{"688487":{"#nid":"688487","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Study Could Show How TikTok\u2019s Algorithm Affects Youth Mental Health","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2026-02-18\/mark-zuckerberg-tesimony-la-social-media-trial?utm_source=chatgpt.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Etook the witness stand\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court to defend his company from accusations that social media harms children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA lawsuit filed by a 20-year-old plaintiff alleges Instagram and other social media apps are designed to make young users addicted to their platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, social media experts believe the algorithms that drive content on these platforms play a role in hooking users and keeping them scrolling for extensive periods of time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new study led by Georgia Tech might confirm this suspicion.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing recently acquired data from more than 10,000 adolescent users,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.munmund.net\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMunmun De Choudhury\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E will audit TikTok\u2019s recommendation algorithm and study its impact on young people\u2019s behavior and mental health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDe Choudhury is leading a multi-institutional research team on a four-year, $1.7 million grant from the Huo Family Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe hope to learn the different types of negative exposures that young people experience when using TikTok,\u201d De Choudhury said. \u201cThis can help us characterize what they\u2019re watching and build computational methods to understand the consumption behaviors of these participants and how they\u2019re affected by the algorithm.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDe Choudhury, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing, is collaborating with Amy Orben, a professor at the University of Cambridge, and Homa Hosseinmardi, an assistant professor at UCLA, on the project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESocial media platforms have become increasingly reluctant to share their data in recent years, posing a challenge for researchers like De Choudhury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe can\u2019t do the type of studies we did 10 years ago with X (formerly Twitter) because the API is much more restrictive,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are limited ways to programmatically access people\u2019s data now.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe must go through a tedious, manual process to get around declining access to social media data. This data-gathering process is essential given the sensitive nature of mental health research. You want data that is shared with consent.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrben collected TikTok data from more than 10,000 young people in the UK who consented to provide their personal data archives in accordance with the European Union\u2019s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe collected data includes watch histories, which De Choudhury said distinguishes this research from other social media studies that focus on what users post.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe don\u2019t understand passive social media consumption very well, so we hope to close that gap and learn what that looks like,\u201d she said. \u201cThat could complement or contrast what we know about people\u2019s active engagement on these platforms. Is what they\u2019re consuming directly related to what they\u2019re posting? How does passive consumption affect young people\u2019s mental health?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA clearer picture of how algorithm-based content affects young people could result in design interventions to minimize negative effects. De Choudhury said studying data from young people is critical because it\u2019s not too late to steer them away from unhealthy behavioral patterns.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSome of the earliest signs or symptoms of mental health conditions appear in adolescence,\u201d she said. \u201cIf appropriate care and support are provided, maybe it\u2019s possible to prevent these symptoms from becoming full-blown in the future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBeyond TikTok\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat the research team learns about TikTok could also provide broader insight into other social media platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETikTok has been influential in how social media platforms display video content. Competitors like Instagram and X modeled their video presentation after TikTok\u2019s, which can easily lead to doomscrolling.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur hope is that our findings can be generalized, with the caveat the data we have is exclusively from TikTok,\u201d De Choudhury said. \u201cOther platforms have similar video-sharing and consumption features where the video automatically plays from one to the next. We hope what we learn from TikTok will be applicable to people\u2019s activities elsewhere, though it will require future work beyond this project to draw concrete conclusions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESimulating Feeds with AI\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDe Choudhury said an additional part of the study will be using artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate video feeds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2024, Hosseinmardi led a study at the University of Pennsylvania on YouTube\u2019s recommendation algorithm and used bots that either followed or ignored the recommendations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDe Choudhury said they will use a similar method for TikTok.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe feeds will be realistic but generated by AI to see the potential pathways to consumption rabbit holes,\u201d she said. \u201cThis should give us some insight into how algorithms influence the negative and positive exposures people might be having on TikTok.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFoundation Expands Reach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBased in the UK and established in 2009, the Huo Family Foundation supports community education initiatives in the UK, the U.S., and China.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe organization announced in January its launch of the Huo Family Foundation Science Programme.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/huofamilyfoundation.org\/news\/updates\/huo-family-foundation-awards-17-6m-for-groundbreaking-research\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe new program is committing $17.6 million to fund 20 new multi-year research grants\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E that explore the impact of digital technology on the brain development, social behavior, and mental health of young people.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDigital technology is profoundly shaping childhood and young adulthood, yet there is limited causal evidence of its effects,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said Yan Huo, founder of the Huo Family Foundation, in a press release.\u0026nbsp;\u201cWe are proud to support exceptional researchers advancing vital scientific understanding.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELed by Georgia Tech professor Munmun De Choudhury, a multi-institutional research team is launching a $1.7 million study to examine how TikTok\u2019s recommendation algorithm influences the mental health of adolescent users. The project focuses on passive consumption by analyzing the watch histories of over 10,000 young participants and using AI to simulate content \u0022rabbit holes.\u0022 By identifying patterns of negative exposure, the researchers aim to develop design interventions that can steer teenagers away from unhealthy behavioral patterns and support early mental health care.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech-led research team is conducting a multi-year study using data from more than 10,000 adolescents to investigate how TikTok\u2019s recommendation algorithm and passive content consumption impact youth mental health."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2026-02-24 14:29:28","changed_gmt":"2026-03-20 12:52:52","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679406":{"id":"679406","type":"image","title":"208A9267-2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1771943377","gmt_created":"2026-02-24 14:29:37","changed":"1771943377","gmt_changed":"2026-02-24 14:29:37","alt":"Munmun De Choudhury","file":{"fid":"263567","name":"208A9267-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/24\/208A9267-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/24\/208A9267-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":104533,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/24\/208A9267-2.jpg?itok=3fEZjVVt"}}},"media_ids":["679406"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"167543","name":"social media"},{"id":"190947","name":"tiktok"},{"id":"10343","name":"mental health"},{"id":"10824","name":"Children And Adolescents"},{"id":"5660","name":"algorithms"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688719":{"#nid":"688719","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Registration Open for Speaker Series That Spotlights Creativity in Computing","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe chief arts and music officer for The Ludacris Foundation will share his experience and expertise in digital audio tools, immersive media, and creative expression with the Georgia Tech community this spring.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/geraldkeys\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGerald Keys\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;chief of production for\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EChris \u0022Ludacris\u0022 Bridges\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019 media company, Karma\u0027s World LLC, will be on campus April 14 as part of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ECTRL+CM Speaker Series.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event is one of three in the series scheduled this spring. The series will bring together students, faculty, alumni, and industry professionals from Georgia Tech and the Atlanta region to explore the evolving creative technology landscape. Events are scheduled for March 11, March 31, and April 14.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe CTRL + CM Speaker Series, developed by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/constellations.gatech.edu\/cict-collective-impact-creative-technology-program\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Collective Impact of Creative Technology (CICT)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, is open to all. The events are free, but registration is required. Registration links for each event are included below.