{"681961":{"#nid":"681961","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Thesis on Human-Centered AI Earns Honors from International Computing Organization","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech alum\u2019s dissertation introduced ways to make artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible, interpretable, and accountable. Although it\u2019s been a year since his doctoral defense,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/zijie.wang\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZijie (Jay) Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) work continues to resonate with researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang is a recipient of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medium.com\/sigchi\/announcing-the-2025-acm-sigchi-awards-17c1feaf865f\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The award recognizes Wang for his lifelong work on democratizing human-centered AI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThroughout my Ph.D. and industry internships, I observed a gap in existing research: there is a strong need for practical tools for applying human-centered approaches when designing AI systems,\u201d said Wang, now a safety researcher at OpenAI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy work not only helps people understand AI and guide its behavior but also provides user-friendly tools that fit into existing workflows.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[Related: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/chi-2025\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Computing Swarms to Yokohama, Japan, for CHI 2025\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang\u2019s dissertation presented techniques in visual explanation and interactive guidance to align AI models with user knowledge and values. The work culminated from years of research, fellowship support, and internships.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang\u2019s most influential projects formed the core of his dissertation. These included:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/cnn-explainer\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECNN Explainer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: an open-source tool developed for deep-learning beginners. Since its release in July 2020, more than 436,000 global visitors have used the tool.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/diffusiondb\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiffusionDB\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: a first-of-its-kind large-scale dataset that lays a foundation to help people better understand generative AI. This work could lead to new research in detecting deepfakes and designing human-AI interaction tools to help people more easily use these models.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/interpret.ml\/gam-changer\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGAM Changer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: an interface that empowers users in healthcare, finance, or other domains to edit ML models to include knowledge and values specific to their domain, which improves reliability.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.jennwv.com\/papers\/gamcoach.pdf\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGAM Coach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: an interactive ML tool that could help people who have been rejected for a loan by automatically letting an applicant know what is needed for them to receive loan approval. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-tool-teaches-responsible-ai-practices-when-using-large-language-models\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFarsight\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: a tool that alerts developers when they write prompts in large language models that could be harmful and misused. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI feel extremely honored and lucky to receive this award, and I am deeply grateful to many who have supported me along the way, including Polo, mentors, collaborators, and friends,\u201d said Wang, who was advised by School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/polochau\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPolo Chau\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis recognition also inspired me to continue striving to design and develop easy-to-use tools that help everyone to easily interact with AI systems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELike Wang, Chau advised Georgia Tech alumnus\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/fredhohman.com\/\u0022\u003EFred Hohman\u003C\/a\u003E (Ph.D. CSE 2020).\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/alumnus-building-legacy-through-dissertation-and-mentorship\u0022\u003EHohman won the ACM SIGCHI Outstanding Dissertation Award in 2022\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/\u0022\u003EChau\u2019s group\u003C\/a\u003E synthesizes machine learning (ML) and visualization techniques into scalable, interactive, and trustworthy tools. These tools increase understanding and interaction with large-scale data and ML models.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChau is the associate director of corporate relations for the Machine Learning Center at Georgia Tech. Wang called the School of CSE his home unit while a student in the ML program under Chau.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang is one of five recipients of this year\u2019s award to be presented at the 2025 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chi2025.acm.org\/\u0022\u003ECHI 2025\u003C\/a\u003E). The conference occurs April 25-May 1 in Yokohama, Japan.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESIGCHI is the world\u2019s largest association of human-computer interaction professionals and practitioners. The group sponsors or co-sponsors 26 conferences, including CHI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang\u2019s outstanding dissertation award is the latest recognition of a career decorated with achievement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMonths after graduating from Georgia Tech,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/research-ai-safety-lands-recent-graduate-forbes-30-under-30\u0022\u003EForbes named Wang to its 30 Under 30 in Science for 2025\u003C\/a\u003E for his dissertation. Wang was one of 15 Yellow Jackets included in nine different 30 Under 30 lists and the only Georgia Tech-affiliated individual on the 30 Under 30 in Science list.