen\u0026nbsp;Postdoctoral Research Fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHannah Youngblood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s\u0026nbsp;work on exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) was featured by the\u0026nbsp;BrightFocus Foundation,\u0026nbsp;it caught the attention of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Rucker,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ean Alabama resident who was diagnosed with XFG several years ago. What followed was a meaningful dialogue and a shared sense of purpose \u2014 and the creation of the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund (Wreck Glaucoma! Fund).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"When\u00a0Postdoctoral Research Fellow\u00a0Hannah Youngblood\u2019s\u00a0work on exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) was featured by the\u00a0BrightFocus Foundation,\u00a0it caught the attention of\u00a0Jennifer Rucker,\u00a0an Alabama resident who was diagnosed with XFG several years ago. "}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-01-29 17:23:21","changed_gmt":"2026-02-19 15:19:24","author":"sperrin6","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":{"679130":{"id":"679130","type":"image","title":"Hannah Youngblood","body":null,"created":"1769722230","gmt_created":"2026-01-29 21:30:30","changed":"1769722339","gmt_changed":"2026-01-29 21:32:19","alt":"Hannah Youngblood","file":{"fid":"263251","name":"Headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/Headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/Headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":42055,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/29\/Headshot.jpg?itok=1PjOSH2M"}},"679127":{"id":"679127","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1769707506","gmt_created":"2026-01-29 17:25:06","changed":"1769722356","gmt_changed":"2026-01-29 21:32:36","alt":"Raquel Lieberman","file":{"fid":"263248","name":"083.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/083.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/083.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":14074756,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/29\/083.jpg?itok=qPG_sbYX"}}},"media_ids":["679130","679127"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/59801\/donations\/new?designation_id=a000015611000\u0026","title":"Make a Gift to Support the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"193234","name":"Campaign Stories"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687251":{"#nid":"687251","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yellow Jackets Featured Among Most Influential Georgians ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor their leadership across various industries and positive contributions to their communities, 12 Georgia Tech alumni are among \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Trend\u003C\/em\u003E\u2019s 100 Most Influential Georgians for 2026.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrian Blake, EE 1994 \u2013 President, Georgia State University\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGuided by his BluePrint to 2033, Blake recently announced that 16 of the plan\u2019s 20 initiatives are underway, including work on the new Panther Quad and Campus Greenway expansion on the Atlanta campus. Georgia State recently received an $80 million donation from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation \u2014 the largest in the university\u2019s history.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u00c1ngel Cabrera, M.S. PSY 1993, Ph.D. PSY 1995 \u2013 President, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder Cabrera\u2019s leadership, Georgia Tech has become the state\u0027s largest university. With record enrollment, campaign fundraising, and research expenditures, Tech is delivering on the president\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/04\/georgia-techs-big-bets-delivering-record-results\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBig Bets strategy\u003C\/a\u003E. A $100 million bequest from alumnus John Durstine in September 2025 is the largest in Tech history and will transform the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELisa Cupid, ME 2000 \u2013 Chair, Cobb County Board of Supervisors\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFirst elected in 2020, the second-term chair of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners declared her \u201cunwavering commitment to forward motion\u201d in a 2025 address that highlighted economic growth, improving equity, and the expansion of critical resources in Cobb County. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndre Dickens, ChE 1998 \u2013 Mayor, City of Atlanta\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReelected to a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/11\/04\/dickens-elected-second-term-atlanta-mayor\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Esecond term as Atlanta\u2019s mayor\u003C\/a\u003E, Dickens has led the city since 2021, establishing positive working relationships with state leadership, reducing violent crime rates, and building affordable housing. Under his leadership, the city achieved an AAA bond rating, the highest in the city\u2019s history. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERoderick McLean, M.S. EE 1993 \u2013 Vice President and General Manager, Air Mobility and Maritime Missions, Lockheed Martin\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMcLean is the vice president of Lockheed Martin\u2019s Air Mobility and Maritime Missions division and site general manager of the company\u2019s 5,000-employee Marietta facility. The C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, built at the facility, was named the winner of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce\u2019s inaugural \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gachamber.com\/news\/lockheed-martin-c-130j-super-hercules-wins-coolest-thing-made-in-georgia-competition\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECoolest Thing Made in Georgia competition\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJannine Miller, MBA 2013 \u2013 Executive Director, SRTA, GRTA, and Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 2023, Miller has led the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority, and the State Road and Tollway Authority. Her team continues to work toward easing congestion around metro Atlanta, including 16 miles of planned express lanes on GA 400, expected to be completed in 2031.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EValerie Montgomery Rice, Chem 1983 \u2013 President and Dean, Morehouse School of Medicine\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERice has led the Morehouse School of Medicine since 2014, and under her leadership, the number of Morehouse\u0027s M.D. candidates has doubled. She has also worked to expand access to education with regional medical campuses in Albany and Columbus. In 2025, Rice was elected to the Georgia Power board of directors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHonorary:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEd Bastian, HON Ph.D. 2024 \u2013 CEO, Delta Air Lines\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the CEO of metro Atlanta\u2019s largest private employer, Bastian was named \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tonyjannus.com\/awards\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe 2025 Tony Jannus Award recipient\u003C\/a\u003E by the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society.\u0026nbsp; The award is given annually to individuals who have made major and lasting contributions to the commercial aviation industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaphael Bostic, HON Ph.D. 2022 \u2013 President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta since 2017, Bostic has beenresponsible for overseeing monetary policy, bank supervision, and payment services. He will retire at the end of his term in February. \u0026nbsp;He also serves on the Federal Open Market Committee, the monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames Quincey, HON Ph.D. 2020 \u2013 Chair and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter serving as Coca-Cola\u2019s CEO since 2017, Quincey announced his intention to step down in December. He will remain with the beverage giant as its executive chairman after reshaping the company\u2019s strategy and adding more than 10 billion-dollar brands during his tenure as CEO. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECarole Tom\u00e9\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EHON Ph.D. 2025 \u2013 CEO, UPS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2025, Tom\u00e9 began leading the company through what she called the \u201cmost significant strategic shift in the company\u2019s history,\u201d while helping customers navigate the most\u201cprofound shift in trade policy in a century.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChris Womack, HON Ph.D. 2023 \u2013 President, CEO, and Chair, Southern Company\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWomack leads the energy provider that serves over 9 million customers. In 2025, he was awarded the title of Georgia Trustee by the Georgia Historical Society \u2014 the highest honor the state can confer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Twelve Georgia Tech alumni are among \u0027Georgia Trend\u2019s\u0027 100 Most Influential Georgians for 2026.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwelve Georgia Tech alumni are among \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Trend\u2019s\u003C\/em\u003E 100 Most Influential Georgians for 2026. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Twelve Georgia Tech alumni are among \u0027Georgia Trend\u2019s\u0027 100 Most Influential Georgians for 2026.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2026-01-13 19:28:14","changed_gmt":"2026-01-13 19:32:14","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678972":{"id":"678972","type":"image","title":"GA-Trend-2026-FINAL_0.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETop: Brian Blake, \u00c1ngel Cabrera, Lisa Cupid, Andre Dickens, Roderick McLean, Jannine Miller. Bottom: Valerie Montgomery Rice, Ed Bastian, Raphael Bostic, James Quincey, Carole Tom\u00e9, Chris Womack.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768332211","gmt_created":"2026-01-13 19:23:31","changed":"1768332453","gmt_changed":"2026-01-13 19:27:33","alt":"2026 Georgia Trend Honorees","file":{"fid":"263077","name":"GA-Trend-2026-FINAL_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/13\/GA-Trend-2026-FINAL_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/13\/GA-Trend-2026-FINAL_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1217704,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/13\/GA-Trend-2026-FINAL_0.jpg?itok=LaHAQtEU"}}},"media_ids":["678972"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.georgiatrend.com\/2025\/12\/31\/2026-100-most-influential-georgians\/","title":"2026 100 Most Influential Georgians"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11644","name":"Georgia Trend"},{"id":"190533","name":"state impact"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013\u0026nbsp;Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686904":{"#nid":"686904","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Design, Build, Launch: New CS Capstone Turns Students into Entrepreneurs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom zero to working prototype in just four months, students in the College of Computing\u2019s new entrepreneurial Junior Design Capstone tackle real-world problems with guidance from startup mentors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELed by School of Computing Instruction faculty member and Georgia Tech alumna \u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Whitlow\u003C\/strong\u003E, the course gives students a founder\u2019s perspective on building technology that meets real user needs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EA Startup Approach to Junior Design\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnlike the traditional CS Junior Design course where teams work with sponsors, students in the entrepreneurial track act as their own clients. They begin the semester with no predetermined problem and follow a structured process, which is anchored by deliverables that reflect professional expectations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStudents come in with nothing,\u201d Whitlow said. \u201cThey identify a problem, conduct customer discovery, realize which assumptions were wrong, refine their direction, figure out what to build and then build it. And they own it 100 percent.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECustomer-discovery interviews ensure every idea is grounded in real user needs, and the semester culminates in a fully functioning prototype paired with a written justification of the decisions behind it. This combination of development and reflection gives students a framework that mirrors startup practices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EExpert Alumni Coached and AI-Driven Development\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo further simulate a startup environment, Whitlow recruited alumni coaches with startup or executive experience. Coaches were paired with teams based on their areas of expertise, advising anywhere from one to four groups. The roster includes a former chief technology officer and longtime startup advisor, along with alumni startup founders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents also incorporate AI tools into development, accelerating early prototype work while still making critical decisions themselves.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAI can accelerate the early stages,\u201d Whitlow said. \u201cBut students have to understand their design well enough to guide it. AI doesn\u2019t replace their decision-making.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003ETop Teams Earn CREATE-X Acceptance\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESixteen teams completed the entrepreneurial capstone this fall.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe top two scoring projects earned automatic acceptance into \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECREATE-X Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s startup accelerator:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECodeOrbit\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESonara\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese teams showcase the program\u2019s ability to quickly bring student ideas to a level that\u2019s ready for real-world startup incubation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EPutting the Process into Action: Lunchbox\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne team that exemplifies how the capstone\u2019s structure supports innovation is LunchBox. Created by computational media major \u003Cstrong\u003EAbigail Rhea\u003C\/strong\u003E and her teammates, LunchBox helps parents and caregivers of neurodivergent children navigate limited safe-food options.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea evolved after early customer discovery revealed that the original concept had too much competition, so the team narrowed its focus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDuring research, one of our teammates came across a testimonial from the mother of an autistic child,\u201d Rhea said. \u201cIt spoke to all of us and helped us shift toward a truly underserved demographic.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team conducted more than 20 interviews with caregivers and special education teachers, reshaping its approach. \u201cWe realized families didn\u2019t need another daily task,\u201d Rhea said. \u201cThey needed personalized guidance that runs in the background. Everything we built came directly from those conversations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0027s biggest technical challenge was engineering a dynamic, emotionally supportive roadmap for food-exposure therapy. While AI accelerated development of SwiftUI code, all core decisions remained human-driven.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the Capstone Expo, attendees connected strongly with the project. \u201cSo many people told us how applicable LunchBox is to their lives,\u201d Rhea said. \u201cMost joined the waitlist. We couldn\u2019t be more excited for what\u2019s next.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003ELooking Ahead\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhitlow sees the pilot already fulfilling its purpose: giving students the tools and confidence to turn ideas into real ventures. Teams can continue work by applying to CREATE-X programs or building on their prototypes after the semester.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis course shows students they can create something real,\u201d Whitlow said. \u201cThat\u2019s the goal: empowering them to innovate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Startup Approach to Junior DA Startup Approach to Junior Desi\u003C\/strong\u003EUnlike the traditional CS Junior Design course where teams work with sponsors, students in the entrepreneurial track act as their own clients. They begin the semester with no predetermined problem and follow a structured process, which is anchored by deliverables that reflect professional expectatio\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom zero to working prototype in just four months, students in the College of Computing\u2019s new entrepreneurial Junior Design Capstone tackle real-world problems with guidance from startup mentors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELed by School of Computing Instruction faculty member and Georgia Tech alumna \u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Whitlow\u003C\/strong\u003E, the course gives students a founder\u2019s perspective on building technology that meets real user needs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"From zero to working prototype in just four months, students in the College of Computing\u2019s new entrepreneurial Junior Design Capstone tackle real-world problems with guidance from startup mentors."}],"uid":"36613","created_gmt":"2025-12-16 15:37:38","changed_gmt":"2025-12-16 15:51:16","author":"Emily Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678848":{"id":"678848","type":"image","title":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESCI\u0027s Jennifer Whitlow speaks with a team presenting at the new entrepreneur section of Junior Design Capstone. Photos by Terence Rushin\/ College of Computing.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899546","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","changed":"1765899546","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","alt":"SCI\u0027s Jennifer Whitlow speaks with a team presenting at the new entrepreneur section of Junior Design Capstone. Photos by Terence Rushin\/ College of Computing.","file":{"fid":"262938","name":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4012374,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0505.jpg?itok=8E3MNYtC"}},"678849":{"id":"678849","type":"image","title":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents present at the expo\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899546","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","changed":"1765899546","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","alt":"Junior Design","file":{"fid":"262939","name":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5239182,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0535.jpg?itok=jwWKoDcO"}},"678850":{"id":"678850","type":"image","title":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETeam Lunchbox created a prototype to help parents of neurodivergent children with safe foods. Photo by Terence Rushin\/ College of Computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899546","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","changed":"1765899546","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:39:06","alt":"Team Lunchbox created a prototype to help parents of neurodivergent children with safe foods. Photo by Terence Rushin\/ College of Computing. ","file":{"fid":"262940","name":"Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3303194,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Junior-Design-Expo-Fall-2025_V7A0510.jpg?itok=7oVGZkI-"}},"678851":{"id":"678851","type":"image","title":"Image--12-.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETeam CodeOrbit took first place at the Expo. Photo by Jennifer Whitlow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899847","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","changed":"1765899847","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","alt":"Team CodeOrbit took first place at the Expo. Photo by Jennifer Whitlow. ","file":{"fid":"262941","name":"Image--12-.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--12-.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--12-.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":192539,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--12-.jpeg?itok=h7JX9G11"}},"678852":{"id":"678852","type":"image","title":"Image--13-.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETeam Sonara took second place at the Expo. Photo by Jennifer Whitlow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899847","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","changed":"1765899847","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","alt":"Team Sonara took second place at the Expo. Photo by Jennifer Whitlow. ","file":{"fid":"262942","name":"Image--13-.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--13-.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--13-.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":198161,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--13-.jpeg?itok=eC6e_Y2c"}},"678853":{"id":"678853","type":"image","title":"Image--14-.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhitlow, who has years of experience working with startups, leads the new section of Junior Design Capstone. Photo by Kevin Beasley\/ College of Computing.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765899847","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","changed":"1765899847","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 15:44:07","alt":"Whitlow, who has years of experience working with startups, leads the new section of Junior Design Capstone. Photo by Kevin Beasley\/ College of Computing.","file":{"fid":"262943","name":"Image--14-.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--14-.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--14-.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":40189,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/Image--14-.jpeg?itok=v2lER5K0"}}},"media_ids":["678848","678849","678850","678851","678852","678853"],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"42921","name":"Exhibitions"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"193158","name":"Student Competition Winners (academic, innovation, and research)"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"183228","name":"CS Junior Design Capstone"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["emily.smith@cc.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680642":{"#nid":"680642","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tim Lieuwen Named Georgia Tech\u2019s Executive Vice President for Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollowing a nationwide search, Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera has named \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/timothy-charles-lieuwen\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETimothy Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E the Executive Vice President for Research (EVPR). \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/regents-professor-tim-lieuwen-serve-georgia-techs-interim-evpr\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELieuwen has served as interim EVPR\u003C\/a\u003E since September 10, 2024.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTim\u2019s ability to bridge academia, industry, and government has been instrumental in driving innovation and positioning Georgia Tech as a critical partner in tackling complex global challenges,\u201d said Cabrera. \u201cWith his leadership, I am confident Georgia Tech will continue to expand its impact, strengthen its strategic collaborations, and further solidify its reputation as a world leader in research and innovation.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA proud Georgia Tech alumnus (M.S. ME 1997, Ph.D. ME 1999), Lieuwen has spent more than 25 years at the Institute. He is a Regents\u2019 Professor and holds the David S. Lewis, Jr. Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDaniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. Prior to the interim EVPR role, Lieuwen served as executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E for 12 years. His expertise spans energy, propulsion, energy policy, and national security, and he has worked closely with industry and government to develop new knowledge and see its implementation in the field.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELieuwen has been widely recognized for his contributions to research and innovation. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, as well as a fellow of multiple other professional organizations. Recently, he was elected an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/tim-lieuwen-honored-royal-academy-engineering\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInternational Fellow of the U.K.\u2019s Royal Academy of Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, one of only three U.S. engineers in 2024 to receive this prestigious commendation. The honor acknowledges Lieuwen\u2019s contributions to engineering and his efforts to advance research, education initiatives, and industry collaborations.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe has authored or edited four books, published over 400 scientific articles, and holds nine patents \u2014 several of which are licensed to industry. He also founded TurbineLogic, an analytics firm working in the energy industry. Additionally, Lieuwen serves on governing and advisory boards for three Department of Energy national labs and was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Energy to the National Petroleum Council.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe EVPR is the Institute\u2019s chief research officer and directs Georgia Tech\u2019s $1.37 billion portfolio of research, development, and sponsored activities. This includes leadership of the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the Enterprise Innovation Institute, nine Interdisciplinary Research Institutes and numerous associated research centers, and related research administrative support units: commercialization, corporate engagement, research development and operations, and research administration.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am honored to step into this role at a time when research and innovation have never been more critical,\u201d Lieuwen said. \u201cGeorgia Tech\u2019s research enterprise is built on collaboration \u2014 across disciplines, across industries, and across communities. Our strength lies not just in the breakthroughs we achieve, but in how we translate them into real-world impact.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy priority is to put people first \u2014 empowering our researchers, students, and partners to push boundaries, scale our efforts, and deepen our engagement across Georgia and beyond. Together, we will expand our reach, accelerate discovery, and ensure that Georgia Tech remains a driving force for progress and service.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Regents\u2019 Professor and current interim EVPR brings strong leadership and deep research expertise to the role.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Regents\u2019 Professor and current interim EVPR brings strong leadership and deep research expertise to the role. "}],"uid":"28766","created_gmt":"2025-02-20 20:15:39","changed_gmt":"2025-12-02 05:14:26","author":"Shelley Wunder-Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676355":{"id":"676355","type":"image","title":"Tim Lieuwen, Executive Vice President for Research","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETim Lieuwen, Executive Vice President for Research\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740085148","gmt_created":"2025-02-20 20:59:08","changed":"1740085210","gmt_changed":"2025-02-20 21:00:10","alt":"Tim Lieuwen, Executive Vice President for Research","file":{"fid":"260127","name":"0A6A1348-RT 1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/20\/0A6A1348-RT%201.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/20\/0A6A1348-RT%201.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5458715,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/20\/0A6A1348-RT%201.jpg?itok=CDksVaZo"}}},"media_ids":["676355"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"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\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith | Director of Research Communications\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:swundersmith3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swundersmith3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685623":{"#nid":"685623","#data":{"type":"news","title":"When a Video Isn\u2019t Real: Georgia Tech Alum Innovates Deepfake Detection for a New Era of Fraud","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn 2024, a finance worker in Hong Kong was duped into attending a meeting with four co-workers \u2013 or so he thought. What he didn\u2019t know was that all four were scammers, using deep-fake video to deceive him. In the end, he wired them $25 million.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe used to get about one deepfake a month at the beginning of 2023,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/vijayab\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVijay Balasubramaniyan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (PhD CS 2011), CEO and co-founder of Pindrop Security. \u201cNow we\u2019re seeing seven deep-fake attacks per customer every day.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBalasubramaniyan founded his business in 2011, based on research he did as a Ph.D. student with his advisor, \u003Cstrong\u003EMustaque\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003EAhamad\u003C\/strong\u003E. Initially, the focus was on detecting deception in voice calls, with banks being the primary customers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThen two events happened\u2014first, the pandemic. Suddenly, doing business over the phone became more popular than in-person, and the demand for Pindrop\u2019s services grew in healthcare, retail, and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESecond, generative artificial intelligence. Seemingly overnight, almost anyone could use AI to imitate nearly anyone else.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat has been by far the biggest tailwind for Pindrop,\u201d Balasubramaniyan said. \u201cEverything requires strong identification and strong security.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe company built its first deepfake protection product eight years ago and has been building on it ever since.