Engineering

‘Biochar’ Can Naturally Clean the Pollution that Rain Washes Off Georgia’s Roads

admin — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:12:51 +0000

‘Biochar’ Can Naturally Clean the Pollution that Rain Washes Off Georgia’s Roads admin Thu, 07/10/2025 - 13:12

A charcoal-like material made from leaves and branches that collect on forest floors could be a cheap, sustainable way to keep pollution from washing off roadways and into Georgia’s lakes and rivers.

Engineers at Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern University have found that this biological charcoal, or biochar, can be mixed with soil and used along roadways to catch grimy rainwater and filter it naturally before it pollutes surface water.

Their tests found the biochar effectively cleans contaminants from the rainwater and works just as well in the sandy soils of the coastal plain as in the clays of north Georgia. Their biochar-soil mixture can be easily substituted for expensive material mined from the earth that’s typically used on roads.

Though they focused on Georgia, the researchers said the findings could easily apply across the U.S., providing a simple, natural way to keep road pollutants out of water sources. They published their approach in the Journal of Environmental Management.

Learn about their system on the College of Engineering website.

Summary sentence

A new study shows how the material made from leaves and branches that collect on forest floors can be mixed with local soil to filter out road grime before it reaches waterways.

Summary

A new study shows how the material made from leaves and branches that collect on forest floors can be mixed with local soil to filter out road grime before it reaches waterways.

Dateline

Thu, 07/10/2025 - 12:00

jstewart@gatech.edu

Contact

Joshua Stewart
College of Engineering

Associated importer

Keywords

go-researchnews

go-rbi

News room topics

Earth and Environment

Categories

Engineering

Environment

Research

Mercury ID

683093

Source updated

Thu, 07/10/2025 - 13:12

Georgia Tech Launches Two New Interdisciplinary Research Institutes

admin — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:59:41 +0000

Georgia Tech Launches Two New Interdisciplinary Research Institutes admin Tue, 07/01/2025 - 07:59

Georgia Tech has launched two new Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRIs): The Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS) and the Space Research Institute (SRI).

The new institutes focus on expanding breakthroughs in neuroscience and space, two areas where research and federal funding are anticipated to remain strong. Both fields are poised to influence research in everything from healthcare and ethics to exploration and innovation. This expansion of Georgia Tech’s research enterprise represents the Institute’s commitment to research that will shape the future.

“At Georgia Tech, innovation flourishes where disciplines converge. With the launch of the Space Research Institute and the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society, we’re uniting experts across fields to take on some of humanity’s most profound questions. Even as we are tightening our belts in anticipation of potential federal R&D budget actions, we also are investing in areas where non-federal funding sources will grow and where big impacts are possible,” said Executive Vice President for Research Tim Lieuwen. "These institutes are about advancing knowledge — and using it to improve lives, inspire future generations, and help shape a better future for us all.”

Both INNS and SRI grew out of faculty-led initiatives shaped by a strategic planning process and campus-wide collaboration. Their evolution into formal institutes underscores the strength and momentum of Georgia Tech’s interdisciplinary research enterprise.

Georgia Tech’s 11 IRIs support collaboration between researchers and students across the Institute’s seven colleges, the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), national laboratories, and corporate entities to tackle critical topics of strategic significance for the Institute as well as for local, state, national, and international communities.

"IRIs bring together Georgia Tech researchers making them more competitive and successful in solving research challenges, especially across disciplinary boundaries,” said Julia Kubanek, vice president of interdisciplinary research. “We're making these new investments in neuro- and space-related fields to publicly showcase impactful discoveries and developments led by Georgia Tech faculty, attract new partners and collaborators, and pursue alternative funding strategies at a time of federal funding uncertainty."

The Space Research Institute

The Space Research Institute will connect faculty, students, and staff who share a passion for space exploration and discovery. They will investigate a wide variety of space-related topics, exploring how space influences and intersects with the human experience. The SRI fosters a collaborative community including scientific, engineering, cultural, and commercial research that pursues broadly integrated, innovative projects.

SRI is the hub for all things space-related at Georgia Tech. It connects the Institute’s schools, colleges, research institutes, and labs to lead conversations about space in the state of Georgia and the world. Working in partnership with academics, business partners, philanthropists, students, and governments, Georgia Tech is committed to staying at the forefront of space-related innovation.

