sustainability

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.

Team iManhole Wins Fall 2023 EGHI/GT Global Health Hackathon

dgivens8 — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 15:23:41 +0000

Team iManhole Wins Fall 2023 EGHI/GT Global Health Hackathon dgivens8 Fri, 03/22/2024 - 11:23

Students tackled climate change in the Fall 2023 Emory Global Health Institute (EGHI) /Georgia Institute of Technology (GT) Global Health Hackathon, Nov. 11, at Tech Square ATL Social. Competing for cash prizes and a spot in GT Startup Launch, first place went to Team iManhole. The team created an integrated system that gathers real-time data from manholes and uses machine learning algorithms to predict flooding to manage traffic and evacuation routes.

“The effects of climate change are felt in every country with the brunt and burden of an unmanaged climate crises threatening to set back global health progress by eroding decades of poverty eradication and health equity efforts worldwide,” said Dr. Rebecca Martin, EGHI director of Emory Global Health Institute. “Students are an important partner in our work as a global community to mitigate the impacts of climate change on health, safety, and security.”

The EGHI/GT Global Health Hackathon is a partner event between EGHI and CREATE-X. It provides multidisciplinary student teams from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology an opportunity to create technology-based product solutions for global health problems. The target for this fall’s event was creating solutions that address urban flooding, urban heat, or global sea level rise in densely populated, low-resource urban settings. Prizes included $4,000 and a golden ticket into CREATE-X Startup Launch for first place winners, $3,000 for second place winners, $2,000 for third place winners, and $500 each for two honorable mention winners.

“This hackathon continues to be a wonderful partnership between our two institutions that gives these talented students the platform and support to put forward solutions to the most pressing issues we face today,” Rahul Saxena, director of CREATE-X, said. “Each hackathon, I’m increasingly impressed with their ingenuity and their dedication to build something of impact.”

Check out the event program on the EGHI website and see photos from the event on the CREATE-X Flickr account. The full list of the winners of this year’s event includes:

1st Place: iManhole

An integrated system that gathers real-time data from manholes and uses machine learning algorithms to predict flooding to manage traffic and evacuation routes

Team Members: Imran Shah, Leonardo Molinari, and Jiaqi Yang

2nd Place: Canopy

A climate-tech software platform for democratizing climate analytics using machine learning for urban development planning.

Team Members: Deesha Panchal, Kruthik Ravikanti, Vaibhav Mishra, Nicholas Swanson, Jennifer Samuel, and Vaishnavi Sanjeev

3rd Place: Floodwise

A package of effective simulations and an informed chatbot that help facilitate wise decisions during floods.

Team Members: Ansh Gupta, Dimi Deju, Mukund Chidambaram, and Sahit Mamidipaka

Honorable Mention

Conquering Heat Islands

Process and hardware that uses excess solar power to mine crypto

Team Members: Rida Akbar, DJ Louis, Edward Zheng, Dmitri Kalinin, and Jade Bondy

Real-Time Computational Modeling of Urban Flooding and Evacuation in Local Atlanta Communities

Integrated system to gather real-time data from manholes and use machine learning algorithms to predict flooding and optimize traffic/evacuation.

Team Members: Imran Shah, Leonardo Molinari, and Jiaqi Yang

Subtitle

Summary sentence

Students tackled climate change in the Fall 2023 Emory Global Health Institute (EGHI) /Georgia Institute of Technology (GT) Global Health Hackathon, Nov. 11, at Tech Square ATL Social.

Summary

Dateline

Thu, 12/07/2023 - 12:00

breanna.durham@gatech.edu

Contact

Breanna Durham

Marketing Strategist

breanna.durham@gatech.edu

Keywords

Hackathon

entrepreneurship

startup

CREATE-X

Business

sustainability

climate change

Competition

EGHI

Emory

Categories

Business

Environment

Exhibitions

Institute and Campus

Student and Faculty

Student Competition WInners (academic, innovation, and research)

Mercury ID

671463

Source updated

Fri, 03/22/2024 - 11:22

Athena Receives Prestigious Stanford Energy Postdoctoral Fellowship

dgivens8 — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:29:21 +0000

Athena Receives Prestigious Stanford Energy Postdoctoral Fellowship dgivens8 Wed, 03/20/2024 - 12:29

Georgia Institute of Technology School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. candidate Fabia Farlin Athena received the prestigious Stanford Energy Postdoctoral Fellowship, becoming Georgia Tech’s first recipient of the distinction.

