This Summer, the Strategic Energy Institute and GTRI jointly created the Energy and National Security Initiative through an inaugural workshop on July 16.

The initiative included Phase 1 or Category A grants that allowed researchers up to $10,000 in seed funding to understand the viability of their research concepts. The multidisciplinary proposals that won the Category A grants include:

Project Title: Energy Infrastructure Security and Risk Assessment Through Interactive Wargaming
Primary Investigator(s)
Dimitri Mavris (School of Aerospace Engineering)
Scott Duncan (School of Aerospace Engineering)
Michael Balchanos (School of Aerospace Engineering)

Other Investigators
Adam Stulberg (School of International Affairs)
Jenna Jordan (School of International Affairs)
Margaret Kosal (School of International Affairs)

Project Title: International Workshop on Nuclear Cybersecurity: Strengthening Global Leadership and Collaboration

Primary Investigator(s)
Fan Zhang (Nuclear and Radiological Engineering)
Steve Biegalski (Nuclear and Radiological Engineering)
Valerie Thomas (School of Industrial and Systems Engineering)
Alexander Miranda (Electrial and Computer Engineering)

Other Investigators
Guenevere Chen (Electrial and Computer Engineering) (University of Texas San Antonio)

Project Title: Robust Energy Systems Planning by way of Novel Systems Engineering (RESPoNSE)

Primary Investigator(s): Comas Haynes (GTRI)

Other Investigators
Matt McDowell (School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Materials Science and Engineering)

Project Title: Shielding and Microreactor Arrangement Innovation (Samμrai)

Primary Investigator(s)
John Brittingham (GTRI)
Bojan Petrovic (School of Mechanical Engineering)

Other Investigators
Helen Works (GTRI)

Project Title: The Strategic Mineral Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for Critical Resources

Primary Investigator(s)
Bobby Harris (School of Economics)
Matthew Swarts (GTRI)

Other Investigators
Dylan Brewer (School of Economics)
Kevin Caravati (GTRI)
Laura Taylor (School of Economics)
Micah S. Ziegler (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Public Policy)

Project Title: Trustworthy AI for Critical Power Grid Infrastructure Resilience
Primary Investigator(s): 
Glen Chou (School of Cybersecurity and Privacy)
Yatis Dodia (GTRI)
Saman Zonouz (School of Cybersecurity and Privacy, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Phase 2 or Category B of the initiative includes up to $500,000 in seed funding to fund team research proposals, with funds likely to grow to $1.2 million in the coming years. Please note that teams must largely consist of those who participated in or expressed interest via the July workshop. 

Georgia Tech researchers and faculty are encouraged to submit the Notice of Intent for Phase 2 (Category B) submissions. While this is not a requirement of the proposal, it will provide the initiative with insights that will help with internal logistics. If you have any questions regarding the Category B Notice of Intent and the grant, please contact the Strategic Energy Institute at connect@energy.gatech.edu.