Journey to the Georgia coast with G. Wayne Clough, CE 63, MS CE 65, HON PhD 15, President Emeritus of Georgia Institute of Technology and Secretary Emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution, and author of the new book, The Ever-Changing Georgia Coast: A Natural History of Its Creation, Transformation, and Future.

Meet us at Scheller Tower in the heart of Tech Square for a special conversation between Clough and Georgia Tech College of Sciences Dean Susan Lozier as we travel “by kayak, seaplane, and ATV to explore the rich geological history and fascinating ecology of this exceptional natural treasure” — Georgia’s Golden Coast — and understand the facets of its vibrant ecosystems through a story that is “part travelogue, part natural history, and part nature guide.”

Audience Q&A and a book-signing reception with refreshments will follow the conversation. Copies of Clough’s new book will be available for purchase and signing at the program. This event is free and open to the public. 

RSVP here to be entered into a drawing for one of 14 signed copies of the new book — one for each of Georgia’s major barrier islands. Pre-event registration is encouraged. Space is filled on a first come, first seated basis.

About the Author

G. Wayne Clough, born in South Georgia, received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, served on the faculties of prominent research universities, and traveled the world as a geological and earthquake engineer. He served as president of the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1994 to 2008 and as secretary of the Smithsonian Institution from 2008 to 2015. He was named Conservationist of the Year in 2020 by the Satilla Riverkeeper, and his book Things New and Strange: A Southerner’s Journey Through the Smithsonian Collections won him Author of the Year in History by the Georgia Writers Association in 2020. His new book is The Ever-Changing Georgia Coast: A Natural History of Its Creation, Transformation, and Future.

About the Moderator

Susan Lozier is dean and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair in the College of Sciences at Georgia Institute of Technology. One of the world’s foremost physical oceanographers, Lozier is the international project lead for the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP). She recently served as president of the American Geophysical Union and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Board of Directors for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Her recent honors include election as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2020 and receipt of the Henry Stommel Research Medal in 2022, the highest honor given to an oceanographer by the American Meteorological Society. In 2025, Lozier was named Faculty of the Year by the Georgia Tech Graduate Student Government Association.

About Presenting Science

Hosted in collaboration with the Georgia Tech Friends of Sciences, the Presenting Science series hosts distinguished researchers and thought leaders who share the latest findings and topics of interest with the Atlanta community. Our audience includes professionals, faculty, staff, alumni, students, and researchers throughout the greater metro community. Our alumni and student audience — from the College of Sciences and across the Institute — are among the most engaged. 

Lead photo: Salt marsh coast near Skidaway Island, Georgia (Maxwell Guberman / Georgia Tech).

Event questions: Leslie Roberts
Media questions: Jess Hunt-Ralston

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

Meet recruiters and hiring managers; explore internships, co-ops, research experiences, and full-time opportunities; and build meaningful professional connections with organizations seeking Georgia Tech talent. 

College of Sciences Students-Careers-Employers Networking Expo (SCENE)
Oct. 7, 2026 
3 – 7:00 p.m.
Georgia Tech Exhibition Hall 

Business casual attire is encouraged.

Register via CareerBuzz.

Second, I introduce the TRIDENT model (Tides and Rivers Influencing the Dynamic Evolution of Nearshore Tsunamis), a modeling framework designed to simulate the coupling between tsunamis, tides, and river flows. The coupled model is designed for estuaries, tidal channels, and fjords, and it addresses key challenges when simulating these interactions.

Finally, I will present results from a study that links dispersive tsunami wave trains visible in satellite imagery to near-trench earthquake rupture. By analyzing tsunami dispersion in the near-source wave field, this approach provides a new observational footprint for constraining source processes that improves resolving power near the trench compared with traditional seismic, geodetic, and tsunami sensing technologies.

Collectively, these studies demonstrate complementary advances, from field deployment to coupled modeling for hazard prediction to remote-sensing-based discovery, that expand the toolkit for understanding and assessing tsunami hazards and risks.

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

Get the day's full agenda here.

Get the day's full agenda here.

Get the day's full agenda.

Get the day's full agenda here.