With climate change becoming one of the a defining issue of the 21st century, the transition to a low-carbon energy system will solve about three-fourths of the problem, according to the fellowship’s website. At the same time, the new energy system needs to be affordable, reliable, and available to the average person.

The three-year fellowship sponsored in Stanford’s Precourt Institute of Energy and Doerr School of Sustainability aims to identify, develop, and connect the next generation of energy leaders — from science and engineering to policy and economics — to translate theoretical climate change solutions into tangible realities.

At Stanford, Athena, who is advised by Eric M. Vogel in the School of Materials Science and Engineering, will work on emerging materials and devices for energy-efficient sustainable computing. She will be working with H.-S. Philip Wong, professor of electrical engineering, and Alberto Salleo, professor of materials science and engineering.

After being selected as a finalist, she presented her current Ph.D. research on adaptive oxide devices for energy-efficient computing, as well as her proposed research to the fellowship’s advisory board.

“It was an amazing experience to go through the selection process of writing the proposal and finally getting interviewed by the honorable advisory board,” Athena said. “It was humbling to get the opportunity to discuss my research with a person I have always looked up to in Professor Steven Chu, a Nobel Laureate in Physics and former U.S. Secretary of Energy!”

Athena is just one of 10 fellows selected globally this year. The fellowship provides her the opportunity to explore new and profound postdoctoral research that is distinct from her Ph.D. work.

“I am deeply grateful to my advisor Prof. Eric M. Vogel for his constant kind support throughout my Ph.D. and for believing in me,” Athena said. “He has been a pillar of constant support throughout my journey. I am also grateful to Prof. Samuel Graham for his kind constant support, including for this fellowship. I am thankful to my respected P.I.s at Stanford, Professor H.-S. Philip Wong, and Professor Alberto Salleo for their support of my proposal. I am also grateful to my respected mentors Prof. Suman Datta, Prof. William Alan Doolittle, Dr. Takashi Ando, and Dr. Vijay Narayanan for their kind support, advice, and opportunities. Finally, I would like to thank Georgia Tech ECE for providing the platform for learning, exploration, and collaboration.”

Before her time at Georgia Tech, Athena received her undergraduate degree in materials science and engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. She then spent two semesters at Purdue University as a graduate researcher, where she collaborated with the Idaho National Lab on nuclear materials for next-generation energy.

Athena’s research has been recognized with the Georgia Tech ECE Ph.D. Fellowship, 2022 Cadence Diversity in Technology Scholarship, 2023 EECS Rising Stars, 2023 Colonel Oscar P. Cleaver Award for the most outstanding Ph.D. dissertation proposal in Georgia Tech ECE, 2023 MRS Graduate Student Award, and IBM Ph.D. Fellowship from 2022-2024.

Summary sentence

The ECE Ph.D. candidate will research emerging materials and devices for energy-efficient sustainable computing.

Summary

The ECE Ph.D. candidate will research emerging materials and devices for energy-efficient sustainable computing.

Dateline

Thu, 02/08/2024 - 12:00

zwiniecki3@gatech.edu

Contact

Zachary Winiecki

Associated importer

Keywords

energy

Fellowship

sustainability

Categories

Engineering

Research

Student Honors and Achievements

Student Research

Mercury ID

672838

Source updated

Thu, 02/08/2024 - 12:18

October Events Celebrate Campus Sustainability Month

admin — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:45:38 +0000

October Events Celebrate Campus Sustainability Month admin Thu, 09/28/2023 - 20:45

October is Campus Sustainability Month, an international celebration of sustainability on college and university campuses. Georgia Tech will host sustainability-focused events all month. With the recent release of the Institute’s Sustainability Next plan, these campus opportunities underscore our commitment to the objectives outlined in the plan. There are numerous options centered on climate and social sustainability topics in addition to trips to explore nature around Atlanta. The programming is hosted by diverse campus groups and offers a glimpse into the wide-ranging commitment to sustainability at Tech.

Event Lineup

Climate Action Plan Student Engagement Workshop
Monday, Oct. 2
5 – 6 p.m.
The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, Room 210

As a deliverable of the Sustainability Next Plan, the Georgia Tech Climate Action Plan is a roadmap for integrating climate action strategies across operations, research, and education focusing on climate justice and reducing emissions. Students are invited to join the Office of Sustainability for an interactive, in-person event to learn about the climate action strategies in the plan, share input, and enjoy free pizza.

