The two‑day event took place Feb. 4 – 5, coinciding with the Critical Minerals Ministerial hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, which brought together more than 50 nations to strengthen and diversify global critical mineral supply chains. During this ministerial, U.K. Minister Seema Malhotra and U.S. Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg signed a Critical Minerals Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening bilateral cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom on critical mineral supply chains.
These broad efforts are supported by White House Executive Order 14363, which defines the Genesis Mission and aims to accelerate scientific discovery through AI. The order identifies critical minerals supply chain resilience as a national security imperative.
In Atlanta, these themes were brought to life in real time. The GEMs-4 workshop brought together researchers, policymakers, national labs, industry leaders, and workforce organizations from both the U.S. and the U.K. to address shared challenges in technology translation, permitting, investment, and talent development.
The state of Georgia’s integrated ecosystem, linking research universities, legacy industries, technical colleges, national labs, and public‑private partnerships, served as a case study. Presenters highlighted how existing industrial assets in the Southeast are being incorporated into emerging clean energy and critical minerals supply chains, offering a model for other regions seeking to build capabilities around extraction, processing, and manufacturing.
A U.K. member of Parliament representing Cornwall, where the U.K. has lithium reserves and deep critical mineral expertise, joined the convening, as well as representatives from the U.K. Critical Mineral Association, Camborne School of Mines, and the University of Kent. Together, they explored opportunities and challenges, from a fundamental science to a commercialization perspective grounded in real-world experience.
The alignment between the ministerial in Washington and the expertise present in Atlanta demonstrated the value of state-level engagement and how national agreements translate into practical collaboration on the ground.
“The Southeast has the research depth, industrial footprint, and collaborative spirit needed to lead in critical minerals innovation,” said Yuanzhi Tang, Georgia Power Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute, and founding director of the Center for Critical Mineral Solutions at Georgia Tech. “GEMs‑4 showed what’s possible when universities, industry, and government partners align around shared priorities.”
Day one featured strategic dialogue on critical mineral resources, innovation pathways, and partnership models. A recurring theme was the co-production of critical minerals alongside major mineral commodities. “Many critical minerals are produced as byproducts of larger mining operations, making it essential to integrate recovery strategies into existing mineral industries rather than developing entirely new extraction systems,” noted Crawford Elliott, professor of geosciences at Georgia State University.
Day two transitioned to field‑based learning, led by Paul Schroeder, professor of geology at the University of Georgia. Participants visited active operations to better understand how regional industrial strengths can support national and international supply chain goals. Schroeder said, “Connecting people to the long-standing mineral extraction economy at the mining and plant sites, where the work gets done with an amazingly skilled workforce, underscores the unique role of Georgia’s place‑based capacity in advancing national and transatlantic supply chain goals.”
Organizers emphasized that resilient supply chains rely on regional capabilities built over time through university collaboration, industry partnerships, and community engagement. With three years of inter‑university coordination now underpinning the GEMS platform, the 2026 workshop demonstrated how the Southeast is contributing actionable models for U.S.-U.K. cooperation.
“Ecosystem-building at this scale requires participation from every part of the value chain, and we are encouraged by the model GEMs presents,” said Rachel Galloway, Consul General at British Consulate General Atlanta. “The collaboration across universities, industry, and government is exactly what enables long‑term impact on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Through focused dialogue and partnership-building, the symposium strengthened transatlantic collaboration, highlighted regional strengths, and accelerated innovation and translation across the critical minerals value chain, from resource characterization and processing to recycling, manufacturing, and deployment.
For more information about the GEMS initiative, visit: https://gems.research.gatech.edu/.
]]>As during previous editions, this year’s conference featured more than two dozen scientists, engineers, policy experts, and thought leaders from Georgia Tech and beyond, illustrating how collaboration across fields – from science and engineering to public policy and international affairs – helps to advance strategic research priorities.
“Frontiers is about discovery and connections across disciplines and generations,” says Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair. “This edition provided an inspiring glimpse into the future of space exploration and the many ways Georgia Tech is contributing to research and missions seeking answers to what lies beyond our planet.”