This seminar will present research that integrates numerical modeling, field observations, and remote sensing to improve understanding and prediction of coastal hazards and to inform resilience strategies. Examples from the southeastern United States will illustrate how process-based hydrodynamic models are being advanced toward high-resolution, probabilistic, and real-time predictions of coastal flooding. Field observations and UAV-based methods provide complementary measurements of coastal systems at scales that are difficult to resolve, helping investigate processes within marshes, barrier islands, and other dynamic coastal environments.

The seminar will also explore how these capabilities can be translated from hazard characterization into resilience design. Ongoing research integrates observations and models across scales to quantify the protective function of natural coastal systems and evaluate nature-based and hybrid solutions for flood and shoreline protection, including applications at coastal military installations. Taken together, this work illustrates opportunities to connect understanding of coastal processes, hazard prediction, and engineering implementation to support more resilient coastal systems.

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

But those are just the latest in a long history of cosmic collisions that are recorded in the historic and geologic records of Georgia. In addition to 7 documented meteorite falls and 20 finds, the state contains ejecta from the 35.5 Ma Chesapeake Bay impact and a slightly older impact (c. 37 Ma) for which no crater presently is known. I briefly will review my work discovering and characterizing those strata in the Upper Coastal Plain, and I will discuss the consequences of the 66 Ma Chicxulub impact on state’s geology.

But no hypervelocity impact has left such a large and lasting mark on Georgia as the asteroid or comet collision that excavated the nearly 300-kilometer diameter Roosevelt impact structure. What began almost 20 years ago as an intriguing question about a crater-like depression just several kilometers across has culminated in the mapping of a gigantic astrobleme covering 20% of the state. My colleagues and I have identified a variety of shocked-quartz-bearing melt facies, breccias, and spherule beds. The distribution of impact deposits and deformation was found to be consistent with COCORP seismic reflection profile data. These data then were used successfully to predict the locations of additional facies, including meta-geyserites in a large hydrothermal network.

Presently our calculations show that an impactor more than 30 kilometers across, with a trajectory about 15⁰ above the horizon from the present-day ENE, made first contact between Monroe and Meriwether Counties approximately 810 Ma. The original structure would have extended from near Athens, Georgia to Auburn, Alabama, and from north of Atlanta to Albany. The ancient collision possibly occurred as part of a bombardment in the inner solar system that produced a number of large craters on the Moon, including the 93-km Copernicus. And it may be associated with the extinction of cyanobacteria leading to the Bitter Springs Negative 13C Anomaly that also is dated to 810 Ma.

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

Led by James Stringfellow, Career Education Program Manager for the College of Sciences, this interactive workshop will demystify networking and give you practical strategies you can use immediately.

Participants will learn how to:

• Start professional conversations with confidence
• Ask questions that create meaningful conversations
• Keep conversations flowing naturally
• Communicate your transferable skills effectively
• Describe your experiences in ways that demonstrate value to employers
• Approach networking as relationship-building rather than simply asking for a job

Come ready to participate, practice, and rethink what networking can look like for you.

Career Conversations: The Psychology of Networking
Sept. 10, 2026
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
JS Coon Building, Room 250

Register via CareerBuzz.

Learn about their career journeys, how they prepared for internships and full-time opportunities, and their advice for standing out as a Georgia Tech sciences student. 

Whether you're exploring career options or preparing for your next internship or full-time role, this event offers an opportunity to ask questions, make connections, and hear directly from alumni who have successfully navigated the path. 

Following the discussion, enjoy dinner while networking with alumni and fellow students. 

College of Sciences Students and Alumni Fireside Chat (CDC, Google, and Home Depot)
Sept. 9, 2026
6 - 8 p.m.
Cypress Theater, John Lewis Student Center

Dinner will be served. 

Register via CareerBuzz.

Learn about their career journeys, how they prepared for internships and full-time opportunities, and their advice for standing out as a Georgia Tech sciences student. 

Whether you're exploring career options or preparing for your next internship or full-time role, this event offers an opportunity to ask questions, make connections, and hear directly from alumni who have successfully navigated the path. 

Following the discussion, enjoy dinner while networking with alumni and fellow students. 