The SRI will build upon the collaborative work of the Space Research Initiative, the first step in formalizing Georgia Tech’s broad interdisciplinary space research community. The Initiative brought together researchers from across campus and was guided by input from Georgia Tech stakeholders and external partners. It was led by an executive committee including Glenn Lightsey, John W. Young Chair Professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering; Mariel Borowitz, associate professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs; and Jennifer Glass, associate professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Beginning July 1, W. Jud Ready, a principal research engineer in GTRI’s Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory, will serve as the inaugural executive director of the Space Research Institute.

To receive the latest updates on space research and innovation at Georgia Tech, join the SRI mailing list.

The Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society

The Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS) is dedicated to advancing neuroscience and neurotechnology to improve society through discovery, innovation, and engagement. INNS brings together researchers from neuroscience, engineering, computing, ethics, public policy, and the humanities to explore the brain and nervous system while addressing the societal and ethical dimensions of neuro-related research.

INNS builds on a foundation established over a decade ago, which first led to the GT-Neuro Initiative and later evolved into the Neuro Next Initiative. Over the past two years, this effort has culminated in the development of a comprehensive plan for an IRI, guided by an executive committee composed of faculty and staff from across Georgia Tech. The committee included Simon Sponberg, Dunn Family Associate Professor in the School of Physics and the School of Biological Sciences; Christopher Rozell, Julian T. Hightower Chaired Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Jennifer Singh, associate professor in the School of History and Sociology; and Sarah Peterson, Neuro Next Initiative program manager. Their leadership shaped the vision for a research community both scientifically ambitious and socially responsive.

INNS will serve as a dynamic hub for interdisciplinary collaboration across the full spectrum of brain-related research — from biological foundations to behavior and cognition, and from fundamental research to medical innovations that advance human flourishing. Research areas will encompass the foundations of human intelligence and movement, bio-inspired design and neurotechnology development, and the ethical dimensions of a neuro-connected future.

By integrating technical innovation with human-centered inquiry, INNS is committed to ensuring that advances in neuroscience and neurotechnology are developed and applied ethically and responsibly. Through fostering innovation, cultivating interdisciplinary expertise, and engaging with the public, the institute seeks to shape a future where advancements in neuroscience and neurotechnology serve the greater good. INNS also aims to deepen Georgia Tech’s collaborations with clinical, academic, and industry partners, creating new pathways for translational research and real-world impact.

An internal search for INNS’s inaugural executive director is in the final stages, with an announcement expected soon.

Join our mailing list to receive the latest updates on everything neuro at Georgia Tech.

Summary sentence

By uniting experts across disciplines, Georgia Tech is positioning itself at the forefront of neuroscience and space research.

Summary

By uniting experts across disciplines, Georgia Tech is positioning itself at the forefront of neuroscience and space research.

Dateline

Tue, 07/01/2025 - 12:00

Contact

Laurie Haigh
Research Communications

Associated importer

Keywords

go-researchnews

go-irim

go-ibb

go-neuro

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Aerospace

Engineering

Research

Mercury ID

682962

Source updated

Tue, 07/01/2025 - 07:58

Mars Rising as the New Frontier of Science and Strategy

admin — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:52:41 +0000

Mars Rising as the New Frontier of Science and Strategy admin Wed, 06/25/2025 - 09:52

More than half a century after the United States won the race to the moon, the White House is setting its sights on a new frontier: Mars. In a move reminiscent of the Apollo era, the administration has proposed landing Americans on the red planet by the end of 2026 — a bold initiative that has reignited national ambition and drawn comparisons to the space race of the 20th century.

At Georgia Tech, researchers are already considering the mission’s implications, from engineering challenges to international diplomacy. While the White House has framed the mission as a demonstration of American leadership, experts say its success will depend on collaboration — across disciplines, sectors, and borders.

“This is more than a space race,” said Christos Athanasiou, an assistant professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering. “Mars isn’t just the next step for space exploration — it’s a stress test for everything we’ve learned about sustainability, resilience, and engineering under uncertainty.”

Engineering for the Red Planet

For Athanasiou, the Mars mission is a test of human ingenuity, creativity, and endurance. Unlike the moon, Mars is months away by spacecraft, with no quick return option. That distance introduces a host of engineering challenges that must be solved before a single boot touches Martian soil.

