Energy

Powering the Future — Without Breaking the Grid

admin — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 20:15:41 +0000

Powering the Future — Without Breaking the Grid admin Fri, 07/25/2025 - 16:15

As Georgia positions itself as a hub for digital infrastructure, communities across the state are facing a growing challenge: how to welcome the economic benefits of data centers while managing their significant environmental and infrastructure impacts. These facilities, essential for powering artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and everyday internet use, are also among the most resource-intensive buildings in the modern economy.

While companies like Microsoft and Google have pledged to reach net-zero emissions, experts say more transparency and smarter policy are needed to ensure that data center development aligns with community and environmental priorities. That means ensuring adequate energy infrastructure, investing in renewables, training local workers, and mitigating water and carbon impacts through innovation.

A New Kind of Energy Crunch

The rapid rise of AI is fueling explosive demand for computing power — and in turn, energy.

“The proliferation of AI workloads has significantly increased data center energy requirements,” says Divya Mahajan, assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “Large-scale AI training, especially for language models, leads to elevated and sustained power draw, often nearing the thermal and power envelopes of graphics processing units systems.”

This sustained demand is particularly challenging in hot, humid regions like Georgia, where cooling systems must work harder. “Training these models can cause thermal instability that directly affects cooling efficiency and power provisioning,” Mahajan explains. “This amplifies reliance on external cooling infrastructure, increasing water consumption and grid strain.”

Environmental and Economic Pressure

“Each new data center could lead to greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to a small town,” says Marilyn Brown, Regents’ and Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems in the School of Public Policy. “In Georgia, the growth of data centers has already led to plans for new gas plants and the extension of aging coal plants.”

There’s an environmental cost to this growth: electricity and water. A single large data center can consume up to 5 million gallons of water per day.

Rising demand has a price. “It’s simple supply and demand,” says Ahmed Saeed, assistant professor at the School of Computer Science. “As overall power demand increases, if supply doesn’t keep up, costs will rise and the most affected will be lower-income consumers.”

Still, experts are optimistic that policy and technology can help mitigate these impacts.

Innovation May Hold the Key

Despite the challenges, experts see opportunities for innovation. “Technologies like direct-to-chip cooling and liquid cooling are promising,” says Mahajan. “But they’re not yet widespread.”

Saeed notes that some companies are experimenting with radical ideas, like Microsoft’s underwater Project Natick or locating data centers in Nordic countries where ambient air can be used for cooling. These approaches challenge conventional infrastructure norms by placing servers underwater or in remote, cold regions. “These are exciting, but we need scalable solutions that work in places like Georgia,” he emphasizes.

What Communities Should Ask For

As communities compete to attract data centers, experts say they should push for commitments that go beyond job creation.

“Communities should ensure that their power infrastructure can handle the added load without compromising resilience or increasing costs,” Saeed advises. “They should also require that data centers use renewable energy or invest in local clean energy projects.”

Training and hiring local workers is another key benefit communities can demand. “Deployment and maintenance of data centers require skilled workers,” Saeed adds. “Operators should invest in technical training and hire locally.”

Policy Can Make the Difference

Stronger policy frameworks can ensure growth doesn’t come at the expense of Georgia’s most vulnerable communities. “We need more transparency from companies about their energy and water use,” says Brown. “And we need policies that prevent the costs of supporting large consumers from being passed on to residential ratepayers.”

Some states are already taking action. Texas passed a bill to give regulators more control over large power consumers. In Georgia, a bill that would have paused tax breaks for data centers until their community impact was assessed was vetoed — but experts say the conversation is far from over.

“Data centers are here to stay,” says Saeed. “The question is whether we can make them sustainable — before their footprint becomes too large to manage.”

Summary sentence

Georgia’s booming data center industry brings economic promise and environmental pressure. Researchers say innovation and local action can tip the balance.

Summary

As Georgia emerges as a hub for digital infrastructure, the rapid growth of data centers — driven by rising demand for AI and cloud computing — presents both economic opportunity and environmental challenges. These resource-intensive facilities strain local power grids, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and consume millions of gallons of water daily. While companies pledge sustainability goals, Georgia Tech experts say stronger policies, greater transparency, and community-driven requirements are essential to ensure that growth benefits residents without overwhelming infrastructure or raising utility costs. Innovations in energy efficiency and cooling technologies show promise, but scalable solutions tailored to Georgia’s climate are urgently needed.