For registration and additional information, click here. RSVP required.

Climate Action Plan Campus Town Hall (Virtual)
Wednesday, Oct. 4
11 a.m. – noon
Virtual via Zoom (RSVP Required)

The entire Georgia Tech community can learn more about the Georgia Tech Climate Action Plan and share input during a virtual campus town hall hosted by the Office of Sustainability.

For registration and additional information, click here.

Approaching the Limits of Climate Viability: Urban Heat Vulnerability in Atlanta and How to Adapt
Wednesday, Oct. 4
Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Scholar’s Event Theater, First Floor, Price Gilbert Library

As part of Georgia Tech Library’s initiative to highlight research that makes data accessible and meaningful to the public, Brian Stone Jr., a professor in the School of City and Regional Planning, will present a lecture on the urban heat island effect and its context for Atlanta.

Find more details and registration information here.

Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems Seminar Series, Baabak Ashuri — Valuation of Investment in Sustainable Buildings and Renewable Energy Infrastructure
Thursday, Oct. 5
3 – 4 p.m.
Hybrid Event: BBISS Offices, 760 Spring St., Suite 118, and on Teams

Baabak Ashuri, a professor in the School of Building Construction and the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and a Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems Fellow, will speak about how a new set of tools for the valuation and appraisal of renewable energy projects can enhance investment decision-making.

Liam's Legacy Symposium 2023: Humanitarian Engineering with Juan Lucena
Thursday, Oct. 5
4 – 6 p.m.
Coda Building, Ninth Floor Atrium

Juan Lucena, director of the Humanitarian Engineering Undergraduate Program and professor of engineering, design, and society at the Colorado School of Mines will visit Georgia Tech for the annual Liam’s Legacy Symposium. Lucena will explore the relationship between engineers, engineering, and the well-being of communities, social justice, and sustainability.

This event is presented by the Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education in partnership with the School of History and Sociology, through a grant from the Gertrude and William C. Wardlaw Fund in support of the Conference on Human Rights, Changes, and Challenges.

Sustainable Careers and Shared Value Panel
Thursday, Oct. 12
2 – 3:15 p.m.
Scheller College of Business, Room 221

Join the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business to hear from three panelists at various stages in their careers and diverse types of corporations about how sustainability is incorporated and how it has shaped their roles.

More information and registration here.

Lullwater Preserve (Emory) Bird Walk
Friday, Oct. 13
7 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at Cherry Emerson

Ride the GT/Emory bus with Birdwatchers @ GT to Lullwater Preserve, a beautiful, forested park on Emory’s Druid Hills campus. Open to beginner and expert birders alike — make sure to RSVP if you need binoculars.

For more information and registration, click here.

Campus Energy Challenge
Oct. 16 – 22
Residence Halls Across Campus

Housing and Residence Life’s annual Energy Competition takes place the week of Oct. 16. The competition will give all campus residents a chance to see the daily energy use of their residence halls, along with tips on how to reduce their individual use. The residence hall that reduces its use the most will win a prize.

Contact Malte Weiland, senior sustainability project manager, Auxiliary Services, for more information.

A Conversation With Victor Luckerson, Author of ‘Built From the Fire’
Tuesday, Oct. 17
7 – 8:30 p.m.
Scheller College of Business, Room 100

A panel discussion with Victor Luckerson, author of Built From the Fire, moderated by Todd Michney, associate professor in the School of History and Sociology. The book follows a multigenerational saga of a family and a community in Tulsa’s Greenwood district, known as “Black Wall Street,” that in one century survived the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, urban renewal, and gentrification.

Staff Council Drive-Thru Recycling Event
Wednesday, Oct. 18
2 – 4 p.m.
O’Keefe Building Parking Lot, 151 Sixth St. NW

The Georgia Tech Staff Council and CPEC subcommittee are hosting a recycling collection event for faculty and staff. Drop off items such as plastic bottles, mixed paper, household batteries, electronics, and glass.

Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems Seminar Series – Dylan Brewer: Who Heeds the Call in an Energy Emergency? Evidence from Smart Thermostat Data
Thursday, Oct. 19
3 – 4 p.m.
Hybrid Event: BBISS Offices, 760 Spring St., Suite 118, and on Teams

Dylan Brewer, an assistant professor in the School of Economics and BBISS Fellow, will present research exploring the relationship between compliance with calls to conserve energy during a shortage situation and in an environment of political polarization.

Climate and Innovation Business Forum
Friday, Oct. 20
1 – 5:30 p.m.
Global Learning Center

The Climate and Innovation Business Forum will convene stakeholders from various sectors to explore strategies for driving innovative climate solutions. Attendees are invited to participate in discussions on harnessing the potential of climate technology, forging innovative collaborations, and mobilizing capital for environmental and social impact.

Administration and Finance Virtual Town Hall
Friday, Oct. 20
2 – 3 p.m.
Virtual via Zoom gatech.zoom.us/j/95142941085

Celebrate Sustainability Month at the A&F virtual town hall and learn about activities designed to promote sustainability across the Institute. We will share highlights from the recently published Sustainability Next plan, developing strategies from the Climate Action Plan, and how Georgia Tech is harnessing the power of data throughout our utility management efforts to foster a living campus for all.

Georgia Tech Undergraduate Sustainability Education Panel
Tuesday, Oct. 24
11 a.m. – noon
The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, Room 210

Learn more about sustainability-focused campus educational opportunities at this panel discussion and hear from affiliated faculty, staff, and students. Snacks will be provided.

Surviving the “Zombie Apocalypse” at Kendeda 2023
Friday, Oct. 27
4 – 7:30 p.m.
The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design

The Kendeda Building is an example of resilient infrastructure, with its potable water storage, solar power system, composting toilets, and ability to grow food on its rooftop garden. This Office of Sustainability event will focus on the lessons that The Kendeda Building has taught us about sustainability, regenerative design, and the benefits of being more self-sufficient. Join us for a spooky Kendeda Building tour, snacks, and lessons in sewing and food pickling.

Get tickets here.

Extension of Community: What It Means to Be Sustainable in a Digital World
Throughout October

Locations include The Kendeda Building, the Library, and the Georgia Tech Media Bridge

Experience an interactive art exhibit at the intersection of science and technology addressing sustainability and the climate crisis.

How have our technological and digital developments helped and harmed us?
How can we be more digitally sustainable?
What are the limits of technology and how can we shift our behaviors to help heal the planet?

Fourteen artists and scientists reflect on community and sustainability within their practice and question the impact of technology on the environment and society. The exhibit, curated by Birney Robert, addresses themes of plastics and waste, social and environmental justice, and imagined futures.

For more information, click here.

Explore the Campus Sustainability Month 2023 Calendar for a comprehensive list of events and updates. Campus groups, departments, and organizations interested in adding their sustainability-focused event to the calendar can email sustain.gatech.edu.

Summary sentence

Events throughout the month of October offer a glimpse into the wide-ranging commitment to sustainability at Georgia Tech.

Summary

October is Campus Sustainability Month, an international celebration of sustainability on college and university campuses. Georgia Tech has a vast line-up of events open to the entire campus community.

Dateline

Thu, 09/28/2023 - 12:00

abby.bower@sustain.gatech.edu

Contact

Abby Bower
Program Support Coordinator
Office of Sustainability

Keywords

go-bbiss

Campus Sustainability Month

sustainability

Facilities Management

office of sustainability

Sustainability Next Plan

Georgia Tech Climate Action Plan

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Institute and Campus

Mercury ID

670025

Source updated

Thu, 09/28/2023 - 20:44

The Sustainability Next Plan Transforms Vision Into Reality

admin — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 00:20:41 +0000

The Sustainability Next Plan Transforms Vision Into Reality admin Thu, 09/21/2023 - 20:20

On the one-year anniversary of the launch of Sustainability Next, a publicly available version of the plan is being released and several plan initiatives are coming to life.

Following the creation of Georgia Tech’s 2020 – 2030 strategic plan, the Institute’s executive leadership team launched a task force to create a strategic sustainability roadmap — the Sustainability Next Plan — to help advance some of its most important goals.

“Sustainability Next is central to Georgia Tech’s commitment to developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition,” said President Ángel Cabrera. “As one of the largest technological universities in the world, we have the opportunity and responsibility to help find solutions to the biggest problems we face, achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and support a human population that will soon rise to 10 billion while reducing the stress we’re causing on our planet.”