“Ensuring astronaut safety on such a long-duration mission requires us to understand how the Earth materials we will be using in our mission behave in extraterrestrial conditions,” he said.

In his recent TEDx talk, Athanasiou emphasized that the mission must also consider its environmental impact. Mars may be barren, but it is not immune to contamination. Athanasiou believes that strategies used for environmental remediation on Earth — such as waste recycling, habitat sustainability, and pollution control — can be adapted to protect the Martian environment.

“If we can build structures that survive Mars using recycled materials, AI, and Earth-born ingenuity, we’ll unlock entirely new ways to live — both out there and back here,” he said.

Reading the Martian Landscape

James Wray, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, has spent years analyzing Mars’ surface using data from orbiters and rovers. He sees the planet as both a scientific treasure trove and a logistical puzzle.

“Mars has vast lava plains, dust storms, and steep canyons that pose real risks to human settlement,” Wray said.

But beneath the challenges lies opportunity. Mars is home to significant deposits of water ice, especially near the poles and just below the surface in some mid-latitude regions. That water could be used not only for drinking but also for producing oxygen and rocket fuel — critical resources for long-term habitation and return missions.

“The presence of water ice near the surface is a game changer. It could support life, and more importantly, it could support us,” Wray said.

He also noted that Mars’ thin atmosphere — just 1% the density of Earth’s — complicates everything from landing spacecraft to shielding astronauts from cosmic radiation. “We’ve learned a lot from robotic missions. Now it’s time to apply that knowledge to human exploration.”

Diplomacy Beyond Earth

Lincoln Hines, an assistant professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, says that the Mars mission could have significant diplomatic implications. “The Mars mission has little to no bearing on space security; it has no military value,” he said. However, he noted that international cooperation could still play a valuable role in reducing the financial burden of such a costly endeavor.

Hines warned that shifting U.S. priorities from the moon to Mars could strain the international partnerships built through the Artemis program. He explained that some countries may view the Mars initiative as a distraction from the more immediate and economically promising lunar goals. Political instability in the U.S., he added, could further erode trust in its long-term commitments. “Countries may lose faith that the United States is a reliable partner to cooperate with for its lunar program if Mars seems to be the new priority,” he said.

He also pointed to existing legal frameworks like the Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits sovereign claims on celestial bodies, and the Rescue Agreement, which obliges nations to assist astronauts in distress. While these agreements provide a foundation, Hines emphasized that they don’t fully address the complexities of future Mars missions.

Establishing international norms for Mars exploration, he said, will be challenging. “Norms are really hard to develop,” Hines explained, noting that countries often hesitate to commit to rules without assurance that others will do the same. Still, he suggested that Mars — with its limited material value — might offer a rare opportunity for cooperation, if nations are willing to engage in good faith.

Subtitle

Georgia Tech contributes to the national vision with research in engineering, science, and policy.

Summary sentence

As the White House accelerates plans for a 2026 crewed mission to Mars, Georgia Tech experts highlight the engineering, scientific, and diplomatic challenges that will shape the success—and sustainability—of humanity’s next giant leap.

Summary

Dateline

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 12:00

media@gatech.edu

Contact

Siobhan Rodriguez
Senior Media Relations Representative
Institute Communications

Keywords

Mars mission

White House space policy

2026 Mars landing

Georgia Tech

Christos Athanasiou

James Wray

Lincoln Hines

NASA

Artemis program

space exploration

international cooperation

Outer Space Treaty

space diplomacy

space security

lunar vs. Mars priorities

U.S.–China space relations

environmental impact on Mars

human spaceflight

Mars geology

Space Policy

go-researchnews

News room topics

Earth and Environment

Science and Technology

Categories

Aerospace

Engineering

Environment

Institute and Campus

National Interests/National Security

Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts

Research

Mercury ID

682882

Source updated

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 09:52

Brook Byers Professor Weissburg Wins $3M Grant to Bring Biologically Inspired Design to High Schools

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:11:41 +0000

Brook Byers Professor Weissburg Wins $3M Grant to Bring Biologically Inspired Design to High Schools admin Wed, 06/18/2025 - 11:11

The way a ladybug folds its wings can help aerospace engineers design more compact satellites. Studying how ants dig tunnels could help us create our own tunnels more efficiently.

The idea of using nature’s examples to develop products and designs that benefit society is the cornerstone of a new project at Georgia Tech that aims to get more high school students interested in engineering.