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe series was created with students in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/degree-programs\/bachelor-science-computational-media\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ecomputational media\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dm.lmc.gatech.edu\/program\/ms-program\/?doing_wp_cron=1772555490.2302570343017578125000\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Edigital media\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/degree-programs\/master-science-human-computer-interaction\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehuman-computer interaction\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;programs in mind,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAneesah\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAllen\u003C\/strong\u003E, an education outreach manager with the College of Computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHowever, due to its popularity and success, we have expanded the audience for the speaker series to include the broader Georgia Tech community, students from other Atlanta-area colleges, and anyone interested in creative technology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDesigned to help students take greater control of their academic and professional paths, the CTRL+CM Speaker Series exposes attendees to career fields on the creative side of technology. Each event will feature a moderated panel discussion with industry leaders, alumni, and faculty, followed by networking opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETopics will span emerging tools and workflows, creative practice, professional development, and ethical considerations surrounding AI, generative media, and other emerging technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe spring CTRL + CM Speaker Series lineup includes:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECode That Creates: AI, Generative Media, and the Future of Creative Practice\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;will take place on March 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Coda at Tech Square, 9th Floor Atrium. The discussion will explore how creative coding and generative systems are reshaping artistic practice and the ethical responsibilities of AI-driven creative work.\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFeatured panelists include\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eilab.gatech.edu\/mark-riedl.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMark Riedl\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cas.gsu.edu\/profile\/elizabeth-strickler\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EElizabeth Strickler\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jelaniliddell\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJelani Liddell\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/judithu.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJudith Uchidiuno\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;Moderated by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bryan-cox-432bb84\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBryan Cox\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERSVP link:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/zGMYdqUemZ\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehttps:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/zGMYdqUemZ\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWorlds in Motion: Exploring Interactive Media and Emerging Technologies\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;is scheduled for March 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Price Gilbert Library\u2019s Scholars Event Theater. Panelists will examine developments in augmented, virtual, and extended reality technologies, immersive storytelling, and interactive systems, and how these developments are impacting design and research.\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFeatured panelists:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/library.gatech.edu\/alison-valk\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlison Valk\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.communicationcenter.gatech.edu\/williams\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKelly Williams\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/c21u.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/meryem-yilmaz-soylu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeryem Yilmaz Soylu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERSVP link:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/Cdp0vxG22u\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehttps:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/Cdp0vxG22u\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EComposing with Technology: Digital Tools, Interactive Sound, and Creative Expression\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;will be held on April 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., also at the Price Gilbert Library. The session will focus on digital audio tools, interactive sound, and innovative approaches to composition and storytelling across games, film, and immersive media.\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFeatured panelist: Gerald Keys, chief of production for Chris \u0022Ludacris\u0022 Bridges media company, Karma\u0027s World LLC\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERSVP link:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/exLGwYMTgF\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehttps:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/exLGwYMTgF\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECICT draws on expertise from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECollege of Computing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/design.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECollege of Design\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lmc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The collective is housed in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/constellations.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConstellations Center for Education in Computing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, which has worked since 2017 to expand access to computing education through research, advocacy, and community building.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe CTRL + CM Speaker Series is designed to help students take greater control of their academic and professional paths. Each event will feature a moderated panel discussion with industry leaders, alumni, and faculty, followed by networking opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0027CTRL + CM\u0027 Speaker Series will bring together students, faculty, alumni, and industry professionals to explore the evolving creative technology landscape."}],"uid":"32045","created_gmt":"2026-03-04 14:56:50","changed_gmt":"2026-03-11 01:20:10","author":"Ben Snedeker","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679523":{"id":"679523","type":"image","title":"CTRL-CM-series-stock-graphic-main-image.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn Adobe Stock graphic illustrating the creative side of computing as colorful geometric streams of thought flow from a young woman\u0027s mind.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1772644910","gmt_created":"2026-03-04 17:21:50","changed":"1772644910","gmt_changed":"2026-03-04 17:21:50","alt":"Creativity and Computing connect at GT\u0027s CTRL + CM Speaker Series","file":{"fid":"263696","name":"CTRL-CM-series-stock-graphic-main-image.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/CTRL-CM-series-stock-graphic-main-image.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/04\/CTRL-CM-series-stock-graphic-main-image.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":113108,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/04\/CTRL-CM-series-stock-graphic-main-image.jpeg?itok=YvdzjJLq"}}},"media_ids":["679523"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"606703","name":"Constellations Center"}],"categories":[{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"175066","name":"constellations"},{"id":"168831","name":"College of Design"},{"id":"174523","name":"Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"124","name":"Digital Media"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBen Snedeker, Sr. Communications Mgr.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Computing\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Ealbert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686725":{"#nid":"686725","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lights, Camera, Leadership ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen a guidance counselor told Mariah Liggins, then a junior in high school, that she wasn\u2019t going to get into college, she didn\u2019t let that stop her. Now the program director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/johnlewis.students.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJohn Lewis Student Leadership Pathways\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, she did her research, submitted her applications, and took 15 Greyhound bus trips to tour schools before placing seven acceptance letters \u2014 all accompanied by full-ride scholarships \u2014 on her counselor\u0027s desk.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m always telling my students to make sure that you\u0027re invested in yourself, and you don\u0027t need a cheerleader. You are the cheerleader, so when somebody gives you a no, work it out and get your yes, because I definitely did that,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA lesson of resilience is one that Liggins shares in her coaching sessions, helping students to develop their leadership skills and career goals, and in her role as the manager of her 10-year-old daughter Kyhler\u2019s acting career.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKhyler\u2019s most recent credit was also her biggest \u2014 a role in the Warner Bros. film \u003Cem\u003EWeapons\u003C\/em\u003E \u2014 but Liggins is intentional about teaching her daughter that the road to success in the film industry isn\u2019t always a straight one.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ve been doing this her whole life. She was 3 years old on the red carpet, but that comes with a lot of ups and downs. We talk all the time about the importance of hard work and the fact that you may get some no\u2019s, but in those situations, it\u2019s all about finding a lesson to learn from it and embracing the ability to try again,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKhyler affectionately refers to Mariah as her \u201cmomager,\u201d and Mariah, who grew up in foster care, relishes the opportunity to take a lead role in her daughter\u2019s life.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn my childhood, I never had anybody who was invested in me, so once I became a mom, I was going to make sure I give them a childhood that they have control of, that they\u0027re invested in, and that I can invest in them the best way possible,\u201d Liggins said. \u201cWhat drives me is knowing I\u2019m able to give them so much of what I lacked, and I get to live out this experience with my family.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe mother of three sees similarities between her home and professional life, including the joy of seeing others succeed in pursuing their passions. Liggins began her career in academic advising and served as the pre-health advisor at Georgia Tech before moving into her current role.