{"682916":{"#nid":"682916","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hives Empowers Emerging Leaders to Tackle Future Challenges","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAt many organizations, junior employees are expected to observe, learn and follow, but rarely given the opportunity to lead and drive innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is reversing that trend through its Hives Early Career Independent Research and Development (IRAD) Program. Funded through GTRI\u2019s IRAD program, Hives equips researchers who are in their first six years of employment to lead projects focused on emerging technologies and security topics that have a national and global impact. Tenure-track assistant professors at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) with less than six years of employment are also eligible to participate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEarly-stage researchers are GTRI\u2019s future, and I think it\u2019s important to encourage them to think beyond today\u2019s security threats and anticipate what\u2019s ahead,\u201d said Ben Riley, a GTRI principal research associate who is the program\u2019s founder and lead coordinator.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERiley joined GTRI in 2015 after a 30-year career in the U.S. Navy and holding senior leadership roles in the U.S. Department of Defense. He originally joined GTRI in 1998 after retiring from the Navy, left in 2002, and returned in 2015.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe founded the Hives program in 2015 as a way for junior researchers to address national security challenges that don\u2019t yet have official requests or guidelines.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInterested participants who meet the employment requirements must first develop an original idea and submit a proposal before being accepted into the program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERiley said strong proposals anticipate future technological and geopolitical threats, such as drones, AI applications and disinformation warfare, and develop innovative solutions to address them. The ultimate goal is for projects to be adopted by the Department of Defense or another government sponsor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERiley encourages interested participants to be creative and share their ideas with him, adding with a smile: \u201cA couple of past participants have told me that when people have a crazy idea, they come to me because they know I\u2019ll listen to anything.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFirst-year participants receive $25,000 to develop their idea. Some of the most promising projects receive up to $40,000 to continue into the second year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe first year is what I call \u2018starting an idea\u2019,\u201d said Riley. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of literature review, exploring technologies, assessing feasibility, and building a plan based on your perspective. You might also begin some early fabrication or software development.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second year is more about bringing that idea to life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s about turning whatever you have envisioned in year one into something tangible you can see, touch or put on the table,\u201d Riley said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParticipants are encouraged to collaborate with other Hives members, GTRI laboratories and Georgia Tech faculty members as they develop their idea. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGTRI Principal Research Engineer Christopher R. Valenta participated in Hives in 2015 during its inaugural year. Valenta began working at GTRI in 2008 as a graduate research assistant while earning his PhD in electrical and computer engineering at Georgia Tech. He graduated in 2014.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EValenta is currently an associate division chief in GTRI\u2019s Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL) and an adjunct professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He has expertise in optics, electromagnetics, and signal progressing \u2013 applying these skillsets to optical and RF remote sensing and communications, including LiDAR.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EValenta\u2019s Hives project explored integrating smaller, more rugged optical detectors known as silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) into airborne LiDAR systems to map underwater terrain \u2013 an advancement with important national security implications.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir compact design made it possible to mount the system on drones and deploy it more frequently, increasing flexibility and operational costs. By enhancing the ability to gather high-resolution underwater data from the air, this innovation strengthens national security efforts, including coastal mapping and maritime security.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt became the first known system of its kind and was incorporated into a major sponsored program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond the technical expertise he gleaned, Valenta said Hives gave him his first chance to fully lead a project, which laid the groundwork for leading larger initiatives in the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of engineers tend to just focus on the technical side of a project, but Hives also teaches you how to manage a budget, communicate your vision for your project, and lead a team,\u201d Valenta said. \u201cHives gave me the first opportunity to do those things, so when I applied for bigger, more complex programs, I had some foundation to build off of.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELily Huff, a GTRI research engineer and current Hives participant, agreed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Hives program is one of the most applicable early career development programs I\u2019ve participated in,\u201d Huff said. \u201cIt has helped me learn how to manage a budget, lead a team and understand my own mentorship style in a low-pressure environment that has made stepping into larger projects feel less intimidating.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHuff began working at GTRI as a co-op student in 2019 while earning her bachelor\u2019s degree in mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech, graduating in 2021. She joined full-time in 2022 and now works in GTRI\u2019s Aerospace, Transportation \u0026amp; Advanced Systems Laboratory (ATAS), where she specializes in flight test engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor her Hives project, Huff is working with the Army\u2019s Third Infantry Division (3ID) to develop an improved mobile manufacturing space \u2013 similar to a makerspace, but designed for field use.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMobile manufacturing spaces could enable real-time problem-solving and innovation on the battlefield, such as repairing or replacing broken equipment by 3D printing or machining parts on site, or customizing gear for local environments by adapting tools and attachments to better suit weather or terrain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile still in development, Huff\u2019s research is already informing how 3ID\u2019s current systems are deployed and helping shape improvements for future use.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe project needs more time and funding, but it\u2019s helping inform how systems that are currently being deployed could be improved,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven though many Hives projects have been successful, Riley noted that success isn\u2019t the only measure of value.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEven if a project fails, a big question for me is, what did the participants learn?\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGTRI\u2019s IRAD Program funds discretionary research across the Georgia Tech enterprise that addresses some of the most pressing challenges in national security, economic development, and the overall human condition. These projects extend GTRI\u2019s research base, sustain capability in critical research areas, foster exploration and innovation, and accelerate entry into emerging areas of interest to GTRI and our sponsors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGTRI\u0027s Hives Early Career Independent Research and Development (IRAD) Program is funded through GTRI\u2019s IRAD program and equips researchers who are in their first six years of employment to lead projects focused on emerging technologies and security topics that have a national and global impact. Tenure-track assistant professors at Georgia Tech with less than six years of employment are also eligible to participate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"GTRI\u0027s Hives Program equips researchers who are in their first six years of employment to lead projects focused on emerging technologies and security topics that have a national and global impact. "}],"uid":"35874","created_gmt":"2025-06-27 12:57:35","changed_gmt":"2025-06-27 13:12:01","author":"Anna Akins","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677300":{"id":"677300","type":"image","title":"GTRI Principal Research Engineer Christopher R. Valenta (left) participated in Hives in 2015 during its inaugural year and GTRI Research Engineer Lily Huff (right) is a current participant. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPast and current Hives participants said the program has sharpened their technical acumen and prepared them to manage higher-stakes projects at GTRI.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1751029064","gmt_created":"2025-06-27 12:57:44","changed":"1751029064","gmt_changed":"2025-06-27 12:57:44","alt":"Two GTRI researchers pose for a photo outside of a GTRI facility. 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