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPindrop recently raised $100 million from investors to expand its deepfake video detection business. The company\u2019s next product is a system for detecting deepfakes in live video conference meetings. It will allow businesses to avoid the scenario faced by the finance worker in Hong Kong, as well as others.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAm I hiring the right candidate?\u201d Balasubramaniyan said. \u201cOr is this person I\u2019m interviewing not who they said they are? I was surprised, but that\u2019s our biggest use case.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeepfake Detection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHow does a machine tell the difference between a real person and a fake, even when a human can\u2019t?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHumans pattern-match a lot,\u201d Balasubramaniyan said. \u201cWe always look for familiarity in a noisy world. It\u2019s easy to fool a human.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPindrop\u2019s products don\u2019t look for similarities, though. They hunt for differences. A voice call, for example, provides 16,000 samples per second for the programs to analyze.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re able to pick up so many variances,\u201d Balasubramaniyan said, \u201cand there are so many places for these generative AI systems to make a mistake.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPindrop can not only identify fraudulent voice calls, but also which system was used to create them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019ve been surprised by how fast hackers have started using deepfakes in their operations,\u201d Balasubramaniyan said. He gave the example of a fraud that the companies follow, a man named Williams.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWilliams is a guy out of West Africa,\u201d he said. \u201cFor the longest time, he\u2019d employ 12 different people, and all day they would dial for dollars.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe started seeing Williams replace each of those 12 people with a large language model combined with a text-to-speech system. Now that AI has full-blown conversations with people, they can\u2019t tell the difference. And the bots don\u2019t sleep \u2013 they work 24 hours.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERoots at Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause Balasubramaniyan\u2019s company grew out of his Ph.D. research, he has remained connected to the GT Computing community. He still regularly talks to faculty, especially Ahamad, who has a stake in Pindrop.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cVijay\u2019s Ph.D. research was of the highest quality, and the Pindrop paper was published in one of the top-tier security conferences,\u201d said Ahamad, professor and interim chair of the School of Cybersecurity and Privacy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHowever, because of his work experience before coming to Georgia Tech, he also focused on the real-world relevance of his research, which led to the launch of Pindrop Security. He is a great example of impactful research that students conduct in our laboratories.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBalasubramaniyan says he likes to hire fellow alumni.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is a great school for our research teams to hire from,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe and his wife have also endowed a scholarship at Tech. Both are immigrants, and \u201cwe want to help other people who have big dreams and small pockets.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of these folks, we talk to them, we tell them what we see in the market, we open our networks to them. We\u2019re very fortunate that Georgia Tech allows us to participate in such a meaningful way.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe thinks Tech is better at generating great talent than many other programs, precisely because it isn\u2019t in Silicon Valley.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause we sit here in the South and Atlanta, the ideas we come up with aren\u2019t the latest fad. They\u2019re rooted in great science or great tech. We\u2019re naturally great thinkers because we aren\u2019t fad-chasers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGenerative AI is providing criminals with powerful new tools to defraud businesses and individuals. GT alumnus Vijay Balasubramaniyan and his company, Pindrop, are at the forefront of developing advanced technologies to combat fraudsters and other criminals.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Generative AI is accelerating the evolution of cybercrime, prompting companies to develop new tools for protecting their businesses."}],"uid":"32045","created_gmt":"2025-10-08 20:06:01","changed_gmt":"2025-10-09 16:19:14","author":"Ben Snedeker","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678309":{"id":"678309","type":"image","title":"Vijay Balasubramaniyan (PhD CS 2011), CEO and co-founder of Pindrop Security","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGT alumnus \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/vijayab\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVijay Balasubramaniyan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (PhD CS 2011) is CEO and co-founder of Pindrop Security.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1759954586","gmt_created":"2025-10-08 20:16:26","changed":"1759954586","gmt_changed":"2025-10-08 20:16:26","alt":"Vijay Balasubramaniyan (PhD CS 2011), CEO and co-founder of Pindrop Security","file":{"fid":"262319","name":"Unknown.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/Unknown.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/Unknown.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":30180,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/08\/Unknown.jpeg?itok=cyi8cijW"}}},"media_ids":["678309"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"506","name":"alumni"},{"id":"596","name":"Alumni Association"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"}],"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\u003EAnn Claycombe\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Director\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Computing\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:claycombe@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eclaycombe@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682394":{"#nid":"682394","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Celebrates 2025 Ph.D. Graduates in Cybersecurity and Privacy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe School of Cybersecurity and Privacy at Georgia Tech is proud to recognize the accomplishments of five doctoral students who finished their doctoral programs in Spring 2025. These scholars have advanced critical research in software security, cryptography, and privacy, collectively publishing 34 papers, most of which appear in top-tier venues.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAmmar Askar\u003C\/strong\u003E developed new tools for software security in multi-language systems, including a concolic execution engine powered by large language models. He highlighted DEFCON 2021, which he attended with the Systems Software and Security Lab (SSLab), as a favorite memory.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZhengxian He\u003C\/strong\u003E persevered through the pandemic to lead a major project with an industry partner, achieving strong research outcomes. He will be joining Amazon and fondly remembers watching sunsets from the CODA building.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStanislav Peceny\u003C\/strong\u003E focused on secure multiparty computation (MPC), designing high-performance cryptographic protocols that improve efficiency by up to 1000x. He\u2019s known for his creativity in both research and life, naming avocado trees after famous mathematicians and enjoying research discussions on the CODA rooftop.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQinge Xie\u003C\/strong\u003E impressed faculty with her adaptability across multiple domains. Her advisor praised her independence and technical range, noting her ability to pivot seamlessly between complex research challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYibin Yang\u003C\/strong\u003E contributed to the advancement of zero-knowledge proofs and MPC, building toolchains that are faster and more usable than existing systems. His work earned a Distinguished Paper Award at ACM CCS 2023, and he also served as an RSAC Security Scholar. Yang enjoyed teaching and engaging with younger students, especially through events like Math Kangaroo.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFaculty mentors included Regents\u2019 Entrepreneur Mustaque Ahamad, Professors Taesoo Kim and Vladimir Kolesnikov, and Assistant Professor Frank Li, who played vital roles in guiding the graduates\u2019 research journeys.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/scp-community\/hats-off-to-our-ph-d-graduates\/\u0022\u003ELearn more\u003C\/a\u003E about the graduates and their mentors on the 2025 Ph.D. graduate microsite.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFive Ph.D. students from Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Cybersecurity and Privacy graduated in Spring 2025, contributing significant research in software security, cryptography, and privacy with 34 published papers. Highlights include Ammar Askar\u2019s concolic execution tools, Zhengxian He\u2019s industry collaboration, Stanislav Peceny\u2019s advances in multiparty computation, Qinge Xie\u2019s adaptability across domains, and Yibin Yang\u2019s award-winning work on zero-knowledge proofs. Faculty mentors played key roles in supporting their success.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Five Ph.D. students from Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Cybersecurity and Privacy graduated in Spring 2025, contributing significant research in software security, cryptography, and privacy with 34 published papers. "}],"uid":"36253","created_gmt":"2025-05-14 13:39:06","changed_gmt":"2025-07-28 14:46:04","author":"John Popham","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677068":{"id":"677068","type":"image","title":"viz_cyber-grads-2025spr.jpg","body":null,"created":"1747229955","gmt_created":"2025-05-14 13:39:15","changed":"1753713919","gmt_changed":"2025-07-28 14:45:19","alt":"Graphic of a research table","file":{"fid":"261405","name":"viz_cyber-grads-2025spr.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/28\/viz_cyber-grads-2025spr.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/28\/viz_cyber-grads-2025spr.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":285910,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/28\/viz_cyber-grads-2025spr.jpg?itok=kauHT553"}}},"media_ids":["677068"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/scp-community\/hats-off-to-our-ph-d-graduates\/","title":"Hats Off to Our Ph.D. Graduates! "}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"660367","name":"School of Cybersecurity and Privacy"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166847","name":"students"},{"id":"676","name":"graduates"},{"id":"913","name":"PhD"},{"id":"17181","name":"PhD Students"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"110271","name":"website"},{"id":"1124","name":"academic excellence"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJP Popham, Communications Officer II\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Computing | School of Cybersecurity and Privacy\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jpopham3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683174":{"#nid":"683174","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Jim Pope Fellow Comes Full Circle as an Educator and Entrepreneur  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECandace Washington never thought she\u2019d one day run her own business or teach the next generation of project management leaders in construction and engineering. But that\u2019s exactly what she\u2019s doing thanks to Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2012, Washington, a seasoned construction veteran with 25 years of expertise and a master\u2019s degree in building construction from Georgia Tech, noticed a shortage of project managers. She oversaw capital improvements and construction buildouts nationally and was consistently getting asked by clients to oversee the construction buildouts. This would spark the idea to start her business and launch Cancave Management \u0026amp; Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the next decade, Washington built a successful company and yet she continued to see this recurring shortage of project managers. According to Associated Builders and Contractors, the construction sector still grapples with a significant talent shortage that extends beyond the skilled trades to include construction management positions, with a projected need for nearly half a million additional workers in 2025 alone.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have fewer people entering the industry. With the pandemic, we had a great exodus where a lot of people decided to get out of the industry and retire early, and then you have the emerging housing market and infrastructure needs, creating demand for construction in general \u2014 the perfect storm,\u201d Washington said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDetermined to find more ways to address the problem, she joined Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Building Construction as a part-time instructor and, in 2024, began pursuing her Ph.D. at Tech, where she learned about the Jim Pope Fellowship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBeing a Pope Fellow has been transformational to my experience as an entrepreneur,\u201d Washington said. \u201cWhen I started my company, I wish I had something like this. Through this fellowship, I was able to dig deeper into my idea, validate assumptions, and shape it into a solution that addresses the pain points of labor shortages and compliance bottlenecks in the underutilization or over-utilization of resources.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a fellow, Washington was also awarded $15,000 in discretionary funds to support her teaching and entrepreneurial efforts. With the resources from Jim Pope, Washington has been able to make meaningful impacts for students and her company.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the last year, she has worked on the next evolution of her business by building Extend the Ladder\u00ae,\u0026nbsp; a workforce resource and compliance platform built around an industrywide shared resource model for construction professionals. One application of her platform would allow general contractors to share resources by enabling them to find and coordinate talent from a single database.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to helping her pursue a construction job-matching platform, the fellowship has reinforced her love of teaching and mentoring entrepreneurial-minded students. As a part of the fellowship, Washington taught CREATE-X\u2019s Startup Lab, which teaches the fundamentals of evidence-based entrepreneurship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne student, Vivianne Akerman, a rising junior in industrial engineering, became Washington\u2019s mentee after\u0026nbsp;her spring Startup Lab class. Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, Akerman decided to continue her entrepreneurial journey in CREATE-X\u2019s Idea-to-Prototype (I2P) course. She turned an idea into action with guidance from Washington, building a solution for a problem she identified during Startup Lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCandace is an amazing mentor who pushes students to be their best selves,\u201d said Akerman, who is developing a makeup platform designed \u201cto make makeup practical and less overwhelming.\u201d The platform will enable consumers to compare and review products and ultimately find what brands work best for them, given their skin type and desired look.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI love how positive she is,\u201d adds Akerman. \u201cThis is new for me \u2014 it\u2019s very exciting but also very overwhelming. She helps me stay focused on my priorities and what\u2019s most important.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWashington emphasizes that there is no guidebook to becoming an entrepreneur; rather, the path must be discovered through conversations, relationship-building, and learning from the experiences of others.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis experience deepened my appreciation for the spirit of entrepreneurship \u2014 it\u2019s been invaluable for me,\u201d she says. \u201cI would tell anybody who\u0027s trying to start a business, you need to go through this process.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, as a mentor herself, Washington credits her fellowship in CREATE-X for giving her the confidence and framework to help others. And she credits her path as a mentor and teacher of entrepreneurship to the home she\u2019s found at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrawing from her own experiences, both the challenges and the triumphs, she offers a piece of advice that she believes aspiring entrepreneurs should carry with them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStart now \u2014 you don\u2019t need all the answers. Focus on the process, stay committed, and be open to real-world feedback.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApplications are now open for the 2025 Jim Pope Fellowship until Sept. 2. Interested faculty can learn more at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/faculty\/jim-pope-fellowship\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/faculty\/jim-pope-fellowship\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECandace Washington, with 25 years in construction and a master\u2019s from Georgia Tech, founded Cancave Management \u0026amp; Engineering to address a growing shortage of project managers. Her entrepreneurial journey deepened through the Jim Pope Fellowship, which provided funding and support to develop Extend the Ladder\u00ae, a workforce and compliance platform for the construction industry. As a part-time instructor and mentor at Georgia Tech, she inspires students like Vivianne Akerman to pursue their own ventures through programs like CREATE-X. Washington emphasizes the importance of starting early, embracing the process, and learning through real-world feedback and mentorship.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Candace Washington, a seasoned construction professional and Georgia Tech alumna, leveraged her experience and the Jim Pope Fellowship to launch a workforce platform, teach entrepreneurship, and mentor future innovators in construction and engineering."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2025-07-17 18:59:09","changed_gmt":"2025-07-21 17:06:34","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677448":{"id":"677448","type":"image","title":"Candace Washington","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECandace Washington, Jim Pope Fellow\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1752773290","gmt_created":"2025-07-17 17:28:10","changed":"1752773418","gmt_changed":"2025-07-17 17:30:18","alt":"Candace Washington","file":{"fid":"261345","name":"Candace.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/17\/Candace.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/17\/Candace.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":114111,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/17\/Candace.jpeg?itok=TWYA8Qfq"}},"677449":{"id":"677449","type":"image","title":"Jim Pope Fellow Candace Washington and mentee Vivianne Akerman","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJim Pope Fellow Candace Washington and mentee Vivianne Akerman\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1752773446","gmt_created":"2025-07-17 17:30:46","changed":"1752773826","gmt_changed":"2025-07-17 17:37:06","alt":"Jim Pope Fellow Candace Washington and mentee Vivianne Akerman","file":{"fid":"261346","name":"Candace-Washington-and-Vivianne-Akerman-Jim-Pope-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/17\/Candace-Washington-and-Vivianne-Akerman-Jim-Pope-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/17\/Candace-Washington-and-Vivianne-Akerman-Jim-Pope-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","mime":"image\/png","size":905880,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/17\/Candace-Washington-and-Vivianne-Akerman-Jim-Pope-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png?itok=ETaNKG8P"}}},"media_ids":["677448","677449"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/faculty\/jim-pope-fellowship","title":"Jim Pope Fellowship Website"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"179355","name":"Building Construction"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Anne Wainscott-Sargent\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInternal Contact\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682828":{"#nid":"682828","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Career Center Insights for Navigating Your First Job Search","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor students and recent graduates looking for their first job, the search can be overwhelming and stressful. Laura Garcia, director of Undergraduate Career Education at the Career Center, shares advice on how to navigate it. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe Open-Minded and Expand Your Search\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile job seekers may have a specific company or industry in mind, expanding their potential pathways can be beneficial. Garcia recommends exploring opportunities that leverage your skills in a different industry or job function. For example, if a candidate\u0027s dream is to work for Amazon but they are unable to secure a position, hope is not lost, Garcia says. Working a similar job in a different industry or securing a role with a competitor can be effective strategies in landing a future offer at their desired company. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENetwork, Network, Network \u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELeveraging the vast \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/s\/1481\/alumni\/19\/home.aspx?gid=21\u0026amp;pgid=61#gsc.tab=0\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech alumni network\u003C\/a\u003E can help you uncover new opportunities and connect with employers in your desired field. The LinkedIn Alumni tool allows users to search for contacts by city, industry, job title, area of study, and more. After identifying potential contacts, reach out with specific ideas on what you are looking for and ask targeted questions like, \u201cHow can I make myself more competitive in this field?\u201d or \u201cDo you have any advice on the market or organizations to target in the area?\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENetworking is a critical step in the job search. Not every opening is posted online, and candidates are often being considered by the time a role is posted.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUse AI With Limits\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtificial intelligence can be a valuable tool when crafting cover letters and resumes, but Garcia warns that overreliance on AI can be detrimental for candidates. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI-generated language can be \u201crobotic\u201d or \u201cflowery,\u201d she said, and employers can often tell when a submission is not written by the candidate. Garcia says that AI should never write a cover letter or craft a resume; instead, it can generate ideas or bullet points that the individual can refine. AI-powered tools such as Grammarly can also assist in ensuring resumes and cover letters are free of grammatical errors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERevamp Your Resume and Tailor Cover Letters to Openings\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESubtle tweaks to a resume can make a big difference. Garcia explains that candidates should avoid listing responsibilities and focus more on skills, results, and achievements in bullet points. Strong action verbs can enhance a resume and get employers to read further after an initial scan. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe also implores candidates to use language from the job posting in their resumes. \u0022They told you what they wanted in the job description, so that is your cheat sheet.\u0022 For applicants using job boards, this method can be helpful when applying to companies that use applicant tracking systems to highlight potential new hires.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECover letters should be individualized for each application. To craft an effective cover letter, Garcia recommends looking at it like a tennis match, with the ball going back and forth between the language of the job posting and the candidate\u0027s experience. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I\u0027ve identified three main things that this employer wants, so you can say, \u2018I noticed in the job description you\u0027re looking for X. Through A, B, or C I\u0027ve exemplified X.\u2019 The more you can infuse language from the job description and refer back to the position or the employer, the better your cover letter,\u0022 she said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDon\u2019t Underestimate Past Experience\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs students or young alumni, in place of years of work experience, Garcia urges candidates to highlight past leadership experience. Many employers believe \u201cthe best predictor of future performance is past performance,\u201d saying that any example of a leadership role within a student organization or recognition at a job during your time in college is something worth highlighting, as it shows employers signs of a motivated and influential potential employee with leadership qualities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe Prepared for Interviews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter landing an interview, it\u0027s important to research the company and familiarize yourself with the role as much as possible. This allows candidates to relate their skills and experiences to the company\u0027s needs.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBehavioral questions are common in interviews, and Garcia recommends answering these using the STAR method.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESituation \u003C\/strong\u003E\u2013 Give background information to help your listener better understand the situation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETask\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 What were you working on? Was it a class assignment? Internship project?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAction\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 What specific action did you take? Employers will closely listen to this section of your response because they believe the way you acted in the past best predicts the work they may expect from you in the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResult\/Reflection\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 What was the outcome? Try to focus on the positive (completed work on time, received an A on a project, resolved a conflict). Reflect on how you have grown from that situation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAsking well-informed questions during an interview and sending a thank-you note afterward may make the difference in a competitive search\u003Cstrong\u003E. \u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUse Available Resources\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Career Center offers several tools that can assist you in each stage of your search.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECareer Buzz: A targeted job board that allows employers to connect directly with Georgia Tech students and alumni.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBig Interview: Get guidance on industry-specific interview tips and utilize the AI feedback provided through a simulated mock interview.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMeet with an advisor: Students and alumni (within two years of graduation) can meet with a Career Center staff member to discuss career plans or other aspects of the job search process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAccess additional career tools \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/career.gatech.edu\/career-tools\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Career Center is a unit within the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/undergraduate.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOffice of Undergraduate Education \u0026amp; Student Success\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gradpostdoc.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGraduate and Postdoctoral Education\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The Georgia Tech Career Center shares tips and strategies to help students and recent graduates land their first job. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech Career Center shares tips and strategies to help students and recent graduates land their first job.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Georgia Tech Career Center shares tips and strategies to help students and recent graduates land their first job. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-06-20 18:58:16","changed_gmt":"2025-06-20 19:03:47","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677255":{"id":"677255","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech Career Center Career Fair","body":null,"created":"1750446091","gmt_created":"2025-06-20 19:01:31","changed":"1750446091","gmt_changed":"2025-06-20 19:01:31","alt":"Career Fair at Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"261137","name":"career_fair2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/20\/career_fair2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/20\/career_fair2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":414855,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/20\/career_fair2.jpg?itok=xBMRhqzA"}}},"media_ids":["677255"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/career.gatech.edu","title":"Georgia Tech Career Center"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"185811","name":"Career Center"},{"id":"189634","name":"Georgia Tech Career Center"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESteven Gagliano \u2013 Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"679710":{"#nid":"679710","#data":{"type":"news","title":"CREATE-X Releases Report on 10-Year Milestone","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFounded in 2014, CREATE-X has grown from a visionary concept into a transformative program that has empowered more than 34,000 students to launch more than 560 startups, achieving a total portfolio valuation of over $2 billion. The report, \u201cCREATE-X: A Decade of Success,\u201d reviews the first 10 years of impact and mission.