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the $3 million effort will put high school engineering teachers in research labs at Georgia Tech for five weeks. The teachers will be embedded with engineers and scientists, working at the forefront of what’s called biologically inspired design, and creating a curriculum for the teachers to use in their classrooms.

“Lots of people think animals and what they do is insanely cool — and the internet agrees — which means we can engage interest in engineering by making a link to biology as a way to solve engineering challenges,” said Marc Weissburg, project leader and professor in the School of Biological Sciences. “The act of trying to see how an animal might help find a solution to a problem is a very creative process. It challenges the notion that engineering is boring. High school engineering experiences vary widely, but they generally do not include the most cutting-edge topics, like bio-inspired design, which gets people really excited,” he said.

For the next four years, Weissburg will collaborate with researchers Meltem Alemdar, Michael Helms, Roxanne Moore and Michael Ryan at Georgia Tech’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing. They’ll create and assess units for 10th, 11th and 12th graders that explore bio-inspired design in the context of problems that are relatable to teenagers.

In particular, the researchers see their approach as a way to reach girls, who may not have considered engineering as a potential career. Weissburg pointed to data from the Center for Digital Education that showed 24% of male high school students expressed interest in engineering. For young women, the number was just 11%.

“Too often, engineering is depicted as applied math and science, which completely neglects how human-centered engineering is,” said Weissburg, who also co-directs the Center for Biologically Inspired Design at Georgia Tech and is a Brook Byers Professor.

The project will generate a curriculum with design and build exercises, background materials for teachers, examples to spark discussion, tests, and other resources that can be used by teachers across the country. Researchers will examine how well the curriculum engages students, particularly those from groups underrepresented in engineering.

“States have different standards, and teacher goals and classes have to be responsive to their unique student audience,” Weissburg said. “Our series of resources, all of which will be online, will allow teachers to easily slot in material that fits for them. It will allow them to talk to us and each other about best practices.”

The research team has partnered with Gwinnett County Public Schools to identify the first group of teachers they’ll invite to participate. Weissburg said that will happen in late Spring 2020.

“Bio-inspired engineering is a unique way of thinking, and so we have to help the teachers understand how to encourage this in their students.”

Summary sentence

Four-year project will bring teachers into Georgia Tech labs and create new curriculum materials for them to use in class.

Summary

The way a ladybug folds its wings can help aerospace engineers design more compact satellites. Studying how ants dig tunnels could help us create our own tunnels more efficiently.

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the $3 million effort will put high school engineering teachers in research labs at Georgia Tech for five weeks.

When Talent Meets Opportunity: Celebrating the Impacts of Scholarships at Tech

dgivens8 — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 19:38:38 +0000

When Talent Meets Opportunity: Celebrating the Impacts of Scholarships at Tech dgivens8 Mon, 06/16/2025 - 15:38

A hum of anticipation filled McCamish Pavilion as more than 150 attendees turned their attention to the arena floor, not for a basketball game, but to hear about the impact of scholarships at Georgia Tech. On April 5, Georgia Tech hosted the second annual Scholarship Brunch, an event that brings scholarship recipients together with their benefactors to celebrate the potential unleashed when talent meets opportunity. Rick Clark, Georgia Tech’s executive director of Strategic Student Success, served as master of ceremonies, and he opened by highlighting why scholarship assistance is so vital to attracting top talent from Georgia and beyond. “One thing we’ve found to be clear is that admissions without affordability is not access,” he said.

Clark was followed by Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera, who recounted how a scholarship made it possible for him, “a middleclass kid from Madrid, Spain,” to come to Georgia Tech, earn his doctorate, and later return to serve as president. Like Clark, he underscored the urgency of making Tech affordable for top talent. “If we want to have the very best, smartest, kindest, most dedicated people” working to solve the world’s most pressing challenges, “we have to find them when they’re young and invest in them.”

Next, three current scholarship recipients and an alumna donor spoke. Fourth-year computer engineering student and Virginia native Elisa Miller recalled how scholarship support led her to Georgia Tech and how her education has positioned her for future success. While at Tech, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) awarded Miller a Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation Scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in cybersecurity, with a DOD job awaiting her upon graduation. She offered advice to current and future Tech students, urging them to “seize every opportunity you are given to tackle every challenge you face.”