Commitment to Space
Space research is a key institutional priority at Georgia Tech, which is home to numerous academic and research programs in planetary sciences, robotics, mission design, space policy, and other areas.
The recently established Space Research Institute (SRI) serves as the central hub connecting the broad range of space-related research across campus. Led by Jud Ready, who also serves as principal research engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, SRI has expanded support for space research and commercialization through initiatives such as the CreationsVC Space Fellows Program and Centers, Programs, and Initiatives seed grant program.
SRI’s efforts are in line with Georgia Tech’s long-standing contribution to space exploration. Hundreds of Yellow Jacket alumni work in the space sector, including several graduates who are playing key roles in the Artemis program. To date, more than a dozen Georgia Tech alumni have traveled to space.
Exploring the Final Frontier
The conference featured a series of panels and discussions led by faculty and researchers from the Colleges of Sciences and Engineering as well as the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.
Sessions explored how researchers are studying the processes and conditions that support planetary habitability, seeking to answer one of humanity’s greatest questions: Does life exist beyond Earth? Speakers also examined how analog fieldwork in Earth’s extreme environments can inform space exploration, and how space research, in turn, can deepen our understanding of our own world.
Additional conversations centered on building better space missions through improved understanding of team and individual resilience, data collection, navigation, and the development of advanced technologies like the robots developed through the NASA LASSIE Project.
Frontiers also highlighted Georgia Tech’s commitment to preparing the next generation of space scientists, engineers, and leaders. Student training and engagement were recurring themes throughout the day, with speakers emphasizing opportunities for student-led and student-run missions and research. A panel of Georgia Tech alumni shared their own STEM career journeys, challenging the idea of “one right path” to success — and acknowledging the resources and opportunities available at the Institute.
A highlight of the conference was a fireside chat with Atlanta-native, retired U.S. Army Colonel and NASA Astronaut R. Shane Kimbrough (M.S. Operations Research 1998). Kimbrough, who spent a total of 388 days in space and performed nine spacewalks across three missions, reflected on his career and the evolution of spaceflight. He emphasized the expanding role of public-private and international partnerships in advancing ambitious goals, such as creating a permanent human outpost on the Moon.
Policy and Public
The conference also explored how policy influences space discovery and innovation, with discussions touching on such issues as space security, access, governance, sustainability — and the influence of technology and science fiction on public perception and policy.
Panelists described current policy frameworks governing outer space as struggling to keep pace with rapidly advancing technologies and expanding activities. According to these experts, increasing tensions among commercial, research, and recreational uses of space call for greater coordination among private and government entities to balance competing priorities while maximizing opportunities for innovation and exploration.
The conference was punctuated by a networking lunch connecting attendees with Atlanta’s public astronomy community – including partners at several universities and the Georgia Tech Astronomy Club, which set up telescopes for attendees to safely observe the sun. Later that evening, the Georgia Tech Observatory hosted its Public Night, welcoming the broader Atlanta community to campus for telescope views of Jupiter, the Orion Nebula, and other celestial bodies.
The Observatory Night was a fitting conclusion to a full day focused on Georgia Tech’s commitment and contributions to inspiring future generations of space explorers through research, education, and outreach.
Experience the Frontiers conference in pictures on the College of Sciences’ Flickr account.
]]>Set in the heart of Tech Square on the Georgia Tech campus, this year’s event explores how energy systems, materials, technologies, supply chains, and policy must evolve in response to AI’s accelerating impact. As digital infrastructure expands and computation intensifies, the need for reliable, resilient, and sustainable power has never been more urgent.
“Energy Day reflects Georgia Tech’s strength in connecting world-class research in materials and components with the infrastructure and partnerships needed to translate discovery into scalable energy technologies that serve industry, society, and the future economy,” said Eric Vogel, executive director of the IMS and the Hightower Professor in Materials Science and Engineering.