College of Sciences Students and Alumni Fireside Chat (The Coca-Cola Company)
Sept. 23, 2026 
6 – 8 p.m.
Cypress Theater, John Lewis Student Success Center 

Dinner will be served.  

Register via CareerBuzz.

Designed for College of Sciences undergraduate and graduate students, this Lunch & Learn will provide practical guidance on:

• Building a competitive application
• Standing out to GTRI recruiters
• Preparing for GTRI interviews
• Understanding and navigating GTRI’s hiring process 

Bring your questions, enjoy lunch, and leave with a practical insight for navigating the GTRI hiring process. 

Lunch & Learn: How to Get Hired at GTRI 
Thursday, Sept. 3 
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Rafael Bras Meeting Room, John Lewis Student Center 

Lunch will be provided. 

Register via CareerBuzz.

Effective communication does not begin when a warning is issued; it begins with how future atmospheric scientists are educated and supported throughout their academic and professional development. Drawing on a nationwide interview study of undergraduate atmospheric science students and faculty, I will discuss how future atmospheric scientists learn to communicate weather and climate information, the value placed on science communication skills, and the opportunities and barriers associated with communication training in undergraduate programs. I will also present emerging findings from a national mixed-methods study examining student persistence in undergraduate atmospheric science programs, including the roles of belonging, peer and faculty connections, and academic experiences in shaping students' decisions to remain in the field.

These questions of how future atmospheric scientists are prepared and supported extend beyond the classroom to a broader challenge facing atmospheric science: communicating weather and climate information in ways that are meaningful, actionable, and responsive to community needs. To explore this challenge, I will discuss preliminary findings from ongoing research examining how residents of Kerr County, Texas interpret flash flood warnings and emergency messages, what factors shape protective-action decisions, and how risk information can be better aligned with community needs. Collectively, these projects invite a broader discussion about the role of communication in atmospheric science, from preparing and supporting future professionals to helping communities interpret and respond to weather and climate information.

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

Join us every Friday that classes are in session for the Plant Library. We open 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant seeds, take cuttings, nurture plants, and distribute plants that are ready to take home. We are working on something different each week — come get your hands dirty!

We welcome everyone to join us in our second semester of the Plant Library! Drop in to help us care for the plants in our inventory and create new plants for distribution through planting seeds and taking propagations. 

We usually have a variety of houseplants for you to take home. Inventory varies!

We accept donations of seeds, whole plants, propagations, decorative pots, potting mix, and gardening tools. 

Through a partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, we recycle their used nursery pots, so we are not accepting donations of nursery pots at this time.


https://sites.gatech.edu/plantlibrary/

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

Air quality outcomes depend heavily on synoptic conditions as well as local-scale dynamics related to land-sea breezes, mountain-valley circulations, and urban-rural contrasts. In addition to these influences, capturing the role of boundary layer meteorology remains one of the most critical elements in understanding air quality chemistry and the relationship between conditions aloft and impacts to surface air quality. Ground observations show clear temporal gradients related to boundary layer mixing, and aircraft profiles have consistently shown that large vertical gradients and even layering can exist in what is often assumed to be a well-mixed boundary layer.

Despite the strong relationship between air quality chemistry and meteorology, the deliberate sampling of chemistry and urban-scale dynamics with an intent to improve predictability of both is lacking. NASA’s B777 research aircraft opens new opportunities in remote sensing that enable concurrent measurements of chemistry and meteorology in previously untested combinations. Coupled with in situ sampling by a second profiling aircraft, the resulting observations would be able to constrain earth system models in ways that could more effectively isolate the chemical and dynamical factors affecting air quality and ask broader questions about the coupling between earth system components (e.g., land surface, atmosphere). The interpretation of satellite observations would also be expected to benefit from the improved prediction of gradients in the composition of the lower atmosphere. The resulting view from space combined with models will enable better assessment of the impact of megacities and urban settings across local, regional, and global scales. Examples from previous field studies and thoughts on future opportunities for expanded observations will be discussed.

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

*Refreshments: 12-12:30 PM, ES&T Atrium

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (ES&T L1175)

This event is in-person. No RSVP is required.