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X was established to instill entrepreneurial confidence in Georgia Tech students and provide them with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to create their own future. From its humble beginnings with eight teams, the program has expanded to include three distinct branches: Learn, Make, and Launch. These branches cater to the multifaceted needs of entrepreneurial students, offering courses, mentorship, seed funding, and opportunities to develop and launch startups.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough our value pillars of experiential education, entrepreneurial confidence, and real-world impact, we strive to enable our students to solve the problems they are passionate about solving. And as we look to the future, CREATE-X aims to become the nation\u2019s top startup campus, launching 300 startups each year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur commitment to nurturing student innovation and expanding entrepreneurial education remains steadfast. We invite all Georgia Tech students, faculty, alumni, and the public to join us in this exciting journey. Together, we create the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/news-events-publications\/research-publications\u0022\u003EDownload our report\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInterested in creating your own startup?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech students, faculty, researchers, and alumni interested in developing their own startups are encouraged to apply to CREATE-X\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003EStartup Launch\u003C\/a\u003E. The program provides $5,000 in optional seed funding, $150,000 in in-kind services, mentorship, entrepreneurial workshops, networking events, and resources to help build and scale startups. The program culminates in Demo Day, where teams present their startups to potential investors. The deadline to apply for Startup Launch is March 19, 2025. Spots are limited. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003EApply now\u003C\/a\u003E for a higher chance of acceptance and early feedback.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor students interested in taking a CREATE-X course, consider exploring \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/learn\/startup-lab\u0022\u003EStartup Lab\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/make\/idea-to-prototype\u0022\u003EIdea to Prototype\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/make\/create-x-capstone\u0022\u003ECREATE-X Capstone Design\u003C\/a\u003E. These courses can be taken in any order to fit your schedule, and they offer opportunities for funding and other resources. The deadline for applications and registrations for these courses is Jan. 6 for Spring 2025 and May 12\u0026nbsp;for Summer 2025.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd as always, we invite you to attend our CREATE-X events. CREATE-X hosts workshops and events throughout the year, focusing on brainstorming and receiving feedback on startup ideas, networking and building a team, understanding the legal landscapes of startups, hearing founder insights, and witnessing the latest innovations at Georgia Tech. We hope to see you there.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInterested in supporting CREATE-X?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFaculty members interested in getting involved with CREATE-X can participate as teachers or mentors in various programs such as Startup Lab, CREATE-X Capstone, Idea to Prototype, and Startup Launch. Faculty can also apply for the next cohort of the Jim Pope Fellowship when it opens in the spring. For additional information or inquiries, contact the director of CREATE-X, Rahul Saxena, at rahulsaxena@gatech.edu.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor those interested in donating to or partnering with CREATE-X, your generosity and collaboration is greatly appreciated. Donations to CREATE-X can be made through \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.givecampus.com\/campaigns\/46972\/donations\/new\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Give Campus portal\u003C\/a\u003E. For questions and requests to collaborate, please email \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:create-x@groups.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecreate-x@groups.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X appreciates the unwavering support from our community, donors, and partners. Your contributions have been instrumental in shaping the entrepreneurial landscape at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo our students, we encourage you to continue being bold, creative, and fearless in your pursuits. CREATE-X is here to support you every step of the way, providing the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to turn your ideas into reality.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X, founded in 2014 at Georgia Tech, has released its first decade report. CREATE-X was established to instill entrepreneurial confidence in Georgia Tech students, providing them with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to create their own future. Over the past decade, the program has grown significantly, offering courses, mentorship, seed funding, and opportunities to develop and launch startups through its Learn, Make, and Launch branches. With a commitment to experiential education, entrepreneurial confidence, and real-world impact, CREATE-X aims to become the nation\u0027s top startup campus, launching 300 startups each year. The program invites all Georgia Tech students, faculty, alumni, and the public to join in its mission of nurturing student innovation and expanding entrepreneurial education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"CREATE-X, founded in 2014 at Georgia Tech, has released its first decade report, showcasing its impact of supporting the Georgia Tech community in launching more than 560 startups, achieving a total portfolio valuation of over $2 billion."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2025-01-17 17:12:47","changed_gmt":"2025-06-13 03:47:22","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676056":{"id":"676056","type":"image","title":"CREATE-X Decade Report Web Article (1200 x 630 px).png","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECollage of Startup Launch alumni an CREATE-X participants on the cover of the CREATE-X Decade Report\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1737135280","gmt_created":"2025-01-17 17:34:40","changed":"1737135280","gmt_changed":"2025-01-17 17:34:40","alt":"Collage of Startup Launch alumni an CREATE-X participants on the cover of the CREATE-X Decade Report","file":{"fid":"259763","name":"CREATE-X Decade Report Web Article (1200 x 630 px).png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/17\/CREATE-X%20Decade%20Report%20Web%20Article%20%281200%20x%20630%20px%29.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/17\/CREATE-X%20Decade%20Report%20Web%20Article%20%281200%20x%20630%20px%29.png","mime":"image\/png","size":960703,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/17\/CREATE-X%20Decade%20Report%20Web%20Article%20%281200%20x%20630%20px%29.png?itok=6YCWD1Nf"}}},"media_ids":["676056"],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"},{"id":"166994","name":"startups"},{"id":"171056","name":"student innovation"},{"id":"167944","name":"seed funding"},{"id":"14601","name":"mentorship"},{"id":"194226","name":"experiential education"},{"id":"179217","name":"entrepreneurial confidence"},{"id":"194227","name":"real-world impact"},{"id":"4379","name":"learn"},{"id":"168639","name":"make"},{"id":"2496","name":"launch"},{"id":"194228","name":"entrepreneurial workshops"},{"id":"194229","name":"startup courses"},{"id":"168101","name":"startup lab"},{"id":"149181","name":"idea to prototype"},{"id":"9835","name":"capstone design"},{"id":"194124","name":"Jim Pope Fellowship"},{"id":"1506","name":"faculty"},{"id":"8994","name":"donations"},{"id":"11695","name":"Partnerships"},{"id":"194230","name":"Rahul Saxena"},{"id":"194231","name":"Transforming Tomorrows startup ecosystem"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682609":{"#nid":"682609","#data":{"type":"news","title":"CREATE-X Honors Its Founders With Largest-Ever Startup Cohort ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X, Georgia Tech\u2019s premier entrepreneurship program, kicked off its 12th Startup Launch cohort this month with a record-breaking 137 student teams and 25 faculty and research teams \u2014 totaling 318 founders. The summer-long accelerator, known for turning ideas into real-world ventures, is once again positioning Georgia Tech as a national leader in invention and startup creation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s cohort spans a wide range of industries, including artificial intelligence, defense, healthcare, gaming, sustainability, media management, agriculture tech, fashion tech, education, and more.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese founders are in the messy middle and that\u0027s a beautiful place to be. There\u2019s a lot of freedom in that,\u201d said Margaret Weniger, director of Startup Launch. \u201cWe\u2019re all going to be in this together. It\u0027s a safe space to try new things. It\u2019s OK if it doesn\u0027t work out because what we want founders to learn is an entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial spirit \u2014 something you take with you no matter what you do after this.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the next 12 weeks, teams will validate ideas, build products, and acquire customers with the help of dedicated coaches, a robust founder community, and a network of mentors and alumni.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERaghupathy \u0022Siva\u0022 Sivakumar, Georgia Tech\u2019s inaugural vice president of Commercialization and the faculty founder of CREATE-X, spoke about the core of CREATE-X and what it would take for founders to succeed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStartup Launch is not about Georgia Tech gaining from your success. We are here just for one reason, which is to make you successful,\u201d he said. \u201cYou need to hold yourself accountable. You need to be ambitious in terms of how big a problem you solve. You need to be emphatic that the customer matters. The successful teams are 100% behind what\u0027s going to make the lives of customers easier and better.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2014, CREATE-X was co-founded by Sivakumar, Steve McLaughlin(who is now the president of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art), and other Georgia Tech faculty, including Ray Vito, Craig Forest, and Ravi Bellamkonda (who is now the executive vice president and provost of The Ohio State University). The program received its initial major philanthropic support from Chris Klaus, a Georgia Tech alumnus and tech entrepreneur, whose gift helped launch the initiative, and , played a key role in building out the program\u0027s maker courses. Over the years, CREATE-X has continued to grow, thanks largely to the philanthropic support of alumni and foundations who believe in its mission.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the last decade, the program has produced over 650 startups, $2.4 billion in portfolio valuation, and had eight founders named to Forbes\u2019 30 Under 30. Wagner shared stories of past teams who pivoted dramatically \u2014 from a glucose-monitoring pillow to a sobriety app now valued at over $350 million, and from a camping gear delivery service to a billion-dollar logistics platform.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe don\u2019t know which ideas will become the next unicorns,\u201d Weniger said. \u201cBut we\u2019re betting on you.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the kickoff event, McLaughlin and Klaus were honored for their contributions to Georgia Tech\u2019s entrepreneurial ecosystem. McLaughlin encouraged the founders through the story of CREATE-X.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom the very beginning, we challenged CREATE-X to be a startup as well. To this day, CREATE-X has raised its own money to do this. It\u0027s a reminder of what it takes to make this happen,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is the most difficult challenge you have ever taken. I think at the time, we were probably skeptical about whether students could do it. Now we know that you can.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera reflected on the impact of McLaughlin, Klaus, and others who saw the vision of Georgia Tech being an entrepreneurial campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTen years ago, this was a crazy, absurd idea,\u201d he said. \u201cNow, 150 teams are working on their own crazy ideas. Even though sometimes there\u0027s this idea of the entrepreneur as a loner, what you learn very quickly is entrepreneurship is a team sport.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlaus spoke about people collaborating and helping solve problems together.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m especially inspired by Georgia with its complex history,\u201d he said. \u201cIt continues to be a place where peace can be envisioned and pursued. I think this recognition strengthens my commitment to building bridges, resolving conflict, and lifting up voices that seek unity. As you build your businesses, you\u0027ll be building collaborations and partnerships, and hopefully make the world a better place.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the summer progresses, founders will be guided by CREATE-X\u2019s core values: experiential education, entrepreneurial confidence, and real-world impact. Weniger encouraged teams to \u201cshow up uncomfortable\u201d and \u201cleverage every single resource\u201d available.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe journey will culminate at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/create-x-demo-day-2025-tickets-1236462565819?aff=article\u0022\u003EDemo Day\u003C\/a\u003E, where teams will showcase their startups to investors, industry leaders, and the broader community. The event is free, open to the public, and promises a front-row seat to the next wave of Georgia Tech-born innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDemo Day 2025 will take place on Thursday, Aug. 28, at 5 p.m., in the Exhibition Hall.\u003C\/strong\u003E For more information and to RSVP, visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/create-x-demo-day-2025-tickets-1236462565819?aff=article\u0022\u003ECREATE-X Demo Day Eventbrite\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X program has launched its largest-ever Startup Launch cohort, featuring 137 student teams and 25 faculty\/research teams, totaling 318 founders. The 12-week accelerator supports ventures across diverse industries like AI, healthcare, sustainability, and fashion tech, emphasizing entrepreneurial mindset and customer-focused innovation. Founders will receive mentorship, coaching, funding, and community support, culminating in a public Demo Day on August 28. The event also honored CREATE-X\u2019s founders and supporters, celebrating a decade of impact with over 650 startups and $2.4 billion in portfolio valuation.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"CREATE-X celebrates its biggest Startup Launch yet \u2014 318 founders strong \u2014 with a public Demo Day on August 28 that promises the unveiling of 100 new startups with bold ideas on tackling real-world problems."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2025-05-30 18:18:38","changed_gmt":"2025-06-05 14:39:37","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677161":{"id":"677161","type":"image","title":"CX-2025_Kickoff-051325-1-no-background-1.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECREATE-X\u2019s 12th cohort of Startup Launch with CREATE-X staff members and Atlanta leadership.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1748629132","gmt_created":"2025-05-30 18:18:52","changed":"1748629132","gmt_changed":"2025-05-30 18:18:52","alt":"CREATE-X\u2019s 12th cohort of Startup Launch with CREATE-X staff members and Atlanta leadership.","file":{"fid":"261030","name":"CX-2025_Kickoff-051325-1-no-background-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/30\/CX-2025_Kickoff-051325-1-no-background-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/30\/CX-2025_Kickoff-051325-1-no-background-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4955973,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/30\/CX-2025_Kickoff-051325-1-no-background-1.jpg?itok=jlchbrVC"}}},"media_ids":["677161"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/create-x-demo-day-2025-tickets-1236462565819?aff=article","title":"Demo Day Registration"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"42921","name":"Exhibitions"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"},{"id":"166994","name":"startups"},{"id":"341","name":"innovation"},{"id":"9193","name":"accelerator"},{"id":"14601","name":"mentorship"},{"id":"166971","name":"startup launch"},{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"3652","name":"Demo Day"},{"id":"136901","name":"investor"},{"id":"194534","name":"faculty engagement"},{"id":"174430","name":"research commercialization"},{"id":"815","name":"economic development"},{"id":"194535","name":"startup education"},{"id":"4326","name":"tech transfer"},{"id":"194016","name":"Community impact"},{"id":"2661","name":"training"},{"id":"194536","name":"startup support"},{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682546":{"#nid":"682546","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Faster Frame Propels Yellow Jacket at Cycling Nationals","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EElanor Finlayson, a master\u0027s computer science student, secured her spot on the podium at the recent Collegiate National Road Cycling Race on a bicycle designed and built by a fellow Yellow Jacket.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a high school athlete, the Atlanta native often used cycling for cross-training, but she began cycling more frequently during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, in northern Virginia, Iain MacKeith, ME 2023, continued his cycling ambitions on the bike and in the shop.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECombining his interest in mechanical engineering and cycling, and having competed in races since he was 9, MacKeith began constructing steel bicycle frames. He designed and built six frames in six months before arriving at Tech in August 2020.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce on campus, Finlayson and MacKeith both sought out a cycling community and joined the Georgia Tech Cycling Club. They began training and racing together, and when Finlayson found out about her training partner\u0027s side hobby, she commissioned MacKeith to make her a gravel bike. MacKeith has since made five more bikes for Finlayson, including the carbon fiber road bike she used in the recent national competition \u2014 a race she was determined to compete in after breaking her collarbone in 2024.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I was off the bike for two months and in a sling, but once I figured out a way to get on the indoor bike trainer, I was ready to get back to training,\u201d she said. \u201cOnce I had the all-clear from the doctor, I knew I was going to throw everything into training and gear up for nationals.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFinlayson was unable to participate in nationals while completing her computer science degree due to her finals schedule, but as a graduate student, she knew she had the chance to compete. Confident in her equipment and herself, Finlayson\u0027s goal was to earn a spot in the top five. With the finish line in sight at the end of the 60-mile race in Madison, Wisconsin, she was overcome with emotion.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Coming into the final straight, I just started screaming. It was a combination of intensity, the fact that I was pushing myself so hard, and it was such an insane moment to realize that I would be on the podium,\u0022 she said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMacKeith, former cycling club president at Tech, is familiar with the feeling of crossing the finish line, but as the maker of Finlayson\u0027s bike, he found a similar sense of accomplishment on the sidelines.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I think it\u0027s an accomplishment and a sense of relief. The interesting thing about cycling is that, even though it\u0027s one person on the podium, it\u0027s a team sport in a way, and we can share this feeling, and there\u0027s a great satisfaction to playing a part in someone else\u0027s success,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a mechanical engineering student, MacKeith gained a better understanding of the materials needed to construct a more aerodynamic frame, particularly carbon fiber. While at Tech, he spent hours in campus makerspaces as a prototyping instructor at the Flowers Invention Studio, where he taught other students how to create their own frames.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince graduation, MacKeith has worked at a space and aerospace manufacturing company, but he hasn\u0027t stopped constructing bicycles. Without the makerspaces, he built a home studio and retrofitted an oven to handle curing abilities for carbon fiber parts.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMacKeith intends to keep making bicycles but doesn\u0027t intend to mass produce his designs, because his joy comes from fitting each frame to its rider\u0027s specific needs. He also continues to improve the design of a filament winding machine, which he created as a student at Tech, that allows him to robotically layup carbon fiber tow into tubular shapes to increase efficiency in the construction process.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough her lab work on campus and her studies, Finlayson has become increasingly interested in the use of data and has implemented it in her training methods. Set to graduate in December, she intends to enter the data analytics field with a focus on improving public health outcomes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENo matter where their professional paths take them, MacKeith and Finlayson have a shared desire to compete and win, so they will continue to race and motivate each other along the way.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech student placed in the top five at the Collegiate National Road Cycling Race, thanks in part to her custom bicycle frame built by a fellow Tech cyclist. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech student placed in the top five at the Collegiate National Road Cycling Race, thanks in part to her custom bicycle frame built by a fellow Tech cyclist.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech student placed in the top five at the Collegiate National Road Cycling Race, thanks in part to her custom bicycle frame built by a fellow Tech cyclist."}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-05-27 19:08:01","changed_gmt":"2025-05-27 20:33:38","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677136":{"id":"677136","type":"image","title":"Elanor Finlayson at the Collegiate National Road Cycling Race in Madison, Wisconsin.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EElanor Finlayson at the Collegiate National Road Cycling Race in Madison, Wisconsin. Photo by Pedro Teitelbaum.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1748373648","gmt_created":"2025-05-27 19:20:48","changed":"1748373648","gmt_changed":"2025-05-27 19:20:48","alt":"Elanor Finlayson at the Collegiate National Road Cycling Race in Madison, Wisconsin.","file":{"fid":"261004","name":"Screenshot-2025-05-27-at-12.51.40-PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/27\/Screenshot-2025-05-27-at-12.51.40-PM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/27\/Screenshot-2025-05-27-at-12.51.40-PM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2605777,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/27\/Screenshot-2025-05-27-at-12.51.40-PM.png?itok=0HQYPRHa"}}},"media_ids":["677136"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"177961","name":"national bike month"},{"id":"184057","name":"georgia tech cycling club"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681971":{"#nid":"681971","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Over the Rainbow and Into 15K: Alumni Help Bring Oz to Life at the Las Vegas Sphere","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor anyone who has only seen the movie on television, \u003Cem\u003EThe Wizard of Oz\u003C\/em\u003E is an incredible movie theater experience. Its larger-than-life characters, vivid colors, and memorable soundtrack were made for the big screen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, a Georgia Tech professor and several alumni are helping bring the 1939 classic Hollywood film to what will likely be its largest screen ever: the Las Vegas Sphere\u0027s 160,000-square-foot interior screen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/lions-tigers-and-tech-oh-my-alumni-help-dorothy-debut-ultra-hd-sphere\u0022\u003ERead more to discover their pivotal role and how generative AI is used to \u0022reconceptualize\u0022 the film for the August 28 premiere of \u003Cem\u003EThe Wizard of Oz at Sphere\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDebuting in August, \u0022The Wizard of Oz at Sphere\u0027 has a solid connection to Georgia Tech\u0027s AI community. A Georgia Tech professor and several alumni are helping bring the 1939 classic Hollywood film to what will likely be its largest screen ever: the Las Vegas Sphere\u0027s 160,000-square-foot interior screen.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Debuting in August, \u0022The Wizard of Oz at Sphere\u0027 has a solid connection to Georgia Tech\u0027s AI community."}],"uid":"32045","created_gmt":"2025-04-22 18:25:36","changed_gmt":"2025-04-25 14:39:01","author":"Ben Snedeker","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676907":{"id":"676907","type":"image","title":"The Wizard of Oz at Sphere courtesy of Google \u0026 Sphere","body":null,"created":"1745346361","gmt_created":"2025-04-22 18:26:01","changed":"1745346361","gmt_changed":"2025-04-22 18:26:01","alt":"\u0027The Wizard of Oz at Sphere,\u0027 image courtesy of Google \u0026 Sphere","file":{"fid":"260756","name":"Cloud_WoZ_SS.width-1300.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/22\/Cloud_WoZ_SS.width-1300.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/22\/Cloud_WoZ_SS.width-1300.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":104371,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/22\/Cloud_WoZ_SS.width-1300.jpg?itok=V79uW9rl"}}},"media_ids":["676907"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"576481","name":"ML@GT"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"506","name":"alumni"},{"id":"596","name":"Alumni Association"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192390","name":"generative AI"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"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\u003EBen Snedeker\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Computing\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Ealbert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681216":{"#nid":"681216","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech to Collaborate on $6.7 Million NASA University Leadership Initiative","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor \u003Cstrong\u003EKyriakos Vamvoudakis \u003C\/strong\u003Ewill collaborate with colleagues from academia and industry on a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/armd\/tacp\/ui\/uli\/2025-university-teams\/\u0022\u003ENASA University Leadership Initiative (ULI) grant\u003C\/a\u003E to create intelligent systems for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) that can independently learn and make safe decisions. These systems will be designed to consistently be aware of safety and ensure that the vehicles operate reliably and securely.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe four-year $6.7 million Safety Aware Learning Assured Autonomy for Aviation project will be headed up by \u003Cstrong\u003EHever Moncayo\u003C\/strong\u003E from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and include collaborations with Georgia Tech, the University of Texas, Arlington, the University of Southern California, and Collins Aerospace.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to join forces and combine our multifaceted expertise to enhance the safety of Advanced Air Mobility vehicles. Our research is paving the way to make them a reality,\u201d Vamvoudakis stated. \u201cThis ULI will bring together experts from academia and industry to speed up progress in aviation safety, improve the reliability and autonomy of future air mobility, and facilitate the integration of autonomous safety systems into commercial and regulatory standards.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project will investigate the significant knowledge gaps that have slowed down the national airspace\u2019s use of AAM vehicles such as drones and air taxis. Vamvoudakis and his team will create smart safety system software that can learn independently. This system will help monitor, manage, and control these vehicles safely and reliably. It will also produce national safety guidelines to ensure the vehicles follow safe flight paths and make harmless decisions based on their own learning. Additionally, they will allow vehicles to autonomously adjust their own actions to ensure safety within specific operational limits. The idea is that future AAM vehicles will use smart, non-traditional components to stay safe and perform well, even in unexpected situations and emergencies. Establishing an intelligent system that can diagnose and predict issues independently will be crucial. This system will help ensure these vehicles meet their mission goals safely, despite challenges like unpredictable environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis ULI research effort will support the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/armd\/\u0022\u003EAeronautics Research Mission Directorate\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E (ARMD) outcome for 2020-2035: Initial safe and efficient integration of highly automated vehicles into the National Airspace System (NAS) by introducing aviation systems with bounded autonomy, capable of carrying out function-level goals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is Vamvoudakis\u2019 second ULI. He is a part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/uli.arc.nasa.gov\/projects\/10\/\u0022\u003ESafe and Secure Autonomy Project\u003C\/a\u003E that is still active.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECo-Pis: K. \u003Cstrong\u003EMerve Dogan, Maj Mirmirani, \u003C\/strong\u003Eand \u003Cstrong\u003EVictor Fraticelli \u003C\/strong\u003E(Embry Riddle Aeronautical University), \u003Cstrong\u003EKyriakos G. Vamvoudakis\u003C\/strong\u003E (Georgia Institute of Technology), \u003Cstrong\u003ENicholas Gans\u003C\/strong\u003E and\u003Cstrong\u003E Yijing Xie\u003C\/strong\u003E (University of Texas, Arlington), P\u003Cstrong\u003Eetros Ioannou\u003C\/strong\u003E (University of Southern California), and\u003Cstrong\u003E Kevin Kronfeld\u003C\/strong\u003E (Collins Aerospace) will play a crucial role in this collaborative effort.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Vamvoudakis and researchers will enhance Advanced Air Mobility safety. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor \u003Cstrong\u003EKyriakos Vamvoudakis \u003C\/strong\u003Ewill collaborate with colleagues from academia and industry on a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/armd\/tacp\/ui\/uli\/2025-university-teams\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA University Leadership Initiative (ULI) grant\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to create intelligent systems for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) that can independently learn and make safe decisions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Vamvoudakis and researchers will enhance Advanced Air Mobility safety. "}],"uid":"36345","created_gmt":"2025-03-18 19:56:10","changed_gmt":"2025-03-18 19:59:27","author":"gwaddell3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676581":{"id":"676581","type":"image","title":"Vamvoudakis-K-Headshot-h.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDutton-Ducoffee Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EKyriakos Vamvoudakis\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742327867","gmt_created":"2025-03-18 19:57:47","changed":"1742327867","gmt_changed":"2025-03-18 19:57:47","alt":"Professor Kyriakos Vamvoudakis ","file":{"fid":"260385","name":"Vamvoudakis-K-Headshot-h.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/18\/Vamvoudakis-K-Headshot-h.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/18\/Vamvoudakis-K-Headshot-h.png","mime":"image\/png","size":80126,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/18\/Vamvoudakis-K-Headshot-h.png?itok=XhFPgd0S"}}},"media_ids":["676581"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/georgia-tech-collaborate-67-million-nasa-university-leadership-initiative","title":"Georgia Tech to Collaborate on $6.7 Million NASA University Leadership Initiative"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1239","name":"School of Aerospace Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"137","name":"Architecture"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186313","name":"Aerospace Engineering School"},{"id":"1325","name":"aerospace"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMonique Waddell\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["monique.waddell@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680976":{"#nid":"680976","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Graduate Takes Kiid Coffee to \u2018Shark Tank\u2019 ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech graduates and entrepreneurs David and Lauren Sanborn know it sounds strange that they send their 8- and 4-year-old sons to school with a cup of coffee in the morning, but David and their older son, Ethan, were able to successfully pitch the idea on ABC\u2019s \u003Cem\u003EShark Tank.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2023, Ethan was recovering from a second broken bone in his leg in as many years when his parents began looking for new ways to get the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals in his diet. Discouraged by the high-sugar options on the market as he attempted to boost Ethan\u0027s calcium intake, David searched for an alternative. When Ethan liked the taste of milk with a splash of his dad\u0027s black coffee, David began experimenting with ways to create a child-friendly cup of coffee that could be added to a glass of milk. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver 100 recipes later, David and company co-founder Ethan crafted \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/kiidcoffee.com\u0022\u003EKiid Coffee\u003C\/a\u003E. Along with a blend of vitamins and minerals like magnesium, vitamin D, and iron, the powdered mix uses organic, water-decaffeinated coffee to retain antioxidants but reduce the amount of caffeine in the drink to less than that of a cup of hot chocolate or a soda. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022You say coffee for kids, and the instant reaction, especially from parents, is, \u0027Why would I want to give my kids coffee?\u0027 because the American mindset is that coffee is all about the caffeine. But if your children are like ours, everything is, \u0027Why?\u0027 This opens up conversations with them about what they are consuming, compared to the drinks in the bright colored bottles with 200mg of caffeine that kids have at school,\u0022 David said. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince graduating from the Institute in 2008 with a polymer and fiber engineering degree, David, a former student-athlete, has launched several startups. As he and Lauren began developing their latest product together, they saw an opportunity to share their entrepreneurial ventures with their children.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022What was interesting for me was wanting to teach our sons about entrepreneurship because you don\u0027t get that kind of education in elementary school or high school. When Ethan began asking questions about business and showed an interest in starting a lemonade stand, it was one of the factors that came together as we got started on this new idea,\u0022 David said. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Sanborns work full-time jobs along with their startup ventures, and they credit their time at Georgia Tech for learning how to handle the workload and navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Georgia Tech has been an incredible resource for us in helping us think about problem-solving and addressing challenges,\u201d said Lauren, who earned a management degree from Tech in 2007. \u201cIt\u0027s a great environment for honing your critical thinking skills. It\u2019s helped continue to open doors for us as alumni and allowed me to expand my role over time through a better understanding of marketing and technology. The Institute is a great overarching support system that helps businesses launch and be successful.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBased in Alpharetta, Georgia, the couple sold their first Kiid Coffee packs in April 2024, and it can be found on Amazon and in several local grocery stores around the region. When they got the call from \u003Cem\u003EShark Tank\u003C\/em\u003E, they realized that they may have tapped into a new market. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022When you say coffee for kids, we know it sounds ridiculous, which to us meant there was something there,\u0022 David said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEthan led the presentation, and after fielding offers from multiple sharks, the father-son duo agreed to a deal with Daniel Lubetzky, KIND Snacks founder and executive chairman.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022instagram-media\u0022 style=\u0022background-color:#FFF;border-radius:3px;border-width:0;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px);\u0022 data-instgrm-captioned=\u0022\u0022 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href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DG6TY_oAtFD\/?utm_source=ig_embed\u0026amp;utm_campaign=loading\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EA post shared by Shark Tank (@sharktankabc)\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cscript async=\u0022\u0022 src=\u0022\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA ticker set up in the Sanborns\u2019 home alerts them to each new sale as a way to teach their kids about commerce, and on the weekends, they enjoy their coffee as a family and watch sales grow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"David Sanborn and his 8-year-old son will pitch the first coffee made for kids.   "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDavid Sanborn and his 8-year-old son will pitch the first coffee made for kids. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"David Sanborn and his 8-year-old son will pitch the first coffee made for kids.   "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-03-06 19:44:45","changed_gmt":"2025-03-10 19:08:45","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676492":{"id":"676492","type":"image","title":"Kiid Coffee on Shark Tank","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDavid Sanborn and his son, Ethan, appear on ABC\u0027s \u003Cem\u003EShark Tank, \u003C\/em\u003Epitching \u0026nbsp;Kiid Coffee. Submitted Photo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1741290382","gmt_created":"2025-03-06 19:46:22","changed":"1741290382","gmt_changed":"2025-03-06 19:46:22","alt":"Kiid Coffee on Shark Tank","file":{"fid":"260289","name":"174388_0848.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/06\/174388_0848.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/06\/174388_0848.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3094205,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/06\/174388_0848.jpg?itok=vR9gO52O"}}},"media_ids":["676492"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"190167","name":"shark tank"},{"id":"190227","name":"alumni entrepreneurs"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680712":{"#nid":"680712","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mechanical Engineers Turn Classroom Project Into Promising Health Tech Company","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBradford \u201cBrad\u201d Greer (bottom) and Kevin Ge (top), both 2023 graduates from the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, have taken their startup, CADMUS Health Analytics, from a classroom project to a promising health tech company. In 2023, CADMUS was accepted into the CREATE-X Startup Launch program. Over the 12-week accelerator, CADMUS made significant strides, and program mentors provided expert guidance, helping the team focus their direction based on real-world needs. Their partnership with Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) was a direct result of connections made at Startup Launch\u2019s Demo Day.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did you first hear about\u0026nbsp;CREATE-X?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe did the CREATE-X Capstone with an initial team of seven people, later transitioning to Startup Launch in the summer. Capstone required a hardware product, but for several reasons, we pivoted to software. By that point, we already had a grasp on the problem that we were working on but didn\u0027t have the resources to start working on a large hardware product.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you decide to pursue your startup?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of our close buddies was an emergency medical technician (EMT), and we also had family connections to EMTs. When we were doing our customer interviews, we found out that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) had multiple problems that we thought we\u0027d like to work on and that were more accessible than the broader medical technology industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat was Startup Launch like for you?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStartup Launch seemed to transition pretty seamlessly from the Capstone course. We came to understand our customer base and technical development better, and the program also led us through the process of starting and running a company. I found it very interesting and learned a whole lot.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat was the most difficult challenge in Startup Launch?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDefinitely customer interviews. We spent a lot of time on that in the Startup Launch classes. It\u0027s a difficult thing to have a good takeaway from a customer interview without getting the conversation confused and being misled. We didn\u0027t mention the product, or we tried to wait as long as possible before mentioning the product, so as to not bias or elicit general, positive messaging from interviewees.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe\u0027re working in EMS, and the products we are building affect healthcare. EMS is a little informal and a little rough around the edges. Many times, people don\u0027t want to admit how bad their practices are, which can easily lead to us collecting bad data.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat affected you the most from Startup Launch?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe resources at our fingertips. When we were running around, it was nice to be able to consult with our mentor. It\u0027s great having someone around with the know-how and who\u0027s been through it themselves. I revisit concepts a lot.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did the partnership with NGHS come about?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring Demo Day, we met a Georgia state representative. He put us in touch with NGHS. They were looking for companies to work with through their venture arm, Northeast Georgia Health Ventures(NGHV), so we pitched our product to them. They liked it, and then we spent a long time banging out the details. We worked with John Lanza, who\u0027s a friend of CREATE-X. He helped us find a corporate lawyer to read over the stuff we were signing. It took a little back and forth to get everything in place, but in September of last year, we finally kicked it off.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s the partnership like?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe provide them a license to our product, have weekly meetings where experts give feedback on the performance of the system, and then we make incremental changes to align the product with customer needs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile we\u0027re in this developmental phase, we\u0027re kind of keeping it under wraps until we make sure it\u2019s fully ready. Our focus is primarily on emergent capabilities that NGHS and other EMS agencies are really looking for. Right now, the pilot is set to be a year long, so we\u0027re aiming to be ready for a full rollout by the end of the year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did you pivot into this other avenue for your product?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEMS does not have many resources. That makes it not a popular space as far as applying emerging technologies. There\u0027s only competition in this very one specific vein, which is this central type of software that we plug into, so we\u0027re not competing directly with anyone.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEMS agencies, EMTs, and paramedics - the care that they give has to be enabled by a medical doctor. There has to be a doctor linked to the practices that they engage in and the procedures that they do. With the product that we\u0027re making now, we want to provide a low-cost, plug-and-play product that\u0027ll do everything they need it to do to enable the improvement of patient care.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow are you supporting yourself during this period?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI was paying myself last year, but we\u0027re out of money for that, so we\u0027re not currently paying for any labor. It\u0027s all equity now, but our burn rate outside of that is very low. The revenue we have now easily covers the cost of operating our system. I\u0027m also working part-time as an EMT now. This helps cover my own costs while also deepening my understanding of the problems we are working on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow are you balancing your work?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s hard to balance. There\u0027s always stuff to do. I just do what I can, and the pace of development is good enough for the pilot. Every week, and then every month, Kevin and I sit down and analyze the rate at which we\u0027re working and developing. Then we project out. We\u0027re confident that we\u0027re developing at a rate that\u0027ll have us in a good spot by September when the pilot ends.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s a short-term goal for your startup?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKevin and I are trying to reach back out and see if there\u0027s anyone interested in joining and playing a major role. The timing would be such that they start working a little bit after the spring semester ends. I think most Georgia Tech students would meet the role requirements, but generally, JavaScript and Node experience as well as a diverse background would be good.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhere do you want your startup to be in the next five years?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI want to have a very well-designed system. Despite all the vectors I\u2019m talking about for our products, everything should be part of the same system in place at EMS agencies anywhere. I just want it to be a resource that EMS can use broadly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother issue in EMS is standards. Even the standards that are in place now aren\u2019t broadly accessible. I think that these new AI tools can do a lot to bridge the lack of understanding of documentation, measures, and standards and make all of that more accessible for the layperson.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat advice would you give students interested in entrepreneurship?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMake sure the idea that you\u0027re working on, and the business model, is something you enjoy outside of its immediate viability. I think that\u0027s really what\u0027s helped me persevere. It\u0027s my enjoyment of the project that\u0027s allowed me to continue and be motivated. So, start there and then work your way forward.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAre there any books, podcasts, or resources you would recommend to budding entrepreneurs?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EI\u2019d recommend \u003Cem\u003EInfluence\u003C\/em\u003E to prepare for marketing. I have no background in marketing at all. \u003Cem\u003EInfluence\u003C\/em\u003E is a nice science-based primer for marketing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;I reread \u003Cem\u003EHow to Win Friends and Influence People\u003C\/em\u003E. I am not sure how well I\u0027m implementing the concepts day-to-day, but I think most of the main points of that book are solid.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI also read \u003Cem\u003EThe Mom Test\u003C\/em\u003E. It\u0027s a good reference, a short text on customer interviews.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWant to build your own startup?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech students, faculty, researchers, and alumni interested in developing their own startups are encouraged to apply to CREATE-X\u0027s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStartup Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, which provides $5,000 in optional seed funding and $150,000 in in-kind services, mentorship, entrepreneurial workshops, networking events, and resources to help build and scale startups. The program culminates in Demo Day, where teams present their startups to potential investors. The deadline to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eapply for Startup Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is Monday, March 17. Spots are limited.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EApply now\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBradford Greer and Kevin Ge, 2023 graduates from Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Mechanical Engineering, transformed their classroom project into CADMUS Health Analytics, a promising health tech startup. Through CREATE-X\u0027s Startup Launch program, they secured a pivotal partnership with Northeast Georgia Health System. This partnership has enabled them to refine their product, which aims to improve EMS services through data analysis and AI. Greer shares insights on their entrepreneurial journey, the challenges they faced, and their plans for the future.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Bradford Greer and Kevin Ge, 2023 Georgia Tech graduates, turned their classroom project into CADMUS Health Analytics, a health tech startup that partnered with Northeast Georgia Health System to improve EMS services through data analysis and AI."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2025-02-24 21:59:24","changed_gmt":"2025-03-05 14:29:19","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676383":{"id":"676383","type":"image","title":"CADMUS Health Analytics","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBradford \u201cBrad\u201d Greer (bottom) and Kevin Ge (top), both 2023 graduates from the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and founders of CADMUS Health Analytics. Left,\u0026nbsp;Greer loading a stretcher after dropping a patient off.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740434547","gmt_created":"2025-02-24 22:02:27","changed":"1740434623","gmt_changed":"2025-02-24 22:03:43","alt":"Bradford \u201cBrad\u201d Greer (bottom) and Kevin Ge (top), both 2023 graduates from the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and founders of CADMUS Health Analytics. Left, Greer loading a stretcher after dropping a patient off.","file":{"fid":"260162","name":"Cadmus-Analytics.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/24\/Cadmus-Analytics.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/24\/Cadmus-Analytics.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1002892,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/24\/Cadmus-Analytics.png?itok=NBog1HXz"}}},"media_ids":["676383"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch","title":"Apply to Startup Launch"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"181907","name":"health tech"},{"id":"166973","name":"startup"},{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"7515","name":"EMS"},{"id":"2835","name":"ai"},{"id":"33291","name":"data analysis"},{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"},{"id":"341","name":"innovation"},{"id":"541","name":"Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"572","name":"partnership"},{"id":"194276","name":"Northeast Georgia Health System"},{"id":"194277","name":"CADMUS Health Analytics"},{"id":"194278","name":"student project"},{"id":"9193","name":"accelerator"},{"id":"3652","name":"Demo Day"},{"id":"14788","name":"healthcare technology"},{"id":"8383","name":"Product Development"},{"id":"194279","name":"customer interviews"},{"id":"194280","name":"pivoting"},{"id":"364","name":"Funding"},{"id":"1144","name":"networking"},{"id":"9016","name":"Career Advice"},{"id":"194281","name":"tech startup"},{"id":"7113","name":"entrepreneurs"},{"id":"116021","name":"health data"},{"id":"194282","name":"AI tools"},{"id":"194283","name":"success story"},{"id":"1139","name":"georgia tech alumni"},{"id":"194284","name":"startup insights"},{"id":"194285","name":"entrepreneurial journey"},{"id":"194286","name":"EMS technology"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680847":{"#nid":"680847","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Beyond Tech: CREATE-X Entrepreneurs Make Forbes 30 Under 30","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X is celebrating the eight CREATE-X entrepreneurs included on the recent \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/30-under-30\/2025\/\u0022\u003EForbes 30 Under 30\u003C\/a\u003E list. They include founders Sohan Choudhury of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.flintk12.com\/?ref=theresanaiforthat\u0022\u003EFlint\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;Garrett Smiley \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/soraschools.com\/\u0022\u003Eof Sora Schools\u003C\/a\u003E, Sarah Hamer of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.retailreadyai.com\/\u0022\u003ERetailReady\u003C\/a\u003E, Bruno Geoly and Mia Rath of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lumindt.com\/\u0022\u003ELumindt\u003C\/a\u003E, Rishabh Kewalramani of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.google.com\/aclk?sa=l\u0026amp;ai=DChcSEwjXptqKte6LAxUjK9QBHSMkG9kYABAAGgJvYQ\u0026amp;co=1\u0026amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAw5W-BhAhEiwApv4goMJNCfhWGBLt2-IuGO9qbN6IAyrx-XpZGAjyg_ZkbkCtAD1mgT2XQRoCjWYQAvD_BwE\u0026amp;sig=AOD64_3KdcEjG4jpVipvy0InBod2YCBVOg\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;adurl\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiSzNWKte6LAxXTG9AFHTjQGZYQ0Qx6BAgGEAE\u0022\u003EBackBar\u003C\/a\u003E, Safir Monroe of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.undelayapp.com\/\u0022\u003EUnDelay\u003C\/a\u003E, and Tamara Zubatiy of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/app.thebarometer.co\/landing\u0022\u003EBarometer\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EForbes 30 Under 30 is a yearly list of notable young people in art, entertainment, healthcare, science, and more. CREATE-X has had founders on this list 11 times since 2017. Read about how some of the 2025 honorees got their start \u2014 and their advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESohan Choudhury: Flint\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Beginning\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI decided to start Flint because I was passionate about education as a space, and I felt that there\u0027s a lot more that could be done with AI in education. When we started the company in May 2023, the perspective of a lot of schools and teachers on AI was very negative because they were looking at how students were using it to cheat. As technologists, my co-founder and I asked, \u2018Is there something more we can do to change this narrative and perspective?\u2019 We started building tools for teachers and students and partnering with schools.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe CREATE-X Experience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201c\u003C\/strong\u003ECREATE-X gave me the first avenue to work on my own thing. When I was a first-year or sophomore in college, I didn\u0027t know that was possible. I thought once I graduate I\u0027ll maybe get an engineering job and just do that. But CREATE-X changed that story for me by giving me another path. As I went down that path with my first company, the advisors we had through CREATE-X were incredibly helpful to us.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Outlook\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDay to day, a lot of the work we do is pretty unglamorous. We\u2019re dealing with bugs that our customers are facing, or we\u2019re cold emailing people. It\u0027s easy to get lost in the weeds. The Forbes announcement was a great way for us to reflect on what we\u0027ve done so far. It\u0027s such a team effort, so it was validating to get recognition on a broader level for the work we\u0027re doing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvice for Success\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you can code or are interested in coding, pull on that thread. If you can build your own prototypes, which is becoming easy to do nowadays with AI, it will help you get further with your ideas. The second piece of advice is to take your idea and try to convince someone to pay for it. Even if you have a tool that will save your peers time with studying, build something basic for it, but then ask them to pay you five bucks. People speak with their money. There were times at Flint where we had a lot of positive feedback, and then we asked people to pay, and all of the constructive feedback came out.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGarrett Smiley: Sora Schools\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Beginning\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI was a military brat, so I moved around to a lot of different schools and experienced a bunch of different styles of learning. I went to school in the early 2010s, right when laptops were entering the classroom. We had YouTube, Khan Academy, Coursera, and all these things hit the mainstream. Because of my background, education was a very active question in my life. I saw how these tools completely supercharged my learning and changed the relationship between student and teacher and the dynamics of the classroom.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe CREATE-X Experience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCREATE-X asked us to think about large systemic problems we were passionate about. That pushed me to think seriously about how I could help solve a problem in this space. It was helpful to put into practice many of the startup lessons that I\u0027d been studying forever, and it was great to have a community of founders before anyone believed in us.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Outlook\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m inspired by Forbes\u2019 emphasis on education, so to be recognized in that context was extra special. We\u2019re in 46 states and 16 countries, so it\u0027s great to see the breadth that Sora has accomplished. We\u0027re bringing this style of education to different communities that, in many cases, have never considered something like this before. Seeing our students accepted into places like Harvard, Georgia Tech, and other elite institutions shows families that you can have a transformative education like Sora and still go to those schools if it makes sense.\u201c\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvice for Success\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201c\u003C\/strong\u003EUse your free time in school to try the things you\u0027re thinking about. Sora was an idea I thought I would circle back to when I was 30 or 40 and had money and credibility. But I was shocked by how open people were to listening to a young person with a few resonating ideas. There\u0027s no qualification or age requirement to provide value and improve people\u0027s lives.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESarah Hamer: RetailReady\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Beginning\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI met my co-founder, Elle, while we were working at a company called Stord, which is also an Atlanta-based startup. Elle and I were put on a project going to a warehouse every week for six months. We saw some gaps in supply chain software and decided to solve them since nothing was on the market. So I applied to Y Combinator and got in, and now we\u2019re here.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe CREATE-X Experience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCREATE-X was my first foray into starting a business. It gave me confidence, and I learned a lot of lessons with my first business. I think I would\u0027ve made a lot of mistakes starting a business now if I hadn\u0027t had that experience in college. For example, knowing how important user interviews are, how you\u2019ll probably fail here and there, start small, then scale \u2014 the principles you take for granted that CREATE-X taught.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Outlook\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI started at Microsoft right out of Georgia Tech and was there for a year and a half. It was a very stable, well-paying job. I followed my gut to leave and join a startup called Stord and then followed it again to leave and start RetailReady. Quitting your stable day-to-day job takes a lot, and I\u2019m proud I took the chance. We\u2019ve grown fast, and it\u2019s a huge honor to be included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the first year of being in business. We\u2019re really happy about it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvice for Success\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen you can, take the chance and do it. Even if you\u2019re not sure, always believe you\u2019ll win. A lot of it is mental fitness, believing what your gut is telling you. There will be times when you\u2019ll say, \u2018This probably isn\u2019t the right move to make.