The plan calls on Georgia Tech to:

Be a global sustainability thought leader.
Catalyze innovation through education and research.
Lead by example in the practice and culture of sustainability.

Since the fall of 2022, Sustainability Next has begun to implement projects, including:

The Climate Action Plan to develop a roadmap for integrating climate action strategies across operations, research, and education focusing on climate justice and reducing emissions.
Sustainable X, which supports students interested in and passionate about developing climate tech, sustainability, and social impact startups.
Sustainability Education Innovation Grants for faculty to expand Sustainable Development Goals concept and skill integration across the undergraduate curriculum.
Research Seed Grants to support interdisciplinary climate and sustainability research initiatives.
Living Campus connecting Georgia Tech’s built environment and surrounding landscape to serve as opportunities for collaborations between academics, research, industry, operations, and community partnerships.

These initiatives alone have created collaborations between several sustainability-focused departments on campus, including the Office of Sustainability, the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, and the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Creating the Foundation for Successful Implementation

As an outcome of the strategic plan to more intentionally integrate sustainability and lead by example with campus operations, Georgia Tech restructured its facilities management into Infrastructure and Sustainability (I&S) in 2021. The following year, the Office of Campus Sustainability was restructured into the Office of Sustainability within I&S to bridge sustainability efforts across research, education, and operations. It was later expanded to integrate the departments of utilities, sustainable building operations, and The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design.

Additionally, Sustainability Next has supported the Brook Byers Institute in becoming a transformative unit focused on climate and sustainability that integrates research and education. It has also strengthened ties in the sustainability cluster of the Vice President for Institutional Research, comprising the Byers Institute, the Renewable Bioproducts Institute, and the Strategic Energy Institute — including the permanent integration of Serve-Learn-Sustain into the newly established Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education.

Looking Ahead

In the next few months, the Sustainability Next Plan will be supported by a refreshed website, a schedule of sustainability-related events, and calls to action, reinvigorating the sustainability charge set forth in the Institute’s strategic plan.

The Sustainability Next co-chairs invite every member and unit of the Georgia Tech community to join in bringing the Sustainability Next Plan to life and expanding its ambitions over time so that we can build a just, equitable, and sustainable future — together.

For continuous updates and to find out how you can get involved, visit the new Sustainability Next webpage.

Summary sentence

On the one-year anniversary of the launch of Sustainability Next, a publicly available version of the plan is being released and several plan initiatives are coming to life.

Summary

The Sustainability Next Plan, a strategic sustainability roadmap for the Institute, will position Georgia Tech as a global thought leader in the practice and culture of sustainability while also catalyzing innovation in sustainability through education and research.

Dateline

Wed, 09/20/2023 - 12:00

eblandford3@gatech.edu

Contact

Emma Blandford

Program and Portfolio Manager

Institute for Sustainable Systems

Keywords

Facilities-Management

sustainability

office of sustainability

Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems

Sustainability Next Plan

Renewable Bioproducts Institute

Strategic Energy Institute

serve-learn-sustain

Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education

climate action plan

Georgia Tech Climate Action Plan

Sustainable X

Sustainability Education Innovation Grants

Living Campus

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Environment

Institute and Campus

Mercury ID

669810

Source updated

Thu, 09/21/2023 - 20:18

Georgia Tech to Launch Sustainability-Focused Technology Initiative at the Advanced Technology Development Center

admin — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 16:15:57 +0000

Georgia Tech to Launch Sustainability-Focused Technology Initiative at the Advanced Technology Development Center admin Tue, 11/15/2022 - 11:15

Norfolk Southern Corp., one of the nation’s leading transportation companies, is making a significant commitment to Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) to create a new initiative for entrepreneurs in sustainability-focused technology.

The ATDC Sustainability Technology Program will formally launch in January 2023. Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern’s gift will provide the initial funding to support the current and future sustainability-related startups in ATDC’s portfolio.

The gift of $750,000 will support the initiative for three years. It is the eighth industry-focused vertical of its kind at ATDC, including two others announced earlier in 2022 — one in robotics and automation, the other in supply chain logistics.

"Norfolk Southern and Georgia Tech are teaming up to support forward-thinking innovation around sustainability. Together, some of the brightest minds in Georgia and the business community can continue to make sustainable progress for our nation’s supply chain and economy," said Josh Raglin, chief sustainability officer for Norfolk Southern.