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile a Georgia Tech student, Wang earned recognition from big names in business and technology. He received the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/student-named-apple-scholar-connecting-people-machine-learning\u0022\u003EApple Scholars in AI\/ML Ph.D. Fellowship in 2023\u003C\/a\u003E and was in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-machine-learning-students-earn-jp-morgan-ai-phd-fellowships\u0022\u003E2022 cohort of the J.P. Morgan AI Ph.D. Fellowships Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with the CHI award, Wang\u2019s dissertation earned him awards this year at banquets across campus. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com\/sites.gatech.edu\/dist\/0\/283\/files\/2025\/03\/2025-Sigma-Xi-Research-Award-Winners.pdf\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech chapter of Sigma Xi presented Wang with the Best Ph.D. Thesis Award\u003C\/a\u003E. He also received the College of Computing\u2019s Outstanding Dissertation Award.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech attracts many great minds, and I\u2019m glad that some, like Jay, chose to join our group,\u201d Chau said. \u201cIt has been a joy to work alongside them and witness the many wonderful things they have accomplished, and with many more to come in their careers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech alum\u2019s dissertation introduced ways to make artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible, interpretable, and accountable. Although it\u2019s been a year since his doctoral defense,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/zijie.wang\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZijie (Jay) Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) work continues to resonate with researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang is a recipient of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medium.com\/sigchi\/announcing-the-2025-acm-sigchi-awards-17c1feaf865f\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The award recognizes Wang for his lifelong work on democratizing human-centered AI.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" Zijie (Jay) Wang (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) is a recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI)."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2025-04-22 14:24:46","changed_gmt":"2025-04-22 14:29:07","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676903":{"id":"676903","type":"image","title":"Jay-Wang-SIGCHI-Dissertation-Award.jpg","body":null,"created":"1745331896","gmt_created":"2025-04-22 14:24:56","changed":"1745331896","gmt_changed":"2025-04-22 14:24:56","alt":"Zijie (Jay) Wang CHI 2025","file":{"fid":"260750","name":"Jay-Wang-SIGCHI-Dissertation-Award.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/22\/Jay-Wang-SIGCHI-Dissertation-Award.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/22\/Jay-Wang-SIGCHI-Dissertation-Award.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":99526,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/22\/Jay-Wang-SIGCHI-Dissertation-Award.jpg?itok=_QvwIP00"}},"673947":{"id":"673947","type":"image","title":"Farsight CHI.jpg","body":null,"created":"1714954253","gmt_created":"2024-05-06 00:10:53","changed":"1714954253","gmt_changed":"2024-05-06 00:10:53","alt":"CHI 2024 Farsight","file":{"fid":"257404","name":"Farsight CHI.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/05\/Farsight%20CHI.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/05\/Farsight%20CHI.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":139358,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/05\/Farsight%20CHI.jpg?itok=6genJVjw"}}},"media_ids":["676903","673947"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/thesis-human-centered-ai-earns-honors-international-computing-organization","title":"Thesis on Human-Centered AI Earns Honors from International Computing Organization"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"155","name":"Congressional Testimony"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"42921","name":"Exhibitions"},{"id":"42891","name":"Georgia Tech Arts"},{"id":"179356","name":"Industrial Design"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"194248","name":"International Education"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"147","name":"Military Technology"},{"id":"148","name":"Music and Music Technology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"42931","name":"Performances"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674303":{"#nid":"674303","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Partnership for Inclusive Innovation director speaks at Congressional AI-Transportation roundtable","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pingeorgia.org\/\u0022\u003EPartnership for Inclusive Innovation\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Partnership), a program of Georgia Tech\u0027s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, focuses its work on\u0026nbsp;improving access and opportunities for all Georgians. Its goal since its founding in 2020 is to drive innovation and create opportunities for all to thrive together as part of the innovation ecosystem., regardless of geographic, racial, gender and socio-economic status.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a roundtable on artificial intelligence (AI) in infrastructure and transportation on April 16, 2024 where Partnership Executive Director Debra Lam was invited to speak and share how the organization is leveraging AI as a tool to bring innovative solutions in the transit space.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELam also sat down with U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, the committee\u0027s ranking member, for Q\u0026amp;A session on how AI can help drive innovation in transportation forward.