{"690638":{"#nid":"690638","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Awaits the World Cup ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe streets have been paved. The grass has been mowed. Projects across the city have rushed to completion in anticipation of Atlanta hosting eight World Cup matches in June and July. Georgia Tech\u2019s campus will join in the excitement, and the campus community is ready.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m excited for people from all over the world to experience how much Atlanta has embraced soccer,\u201d said Alex Duncan, senior director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/omscs.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOnline Master of Science in Computer Science\u003C\/a\u003E program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuncan, originally from Plano, Texas, began following the World Cup in 1998. He traveled to Berlin for the 2006 tournament and has enjoyed seeing the world\u2019s game come closer to home with the addition of Atlanta United, U.S. Soccer\u2019s training headquarters, and the upcoming launch of a women\u2019s professional team in the city.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEven if you don\u2019t go to any games, the atmosphere and energy are palpable during the tournament, and it\u2019s one of those rare events that unites people all over the world,\u201d he said. \u201cTo have all of this happening effectively in my backyard is a dream come true.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor many students, the World Cup arriving in Atlanta represents more than a sporting event. It is a chance to connect with pieces of their identity or homes outside of Atlanta, or even outside of the United States.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESindhu Belki, an aerospace engineering student from Doha, Qatar, was in the U.S. when the World Cup was hosted in her home country. Now, she finds herself in the right place at the right time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe excitement of entering a stadium decked in the colors and gear of your favorite team, joining hundreds of people supporting some of your favorite players, seeing little kids imitate Messi or Ronaldo, watching the players walk onto the pitch amid thunderous applause, the nail-biting anticipation with every pass of the ball, and the sheer joy of clinching the winning goal in a penalty shootout \u2014 what can be more thrilling and adventurous?\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIrene Jacob, a city and regional planning student from Maryland, is also thrilled to be living in a host city. She has followed the World Cup since 2014.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat makes the World Cup especially unique is the atmosphere around it and how it brings people together from all over the world in a way that few other sporting events can,\u201d she said. \u201c2014-me would be so excited to know that 12 years later, the city I\u2019d be living in during the summer would actually be hosting the World Cup.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhether you\u2019re a diehard soccer fan or simply interested in experiencing the spectacle, there will be plenty of activities on and around campus to enjoy. Georgia Tech will host \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.w1.calendar.oit.gatech.edu\/event\/2026\/06\/10\/club-and-country-colors-day-world-cup-celebration\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EClub and Country Colors Day\u003C\/a\u003E on June 10, and Georgia Tech and Georgia State University are teaming up for a watch party at Georgia State\u2019s Convocation Center on July 1 \u2013 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/calendar.gsu.edu\/event\/round-of-32-gsu-campus-watch-party\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eregister for a free ticket\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESee more campus events at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/world-cup-2026\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Egatech.edu\/world-cup-2026\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs Atlanta prepares to host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer, Georgia Tech\u2019s campus will be at the center of the excitement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As Atlanta prepares to host eight FIFA World Cup matches this summer, Georgia Tech\u2019s campus will be at the center of the excitement. "}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-06-07 13:26:51","changed_gmt":"2026-06-09 13:26:34","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680424":{"id":"680424","type":"image","title":"Excitement for the World Cup","body":"\u003Cp\u003E(L-R): Sindhu Belki, Irene Jacob, and Alex Duncan show off a Georgia Tech soccer scarf.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780879734","gmt_created":"2026-06-08 00:48:54","changed":"1780879987","gmt_changed":"2026-06-08 00:53:07","alt":"(L-R): Sindhu Belki, Irene Jacob, and Alex Duncan","file":{"fid":"264681","name":"World-Cup-People-Day-002-web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-002-web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-002-web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1740801,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-002-web.jpg?itok=hkc1_qao"}},"680427":{"id":"680427","type":"image","title":"Alex Duncan","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAlex Duncan, senior director of OMSCS, wears a France jersey. Photo by Allison Carter.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780880237","gmt_created":"2026-06-08 00:57:17","changed":"1780880319","gmt_changed":"2026-06-08 00:58:39","alt":"Alex Duncan","file":{"fid":"264684","name":"World-Cup-People-Day-014-web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-014-web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-014-web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1405321,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-014-web.jpg?itok=KuRowBJ9"}},"680426":{"id":"680426","type":"image","title":"Irene Jacob","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIrene Jacob, a city and regional planning student, wears an Argentina jersey from the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Photo by Allison Carter.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780880134","gmt_created":"2026-06-08 00:55:34","changed":"1780880229","gmt_changed":"2026-06-08 00:57:09","alt":"Irene Jacob","file":{"fid":"264683","name":"World-Cup-People-Day-017-web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-017-web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-017-web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1522945,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-017-web.jpg?itok=UYYnaQo5"}},"680425":{"id":"680425","type":"image","title":"Sindhu Belki","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESindhu Belki, an aerospace engineering student, wears a shirt from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where her father was a volunteer.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1780880017","gmt_created":"2026-06-08 00:53:37","changed":"1780880102","gmt_changed":"2026-06-08 00:55:02","alt":"Sindhu Belki","file":{"fid":"264682","name":"World-Cup-People-Day-019.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-019.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-019.