I will discuss recent work by myself and others focused on improving stress drop estimates, and investigating the uncertainties resulting from modelling assumptions and the ambiguity of separating source and path effects in recorded seismograms. A consistent observation is that there is more small-scale spatial variability and complexity within one individual sequence, than there is between earthquakes in different tectonic settings.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Atrium)

Book giveaway and refreshments from 6:00–6:25 PM for the first 100 students: Dr. Kate Marvel’s Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet.

*Refreshments: 7:30-8:30 PM (East Arch Courtyard)

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (ES&T L1175)

Come and learn about a distributed CubeSat constellation concept that Georgia Tech is developing to map space weather effects on the ionosphere and their impacts on space-enabled technologies using natural signals of opportunity from lightning. This workshop will feature speakers from multiple GTRI laboratories and GT schools discussing the technologies and capabilities that Georgia Tech has available to provide important ionospheric measurements for “space weather meteorologists” that will also enable future improvements in forecast models.

Lunch provided.

Agenda

12-12:30p – lunch + meet and greet
12:30p-2p – workshop

Become a fossil hunter and help discover how vertebrate communities have changed through time. Experience firsthand what it is like to be a paleontologist, finding and identifying new specimens! 

You will be picking and sorting 3,000 to 30,000-year-old fossil specimens from rock matrix that has been brought back from Natural Trap Cave, WY. These specimens are part of many research projects examining how the community of species living around Natural Trap Cave has changed since the extinction of the cheetahs, lions, dire wolves, mammoths, camels, horses, and other megafauna that used to live in North America. 

You are welcome to participate anytime that is convenient, with no commitment necessary. In fact, you can drop in or leave anytime within the two-hour timeframe. All are welcome, so bring your friends! 

If you are accompanying a minor (under 18), please be sure that a guardian/chaperone is with them at all times and that there is no less than one adult for every two minors.

For more information join the mailing list and/or contact Katie Slenker (kslenker3@gatech.edu) or Jenny McGuire (jmcguire@gatech.edu).

​* No T. rex actually helped with the excavations of Natural Trap Cave as their arms would be much too small.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (ES&T L1175)

This April, the College of Sciences is hosting an inspiring look at the future of space exploration and life beyond Earth. Frontiers in Science: Advancing Space Exploration will convene leading scientists, engineers, policy experts, and thought leaders from across Georgia Tech and beyond to share research that’s guiding discovery and innovation. 

RSVP here

Dive into a hands-on workshop where scientific uncertainty becomes the starting point for creative exploration. Artist Eric Mack and scientist Jennifer Glass will introduce oxygen-free soil samples collected from locations around the world, originally prepared for long-running research experiments studying early Earth conditions and the possibility of life in extreme environments. Participants will begin by creating blind contour drawings of the field sites, embracing chance and limited control as part of the process, then use laboratory-inspired tools, minerals, and pigments to build layered paintings with the samples as they are exposed to the modern atmosphere for the first time.

Guided by both scientific observation and creative experimentation, you’ll explore how missteps, unknown outcomes, and changing conditions can lead to unexpected discoveries. No art experience required - just curiosity and a willingness to experiment with the beauty of failure.

More about Cosmic Missteps

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (ES&T L1175)

Abstract: NASA's Mission Juno began operations orbiting Jupiter on July 4, 2016, with a prime mission which contained 33 orbits and focused on studying the deep interior, atmosphere, and magnetosphere using remote sensing techniques involving meter-wave, microwave, infrared, optical and ultraviolet sensors. The first extended mission commenced in August 2021, and involved new techniques for studying Jupiter's environment as well as Jovian satellites (moons) Ganymede, Europa, and Io.