Dateline

Fri, 07/25/2025 - 12:00

Contact

Ayana IslesSenior Media Relations Representative Institute Communications

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Keywords

data centers

environmental impact

go-researchnews

News room topics

Science and Technology

Categories

Artificial Intelligence

Energy

State Impact

Mercury ID

683306

Source updated

Fri, 07/25/2025 - 16:15

Georgia Tech to Launch State’s First Sustainability Master’s Program

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:39:46 +0000

Georgia Tech to Launch State’s First Sustainability Master’s Program admin Wed, 06/18/2025 - 10:39

The Georgia Institute of Technology is launching a new Master of Science in Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management (MSEEM) — the only graduate degree in Georgia fully dedicated to sustainability issues.

The highly technical, science-based, and interdisciplinary program — approved by the Board of Regents on Feb. 12, 2019 — will prepare students to deliver fact-based policy expertise through robust analytical techniques and a deep understanding of energy and environmental issues and sustainability practices.

“This professionally focused degree will allow Georgia Tech to educate the next generation of sustainability leaders in corporate, government, and non-governmental organizations,” said Rafael L. Bras, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs and K. Harrison Brown Family Chair. “Georgia Tech is proud to deliver innovative, affordable, and top-quality education in high-demand areas such as sustainability to meet the needs of our evolving workforce."

When the program begins in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts' School of Public Policy in August 2019, MSEEM students will study topics such as sustainable energy and voluntary environmental commitments, cost-benefit analysis, utility regulation and policy, Earth systems, economics of environmental policy, big data and policy analytics, climate policy, and environmental management.

They also will learn analytical techniques used to estimate and evaluate sustainability metrics, be able to expertly assess the context of energy and environmental problems, and understand environmental ethics and its implications for sustainability practice.

The program will combine professional instruction from the nationally-ranked School of Public Policy with Georgia Tech’s top-notch engineering, business, and planning faculties to educate professionals who can lead organizations toward policies consistent with a sustainable future.

“This unique interdisciplinary program takes an innovative and integrative approach to sustainability that epitomizes the commitment of the School of Public Policy to collaborate across disciplines to educate future policy analysts and leaders and turn ideas into solutions to public problems,” said Kaye Husbands Fealing, professor and chair of the school.

Faculty will be drawn from across the Georgia Tech campus, including from the School of Public Policy, the Scheller College of Business, the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the School of City and Regional Planning.

Guest lecturers from Atlanta’s corporate community, government agencies, NGOs and research organizations also will participate — helping connect MSEEM students to the state of the practice and to job opportunities.

MSEEM students also will have access to Georgia Tech’s summer Program on Sustainable Development and Climate Change in Venice, Italy. The 5-week, 6-credit program features courses in climate policy and sustainable development and provides a multi-disciplinary learning experience that combines classroom lectures, guest speakers and instructional field trips.

“The world’s energy economy is undergoing transformational change, and as the public and private sectors strengthen their commitment to green practices, the need will increase for well-trained policy experts able to design, implement, and manage responses to sustainability issues. This program will provide such leaders,” said Marilyn A. Brown, Regents’ Professor and Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems in the School of Public Policy.

The MSEEM program is designed to serve a broad range of students interested in sustainability issues. Students can complete the degree on campus or online as a full-time student. Students also have the option to enroll part-time and complete their degree online. The program is designed to serve working professionals and others who want to participate part-time and earn their degree over several years.

In addition to the master’s degree, Georgia Tech is also offering a Certificate in Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management. This 12-credit hour SEEM Certificate can be completed in one or two semesters and can be earned on its own or in combination with the master’s degree.

Applications are being accepted through June 15 for the inaugural class of MSEEM students, who will begin study in August 2019.

A generous philanthropic gift has enabled Georgia Tech to offer five fully funded MSEEM fellowships to the program each year for the first three years of the program.

For more information on these programs, visit https://cepl.gatech.edu/mseem, or https://cepl.gatech.edu/cseem.

Summary sentence

The degree program will help educate the next generation of sustainability leaders for corporations, government, and non-governmental organizations.