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBelow are Lam\u0027s prepared remarks for the hearing:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGood morning, Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen and distinguished members of the House Transportation Committee. It\u0027s an honor to be here today to discuss the transformative potential of AI in Transportation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMy name is Debra Lam and I lead the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation based out of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Our mission is to catalyze and invest in innovative solutions that drive shared economic prosperity through public-private collaborations. Since 2020, the Partnership\u0027s work has deployed millions in financial and social capital and catalyzed hundreds of projects with local governments, corporates, universities, startups, and nonprofits. The projects have created new businesses, increased jobs, and deployed hundreds of technologies and innovations.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIn the realm of AI and transportation, we are guided by three core principles:\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommunity-centered problem solving:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EWe believe in starting with the challenges faced by communities themselves, who best understand their needs. However, complex issues like transportation and infrastructure require a collective approach. This is why we form robust public-private partnerships, combining the expertise of multidisciplinary research teams to find the most effective tech-based solutions tailored to community goals. Whether it is AI or other future, unknown technology, it should be seen as one of many tools that is centered on solving community problems.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInnovation for all:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;We stand by the idea that every community, regardless of its size or location, can be a hub of innovation. Our objective is to democratize access to technology and foster an understanding of innovations like AI. This empowers communities to not just utilize technology but to refine and advance it.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA holistic view of transportation:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Transportation is the lifeline connecting housing and employment. We are dedicated to ensuring that accessible and affordable transportation, especially with the integration of AI and other advanced technologies, is not a hurdle but a support system for securing employment and accessing homes.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENow, let me illustrate how these principles come alive in one of our projects:\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThrough a U.S. Dept. of Transportation SMART grant, the Chatham Area Transit Authority, with Georgia Tech researchers, is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pingeorgia.org\/the-cat-that-roars\/\u0022\u003Eimproving transit services\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in historically underserved neighborhoods. Piloting an On-Demand Multi-model Transit System (ODMTS) powered by AI, riders, including paratransit riders can use a mobile application to summon prompt and efficient transit service.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe AI-driven algorithm behind the service not only learns and evolves from increased usage but also guides the existing, professional drivers along the safest and most expedient routes. The project utilizes union operators and trains early career professionals as operators and maintenance personnel from the local colleges. Additionally, we are improving algorithms to optimize electric vehicle charging to increase operational efficiency and energy conservation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project stands as a testament to our approach, showcasing AI as a powerful ally in elevating and integrating transportation services to meet the needs of all communities.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EI look forward to delving into these topics with you today.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThank you for your attention and for supporting this vital work.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECongressional leaders want insight into AI and how its use can bolster transportation and give opportunities to those working in the transit sector.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Debra Lam discusses the use of AI in transportation innovation"}],"uid":"28137","created_gmt":"2024-04-22 19:43:40","changed_gmt":"2024-12-09 17:36:57","author":"P\u00e9ralte Paul","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673801":{"id":"673801","type":"video","title":"2024 04 16 Take 5 AI Final","body":"\u003Cp\u003EU.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, the ranking member on the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, interviews Debra Lam, executive director of the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation on how AI can help drive innovation in transportation forward.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713815168","gmt_created":"2024-04-22 19:46:08","changed":"1713815168","gmt_changed":"2024-04-22 19:46:08","video":{"youtube_id":"oSuu-wBC1Fw","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/oSuu-wBC1Fw"}},"673803":{"id":"673803","type":"image","title":"Debra Lam - Congressional Roundtable on AI and Transit","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDebra Lam, (front row on the right, second from right) addresses the full U.S. House Committee Bipartisan Roundtable on AI in Infrastructure and Transportation. (PHOTO: Robert Knotts)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713815384","gmt_created":"2024-04-22 19:49:44","changed":"1713816273","gmt_changed":"2024-04-22 20:04:33","alt":"People speaking at table","file":{"fid":"257241","name":"IMG_5729.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/IMG_5729.