Ángel Cabrera

Georgia Tech, Emory Expand Research at Science Square

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:34:41 +0000

Georgia Tech, Emory Expand Research at Science Square admin Wed, 06/18/2025 - 13:34

Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University are taking medical and biomedical research to the next level by moving seven cutting-edge labs into Science Square, the Southeast’s premier life sciences district. This expansion is more than just growth in square footage; it marks a major push to establish Atlanta as a Top 5 technology hub in the U.S.

“Science Square Labs marks a pivotal step forward for Georgia Tech and for Atlanta’s growing life sciences ecosystem. We’re not only accelerating our research and innovation — we’re building powerful momentum across the region,” said Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. “Our labs moving to this space will attract top talent and drive medical innovation. The move sets the stage for transformative discoveries, and we hope others will join us to continue Atlanta’s evolution into a global hub for medical breakthroughs.”

This move comes as Georgia Tech saw a 46% increase in research awards from 2018 to 2024, evidence of the Institute’s fast-growing impact. By adding these labs, Atlanta strengthens its position on the national stage for advanced tech and life sciences innovation.

“Every new lab, every partnership, brings Atlanta one step closer to being one of the nation’s top tech hubs,” said Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “This investment signals to the world that Georgia is serious about innovation. Strong research attracts talent and companies — and delivers breakthroughs that improve lives right here in our backyard.”

Why It Matters

Saving lives: From early cancer detection and more innovative immune therapies to healing damaged tissues and managing chronic diseases, the research that will be conducted at Science Square tackles health issues millions face.

Fueling a tech hub: By combining research powerhouses like Georgia Tech and Emory with next-gen laboratory facilities, Atlanta is building the brainpower and resources to compete with national tech centers.

Economic growth: Science Square is helping attract top researchers, startups, and funding — bringing jobs, investment, and opportunities to Georgia. Most recently, Duracell announced they are moving their research and development headquarters to Science Square.

Research for Real Life

The new labs at Science Square will support teams tackling life-changing challenges:

Gabe Kwong, Robert A. Milton Chair, College of Engineering, is developing a two-step cancer defense: tagging tumor cells with a synthetic “flag,” then supercharging T cells (the body’s infection-fighting white blood cells) to track down and destroy them. Early lab tests show the technique works against breast, brain, and colon cancers — and prevents regrowth.

Tara Deans and her team are teaching cells new jobs — when to grow, which type of cell to become, or how to release medicine. Their goal is to design smart cells that can sense what’s happening in the body and act as “living therapies,” delivering treatment exactly where, when, and at the level needed.

Alex Vlahos is developing ways to reprogram cells to understand and treat diseases. His team makes new protein tools that help cells sense their environment, communicate with each other, and respond to problems — repairing tissues, fighting cancer, or calming an overactive immune system.

Ed Botchwey co-directs the Regenerative Engineering and Medicine Center, a collaboration between Georgia Tech, Emory University, and the University of Georgia. His team develops advanced biomaterials that work with the body’s immune system, combined with specialized methods, to produce therapeutic cells and their beneficial byproducts. They focus on innovative regenerative treatments for conditions like sickle-cell disease complications, severe muscle injuries, and injuries affecting the mouth, face, and skull.

John Blazeck designs new ways to help the immune system fight disease. His team engineers cells and proteins to better target cancer, improve immune therapies, and develop next-generation treatments.

Corey Wilson, Love Family Professorship, College of Engineering, is building custom-made biological systems from scratch. By mixing protein engineering with genetic tinkering, his team is creating powerful new tools for science and medicine that help us understand how proteins and genes work.

Alyssa Panitch, Wallace H. Coulter Department Chair, College of Engineering, designs innovative materials that help tissues heal better and scar less — whether skin, blood vessels, or even joints. Her team’s biomaterials promote healing on both the inside and outside of cells, guiding the body’s natural repair process.

More About Science Square Labs

Science Square Labs, which opened in 2024, offers more than 368,000 square feet of premium lab and innovation space across 13 floors. Strategically located across from Georgia Tech’s North Avenue Research Area, the building is designed to bring together academic institutions, startups, and industry leaders.

As part of the continued expansion, Georgia Tech announces a major new lease at Science Square. Jon Mayeske of Cushman and Wakefield represented Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, an affiliate organization of Georgia Tech, which signed a 10-year lease beginning February 15, 2026, for a 36,364 square-foot space on the sixth floor of Science Square Labs. This cutting-edge life sciences facility includes modern lab spaces, offices, and amenity areas designed to foster collaboration among researchers.

Trammell Crow is the master developer of the Science Square District, programmed for over 2.1 million square feet of labs, offices, and residential and retail spaces in multiple phases.