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs I see students come through our program, I see them try things they wouldn\u2019t have before, and that makes me so proud. I always say that when my students have applied to medical school and got accepted, I feel like I got in because we\u2019re celebrating together,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELiggins has worked at Tech for seven years and, during that time, has continued her education as an Ed.D. student at the University of West Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat I love so much about working at Georgia Tech is working around so many creative and innovative thinkers. As a first-generation college student, I am in rooms today and part of conversations that I never could have imagined. Working at Tech has pushed me and continues to help ignite the professional and the student that I am today,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Mariah, her dream is not for Kyhler to become a movie star. It\u2019s for her to feel like she had a childhood that allowed her to express herself and find what makes her happy. Just like she does with her students, Mariah is proud to play a part in helping Kyhler find her path to becoming a leader in any venture she pursues.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Whether it\u0027s mentoring students or managing her daughter\u2019s acting career, Mariah Liggins knows the importance of resilience.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhether it\u0027s mentoring students or managing her daughter\u2019s acting career, Mariah Liggins knows the importance of resilience.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Whether it\u0027s mentoring students or managing her daughter\u2019s acting career, Mariah Liggins knows the importance of resilience.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-12-03 18:56:00","changed_gmt":"2025-12-03 20:25:54","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678758":{"id":"678758","type":"video","title":"Lights, Camera, Leadership ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWhether she\u2019s guiding students on their leadership path at Georgia Tech or heading to an audition with her daughter, Mariah Liggins teaches the value of resilience. Having grown up in foster care, Liggins knew she wanted to provide her children with the mentor she never had, and she\u2019s embracing her role as a \u201cmomager.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1764793326","gmt_created":"2025-12-03 20:22:06","changed":"1764793326","gmt_changed":"2025-12-03 20:22:06","video":{"youtube_id":"J_ahYumAlag","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=J_ahYumAlag"}},"678756":{"id":"678756","type":"image","title":"Mariah-Liggins.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMariah Liggins, program director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/johnlewis.students.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJohn Lewis Student Leadership Pathways\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, and her daughter, Khyler. Submitted photo.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1764788234","gmt_created":"2025-12-03 18:57:14","changed":"1764788234","gmt_changed":"2025-12-03 18:57:14","alt":"Mariah Liggins","file":{"fid":"262830","name":"Mariah-Liggins.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/03\/Mariah-Liggins.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/03\/Mariah-Liggins.png","mime":"image\/png","size":585873,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/03\/Mariah-Liggins.png?itok=1bKforNI"}}},"media_ids":["678758","678756"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"190795","name":"John Lewis Student Center"},{"id":"170520","name":"Actor"},{"id":"4749","name":"movies"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStory Produced by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:meavenson@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMicah Eavenson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:julian.hills@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJulian Hills\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683440":{"#nid":"683440","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Sound Meets Code: Aleksandra Ma\u2019s Music Tech Summer at MIT and Bose","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWalk into any room Aleksandra Teng Ma\u2019s been working in this summer, and you\u2019ll probably hear a mix of experimental sounds, snippets of Amy Winehouse vocals, and the occasional Animal Crossing tune playing in the background. That\u2019s just how her brain works\u2014blending tech, artistry, and everyday play into something entirely her own.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAleksandra is a master\u2019s student in Music Technology at Georgia Tech, but \u201cstudent\u201d barely scratches the surface. This summer, she\u2019s been everywhere\u2014physically in Massachusetts and intellectually somewhere between a Pride performance and a human-AI jam session at MIT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m always with my microphone and MIDI keyboard,\u201d she says, like it\u2019s just second nature. \u201cI love singing and coming up with tunes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELive from MIT \u2014 It\u2019s Human + AI Jamming\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EForget dusty textbooks and silent labs\u2014Aleksandra\u2019s research life is about real-time musical interactions between humans and AI. As a visiting researcher at MIT this summer, she\u2019s digging into what it looks like when musicians \u0022jam\u0022 with intelligent systems. Think futuristic band practice, but with algorithms joining in.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s giving me a lot of exposure to co-design methodologies,\u201d she explains, \u201cand letting me observe how musicians respond to each other\u2014and to AI.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s not just code and theory, either. The insights come alive when she brings them to the stage. This summer, Aleksandra\u2019s band performed at The Music Porch in Reading, MA for Pride Month. Their cover of \u003Cem\u003EPink Pony Club\u003C\/em\u003E turned into a moment she won\u2019t forget.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was so fun seeing people\u2014especially teenagers\u2014singing and dancing together,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s one of those moments where I just thought, yep, this is why I picked music tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Winehouse Covers to Ableton Experiments\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDespite her research chops, Aleksandra hasn\u2019t lost touch with the joy of just making music. She sings and plays keyboard in a band, covers Amy Winehouse songs, and occasionally writes music just for fun. (Her dream studio partner? You guessed it: Amy herself.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe\u2019s also been expanding her technical toolkit this summer, diving deeper into sound design with Ableton and Serum.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStill learning,\u201d she says, \u201cbut I\u2019m using them for sound design in songs\u2014and loving it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd then there are the unexpected \u201cwhoa\u201d moments. Like when she built a vocal patch for the Pixies\u2019 \u003Cem\u003EWhere Is My Mind?\u003C\/em\u003E to use live during a performance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was haunting,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd it worked so well live.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDream Tech and Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAsk Aleksandra what she\u2019d invent if she could mash up two instruments, and she already has an idea:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAutomatic vocal effects through a microphone with a built-in amplifier,\u201d she says, laughing. \u201cHonestly, someone probably already made this, but I want it anyway.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat kind of thinking is exactly what her time at Georgia Tech has sparked. Before the program, she saw music mostly through the lens of conventional instruments. Now? She\u2019s all about how software and hardware can expand what music even is.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHer Summer, in Sound\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIf Aleksandra\u2019s summer had a vibe, it\u2019d be:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA creek bubbling in the background\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA long, ghostly reverb trail on a siren vocal\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAnd the ever-cozy tones of Animal Crossing\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENot exactly your typical lab soundtrack\u2014but that\u2019s the beauty of it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis fall, she\u2019s heading back to Georgia Tech after a gap year at Bose, ready to jump into research on multimodal music source separation (AKA teaching machines to pick apart and understand layers in music the way humans do).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd yes, she\u2019ll still be singing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHits with Aleksandra\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECurrent summer jams: \u003Cem\u003ERosebud\u003C\/em\u003E by Oklou \u0026amp; the new Lorde album\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWhat people don\u2019t \u201cget\u201d about her work: \u201cHow music signals work on a granular level\u201d\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAleksandra Ma doesn\u2019t just study music tech\u2014she lives it. Whether she\u2019s tweaking reverb patches, performing under porch lights, or teaching AI how to groove, she\u2019s showing what it really means to be a 21st-century musician.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom human-AI jam sessions at MIT to live performances for Pride Month, for Georgia Tech\u0027s Music Technology student Aleksandra Ma, summer bridged music research, technology, and creative expression.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech Music Technology student Aleksandra Ma spent the summer researching human-AI jamming, performing live, and building new sounds."}],"uid":"36761","created_gmt":"2025-07-31 20:04:46","changed_gmt":"2025-07-31 20:06:48","author":"malonso35","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"42941","name":"Art Research"},{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"194568","name":"Arts and Performance"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"42891","name":"Georgia Tech Arts"},{"id":"148","name":"Music and Music Technology"},{"id":"42931","name":"Performances"},{"id":"42951","name":"Student Art"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"1309","name":"music technology"},{"id":"1621","name":"georgia tech music technology"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["Melissa.Alonso@design.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683191":{"#nid":"683191","#data":{"type":"news","title":" From Isekai to IT: How an Esports Startup Builds the Workforce","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMore than 1,000 cosplayers, gamers, and nerds took over Macon, Georgia\u2019s, annual Cherry Blossom Festival in late March. They were there for the fourth year of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sonesports.net\/\u0022\u003ECBF Isekai\u003C\/a\u003E convention, which celebrates all things anime, cosplay, and esports, but Isekai offers more than a weekend of fun. Participants could enter gaming competitions that might help them land a future cybersecurity or IT job.