The Juno spacecraft, instruments, and novel results will be presented.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Atrium)

Using the Barkley Canyon Axis (BACAX) oceanographic nearbed turbidity sensor data, we created a catalog of turbidity events at BACAX using a short-term average/long-term average (STA/LTA) algorithm to identify elevated signal levels with a subsequent exponential decay. To determine the likely cause, we examined associated oceanographic data (i.e., oxygen, temperature), and acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) velocities. We also computed shaking intensity from regional seismicity and theoretical strain measurements generated by large regional and teleseismic events. We evaluated correlations between the turbidity events and associated metadata. We found nearly all 50 events at BACAX are internal tide generated, and unrelated to shaking, except one down-canyon event that is not preceded by significant shaking or strain. We conclude that there were no statistically significant links between ground motions and turbidity events at this site. This method may be used at other canyon systems, where sediment transport processes may differ from the sediment-starved Barkley Canyon.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Atrium)

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Atrium)

This changed with the discovery of a remarkable optical phenomenon: STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement). Unlike traditional aurora, STEVE originates in the subauroral ionosphere and appears as an extremely narrow, luminous ribbon of purplish-white light stretching across the sky. First reported by citizen scientists, STEVE has captured the attention of both the public and the scientific community.

By combining ground-based and satellite observations with citizen science contributions, we now have a unique opportunity to explore this phenomenon in unprecedented detail. In this seminar, I will introduce the fundamentals of auroral and subauroral science, review our current understanding of STEVE, highlight recent findings, and discuss the many open questions that remain. These challenges provide exciting opportunities for future research, interdisciplinary collaborations, and the development of new observational tools.

*Refreshments: 10:30 - 11:00 AM (ES&T L1205)

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (ES&T L1175)

A region of outstanding interest is Elysium Planitia on Mars. It is home to the youngest volcanic terrains, which are only a few million years old and the region may still be volcanically active. Elysium Planitia also exhibits the largest fluvial outflow channel carved in the late Amazonian epoch. By integrating geomorphological (CTX and HiRISE), geophysical (SHARAD and MOLA), and chronological constraints, we reconstructed the fluvial, volcanic, and magmatic evolution in Elysium Planitia.

While Mars’ surface is dominated by volcanic terrains, the surface and subsurface have experienced aqueous modification and are thus often shaped by an interplay between volcanic and aqueous activities. Many regions on Mars show signs of water–rock interaction, as indicated by the detection of hydrated silica by CRISM. Hydrated silica is significant for understanding past environmental conditions, such as the longevity and intensity of aqueous alteration. In addition to implications on aqueous conditions, siliceous materials—including opal—provide an excellent substrate to preserve biosignatures.

Further, analog sites here on Earth provide the means of testing our tools, approaches, and interpretations used in planetary sciences. The 2014–2015 Holuhraun lava flow-field in the Icelandic highlands provides a unique martian analog, allowing us to refine our understanding of eruption dynamics and lava morphology through a combination of remote sensing, unoccupied aircraft systems, and field observations. This seminar will demonstrate how these tools and techniques enhance our comprehension of effusive eruptions and the interactions between water and rock within volcanic terrains.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (ES&T L1175)

In this seminar, I will present an overview of my research that connects aerosol properties and processes to climate and health outcomes. First, I will discuss efforts to constrain historical fire emissions and aerosol radiative forcing using ice-core observations and inverse modeling. Second, I will highlight studies investigating climate-relevant aerosol properties and processes, including aerosol optical properties, mixing states, hygroscopicity, photolytic aging, and temperature sensitivity of particulate matter. Finally, I will describe emerging work linking aerosol composition and physicochemical properties to health outcomes, such as the neurodegenerative disease risks. Together, this work aims to advance a mechanistic understanding of aerosol impacts and bridge atmospheric chemistry, climate science, and environmental health. 

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Atrium)

After providing a brief overview of our motivations and the range of systems we work on, this seminar will use agriculture as a concrete example of our approach toward understanding and deploying pathways that can reduce the net greenhouse gas emissions of key human systems. In the agricultural sphere this includes basic and applied research on the end-to-end impacts of soil acidity management in cropland systems and attendant carbon, nitrogen, and alkalinity flow, along with the development of open-source decision-support tools for land managers. In parallel, we pursue policy engagement across technical practitioners, jurisdictional agencies, and philanthropic non-profit groups with the aim of developing greenhouse gas management and carbon dioxide removal as public goods.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Atrium)

I will introduce a new laboratory at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) – the Nebular Origins of the Universe Research (NOUR) Laboratory – which is designed to bridge this divide between pre-planetary and planetary science to delineate the origins of planetary systems. I will present ongoing and future research plans that span the formation of small organics in the interstellar medium through the emergence of astrobiologically relevant species in Solar System environments. This laboratory work is the beginning of a long-term vision to build an integrated origins program that connects laboratory experiments, observations, models and space mission data.