Summary

The Georgia Institute of Technology is launching a new Master’s of Science in Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management (MSEEM) — the only graduate degree in Georgia fully dedicated to sustainability issues.

Power Play: The Global Stakes Behind the Battery Boom

admin — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 14:27:50 +0000

Power Play: The Global Stakes Behind the Battery Boom admin Thu, 06/05/2025 - 10:27

As electric vehicles and renewable energy storage become central to the global energy transition, the battery supply chain is under more pressure than ever. In 2024, global battery demand surpassed 1 terawatt-hour, equal to powering 100 million homes for an hour, according to the International Energy Agency. But while demand is booming, the infrastructure to meet it — especially in the U.S. — is still catching up.

The U.S. Push for Battery Independence

For years, the U.S. has relied heavily on foreign sources for battery components and materials. Now, with geopolitical tensions rising and clean energy goals looming, policymakers are trying to change that. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in 2022, offered tax credits and incentives to boost domestic battery production. It also introduced restrictions to limit reliance on adversarial nations.

“These policies, as well as support from state and local governments, have significantly accelerated battery manufacturing in the U.S.,” said Matt McDowell, a mechanical engineering and materials science professor at Georgia Tech and Carter N. Paden Jr. Distinguished Chair for Innovation in Material Science and Metals Processing. “But we’re still in the early stages of building a truly resilient supply chain.”

Gleb Yushin, a professor at Georgia Tech and chief technical officer of battery materials company Sila, agrees. “The IRA’s FEOC restrictions sent a timely, much-needed market signal to spur demand for battery materials made outside of China and, in turn, investments by cell makers into local suppliers,” he said.

Still, reshoring production is no small feat. “It’s been great to see increased domestic production of graphite and other components,” McDowell added. “This will result in more robust battery supply and lower prices in the long-term.”

How New Materials Are Changing the Game

While policy is one piece of the puzzle, innovation is another. For decades, graphite has been the go-to material for battery anodes. But researchers have long eyed silicon as a more powerful alternative — one that can store up to 10 times more charge.

The problem? Silicon swells dramatically during charging, which can damage the battery. “It expands by 300%,” Yushin explained. “That’s compared to just 7% for graphite.”

After years of research, Sila developed Titan Silicon™, a silicon-carbon composite that solves the swelling issue. “It offers 25–35% more energy density, over two times faster charging, and can be dropped into any production line,” Yushin said. “Now, the challenge lies in scaling this technology for mass production while staying ahead of market pressures.”

Solid-state and lithium-sulfur batteries are also gaining attention for their potential to improve safety and performance. But while McDowell is excited about these technologies, he cautions that they’re not yet ready for prime time. “A key focus is developing scalable manufacturing processes to compete with lithium-ion batteries,” he said.

Yushin is more skeptical of the benefits. “Solid-state batteries require entirely new supply chains and infrastructure,” he said. “Silicon is a perfect replacement for lithium metal — it’s stable, reversible, and compatible with existing infrastructure.”

What It Will Take to Compete and Lead

The IRA initially generated over $115 billion in clean energy investments, with $69 billion directed toward battery manufacturing. But with parts of the law now under threat of repeal, the future is uncertain.

“Now that most of the IRA stands to be repealed, we will see if a tariff approach can spur the same results,” Yushin said. “There’s a lot of capital waiting on the sidelines. But without long-term certainty, it’s hard to justify the risk.”

He also pointed to deeper structural issues. “Capital intensity and the cost of borrowing are primary inhibitors of investment,” he said. “Firm purchasing of goods is required to secure financing, but uncertainty over tax credits has cooled demand for local supply.”

McDowell believes the solution lies in a broader strategy. “We need to invest in workforce development, research, and infrastructure,” he said. “This isn’t just about batteries — it’s about building an entire ecosystem.”

Summary sentence

As the world shifts toward electrification, the nations that command the battery supply chain will define the future of mobility, energy, and economic influence. For the U.S., the challenge isn’t just to keep pace — it’s to lead the charge.