JahWill Fannings, a fourth-year business administration student from West Point, Georgia, described how his scholarship validated a bet he placed on himself in high school: He would apply only to Georgia Tech, and if admitted, he would only attend if he could do so without incurring debt. Thanks to a G. Wayne Clough Tech Promise Scholarship, that bet paid off. Freed from financial burdens, Fannings was able to launch his second company, Flowst8, an AI-powered workflow tool for musicians and other creatives. He credits the network of students, mentors, and industry leaders he was able to connect with as key to his upward trajectory. “Georgia Tech is more than a school,” he said. “It’s an ecosystem designed to help us all build toward success.”

Tampa, Florida, native Sofia Mesa, a first-year civil engineering student and recipient of the Godbold Family Foundation Scholarship, spoke of her desire to attend the Institute from a young age. When family road trips took her family through Atlanta, she would plead with her parents to stop and visit Tech Tower and the Kessler Campanile. What most excites her about the future, Mesa said, is what a Georgia Tech diploma signifies. “It’s more than just a piece of paper. It’s a statement that says, ‘I endured, I grew, and bring it on, because I am ready for whatever you can throw at me.’”

Closing out the program was Ronda Sides, IE 1983, who, along with her husband Alan Sides, ME 1983, endowed her first scholarship in 1999. Sides described her family’s return to Georgia after 18 years abroad. Witnessing firsthand the transformation the Institute had undergone inspired them to give back. Fittingly, after hearing from students about what they gain from scholarships, Sides related the impact of giving on donors. “Students, I know how good it feels when you look into your accounts and you see the money that has flowed in,” she said. “We as donors look into our accounts, and we see the money that flowed out and was sent to you — and it’s an exponentially better feeling.”

Plans are underway for next year’s Scholarship Brunch, which will once again celebrate remarkable talent and extraordinary generosity. Business administration student JahWill Fannings 16 “Georgia Tech is more than a school. It’s an ecosystem designed to help us all build toward su

Summary sentence

On April 5, Georgia Tech hosted the second annual Scholarship Brunch, an event that brings scholarship recipients together with their benefactors to celebrate the potential unleashed when talent meets opportunity.

Summary

Dateline

Mon, 06/16/2025 - 12:00

justin.horton@dev.gatech.edu

Contact

Justin Horton

Associated importer

Keywords

Scholarships

Georgia Tech scholarships

alumni philanthropy

billionaire philanthropy

donate

stewardship

alumni

undergraduate

Brunch

McCamish

development

Categories

Alumni

Business

Campaign Stories

Computer Science/Information Technology and Security

Engineering

Institute and Campus

Institute Leadership

Special Events and Guest Speakers

Student Honors and Achievements

Mercury ID

682800

Source updated

Mon, 06/16/2025 - 15:38

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

Associated importer

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

AI and Neuroscience to Become Dance Partners for Georgia Tech Arts Event

admin — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:30:55 +0000

AI and Neuroscience to Become Dance Partners for Georgia Tech Arts Event admin Wed, 06/04/2025 - 12:30

An unlikely combination will take center stage on campus this Friday, October 1. With assistance from College of Engineering researchers, Georgia Tech Arts and Terminus Ballet Theatre (TMBT) will mix dance with the fields of neuroscience, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) to create a unique performance. TMBT dancers will perform excerpts of InterActions | Boundaries of Sensory Experience, a work-in-progress that is a physical embodiment of neuroscience and an exploration of the ethics and mechanics of how it’s used in AI technologies.

Georgia Tech researchers have been meeting with the choreographer, Troy Schumacher, and the ballet company for the last year and a half to shape the concept, which explores ideas at the forefront of mechanical interventions into the human body and mind.

“I think the arts can be a really powerful way to bring people from all backgrounds into a conversation about science and technology,” said Chris Rozell, a professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering who has worked on the project since its genesis. “My goal is to facilitate that conversation by helping to translate between the scientists doing amazing work and the artists who are approaching these ideas from the perspective of making something beautiful.”

Georgia Tech Arts and TMBT have dubbed the project the “Grand Neuroethics Challenge.”

“A lot of the concepts, technologies, research, and ethics we've been discussing in this work are extremely complicated, but what's come through for me is that a lot of their work is going to have profound implications for the future of humanity,” said Schumacher. “So, for this ballet, I've decided to focus on the emotional relationship to brain-machine interfaces, while touching on what I've learned so far. I've spent most of my career collaborating with artists with little to no relationship to dance, but nothing quite as complex and fascinating as this.”