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/IMG_5729.png","mime":"image\/png","size":8257529,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/22\/IMG_5729.png?itok=BacDkkxW"}}},"media_ids":["673801","673803"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"155","name":"Congressional Testimony"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2835","name":"ai"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"173304","name":"debra lam"},{"id":"188705","name":"Partnership for Inclusive Innovation"},{"id":"346","name":"congress"},{"id":"488","name":"transit"},{"id":"168","name":"Transportation"},{"id":"193651","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institiute"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EP\u00e9ralte C. Paul\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nperalte@gatech.edu\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404.316.1210\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["peralte@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674366":{"#nid":"674366","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Neurotech Moonshot: Georgia Tech Researcher Shares Impact of BRAIN Initiative in Congressional Briefing ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor the past 10 years, the National Institutes of Health have led an unprecedented effort to revolutionize our understanding of the human brain. The aptly named \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/braininitiative.nih.gov\/about\/overview\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBRAIN (Brain Research Through Advancing Neurotechnologies) Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E has led to remarkable technological advancements, insights into the structure and function of the brain, and budding therapies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERecently, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/School of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (ECE) Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/user\/1109\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChris Rozell\u003C\/a\u003E traveled to Washington, D.C. to share the impact of his BRAIN Initiative research with U.S. Congressional offices \u2014 and offer insights on how critical this program is to society. The briefing took on a particular urgency because BRAIN Initiative funding was cut over 40% this year, and future funding appears to be in jeopardy in the current federal budget climate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe millions of patients suffering with intractable neurologic disorders and mental illness deserve a moonshot to develop new solutions for their conditions,\u201d said Rozell, who also holds the Julian T. Hightower Chair in ECE and serves on the executive committee for Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cYou can\u0027t get to the moon with a paper plane, and you can\u2019t get there without a map. The BRAIN Initiative is a vital program because it\u0027s one of the few places that brings together interdisciplinary teams that include the scientists who have been building maps of brain circuits and the engineers who have been building rockets to understand and intervene with those circuits.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m proud to have had the chance to represent not only our own research, but the incredible community here at Georgia Tech and around the country working to understand many different aspects of the brain, developing new neurotechnologies, and advancing therapies for neurologic disorders.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EInterdisciplinary impacts\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe main message we presented to Congress is that the interdisciplinary combination of rigorous science and technical innovation can have enormous societal impact over the next few decades,\u201d said Rozell.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA stark example of that impact was published in \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06541-3\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENature\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E this past fall. In this research, Rozell and his collaborators at the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/icahn.mssm.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai\u003C\/a\u003E and\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/med.emory.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEmory University School of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E identified the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/researchers-identify-crucial-biomarker-tracks-recovery-treatment-resistant-depression\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Efirst known biomarker\u003C\/a\u003E of disease recovery with deep brain stimulation in treatment-resistant depression.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe fact that an engineer can advance clinical therapies is a testament to the new era we\u0027re in,\u201d says Rozell, \u201cwhere disciplinary boundaries are fading, and technological innovation accelerates our scientific and translational breakthroughs.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis research served as a focal point of the congressional briefing, where Rozell presented with BRAIN Initiative Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ninds.nih.gov\/about-ninds\/who-we-are\/staff-directory\/john-ngai\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJohn J. Ngai\u003C\/a\u003E, clinical collaborators, and a family whose lives have been transformed by this work. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEvents like last week are dream come true,\u201d shared Jon Nelson, who was treated with deep brain stimulation as part of the study and presented with Rozell in D.C. After living through 10 years of debilitating, treatment-resistant depression, Nelson says \u201cremission of depression still doesn\u0027t feel real. It\u0027s been a year and a half, and I still am in awe every single day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe fact that I have come out of this study and found that the disease is purely an electrical deficiency in my brain has fueled me to completely pulverize the stigma of mental illness,\u201d Nelson explained. \u201cWhen you have an opportunity to go speak to Congress \u2014 that\u2019s about as great of a platform as you can get for that. Being able to put a face to what the BRAIN Initiative funding can do for people was just amazing.