As this is a largely early career event, I will also briefly reflect on my non-traditional path in academia and offer perspective on navigating interdisciplinary research at the intersection of astrochemistry, planetary science and astrobiology. 

In this seminar, I present results from active seagoing projects led by the Electromagnetic Geophysics Laboratory (EGL) that image subseafloor fluids and magmas and their impacts on two processes: (1) subduction zone earthquakes and (2) plume-tectonic interactions. First, I show results from EGL imaging surveys at the New Zealand and Alaska–Aleutian subduction margins, which reveal the distribution of fluids along the plate interface and its implications for fault locking and earthquake hazards. 

Next, we tour the eastern equatorial Pacific seafloor to explore the structure of the lithosphere and asthenosphere. By combining thermodynamically coupled Bayesian inversion of EM data with geophysical, geochemical, and drilling observations, I unravel the magmatic history of the Cocos plate over the past 20 million years. I end by highlighting a new marine survey that will image the mantle structure in the region.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Atrium)

Since leaving Georgia Tech, I’ve worked at both the state and federal levels, and I’ll discuss the distinctions between them—how priorities, authorities, and implementation responsibilities differ.  I will also draw on specific projects I have worked on that drive decision-making in each setting, highlighting how scientific analyses at both levels ultimately shape air quality policy at local, state, and national scales. I’ll also reflect on my transition from a deeply technical, project-focused role into a program management position—leading teams, setting strategic direction, and allocating resources while remaining meaningfully engaged in the science that underpins sound policy.

Finally, I’ll share practical insights for students considering careers in the public sector, including strategies for navigating the government job search, identifying and articulating transferable skills, and building key competencies before graduation that can help position them for a successful transition into a career in government.

Please register via CareerBuzz.

Meet & Greet the GTRI Recruiters (Tabling Session)
1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Bill Moore Student Center – President’s Suites

Students will have the opportunity to engage one-on-one with GTRI recruiters to learn about internships, full-time opportunities, and the skills and experiences GTRI seeks in candidates. This informal tabling session allows students to ask questions, make connections, and gain insight into GTRI’s hiring process and research areas. Drop in before or after class!

GTRI Industry and Alumni Panel
6 – 8 p.m.
Cypress Theater – John Lewis Student Center
The evening panel will feature GTRI alumni and industry professionals who will share their career journeys, discuss their work at GTRI, and offer advice on navigating research careers in applied science. Following the panel discussion, students will have time to network and continue conversations with panelists and GTRI representatives.

Whether you are exploring career options, interested in applied research, or seeking guidance from Georgia Tech alumni working at GTRI, the College of Sciences - GTRI Alumni and Career Day provides a valuable opportunity to connect, learn, and prepare for your next professional step.

Please RSVP via CareerBuzz to attend either or both events. 

Refreshments will be provided for the evening event, and registration is required via CareerBuzz.

Whether you are exploring industries, seeking guidance, or expanding your professional network, this event is an essential touchpoint in your career development journey. Alumni from diverse fields will share their experiences and offer practical advice for navigating the transition from college to career. Students will leave with strengthened networks and new perspectives on the possibilities ahead. 

RSVP is required via CareerBuzz.

Talks and the poster session will be held in person at Georgia Tech, with a virtual viewing/presenting option for talks. Our aim is to highlight early career projects that explore, conceptualize, celebrate, and discover pieces of space, life’s origins, and astrobiology from any field in the Atlanta area. Through this colloquium, we hope to:

• forge relationships between diverse individuals of various fields, experience
  levels and backgrounds
• expand our internal awareness of local work and innovations
• encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary understanding
• provide a professional growth opportunity for early career individuals including undergraduates, graduates, and post-docs

This year’s theme is “Life on Ice: How Ices Shape Planets, Comets, and Origins.”

Register here.

