{"686278":{"#nid":"686278","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Attendees Reflect on the Georgia Resiliency Conference 2025","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAgainst a backdrop of ancient live oaks draped in Spanish moss and salt marshes alive with shorebirds, a statewide conversation about the future of Georgia\u0027s environmental resilience took place at Jekyll Island. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiaclimateconference.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Resiliency Conference 2025\u003C\/a\u003E, organized by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), brought together more than 430 leaders and experts from across public, private, nonprofit, and academic sectors, including a large delegation from Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe island\u0027s natural beauty and vitality served as both inspiration and an urgent reminder of what communities across Georgia stand to lose without coordinated action. Faculty, administration, research fellows, students, collaborators, and Georgia Tech President Emeritus and keynote speaker G. Wayne Clough brought diverse perspectives to discussions ranging from coastal vulnerability to data-driven decision-making. Throughout the event, one theme remained constant: the essential role of interdisciplinary research in addressing real-world environmental challenges across the state.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the reflections below, Georgia Tech attendees share their takeaways from this landmark gathering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe continued commitment by many stakeholders to manage our carbon pollution stood out, as did the importance and fragility of Georgia\u2019s coastal wetlands. It was also rewarding to reconnect with Wayne Clough and hear his geological perspective on our state. I was particularly impressed by the use of AI and spatial data analytics featured in the tools cafe.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u2014 \u003Cstrong\u003EMarilyn Brown\u003C\/strong\u003E, Regents\u2019 and Brook Byers Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cResiliency is now. It\u2019s not a future goal \u2014 it\u2019s a present imperative. As we face accelerating environmental challenges, we must adapt in real time to protect our resources and communities. I was deeply inspired by Wayne Clough\u2019s keynote, which emphasized the importance of conservation and forward-thinking systems that can endure uncertainty. What struck me most was the number of Georgia Tech colleagues actively advancing both urban and rural resiliency across our state. Their dedication and innovation give me hope and reaffirm the importance of collaboration in this work.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u2014 \u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Chirico\u003C\/strong\u003E, Associate Vice President of Sustainability\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cIt was great to reconnect and network with sponsors, Georgia researchers, local governments, and other stakeholders concerned with coastal resiliency. I was pleasantly surprised by Georgia Tech\u2019s strong presence this year and proud to see my colleagues presenting and moderating sessions. It was long overdue, as planners routinely address issues like climate change and resiliency. The conference\u2019s dedicated focus on connecting natural areas across the state deeply resonated. Having worked on greenspace issues for 25 years, I was inspired by the vision for a statewide trail system linking Macon to the coast through wildlife corridors. Big ideas like this will make a real difference in Georgia\u2019s future.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u2014 \u003Cstrong\u003ETony Giarrusso\u003C\/strong\u003E, Associate Director, Center for Urban Resilience and Analytics, College of Design\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThe Georgia Resilience Conference provided a great forum for us to introduce our new Georgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow (GT\u00b2) Center to a range of stakeholders and collaborators \u2014 from the Georgia DNR to local officials. From the coastal barrier islands to the Blue Ridge Mountains, we\u2019re focusing on research that strengthens resilience and reduces risk from natural disasters, while connecting Georgia Tech\u2019s science to communities across the state. We were inspired by the level of collaboration among agencies, researchers, and practitioners, and we were glad to jointly debut the center\u2019s plans at this year\u2019s event. Our thanks to Jennifer Kline and the Georgia DNR for organizing such a meaningful and energizing conference.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u2014 \u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E, Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor and Inaugural Director, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/college-sciences-launches-new-center-georgia-tech-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow (GT\u00b2)\u003C\/a\u003E; Associate Chair for Research, School of Biological Sciences\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cI had a phenomenal experience at the Georgia Resilience Conference. It was heartening and eye-opening to see so many participants from all sectors invested in protecting the environment and supporting communities impacted by environmental change. I connected with professors from other universities to discuss future collaborations that could expand on my current project at Tech. Additionally, when I spoke with project managers and engineers within the private sector, I was further motivated by the realization that there is both interest and need for the research we are doing \u2014 not only to advance science but also to help those restoring our waterways apply the most promising and sustainable techniques available. This conference was well worth it and is already on my calendar for next time.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u2014 \u003Cstrong\u003EMaggie Straight\u003C\/strong\u003E, Ph.D. Candidate, Ocean Science and Engineering\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cOne of the best parts of the conference was spending time with current and former Ph.D. students like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/maggie-e-straight\/\u0022\u003EMaggie Straight\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sarah-hope-roney\/\u0022\u003ESarah Roney\u003C\/a\u003E (Ph.D. OSE 2025). Maggie\u2019s research characterizes bacteria-algae interactions in micro-algae systems, while Sarah worked on oyster ecosystems during her time at Georgia Tech. What struck me about our conversation was that the principles of resilience show up at every scale. Both Maggie and Sarah are exploring how foundational species \u2014 from micro-algae to oysters \u2014 create the conditions for entire ecosystems to thrive. This is exactly the kind of systems thinking we need. I am proud to see the next generation of scientists translating their research into real-world impact and grateful for conversations that connect the dots across disciplines and scales.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u2014\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBeril Toktay\u003C\/strong\u003E, Executive Director, Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems; Regents\u2019 Professor; and Brady Family Chair in Management, Scheller College of Business\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe Georgia Resilience Conference highlighted the power of collaboration \u2014 connecting scientists, policymakers, and community leaders who are shaping Georgia\u2019s response to a changing climate. BBISS remains dedicated to amplifying these voices and translating research into action that strengthens resilience across the Southeast.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u2014 Written by Seungho Lee\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA statewide conversation about the future of Georgia\u0027s environmental resilience took place at Jekyll Island. The island\u0027s natural beauty and vitality served as both inspiration and an urgent reminder of what communities across Georgia stand to lose without coordinated action.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Faculty, administration, research fellows, students, collaborators, and Georgia Tech President Emeritus and keynote speaker G. Wayne Clough brought diverse perspectives to discussions ranging from coastal vulnerability to data-driven decision-making."}],"uid":"27338","created_gmt":"2025-11-06 21:57:08","changed_gmt":"2025-11-06 22:00:50","author":"Brent Verrill","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678568":{"id":"678568","type":"image","title":"GA_Resiliency_Conf_GT_Group_cropped.jpg","body":null,"created":"1762466258","gmt_created":"2025-11-06 21:57:38","changed":"1762466258","gmt_changed":"2025-11-06 21:57:38","alt":"The Georgia Tech contingent gather for a group photo at the 2025 Georgia Resiliency Conference.","file":{"fid":"262620","name":"GA_Resiliency_Conf_GT_Group_cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/06\/GA_Resiliency_Conf_GT_Group_cropped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/06\/GA_Resiliency_Conf_GT_Group_cropped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":891865,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/06\/GA_Resiliency_Conf_GT_Group_cropped.jpg?itok=sQRM3fi7"}}},"media_ids":["678568"],"groups":[{"id":"244191","name":"Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBrent Verrill\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Communications Program Manager, BBISS\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brent.verrill@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}