\u2019 Listen to that.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBruno Geoly: Lumindt\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Beginning\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAn inflection point for me was the summer of 2021. I was working at SpaceX, and at the same time, my friends and I had started this Web3 crypto company dealing with NFTs. And I was like, I can mix these two things together to do something cool, something important. The idea of what Lumindt is wasn\u0027t even a sparkle in my eye at that time. But I knew I wanted something of my own, doing these two things I enjoy \u2014 entrepreneurship and high-level engineering. And that\u0027s what I did.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe CREATE-X Experience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCREATE X was a way for me and my co-founder to stay accountable for our work. When you have an idea you want to turn into a business, it\u2019s hard to stay on yourself to do that. CREATE-X was a good way for us to always have a thing to go to and ideate what we\u2019re working on. And there was a little bit of competition. You see all of these other people making progress, and it\u2019s good inspiration and a motivator to continue working.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Outlook\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy co-founder and I were very appreciative of being included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Looking back on what I wanted to do in college, I just loved building stuff. And to have this small team of people, and we\u2019re able to build what we want, and there\u0027s cohesion and camaraderie, I\u0027m very happy with that. It\u0027s fun to go to work every day and work with the people I do. And not only that, we now have a business that impacts the world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvice for Success\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you want to be an entrepreneur, that\u0027s a skill set like anything else. If you want to get better at karate, you practice karate. If you want to be a better entrepreneur, you have to practice entrepreneurship. You\u0027ll learn a lot about yourself \u2014 what problems you like to solve and what problems you need help solving.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWant to Build Your Own Startup?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech students, faculty, researchers, and alumni interested in developing their own startups are encouraged to apply to CREATE-X\u0027s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStartup Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, which provides $5,000 in optional seed funding and $150,000 in in-kind services, mentorship, entrepreneurial workshops, networking events, and resources to help build and scale startups. The program culminates in Demo Day, where teams present their startups to potential investors. The deadline to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eapply for Startup Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is Monday, March 17. Spots are limited.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EApply now\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X is celebrating eight of its entrepreneurs who made it to the recent Forbes 30 Under 30 list. These founders include Sohan Choudhury of Flint, Garrett Smiley of Sora Schools, Sarah Hamer of RetailReady, Bruno Geoly and Mia Rath of Lumindt, Rishabh Kewalramani of BackBar, Safir Monroe of UnDelay, and Tamara Zubatiy of Barometer. CREATE-X has had founders on this list 11 times since 2017. The honorees shared their startup journeys and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Forbes 30 Under 30 list featured eight CREATE-X founders, including Sohan Choudhury of Flint, Garrett Smiley of Sora Schools, Sarah Hamer of RetailReady, Bruno Geoly and Mia Rath of Lumindt, Rishabh Kewalramani of BackBar, and Tamara Zubatiy of Barometer."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2025-03-03 17:31:17","changed_gmt":"2025-03-03 17:38:39","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-03-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676437":{"id":"676437","type":"image","title":"2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 CREATE-X Founders","body":"\u003Cp\u003EForbes 30 Under 30 list featured eight CREATE-X founders. Pictured are Sohan Choudhury of Flint, Garrett Smiley of Sora Schools, Sarah Hamer of RetailReady, and Bruno Geoly \u0026nbsp;of Lumindt.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1741023303","gmt_created":"2025-03-03 17:35:03","changed":"1741023412","gmt_changed":"2025-03-03 17:36:52","alt":"Pictured are Sohan Choudhury of Flint, Garrett Smiley of Sora Schools, Sarah Hamer of RetailReady, and Bruno Geoly  of Lumindt.","file":{"fid":"260228","name":"2024-Forbes-30-Under-30-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/03\/2024-Forbes-30-Under-30-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/03\/2024-Forbes-30-Under-30-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1280298,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/03\/2024-Forbes-30-Under-30-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png?itok=G0Bd7Xxc"}}},"media_ids":["676437"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch","title":"Apply to Startup Launch"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EArticle by Alyson Key\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X Contact:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680735":{"#nid":"680735","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Algorithms Developed at Georgia Tech are Lunar Bound","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the past five years, five lunar landers have launched into space, marking a series of first successful landings in decades. The future will see more of these type of missions, including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/humans-in-space\/artemis\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u2019s Artemis program\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and various private ventures. These missions need reliable and quick navigation abilities to successfully complete missions, especially if ground stations on Earth are overburdened or disconnected.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/seal.ae.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpace Exploration and Analysis Laboratory\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (SEAL) has developed new algorithms that are headed to the Moon, as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.intuitivemachines.com\/im-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIntuitive Machine\u2019s\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E IM-2 mission. The mission is sending a Nova-C class lunar lander named Athena to the Moon\u2019s south pole region to test technologies and collect data that aim to enable future exploration. The mission is part of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/commercial-lunar-payload-services\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u2019s Commercial Lunar Payload Services\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CLPS) initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESEAL\u2019s Space Odyssey\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESEAL, led by AE professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/john-christian\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Christian\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, collaborated with Intuitive Machines to develop algorithms to guide Athena to the Shackleton crater: a region known for its limited sunlight and cold temperatures. In coordination with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.spacex.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpaceX\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, launch of the company\u2019s IM-2 mission is targeted for a multi-day launch window that opens no earlier than February 26 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAthena will transport NASA\u0027s\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/polar-resources-ice-mining-experiment-1-prime-1\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPRIME-1\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1) which includes two instruments: a drill and spectrometer. The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT) is designed to drill up to three feet of lunar surface to extract soil, while the mass spectrometer (MSOLO) will measure the amount of ice in the soil samples.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter launch, Athena will separate from the rocket and begin a roughly five-to-four-day cruise to the Moon\u2019s orbit. The lander will orbit the Moon for approximately three to 1.5 days before its descent to the south pole.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Fall 2022, Research Engineer \u003Cstrong\u003EAva Thrasher\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(AE 2022, M.S. AE 2024)\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ebegan working on IM-2, developing new algorithms to guide Athena to the Shackleton crater using optical terrain relative navigation (TRN). Her approach looked at developing a crater detection algorithm (CDA) using image processing techniques that capture crater center locations on the Moon which are then used to determine Athena\u0027s position estimations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThen, she developed a crater identification algorithm (CIA) to match craters found in the image to a catalog of known lunar craters. By using CDA and CIA in tandem, Athena is able to estimate its location and orientation with a single photo, autonomously, and in real-time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe wanted to strike a balance between creating something that would be done quickly on board, but also something that was reliable,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe ended up using simple crater geometry and knowledge of the sun angle to render what we expect a crater to look like in the image.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe CDA finds craters by calculating a similarity score between the image and the rendered crater at each image pixel point. This process, also known as template matching, marks crater centers at points of very high similarity. CIA then uses these crater center locations to match them with known craters in a catalog. By matching pixel locations in an image to known three-dimensional positions on the Moon, the spacecraft is able to produce an estimation of its position.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter two years of research and testing, Thrasher, Christian, and the Intuitive Machines team successfully demonstrated the CDA and CIA on synthetic imagery and Thrasher handed off the algorithms to Intuitive Machines to convert them into flight software for Athena.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe first got involved with optical navigation (OPNAV) research after she took AE 4342: Senior Design with Prof. Christian as an undergraduate student. \u201cI found optical navigation to be really interesting. I liked the idea of being able to figure out where you are and how you\u2019re moving in real-time based on a picture,\u201d she said. In Fall 2022, she started her first graduate semester at Tech and was a new member of SEAL, where she quickly began demonstrating the idea of detecting craters and prototyping the CDA and CIA programmed into Athena. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter she graduated with her master\u2019s degree in aerospace engineering in May 2024, \u0026nbsp;she loved what she did so much, that she decided to stay and work as a full-time research engineer in SEAL. Now, she\u2019s gearing up to see her work make its way to the Moon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s been really exciting and humbling to contribute to the massive task of putting a lander on the Moon. I never really appreciated the scale of work and collaboration needed to make it happen until I was lucky enough to be a part of it. I\u0027ll certainly be watching the launch and tracking the mission with great anticipation of both the engineering and scientific results,\u201d said Thrasher.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIM-1 Makes History\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of a multi-year collaboration, Christian helped \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/02\/georgia-tech-algorithm-headed-moon\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Edevelop a key navigation algorithm for Intuitive Machines\u2019 first space mission (IM-1\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E) which launched a Nova-C lunar lander named Odysseus to the Malapert A crater on the Moon\u2019s south pole region; about 11 miles away from IM-2\u2019s targeted Shackleton crater.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe IM-1 mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on February 15, 2024 and soft-landed on the Moon on February 22, 2024---making Odysseus the first U.S. lunar landing since the Apollo program and the first-ever successful commercial lunar landing. Odysseus had a rougher-than-expected soft landing due to an anomaly with the altimeter that was supposed to provide insight into the lander\u2019s height above the lunar surface. In the absence of these altimeter measurements, Odysseus relied critically on the visual odometry technique that was jointly developed by Christian and Intuitive Machines.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite these challenges, Odysseus captured images of the Moon during landing and operated on the lunar surface for 144 hours before entering standby mode.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Christian and SEAL have more projects on the horizon to develop new technologies for exploring our Moon, other planets, asteroids, and the solar system. These technologies will enable future scientific missions to safely explore challenging destinations and answer scientific questions that were impossible with yesterday\u2019s technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/seal.ae.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpace Exploration and Analysis Laboratory\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (SEAL) has developed new algorithms that are headed to the Moon, as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.intuitivemachines.com\/im-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIntuitive Machine\u2019s\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E IM-2 mission. The mission is sending a Nova-C class lunar lander named Athena to the Moon\u2019s south pole region to test technologies and collect data that aim to enable future exploration. The mission is part of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/commercial-lunar-payload-services\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u2019s Commercial Lunar Payload Services\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CLPS) initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESEAL, led by Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Christian\u003C\/strong\u003E, collaborated with Intuitive Machines to develop algorithms to guide Athena to the Shackleton crater: a region known for its limited sunlight and cold temperatures. Research Engineer \u003Cstrong\u003EAva Thrasher\u003C\/strong\u003E (AE 2022, M.S. AE 2024) led Georgia Tech\u0027s SEAL team on developing the algorithms used for Athena\u0027s flight software.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"AE researchers have developed new algorithms to help Intuitive Machine\u2019s lunar lander find water ice on the Moon.  "}],"uid":"34736","created_gmt":"2025-02-26 16:19:31","changed_gmt":"2025-02-26 16:27:39","author":"Kelsey Gulledge","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676397":{"id":"676397","type":"image","title":"54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIntuitive Machines\u0027 IM-2 mission lunar lander, Athena, in the company\u0027s Lunar Production and Operations Center. Credit: Intuitive Machines\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\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\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1740586783","gmt_created":"2025-02-26 16:19:43","changed":"1740586783","gmt_changed":"2025-02-26 16:19:43","alt":"Intuitive Machines\u0027 IM-2 mission lunar lander, Athena, in the company\u0027s Lunar Production and Operations Center. Credit: Intuitive Machines","file":{"fid":"260181","name":"54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5213520,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/26\/54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg?itok=-2RtZOQq"}},"676398":{"id":"676398","type":"image","title":"Christian-John.jpg","body":null,"created":"1740586840","gmt_created":"2025-02-26 16:20:40","changed":"1740586840","gmt_changed":"2025-02-26 16:20:40","alt":"Headshot of John Christian, AE School Professor","file":{"fid":"260182","name":"Christian-John.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/Christian-John.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/Christian-John.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1385478,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/26\/Christian-John.jpg?itok=E0GH0VXB"}},"676399":{"id":"676399","type":"image","title":"HeadShotThrasher.JPG","body":null,"created":"1740586878","gmt_created":"2025-02-26 16:21:18","changed":"1740586878","gmt_changed":"2025-02-26 16:21:18","alt":"Headshot of Ava Thrasher, AE School alumna and research engineer","file":{"fid":"260183","name":"HeadShotThrasher.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/HeadShotThrasher.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/HeadShotThrasher.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":630760,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/26\/HeadShotThrasher.JPG?itok=P_w4muA9"}},"676401":{"id":"676401","type":"image","title":"AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIllustration of the steps used to detect and identify craters to ultimately determine the vehicles state estimation. Credit: Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1740587067","gmt_created":"2025-02-26 16:24:27","changed":"1740587067","gmt_changed":"2025-02-26 16:24:27","alt":"Illustration of the steps used to detect and identify craters to ultimately determine the vehicles state estimation. Credit: Georgia Tech ","file":{"fid":"260185","name":"AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png","mime":"image\/png","size":201361,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/26\/AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png?itok=neltaeuF"}}},"media_ids":["676397","676398","676399","676401"],"groups":[{"id":"660364","name":"Aerospace Engineering"},{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKelsey Gulledge\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kelsey.gulledge@aerospace.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"679980":{"#nid":"679980","#data":{"type":"news","title":"OMSCS Alum Teams with His Family to Create App Aiding Children with Echolalia","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EInspired by his son\u0027s special needs, \u003Cstrong\u003ETarun\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003EChawdhury\u003C\/strong\u003E (OMSCS 22) has designed an AI-powered application that helps parents and caregivers support children with echolalia and other developmental speech issues.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe patent-pending app, AI4Echolalia, earned second place in the 2024 TEDAI Hackathon in San Francisco.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChawdhury is a graduate of Georgia Tech\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/omscs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOnline Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E program. Now a part-time OMSCS instructor, Chawdury credits his education at Georgia Tech with empowering him to excel in his career and tackle pressing challenges in healthcare and accessibility.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChawdury\u0027s academic journey began in the early 2000s in India, where he earned a bachelor\u0027s degree in information technology. Over the years, he honed his integration and programming skills while working in the healthcare sector for Blue Shield of California and CareSource.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, a personal motivation sparked a new direction in his career\u2014his son\u0027s echolalia diagnosis. Determined to leverage technology to help his son and others with similar challenges, Chawdury enrolled in the OMSCS program in 2020.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022AI and neuroscience are the future,\u0022 he said, explaining how his coursework in health informatics and big data for health equipped him with the foundational skills needed to explore new artificial intelligence (AI) frontiers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMotivated by his son\u0027s experiences with speech therapy, Chawdury envisioned a solution that could extend the benefits of treatment into the home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChawdury used the skills he developed through OMSCS to create AI4Echollia. The app assists children with speech delays, particularly those who struggle with echolalia. Individuals with this condition involuntarily repeat words or phrases without understanding their context.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe app leverages Google\u0027s Gemini multimodal API platform to analyze conversations between parents and children, providing real-time guidance for parents on how to best engage with their children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe app is meant to fill accessibility gaps caused by the high demand for speech therapists by automating elements of speech therapy. \u0022It\u0027s not a replacement for therapy, but an assistant,\u0022 Chawdury said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChawdury\u0027s family was pivotal in bringing the AI4Echolalia project to life. His wife, a special education teacher, contributed her expertise, while their 14-year-old daughter helped pitch the idea to TEDAI San Francisco and other hackathons.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast October, the team\u0027s efforts culminated in a successful presentation at the 2024 TEDAI Hackathon in San Francisco. Along with accolades and encouragement from industry leaders, Chawdury and his family won second place for their AI4Echollia app.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our team\u2014comprised of myself, my wife Mousumi, our daughter Tanisha, and our son Arinjoy\u2014developed this AI-powered solution to support caregivers and parents of children with echolalia. Testing this project with Arinjoy was incredibly meaningful for us,\u0022 said Chawdury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChawdury envisions broader applications for the technology beyond speech therapy. \u0022This architecture could be adapted for other use cases, like streamlining education plans for special needs students or automating patient documentation in healthcare,\u0022 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChawdury and his family continue developing the app and thoroughly testing it internally with more AI-enabled features. They are also working to engage supportive organizations to explore future collaborations. A neurologist has joined the project as an advisor, and they are actively seeking partnerships with speech therapy agencies to refine and expand the app\u0027s capabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReflecting on his time at Georgia Tech, Chawdury expressed gratitude for the OMSCS program and its community of educators, including OMSCS Executive Director \u003Cstrong\u003EDavid\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003EJoyner\u003C\/strong\u003E, whom he credits as a significant influence. \u0022The foundation I built at Georgia Tech has allowed me to pivot into AI and make a real difference,\u0022 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChawdury said his journey is as much about personal growth as it is about societal impact. \u0022I want to help my son and others like him,\u0022 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This is about using technology to empower families and create a better future for those who need it most.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOMSCS alum Tarun Chawdury, now a part-time OMSCS instructor, and his family developed an AI-powered application that helps parents and caregivers support children with echolalia and other developmental speech issues. The patent-pending app, AI4Echolalia, earned second place in the 2024 TEDAI Hackathon in San Francisco.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The patent-pending app, AI4Echolalia, earned second place in the 2024 TEDAI Hackathon in San Francisco."}],"uid":"32045","created_gmt":"2025-01-27 15:13:03","changed_gmt":"2025-02-04 15:55:51","author":"Ben Snedeker","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676141":{"id":"676141","type":"image","title":"Tanisha Chawdhury (2nd from left) on stage at the 2024 TED AI San Francisco hackathon.","body":null,"created":"1737990792","gmt_created":"2025-01-27 15:13:12","changed":"1737990792","gmt_changed":"2025-01-27 15:13:12","alt":"Tanisha Chawdhury (2nd from left) on stage at the 2024 TED AI San Francisco hackathon.","file":{"fid":"259864","name":"tarun-image1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/27\/tarun-image1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/27\/tarun-image1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":722330,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/27\/tarun-image1.png?itok=yAzK-3o0"}},"676142":{"id":"676142","type":"image","title":"Tarun Chawdury (right), his wife Mousumi (center), and their children meet with San Fransico Mayor London Nicole Breed (left).","body":null,"created":"1737990847","gmt_created":"2025-01-27 15:14:07","changed":"1737990847","gmt_changed":"2025-01-27 15:14:07","alt":"Tarun Chawdury (right), his wife Mousumi (center), and their children meet with San Fransico Mayor London Nicole Breed (left)","file":{"fid":"259865","name":"tarun-image2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/27\/tarun-image2.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/27\/tarun-image2.png","mime":"image\/png","size":337344,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/27\/tarun-image2.png?itok=2ukZRiU_"}}},"media_ids":["676141","676142"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"506","name":"alumni"},{"id":"121521","name":"OMSCS"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBen Snedeker, Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Computing\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:albert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ealbert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"679523":{"#nid":"679523","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Parents With Pups Brings Paws and Positivity ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen students arrive on campus, they often bring mementos to remind them of home, but typically leave their pets behind. For those students who miss their furry friends, Parents With Pups is ready to lend a helping paw. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFinals week can be a stressful time for students on campus, so in December, Parents With Pups put the call out to its members to bring their dogs to Tech Lawn for their monthly gathering. As dozens of dogs and hundreds of students gathered, the group\u2019s founder, Marla Laminack, saw a vision realized. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn October 2019, Laminack and her daughter Taylor Gray, LMC 2022, were looking for ways to improve mental health among students when she came across a Reddit post seeking Tech community members who would bring their dogs to campus. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe next day, I just sat there on Tech Green with my little chihuahua, Nano, and let anybody who stopped by pet her. I told my parent group that the students seemed to enjoy it and asked who wanted to come with me next time,\u201d Laminack said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe response was overwhelming, and the group has grown to a community of 800 members in its Facebook group and thousands of followers on Instagram. While many live outside of the Atlanta area, Laminack says that donations from parents across the country are vital to the group\u2019s success. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter the first few events, Laminack realized that students would often skip lunch to play with the dogs, so she began baking and providing snacks. As the events grew in scale and students sought them out after stressful days, she realized the sizeable impact these dogs had on the student community.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI had no idea how much these students miss their pets, but we have students coming to us all the time saying how our dogs help fill that hole in their hearts while they\u2019re away from home, especially after taking a difficult test or dealing with other stressful events. The dogs love the kids and vice versa, and they get something to eat. We just try to spread some joy to kids who need it,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo reach as many students as possible, the group often partners with campus organizations like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.campuslabs.com\/engage\/organization\/smile\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESMILE\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reckclub.org.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERamblin\u2019 Reck Club\u003C\/a\u003E. During each finals week, Parents With Pups will co-host the Pennies for Sideways event to spread good luck before exams. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBetween studying to become a surgeon and his extracurricular activities, Stamps President\u2019s Scholar Nate Hayes never misses a Parents With Pups event, bringing back memories of his childhood dog, a Pomeranian named Sport. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s very calming to be out here with these pups. Marla is always looking to help somebody and empower students to succeed and chase their dreams,\u201d Hayes said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe dogs become local celebrities on campus, often gaining a following on social media. Parents will create stickers for their dogs that students place on their laptops and backpacks. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Laminacks\u2019 connection to Georgia Tech predates the creation of the group \u2014 her husband, Ivey, graduated with a physics degree in 1979. Along with helping her bake and set up, he is a mainstay at each event, and they both cherish the opportunity to interact with students. Though their daughter graduated in 2022, the Laminacks say they\u2019ll continue to run the Parents With Pups events for as long as they\u2019re able. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo keep up with Parents With Pups\u2019 latest events and announcements, follow them on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gtparentswithpups\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstagram (@gtparentswithpups)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Since 2019, the group has been lending a paw to Georgia Tech students looking for a way to de-stress. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESince 2019, the group has been lending a paw to Georgia Tech students looking for a way to de-stress.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Since 2019, the group has been lending a paw to Georgia Tech students looking for a way to de-stress. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-01-13 19:20:07","changed_gmt":"2025-01-13 19:49:30","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676003":{"id":"676003","type":"image","title":"Big Bear at the December Parents With Pups event. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBig Bear at the December Parents With Pups event on the Georgia Tech campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1736797415","gmt_created":"2025-01-13 19:43:35","changed":"1736797415","gmt_changed":"2025-01-13 19:43:35","alt":"Big Bear at the December Parents With Pups event. ","file":{"fid":"259701","name":"IMG_7749.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/13\/IMG_7749.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/13\/IMG_7749.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2378155,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/13\/IMG_7749.JPG?itok=Xyfoc8Xx"}}},"media_ids":["676003"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2542","name":"dogs"},{"id":"72311","name":"organizations"},{"id":"7728","name":"Georgia Tech community"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"679339":{"#nid":"679339","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yellow Jackets Named Among Most Influential Georgians ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEleven Yellow Jackets are among \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Trend\u003C\/em\u003E\u2019s 100 Most Influential Georgians for 2025 for their efforts to create positive change throughout the state. Among the honorees, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens was chosen as the \u201cGeorgian of the Year.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrian Blake, EE 1994 \u2013 President, Georgia State University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia State is set to embark on a transformational period under Blake\u2019s leadership. An $80 million gift from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation \u2014 the largest award in the university\u2019s 111-year history \u2014 will fund nine projects designed to \u201creinvigorate and reimagine\u201d the campus experience by creating a college town environment in downtown Atlanta.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u00c1ngel Cabrera, M.S. PSY 1993, Ph.D. PSY 1995 \u2013 President, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder Cabrera\u2019s leadership, the Institute welcomed the largest incoming class in its history in the fall, with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.em.gatech.edu\/2024\/08\/21\/georgia-tech-welcomes-new-students\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E5,300 students\u003C\/a\u003E, and is considered the nation\u2019s fastest-growing public university. Georgia Tech contributed a record \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/08\/15\/georgia-techs-economic-impact-reaches-record-53-billion-fiscal-year-2023\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E$5.3 billion\u003C\/a\u003E to the state economy in the last fiscal year \u2014 the most of any institution in the University System of Georgia. Along with the College of Lifetime Learning\u2019s 2024 launch, Cabrera announced a refresh of the Institute\u2019s strategic plan, focusing on four \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/06\/big-bets-refresh-georgia-tech-strategic-plan\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBig Bets\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d to expand its impact in the coming decade. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELisa Cupid, ME 2000 \u2013 Chair, Cobb County Board of Supervisors\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEntering her second term as chair of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, Cupid tells \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Trend\u003C\/em\u003E that she hopes to broaden procurement opportunities for businesses owned by underrepresented groups, women, and service-disabled veterans in Cobb County. As the county continues to grow, her priorities are improving housing, public safety, and sustainability. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndre Dickens, ChE 1998 \u2013 Mayor, City of Atlanta \u2013 2025 Georgian of the Year\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe mayor credits his time as a Yellow Jacket for preparing him for his career in public service. \u201cIt was rigorous, and I didn\u2019t give up. There is never a day, even sitting in the mayor\u2019s seat, that I\u2019m like, \u2018This is bigger than we can manage; the problem is too hard to solve.\u2019\u201d Income inequality and housing continue to top the first-term mayor\u2019s priority list, along with improving public transportation. In 2024, Dickens won the Maynard H. Jackson Community Impact Award from 100 Black Men of Atlanta Inc. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERoderick McLean, M.S. EE 1993 \u2013 Vice President and General Manager, Air Mobility and Maritime Missions, Lockheed Martin\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the vice president of Lockheed Martin\u2019s Air Mobility and Maritime Missions division, McLean oversees 6,000 employees at three of the company\u2019s primary aircraft production facilities. In 2024, his team delivered the 2,700th C-130 Hercules tactical airliner, which has been made in Marietta for 70 years. He serves on the Metro Atlanta Chamber Board of Directors and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJannine Miller, MBA 2013 \u2013 Executive Director, SRTA, GRTA, and Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESelected to lead the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority, and the State Road and Tollway Authority in 2023, Miller has overseen the early stages of a $4 billion project to construct and operate 16 miles of express lanes on GA 400. Construction is slated to begin in the second half of 2025 and be completed in 2031.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EValerie Montgomery Rice, Chem 1983 \u2013 President and Dean, Morehouse School of Medicine\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERice has led the Morehouse School of Medicine for the past decade and recently\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Esecured the largest gift in the school\u2019s history \u2014 a $175 million donation from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Rice is committed to the creation and advancement of health equity, and during her tenure, the number of Morehouse\u0027s M.D. candidates has doubled.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EHonorary Degrees:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEd Bastian, HON Ph.D. 2024 \u2013 CEO, Delta Airlines\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the same year that the Delta CEO delivered the Commencement address to Georgia Tech undergraduates and was awarded an honorary degree from the Institute, Bastian won the Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics from the Bernstein Center for Leadership \u2014 exemplifying the highest standards of professional conduct and ethical decision-making. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaphael Bostic, HON Ph.D. 2022 \u2013 President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELeading the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Bostic is responsible for its monetary policy, bank supervision and regulation, and payment services. He serves on the Federal Open Market Committee, the monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames Quincey, HON Ph.D. 2020 \u2013 Chair and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor his efforts to transform Coca-Cola into \u201ca total beverage company\u201d and continued work in the community, Quincey was awarded the 2024 Yale Legend in Leadership Award.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChris Womack, HON Ph.D. 2023 \u2013 President, CEO, and Chair, Southern Company\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2024, Southern Company completed its expansion project at Plant Vogtle, making it the nation\u0027s largest generator of clean energy. Responding to the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, the power company mobilized over 20,000 personnel across the country to restore power and critical infrastructure for customers. Womack was honored by the Anti-Defamation League for his work with the Metro Atlanta Chamber to address the city\u2019s challenges.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"These Georgia Tech alumni are making a difference across the public and private sectors.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThese Georgia Tech alumni are making a difference across the public and private sectors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"These Georgia Tech alumni are making a difference across the public and private sectors.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-01-09 17:20:23","changed_gmt":"2025-01-09 17:29:35","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675984":{"id":"675984","type":"image","title":"2025 GA Trend","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Trend 2025 Influential Georgians - Top row (from left to right):\u0026nbsp;Brian Blake,\u0026nbsp;\u00c1ngel Cabrera,\u0026nbsp;Lisa Cupid,\u0026nbsp;Andre Dickens,\u0026nbsp;Roderick McLean. Bottom row:\u0026nbsp;Jannine Miller, Valerie Montgomery Rice,\u0026nbsp;Ed Bastian\u003Cstrong\u003E, \u003C\/strong\u003ERaphael Bostic,\u0026nbsp;James Quincey, Chris Womack.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1736443488","gmt_created":"2025-01-09 17:24:48","changed":"1736443716","gmt_changed":"2025-01-09 17:28:36","alt":"Georgia Trend 100 Influential Georgians","file":{"fid":"259674","name":"2025 GA Trend - GT.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/09\/2025%20GA%20Trend%20-%20GT.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/09\/2025%20GA%20Trend%20-%20GT.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":92421,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/09\/2025%20GA%20Trend%20-%20GT.jpg?itok=9-HJ-nOn"}}},"media_ids":["675984"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11644","name":"Georgia Trend"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678840":{"#nid":"678840","#data":{"type":"news","title":" Helluva Journey: Graduate Student Reflects on 13 Years and 4 Degrees at Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor 13 years, \u003Cstrong\u003EKantwon Rogers\u003C\/strong\u003E kept coming back to Georgia Tech for more.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore degrees to earn. More opportunities to teach. More lives to change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe held six internships at companies such as Amazon, Google, and Intel Corporation, and each time he couldn\u2019t wait to return to Georgia Tech\u2019s campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis experiences at Georgia Tech have made it clear: Education is where he belongs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEvery time I\u2019ve interned, I didn\u2019t like it, so I came back to school,\u201d Rogers said. \u201cBeing in school for this long has never felt like compromising something else I would rather have been doing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERogers said he\u2019ll walk across the stage Thursday at McCamish Pavilion with no regrets as he receives his Ph.D. in computer science (CS) \u2014 the fourth degree he\u2019s earned since arriving at Georgia Tech in 2011. He also holds his bachelor\u2019s in computer engineering, a master\u2019s in electrical and computer engineering, and a master\u2019s in human-computer interaction (HCI).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat first master\u2019s degree was mandated by his mother, Joan Dennis. She worked as a single parent without a college education in a competitive field in which most people had a master\u2019s.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second master\u2019s changed his life. Rogers planned to pursue an engineering-based Ph.D. after his first master\u2019s, but he missed the application deadline. He looked for alternatives to searching for industry jobs, and he learned the application deadline for master\u2019s programs was later than Ph.D. programs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was a blessing in disguise,\u201d Rogers said. \u201cMy background before the second master\u2019s had been in computer engineering. It wasn\u2019t people-focused, and I realized I cared more about people than electrons. Doing my master\u2019s in HCI, I learned what it meant to do research with people in mind and how to design technology with people in mind.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat decision put his research on a new trajectory. When he earned his master\u2019s in human-computer interaction, he knew the Ph.D. he wanted to pursue. Accepted into the CS Ph.D. program, Rogers worked with former School of Interactive Computing professor and chair Ayanna Howard, who is now the Dean of the College of Engineering at Ohio State.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHoward still advises Rogers along with School of IC associate professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rail.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESonia Chernova\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Rogers found a niche research field within human-robot interaction and built his dissertation around the ethics of robots and artificial intelligence and whether there are acceptable situations for a robot to lie to humans. For example, what should a chatbot tell a child if it is asked whether Santa Claus is real?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2023, Rogers became a finalist in Georgia Tech\u2019s Three Minute (3M) Thesis Competition in which graduate students compete to explain their research in three minutes. He successfully defended his dissertation in November.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudent Teacher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERogers hasn\u2019t lost touch with the new waves of incoming students over the years. Thousands of current students and Georgia Tech alumna know him as an instructor of the Computing for Engineers course (CS 1371), a CS course required for engineering majors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s the same class Rogers took his first semester as a freshman, and it became one of his favorite undergraduate courses. A master\u2019s degree is required to teach the course. He inquired about becoming an instructor when he knew he would return for a second master\u2019s.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERogers remembered the first day he taught in front of hundreds of students as his best and worst day at Georgia Tech. He taught the class in the morning, and later that day, he learned his mother unexpectedly passed away.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was a very conflicting time for me,\u201d Rogers said. \u201cBeing able to teach the class helped me get through my mom\u2019s death. I poured everything into it and tried to do everything I could to help students and be selfless the way my mom was toward me and my sister.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERogers said he wanted the class to be more than a requirement for engineering students to learn the basics of coding and computer programming. He saw it as an opportunity for engineering students to think differently about CS. He said some students have told him they switched their majors to CS because they took his course.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI get to be the first exposure a lot of students get to computer science,\u201d he said. \u201cThis class has 700 to 1,000 students every semester, and being able to have that kind of impact is very enticing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s never been a time since I\u2019ve been teaching it when I didn\u2019t look forward to it. Every day, I wake up excited to teach.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven when pursuing his Ph.D. consumed much of his time, he saw teaching as an outlet rather than a hindrance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMultiple people have told me to stop teaching because it doesn\u2019t get you a Ph.D. For me, teaching has always been the fun part. There\u2019s more in life than research, and teaching was an important counterbalance.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStaying Connected\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERogers has also never been one to stay in a comfort zone or cut himself off from campus life. In addition to teaching CS 1371, Rogers has lived on campus throughout his time at Georgia Tech. As a grad student, he has been a resident advisor at Smith Hall and Hanson Hall, which house first-year students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m up to date on all the slang that comes out,\u201d Rogers said. \u201cIt helps keep me relatable. I know what it\u2019s like being a freshman taking this class, not knowing college, not knowing yourself, being confused. They\u2019ll be going through problems in their lives, and I\u2019m able to help them because I\u2019ve been through some of the same things.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERogers said his career goal is to become a university president, but what\u0027s next in the immediate future is still up in the air.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe\u2019s applied for postdoc positions and hasn\u2019t ruled out returning to Georgia Tech in that capacity. He may also teach CS 1371 one more semester in the spring while he sorts out his plans. However, he\u2019s treating this semester as his last and preparing his goodbyes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI don\u2019t know what emotions I\u2019ll feel,\u201d Rogers said about attending the Ph.D. graduation ceremony Thursday. \u201cI\u2019ll let myself feel whatever I want. Throughout this process, I\u2019ve been delusionally proud of myself for everything I\u2019ve done.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKantwon Rogers has spent 13 years at Georgia Tech. In that timeframe, he\u0027s earned four degrees and taught as an instructor for the Computing for Engineers (CS 1371) course for eight years.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Kantwon Rogers is set to receive his Ph.D. in computer science, which will be the fourth degree he\u0027s earned from Georgia Tech"}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2024-12-11 18:56:14","changed_gmt":"2024-12-12 14:17:59","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675831":{"id":"675831","type":"image","title":"208A9900.jpg","body":null,"created":"1733943431","gmt_created":"2024-12-11 18:57:11","changed":"1733943431","gmt_changed":"2024-12-11 18:57:11","alt":"Three students sit at a table laughing.","file":{"fid":"259502","name":"208A9900.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/11\/208A9900.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/11\/208A9900.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":98798,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/11\/208A9900.jpg?itok=BFLGQ5RM"}}},"media_ids":["675831"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"}],"keywords":[{"id":"40171","name":"fall commencement"},{"id":"68621","name":"doctoral graduation"},{"id":"629","name":"graduation"},{"id":"40181","name":"fall graduation"},{"id":"175425","name":"georgia tech graduation"},{"id":"120531","name":"georgia tech graduate"},{"id":"172161","name":"GA Tech Ph.D. student"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENathan Deen\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Interactive Computing\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ndeen6@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678694":{"#nid":"678694","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Adapt to Thrive: Y Combinator and Greptile Talk Startups Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Nov. 12, CREATE-X hosted a panel discussion featuring Y Combinator (YC) partner \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ycombinator.com\/people\/brad-flora\u0022\u003EBrad Flora\u003C\/a\u003E and Georgia Tech and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003EStartup Launch\u003C\/a\u003E alumni. In addition to sharing experiences, panelists offered practical advice and feedback for aspiring entrepreneurs, and attendees enjoyed the opportunity to network.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EY Combinator, which has produced companies like Twitch, Reddit, AirBnB, and Coinbase, has funded over 143 Georgia Tech alumni, surpassing institutions like the University of Michigan, Duke, and Princeton. YC recruits startups four times a year and provides a $500,000 investment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpotlight on Founders\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFlora, the event\u0027s keynote speaker, shared his journey from a YC founder to a partner, emphasizing the accelerator\u0027s commitment to supporting college-age founders. He also spoke about finding ideas, meeting co-founders, knowing when to persist and when to pivot, and more.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of people think you have to have a great startup idea before you start working on a startup,\u201d Flora said. \u201cThe theme you find again and again for the best YC founders is that they were doing something that was interesting to them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFlora encouraged students to explore their interests and identify problems they are passionate about solving. He also spoke about \u0022tar pit ideas,\u201d or ideas that seem interesting and novel but don\u2019t translate to a wider audience and wouldn\u2019t be widely used. He advised them to focus on ideas with clear, demonstrable demand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe best way to avoid tar pit ideas is to get feedback from your users and find out if they\u2019re actually using them,\u201d Flora said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech alumni and Greptile founders SooHoon Choi and Vaishant Kameswaran talked about the origins of their company. Choi and Daksh Gupta, their other co-founder, participated in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/make\/create-x-capstone\u0022\u003ECREATE-X Capstone\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and then in\u0026nbsp;CREATE-X Startup Launch to develop Tabnam, which initially was an AI shopping assistant that scraped the internet to tell users what people think about their product.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe founders discussed starting Tabnam in a course and moving across the country to work on it in their apartment to getting rejected by YC, pivoting the startup at a hackathon, and developing Greptile. This AI product enables large software teams to review core changes before merging, find issues in their code, understand the source of bugs, and perform other related tasks. That iteration proved successful, gaining millions in funding and hundreds of customers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGupta spoke about a framework that kept the co-founders open to pivots. \u201cStartups aren\u2019t small companies. They\u2019re a hypothesis that asks if a company should exist in this space. That means your job is to prove or disprove that hypothesis,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more insights, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/youtu.be\/M9kDzDAlFyM?si=ztTTcywgd0Hppdv7\u0022\u003Ewatch the video of the event\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOpportunities for Entrepreneurs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents, faculty, researchers, and alumni interested in developing their own startups are encouraged to apply to CREATE-X\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003EStartup Launch\u003C\/a\u003E. The program provides $5,000 in optional seed funding, $150,000 in in-kind services, mentorship, entrepreneurial workshops, networking events, and resources to help build and scale startups. The program culminates in Demo Day, where teams present their startups to potential investors. The deadline to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003Eapply for Startup Launch\u003C\/a\u003E is March 19, 2025. Spots are limited. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003EApply now\u003C\/a\u003E for a higher chance of acceptance and early feedback.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Nov. 12, CREATE-X hosted a panel discussion with Y Combinator partner Brad Flora and \u0026nbsp;Greptile founders SooHoon Choi, \u0026nbsp;Vaishant Kameswaran, and Daksh Gupta, offering practical advice and networking opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. Flora shared his journey from YC founder to partner and gave tips on finding co-founders and brainstorming ideas, among other topics, and the Greptile founders spoke on their startup journey, including key pivots.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"On Nov. 12, CREATE-X hosted a panel with Y Combinator partner Brad Flora and Greptile founders, offering practical advice and networking for aspiring entrepreneurs, with Flora sharing his journey and tips, and the Greptile founders discussing their startu"}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2024-11-27 18:30:23","changed_gmt":"2024-12-02 15:26:00","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-01T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-01T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675750":{"id":"675750","type":"video","title":"YC@GT Video","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Flora and the founders of Greptile speak about Y Combinator and the startup journey at YC@GT\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733117908","gmt_created":"2024-12-02 05:38:28","changed":"1733117908","gmt_changed":"2024-12-02 05:38:28","video":{"youtube_id":"M9kDzDAlFyM","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/M9kDzDAlFyM?si=ztTTcywgd0Hppdv7"}},"675749":{"id":"675749","type":"image","title":"YC@GT.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X hosted Y Combinator for a discussion on the accelerator and the entrepreneurial journey of the founders of Greptile. Pictured is Brad Flora speaking to Georgia Tech students.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733117609","gmt_created":"2024-12-02 05:33:29","changed":"1733117609","gmt_changed":"2024-12-02 05:33:29","alt":"Brad Flora speaks to audience at YC@GT","file":{"fid":"259411","name":"54151419496_ee44094181_o.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/02\/54151419496_ee44094181_o.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/02\/54151419496_ee44094181_o.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7469610,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/02\/54151419496_ee44094181_o.jpg?itok=bkBpIjzE"}}},"media_ids":["675750","675749"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch","title":"Apply to Startup Launch"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194103","name":"Y Combinator"},{"id":"194104","name":"Brad Flora"},{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"166971","name":"startup launch"},{"id":"3984","name":"panel"},{"id":"194105","name":"aspiring entrepreneurs"},{"id":"1144","name":"networking"},{"id":"166994","name":"startups"},{"id":"194106","name":"co-founders"},{"id":"2161","name":"founders"},{"id":"194107","name":"Greptile"},{"id":"194108","name":"SooHoon Choi"},{"id":"194109","name":"Daksh Gupta"},{"id":"194110","name":"Vaishant Kameswaran"},{"id":"194111","name":"pivots"},{"id":"167944","name":"seed funding"},{"id":"14601","name":"mentorship"},{"id":"5733","name":"application deadline"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678194":{"#nid":"678194","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Y Combinator Is Coming to Georgia Tech, Hosted by CREATE-X","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ycombinator.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EY Combinator\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eknown for launching over 5,000 startups including Airbnb, Coinbase, DoorDash, Dropbox, and Zapier, is coming to Georgia Tech\u2019s campus on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 5 p.m. in the John Lewis Student Center\u2019s Walter G. Ehmer Theater for a panel event hosted by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECREATE-X\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The panel will feature Y Combinator Group Partner\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ycombinator.com\/people\/brad-flora\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrad Flora\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and the founders of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.greptile.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGreptile\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, all Georgia Tech alumni, who will discuss their experiences with the startup accelerator.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince tickets are limited, students are encouraged to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/events.ycombinator.com\/ycatgt\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERSVP for Y Combinator @ Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. As a part of the event, students can apply for Office Hours With Flora, which will be held earlier in the day, by answering optional questions in the RSVP form. Y Combinator will notify selected students. The sessions enable students to discuss side projects or startups, startup idea development, finding co-founders, and monetizing products. Confirmed RSVPs are required to attend the event and office hours.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EY Combinator offers an intensive, three-month program designed to help startups succeed. It provides startups with seed funding, mentorship, and access to a network of investors, industry experts, and alumni.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2022, Daksh Gupta and SooHoon Choi participated in CREATE-X \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStartup Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and developed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/company\/tabnam\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETabnam\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, which became Greptile after several iterations. Initially, the startup was promoted as an AI shopping assistant that scrapes the internet to tell users what people think about their product.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2023, after they graduated from Georgia Tech, Choi, Gupta, and Vaishant Kameswaran launched the latest version of the startup. Now the AI platform focuses on entire codebases and allows users to query via an API. Through the platform, users chat with their codebases, generate descriptions for tickets, automate PR reviews, and build custom internal tools and automations on top of the API. Over 800 software teams, including Wombo, Metamask, Warp, Exa AI, Bland, and Leya, use Greptile. In June, it had a $4 million seed round. Greptile was part of Y Combinator\u2019s Winter 2024 cohort.