{"689985":{"#nid":"689985","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow and Bald Head Island Conservancy Launch Research Fund, Partnership","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENorth Carolina\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bhic.org\/\u0022\u003EBald Head Island Conservancy (BHIC)\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow (GT\u00b2)\u003C\/a\u003E are pleased to announce a formal research fund and partnership between BHIC\u2019s Johnston Center for Coastal Sustainability and GT\u00b2.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGT\u00b2\u0026nbsp;is a newly established research initiative at Georgia Tech that focuses on discovery science, engineering innovation, and AI-enabled decision tools to address urgent challenges at the intersection of environmental and community resilience in the Southeast. The initiative fosters research in direct service to regional communities through public-private partnerships, and it provides opportunities for graduate student engagement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe BHIC-GT\u00b2 research fund and partnership will pursue shared initiatives in the fields of coastal sustainability, ecosystem health, and environmental resilience. By combining BHIC\u2019s applied, field-based conservation work with Georgia Tech\u2019s expertise in technological innovation and data analysis, new opportunities for impactful research will be created through graduate student projects and community engagement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Partnership\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ELike the GT\u00b2 initiative, BHIC\u2019s Johnston Center for Coastal Sustainability was created to translate research into real-world impact. BHIC established the Johnston Center as a research partnership and education hub for sustainability initiatives on Bald Head Island, with the broader goal of advancing coastal sustainability across the Southeast. Seed funding for the Center was provided in 2021 by \u003Cstrong\u003EDick and Pat Johnston\u003C\/strong\u003E, longtime supporters of BHIC.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDick, a Georgia Tech IM 1962 alumnus, and Pat Johnston shared their enthusiasm for the BHIC and Georgia Tech collaboration, noting:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe are delighted to see our two favorite institutions come together through this partnership. It brings additional resources, expertise, and leadership to our shared focus on keeping the historic tagline \u2018Living in Harmony with Nature\u2019 in the hearts of future generations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E, Faculty Director of GT\u00b2 who also serves as Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E with a joint appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech added:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe Bald Head Island Conservancy and its Johnston Center for Coastal Sustainability exemplify how place\u2011based conservation and rigorous science can work together to create real impact. The Bald Head Island Conservancy\u2019s long\u2011term stewardship, research infrastructure, and commitment to translating science into action make it an ideal partner for Georgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow as we advance collaborative research that strengthens coastal resilience across the Southeast.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis partnership will focus on Georgia Tech graduate student research projects that use innovative technology and data analyses to directly support the conservation work of BHIC.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGraduate student research already plays an important role in BHIC\u2019s conservation efforts. \u003Cstrong\u003EGabie Krueger\u003C\/strong\u003E, a Georgia Tech Ph.D. student in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ocean.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOcean Sciences and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and BHIC\u2019s 2025-26 Johnston Graduate Fellow in Coastal Sustainability, has been working with BHIC scientists on a salt marsh ecology project that examined how ribbed mussels and fiddler crabs influence the health of Bald Head Island\u2019s dominant salt marsh grass\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ESpartina alterniflora\u003C\/em\u003E. These flora-fauna interactions serve as primary indicators of marsh health, so her research is important for understanding the resilience of Bald Head Island\u2019s salt marsh to environmental concerns such as sea-level rise and development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThrough the BHIC-GT\u00b2 partnership, Georgia Tech student researchers who work with the Conservancy will also gain invaluable experience with local conservation efforts and community engagement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EG. Christopher Shank, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E, Executive Director of BHIC, commented:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe Bald Head Island Conservancy is thrilled about this opportunity to create a formal research partnership with Georgia Tech, one of the nation\u2019s most esteemed research universities. It is recognition of the quality of conservation studies we are currently pursuing at the Conservancy and it also augments the impact of our work for BHI and beyond because of the technological and data analysis talent that Georgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow will bring to this partnership.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy This Matters\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThis research fund and partnership represents an important step forward in strengthening connections between academic research and applied conservation institutions. Together, BHIC and GT\u00b2 aim to inform coastal management decisions, support resilience planning, engage students, and advance research that benefits coastal ecosystems and communities across the southeastern U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELooking Ahead\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAdditional details about joint initiatives, research priorities, and collaborative opportunities will be shared in the coming months.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Bald Head Island Conservancy (BHIC) and Georgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow (GT\u00b2) are pleased to announce a formal research fund and partnership between BHIC\u2019s Johnston Center for Coastal Sustainability and the GT\u00b2 initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Bald Head Island Conservancy and Georgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow are pleased to announce a formal research fund and partnership."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2026-04-23 21:00:49","changed_gmt":"2026-04-23 21:07:23","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680049":{"id":"680049","type":"image","title":"120259-bhiconservancy-b.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EVibrant \u0027Spartina alterniflora\u0027 salt marsh grass wraps the oxbow of a tidal waterway. (Credit: Bald Head Island Conservancy)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776978094","gmt_created":"2026-04-23 21:01:34","changed":"1776978094","gmt_changed":"2026-04-23 21:01:34","alt":"Vibrant \u0027Spartina alterniflora\u0027 salt marsh grass wraps the oxbow of a tidal waterway. (Credit: Bald Head Island Conservancy)","file":{"fid":"264283","name":"120259-bhiconservancy-b.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/23\/120259-bhiconservancy-b.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/23\/120259-bhiconservancy-b.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":164976,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/23\/120259-bhiconservancy-b.jpg?itok=XyoQqRZY"}}},"media_ids":["680049"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/georgias-tomorrow","title":"Georgia Tech for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow"},{"url":"https:\/\/bhic.org\/","title":"Bald Head Island Conservancy (BHIC)"},{"url":"https:\/\/portcitydaily.com\/news-briefs\/2026\/04\/21\/bald-head-island-conservancy-announces-partnership-with-georgia-tech-for-coastal-resilience\/","title":"Port City Daily: Bald Head Island Conservancy announces partnership with Georgia Tech for coastal resilience"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wect.com\/2026\/04\/23\/bald-head-island-conservancy-georgia-tech-form-research-partnership\/","title":"WECT: Bald Head Island Conservancy, Georgia Tech form research partnership"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"195058","name":"Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow"},{"id":"194752","name":"transforming tomorrow"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences at Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr\u003Ejess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChris Shank\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EExecutive Director\u003Cbr\u003EBald Head Island Conservancy\u003Cbr\u003Eshank@bhic.org\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}