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1671653,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/07\/World-Cup-People-Day-019.JPG?itok=GnHoX93m"}}},"media_ids":["680424","680427","680426","680425"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/world-cup-2026","title":"Georgia Tech World Cup Events"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2026\/05\/world-cup-puts-atlanta-back-global-spotlight","title":"Generating Buzz: World Cup Puts Atlanta Back in Global Spotlight"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/12\/01\/womens-soccer-sets-sights-atlanta","title":"Women\u2019s Soccer Sets Sights on Atlanta "},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/10\/10\/atlanta-primed-become-us-soccer-capital-ahead-2026-world-cup","title":"Atlanta Primed to Become U.S. Soccer Capital Ahead of 2026 World Cup "}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kristen.bailey@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKristen Bailey\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688961":{"#nid":"688961","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Honorees Announced for Campus Installation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOne year after the opening of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/celebratingwomen.alumni.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPathway of Progress: Celebrating Georgia Tech Women\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the newest honorees have been selected for the permanent campus installation. \u003Cem\u003EPathway of Progress\u003C\/em\u003E recognizes alumnae, students, faculty, and staff\u202fwho have made significant contributions to campus, their chosen fields, and their communities. Following a nomination and selection process, individuals will continue to be added to this living installation each year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPathway of Progress\u003C\/em\u003E was made possible by significant philanthropic support from Andrea Laliberte, IE 1982, M.S. IE 1984, HON Ph.D. 2025, and designed by Merica May Jensen, MGT 2008, M. ARCH 2011. The 2026 honorees embody the Institute\u2019s motto of Progress and Service and have made a lasting impact on the world around them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2026 \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPathway of Progress\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E Honorees\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENiesha Alice Butler, INTA 2016,\u003C\/strong\u003E is the founder and CEO of S.T.E.A.M. CHAMPS.\u0026nbsp;Her multifaceted career has included serving as a software engineer and computer science instructor. She has founded multiple companies focused on teaching coding, robotics, and engineering to underserved communities. While a student at Georgia Tech, she played basketball and was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1999.\u202f\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMary\u0026nbsp;Ann Gordon, EE 1981,\u003C\/strong\u003E is a retired vice president of quality compliance at Altria Group. Her work in engineering and manufacturing\u0026nbsp;has influenced industry standards and operational excellence. A leader in her community, she also serves the Institute through her involvement on multiple boards, including the College of Engineering Advisory Board and the Georgia Tech Foundation Board of Trustees. She has given back to Georgia Tech through her support of undergraduate scholarships and Roll Call, among other areas of interest.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMargie Ann Morse, NE 1979,\u003C\/strong\u003E is\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ea pioneer in the field of nuclear engineering. She co-founded the engineering firm Parallax in 1992 and grew it into a multimillion-dollar\u0026nbsp;nuclear\u0026nbsp;logistics\u0026nbsp;service company.\u0026nbsp;She has remained involved with the Institute and served on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHeather Smith Rocker, IE 1998,\u003C\/strong\u003E is the CEO of Women in Technology, an organization dedicated to creating more opportunities for women and girls to explore, pursue, persist, and lead in technology. She has served with organizations focused on advancing Georgia through STEM-focused education, workplace development, and leadership development, and was a member of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Board of Trustees.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMarilyn Jones Smith, AE 1982, M.S. AE 1985, Ph.D. AE 1994,\u003C\/strong\u003E is the David S. Lewis Professor in the Daniel\u0026nbsp;Guggenheim\u0026nbsp;School of Aerospace Engineering and director of the Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence. She is a pioneer in the aerospace industry and leads award-winning research teams focused on critical aeromechanics issues. In addition to mentoring hundreds of students, she serves as a caregiver to the many cats who call the Georgia Tech campus home.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERidhi\u0026nbsp;Tariyal, IE 2002,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eis the co-founder and CEO of NextGen Jane. A leader in health science, she developed a method for using menstrual fluid for diagnostic testing, advancing the science of women\u2019s health and making testing more accessible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELiz\u0026nbsp;Harriss\u0026nbsp;York, ARCH 1990, M. ARCH 1995,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eis a managing principal at HDR. A recognized leader in sustainability, architecture, and public health, she\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ewas the first chief sustainability officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has demonstrated her commitment to Georgia Tech through her volunteer leadership and service on the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Board of Trustees, \u0026nbsp;as well as through her philanthropic support across campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOne year after the opening of \u003Cem\u003EPathway of Progress: Celebrating Georgia Tech Women\u003C\/em\u003E, the newest honorees have been selected for the permanent campus installation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"One year after the opening of Pathway of Progress: Celebrating Georgia Tech Women, the newest honorees have been selected for the permanent campus installation. "}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-03-18 11:13:26","changed_gmt":"2026-06-08 18:45:02","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679652":{"id":"679652","type":"image","title":"pathway_honorees_2026.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPathway of Progress\u003C\/em\u003E 2026 Honorees. (L-R): Niesha Alice Butler, Mary\u0026nbsp;Ann Gordon, Margie Ann Morse, Heather Smith Rocker, Marilyn Jones Smith, Ridhi\u0026nbsp;Tariyal, Liz\u0026nbsp;Harriss\u0026nbsp;York\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773753953","gmt_created":"2026-03-17 13:25:53","changed":"1773840419","gmt_changed":"2026-03-18 13:26:59","alt":"Pathway of Progress 2026 Honorees","file":{"fid":"263852","name":"pathway_honorees_2026.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/pathway_honorees_2026.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/pathway_honorees_2026.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1089094,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/18\/pathway_honorees_2026.jpg?itok=Gpj4_EkO"}}},"media_ids":["679652"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/celebratingwomen.alumni.gatech.edu\/","title":"Pathway of Progress: Celebrating Georgia Tech Women"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2025\/02\/pathway-progress-open-march-8","title":"Pathway of Progress Opening"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1262","name":"Office of Development"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:janet.kinard@alumni.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJanet Kinard\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EVice President of Engagement\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech Alumni Association\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}