Energy Day 2026 also marks an important milestone with the introduction of its first group of corporate sponsors: GE Vernova, Southern Company, Georgia Power, ExxonMobil, Southwire Spark, Gems Setra, and Tektronix. Their support reflects a shared commitment to advancing energy solutions.
“Tektronix is excited to be part of Energy Day because advancing the future of energy starts with precise measurement and trusted insights,” said Christopher Bohn, president of Tektronix. “From power electronics and high voltage systems to grid scale renewables and AI driven control technologies, the breakthroughs discussed here directly align with the innovations we support through our products and solutions. Collaborating with Georgia Tech allows us to engage early with emerging research and the next generation of engineers—critical collaborators in building a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient energy ecosystem.”
The keynote address will be delivered by Vanessa Z. Chan, a nationally recognized leader at the intersection of innovation, commercialization, and emerging technologies. Chan will provide insights on accelerating technological discovery, emphasizing how AI is transforming energy and materials design. She will discuss how commercialization strategies must rapidly evolve across multidisciplinary energy domains from grid modernization to advanced batteries and clean manufacturing.
Building on the themes introduced in the keynote, the program transitions into a fireside chat with Georgia Tech EVPR Tim Lieuwen featuring Amit Kulkarni and Jim Walsh. Kulkarni is vice president of Product Management and Strategy for the Gas Power business within GE Vernova, where he oversees the world’s largest portfolio of power generation equipment. Walsh, vice president of GE Vernova’s Consulting Services, leads teams providing innovative solutions across the full spectrum of power generation, delivery, and utilization.
Next comes a policy-focused panel that will explore the surge in power demand driven by AI, how the United States is addressing today’s most urgent energy challenges, and the long-term implications of today’s decisions for a sustainable energy future. Bringing together leading voices in U.S. environmental and energy policy, the panel features Joe Aldy of Harvard University and former special assistant to the president for Energy and Environment; Al McGartland of New York University’s Institute for Policy Integrity and former Environmental Protection Agency lead economist and director of the National Center for Environmental Economics; and Kevin Rennert, fellow and director of the Comprehensive Climate Strategies Program at Resources for the Future and former staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
The second panel focuses on critical materials — the foundation of advanced energy systems and digital technologies. As AI, data centers, and advanced energy technologies drive demand for critical materials, securing them now requires integration and coordination across the entire value chain. Panelists include Rachel Galloway, British consul general in Atlanta; Vijay Murugesan, head of Materials Intelligence and Digital Innovation at Amazon; Colin Spellmeyer, executive strategic sourcing leader at GE Vernova; Charles Sims, Tennessee Valley Authority Distinguished Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy at the University of Tennessee; and Nortey Yeboah, principal engineer at Southern Company. Together, they will offer perspectives on the policy and economic frameworks shaping the energy supply chain, from developing raw resources to manufacturing the technologies essential to future energy systems.
In the afternoon, participants can dive deeper into specialized topics through three focused technical tracks.
“Meeting the rapidly rising electricity demand driven by AI requires bold ideas, coordinated action, and research that moves at the speed of innovation,” said Yuanzhi Tang, executive director of the SEI. “Energy Day 2026 brings together the people and expertise needed to shape resilient, sustainable energy systems for the future. At Georgia Tech, we see this event as a catalyst for new partnerships, new solutions, and a shared commitment to strengthening the nation’s energy foundation.”
Energy Day 2026 is designed for researchers advancing emerging energy technologies, policymakers navigating shifting regulatory and geopolitical landscapes, industry professionals seeking insight into emerging tools and supply chains, and students preparing to enter one of the most consequential sectors of the decade. It also welcomes anyone interested in AI, sustainability, electrification, and critical materials.
Join us to explore the future of energy. To learn more and register, visit: Energy Day 2026.
]]>Zachary Axel is a great example. Reaching well beyond Georgia Tech faculty, he started sending “cold call” emails in 2023 to A.M. Turing Award winners and other computing luminaries.
The emails shared Axel’s vision for a virtual platform that would enable Georgia Tech students and faculty to connect with some of the most distinguished minds in computing.