Aaron Shackelford, director of Georgia Tech Arts, said the project is a worthwhile endeavor because it offers a case study as to the importance of collaboration between artists and researchers, while demonstrating the importance of the arts in the mission and strategic plan of Georgia Tech.

“We recognize that the arts are critical to championing innovation and creativity at Georgia Tech,” said Shackelford. “Our mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The arts — and artists — provide a vital avenue for pursuing this work. This project illuminates the impact of artists and researchers coming together to mutually inspire and learn from each other, while inviting audiences to participate in the discussions about their discoveries.”

“As a director coming from an arts/dance background and facilitator to this project, I have become fascinated with the work of the scientists during the conceiving/creation process and how this gets interwoven into the choreography and dancers’ bodies,” said John Welker, TMBT’s artistic director. “In any collaboration, there are surprises that are part of my joy for discovery, but this particular process has made me so much more aware and appreciative of the intimate connection between our minds' intention and how that is carried out through the movement of our bodies.”

This Friday will be more than a dance performance. It will also include talks from the researchers involved in the project and opportunities for audience to ask questions. Rozell will discuss his work on AI and its applications in treating depression. Chethan Pandarinath, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Emory University and Georgia Tech, will talk about his AI research and how the brain controls movement. They’ll be joined by Karen Rommelfanger, director of Emory’s Neuroethics Program.

Rommelfanger knows the field of neuroscience can introduce complex words and concepts. When mixed with dance, however, she sees the project as a powerful opportunity for audiences to engage with multiple modalities of sensation and comprehension.

“I believe neuroscience brings great hope and promise for humanity. But my fear is that the promise of the field will be undermined by a deterioration of trust related to a real and hyped threats of unconsidered ways neuroscience might interface with individuals and society,” said Rommelfanger.” My hope is that this project will invite audiences, including myself, to challenge and surface our unspoken values and assumptions about the brain and technologies that interface with it.”

Friday’s event starts at 8pm at the Ferst Center for the Arts. Tickets are just $10. The full work, which is made possible in part through a grant from the Charles Loridans Foundation, will premiere on campus next fall.

“I’m excited to see how something as abstract as the concepts in neuroscience, neurotechnology, and neuroethics can be translated into dance,” Rozell said. “As a researcher, we can get really caught up in the technical details. I can’t wait to see how those details turn into an overall impression that is both beautiful and gives us a new way to think about what we do.”

Summary sentence

Dance will mix with the fields of neuroscience, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) to create a unique performance

Summary

Dateline

Thu, 09/30/2021 - 12:00

maderer@gatech.edu

Contact

Jason Maderer
College of Engineering
maderer@gatech.edu

Associated importer

Keywords

arts

go-researchnews

News room topics

Campus and Community

Science and Technology

Categories

Engineering

Mercury ID

651262

Source updated

Wed, 06/04/2025 - 12:30

Faster Frame Propels Yellow Jacket at Cycling Nationals

admin — Tue, 27 May 2025 20:34:41 +0000

Faster Frame Propels Yellow Jacket at Cycling Nationals admin Tue, 05/27/2025 - 16:34

Elanor Finlayson, a master's computer science student, secured her spot on the podium at the recent Collegiate National Road Cycling Race on a bicycle designed and built by a fellow Yellow Jacket.

As a high school athlete, the Atlanta native often used cycling for cross-training, but she began cycling more frequently during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, in northern Virginia, Iain MacKeith, ME 2023, continued his cycling ambitions on the bike and in the shop.

Combining his interest in mechanical engineering and cycling, and having competed in races since he was 9, MacKeith began constructing steel bicycle frames. He designed and built six frames in six months before arriving at Tech in August 2020.

Once on campus, Finlayson and MacKeith both sought out a cycling community and joined the Georgia Tech Cycling Club. They began training and racing together, and when Finlayson found out about her training partner's side hobby, she commissioned MacKeith to make her a gravel bike. MacKeith has since made five more bikes for Finlayson, including the carbon fiber road bike she used in the recent national competition — a race she was determined to compete in after breaking her collarbone in 2024.