Summary

Dateline

Thu, 06/05/2025 - 12:00

sar30@gatech.edu

Contact

Siobhan Rodriguez
Senior Media Relations Representative
Institute Communications

media@gatech.edu

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Keywords

Battery supply chain

lithium-ion batteries

silicon anode

Titan Silicon

solid-state batteries

energy density

battery innovation

battery chemistry

EV batteries

battery manufacturing

gigafactories

graphite alternatives

electrification

critical minerals

global battery race

supply chain resilience

Foreign Entity of Concern

FEOC

Inflation Reduction Act

IRA

reshoring

energy independence

strategic materials

clean energy transition

domestic production

clean energy policy

industrial strategy

investment incentives

Section 45X tax credit

tariffs on EVs

local sourcing requirements

workforce development

infrastructure investment

public-private partnerships

go-researchnews

News room topics

Earth and Environment

Science and Technology

Categories

Energy

Engineering

Mercury ID

682665

Source updated

Thu, 06/05/2025 - 10:26

Powering Up

admin — Tue, 20 May 2025 16:08:48 +0000

Powering Up admin Tue, 05/20/2025 - 12:08

For 20 years, Georgia Tech’s Strategic Energy Institute (SEI) has brought together campus researchers who collectively develop better ways to meet the energy needs of today and tomorrow.

These days, that amounts to more than 1,000 people. Georgia Tech faculty are creating advanced communications and information systems, sensing and control approaches, and transmission and energy storage technologies that will make the nation’s power distribution systems more efficient and cost-effective. Their research also focuses on integrating renewable energy sources and electric vehicles.

“As the nation’s largest technologically focused university, Georgia Tech is playing an integral role in developing solutions that enable more equitable, lower cost, and cleaner generation, storage, distribution, and utilization of energy,” said Tim Lieuwen, Georgia Tech’s interim executive vice president for research. Lieuwen knows SEI better than anyone: he had been its executive director since 2012 until stepping in this summer as interim leader of Tech’s entire research enterprise.

“Georgia Tech researchers are not just helping to create cleaner, more efficient fuel options or mitigate the environmental impact of conventional energy supplies. They also are creating better performing, more economically viable energy options,” he said.

The work at SEI and across Georgia Tech has helped make the state of Georgia one of the nation’s leaders in clean energy, battery technology, and energy sustainability. It’s attracting numerous companies to invest in research and development in the state, including Hyundai, SK Battery America, and solar panel maker Qcells.

Read Full Article on the College of Engineering Webpage

Subtitle

Our researchers are creating new technologies that pollute less and store more energy — while also ensuring the manufacturing process is clean.

Summary sentence

Our researchers are creating new technologies that pollute less and store more energy — while also ensuring the manufacturing process is clean.

Summary

For 20 years, Georgia Tech’s Strategic Energy Institute (SEI) has brought together campus researchers who collectively develop better ways to meet the energy needs of today and tomorrow.

Dateline

Mon, 12/09/2024 - 12:00

Contact

Jason Maderer (maderer@gatech.edu)
Director of Communications, College of Engineering

Associated importer

Keywords

go-sei

Categories

Energy

Research

Mercury ID

679724

Source updated

Fri, 01/17/2025 - 17:51

Faces of Research - Meet Tim Lieuwen

admin — Tue, 20 May 2025 16:08:48 +0000

Faces of Research - Meet Tim Lieuwen admin Tue, 05/20/2025 - 12:08

Meet Tim Lieuwen, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI).

SEI is one of Georgia Tech's 10 interdisciplinary research institutes within the Georgia Tech Research enterprise.

What is your field of expertise and why did you choose it?

I work in fluid mechanics, combustion, and acoustics. These disciplines lie right at the intersection of what makes energy systems work.  I absolutely love doing research and my research areas – making fire, saving the planet, pointing lasers and high-speed cameras at complex facilities, what more could you ask for?

What makes the way in which SEI enables campus energy research unique?

Georgia Tech has over 300 faculty and 1000 researchers working on energy.  The key role of SEI is to promote this work, build communities across campus, and assist in developing greater resources through larger federal and corporate opportunities. One of the things I like most about this job, is that my success is measured by that of the Georgia Tech team as a whole- and it is an extremely high performing team!

What couldn’t have happened without SEI?

Georgia Tech’s energy innovations have had an enormous footprint – solar cells, artificial intelligence for optimizing complex energy systems and energy storage, just to name a few.  SEI works hard to make faculty aware of external opportunities with the government and companies, and to develop and frame issues that we think are important. I personally spend a lot of time working with organizations across campus developing corporate connections, national lab connections and federal connections to help build the success of SEI.