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Tue, 06/17/2025 - 12:00

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Adam Steinberg Appointed as New Secretary of the Faculty

admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 12:31:41 +0000

Adam Steinberg Appointed as New Secretary of the Faculty admin Thu, 03/06/2025 - 07:31

Adam Steinberg, the Pratt & Whitney Chair in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, has been appointed as the new secretary of the faculty for Georgia Tech, effective February 26, 2025.

In his new role, Steinberg will serve as the permanent secretary for all faculty governance bodies, facilitating communication and governance across the Institute. The secretary of the faculty is appointed through a multi-phase process in which the faculty vote to recommend the new secretary to the president, who then affirms the appointment.

"Professor Steinberg's years of contributions as a chair, faculty member, and lab director make him an excellent choice for the secretary of the faculty role,” said President Ángel Cabrera. “He is a highly respected member of our faculty community, and I have no doubt that he will make a significant contribution to strengthening faculty governance at Georgia Tech.”

The secretary of the faculty plays an essential role in faculty governance at Georgia Tech, serving as the secretary for the Faculty Executive Board, Academic Faculty, Research Faculty, Academic Faculty Senate, and Research Faculty Senate. This position involves maintaining records, conducting governance elections, serving on the Insitute Policy Committee, liaising between campus administration and the faculty, and ensuring effective campus engagement with faculty initiatives. To take on this role full-time, Steinberg will step down from his position as associate chair for graduate programs in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering.

Reflecting on his appointment, Steinberg said, "I am deeply honored to take on this role and look forward to collaborating with faculty and administration to further strengthen these relationships. It is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the Institute's value of shared governance and to support the outstanding work of my colleagues."

Steinberg brings a wealth of experience to this role. He is the director of the Ben T. Zinn Combustion Laboratory, one of the largest academic combustion research facilities globally. Before joining Georgia Tech, he was a faculty member at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies and served as a research scientist at the German Aerospace Center.

His research focuses on addressing scientific and technical challenges in aerospace propulsion and energy conversion devices. Collaborating closely with government and industry, his group develops advanced laser-based measurement techniques to explore complex thermal, fluid, and chemical processes in these systems.

Steinberg holds a B.A.Sc. in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto, an M.S.E. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan. He is a Fellow of the Combustion Institute, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, and he serves as an Associate Editor for Combustion and Flame.

Steinberg succeeds J. Rhett Mayor, who has served as Secretary of the Faculty since 2018. During his tenure, Mayor worked to amplify faculty voices across campus and served throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as a dedicated liaison between the administration and faculty. His years of service have left a lasting impact on the Georgia Tech community. Mayor assumed the role of interim associate dean for faculty and graduate student affairs in the College of Lifetime Learning on January 1, 2025.

“Adam’s exceptional leadership skills, deep commitment to faculty governance, and extensive experience make him an outstanding choice for this vital role,” said Dima Nazzal, chair of the Faculty Executive Board. “We are thrilled to welcome him as secretary of the faculty. At the same time, we are immensely grateful to Rhett for his remarkable service and unwavering dedication to the faculty during his tenure. His impact has been invaluable, and we wish him the very best in his new role.”

Writer: Brittany Aiello, Faculty Communications Program Manager, Executive Communications, Institute Communications

Summary sentence

In his new role, Steinberg will serve as the permanent secretary for all faculty governance bodies, facilitating communication and governance across the Institute.

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In his new role, Steinberg will serve as the permanent secretary for all faculty governance bodies, facilitating communication and governance across the Institute.

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Thu, 03/06/2025 - 12:00

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Institute Address Showcases Record-Breaking Growth

admin — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 21:11:31 +0000

Institute Address Showcases Record-Breaking Growth admin Thu, 08/31/2023 - 17:11

On the eve of his fourth anniversary on the job, Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera delivered the annual Institute Address to a gathered crowd inside the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons and over 1,000 viewers online.

Celebrating “another banner year at Tech,” the president highlighted the Institute’s ever-growing impact in the state and around the globe. “We committed in our strategic plan to amplify our impact, and I can proudly say that our impact has never been greater,” he said. “And at a place like Tech, that’s really saying something. What we have done together is remarkable.”

Reaching New Heights

The 3,800 members of the Class of 2027 include record numbers of first-generation students, women, and other traditionally underrepresented students, and brought the undergraduate population over 19,000 for the first time in the Institute’s history –– further cementing Tech’s place as the fastest-growing public university in the country over the last decade, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac.

Praised for its value to students, Tech earned a five-star ranking from Money magazine and the top spot on the Princeton Review’s list of Best Value Colleges for 2023.