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen meeting with local representatives, Rozell also relayed his work as co-executive leader of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E, a budding Interdisciplinary Research Institute at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI was thrilled to highlight that Georgia Tech is leading the charge with the Neuro Next Initiative, which will evolve into a full Interdisciplinary Research Institute in 2025,\u201d said Rozell. \u201cGeorgia Tech has the ingredients\u0026nbsp;to become a leading center for modern technology-driven interdisciplinary brain research and workforce development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis visit was a reminder to me that research funding is not guaranteed and it\u2019s important to keep communicating the critical value that research plays in advancing our understanding, training our workforce, fueling our economy, and ultimately making a better tomorrow for society.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Professor Chris Rozell recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to present his groundbreaking research on treatment-resistant depression to Congress. There, Rozell shared insights on the impact of 10 years of the NIH BRAIN Initiative \u2014 and share with local representatives how Georgia Tech is playing a key role in leading the charge.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Chris Rozell traveled to Washington, D.C. to share the impacts of the past decade of brain research funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative with Congress \u2014 and share with local representatives how Georgia Tech is playing a key role in leading the charge."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2024-04-24 19:01:17","changed_gmt":"2024-04-26 15:55:05","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673835":{"id":"673835","type":"image","title":"Rozell was joined by BRAIN Initiative Director John J. Ngai, clinical collaborators, and a family whose lives have been transformed by this work. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERozell was joined by BRAIN Initiative Director John J. Ngai, clinical collaborators, and a family whose lives have been transformed by this work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713985800","gmt_created":"2024-04-24 19:10:00","changed":"1713985800","gmt_changed":"2024-04-24 19:10:00","alt":"Rozell was joined by BRAIN Initiative Director John J. Ngai, clinical collaborators, and a family whose lives have been transformed by this work. ","file":{"fid":"257282","name":"Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Group-Photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Group-Photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Group-Photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3133594,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Group-Photo.jpg?itok=oOiNIDaf"}},"673836":{"id":"673836","type":"image","title":"Rozell presented to members of U.S. Congress as well as local representatives during his visit.","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERozell presented to members of U.S. Congress as well as local representatives during his visit.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713985859","gmt_created":"2024-04-24 19:10:59","changed":"1713985859","gmt_changed":"2024-04-24 19:10:59","alt":"Rozell presented to members of U.S. Congress as well as local representatives during his visit.","file":{"fid":"257283","name":"Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Room.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Room.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Room.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":407458,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Room.jpeg?itok=I_wOe-Z6"}},"673837":{"id":"673837","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech Engineering Professor Chris Rozell shared his research and the impacts of the past decade of brain research funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative with Congress.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Engineering Professor Chris Rozell shared his research and the impacts of the past decade of brain research funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative with Congress.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713985921","gmt_created":"2024-04-24 19:12:01","changed":"1713985921","gmt_changed":"2024-04-24 19:12:01","alt":"Georgia Tech Engineering Professor Chris Rozell shared his research and the impacts of the past decade of brain research funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative with Congress.","file":{"fid":"257284","name":"Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Congressional-Briefing.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Congressional-Briefing_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Congressional-Briefing_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":414430,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Congressional-Briefing_0.jpg?itok=QAcnntWA"}}},"media_ids":["673835","673836","673837"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/researchers-identify-crucial-biomarker-tracks-recovery-treatment-resistant-depression","title":"Researchers Identify Crucial Biomarker That Tracks Recovery from Treatment-Resistant Depression"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu","title":"Learn more about the Neuro Next Initiative"},{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2021\/09\/ai-and-neuroscience-become-dance-partners-georgia-tech-arts-event","title":"AI and Neuroscience Become Dance Partners for Georgia Tech Arts Event"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"155","name":"Congressional Testimony"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"111361","name":"BRAIN initiative"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nNeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}