{"674336":{"#nid":"674336","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Seed Grants Fund Research Centers for Critical Minerals, Spatial Computation and Navigation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe College of Sciences is funding two research centers through a new seed grant program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESelected from a finalist pool of nine proposals, Associate Professors \u003Cstrong\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EThackery Brown\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s ideas were chosen for their high potential for novel interdisciplinary research and impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETang\u2019s center will focus on sustainable mineral research, and Brown\u2019s on spatial computation and navigation. Applications for the research will span the development of more sustainable batteries, as well as seeking to improve human health and well-being.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cImproving the human condition, fostering community, and pursuing research excellence are at the forefront of Georgia Tech\u2019s mission, and these new centers will play a critical role in furthering that goal,\u201d says \u003Cstrong\u003ELaura Cadonati\u003C\/strong\u003E, associate dean for Research in the College of Sciences and a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThe College of Sciences is thrilled to support these new initiatives, and is excited to continue to develop the seed grant program.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA second call for research center proposals is planned for January 2025, with funding to start in July 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new \u003Cstrong\u003EC\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eenter for Sustainable and Decarbonized Critical Energy Mineral Solutions \u003C\/strong\u003E(CEMS), to be led by \u003Cstrong\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/strong\u003E, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/tang-dr-yuanzhi\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, will serve as a hub for sustainable procurement solutions for critical energy mineral resources, including rare earth elements and metals used for battery production.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThackery Brown\u003C\/strong\u003E, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/thackery-i-brown\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E, will lead the second center, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crane.psych.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Research and Education in Navigation (CRaNE)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. CRaNE will investigate problems related to spatial computation, cognition, and navigation \u2014 which has implications for human health, animal conservation, smart architecture and urban design.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis generous support from the College of Sciences will enable us to host a conference on spatial cognition, computation, design, and navigation; to provide collaborative multi-lab seed grants; and to establish the first of a series of explicitly co-mentored, interdisciplinary graduate student Fellowships,\u201d Brown says. \u201cCollectively, these are the seeds of a high-impact and self-sustaining center.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Center for Sustainable and Decarbonized Critical Energy Mineral Solutions (CEMS)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EYuanzhi Tang, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECo-sponsored by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI), \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sustainability\u0022\u003EBrook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems\u003C\/a\u003E (BBISS), \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/materials\u0022\u003EInstitute for Electronics and Nanotechnology (IEN)\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/materials\u0022\u003EInstitute for Materials (iMat)\u003C\/a\u003E, CEMS began as a joint BBISS-SEI initiative lead project that has since grown into a joint center focused on\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003Ecritical elements and materials for sustainable energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESustainably sourcing these materials provides a critical foundation for both high-tech industry and green economy. \u201cRare earth elements and battery metals like lithium, copper, and nickel are in high demand, but low domestic resources and production have resulted in a heavy reliance on imports,\u201d Tang explains. \u201cHow can we domestically produce these resources, and how can we do this sustainably?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech and the College of Sciences are at a unique position for developing a large regional research umbrella to connect these dots.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECEMS will leverage on three key pillars: science and technology development, strengthening collaboration among the University System of Georgia (USG) universities, and developing regional resources and economy, Tang says. \u201cBy leveraging collaboration among Georgia universities, and fostering engagement with regional industries, the Center will develop new science and technology, leading the way in research on how to procure these \u2018essential vitamins\u2019 for clean energy transition in a sustainable and decarbonized manner.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Center for Research and Education in Navigation (CRaNE)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThackery Brown, School of Psychology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECRaNE will focus on solving problems related to spatial computation, cognition, and navigation. \u201cHow do we treat catastrophic loss of one\u2019s ability to get from A to B in Alzheimer\u0027s disease? How do we build smarter cities that are easier and more carbon efficient to navigate? How can we develop robots,\u201d Brown says, \u201cwhich navigate with the flexibility and efficiency of our own minds? CRaNE will bring together experts from many different fields to help address these problems with truly creative and integrative scientific and technological solutions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECRaNE will support interdisciplinary collaborative research, including developing a graduate student fellowship program, and conducting K-12 outreach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur goal for CRaNE is to position the College of Sciences, Georgia Tech, and our extended network of collaborator institutions as a center of gravity for cutting-edge work on how the mind, brain, and artificial systems process space \u2014 how they can be made better at it, and how we can engineer our world around us in ways that support the humans and animals that need to navigate it to survive,\u201d Brown says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEmphasizing the collaborative nature of CRaNE, Brown adds that \u201cby targeting collaborative grants, research, and education, and by promoting outreach and education earlier in the STEM pipeline, we hope to accelerate progress at the frontiers of these fields \u2014 and to invest in future science that cannot be easily addressed by a single lab or discipline.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The College of Sciences is funding two research centers through a new seed grant program. A second call for research center proposals is planned for January 2025."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe College of Sciences is funding two research centers through a new seed grant program. Selected from a finalist pool of nine proposals, Associate Professors Yuanzhi Tang and Thackery Brown\u2019s ideas were chosen due to their high potential for novel interdisciplinary research and impact. A second call for research center proposals is planned for January 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Selected from a finalist pool of nine proposals, Associate Professors Yuanzhi Tang and Thackery Brown\u2019s ideas were chosen due to their high potential for novel interdisciplinary research and impact."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-04-23 15:04:54","changed_gmt":"2024-04-23 19:28:37","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673819":{"id":"673819","type":"image","title":"Yuanzhi Tang","body":null,"created":"1713900468","gmt_created":"2024-04-23 19:27:48","changed":"1713900468","gmt_changed":"2024-04-23 19:27:48","alt":"Yuanzhi Tang","file":{"fid":"257262","name":"Yuanzhi Tang pic2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/23\/Yuanzhi%20Tang%20pic2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/23\/Yuanzhi%20Tang%20pic2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1451744,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/23\/Yuanzhi%20Tang%20pic2.jpg?itok=WO9lHAY5"}},"673813":{"id":"673813","type":"image","title":"Thackery Brown","body":null,"created":"1713884703","gmt_created":"2024-04-23 15:05:03","changed":"1713884703","gmt_changed":"2024-04-23 15:05:03","alt":"Thackery Brown","file":{"fid":"257255","name":"Thackery Brown.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/23\/Thackery%20Brown.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/23\/Thackery%20Brown.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2118758,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/23\/Thackery%20Brown.jpg?itok=YDPrz0jl"}}},"media_ids":["673819","673813"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192258","name":"cos-data"},{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EContact:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}