What impact is Georgia Tech energy research having on the world?

Georgia Tech energy research has had a huge impact on virtually every part of the energy ecosystem – both in terms of generation of power, transmitting/moving/storing energy to users, and the consumption of energy.  In addition to technologies and basic science, our systems level perspectives that incorporate policy, economics, and human behavior have been critical in framing national thinking about deployment of renewables.  Our faculty have developed IP, started up nationally leading companies, and have created crucial partnerships in developing and deploying these innovations.

What do you like to do in your spare time when you are not working on your research or teaching?

I enjoy the outdoors and particularly enjoy trail running, rock climbing and gardening. I also love woodworking and spending time with my wife and four daughters.

Summary sentence

Meet Tim Lieuwen, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI).

Summary

Meet Tim Lieuwen, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI).

SEI is one of Georgia Tech's 10 interdisciplinary research institutes within the Georgia Tech Research enterprise.

Dateline

Sat, 08/21/2021 - 12:00

Associated importer

Keywords

go-sei

Categories

Energy

Research

Mercury ID

676594

Source updated

Fri, 09/06/2024 - 14:18

Tim Lieuwen Honored by Royal Academy of Engineering

admin — Tue, 20 May 2025 16:08:48 +0000

Tim Lieuwen Honored by Royal Academy of Engineering admin Tue, 05/20/2025 - 12:08

Professor Tim Lieuwen has been elected to the status of International Fellow by the U.K.’s Royal Academy of Engineering. He is one of three other US engineers to receive this prestigious fellowship, which emphasizes enhancing the role of engineering in society and developing an inclusive future through research, education initiatives, and industry collaborations.

Lieuwen is a Regents’ Professor, the David S. Lewis, Jr. Chair in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering (AE), a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, among several others. For 12 years, he served as executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute; he is currently serving as Georgia Tech’s interim executive vice president for Research.

“Tim Lieuwen’s groundbreaking research and leadership have been instrumental in advancing the AE School’s mission,” said Mitchell Walker, AE chair. “His work in combustion dynamics, propulsion, and clean energy systems not only enhances our academic reputation but also drives significant, real-world impact, as recognized by the Academy.”

Lieuwen’s research focuses on developing clean combustion technologies for power generation and propulsion. He works closely with industry and government professionals to address energy concerns and set the standard for clean tech manufacturing. The Georgia Tech alumnus will formally be admitted to the Academy at a special ceremony in London on November 27, 2024.

The 2024 class includes 60 Fellows, six International Fellows, and five Honorary Fellows, each of whom has made exceptional contributions to their own field, pioneering new innovations, leading progress in business or academia, providing high-level advice to government, or promoting wider understanding of engineering and technology.

Summary sentence

The former interim chair for the AE School has been elected an International Fellow for his contributions to the aerospace and energy professions.

Summary

The former interim chair for the AE School has been elected an International Fellow for his contributions to the aerospace and energy professions.

Dateline

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 12:00

Associated importer

Keywords

go-researchnews

Categories

Aerospace

Energy

Engineering

Environment

Institute Leadership

Research

Mercury ID

676918

Source updated

Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:35

Juan-Pablo Correa-Baena Receives $1M NSF Grant to Study Recycling of Perovskite Solar Cells

admin — Mon, 19 May 2025 13:46:41 +0000

Juan-Pablo Correa-Baena Receives $1M NSF Grant to Study Recycling of Perovskite Solar Cells admin Mon, 05/19/2025 - 09:46

We have a problem with our current solar cells. They were built with very little thought towards end-of-life. Current solar panels tend to last twenty to thirty years. As those solar panels start to age, we are left with the challenge to think about how to recycle them. When the National Science Foundation (NSF) put out an interdisciplinary challenge for clean energy, Dr. Correa-Baena, Dr. Naomi Deneke, and Dr. Ilke Celik partnered to write a proposal to tackle recycling of perovskite solar cells.

Read Full Story on the MSE website.

Summary sentence

When the National Science Foundation (NSF) put out an interdisciplinary challenge for clean energy, Dr. Correa-Baena, Dr. Naomi Deneke, and Dr. Ilke Celik partnered to write a proposal to tackle recycling of perovskite solar cells.