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECBF Isekai is sponsored by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sonesports.net\/son-technologies\u0022\u003ESON Technologies\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 short for Swagged Out Nerds \u2014 a Macon esports company focused on workforce development. SON believes the best gamers can also become promising IT professionals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA startup founded by two Air Force veterans, SON is already making a name for itself in the esports world and has support from Georgia Tech. It is one of the Accelerate companies in the startup portfolio of Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atdc.org\/\u0022\u003EAdvanced Technology Development Center\u003C\/a\u003E (ATDC), one of the oldest and most successful university-affiliated incubators in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESwagged Out Start\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESON founders Jason Clarke and John Robinson first met when they both worked in cybersecurity in the Air Force. As they transitioned to civilian IT careers, they realized a perhaps unlikely source sparked their IT expertise \u2014 video games. In 2019, the two partnered to create an esports competition team for veterans, but they knew the company\u2019s mission could be bigger.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen people think of gamers, you think of a 40-year-old person in their mom\u2019s basement,\u201d Clarke said. \u201cBut we wanted to change the perception. Gamers have employable skills that can be used for substantial IT work.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, when a person plays a multiplayer game like Fortnite, they can assume a leadership role, delivering directives to their teams. What may look like mere play actually entails planning, organizing, and executing. Even a simple task like troubleshooting a household wi-fi network is a skill that can be expanded on with the right training.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Player to Professional\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESON wants both kid and adult gamers to know they have options. They regularly host gaming tournaments and conventions to find people who would be right for their programs and cultivate community. Through a partnership with digital education company\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/aperionglobalinstitute.com\/\u0022\u003EAperion Global Institute\u003C\/a\u003E and cybersecurity certification organization\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eccouncil.org\/\u0022\u003EEC-Council,\u003C\/a\u003E Clarke and Robinson administer a high school-level curriculum highlighting the synergies between IT and gaming.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdults also have opportunities. Past SON tournament competitors can take an eight-week program, Sticks to Clicks, to turn their gaming skills into IT proficiency. These initiatives come at a crucial time: Between now and 2030, according to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.onetonline.org\/link\/summary\/15-1212.00\u0022\u003EO*NET OnLine\u003C\/a\u003E, 51,000 cybersecurity jobs in the state of Georgia are expected to be vacant.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGame-Changing Career Paths\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe programs\u2019 benefits are already tangible. One adult participant in Sticks to Clicks had an annual income of less than $10,000 before joining the program. In the first seven weeks, he earned a certification in CompTIA Security+. In the eighth and final week, he interviewed with some of SON\u2019s workforce partners. He was ultimately hired to install network infrastructure for $46,000 a year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHigh school students have had similar success. In the 2025-26 school year alone, 150 students went through the SON program and received stackable credentials that can prepare them for IT careers even if they don\u2019t go to college.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll of this momentum got ATDC\u2019s attention, and SON Tech was accepted as a portfolio company in Fall 2024. Both Georgia AIM and the Air Force went to Macon for the 2025 Isekai convention and met potential employees firsthand. They saw that SON was just getting started.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe ATDC Connection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESON joined ATDC in 2024 under the AI and Manufacturing vertical sponsored by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiaaim.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia AIM\u003C\/a\u003E, a statewide coalition to advance manufacturing using AI. SON is one of ATDC\u2019s first middle Georgia companies, but the entire state will experience benefits. Through ATDC, SON can use Georgia Tech resources, meet experts in grant applications and corporate networking, and plug into the startup ecosystem in Atlanta. The three-to-five-year program helps startups scale up.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe truth is when you\u2019re starting a company, the first few years are the worst of your life,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiaaim.org\/staff\/nwanyinma-nnodum-dike\/\u0022\u003ENwanyinma Dike\u003C\/a\u003E, who serves as the Georgia AIM and ATDC liaison. In this role, she advises SON. \u201cConnecting into a community of folks rooting for you, listening to you, helping you breathe through whatever challenges occur is one of the most valuable resources ATDC has to offer.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe size of the March Isekai event was only possible thanks to ATDC\u2019s support. They helped SON fundraise by finding the right sponsors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe went from starting this convention in a pizza shop to now packing an entire plaza downtown,\u201d Clarke said. \u201cTo see the growth is amazing. We\u0027ve received a lot of industry backing because of the creative ways we\u0027re helping workforce development.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDike wants to ensure the event wasn\u2019t a one-off and that SON can keep up the momentum. SON is already planning an even bigger 2026 Isekai convention, with exciting new partners in the pipeline who want to share in the energy of this creative workforce development solution and movement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESON also announced a partnership with gaming company Blaze Fire Games and the Houston County School District. The school district can access Blaze Fire Games\u2019 Recruit, Reclaim, and Retain career pathway program, which is designed to help close the technology industry\u2019s vast talent gap.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe partnership is exciting because it represents more than creating and launching an esports club,\u201d said Isiah Reese, CEO and co-founder of Blaze Fire Games. \u201cThis agreement allows our company to continue creating opportunities and develop relevant, sustainable career-readiness skills required to compete in today\u2019s environment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESherri Johnson, the CEO and principal of Houston County College and Career Academy, agrees.\u0026nbsp;\u0022The partnership is a real game-changer for our students. These unique, forward-thinking, 21st-century digital economy workforce educational courses will empower our instructors to reimagine and enhance classroom learning within our cybersecurity and gaming career pathway programs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESON is ready to rise to whatever industry or challenge needs their model next. What they have been able to do for the IT and cybersecurity fields could eventually be applied to the Federal Aviation Administration or even healthcare technician jobs. There\u2019s an entirely new way to develop the tech world field, and it may not start in a classroom but with a controller.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA startup founded by two Air Force veterans, SON is already making a name for itself in the esports world and has support from Georgia Tech. It is one of the Accelerate companies in the startup portfolio of Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atdc.org\/\u0022\u003EAdvanced Technology Development Center\u003C\/a\u003E (ATDC), one of the oldest and most successful university-affiliated incubators in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"SON Technologies is part of Georgia Tech\u2019s startup incubator, ATDC. "}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2025-07-21 16:27:35","changed_gmt":"2025-07-30 12:51:40","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677458":{"id":"677458","type":"image","title":"Isekai-team.JPEG","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Isekai team at the March 2025 competition.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1753115641","gmt_created":"2025-07-21 16:34:01","changed":"1753115641","gmt_changed":"2025-07-21 16:34:01","alt":"Group of people posing at competition.","file":{"fid":"261357","name":"Isekai-team.JPEG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/21\/Isekai-team.JPEG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/21\/Isekai-team.JPEG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2495708,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/21\/Isekai-team.JPEG?itok=2yVcX2J9"}}},"media_ids":["677458"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193654","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683257":{"#nid":"683257","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Deep Dive Into Shark Ecology Provides Path to Conservation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFew animals captivate people\u2019s imagination like sharks. From the enduring cultural legacy of \u003Cem\u003EJaws\u003C\/em\u003E, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, to the continued popularity of the Discovery Channel\u0027s Shark Week, now in its 37th year, media portrayals of the apex predator can shape public perception, illuminate their role within Earth\u0027s ecosystems, and influence conservation efforts. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Cameron Perry, every week is shark week. The Georgia Tech alumnus earned his Ph.D. in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ocean.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eocean science and engineering\u003C\/a\u003E in 2024 and now leads the whale shark and manta ray initiatives at Georgia Aquarium. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a 6-year-old listening to his mother read him \u003Cem\u003ETwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea\u003C\/em\u003E and imagining the creatures Captain Nemo encountered, Perry had dreams of exploring the oceans for himself. When he saw his first whale shark in Georgia Aquarium\u0027s 6.3-million-gallon tank, he set out to learn as much as he could about the gentle giants and help to conserve the endangered species. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerry\u0027s research has taken him around the world to observe whale shark behaviors in St. Helena and the Galapagos Islands, working to understand their migration habits, reproduction, and global ecology. While most people won\u0027t encounter sharks daily as he does, Perry sees the aquarium as well as the media as effective tools in showcasing sharks in the proper light. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022They are kind of mysterious and unknown. For many people, they\u0027ve never encountered sharks in their lifetime, and part of that captivation could lead to fear, but education can turn that fear into wonder and awe. There\u0027s a narrative that these animals are mindless eating machines, but the more you learn, you realize that\u0027s not the case,\u0022 he said. \u201cThese creatures have existed for 400 million years; they\u0027re older than trees, and understanding their role on our planet is important to changing the narrative around sharks.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerry likens sharks to the white blood cells of the ecosystems in which they live, as they help prevent the spread of disease through the consumption of dead or diseased prey, contribute to population control, and provide balance to the ocean\u0027s biodiversity.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EUnderstanding Our Role\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile at Georgia Tech, Perry worked alongside Regents\u2019 Chair and Harry and Anna Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-hay\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/a\u003E, whose research has highlighted the role that sharks, and other large predators, play in habitat regulation within coral reefs. Hay explains that overfishing and other human activities have decimated shark populations in certain parts of the world, significantly affecting coral reefs and the populations that rely on them. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the manager of a freshwater beach in Kentucky in 1975, Hay saw firsthand the impact that \u003Cem\u003EJaws\u003C\/em\u003E had on the beachgoing public at the time \u2014 including his lifeguards.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI had about 25 lifeguards, and I made them swim a mile every day on our buoy line. After we all went to see \u003Cem\u003EJaws\u003C\/em\u003E, about half of them refused to swim the mile for over a week. They\u0027d look at me and say, \u0027You can fire me. I\u0027m not going in,\u0027 and I\u0027d laugh and say, \u2018We\u0027re in freshwater. Jaws isn\u0027t in there.\u2019\u0022 \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHay said that while the movie remains a favorite of his, its depiction of sharks isn\u0027t representative of their behavior in the wild, as shark attacks are often accidents, not predatory actions. Like Perry, Hay believes that education can help protect sharks and bring a renewed focus to solving the ongoing issues facing the oceans. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These ecosystems are degrading, and it\u0027s us that\u0027s doing it. What I am trying to do in my teaching is to go beyond cataloging the demise and take a more Georgia Tech-type approach by saying, \u0027If the bridge is broken, we have to be the ones to rebuild it,\u0027\u0022 he said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHay keeps a saber-toothed tiger fossil on his desk as a constant reminder to himself that \u0022everything I study was shaped by what used to be here,\u0022 and how understanding nature can help preserve it for the future. Sharks are a captivating species, and both Perry and Hay stress that continued research and a commitment to education are the key to their conservation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Experts say that more accurate depictions of sharks can help protect them and highlight their role in global ecosystems.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EExperts say that more accurate depictions of sharks can help protect them and highlight their role in global ecosystems. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Experts say that more accurate depictions of sharks can help protect them and highlight their role in global ecosystems.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-07-24 16:47:25","changed_gmt":"2025-07-24 19:08:53","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677479":{"id":"677479","type":"image","title":"Cameron Perry with Whale Shark","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECameron Perry swims alongside a whale shark on a Georgia Aquarium expedition off the coast of St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Submitted photo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1753377191","gmt_created":"2025-07-24 17:13:11","changed":"1753377191","gmt_changed":"2025-07-24 17:13:11","alt":"Whale shark in the ocean. ","file":{"fid":"261381","name":"Unknown-1.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/24\/Unknown-1.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/24\/Unknown-1.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":116048,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/24\/Unknown-1.jpeg?itok=PECHZ5jE"}}},"media_ids":["677479"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"565971","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"169673","name":"Sharks"},{"id":"50821","name":"Whale Sharks"},{"id":"783","name":"conservation"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682263":{"#nid":"682263","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AR\/VR Researchers Bring Immersive Experience to News Stories","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt hasn\u2019t been long since consumers put down the newspaper and picked up their phones to get their news.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt may not be long before augmented reality\/virtual reality (AR\/VR) headsets cause them to keep their phones in their pockets when they want to read The New York Times or The Washington Post.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EData visualization and AR\/VR researchers at Georgia Tech are exploring how users can interact with news stories through AR\/VR headsets and are determining which stories are best suited for virtual presentation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETao Lu\u003C\/strong\u003E, a Ph.D. student at the School of Interactive Computing, Assistant Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EYalong\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003EYang\u003C\/strong\u003E, and Associate Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EAlex\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003EEndert\u003C\/strong\u003E led a recent study that they say is among the first to explore user preference in virtually designed news stories.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers will present a paper they authored based on the study at the 2025 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems this week in Yokohama, Japan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDigital platforms have elevated explanatory journalism, which provides greater context for a subject through data, images, and in-depth analysis. These platforms also allow stories to be more visually appealing through graphic design and animation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELu said AR\/VR can further elevate explanatory journalism through 3D, interactive spatial environments. He added that media organizations should think about how the stories they produce will appear in AR\/VR as much as they think about how they will appear on mobile devices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re giving users another option to experience the story and for designers and developers to show their stories in another modality,\u201d Lu said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA screen-based story on a smartphone is easy to use and cost-effective. However, some stories are better presented in AR\/VR, which will become more popular as technology gets cheaper. AR\/VR can provide 3D spatial information that would be hard to understand on a phone or desktop screen.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EActive or Passive Interactions?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing Meta\u2019s Oculus Quest 3, the researchers and their collaborators created four immersive virtual reality simulations from web-based news stories produced by The New York Times:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWhy opening windows was key to classroom ventilation during the Covid-19 pandemic\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe destruction of Black homes and businesses in the Tulsa Race Massacre\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EHow climate change could create dramatic dangers in the Atlantic Ocean\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EHow 9\/11 changed Manhattan\u2019s financial district\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study aimed to determine whether users prefer to be actively or passively immersed in a story, whether from a first-person or third-person point of view, or a combination of these perspectives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re in the nascent stages of storytelling in VR,\u201d said Endert, whose research specializes in data visualization. \u201cWe lack the design knowledge of which mode of immersion we should use if we want a certain reaction from the audience. Understanding design is at the crux of our study.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EActive immersion gives the user complete control over their experience. The classroom simulation offers a first-person point of view and allows users to teleport from one point in the classroom to another. New information from the story is presented each time the user moves to a new point.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers acknowledged they could design a free-roaming simulation that allows users to walk freely within the classroom. However, they restricted that ability for this study due to safety concerns and lab space constraints.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the Tulsa Race Massacre simulation, which uses a passive, first-person point of view, users follow a predefined route along one of Tulsa\u2019s main streets. Information about each building is presented at each step.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Atlantic Ocean simulation is an active, third-person experience. The user sees a representation of Earth and can select which interaction points to explore to learn new information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe 9\/11 simulation is a passive third-person experience. Each step includes a narrative paragraph with companion visual elements, and users proceed to the next step through a navigation trigger.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFinding the Right Balance\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELu said that first-person active enhances spatial awareness, while third-person passive improves contextual understanding. Journalists and VR designers must determine which presentation is most effective case by case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYang said the goal should be to balance interests in making those determinations, which might require compromise. Knowing how users prefer to consume news is critical, but journalists still have an editorial responsibility to decide what the public should know and how to present information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou have more freedom to explore in an active experience versus a passive experience,\u201d Yang said. \u201cBut if you give them too much freedom, they might stray from your planned narrative and miss important information you think they should know. We want to understand how we can balance both ends of this spectrum and what the right level is that we can give people in storytelling.