The first to accept was Moshe Vardi, a distinguished professor of computer science at Rice University and recipient of the 2020 AAAI Allen Newell Award and several other ACM awards. Vardi’s January 2024 presentation was a hit and served as a template for what grew to become the Turing Mind Series at Georgia Tech.
Three years and nearly two dozen emails later, the series is wrapping up later this month, hosting its 22nd event and its 15th Turing Award winner.
Registration is open for the final session of the Turing Mind Series on March 30, featuring 2019 Turing Laureate Patrick Hanrahan, widely renowned for his enduring contributions to 3D computer graphics.
“There are approximately 70-75 living Turing Award winners. I am proud to say that we have hosted roughly 20% of them for the Turing Minds Series,” said Axel, a former Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS) student.
“Fifteen felt like the right number to end on. We set out to connect Georgia Tech students and researchers with Turing Laureates, and we did exactly that. Mission accomplished."
As one might guess, Turing Award winners don’t receive a lot of unsolicited emails from students. Vinton Cerf, a 2004 Turing Award winner, says people typically hesitate to engage without some form of endorsement or introduction.
“What is notable about Zachary’s initiative is that he undertook to ‘cold call,’ well, ‘cold email,’ Turing Award recipients to ask them to participate in the program,” said Cerf, who, along with fellow 2004 Turing Laureate Robert Kahn, was instrumental in the pioneering development of fundamental internet communication protocols.
“It is a measure of his confidence and optimism that he succeeded in persuading Turing awardees to engage in the speaking program. Zachary did not hesitate and, in some ways, that may be why he was so successful,” said Cerf.
Axel credits GT Computing Dean Emeritus Zvi Galil with encouraging him and offering guidance along the way.
“Zach is amazing, and he has a lot of chutzpah,” said Galil. “The Turing Minds Series is a remarkable achievement and has become the premier global speaker platform for computer science luminaries.”
Axel thinks he was successful early on for two reasons: he kept it simple, and he used his Georgia Tech email address. He emailed the first five Turing Laureates from the perspective of a student hungry for knowledge.
“I simply asked the Laureates I reached if they would give 30 minutes of their time to virtually present to me and my GT classmates,” said Axel.
He says he would thoroughly research each winner so he could reference a presentation, paper, or another specific aspect of their work in his email. “I did my homework. I made it very easy for them to say yes.”
Axel’s request emails also offered the Turing Laureates –and the Nobel Prize Laureates who were also invited– the option of sharing a presentation or participating in a Q&A. It was this decision to offer a Q&A format that led to one of the most significant moments of the Turing Mind Series for Axel.
“That's how we got legendary 1974 Turing Laureate Donald Knuth. Known for being extremely selective in accepting speaking invitations, he specifically stated that the offer to do a Q&A format was the reason he accepted,” said Axel.
“I also don't think it hurt that the email was coming from an @gatech.edu address, as the Georgia Tech name offered us significant credibility.”
Knuth, widely regarded as the “father of algorithm analysis,” and renowned for his foundational work, The Art of Computer Programming, joined the Turing Minds Series in October 2025 as its 12th guest.
“Thanks so much to you and Parsa for honoring me with an invitation to speak in the online ‘Turing Minds’ series at Georgia Tech,” Knuth said in a note written to Axel.
“It was lots of fun for me this morning to try to answer the excellent questions posed by so many of the viewers.”
Parsa Khazaeepoul is also a former OMSCS student and the co-founder of the series. Axel says that Khazaeepoul’s technical expertise led to the success of the series’ virtual platform.
“Parsa built the series website and managed all of the challenges of hosting and scaling a platform that has impacted to date 4,000+ students and faculty from Georgia Tech and throughout the world.”
The Turing Minds Series at Georgia Tech hosted its first speaker in January 2024. The final installment is scheduled for March 30 at 1 p.m.
But this isn’t the end of the series. Live video recordings of each of the soon-to-be 15 events in the series are available at https://www.turing.rsvp/.