Talks and the poster session will be held in person at Georgia Tech, with a virtual viewing/presenting option for talks. Our aim is to highlight early career projects that explore, conceptualize, celebrate, and discover pieces of space, life’s origins, and astrobiology from any field in the Atlanta area. Through this colloquium, we hope to:

• forge relationships between diverse individuals of various fields, experience
  levels and backgrounds
• expand our internal awareness of local work and innovations
• encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary understanding
• provide a professional growth opportunity for early career individuals including undergraduates, graduates, and post-docs

This year’s theme is “Life on Ice: How Ices Shape Planets, Comets, and Origins.”

Register here.

*Refreshments: 1:30 - 2:00 PM (EST L1175)

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (ES&T L1175)

Michael Peterson
Director, Severe Storms Research Center
Georgia Tech Research Institute

Register here (free)

Abstract: The modern interconnected world increasingly relies on technologies that are impacted by space weather. Common modes of radio communications are susceptible to disruption from all types of solar storms that perturb the ionospheric plasma. Disturbances impact signal propagation or create communications blackout conditions in critical high-latitude regions. Our ability to monitor these disturbances is limited to land via sensor density, to serendipitous orbital alignments, or to the source of the ionospheric disturbance – X-rays, energetic electrons, or energetic protons – in the case of operational modeling. Improvements to the spatial and temporal sampling of ionospheric disturbances regardless of radiation source is needed to provide improved situational awareness of disturbances, to quantify risk and impacts to advanced technologies, and to understand basic ionospheric physics questions. We are developing the FulminoSat constellation that will use distributed multi-modal space-based sensing of signals of opportunity (lightning) to complement current sensing systems to meet these needs.

In this seminar, I synthesize insights from field and laboratory studies that integrate geochemical modeling, methane isotopic analysis, and microbial genomic studies of methane cycling in terrestrial serpentinizing systems of the Samail ophiolite in Oman to examine how microbial methanogenesis and methanotrophy operate at the extremes of carbon availability, pH, and energy supply. I focus on how microbial metabolisms respond to water–rock-reaction-driven chemistry, how methane isotopic signatures are generated and modified under these conditions, and what these patterns reveal about the coupling between geochemistry, physiology, and ecosystem function.

I then translate these Earth-based observations into an astrobiology framework, asking what methane can—and cannot—tell us about life in ocean-world environments. By integrating constraints on chemical energy, isotopic fractionation, and metabolic adaptation, this talk will highlight how studying methane cycling in water–rock-hosted ecosystems can refine life-detection strategies, inform interpretation of planetary methane measurements, and bridge fundamental astrobiology with broader questions about habitability across the solar system.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (ES&T L1175)

In the final part of the talk, I will discuss extensions to coupled multiphysics problems involving surface interaction and phase change, including ice formation and heat transfer at solid–fluid interfaces. These processes share strong commonality with environmental freezing, icing, and cryospheric dynamics. Overall, this talk demonstrates how advances in numerical methods and high-performance computing can enable new understanding of complex multiphase flows that underpin key earth and atmospheric processes.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Atrium)

On the grounds between the Howey and Mason Buildings, several telescopes are typically set up for viewing, and visitors are also welcome to bring their own telescopes.

Public Nights are contingent on clear weather. 

For updated schedules, potential closures, driving and parking directions, and other information, please consult the official website: astronomy.gatech.edu

Fall 2025 Semester

• September 4 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Albireo
• October 2 - 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
• October 30 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
• December 4 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Full Moon, Saturn

Spring 2026 Semester

• January 22 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
• February 26 - 7 to 9 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
• April 2 - 8 to 10 p.m. - Jupiter, Orion Nebula
• April 23 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter

On the grounds between the Howey and Mason Buildings, several telescopes are typically set up for viewing, and visitors are also welcome to bring their own telescopes.

Public Nights are contingent on clear weather. 

For updated schedules, potential closures, driving and parking directions, and other information, please consult the official website: astronomy.gatech.edu

Fall 2025 Semester

• September 4 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Albireo
• October 2 - 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
• October 30 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
• December 4 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Full Moon, Saturn

Spring 2026 Semester

• January 22 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
• February 26 - 7 to 9 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
• April 2 - 8 to 10 p.m. - Jupiter, Orion Nebula
• April 23 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter

On the grounds between the Howey and Mason Buildings, several telescopes are typically set up for viewing, and visitors are also welcome to bring their own telescopes.