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study and others indicate that users retain information better when they feel like they are part of the story. Yang said the technology to make that possible isn\u2019t there yet, but it\u2019s coming along as wearable VR devices become more accessible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe debate is whether these devices will become people\u0027s preferred technology for consuming content. According to the Pew Research Center, 86% of U.S. adults say they at least sometimes get their news from a smartphone, computer, or tablet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI believe AR and VR will be mainstream in the future and will replace everything, but I think there\u2019s a transition period,\u201d Yang said. \u201cOlder devices will exist and act as support. It\u2019s an ecosystem.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. student Tao Lu, Assistant Professor Yalong Yang, and Associate Professor Alex Endert developed VR simulations of four New York Times stories using Meta\u2019s Oculus Quest 3 headset to study user preferences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir findings suggest that AR\/VR can offer a more spatially rich and emotionally resonant way to experience complex news topics, potentially reshaping how media organizations design and deliver digital stories.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are pioneering the use of augmented and virtual reality (AR\/VR) to transform news consumption by creating immersive, interactive 3D environments."}],"uid":"36530","created_gmt":"2025-05-06 18:52:58","changed_gmt":"2025-05-06 18:55:25","author":"Nathan Deen","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677035":{"id":"677035","type":"image","title":"IMG_3568-copy.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Professor Yalong Yang looks over the shoulder of Ph.D. student Tao Lu as they create a simulation of a news story presented in virtual reality. Photo by Nathan Deen (College of Computing)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1746557625","gmt_created":"2025-05-06 18:53:45","changed":"1746557625","gmt_changed":"2025-05-06 18:53:45","alt":"Assistant Professor Yalong Yang looks over the shoulder of Ph.D. student Tao Lu as they create a simulation of a news story presented in virtual reality.","file":{"fid":"260895","name":"IMG_3568-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/06\/IMG_3568-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/06\/IMG_3568-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9753715,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/06\/IMG_3568-copy.jpg?itok=LP_Hv8pB"}}},"media_ids":["677035"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"1597","name":"Augmented Reality"},{"id":"145251","name":"virtual reality"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"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":""}},"676108":{"#nid":"676108","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tech Connections Attract New Social Media Tenant","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFanbase, a next-generation social media app, has become the latest up-and-coming business to move into Encore, Georgia Tech\u2019s business growth-and-scaling hub in West Midtown. Located within The Interlock mixed-use complex on Howell Mill Road, Encore is positioned to connect companies to the resources and talent of Georgia Tech and other schools and businesses in the rapidly growing technology epicenter Atlanta has become.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EA New Boost for Tech Startups\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFanbase, founded by songwriter, music producer, and entrepreneur Isacc Hayes III, is dedicated to nurturing an ecosystem of innovation through partnerships with emerging startups. At Encore, startups can collaborate closely with Fanbase and Georgia Tech, leveraging their expertise and networks. This collaboration aims to accelerate tech startup growth by providing resources and opportunities to experiment, develop, and launch new products and services alongside Fanbase. A key development of the Fanbase\/Encore collaboration is an innovative podcast studio available for use by tech startups and select partners.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEncore provides cutting-edge meeting facilities including extensive areas for creative projects, state-of-the-art equipment for onboarding new Fanbase users, and conference spaces for launching new initiatives. Positioned near the Georgia Tech campus and the historically Black colleges and universities that comprise the Atlanta University Center, Encore facilitates collaboration with academic researchers and access to student talent, essential for ongoing innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDetails About the Fanbase App\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFanbase currently offers six functionalities:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFlickz\u003C\/em\u003E (short-form video)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFanbase Audio\u003C\/em\u003E (social audio chat)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFanbase+\u003C\/em\u003E (long-form video)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFanbase Stories\u003C\/em\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELive streaming on \u003Cem\u003EFanbase Live\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMain feed photo and video upload\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEncore is managed by Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, a Georgia Tech affiliate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELearn more here: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.encoregt.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eencoregt.org\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFanbase, a next-generation social media app, has become the latest up-and-coming business to move into Encore, Georgia Tech\u2019s business growth-and-scaling hub in West Midtown. Located within The Interlock mixed-use complex on Howell Mill Road, Encore is positioned to connect companies to the resources and talent of Georgia Tech and other schools and businesses in the rapidly growing technology epicenter Atlanta has become.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u0027s growth-and-scaling hub, Encore, has attracted a new tenant called Fanbase which is an up-and-coming social media app  "}],"uid":"36174","created_gmt":"2024-08-20 13:24:54","changed_gmt":"2024-08-20 15:35:20","author":"Blair Meeks","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674642":{"id":"674642","type":"image","title":"Interlock in West Midtown","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Interlock development in West Midtown is home to Georgia Tech\u0027s growth-and-scaling hub called Encore. Encore has a new tenant - a new social media app called Fanbase.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1724160335","gmt_created":"2024-08-20 13:25:35","changed":"1724160335","gmt_changed":"2024-08-20 13:25:35","alt":"This is a picture of the Interlock development in West Midtown which is home to Georgia Tech\u0027s growth-and-scaling hub called Encore","file":{"fid":"258192","name":"Interlock at Night.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/20\/Interlock%20at%20Night.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/20\/Interlock%20at%20Night.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":531498,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/20\/Interlock%20at%20Night.jpg?itok=xydSnOXJ"}},"674645":{"id":"674645","type":"image","title":"Fanbase moves to GT\u0027s Encore","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFanbase is a new tenant in Georgia Tech\u0027s growth-and-scaling hub called Encore in West Midtown\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1724163199","gmt_created":"2024-08-20 14:13:19","changed":"1724163199","gmt_changed":"2024-08-20 14:13:19","alt":"This image shows a digital representation of a new social media app called Fanbase","file":{"fid":"258195","name":"Fanbase Press Release Image.001.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/20\/Fanbase%20Press%20Release%20Image.001.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/20\/Fanbase%20Press%20Release%20Image.001.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1973151,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/20\/Fanbase%20Press%20Release%20Image.001.jpeg?itok=FHwOBq1A"}}},"media_ids":["674642","674645"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/encoregt.org","title":"Encore is Georgia Tech\u0027s growth-and-scaling hub"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"167543","name":"social media"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["Blair.Meeks@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675585":{"#nid":"675585","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Olympics Continue Athletic Compensation Conversation, Georgia Tech Expert Says","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOlympians compete for national pride, glory, and, for the first time, prize money.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnnounced by World Athletics \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/worldathletics.org\/news\/press-releases\/world-athletics-introduces-prize-money-for-olympic-gold-medallists\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein April\u003C\/a\u003E, a $2.4 million pot will be split among the 48 gold medal winners at the upcoming games \u2014 $50,000 for each athlete or team \u2014 marking the first time an international sport federation will award prize money at the Olympic Games. The move is a continued departure from the amateurism model implemented by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, in 1896. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/mary-g-mcdonald\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMary McDonald\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Homer C. Rice Chair in Sports and Society, explains that governments provided various levels of financial support to athletes throughout the 20th century, although undisclosed compensation from sponsors gave rise to \u201cshamateurism\u201d as the International Olympic Committee upheld its traditional policy. She says allowing professional athletes to compete in the Games in 1992 and the commercialization of the global event led to this compensation model. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe U.S. \u2018Dream Team\u2019 competed in Barcelona to widespread media attention, allaying longstanding mythologies that somehow including professionals would taint the Olympic spirit of sport,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cBut fans around the globe were interested in seeing the top athletes in each sport, and allowing professional athletes to compete met this demand. Organizers of the multibillion-dollar Olympic and Paralympic Games recognized that athletes are the driving force behind this global spectacle.