Beyond the website, Axel says the Turing Minds Series is partnering with the ACM, the creators and distributors of the A.M. Turing Award. The goal is to integrate the series into the ACM ecosystem, where it will be accessible to the ACM’s 110,000 student and professional members in more than 170 countries.
"We had a lot of people reach out to us to thank us for what we were doing. Knowing that students left these conversations seeing what's possible in computer science, that meant everything to us," said Axel.
]]>Georgia Tech College of Computing
albert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu
]]>To kick off the 13th annual Atlanta Science Festival (ASF), Georgia Tech hosted Celebrate STEAM on March 7, welcoming thousands of visitors to experience hands-on demonstrations and interactive displays showcasing the innovation and excitement at the intersection of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Setting the stage for the festival, which runs through March 21, Celebrate STEAM saw over 4,000 attendees take part in more than 50 activities on Tech’s campus, from exploring the human brain with Georgia Tech neuroscience experts to creating art with robots.
Aria Washington, a 9-year-old student, first attended Celebrate STEAM in 2024. Intrigued by a robotic dog demonstration, Washington set out to build her own. Two years later, she built her own robotic K-9 and earned first place in several competitions for her work and presentation skills.
“Celebrate STEAM inspired me because when I saw the different exhibits, I thought, ‘I can do that.’ What made me decide to build my own was that I wanted to see how they worked. No one ever told me I was too young, but if someone did, I would try anyway,” she said.
Celebrate STEAM was the first of more than 150 Atlanta Science Festival events across the city, culminating with the Exploration Expo at Piedmont Park on the festival’s final day. Georgia Tech, Emory University, Delta Air Lines, and other presenting sponsors will host events throughout the festival, with Tech experts and others providing engaging and informative demonstrations at various events.
When: Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
From President Jimmy Carter’s 1970s solar panels on the White House to today’s high-tech solar vehicles, the look and efficiency of clean energy have been rapidly changing. Join the Carter Library and the Georgia Tech Solar Racing team for an engaging panel discussion on the evolution of clean energy.
Hear from experts about how Carter’s early response to the energy crisis helped spark a clean energy revolution and see modern innovations in action. The racing team will bring their solar vehicles on-site for the public to view and interact with, offering a hands-on look at the future of sustainable transportation.
When: Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: Zoo Atlanta
Ever wonder how orangutans swing, or how an elephant's trunk works? This event at Zoo Atlanta celebrates the diversity of animals on Earth and the incredible ways they move. With help from biomechanics experts at Georgia Tech and other universities, visitors can participate in live demonstrations and presentations designed to engage and inspire them to learn more about biomechanics and its applications in bio-inspired design.
When: Saturday, March 14, 7 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Ferst Center for the Arts
Attendees will see the world's most innovative new musical instruments, meet the creators, hear them in concert, and vote on their favorites. The Guthman Musical Instrument Competition is a celebration of how science, engineering, art, and design help us imagine new ways to express ourselves through music.
When: Friday, March 20, 7 – 8 p.m.
Where: Room 103, Instructional Center
The Musical Chemist Walker Smith turns atomic spectra into sound through data sonification, allowing visitors to hear a variety of elements and the ethereal chords they create together. His live show, The Sound of Molecules, features lasers, live music, and audience interaction, so “buckle your seatbelts, because things are about to get elemental.”
Nearly two dozen venture capital (VC) leaders based in Atlanta and the Southeast participated in a half-day summit at the College on Jan. 21.
Co-hosts Dean of Computing Vivek Sarkar and Noro-Moseley Partners General Partner Alan Taetle organized the invitation-only summit. Their goals were to:
The summit’s guest list included founders, partners, and leaders from VC firms. Many of these firms focus on early-stage startups in SaaS, fintech, cybersecurity, and other emerging technology markets.
Sarkar outlined the College of Computing’s academic mission and research priorities during his opening remarks. He emphasized the College’s role in advancing innovation in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and other emerging research areas.
“One of the College’s strategic pillars is what I call ‘X to the power of Computing’,” Sarkar said. “Look at any discipline or industry X to see where they're innovating and where their advances are being made, and that’s where Computing meets that discipline.”