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor those inspired by Greptile\u2019s success and interested in launching their own startup, CREATE-X is currently accepting\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/airtable.com\/appaTqlTL2zQkXBBR\/pagdkIvjQbvDbSD2F\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eapplications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E for Summer 2025 Startup Launch. The priority deadline is Sunday, Nov. 17. Early applicants have a higher chance of acceptance, the opportunity for more feedback, and more opportunities to apply if one idea isn\u2019t accepted.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStartup Launch provides mentorship, $5,000 in optional funding, and $150,000 in services to help Georgia Tech students, alumni, faculty, and researchers launch businesses over 12 weeks in the summer. Teams can be interdisciplinary, made up of co-founders even outside of Georgia Tech, and solopreneurs. CREATE-X, as a whole, has had more than 34,000 participants, launched 560 startups, and has generated a total startup portfolio valuation exceeding $2 billion.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EY Combinator, known for launching over 5,000 startups, including Airbnb and Dropbox, is coming to Georgia Tech for a panel event, hosted by CREATE-X, on Nov. 12, in the John Lewis Student Center\u2019s Walter G. Ehmer Theater. \u0026nbsp;Y Combinator Group Partner Brad Flora and the founders of Greptile, all Georgia Tech alumni, will share their experiences with the startup accelerator and discuss entrepreneurship. Students are encouraged to RSVP due to limited tickets and can apply for Office Hours with Flora to discuss their projects or startup ideas. Greptile has evolved from an AI shopping assistant to a tool for querying codebases and automating tasks, and was part of Y Combinator\u2019s Winter 2024 cohort.\u0026nbsp;\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","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Y Combinator, hosted by CREATE-X, is coming to Georgia Tech on Nov.12, 5p.m., Walter G. Ehmer Theater, for a panel between Group Partner Brad Flora and the founders of Greptile to discuss the startup accelerator and entrepreneurship."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2024-11-05 19:22:08","changed_gmt":"2024-11-07 14:52:24","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-11-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-11-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166994","name":"startups"},{"id":"1072","name":"Business"},{"id":"9193","name":"accelerator"},{"id":"2161","name":"founders"},{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"},{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674734":{"#nid":"674734","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Roots to Resilience: Investigating the Vital Role of Microbes in Coastal Plant Health","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia\u2019s saltwater marshes \u2014 living where the land meets the ocean \u2014 stretch along the state\u2019s entire 100-mile coastline. These rich ecosystems are largely dominated by just one plant: grass.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKnown as cordgrass, the plant is an ecosystem engineer, providing habitats for wildlife, naturally cleaning water as it moves from inland to the sea, and holding the shoreline together so it doesn\u2019t collapse. Cordgrass even protects human communities from tidal surges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how these plants stay healthy is of crucial ecological importance. For example, one known plant stressor prevalent in marsh soils is the dissolved sulfur compound, sulfide, which is produced and consumed by bacteria. But while the Georgia coastline boasts a rich tradition of ecological research, understanding the nuanced ways bacteria interact with plants in these ecosystems has been elusive. Thanks to recent advances in genomic technology, Georgia Tech biologists have begun to reveal never-before-seen ecological processes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u2019s work was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-47646-1\u0022\u003Epublished\u003C\/a\u003E in \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E, the Tom and Marie Patton\u0026nbsp;Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jose-luis-rolando-17074b17\u0022\u003EJose Luis Rolando\u003C\/a\u003E, a postdoctoral fellow, set out to investigate the relationship between the cordgrass\u003Cem\u003E Spartina alterniflora \u003C\/em\u003Eand the microbial communities that inhabit their roots, identifying the bacteria and their roles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cJust like humans have gut microbes that keep us healthy, plants depend on microbes in their tissues for health, immunity, metabolism, and nutrient uptake,\u201d Kostka said. \u201cWhile we\u2019ve known about the reactions that drive nutrient and carbon cycling in the marsh for a long time, there\u2019s not as much data on the role of microbes in ecosystem functioning.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOut in the Marsh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA major way that plants get their nutrients is through nitrogen fixation, a process in which bacteria convert nitrogen into a form that plants can use. In marshes, this role has mostly been attributed to heterotrophs, or bacteria that grow and get their energy from organic carbon. Bacteria that consume the plant toxin sulfide are chemoautotrophs, using energy from sulfide oxidation to fuel the uptake of carbon dioxide to make their own organic carbon for growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThrough previous work, we knew that \u003Cem\u003ESpartina alterniflora\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;has sulfur bacteria in its roots and that there are two types: sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, which use sulfide as an energy source, and sulfate reducers, which respire sulfate and produce sulfide, a known toxin for plants,\u201d Rolando said. \u201cWe wanted to know more about the role these different sulfur bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKostka and Rolando headed to Sapelo Island, Georgia, where they have regularly conducted fieldwork in the salt marshes. Wading into the marsh, shovels and buckets in hand, the researchers and their students collected cordgrass along with the muddy sediment samples that cling to their roots. Back at the field lab, the team gathered around a basin filled with creek water and carefully washed the grass, gently separating the plant roots.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENext, they used a special technique involving heavier versions of chemical elements that occur in nature as tracers to track the microbial processes. They also analyzed the DNA and RNA of the microbes living in different compartments of the plants.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing a sequencing technology known as shotgun metagenomics, they were able to retrieve the DNA from the whole microbial community and reconstruct genomes from newly discovered organisms. Similarly, untargeted RNA sequencing of the microbial community allowed them to assess which microbial species and specific functions were active in close association with plant roots.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing this combination of techniques, they found that chemoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were also involved in nitrogen fixation. Not only did these bacteria help plants by detoxifying the root zone, but they also played a crucial role in providing nitrogen to the plants. This dual role of the bacteria in sulfur cycling and nitrogen fixation highlights their importance in coastal ecosystems and their contribution to plant health and growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Plants growing in areas with high levels of sulfide accumulation tend to be smaller and less healthy,\u0022 said Rolando. \u0022However, we found that the microbial communities within Spartina roots help to detoxify the sulfide, enhancing plant health and resilience.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELocal to Global Significance\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECordgrasses aren\u2019t just the main player in Georgia marshes; they also dominate marsh landscapes across the entire Southeast, including the Carolinas and the Gulf Coast. Moreover, the researchers found that the same bacteria are associated with cordgrass, mangrove, and seagrass roots in coastal ecosystems across the planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Much of the shoreline in tropical and temperate climates is covered by coastal wetlands,\u201d Rolando said. \u201cThese areas likely harbor similar microbial symbioses, which means that these interactions impact ecosystem functioning on a global scale.\u0022 \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELooking ahead, the researchers plan to further explore the details of how marsh plants and microbes exchange nitrogen and carbon, using state-of-the-art microscopy techniques coupled with ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry to confirm their findings at the single-cell level.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Science follows technology, and we were excited to use the latest genomic methods to see which types of bacteria were there and active,\u201d Kostka said. \u201cThere\u0027s still much to learn about the intricate relationships between plants and microbes in coastal ecosystems, and we are beginning to uncover the extent of the microbial complexity that keeps marshes healthy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECitation: Rolando, J.L., Kolton, M., Song, T.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eet al.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;Sulfur oxidation and reduction are coupled to nitrogen fixation in the roots of the salt marsh foundation plant\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ESpartina alterniflora\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENat Commun\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E15\u003C\/strong\u003E, 3607 (2024).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-47646-1\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunding: This work was supported in part by an institutional grant (NA18OAR4170084) to the Georgia Sea Grant College Program from the National Sea Grant Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce, and by a grant from the National Science Foundation (DEB 1754756).\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how salt marsh grass stays healthy is of crucial ecological importance, and studying the ways bacteria interact with these plants is key. Thanks to recent advances in genomic technology, Georgia Tech biologists have begun to reveal never-before-seen ecological processes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Understanding how salt marsh grass stays healthy is of crucial ecological importance, and studying the ways bacteria interact with these plants is key."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2024-05-15 18:52:12","changed_gmt":"2024-08-30 16:54:34","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674019":{"id":"674019","type":"image","title":"Screenshot 2024-05-15 at 1.26.57\u202fPM.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech researchers surveying field sites in the salt marshes of Sapelo Island, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715800209","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:10:09","changed":"1715800209","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:10:09","alt":"Four people walking across a salt marsh","file":{"fid":"257482","name":"Screenshot 2024-05-15 at 1.26.57\u202fPM.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/Screenshot%202024-05-15%20at%201.26.57%E2%80%AFPM.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/Screenshot%202024-05-15%20at%201.26.57%E2%80%AFPM.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":688116,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/Screenshot%202024-05-15%20at%201.26.57%E2%80%AFPM.jpg?itok=plpMUK7i"}},"674020":{"id":"674020","type":"image","title":"IMG_0277.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJoel Kostka, the Tom and Marie Patton\u0026nbsp;Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in the School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715800875","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:21:15","changed":"1715800875","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:21:15","alt":"A man in a blue shirt holds a shovel in a salt marsh. ","file":{"fid":"257483","name":"IMG_0277.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/IMG_0277.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/IMG_0277.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5785839,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/IMG_0277.jpeg?itok=HqcNyLb2"}},"674022":{"id":"674022","type":"image","title":"PastedGraphic-3[60].jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech postdoctoral fellow Jose Rolando (right) and graduate student Gabrielle Krueger\u0026nbsp;prepare samples for chemical analysis in the field at Sapelo Island, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1715801461","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:31:01","changed":"1715802529","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:48:49","alt":"Two people sitting on a ground with a cooler and scientific equipment (including sample vials) between them. ","file":{"fid":"257485","name":"PastedGraphic-3[60].jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-3%5B60%5D.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-3%5B60%5D.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":403670,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-3%5B60%5D.jpg?itok=pyvxYt3e"}},"674021":{"id":"674021","type":"image","title":"PastedGraphic-6[93].jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers washing cordgrass roots for microbial analysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715801172","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:26:12","changed":"1715801172","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:26:12","alt":"Several people stand around a large basin washing grass. ","file":{"fid":"257484","name":"PastedGraphic-6[93].jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-6%5B93%5D.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-6%5B93%5D.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":248349,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-6%5B93%5D.jpg?itok=vhzIGkfk"}},"674023":{"id":"674023","type":"image","title":"PastedGraphic-4.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech graduate student Tianze Song collects porewater samples for chemical analysis in the marsh on Sapelo Island, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1715802407","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:46:47","changed":"1715802407","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:46:47","alt":"A person does scientific sampling in the midst of a marsh.","file":{"fid":"257486","name":"PastedGraphic-4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-4.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-4.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":509222,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-4.jpg?itok=omnEkxhT"}}},"media_ids":["674019","674020","674022","674021","674023"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676000":{"#nid":"676000","#data":{"type":"news","title":"CREATE-X Celebrates 10-Year Milestone With 100 New Startups at Demo Day","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Aug. 29 in the Exhibition Hall from 5 to 7p.m, CREATE-X will celebrate its 10th year of supporting entrepreneurship at Georgia Tech by introducing its next cohort of startup founders at Demo Day. This free event, attracting more than 1,500 people annually, allows the public to explore products from over 100 newly minted startups, ranging from consumer apps to deep tech. It also provides a chance to engage with more than 250 founders thanks to its no-pitch format.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince its inception in 2014, CREATE-X has worked to infuse a spirit of entrepreneurship at Georgia Tech. From supporting eight teams in its inaugural cohort, the program has grown to support the launch of over 100 startups this summer, bringing the total to 560 startup teams boasting a total portfolio valuation of over $2 billion. In the last year, the program has expanded internationally and looks to continue building opportunities for its students.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur mission is to instill entrepreneurial confidence. We believe that entrepreneurship is a life skill,\u201d says Rahul Saxena, CREATE-X director. \u201cGeorgia Tech students are capable of creating startups. We\u2019re just giving them the tools and resources to do it. We want every Tech student to have this advantage when starting their business.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the kickoff for Startup Launch, the program\u2019s summer startup accelerator, CREATE-X co-founder Chris Klaus spoke on the landscape of startups. \u201cThe secret sauce for unicorns is colleges. The number of unicorns is increasing, and I expect that trend to continue. This is the perfect place to build a startup,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStartup Launch has concluded for the summer, and the founders are preparing to showcase their solutions at Demo Day.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERegister Now\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe invite you to become part of shaping what comes next. Support these founders as they creatively solve real-world issues. See future industry leaders be born. Join us for the culmination of these founders\u2019 hard work, passion, and ingenuity at Demo Day,\u201d Rahul said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/gt-demo-day-tickets-888408793617?aff=article\u0022\u003EDemo Day 2024 registration\u003C\/a\u003E is open. Tickets are free but limited. Don\u2019t miss this chance to witness the future of innovation and entrepreneurship. For more information, visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/demoday\u0022\u003ECREATE-X website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Aug. 29, CREATE-X will celebrate its 10th anniversary at Demo Day, showcasing over 100 startups and more than 250 founders. Since its inception in 2014, CREATE-X has supported the launch of 560 startups with a total portfolio valuation exceeding $2 billion. In its first decade, the program has expanded internationally and continues to build opportunities for students, emphasizing entrepreneurial confidence as a life skill.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"On Aug. 29, CREATE-X will celebrate its 10th anniversary at Demo Day, showcasing over 100 startups and more than 250 founders. "}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2024-08-14 18:04:11","changed_gmt":"2024-08-14 19:14:35","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674580":{"id":"674580","type":"image","title":"Volunteer (1).png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Aug. 29, CREATE-X will celebrate its 10th anniversary at Demo Day, showcasing over 100 startups and more than 250 founders.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1723662837","gmt_created":"2024-08-14 19:13:57","changed":"1723662837","gmt_changed":"2024-08-14 19:13:57","alt":"CREATE-X Demo Day, Aug. 29, 5-7p.m., Exhibition Hall, 460 Fourth Street NW, Atlanta, GA","file":{"fid":"258127","name":"Volunteer (1).png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/14\/Volunteer%20%281%29_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/14\/Volunteer%20%281%29_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":11635501,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/14\/Volunteer%20%281%29_0.png?itok=HDuWGTS9"}}},"media_ids":["674580"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/gt-demo-day-tickets-888408793617?aff=article","title":"Demo Day 2024 Registration"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"42921","name":"Exhibitions"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166994","name":"startups"},{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"},{"id":"2161","name":"founders"},{"id":"1072","name":"Business"},{"id":"166990","name":"showcase"},{"id":"3905","name":"exhibition"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675712":{"#nid":"675712","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Yellow Jacket on Mars ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen the door to the Mars Dune Alpha habitat at NASA\u0027s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, closed behind the crew members of the first Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) mission, Georgia Tech graduate Ross Brockwell was transported 152 million simulated miles to the Red Planet.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the next 378 days, Brockwell, a 1999 civil engineering graduate, and three other crew members participated in the study designed to gain insights into the challenges of deep space exploration and its effects on human health and performance. The crew performed robotic operations, habitat maintenance, agricultural activities, and simulated surface walks in the \u0022sandbox\u0022 with the assistance of virtual reality while enduring intentional resource limitations, isolation, and confinement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/inline-images\/beds1.jpg\u0022 data-align=\u0022center\u0022 data-entity-uuid=\u0022d382a175-cdb9-4af6-bd3e-e50a6cbacb2e\u0022 data-entity-type=\u0022file\u0022 alt=\u0022Mars habitat\u0022 width=\u00221280\u0022 height=\u0022856\u0022 data-caption=\u0022Mars habitat\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA structural engineer by day, he has always dreamed of space travel, and when a fellow Yellow Jacket alerted Brockwell to the application for the CHAPEA mission, he seized the opportunity.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Sometimes, you get chances in your lifetime, and if I don\u0027t get a chance to actually go to Mars, if I can take this chance to help us get there as a planet, I\u0027m honored,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce inside the 1,700-square-foot habitat, Brockwell\u0027s role as the CHAPEA mission\u0027s flight engineer focused on infrastructure, building design, and organizational leadership. As much as he learned from his tasks throughout the mission, like anticipating possible failure points and contingency planning, NASA learned even more through physical and cognitive monitoring. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022There was a lot of science, but some of the science was focused on us as the participants \u2014 our physiology and our performance \u2014 to make the mission as realistic as possible,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunication is a key element in space travel. Getting a message from Mars back to family and friends or mission control on Earth took 20 minutes on average for the crew inside the habitat, testing their ability to isolate. Without constant communication with the outside world, the crew fostered camaraderie through team activities and celebrated birthdays and holidays together. Brockwell\u0027s ingenuity wasn\u0027t limited to official tasks; he used a 3D printer to create a bracket for mounting a mini-basketball hoop. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeals inside the habitat mirrored the shelf-stable food system of the International Space Station. While cultivated crops like tomatoes supplemented their main supply, Brockwell says there is a common misconception about astronaut food. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I say with all sincerity, it was delicious.\u0022 His favorite dish was a peanut chicken and wild rice mix, but the crew often got creative by mixing soups and proteins to create new dishes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther than the food, the biggest surprise to Brockwell was how quickly the mission was completed.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I hoped and thought it would be that way, but we proved that a well-comprised crew can have a good time while doing this. There were a lot of clich\u00e9d expectations that there would be issues that we just didn\u0027t have. I think we demonstrated that a mission like this can be a huge success and an enjoyable, positive experience, not just something to be endured,\u0022 he said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrockwell says that his time at Georgia Tech allowed him to learn the fundamentals of engineering principles and taught him to keep an open mind when exploring how things work. After receiving a master\u0027s degree in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology and completing the CHAPEA mission, he believes systems engineering can aid deep space exploration efforts for the next generation. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Thinking about the effect of every component on every other component and the emergent properties from complex systems is crucial. I think that systems thinking is going to become increasingly important. Ecology and ecological thinking need to be part of it, especially for aerospace. If you\u0027re thinking about deep space exploration, an understanding of ecological principles and closed-loop systems will be key,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of the mission, Brockwell savored the sights and smells of Earth for the first time in over a year, saying that\u0027s what he missed the most. But if the opportunity arose to take the 152-million-mile flight to Mars, he\u0027d be on the first ship out. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech alum has emerged after living in a simulated Mars habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston for the past year. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech alum has emerged after living in a simulated Mars habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston for the past year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech alum has emerged after living in a simulated Mars habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston for the past year. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2024-07-31 21:03:35","changed_gmt":"2024-08-01 13:37:39","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674462":{"id":"674462","type":"image","title":"Ross Brockwell exiting the Mars Dune Alpha habitat at NASA\u0027s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERoss Brockwell exiting the Mars Dune Alpha habitat at NASA\u0027s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Photo credit: NASA\/CHAPEA\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1722460075","gmt_created":"2024-07-31 21:07:55","changed":"1722460075","gmt_changed":"2024-07-31 21:07:55","alt":"Ross Brockwell exiting the Mars Dune Alpha habitat at NASA\u0027s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.","file":{"fid":"257984","name":"jsc2024e044182.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/31\/jsc2024e044182.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/31\/jsc2024e044182.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4829251,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/31\/jsc2024e044182.jpg?itok=CoEByvXI"}}},"media_ids":["674462"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1325","name":"aerospace"},{"id":"169176","name":"life on mars"},{"id":"167098","name":"space exploration"},{"id":"2479","name":"deep space mission"},{"id":"408","name":"NASA"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675519":{"#nid":"675519","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Entrepreneur\u2019s Gambit: A CREATE-X Alumnus Makes His Own Luck","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESamuel \u201cSam\u201d Porta, Startup Launch alumnus and founder of Queues, recently placed 10th in a World Series of Poker event, cashing out over $14,800 from a field of 2,500 participants. A multi-CREATE-X alumnus, Porta has participated in Startup Launch twice, as well as taking both Startup Ideas and Idea-to-Prototype. Porta\u2019s company creates a product that uses computer vision to collect live wait times. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 2021 with a B.S. in computer science. The company received over $1 million in seed funding. Below is a Q\u0026amp;A with Porta.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s something people don\u2019t realize about poker?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe cool thing about poker is it\u2019s statistics. If it was a game of luck, you could not have people who consistently win and do well. When you study and you learn the edges, you play differently, and you play in ways that give you a mathematical edge over your opponents. What a lot of people don\u0027t realize is luck only plays a factor when you\u0027re looking at any given hand.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat was your strategy while playing competitively during this poker competition?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s that funny thing at a table; everything conveys information. For me, I always wear a face mask when I play because I\u0027m a very expressive person. As a founder, it\u0027s a great trait, but when you\u0027re playing poker, it\u0027s not ideal. You don\u0027t want to be giving away a lot of information. I\u0027d say it is a very social game, but it is player-dependent. If you\u0027re not paying attention, you miss information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first hand I played at that tournament, I knocked out a player based on information I gleaned from the table talk they were having beforehand. I was able to put him in a spot that was not theoretically correct but is what we call an exploitative deviation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow have you seen the risk of entrepreneurship play out for you and your peers?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI\u0027d say it\u0027s just been really lovely seeing the growth. A lot of people who I knew, they\u0027re no longer in entrepreneurship. They tried it out and it wasn\u0027t for them, but that was the beauty of it too. It\u0027s the perfect time to experiment with that and better to know early. I\u0027ve seen entrepreneurs who went into industry and then go right back at it, and others would go off and join other startups and that, for them, was the way.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe darkest time for me from an entrepreneurship point was in 2020. We\u2019d just won the InVenture Prize. I\u2019d been trying for three years to win. Then the day after, there\u0027s a Georgia Tech-wide press release. People test positive for Covid-19 at the InVenture Prize; get tested. The next week, all of Georgia\u0027s in lockdown. What could have been a really big moment for us suddenly was overshadowed by a once-in-a-century pandemic. It was just one of those brutal moments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELife is meant to give you curveballs. Adversity is part of the journey. Is there anything else that I would rather be doing with my life?