This special evening brings together alumni, students, faculty, staff, supporters, family, and friends to celebrate the achievements of our outstanding Yellow Jackets and recognize the lasting impact of an Ivan Allen College education.

Guests will have the opportunity to connect with members of the Ivan Allen College community, hear inspiring stories, and celebrate the accomplishments of this year’s distinguished honorees.

There is no cost to attend this year’s event. Guests are asked to RSVP in advance to help us plan appropriately for seating, catering, and the overall guest experience.

Join us for an evening of celebration, connection, and recognition as we honor the remarkable alumni and supporters who continue to make a difference across Georgia Tech, their professions, and communities around the world.

Abstract 

Ambiguity is everywhere in human languages. Consider, for example, a sentence like “I saw the son of the doctor [who was playing the piano]”. This sentence is globally ambiguous, as the construction allows for the relative clause (RC) “[who was playing the piano]” to modify either the first noun (“son”) or the second (“doctor”).  

Notably, languages have been reported to vary with respect of whether their speakers prefer a low attachment interpretation (LA; RC modifies the second noun; e.g. English, Frazier 1996),  or show a high attachment preference (HA; RC modifies the first noun; e.g. Spanish, German, Cuetos & Mitchell 1988; Hemforth et al. 2015). Importantly, these patterns do not align neatly with typological categories — for instance, Romanian speakers reportedly prefer LA despite the structural similarities between Romanian and Spanish (Ehrlich 1999) — and languages seem to exhibit LA or HA preferences to different degrees (Carreiras & Clifton Jr 1993; Swets et al. 2008; Cotter & Ferreira 2024). Additionally, RC interpretation seems to be affected by a number of factors, like the length and position of the RC, semantic properties of the main verb, and individual differences between participants. 

While the resolution of attachment ambiguity in RC has been widely studied in psycholinguistics then, the nature of the mechanisms that drive their disambiguation is far from understood. In this talk, I report recent results from a series of experiments exploring factors affecting RC disambiguation in a number of languages (English, Italian, Korean, Mandarin Chinese). In doing so,  De Santo argues that these systematic cross-linguistic differences in disambiguation preferences make RC attachment an essential case study in investigating the trade-offs between universal sentence processing principles and language-specific properties.

Along with earning credit in four upper-level courses, the program includes personalized tutoring, group dinners, and corporate and cultural excursions. Come learn about housing, financial aid/scholarships, and how to apply before the Feb. 15 deadline!

About the Speaker

Robyn Gatens is globally recognized for her 40-year career of leadership and contributions to NASA’s human spaceflight missions. 

Robyn recently retired from NASA as director of the ISS and Commercial Spaceflight divisions where she led strategy, policy, integration, and stakeholder engagement for low-Earth orbit (LEO), including the ISS, commercial LEO development, and commercial crew programs. 

A 1985 chemical engineering graduate from Georgia Tech, Robyn spent the first decades of her career in the development and management of life support and habitation systems for the International Space Station (ISS) and other human spaceflight missions. She was inducted into Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering Hall of Fame in 2025. 

Since retirement, Robyn is staying active through advisory and consulting roles, including serving on the Georgia Tech Space Research Institute’s External Advisory Board.  Robyn also has a passion for global student engagement including speaking to and mentoring students of all ages interested in pursuing careers in STEM and the space industry. 

The Meg & Sam Flax Lecture Series 

The Meg & Sam Flax Lecture Series invites top scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to speak to a wide audience of Georgia Tech students and faculty on issues of urgent importance in public policy. Our goal is not just a better understanding of current issues, but to get diverse perspectives on the proper role(s) of government in solving crucial problems. Because they practice at the cutting edge of their fields or on the front lines of government policy, the Flax Lecturers speak not from philosophy or theory but from facts, data, and experience. Topics range from science & technology policy to energy and the environment, from pandemic threats to sustainable development, from artificial intelligence and cyber-security to monetary policy, and even outer space. All Flax lectures are free of charge. Members of the broader Georgia Tech and Atlanta community are welcome to attend. Started in the Fall of 2019, the series is still ongoing.

RSVP requested.

Whether your background is in communications, public policy, business, media, or another discipline, this Trek offers valuable insight into real-world career paths, practical networking experience, and a firsthand look at what it takes to drive a major professional sports organization. Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot to connect with fellow Yellow Jackets and explore your career possibilities!

Please complete the registration form to indicate your interest by Oct. 23 at 4:30 p.m. Note: Completing the form does not confirm your registration. Only 30 spots are available, and you will receive a follow-up email if your application is accepted. 

Participants

• Adm. Sandy Winnefeld, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Distinguished Professor of the Practice
• Stacey Dixon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Distinguished Professor of the Practice

Iqbal's research interests are in the area of international relations with a specific focus on the consequences of militarized conflict, issues related to political violence, and state failure. Her scholarship lies at the nexus of international conflict and comparative politics, combining aspects of domestic and international processes to assess the dynamics of global security and political instability. She is the author of War and the Health of Nations and State Failure in the Modern World.