Summary

Dateline

Tue, 08/27/2024 - 12:00

Contact

Caitlin Anderson

Associated importer

Keywords

go-sei

Categories

Energy

Mercury ID

676347

Source updated

Wed, 08/28/2024 - 14:07

Thesis on Human-Centered AI Earns Honors from International Computing Organization

dgivens8 — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:30:41 +0000

Thesis on Human-Centered AI Earns Honors from International Computing Organization dgivens8 Tue, 04/22/2025 - 10:30

A Georgia Tech alum’s dissertation introduced ways to make artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible, interpretable, and accountable. Although it’s been a year since his doctoral defense, Zijie (Jay) Wang’s (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) work continues to resonate with researchers.

Wang is a recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI). The award recognizes Wang for his lifelong work on democratizing human-centered AI.

“Throughout my Ph.D. and industry internships, I observed a gap in existing research: there is a strong need for practical tools for applying human-centered approaches when designing AI systems,” said Wang, now a safety researcher at OpenAI.

“My work not only helps people understand AI and guide its behavior but also provides user-friendly tools that fit into existing workflows.”

Wang’s dissertation presented techniques in visual explanation and interactive guidance to align AI models with user knowledge and values. The work culminated from years of research, fellowship support, and internships.

Wang’s most influential projects formed the core of his dissertation. These included:

CNN Explainer: an open-source tool developed for deep-learning beginners. Since its release in July 2020, more than 436,000 global visitors have used the tool.
DiffusionDB: a first-of-its-kind large-scale dataset that lays a foundation to help people better understand generative AI. This work could lead to new research in detecting deepfakes and designing human-AI interaction tools to help people more easily use these models.
GAM Changer: an interface that empowers users in healthcare, finance, or other domains to edit ML models to include knowledge and values specific to their domain, which improves reliability.
GAM Coach: an interactive ML tool that could help people who have been rejected for a loan by automatically letting an applicant know what is needed for them to receive loan approval.
Farsight: a tool that alerts developers when they write prompts in large language models that could be harmful and misused.

“I feel extremely honored and lucky to receive this award, and I am deeply grateful to many who have supported me along the way, including Polo, mentors, collaborators, and friends,” said Wang, who was advised by School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) Professor Polo Chau.

“This recognition also inspired me to continue striving to design and develop easy-to-use tools that help everyone to easily interact with AI systems.”

Like Wang, Chau advised Georgia Tech alumnus Fred Hohman (Ph.D. CSE 2020). Hohman won the ACM SIGCHI Outstanding Dissertation Award in 2022.

Chau’s group synthesizes machine learning (ML) and visualization techniques into scalable, interactive, and trustworthy tools. These tools increase understanding and interaction with large-scale data and ML models.

Chau is the associate director of corporate relations for the Machine Learning Center at Georgia Tech. Wang called the School of CSE his home unit while a student in the ML program under Chau.

Wang is one of five recipients of this year’s award to be presented at the 2025 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2025). The conference occurs April 25-May 1 in Yokohama, Japan.

SIGCHI is the world’s largest association of human-computer interaction professionals and practitioners. The group sponsors or co-sponsors 26 conferences, including CHI.

Wang’s outstanding dissertation award is the latest recognition of a career decorated with achievement.

Months after graduating from Georgia Tech, Forbes named Wang to its 30 Under 30 in Science for 2025 for his dissertation. Wang was one of 15 Yellow Jackets included in nine different 30 Under 30 lists and the only Georgia Tech-affiliated individual on the 30 Under 30 in Science list.

While a Georgia Tech student, Wang earned recognition from big names in business and technology. He received the Apple Scholars in AI/ML Ph.D. Fellowship in 2023 and was in the 2022 cohort of the J.P. Morgan AI Ph.D. Fellowships Program.

Along with the CHI award, Wang’s dissertation earned him awards this year at banquets across campus. The Georgia Tech chapter of Sigma Xi presented Wang with the Best Ph.D. Thesis Award. He also received the College of Computing’s Outstanding Dissertation Award.

“Georgia Tech attracts many great minds, and I’m glad that some, like Jay, chose to join our group,” Chau said. “It has been a joy to work alongside them and witness the many wonderful things they have accomplished, and with many more to come in their careers.”