Along with remarks from the dean, the summit featured presentations highlighting Georgia Tech’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and College-led research initiatives with strong commercialization potential.
Jen Whitlow leads Community Partnerships at Fusen, a global platform for student founders created by Atlanta philanthropist Christopher W. Klaus. She described Klaus’s support for student entrepreneurship, including GT Computing’s annual Klaus Startup Challenge. In 2025, Klaus awarded five winning teams $150,000 each to cover startup costs.
Whitlow also updated guests on Klaus’s commitment, announced in May 2025, to covering the incorporation costs for any graduating student who aspires to launch a startup.
“More than 600 graduates from last year’s Spring and Fall Commencements have accepted the gift, and more than 225 recent graduates have completed their incorporation to date,” Whitlow said. She added that a second cohort of Fall 2025 graduates is being processed over the next few weeks.
Offering an enterprise-level view, CREATE-X Rahul Saxena presented recent updates to commercialization at Georgia Tech and efforts to streamline entrepreneurial processes.
Saxena emphasized the launch of Velocity Startups, an accelerator that provides the resources and infrastructure student startups need to bring their innovations to market.
Following these updates, GT Computing faculty delivered lightning-round presentations highlighting the College’s research strengths in AI, cybersecurity, and high-performance computing.
“The tighter the local investing community is with Georgia Tech, the better off both are,” said Taetle, who has been a member of the College’s Advisory Board for more than 20 years.
“It’s critical in this super-competitive world that we do everything that we can to support this fantastic university.”
Taetle added that the summit was part of a broader effort to strengthen the College’s entrepreneurial pipeline.
“There are some really big ideas here, which could turn into really big companies,” he said. “We’ve made some great strides on the commercialization front, but we still have that opportunity and challenge in front of us.”
The afternoon concluded with a discussion of next steps and engagement opportunities, led by Sarkar and Jason Zwang, GT Computing’s senior director of development. The discussion focused on research partnership opportunities, startup formation, and student involvement.
Zwang emphasized the importance of investing in Atlanta’s innovation ecosystem, citing the city’s strong fundamentals and pro-growth climate for entrepreneurship.
“This gives us a unique opportunity to start working more closely with the local VC community, and it’s also great for our students,” Zwang said.
Sarkar agreed, saying, “There’s no downside for students to get involved in a startup. It might take off and be a bonanza. If not, the experience makes you a more competitive hire because of the breadth of experience you gain at a startup.”
To foster these opportunities for students, Zwang said that a key priority is to establish earlier, more intentional connections among students, startups, and investors.
“This is a pivotal moment,” he said. “We can determine how to connect students with the VC and startup community earlier and ensure these investors remain involved with the College.”
College leaders said the summit underscored Computing’s commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial culture and to building lasting relationships that can help accelerate the real-world impact of its research beyond the Institute.
“Georgia Tech is a force multiplier for entrepreneurship,” said Sarkar. “We’re here to change the world. We want to inspire a culture of bold, big entrepreneurial thinking, and look forward to the next steps that will follow this VC summit.”
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]]>What does it mean to design systems that endure even after major disruptions? This question framed the 2026 Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS) Sustainability Showcase, where conversations over two days spanned the Georgia coast, wildfire modeling, AI data centers, infrastructure, community engagement, and the joy of working for a more sustainable and resilient world. Across disciplines and scales, a unifying theme emerged: resilience is not a single solution. It is a systems-level challenge requiring integration across science and technology, policy, communities, and human experience.
From Coastlines to Communities
The showcase opened with a keynote from President Emeritus G. Wayne Clough on wildlife management and resiliency along Georgia’s coast. The conversation that followed between Clough and BBISS Executive Director Beril Toktay highlighted the interconnection between public policy, wilderness conservation, community leadership, and scientific research. The session highlighted not only the urgency of protecting fragile ecosystems, but also that resilience works best when it is community-focused and community-driven.