Public Nights are contingent on clear weather. 

For updated schedules, potential closures, driving and parking directions, and other information, please consult the official website: astronomy.gatech.edu

Fall 2025 Semester

• September 4 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Albireo
• October 2 - 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
• October 30 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
• December 4 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Full Moon, Saturn

Spring 2026 Semester

• January 22 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
• February 26 - 7 to 9 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
• April 2 - 8 to 10 p.m. - Jupiter, Orion Nebula
• April 23 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter

On the grounds between the Howey and Mason Buildings, several telescopes are typically set up for viewing, and visitors are also welcome to bring their own telescopes.

Public Nights are contingent on clear weather. 

For updated schedules, potential closures, driving and parking directions, and other information, please consult the official website: astronomy.gatech.edu

Fall 2025 Semester

• September 4 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Albireo
• October 2 - 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
• October 30 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
• December 4 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Full Moon, Saturn

Spring 2026 Semester

• January 22 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
• February 26 - 7 to 9 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
• April 2 - 8 to 10 p.m. - Jupiter, Orion Nebula
• April 23 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter

Become a fossil hunter and help discover how vertebrate communities have changed through time. Experience firsthand what it is like to be a paleontologist, finding and identifying new specimens! 

You will be picking and sorting 3,000 to 30,000-year-old fossil specimens from rock matrix that has been brought back from Natural Trap Cave, WY. These specimens are part of many research projects examining how the community of species living around Natural Trap Cave has changed since the extinction of the cheetahs, lions, dire wolves, mammoths, camels, horses, and other megafauna that used to live in North America. 

You are welcome to participate anytime that is convenient, with no commitment necessary. In fact, you can drop in or leave anytime within the two-hour timeframe. All are welcome, so bring your friends! 

For more information join the mailing list and/or contact Katie Slenker (kslenker3@gatech.edu) or Jenny McGuire (jmcguire@gatech.edu).

​* No T. rex actually helped with the excavations of Natural Trap Cave as their arms would be much too small.

Become a fossil hunter and help discover how vertebrate communities have changed through time. Experience firsthand what it is like to be a paleontologist, finding and identifying new specimens! 

You will be picking and sorting 3,000 to 30,000-year-old fossil specimens from rock matrix that has been brought back from Natural Trap Cave, WY. These specimens are part of many research projects examining how the community of species living around Natural Trap Cave has changed since the extinction of the cheetahs, lions, dire wolves, mammoths, camels, horses, and other megafauna that used to live in North America. 

You are welcome to participate anytime that is convenient, with no commitment necessary. In fact, you can drop in or leave anytime within the two-hour timeframe. All are welcome, so bring your friends! 

For more information join the mailing list and/or contact Katie Slenker (kslenker3@gatech.edu) or Jenny McGuire (jmcguire@gatech.edu).

​* No T. rex actually helped with the excavations of Natural Trap Cave as their arms would be much too small.

Become a fossil hunter and help discover how vertebrate communities have changed through time. Experience firsthand what it is like to be a paleontologist, finding and identifying new specimens! 

You will be picking and sorting 3,000 to 30,000-year-old fossil specimens from rock matrix that has been brought back from Natural Trap Cave, WY. These specimens are part of many research projects examining how the community of species living around Natural Trap Cave has changed since the extinction of the cheetahs, lions, dire wolves, mammoths, camels, horses, and other megafauna that used to live in North America. 

You are welcome to participate anytime that is convenient, with no commitment necessary. In fact, you can drop in or leave anytime within the two-hour timeframe. All are welcome, so bring your friends! 

If you are accompanying a minor (under 18), please be sure that a guardian/chaperone is with them at all times and that there is no less than one adult for every two minors.

For more information join the mailing list and/or contact Katie Slenker (kslenker3@gatech.edu) or Jenny McGuire (jmcguire@gatech.edu).

​* No T. rex actually helped with the excavations of Natural Trap Cave as their arms would be much too small.