Faculty and staff are also welcome to learn how they can support students and get involved as reviewers!

How can students make the best use of their German language and intercultural communication skills? You can learn more about opportunities in the German program and hear from alumni and peers about study abroad programs and internships.

How is artificial intelligence changing the way knowledge is created? Examine AI's growing role in academic research, including how researchers use emerging tools to accelerate discovery, approach complex questions, and navigate the ethical and practical implications of AI-assisted scholarship.

Panelists

Sebastian Porsdam Mann, Assistant Professor CeBIL, University of Copenhagen

Sebastian Porsdam Mann is Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen’s Center for Advanced Studies in Bioscience Innovation Law. With training spanning philosophy, neuroscience, applied ethics, and international human rights law, his research examines how emerging technologies can advance scientific progress while navigating ethical and regulatory challenges. His work has directly explored generative AI in academic writing and idea generation, as well as AI's potential role in the future of academic peer review, positioning him to address both the opportunities and risks AI creates throughout the research process. 

Kevin Mills,  Head of Education and Government GTM, OpenAI

Kevin Mills is Head of Education and Government Go-to-Market at OpenAI, where his work focuses on expanding the responsible use of artificial intelligence across educational and public-sector institutions. His work includes initiatives supporting the adoption of AI tools in education, including ChatGPT Edu and partnerships focused on helping students, educators, and institutions develop practical experience using AI. He brings an industry perspective on how AI tools are moving from experimentation into real academic and institutional environments. 

Sarah H. Salter, Director of the Writing Program & Professor of Pedagogy, Emory University

Sarah H. Salter is a Teaching Professor and Director of the Writing Program at Emory University whose research focuses on American literature, periodical studies, collaboration, and digital humanities. Her scholarship has included interdisciplinary work using machine-learning methods to analyze the visual structures of historical newspapers, combining literary study, library science, and computational approaches. Her perspective brings an important humanities dimension to the conversation about how computational tools and AI are changing research methods, scholarly interpretation, writing, and knowledge production. 

Allegra Smith, Assistant Professor of Technical Communication, S School of Literature, Media, and Communication, Georgia Institute of Technology

Allegra Smith is an Assistant Professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Literature, Media, and Communication whose research examines technical and professional communication, digital technologies, user experience, access, and equity. Her teaching and research include work involving generative AI, digital communication, and undergraduate research, alongside extensive scholarship on how people interact with technology. She brings a valuable perspective on how AI is affecting research, writing, communication, pedagogy, and the experiences of the people using these emerging tools. 

During this session, you’ll gain an inside look at the program’s curriculum and the interdisciplinary training provided, hear about diverse career pathways available to graduates, and learn directly from current students about their experiences in and beyond the classroom. We’ll also walk through admissions requirements and highlight funding opportunities to help you plan your next steps with confidence.

During this session, you’ll gain an inside look at the program’s curriculum and the interdisciplinary training provided, hear about diverse career pathways available to graduates, and learn directly from current students about their experiences in and beyond the classroom. We’ll also walk through admissions requirements and highlight funding opportunities to help you plan your next steps with confidence.

During this session, you’ll gain an inside look at the program’s curriculum and the interdisciplinary training provided, hear about diverse career pathways available to graduates, and learn directly from current students about their experiences in and beyond the classroom. We’ll also walk through admissions requirements and highlight funding opportunities to help you plan your next steps with confidence.

🎥 M.S. GMC is a joint program between the School of Literature, Media, and Communication and the School of Modern Languages at Georgia Tech. This unique humanities program merges curricular offerings from both Schools and allows students to engage in advanced research and training that combines cross-cultural competence, language acquisition, and media and communications expertise with global and cultural research. Language concentrations include Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish.

🌎 The M.S. ALIS is one of the first professional master’s degrees in foreign language and cultural studies in the United States with concentrations in French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. This degree emphasizes real-world professional applications of language for a wide range of career paths, from communications and non-profit to business, engineering, and medicine in only 30 credit hours. The M.S. ALIS is also available as a five-year co-terminal B.S./M.S. for Georgia Tech B.S. ALIS majors.

What does creativity mean when machines can generate images, music, writing, and other forms of creative work? Explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping creative industries, changing the relationship between technology and human expression, and raising new questions around authorship, originality, labor, and the future of creative work.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable of conversation, companionship, and emotional responsiveness, what happens to our understanding of human connection? Unpack AI, empathy, intimacy, and relationships while considering what it means to form meaningful connections in an increasingly AI-mediated world.

The IAC Dinner with Alumni series offers a unique opportunity to hear about different career paths, gain insights from alumni experiences, ask questions, and build connections that can last beyond the dinner table.

RSVP to attend.