Summary sentence

Zijie (Jay) Wang (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) is a recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI).

Summary

Dateline

Thu, 04/17/2025 - 12:00

Contact

Bryant Wine, Communications Officer
bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu

Keywords

College of Computing

School of Computational Science and Engineering

artificial intelligence (AI)

Georgia Tech News Center

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Research Horizons

go-researchnews

go-ai

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Source updated

Tue, 04/22/2025 - 10:29

Liquid Cooling Technology Developed at Georgia Tech Awarded U.S. Patent, Company Raising Capital to Scale

admin — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 16:25:41 +0000

Liquid Cooling Technology Developed at Georgia Tech Awarded U.S. Patent, Company Raising Capital to Scale admin Wed, 04/16/2025 - 12:25

What’s the hottest thing in electronics and high-performance computing? In a word, it’s “cool.”

To be more precise, it’s a liquid cooling system developed at Georgia Tech for electronics aimed at solving a long-standing problem: overheating.

Developed by Daniel Lorenzini, a 2019 Tech graduate who earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, the cooling system uses microfluidic channels — tiny, intricate pathways for liquids — that are embedded within the chip packaging.

He worked with VentureLab, a Tech program in the Office of Commercialization, to spin his research into a startup company, EMCOOL, headquartered in Norcross.

“Our solution directly addresses the heat at the source of the silicon chip and therefore makes it faster,” Lorenzini said. “Our design has our system sitting directly on the silicon chips that generate the most heat. Using the fluids in the micro-pin fins, it carries the heat that’s produced away from the chip.”

That cooling solution is directly integrated into the electronic components, making it significantly more efficient than conventional cooling methods, because it enhances the heat dissipation process.

The result is a much lower risk of overheating and reduced power consumption, he said.

Lorenzini, who researched and refined the technology in the lab of Yogendra Joshi at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, was awarded a patent for the technology in September 2024.

Now, EMCOOL, which has five empoloyees, is actively pursuing venture capital funding to scale its technology and address the escalating thermal management challenges posed by AI processors in modern data centers.

The system uses a cooling block with tiny, pin-like fins on one side and a special thermal interface material on the other. There's also a junction attached to the block, with ports for the fluid to flow in and out. The cooling fluid moves through the micro-pin fins and helps to carry away the heat.

Since the ports are designed to match the shape of the fins, it ensures that the fluid flows efficiently and the heat is dissipated as effectively as possible at chip-scale.

As electronic devices — from high-performance personal computers to data centers used for artificial intelligence processing — become more powerful, they generate more heat. This excess heat can damage components or cause the device to underperform.

Traditional cooling methods, which include fans or heat sinks, often struggle to keep pace with the increasing demands of the newer model electronics. Lorenzini’s microfluidic system addresses the challenge of overheating with his patented, more effective, compact, and integrated cooling solution.

With the guidance of Jonathan Goldman, director of Quadrant-i in Tech’s Office of Commercialization, Lorenzini secured grant funding through the National Science Foundation and the Georgia Research Alliance to further the research and build design prototypes.

“We immediately had the sense there was commercial potential here,” Goldman said. “Thermal management, or getting rid of heat, is a ubiquitous problem in the computer industry, so when we saw what Daniel was doing, we immediately began to engage with him to understand what the commercial potential was.”

Indeed, the initial focus for the technology was the $159 billion global electronic gaming market. Gamers need a lot of computing power, which generates a lot of heat, causing lag.

But beyond gaming systems, the company, which manufactures custom cooling blocks and kits at its Norcross facility, is eyeing more sectors, which also suffer from overheating, Goldman said.

The technology addresses similar overheating electronics challenges in high-performance computing, telecommunications, and energy systems.

“This work propels us forward in pushing the boundaries of what traditional cooling technologies can achieve because by harnessing the power of microfluidics, EMCOOL's systems offer a compact and energy-efficient way to manage heat,” Goldman said. “This has the potential to revolutionize industries reliant on high-performance computing, where heat management is a constant challenge.”

Summary sentence

EMCOOL's technology solves overheating in electronics.

Summary

With support from Georgia Tech’s Office of Commercialization, VentureLab, NSF, and GRA, EmCool now manufactures custom cooling solutions in Norcross, GA for gaming, high-performance computing, and more.

