This year’s Georgia Tech Sustainability Showcase, held March 4 – 8 in conjunction with the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Action and Awareness Week, was an opportunity for faculty, staff, students, and community partners to demonstrate the depth and breadth of sustainability research happening at Georgia Tech. It was hosted by the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems with partners from the Office of Sustainability, Strategic Energy Institute, Renewable Bioproducts Institute, Institute for People and Technology, Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, the Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education, The Exchange at Georgia Tech, and other campus partners.

The event featured lightning talk sessions, panel discussions, and an alumni keynote. Participants were afforded with an opportunity to meet their colleagues, learn about each other’s projects, and explore opportunities for collaboration. The lightning talk sessions were five-to-seven-minute presentations, without slides, meant to give the audience a broad view of the diversity of sustainability work underway at Georgia Tech in a short period of time. These talks covered a wide range of topics, reflecting the diverse interests and expertise within the Georgia Tech community.

Panel discussions included “Higher Education and SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals” with Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera, a panel on the Georgia Tech Climate Action Plan, and “Innovative Teaching with the U.N. SDGs: Examples From Georgia Tech Faculty.” There were also panels on research/community partnerships, and the role of philanthropy in sustainability research.

The alumni keynote was delivered by Andrew White, CE 2019, an Energy Equity and Environmental Justice Systems Researcher at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.  He spoke about advancing energy equity through strategic collaborations among multiple stakeholders in the landscape of energy producers, distributors, and consumers.

The showcase demonstrated the Georgia Tech sustainability community’s passion and commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and the Institute’s mission to improve the human condition. It fostered a sense of community and shared purpose among attendees and participants.

The proceedings were recorded, and videos will begin to be uploaded to the BBISS YouTube channel in the coming weeks. More details about the Sustainability Showcase and the lineup of speakers and sessions can be found at https://sustainable.gatech.edu/showcase. Details about SDG Week and related events can be found at https://sustain.gatech.edu/sdg-week/.