Subsequent panels continued this systemic perspective. Sessions on community engagement, biotechnology-derived, climate-resilient plants, the flood resilience of Georgia coastal communities, wildfire prediction and prevention, and infrastructure resilience analytics all emphasized that resilience depends on the synthesis of many disciplines.
Across sessions, researchers emphasized that infrastructure resilience must include governance frameworks informed by good science, community engagement based on trust, and sustained collaboration that seeks to constantly improve the science, policy, and stakeholder relationships. The researchers demonstrated that they understand their role to be greater than merely modeling risk, but as collaborators who translate research into practical solutions that communities can adopt, maintain, and trust.
AI Data Centers: A New Resilience Frontier
Day two shifted attention to data centers, which are emerging as a critical resilience frontier. As artificial intelligence systems scale rapidly, so does the infrastructure that powers them, as well as the growing realization that digital systems are physical systems. Conversations examined the feedback loops that play a significant role in determining environmental impacts, such as chip architecture, AI workloads, data center sustainability, appropriate AI usage, and who makes the decisions on data center infrastructure development.
One of the most fascinating sessions came from Alexandria Smith, assistant professor in the School of Music at Georgia Tech. She presented an artistic yet algorithmic composition that sonified data from AI data centers. Through translating kilowatt-hour usage and interconnection data into immersive soundscapes, she reframed data centers not as static input-output machines, but as adaptive, living systems. Drawing inspiration from Physarum polycephalum, a slime mold without a brain or nervous system known for its innate problem-solving abilities, she invites the listener to imagine infrastructure that senses, adapts, and self-optimizes.
Campus as a Living Laboratory
In her session, Professor Jennifer Chirico, associate vice president of Sustainability, highlighted Georgia Tech’s 2024 Climate Action Plan, focusing on building energy efficiency, renewable integration, materials management, and mobility transitions. The plan frames the Georgia Tech campus as a test bed for resilience strategies — an ecosystem where research, operations, and policy intersect. Chirico highlighted several examples where the alignment between research and implementation was essential in moving projects from modeling to pilot projects to sustained institutional change.
Finding Joy in Climate Action
Rebecca Watts Hull, Matthew Realff, and Christie Stewart led an interactive discussion inspired by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s framework for accelerating long-term climate action. Participants were asked three simple questions: What are you good at? What work needs doing? What brings you joy? Sustainability and climate research are fields often defined by serious urgency, crisis narratives, and burnout. This session offered a personal framework for resilience where emotional sustainability, professional fulfillment, and joy matter just as much as the motivation to drive a mission ever forward.
Building a Shared Vision
The Sustainability Showcase concluded with a facilitated visioning session led by Kristin Janacek, associate director for Interdisciplinary Research Impact, and Beril Toktay. In small groups, leaders, researchers, and community members worked to define what resilience looks like for them.
After the conversations, several themes emerged:
Over two days, it became clear that Georgia Tech is not approaching resilience as a narrow technical problem. It is approaching it as a systems challenge — one that spans coastlines, campuses, disciplines, data centers, the Appalachian Mountains, data models, the arts, and human relationships. Designing systems that endure requires more than innovation. It requires collaboration, stewardship, and a shared commitment to long-term impact. The conversations launched at this year’s BBISS Sustainability Showcase laid the foundation for continued coordination and ambitious action in the months ahead.
]]>The event marks the culmination of the semester-long I2P course, where undergraduate students develop functional prototypes aimed at solving real-world problems. Prototypes this semester include a smart military drone, a gentler device for cervical cancer screening, a rotating espresso station, tools to keep AI safe, compact data centers, systems that simulate cyberattacks to help companies strengthen their defenses, and many more.
The showcase is free and open to students, faculty, staff, and members of the local community.
Winning teams will receive prizes and a “golden ticket” into CREATE-X’s Startup Launch, a summer accelerator that provides optional seed funding, accounting and legal service credits, mentorship, and more to help students turn their prototypes into viable startups.
This is a free event, and refreshments will be provided. Register for the Fall 2025 I2P Showcase today!
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