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the absence of payments from international federations, medalists have been paid prize money to varying degrees by national Olympic committees or national governments. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee pays $37,500 for gold medals, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze, while \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.singaporeolympics.com\/major-games-award-programme\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESingapore pays individual gold medalists up to $1 million\u003C\/a\u003E. The World Athletics\u2019 $50,000 payout for gold medals pales in comparison to the millions of dollars in endorsement deals earned by Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, and other notable Olympians, but\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Eit opens a dialogue surrounding pay inequities for the additional 10,000 competitors. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne issue this debate helps to highlight is that inequalities exist between sports federations and national Olympic committees. Many athletes in less visible Olympic sports, even if provided with stipends, still financially struggle to train and compete,\u201d McDonald said, noting that some athletes have resorted to crowdfunding to support their Olympic pursuits.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStill, new compensation opportunities through federation support serve important purposes. This strategy helps to more fully recognize the value of athletic labor, offering a new way of redistributing more of the revenues generated by the athletes back to the athletes,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new system is not a finished product. World Athletics plans to extend the prize money, at a tiered level, to silver and bronze medalists at the 2028 Summer Olympics. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMcDonald sees symmetry between this and the recent softening of traditional amateurism models, such as college athletics following the adoption of NCAA name, image, and likeness policies following court rulings and state legislative actions. She adds that, as efforts continue to create fair compensation models in professional leagues like the WNBA, the Olympics have provided a \u201cvisible and global stage to inspire and empower athletes in their quest to better share in the revenues they have helped to produce.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"For the first time, gold medalists at the Olympics will be paid by an international federation. A Georgia Tech expert discusses the significance of the change.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor the first time, gold medalists at the Olympics will be paid by an international federation. A Georgia Tech expert discusses the significance of the change. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"For the first time, gold medalists at the Olympics will be paid by an international federation. A Georgia Tech expert discusses the significance of the change.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2024-07-24 21:15:53","changed_gmt":"2024-07-25 01:00:26","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674421":{"id":"674421","type":"image","title":"France Flag with Medal ","body":null,"created":"1721856118","gmt_created":"2024-07-24 21:21:58","changed":"1721856118","gmt_changed":"2024-07-24 21:21:58","alt":"A Gold Medal Laying Across a French Flag","file":{"fid":"257929","name":"GettyImages-1322986731.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/24\/GettyImages-1322986731.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/24\/GettyImages-1322986731.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":19158768,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/24\/GettyImages-1322986731.jpg?itok=vrJJYRC1"}}},"media_ids":["674421"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2024\/07\/georgia-techs-olympic-athletes","title":"Georgia Tech\u0027s Olympic Athletes"},{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/07\/will-seine-rivers-e-coli-woes-sink-olympic-dreams-paris","title":"Will the Seine River\u2019s E. coli Woes Sink Olympic Dreams in Paris?"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/07\/19\/how-paris-olympic-track-designed-break-records","title":"How the Paris Olympic Track Is Designed to Break Records "}],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1288","name":"School of History and Sociology"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"86791","name":"Mary McDonald"},{"id":"174242","name":"Olympians"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674802":{"#nid":"674802","#data":{"type":"news","title":"CREATE-X Alumnus Launches to Acquisition","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EParth Arora is the founder of Third Dimension Fitness, a platform for gamified cardio through mixed reality, which was recently acquired by Elbo, an education-focused company based in Singapore. He began his company as a project in the summer of 2022. Since then, it has gained thousands of users and made thousands in revenue each month. Arora is a senior in computer science. He participated in the Spring 2024 Startup Launch, the first cohort to be held outside of the summer program. Below is a Q\u0026amp;A with Arora.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDid you always want to be an entrepreneur?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI always did. I had my first company, an educational technology app, when I was 16, which ran for about two years. I ended it in my first year of college. I\u0027m from India originally and the vision was to provide resources to the larger mass market of India for extracurricular activities. But, we realized there wasn\u0027t a business model. When we tried to make money, we started serving the rich kids. When we tried to serve the market, we didn\u0027t make money, which doesn\u0027t make investors happy, though we did end up making enough money to repay them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat didn\u0027t stop me; it just gave me more lessons.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat other experience in entrepreneurship have you had?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI\u0027ve been involved in entrepreneurship communities at Georgia Tech forever. I was co-director of Startup Exchange, which is where I met a lot of really driven people. I got a chance to build their fellowship program and initiate their first pitch competition, which is now called Summit. I\u0027ve collaborated with CREATE-X for different events, and I try to attend any event hosted by CREATE-X, Startup Exchange, or ATDC.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you choose to join the spring cohort of Startup Launch this year?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X provides everything you need, like legal support, financial support, sales support, mentors, and an introduction to VCs, which is why I decided to join the Launch program. I think all of that boosted our startup\u2019s growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you feel like acquisition was the way to go for your company?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI think because I always knew this wasn\u2019t \u201cthe\u201d thing I was going to do. This summer I\u0027ll be starting to work for Apple on their VisionPro team, and it has a direct conflict-of-interest. They wanted me to stop working on this for a while. So, I felt like this might be a good time to explore the acquisition.\u0026nbsp; We had really rich content, which had proven to work. We had curated that content after hundreds of customer interviews, and we had advisors from Nike, Disney, and Netflix. I knew that was a strong point, so that\u0027s why I knew that acquisition would be a good exit.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat support have you had in taking the acquisition path?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESeth [Radman, who has had multiple exits himself and is a Startup Launch alumnus] has been guiding me professionally for a while. I met him at previous events through Startup Exchange, but then he recently came to a CREATE-X event. Rahul [Saxena, CREATE-X director], has also been a great support for me since day one. He was the one who suggested Startup Launch to me.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn December of last year, we started monetizing. We were testing different things. It was helpful to share the numbers and the data points with Rahul, mentors, and other people in my cohort so that I was not blindsided, and I could take actions based on the educated analysis of a database. It helped me drive down our customer acquisition cost, increase our customer lifetime value, and didn\u0027t keep me in my own bubble.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow were you okay with letting that product go?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was a tough decision; it was my baby. I\u0027d been working on it 10 to 15 hours a day, at least for the last few months. Rahul and Seth convinced me that if this is not the thing you want to do long-term and you know the market isn\u0027t big enough, you should move on to the next thing and put your time and energy there.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI had to use my brain, and not my heart.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u0027s the biggest piece of advice that you\u0027ve received as you developed your company?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETry to never lie to yourself, which is harder than it seems. I\u0027ve built two companies and worked with several others, and I still lie to myself. When you love your product so much, it\u0027s very easy to lie to yourself about how there is a market for it, or people are using it. I think even in the future, I\u2019ll probably be caught doing that, but the best way I\u0027ve found to overcome that is to surround yourself with people who can tell you when you are doing it and help you see your company the way it is instead of the way you want it to be.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow has this decision affected you so far?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy lifestyle has completely changed, from looking at a dashboard every 10 to 15 minutes, seeing how the product is doing, and burning so many fires every 30 minutes, to being pretty chill. Like, what am I supposed to think about before I go to bed? What am I supposed to do now? Who are the customers I am supposed to be thinking about? It\u0027s been interesting, but I think this gives me space to now work on that next venture and have more time to think about what I want to do next.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDo you think you\u0027ll want to return to entrepreneurship in the future?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYes, for sure. All the money I received from the acquisition will also fuel my next venture. My main goal is to grow in this industry. I\u0027m an entrepreneur at heart, so I will be returning to the space soon or building products that people like.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow are you celebrating this win?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI did celebrate it on our last day with Rahul, my amazing mentor, Margaret [Weniger, who founded Rising Tide], and the other cohort members. I will be celebrating it with a few of my friends because my 21st birthday is coming around, so I\u0027ll be celebrating these occasions together.