“Our students pay less here than they would at most other leading research universities,” Cabrera said. “They graduate at one of the highest rates among public universities, and they land some of the best-paying jobs in the nation. The result is one of the highest returns on investment anywhere.”

With continued growth in the student population comes the need for faculty growth. Prioritizing instruction, the Institute saw a record number of new faculty hires, with 80 in the past year — a 5% growth of overall academic faculty.

Tech faculty won a historic $1.45 billion in research awards this past year, a 14% increase. The funding supports innovations in nuclear security, clean energy and carbon capture, artificial intelligence applications, and more.

“The discoveries, ideas, and inventions happening on our campus every day are truly delivering on our mission to improve the human condition,” Cabrera said.

The work being done across the Institute resulted in a $4.5 billion impact on Georgia’s economy in fiscal year 2022 — the largest among the 26 University System of Georgia member institutions.

“These numbers only measure the direct economic impact: jobs, expenditures, and investments. They do not capture the value of the startups that we incubate or the companies we help attract to the state, and that impact has a far deeper and longer-lasting effect on our state’s economy,” Cabrera said.

Embracing Values

Emphasizing that Tech will continue to live out its values of “We thrive on diversity” and “We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression,” Cabrera recommitted to building a diverse campus where students of all backgrounds feel welcome. The Institute will continue offering camps for K-12 students to learn about engineering, computing, and science; creating transfer pathway programs for students from other universities; and supporting dual degree programs with historically Black colleges.

Over the last decade, Tech has made progress in the number of Black students (9% of the incoming first-year class this year), women (43%), students from rural areas (13%), first-generation students whose parents did not graduate from college (15%), and other groups — with graduation and retention rates up across the board.

Expanding access to Tech remains a priority for leadership, with the stated goal of increasing the share of lower-income students to 15 to 20% by 2025. In pursuit of that goal, mandatory fees have been reduced by 22%, the G. Wayne Clough Georgia Tech Promise Program was recently expanded, and a new scholarship program, the Georgia Tech Val-Sal Scholarship, has been established. Under this initiative, Georgia high school valedictorians and salutatorians with demonstrated financial need will have automatic admission and qualify for up to $5,000 in financial aid annually.

Cabrera also discussed the importance of fostering a culture where students feel empowered to voice their opinions and embrace diverse points of view.

“Just as important as it is that we build an inclusive and diverse Georgia Tech, we must protect freedom of expression for every member of our community. We need to create a space where we are routinely exposed to new and different ideas, where we protect each other’s right to express our views, and where we cherish the practice of listening to one another with curiosity and respect,” he said.

Cabrera commended outgoing Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Archie Ervin, who is retiring at the end of the year, for his efforts during the past 13 years.

Continued Progress

Touting the progress of the 2030 strategic plan, Cabrera noted that 20 initiatives are currently underway, including the recent launch of the Cultivate Well-Being Action and Transformation Roadmap With a Focus on Faculty and Staff — a follow-up to the student roadmap launched in 2022 — and the creation of the Division of Lifetime Learning.

As the Institute’s Transforming Tomorrow campaign continues, Cabrera detailed his travels to secure funding. “Campaign engagements have taken not just me, but the provost, the deans, and many others on the road, coast to coast, over the last several months. We have traveled tens of thousands of miles and met with hundreds of supporters, friends, and colleagues, and will continue those important discussions and visits,” he said.

Addressing the need for resources on campus, Cabrera celebrated the completion of several key campus construction projects and the ongoing work at Science Square, the George and Scheller Towers in Tech Square, and the new 850-bed, first-year residence hall set to open in 2026.

A partnership with the Georgia Tech Foundation will develop the Randall Brothers site, near the John Lewis Student Center, into what will be known as Arts Square — described by the president as a space that will “increase residential options, bring new amenities, and create the seed of a new district at the intersection of arts and technology.”

Athletic Achievement

As the Yellow Jackets prepare to kick off the 2023 season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sept. 1, Cabrera commended new Athletic Director J Batt and his staff for navigating a challenging year in collegiate athletics.

“We have invested in the program, recruited new coaches in football and men’s basketball, raised record amounts to support scholarships, and signed new sponsorships, including our biggest one to date with Hyundai Motor Company,” he said, referencing the historic partnership that awarded field naming rights at Bobby Dodd Stadium to the automaker, which has established a significant presence in the state.

For those who might be wondering, Cabrera reassured the audience, “The Ramblin’ Wreck is staying.”

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President Ángel Cabrera highlighted Georgia Tech’s record-breaking year.

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President Ángel Cabrera highlighted Georgia Tech’s record-breaking year.

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President Ángel Cabrera highlighted Georgia Tech’s record-breaking year.

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Thu, 08/31/2023 - 12:00

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