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the benefits of Covid was suddenly we had all these amazing Georgia Tech students whose internships were canceled. We had 17 full-time interns working at Queues within the next month, and we outputted more over that summer in lockdown than we ever did before.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven if, for whatever reason, your startup fails, there\u0027s so much you\u0027ve learned that you wouldn\u0027t have otherwise learned. There are so many entrepreneurs whose first three startups failed, but their fourth ones have taken off and they\u0027re doing fantastic. And that fourth one never would have succeeded if it wasn\u0027t for the first three.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow do you think CREATE-X has prepared you for high-stakes situations?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen I came to Georgia Tech, I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I also had the humility to know I don\u0027t know what that means, and there\u0027s more that I don\u0027t know than I do know.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, for me, the CREATE-X experience was all about learning skills and methodologies that have been tried and tested. It\u0027s understanding things that past successful founders have done. They did all the successful things, but underneath the hood it was all these tiny iterations, tweaks, improvements, and small gains. It takes 1,000 steps to climb the hill. The last one is not the most important; it\u0027s just the most symbolic because you finally get there.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat resources would you suggest to those who are interested in entrepreneurship?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/galileo-gatech.primo.exlibrisgroup.com\/discovery\/fulldisplay?context=L\u0026amp;context=L\u0026amp;vid=01GALI_GIT:GT\u0026amp;vid=01GALI_GIT\u0026amp;docid=cdi_proquest_ebookcentralchapters_6808093_4_4\u0026amp;tab=default_tab\u0026amp;lang=en\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGood to Great\u003C\/em\u003E by Jim Collins\u003C\/a\u003E. The biggest thing from that book is the concept of leadership. Everyone has a place on the bus. Your job as founder is to make sure they\u2019re sitting in the right seat. We hire people we think are great fits and once they\u2019re there, we find where they belong.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/galileo-gatech.primo.exlibrisgroup.com\/discovery\/fulldisplay?docid=alma9914534760202947\u0026amp;context=L\u0026amp;vid=01GALI_GIT:GT\u0026amp;lang=en\u0026amp;search_scope=MyInst_and_CI\u0026amp;adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine\u0026amp;isFrbr=true\u0026amp;query=any,contains,9914534760202947\u0026amp;sortby=date_d\u0026amp;facet=frbrgroupid,include,9047174863047390298\u0026amp;offset=0\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENever Split the Difference\u003C\/em\u003E by Chris Voss\u003C\/a\u003E. I love it because it\u0027s all taught through anecdotes. He\u0027s taking you through real-life examples of him and the FBI. It\u0027s modern negotiation theory that\u0027s been practically tested.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/galileo-gatech.primo.exlibrisgroup.com\/discovery\/fulldisplay?context=L\u0026amp;context=L\u0026amp;vid=01GALI_GIT:GT\u0026amp;vid=01GALI_GIT\u0026amp;docid=alma9914978881702947\u0026amp;tab=default_tab\u0026amp;lang=en\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELeaders Eat Last:\u0026nbsp;Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don\u0027t\u003C\/em\u003E by Simon Sinek.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIf you\u0027re a founder or a CEO, your job above all else is to be a leader. Unfortunately, there\u0027s not much good leadership training. It\u0027s your job to create a culture where your people can succeed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u2019s next?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe\u0027re looking to deploy in the venue space. We\u0027re in talks with the Atlanta Braves right now. We\u0027ve also just launched a new product for Queues for parking. Our goal is to try and modernize and improve these spaces with this AI tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs we celebrate the achievements of entrepreneurs like Sam Porta, we invite you to join us for to see the next batch of founders building products to solve real-world issues. Don\u2019t miss out on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/gt-demo-day-tickets-888408793617?aff=article\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDemo Day\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003EAugust 29\u003C\/strong\u003E, from \u003Cstrong\u003E5-7 p.m.\u003C\/strong\u003E at the \u003Cstrong\u003EExhibition Hall\u003C\/strong\u003E. It\u2019s a chance to meet these problem solvers, explore their ideas, and perhaps even find the spark for your own entrepreneurial journey. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/gt-demo-day-tickets-888408793617?aff=article\u0022\u003ERegister today\u003C\/a\u003E! Tickets are free but limited. We look forward to seeing you there!\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESamuel \u201cSam\u201d Porta, Startup Launch alumnus and founder of Queues, recently placed 10th in a World Series of Poker event, leveraging his understanding of poker as a game of statistics rather than luck. In this article, discusses his poker strategies and the impact of COVID-19 on his startup.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Samuel \u201cSam\u201d Porta, Startup Launch alumnus and founder of Queues, recently placed 10th in a World Series of Poker event. "}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2024-07-18 20:49:32","changed_gmt":"2024-07-18 20:56:43","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674380":{"id":"674380","type":"image","title":"Sam Porta","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESamuel \u201cSam\u201d Porta, Startup Launch alumnus and founder of Queues\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1721335867","gmt_created":"2024-07-18 20:51:07","changed":"1721336152","gmt_changed":"2024-07-18 20:55:52","alt":"Samuel \u201cSam\u201d Porta, Startup Launch alumnus and founder of Queues at World Poker tournament ","file":{"fid":"257883","name":"WSOP Event #14 Sam Porta.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/18\/WSOP%20Event%20%2314%20Sam%20Porta.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/18\/WSOP%20Event%20%2314%20Sam%20Porta.png","mime":"image\/png","size":739257,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/18\/WSOP%20Event%20%2314%20Sam%20Porta.png?itok=l6r7ZPgS"}}},"media_ids":["674380"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/gt-demo-day-tickets-888408793617?aff=article","title":"Demo Day Registration"}],"groups":[{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166973","name":"startup"},{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"},{"id":"2161","name":"founders"},{"id":"1072","name":"Business"},{"id":"166971","name":"startup launch"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675481":{"#nid":"675481","#data":{"type":"news","title":"President Cabrera Joins Tech Swimmers in Tahoe Relay ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera\u2019s team finished sixth in the Just for Fun category of the 2024 in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/transtahoerelay.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETrans Tahoe Relay\u003C\/a\u003E in the Sierra Nevada Mountains over the weekend. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince its creation in 1976, the annual open-water race has become one of the premier aquatic events in the country. At the invitation of Georgia Tech alumnus Dick Bergmark, Cabrera was among the team of six swimmers completing the 11.4-mile relay race. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther team members included swimming and diving head coach and two-time Olympic gold medalist \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ramblinwreck.com\/coach\/courtney-shealy-hart\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECourtney Shealy Hart\u003C\/a\u003E and former Yellow Jacket swimmers Mike Wise, Jing Li, and Rodrigo Correia. Each swam for 30 minutes before switching off every 10 minutes for the remainder of the race. The \u201cGT Fun Team\u201d crossed the finish line with a time of 4:23:57.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECabrera and his teammates weren\u2019t the only Yellow Jackets in the competition. Three other teams with Georgia Tech affiliations finished in the top 10. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/runsignup.com\/Race\/Results\/167487\/IndividualResult\/BGhp?resultSetId=471400#U89533374\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGTSC\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 Sixth \u2013 \u0026nbsp;Mixed 114+\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/runsignup.com\/Race\/Results\/167487\/IndividualResult\/BGTJ?resultSetId=471402#U89533582\u0022\u003EGT S\u2019Women\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013\u0026nbsp; Third \u2013 Women\u2019s 180+\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/runsignup.com\/Race\/Results\/167487\/IndividualResult\/BGTR?resultSetId=471403#U89533658\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGT Swarm\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013\u0026nbsp; Third\u2013 Mixed 180+\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA solo 15.5-kilometer race is held concurrently to the famed relay race, and with a 4:11:23 final time, former Yellow Jacket swimmer and Olympian Vesna Shelnutt (pictured below) took first place. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe race began as a two-team competition between Olympic Club members. The event now welcomes 250 teams to Lake Tahoe and promotes teamwork and conservation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The president\u2019s team placed sixth out of 45 teams in the Just for Fun category of the 2024 Trans Tahoe Relay Race. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe president\u2019s team placed sixth out of 45 teams in the Just for Fun category of the 2024 Trans Tahoe Relay Race.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The president\u2019s team placed sixth out of 45 teams in the Just for Fun category of the 2024 Trans Tahoe Relay Race. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2024-07-16 13:36:09","changed_gmt":"2024-07-16 14:03:56","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674357":{"id":"674357","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech\u0027s Trans Tahoe Swimmers Group Photo","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPhoto Credit: President \u00c1ngel Cabrera\/Instagram\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1721137092","gmt_created":"2024-07-16 13:38:12","changed":"1721137092","gmt_changed":"2024-07-16 13:38:12","alt":"Georgia Tech\u0027s Trans Tahoe Swimmers Group Photo","file":{"fid":"257858","name":"450925344_1049724526715315_7895140931510267826_n.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/16\/450925344_1049724526715315_7895140931510267826_n.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/16\/450925344_1049724526715315_7895140931510267826_n.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":159702,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/16\/450925344_1049724526715315_7895140931510267826_n.jpg?itok=Arn9ywMx"}}},"media_ids":["674357"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"}],"keywords":[{"id":"169097","name":"Georgia Tech Swimming \u0026 Diving"},{"id":"189031","name":"Georgia Tech President Angel Cabrera"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESteven Gagliano - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675439":{"#nid":"675439","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Machine Learning Method Lets Scientists Use Generative AI to Design Custom Molecules and Other Complex Structures","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research from Georgia Tech is giving scientists more control options over generative artificial intelligence (AI) models in their studies. Greater customization from this research can lead to discovery of new drugs, materials, and other applications tailor-made for consumers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Tech group dubbed its method PRODIGY (PROjected DIffusion for controlled Graph Generation). PRODIGY enables diffusion models to generate 3D images of complex structures, such as molecules from chemical formulas.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScientists in pharmacology, materials science, social network analysis, and other fields can use PRODIGY to simulate large-scale networks. By generating 3D molecules from multiple graph datasets, the group proved that PRODIGY could handle complex structures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn keeping with its name, PRODIGY is the first plug-and-play machine learning (ML) approach to controllable graph generation in diffusion models. This method overcomes a known limitation inhibiting diffusion models from broad use in science and engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe hope PRODIGY enables drug designers and scientists to generate structures that meet their precise needs,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ksartik.github.io\/\u0022\u003EKartik Sharma\u003C\/a\u003E, lead researcher on\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/prodigy-diffusion.github.io\/\u0022\u003Ethe project\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIt should also inspire future innovations to precisely control modern generative models across domains.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPRODIGY works on diffusion models, a generative AI model for computer vision tasks. While suitable for image creation and denoising, diffusion methods are limited because they cannot accurately generate graph representations of custom parameters a user provides.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPRODIGY empowers any pre-trained diffusion model for graph generation to produce graphs that meet specific, user-given constraints. This capability means, as an example, that a drug designer could use any diffusion model to design a molecule with a specific number of atoms and bonds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe group tested PRODIGY on two molecular and five generic datasets to generate custom 2D and 3D structures. This approach ensured the method could create such complex structures, accounting for the atoms, bonds, structures, and other properties at play in molecules.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMolecular generation experiments with PRODIGY directly impact chemistry, biology, pharmacology, materials science, and other fields. The researchers say PRODIGY has potential in other fields using large networks and datasets, such as social sciences and telecommunications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese features led to PRODIGY\u2019s acceptance for presentation at the upcoming International Conference on Machine Learning (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/icml.cc\/\u0022\u003EICML 2024\u003C\/a\u003E). ICML 2024 is the leading international academic conference on ML. The conference is taking place July 21-27 in Vienna.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~skumar498\/\u0022\u003ESrijan Kumar\u003C\/a\u003E is Sharma\u2019s advisor and paper co-author. They worked with Tech alumnus\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.rtrivedi.me\/\u0022\u003ERakshit Trivedi\u003C\/a\u003E (Ph.D. CS 2020), a Massachusetts Institute of Technology postdoctoral associate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwenty-four Georgia Tech faculty from the Colleges of Computing and Engineering will present 40 papers at ICML 2024. Kumar is one of six faculty representing the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) at the conference.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESharma is a fourth-year Ph.D. student studying computer science. He researches ML models for structured data that are reliable and easily controlled by users. While preparing for ICML, Sharma has been interning this summer at Microsoft Research in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/group\/research-for-industry\/overview\/\u0022\u003EResearch for Industry\u003C\/a\u003E lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cICML is the pioneering conference for machine learning,\u201d said Kumar. \u201cA strong presence at ICML from Georgia Tech illustrates the ground-breaking research conducted by our students and faculty, including those in my research group.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVisit \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/icml-2024\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/icml-2024\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E for news and coverage of Georgia Tech research presented at ICML 2024.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research from Georgia Tech is giving scientists more control options over generative artificial intelligence (AI) models in their studies. Greater customization from this research can lead to discovery of new drugs, materials, and other applications tailor-made for consumers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Tech group dubbed its method PRODIGY (PROjected DIffusion for controlled Graph Generation). PRODIGY enables diffusion models to generate 3D images of complex structures, such as molecules from chemical formulas.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScientists in pharmacology, materials science, social network analysis, and other fields can use PRODIGY to simulate large-scale networks. By generating 3D molecules from multiple graph datasets, the group proved that PRODIGY could handle complex structures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn keeping with its name, PRODIGY is the first plug-and-play machine learning (ML) approach to controllable graph generation in diffusion models. This method overcomes a known limitation inhibiting diffusion models from broad use in science and engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New research from Georgia Tech is giving scientists more control options over generative artificial intelligence (AI) models in their studies. "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2024-07-11 19:47:30","changed_gmt":"2024-07-12 15:23:57","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674340":{"id":"674340","type":"image","title":"PRODIGY Group.jpg","body":null,"created":"1720727268","gmt_created":"2024-07-11 19:47:48","changed":"1720727268","gmt_changed":"2024-07-11 19:47:48","alt":"CSE PRODIGY Group ICML 2024","file":{"fid":"257840","name":"PRODIGY Group.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/PRODIGY%20Group.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/PRODIGY%20Group.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":125493,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/11\/PRODIGY%20Group.jpg?itok=HEzSu3DE"}},"674339":{"id":"674339","type":"image","title":"CSE_ICML2024.png","body":null,"created":"1720726742","gmt_created":"2024-07-11 19:39:02","changed":"1720726742","gmt_changed":"2024-07-11 19:39:02","alt":"CSE ICML 2024","file":{"fid":"257839","name":"CSE_ICML2024.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/CSE_ICML2024.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/CSE_ICML2024.png","mime":"image\/png","size":173722,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/11\/CSE_ICML2024.png?itok=uiGRsZ3_"}},"674341":{"id":"674341","type":"image","title":"PRODIGY Graphic.png","body":null,"created":"1720727329","gmt_created":"2024-07-11 19:48:49","changed":"1720727329","gmt_changed":"2024-07-11 19:48:49","alt":"CSE PRODIGY Group ICML 2024","file":{"fid":"257841","name":"PRODIGY Graphic.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/PRODIGY%20Graphic.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/PRODIGY%20Graphic.png","mime":"image\/png","size":88305,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/11\/PRODIGY%20Graphic.png?itok=6_Lte6y4"}}},"media_ids":["674340","674339","674341"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"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":""}},"674802":{"#nid":"674802","#data":{"type":"news","title":"CREATE-X Alumnus Launches to Acquisition","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EParth Arora is the founder of Third Dimension Fitness, a platform for gamified cardio through mixed reality, which was recently acquired by Elbo, an education-focused company based in Singapore. He began his company as a project in the summer of 2022. Since then, it has gained thousands of users and made thousands in revenue each month. Arora is a senior in computer science. He participated in the Spring 2024 Startup Launch, the first cohort to be held outside of the summer program. Below is a Q\u0026amp;A with Arora.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDid you always want to be an entrepreneur?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI always did. I had my first company, an educational technology app, when I was 16, which ran for about two years. I ended it in my first year of college. I\u0027m from India originally and the vision was to provide resources to the larger mass market of India for extracurricular activities. But, we realized there wasn\u0027t a business model. When we tried to make money, we started serving the rich kids. When we tried to serve the market, we didn\u0027t make money, which doesn\u0027t make investors happy, though we did end up making enough money to repay them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat didn\u0027t stop me; it just gave me more lessons.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat other experience in entrepreneurship have you had?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI\u0027ve been involved in entrepreneurship communities at Georgia Tech forever. I was co-director of Startup Exchange, which is where I met a lot of really driven people. I got a chance to build their fellowship program and initiate their first pitch competition, which is now called Summit. I\u0027ve collaborated with CREATE-X for different events, and I try to attend any event hosted by CREATE-X, Startup Exchange, or ATDC.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you choose to join the spring cohort of Startup Launch this year?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X provides everything you need, like legal support, financial support, sales support, mentors, and an introduction to VCs, which is why I decided to join the Launch program. I think all of that boosted our startup\u2019s growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you feel like acquisition was the way to go for your company?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI think because I always knew this wasn\u2019t \u201cthe\u201d thing I was going to do. This summer I\u0027ll be starting to work for Apple on their VisionPro team, and it has a direct conflict-of-interest. They wanted me to stop working on this for a while. So, I felt like this might be a good time to explore the acquisition.\u0026nbsp; We had really rich content, which had proven to work. We had curated that content after hundreds of customer interviews, and we had advisors from Nike, Disney, and Netflix. I knew that was a strong point, so that\u0027s why I knew that acquisition would be a good exit.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat support have you had in taking the acquisition path?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESeth [Radman, who has had multiple exits himself and is a Startup Launch alumnus] has been guiding me professionally for a while. I met him at previous events through Startup Exchange, but then he recently came to a CREATE-X event. Rahul [Saxena, CREATE-X director], has also been a great support for me since day one. He was the one who suggested Startup Launch to me.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn December of last year, we started monetizing. We were testing different things. It was helpful to share the numbers and the data points with Rahul, mentors, and other people in my cohort so that I was not blindsided, and I could take actions based on the educated analysis of a database. It helped me drive down our customer acquisition cost, increase our customer lifetime value, and didn\u0027t keep me in my own bubble.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow were you okay with letting that product go?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was a tough decision; it was my baby. I\u0027d been working on it 10 to 15 hours a day, at least for the last few months. Rahul and Seth convinced me that if this is not the thing you want to do long-term and you know the market isn\u0027t big enough, you should move on to the next thing and put your time and energy there.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI had to use my brain, and not my heart.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u0027s the biggest piece of advice that you\u0027ve received as you developed your company?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETry to never lie to yourself, which is harder than it seems. I\u0027ve built two companies and worked with several others, and I still lie to myself. When you love your product so much, it\u0027s very easy to lie to yourself about how there is a market for it, or people are using it. I think even in the future, I\u2019ll probably be caught doing that, but the best way I\u0027ve found to overcome that is to surround yourself with people who can tell you when you are doing it and help you see your company the way it is instead of the way you want it to be.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow has this decision affected you so far?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy lifestyle has completely changed, from looking at a dashboard every 10 to 15 minutes, seeing how the product is doing, and burning so many fires every 30 minutes, to being pretty chill. Like, what am I supposed to think about before I go to bed? What am I supposed to do now? Who are the customers I am supposed to be thinking about? It\u0027s been interesting, but I think this gives me space to now work on that next venture and have more time to think about what I want to do next.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDo you think you\u0027ll want to return to entrepreneurship in the future?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYes, for sure. All the money I received from the acquisition will also fuel my next venture. My main goal is to grow in this industry. I\u0027m an entrepreneur at heart, so I will be returning to the space soon or building products that people like.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow are you celebrating this win?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI did celebrate it on our last day with Rahul, my amazing mentor, Margaret [Weniger, who founded Rising Tide], and the other cohort members. I will be celebrating it with a few of my friends because my 21st birthday is coming around, so I\u0027ll be celebrating these occasions together.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut I don\u0027t want to take the money out from the company or for anything else, because it\u2019s for my next venture. It shouldn\u0027t change my lifestyle at all, so I\u0027ve kept all that money in a separate place.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat encouragement would you give to students interested in pursuing a startup?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERelative to other colleges, we have a cushion, a sense of security that we will get good jobs. Entrepreneurship is a riskier and more unpredictable path, which I\u0027ve seen, and I\u0027m personally experiencing right now having to choose between Big Tech versus entrepreneurship. But once you start building it and when you hear from your first customer how you affected the way they live, then there\u0027s no going back. Statistically, you\u0027ll probably fail, but you won\u0027t know until you start building; and if you do fail, it\u2019ll teach you so many valuable lessons that are applicable in whatever career path you choose.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X will launch its 12th cohort of Startup Launch on Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. in the Georgia Tech Exhibition Hall. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/gt-demo-day-tickets-888408793617?aff=WebInfoPage\u0022\u003ERegister today\u003C\/a\u003E to secure your spot.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInterested in becoming a CREATE-X supporter? Startup Launch is made possible by contributions to Transforming Tomorrow, a $2 billion comprehensive campaign designed to secure resources that will advance the Institute and its impact, and by the continued engagement of our entrepreneurial ecosystem. Learn more about philanthropy at Georgia Tech and donate by visiting \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/transformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Etransformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo become a mentor in CREATE-X, visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/alumni-and-giving\/mentorship-program\u0022\u003ECREATE-X mentorship page\u003C\/a\u003E. Any other inquiry may be sent to \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:create-x@groups.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecreate-x@groups.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E. We appreciate your help and commitment to supporting our students in research and innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EParth Arora, a senior in computer science at Georgia Tech and founder of Third Dimension Fitness, has successfully transitioned his startup into an acquisition by Elbo, a Singapore-based educational company. Starting as a summer project in 2022, the platform quickly gained traction, amassing thousands of users and consistent monthly revenue. Arora\u2019s entrepreneurial journey, marked by early ventures and active involvement in Georgia Tech\u2019s entrepreneurial ecosystem, culminated in the strategic acquisition decision, aligning with his upcoming role at Apple.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Parth Arora, Georgia Tech computer science senior and founder of Third Dimension Fitness, leveraged his entrepreneurial skills and CREATE-X\u2019s resources to grow his startup, leading to its acquisition by Elbo as he prepares to join Apple\u2019s VisionPro team."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2024-05-17 20:30:41","changed_gmt":"2024-05-20 13:58:18","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674037":{"id":"674037","type":"image","title":"Parth Arora Photo","body":null,"created":"1716213408","gmt_created":"2024-05-20 13:56:48","changed":"1716213463","gmt_changed":"2024-05-20 13:57:43","alt":"Parth Arora using headset","file":{"fid":"257503","name":"ParthArora.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/20\/ParthArora.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/20\/ParthArora.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1278828,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/20\/ParthArora.png?itok=5ghXSNMt"}}},"media_ids":["674037"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/gt-demo-day-tickets-888408793617?aff=WebInfoPage","title":"Demo Day Registration"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166973","name":"startup"},{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"},{"id":"1072","name":"Business"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}