{"681377":{"#nid":"681377","#data":{"type":"news","title":"School of Physics Professor Dan Goldman Named AAAS Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has been named a 2024\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aaas.org\/fellows\u0022\u003EAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science\u003C\/a\u003E (AAAS) Fellow for his groundbreaking research at the interface of biomechanics, robotics, and physics. He\u0026nbsp;joins the ranks of the nation\u2019s most distinguished leaders in science, engineering, and innovation, and is among the seven Georgia Tech faculty named for 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis year\u0027s Fellows are the embodiment of scientific excellence and service to our communities...their work demonstrates the value of sustained investment in science and engineering,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ESudip S. Parikh,\u003C\/strong\u003E AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E family of journals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA self-professed physicist by training and temperament, Goldman\u2019s research investigates how organisms such as centipedes, snakes, worms, and even plant roots navigate the complexities of the natural world. What makes his research unique is that rather than studying organisms in simple environments, he studies them in environments that more closely mimic their natural habitats such as sandy, loose terrain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe former Dunn Family Professor in the School of Physics, Goldman has also earned the NSF CAREER Award, DARPA Young Investigator Award, an American Physical Society Fellowship, and the Georgia Power Professor of Excellence Award.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cBecoming an AAAS Fellow is an incredible honor,\u201d says Goldman. \u201cHowever, in many ways I feel I\u2019m just the person representing the results of more than 20 years of effort from my students and post-docs, as well as my mentors who helped me find this incredibly interesting field of study.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPioneering robophysical modeling\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENearly 20 years ago, Goldman became fascinated with\u0026nbsp;studying the physics of how a small lizard wriggled through sand. Today, he has carved a unique niche in biological physics, including advancing a robophysical modeling approach incorporating the animal\u2019s motion pattern to supplement understanding of principles related to organism movement. The approach has led to his recent development of limbless and multi-legged robots for use in agricultural efforts and search and rescue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENow, Goldman directs the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crablab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECRAB (Complex Rheology and Biomechanics) Lab\u003C\/a\u003E, which focuses on developing robots beyond traditional bio-inspired robots through a strong physics-based perspective to biological questions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAs a physicist, I try to find the underlying principle governing certain phenomena,\u201d says Goldman. \u201cWe\u2019ve been successful in discovering common patterns of movement and applying a beautiful theoretical framework called \u2018gauge kinematics\u2019 where we describe tiny nematode worms, sand swimming lizards, and multi-legged centipedes with the same language.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe practical applications of Goldman\u2019s research are already paving the way for innovations in robotics ranging from space research to agriculture. Goldman\u2019s startup,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/groundcontrolrobotics.com\/\u0022\u003EGround Control Robotics\u003C\/a\u003E, has started building robots that can navigate the difficult terrain of crop fields, identify weeds and other pests, and address challenges like herbicide resistance, labor shortages, and plant disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe journey from studying that small lizard swimming in sand to developing robots for agriculture exemplifies the often-unforeseen pathways of scientific research,\u201d says Goldman. \u201cThe principles unlocked by observing these seemingly insignificant creatures have proven crucial in understanding how various organisms and subsequently, robots can effectively move through complex environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EI can\u2019t wait to see where the efforts of my incredible group members take us next!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDaniel Goldman has been honored as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world\u2019s largest multidisciplinary scientific society.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Daniel Goldman has been honored as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world\u2019s largest multidisciplinary scientific society."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2025-03-26 16:07:34","changed_gmt":"2025-03-27 15:55:59","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676674":{"id":"676674","type":"image","title":"The College of Sciences is excited to congratulate 2024 AAAS Fellow Daniel Goldman.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe College of Sciences is excited to congratulate 2024 AAAS Fellow Daniel Goldman.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1743005719","gmt_created":"2025-03-26 16:15:19","changed":"1743016409","gmt_changed":"2025-03-26 19:13:29","alt":"Man in a blue shirt posing behind a robot.","file":{"fid":"260500","name":"dangoldman_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/dangoldman_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/dangoldman_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5190003,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/26\/dangoldman_0.jpg?itok=otD6cDkW"}}},"media_ids":["676674"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/aaas-honors-seven-georgia-tech-researchers-lifetime-fellows","title":"AAAS Honors Seven Georgia Tech Researchers as Lifetime Fellows"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"26011","name":"faculty honors"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Laura S. Smith\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Elaura.smith@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}