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut I don\u0027t want to take the money out from the company or for anything else, because it\u2019s for my next venture. It shouldn\u0027t change my lifestyle at all, so I\u0027ve kept all that money in a separate place.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat encouragement would you give to students interested in pursuing a startup?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERelative to other colleges, we have a cushion, a sense of security that we will get good jobs. Entrepreneurship is a riskier and more unpredictable path, which I\u0027ve seen, and I\u0027m personally experiencing right now having to choose between Big Tech versus entrepreneurship. But once you start building it and when you hear from your first customer how you affected the way they live, then there\u0027s no going back. Statistically, you\u0027ll probably fail, but you won\u0027t know until you start building; and if you do fail, it\u2019ll teach you so many valuable lessons that are applicable in whatever career path you choose.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECREATE-X will launch its 12th cohort of Startup Launch on Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. in the Georgia Tech Exhibition Hall. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/gt-demo-day-tickets-888408793617?aff=WebInfoPage\u0022\u003ERegister today\u003C\/a\u003E to secure your spot.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInterested in becoming a CREATE-X supporter? Startup Launch is made possible by contributions to Transforming Tomorrow, a $2 billion comprehensive campaign designed to secure resources that will advance the Institute and its impact, and by the continued engagement of our entrepreneurial ecosystem. Learn more about philanthropy at Georgia Tech and donate by visiting \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/transformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Etransformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo become a mentor in CREATE-X, visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/alumni-and-giving\/mentorship-program\u0022\u003ECREATE-X mentorship page\u003C\/a\u003E. Any other inquiry may be sent to \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:create-x@groups.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecreate-x@groups.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E. We appreciate your help and commitment to supporting our students in research and innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EParth Arora, a senior in computer science at Georgia Tech and founder of Third Dimension Fitness, has successfully transitioned his startup into an acquisition by Elbo, a Singapore-based educational company. Starting as a summer project in 2022, the platform quickly gained traction, amassing thousands of users and consistent monthly revenue. Arora\u2019s entrepreneurial journey, marked by early ventures and active involvement in Georgia Tech\u2019s entrepreneurial ecosystem, culminated in the strategic acquisition decision, aligning with his upcoming role at Apple.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Parth Arora, Georgia Tech computer science senior and founder of Third Dimension Fitness, leveraged his entrepreneurial skills and CREATE-X\u2019s resources to grow his startup, leading to its acquisition by Elbo as he prepares to join Apple\u2019s VisionPro team."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2024-05-17 20:30:41","changed_gmt":"2024-05-20 13:58:18","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674037":{"id":"674037","type":"image","title":"Parth Arora Photo","body":null,"created":"1716213408","gmt_created":"2024-05-20 13:56:48","changed":"1716213463","gmt_changed":"2024-05-20 13:57:43","alt":"Parth Arora using headset","file":{"fid":"257503","name":"ParthArora.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/20\/ParthArora.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/20\/ParthArora.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1278828,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/20\/ParthArora.png?itok=5ghXSNMt"}}},"media_ids":["674037"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/gt-demo-day-tickets-888408793617?aff=WebInfoPage","title":"Demo Day Registration"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166973","name":"startup"},{"id":"137161","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"},{"id":"1072","name":"Business"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"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\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674482":{"#nid":"674482","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Beyond Genre: Exploring Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s Cowboy Carter and Tina Turner\u0027s Influence ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBeyonc\u00e9\u0027s Cowboy Carter album has captivated global audiences with its bold fusion of country and pop influences, solidifying her status as a musical icon. This departure from her previous work has sparked intrigue into the album\u0027s diverse inspirations. Among those dissecting the cultural significance of Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s latest venture is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/expert\/joycelyn-wilson-hip-hop-and-culture-expert\u0022\u003EJoycelyn Wilson\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor of hip-hop studies and digital media at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the core of Cowboy Carter is an exploration of genre boundaries, seamlessly blending elements of country music into Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s signature sound. From the twang of the steel guitar to the storytelling of classic country ballads, Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s foray into country-pop represents a reimagining of American musical traditions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cShe\u0027s very much Southern in her Texas roots, and she\u0027s playing with that heritage in a way that is opening up the way in which we even think about who can do country \u2014 but also reclaiming African American culture and community\u0027s role in creating and helping country music become what it is,\u201d Wilson says. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe influence of Tina Turner also looms large over the Cowboy Carter landscape, underscoring the impact of the rock and roll pioneer and the ways in which she was able to push the boundaries of musical hybridity, Wilson added. Celebrated for her electrifying performances and genre-bending approach, Turner\u0027s legacy continues to inspire artists across generations. Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s incorporation of elements like powerful stage presence and innovative genre fusion reflects Turner\u0027s influence, demonstrating how her pioneering spirit resonates in contemporary music.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThrough Wilson\u0027s exploration, there emerges a deeper understanding of the layers embedded within Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s latest work. From themes of empowerment to narratives of resilience, Wilson illuminates how Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s Cowboy Carter album has resonated with audiences worldwide.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJoycelyn Wilson, assistant professor of Hip-Hop Studies and Digital Media at Georgia Tech, provides thought-provoking insights into the parallels between Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s \u201cCowboy Carter\u201d album and Tina Turner\u0027s enduring influence. Through an exploration of country aesthetics and Turner\u0027s legendary career, Wilson sheds light on the intersections of genre, identity, and artistic innovation. This deep dive reveals the rich cultural resonance and musical evolution shaped by these iconic artists.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" In her analysis, Joycelyn Wilson explores Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s \u0027Cowboy Carter\u0027 album, influenced by icons like Tina Turner, representing a bold departure into country-pop fusion, while delving into its cultural resonance and musical evolution."}],"uid":"35797","created_gmt":"2024-05-02 12:54:07","changed_gmt":"2024-05-02 13:27:15","author":"Siobhan Rodriguez","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673911":{"id":"673911","type":"video","title":"Beyond Genre: Exploring Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s Cowboy Carter \u0026 Tina Turner\u0027s Influence","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIn her analysis, Joycelyn Wilson, assistant professor of Hip-Hop Studies and Digital Media at Georgia Tech, provides thought-provoking insights into the parallels between Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s \u201cCowboy Carter\u201d album and Tina Turner\u0027s enduring influence. Through an exploration of country aesthetics and Turner\u0027s legendary career, Wilson sheds light on the intersections of genre, identity, and artistic innovation. This deep dive reveals the rich cultural resonance and musical evolution shaped by these iconic artists.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1714654960","gmt_created":"2024-05-02 13:02:40","changed":"1714654960","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 13:02:40","video":{"youtube_id":"Tx2FlMfpVHk","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Tx2FlMfpVHk?si=ADsIdkM4A7DmEwOc"}},"673912":{"id":"673912","type":"image","title":"Beyond Genre: Exploring Beyonc\u00e9\u0027s Cowboy Carter and Tina Turner\u0027s Influence ","body":null,"created":"1714656332","gmt_created":"2024-05-02 13:25:32","changed":"1714656332","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 13:25:32","alt":"Image of a cowgirl with a horse ","file":{"fid":"257369","name":"AdobeStock_641878892.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/AdobeStock_641878892.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/AdobeStock_641878892.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3633272,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/02\/AdobeStock_641878892.jpeg?itok=gUuJ8ol4"}}},"media_ids":["673911","673912"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"190267","name":"beyonce"},{"id":"193686","name":"Cowboy Carter"},{"id":"193687","name":"Tina Turner"},{"id":"193688","name":"Texas Hold Em"},{"id":"5758","name":"Texas"},{"id":"6810","name":"country"},{"id":"167049","name":"Southern"},{"id":"15981","name":"hip hop"},{"id":"187121","name":"hip hop studies"},{"id":"180619","name":"pop music"},{"id":"193689","name":"black culture"},{"id":"193690","name":"southern music"},{"id":"193691","name":"CMAs"},{"id":"193692","name":"Country Music Awards"},{"id":"1180","name":"Music"},{"id":"1311","name":"atlanta music"},{"id":"174253","name":"trap music"},{"id":"187387","name":"country music"},{"id":"174257","name":"joycelyn wilson"},{"id":"124","name":"Digital Media"},{"id":"4709","name":"entertainment"},{"id":"185723","name":"album"},{"id":"58931","name":"Grammys"},{"id":"193693","name":"beyonce knowles carter"},{"id":"193694","name":"beyonce knowles"},{"id":"193695","name":"cowboy"},{"id":"193696","name":"cowboy carter album"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESiobhan Rodriguez\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["sar30@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}