The sponsorship furthers the company’s strategic goal of integrating sustainability into daily operations while helping its customers achieve their sustainability goals. “Through our collaboration with ATDC and the incubator's sustainability vertical, we will join with students and entrepreneurs in the business of a better planet as they transform their revolutionary ideas into actionable and successful business models," Raglin said.

The gift will support one-on-one coaching via a dedicated ATDC startup catalyst who will manage the sustainability vertical and work to build the pipeline of innovators from across Georgia who are in this space and scaling disruptive technologies to bring to the marketplace.

The funds also will support a sustainability-focused curriculum and other resources specialized to those entrepreneurs’ needs as they go from ideation to commercialization.

“ATDC has a history of supporting startups with sustainable tech innovations including Suniva, Emergy, and Quest Renewables,” said John Avery, ATDC director.

ATDC’s startup portfolio already includes 12 companies in the sustainability space, but Avery said there is a wider opportunity for Georgia entrepreneurs.

With Norfolk Southern’s sustainability focus, Georgia Tech’s research innovations in that area through centers such as the Strategic Energy Institute, and ATDC’s ability to leverage those resources and its record in scaling successful technology companies, Avery said Georgia is primed to grow that sector.

The state is home to 34 companies on the Fortune 1000 list, many of which have set their own sustainability goals. Fifteen of those companies are headquartered in Atlanta, which ranks third in the country for the number of Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city.

What's more, sustainability innovations can have wider impact across a number of industries that are important to Georgia in addition to transportation and logistics, such as agriculture, and renewable energy, Avery said.

“With Norfolk Southern at the forefront of sustainability innovation and its support of our dedicated sustainability vertical at ATDC, we are doubling down on one of the biggest opportunities for startups and innovators today and pursuing a very important corporate and societal goal,” he said. “We can become a hub for all of these sustainability entrepreneurs and their innovations and grow this ecosystem in Georgia by helping to launch viable companies across the state.”

Summary sentence

Norfolk Southern commits $750,000 to the Institute to support development of sustainability technology entrepreneurs and startups in Georgia

Dateline

Tue, 11/15/2022 - 12:00

peralte.paul@comm.gatech.edu

Contact

For Norfolk Southern, contact
Alyssa B. Thomason
404.784.5564
alyssa.thomason@nscorp.com

For ATDC, contact
Péralte C. Paul
404.316.1210
peralte@atdc.org

Sidebar

About Norfolk Southern
Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of auto products and metals in North America. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com.

About Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology, or Georgia Tech, is a public research university developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute offers business, computing, design, engineering, liberal arts, and sciences degrees. Its nearly 44,000 students representing 50 states and 149 countries, study at the main campus in Atlanta, at campuses in France and China, and through distance and online learning. As a leading technological university, Georgia Tech is an engine of economic development for Georgia, the Southeast, and the nation, conducting more than$1 billion in research annually for government, industry, and society.

About the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)
The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), a program of the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, is the state’s technology startup incubator. Founded in 1980 by the Georgia General Assembly which funds it each year, ATDC’s mission is to work with entrepreneurs in Georgia to help them learn, launch, scale, and succeed in the creation of viable, disruptive technology companies. Since its founding, ATDC has grown to become the longest running and one of the most successful university-affiliated incubators in the United States, with its graduate startup companies raising $3 billion in investment financing and generating more than $12 billion in revenue in the state of Georgia. To learn more, visit atdc.org.

Location

Atlanta, GA

Associated importer

Keywords

atdc

Norfolk Southern

sustainability

John Avery

Josh Raglin

go-researchnews

Green Buzz

News room topics

Business and Economic Development

Categories

Business

Mercury ID

663171

Source updated

Tue, 11/15/2022 - 10:52

sustainability

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

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Team iManhole Wins Fall 2023 EGHI/GT Global Health Hackathon

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Athena Receives Prestigious Stanford Energy Postdoctoral Fellowship

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October Events Celebrate Campus Sustainability Month

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The Sustainability Next Plan Transforms Vision Into Reality

Creating the Foundation for Successful Implementation

Looking Ahead

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Georgia Tech to Launch Sustainability-Focused Technology Initiative at the Advanced Technology Development Center

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