Dateline

Wed, 04/16/2025 - 12:00

peralte@gatech.edu

Contact

Péralte C. Paul
peralte@gatech.edu
404.316.1210

Associated importer

Keywords

go-researchnews

Office of Commercialization

venturelab

Jonathan Goldman

Daniel Lorenzini

EMCOOL

liquid cooling technology

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Business and Economic Development

Science and Technology

Categories

Business

Economic Development and Policy

Energy

Research

Mercury ID

681839

Source updated

Wed, 04/16/2025 - 12:24

Tim Lieuwen Named Georgia Tech’s Executive Vice President for Research

admin — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:04:41 +0000

Tim Lieuwen Named Georgia Tech’s Executive Vice President for Research admin Thu, 02/20/2025 - 16:04

Following a nationwide search, Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera has named Timothy Lieuwen the Executive Vice President for Research (EVPR). Lieuwen has served as interim EVPR since September 10, 2024.

“Tim’s ability to bridge academia, industry, and government has been instrumental in driving innovation and positioning Georgia Tech as a critical partner in tackling complex global challenges,” said Cabrera. “With his leadership, I am confident Georgia Tech will continue to expand its impact, strengthen its strategic collaborations, and further solidify its reputation as a world leader in research and innovation.”

A proud Georgia Tech alumnus (M.S. ME 1997, Ph.D. ME 1999), Lieuwen has spent more than 25 years at the Institute. He is a Regents’ Professor and holds the David S. Lewis, Jr. Chair in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering. Prior to the interim EVPR role, Lieuwen served as executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute for 12 years. His expertise spans energy, propulsion, energy policy, and national security, and he has worked closely with industry and government to develop new knowledge and see its implementation in the field.

Lieuwen has been widely recognized for his contributions to research and innovation. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, as well as a fellow of multiple other professional organizations. Recently, he was elected an International Fellow of the U.K.’s Royal Academy of Engineering, one of only three U.S. engineers in 2024 to receive this prestigious commendation. The honor acknowledges Lieuwen’s contributions to engineering and his efforts to advance research, education initiatives, and industry collaborations.

He has authored or edited four books, published over 400 scientific articles, and holds nine patents — several of which are licensed to industry. He also founded TurbineLogic, an analytics firm working in the energy industry. Additionally, Lieuwen serves on governing and advisory boards for three Department of Energy national labs and was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Energy to the National Petroleum Council.

The EVPR is the Institute’s chief research officer and directs Georgia Tech’s $1.37 billion portfolio of research, development, and sponsored activities. This includes leadership of the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the Enterprise Innovation Institute, nine Interdisciplinary Research Institutes and numerous associated research centers, and related research administrative support units: commercialization, corporate engagement, research development and operations, and research administration.

“I am honored to step into this role at a time when research and innovation have never been more critical,” Lieuwen said. “Georgia Tech’s research enterprise is built on collaboration — across disciplines, across industries, and across communities. Our strength lies not just in the breakthroughs we achieve, but in how we translate them into real-world impact.

“My priority is to put people first — empowering our researchers, students, and partners to push boundaries, scale our efforts, and deepen our engagement across Georgia and beyond. Together, we will expand our reach, accelerate discovery, and ensure that Georgia Tech remains a driving force for progress and service.”

Summary sentence

The Regents’ Professor and current interim EVPR brings strong leadership and deep research expertise to the role.

Summary

The Regents’ Professor and current interim EVPR brings strong leadership and deep research expertise to the role.

Dateline

Thu, 02/20/2025 - 12:00

swundersmith3@gatech.edu

Contact

Shelley Wunder-Smith | Director of Research Communications
shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu

Associated importer

Keywords

go-researchnews

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Aerospace

Alumni

Energy

Engineering

Institute Leadership

Research

Mercury ID

680642

Source updated

Thu, 02/20/2025 - 16:03

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Powering the Future — Without Breaking the Grid

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Georgia Tech to Launch State’s First Sustainability Master’s Program

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Tim Lieuwen Honored by Royal Academy of Engineering

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Liquid Cooling Technology Developed at Georgia Tech Awarded U.S. Patent, Company Raising Capital to Scale

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Tim Lieuwen Named Georgia Tech’s Executive Vice President for Research

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