"I was off the bike for two months and in a sling, but once I figured out a way to get on the indoor bike trainer, I was ready to get back to training,” she said. “Once I had the all-clear from the doctor, I knew I was going to throw everything into training and gear up for nationals."

Finlayson was unable to participate in nationals while completing her computer science degree due to her finals schedule, but as a graduate student, she knew she had the chance to compete. Confident in her equipment and herself, Finlayson's goal was to earn a spot in the top five. With the finish line in sight at the end of the 60-mile race in Madison, Wisconsin, she was overcome with emotion.

"Coming into the final straight, I just started screaming. It was a combination of intensity, the fact that I was pushing myself so hard, and it was such an insane moment to realize that I would be on the podium," she said.

MacKeith, former cycling club president at Tech, is familiar with the feeling of crossing the finish line, but as the maker of Finlayson's bike, he found a similar sense of accomplishment on the sidelines.

"I think it's an accomplishment and a sense of relief. The interesting thing about cycling is that, even though it's one person on the podium, it's a team sport in a way, and we can share this feeling, and there's a great satisfaction to playing a part in someone else's success," he said.

As a mechanical engineering student, MacKeith gained a better understanding of the materials needed to construct a more aerodynamic frame, particularly carbon fiber. While at Tech, he spent hours in campus makerspaces as a prototyping instructor at the Flowers Invention Studio, where he taught other students how to create their own frames.

Since graduation, MacKeith has worked at a space and aerospace manufacturing company, but he hasn't stopped constructing bicycles. Without the makerspaces, he built a home studio and retrofitted an oven to handle curing abilities for carbon fiber parts.

MacKeith intends to keep making bicycles but doesn't intend to mass produce his designs, because his joy comes from fitting each frame to its rider's specific needs. He also continues to improve the design of a filament winding machine, which he created as a student at Tech, that allows him to robotically layup carbon fiber tow into tubular shapes to increase efficiency in the construction process.

Through her lab work on campus and her studies, Finlayson has become increasingly interested in the use of data and has implemented it in her training methods. Set to graduate in December, she intends to enter the data analytics field with a focus on improving public health outcomes.

No matter where their professional paths take them, MacKeith and Finlayson have a shared desire to compete and win, so they will continue to race and motivate each other along the way.

Subtitle

A Georgia Tech student placed in the top five at the Collegiate National Road Cycling Race, thanks in part to her custom bicycle frame built by a fellow Tech cyclist.

Summary sentence

A Georgia Tech student placed in the top five at the Collegiate National Road Cycling Race, thanks in part to her custom bicycle frame built by a fellow Tech cyclist.

Summary

A Georgia Tech student placed in the top five at the Collegiate National Road Cycling Race, thanks in part to her custom bicycle frame built by a fellow Tech cyclist.

Dateline

Tue, 05/27/2025 - 12:00

steven.gagliano@gatech.edu

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Steven Gagliano – Institute Communications

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Tue, 05/27/2025 - 16:33

Georgia Tech to Strengthen Nation’s Faculty Development in Geospace Science

admin — Tue, 20 May 2025 16:30:33 +0000

Georgia Tech to Strengthen Nation’s Faculty Development in Geospace Science admin Tue, 05/20/2025 - 12:30

Georgia Tech’s Colleges of Engineering and Sciences have been chosen by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to hire a new faculty member focused on solar-terrestrial science and space weather research. The NSF is prioritizing a national need in geospace physics and selected Georgia Tech from a pool of national universities.

“Space weather has many societal implications, including dangers to the power grid, the aviation sector, satellite lifetimes, communications, and navigation,” said Morris Cohen, professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and the grant’s co-principal investigator. “However, the number of qualified graduating students interested in this area is not sufficient to meet the future demand. This is especially true as the generation of professionals trained during the space race of the 1960s and ‘70s continues to retire.”

NSF will fund the position for five years and $1.5 million. The grant is led by Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair. She and Cohen are joined by Raheem Beyah, dean of the College of Engineering and Southern Company Chair, and Glenn Lightsey, the John W. Young Chair in the Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering (AE).

The two Colleges relied heavily on their strength in space research and Georgia Tech’s culture of multidisciplinary collaborations in the NSF application. These traits will allow Georgia Tech to conduct a unique search process. Instead of one unit making the hire as is typical in higher education, leaders from four schools will team up with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) for the search process. It’s an approach that addresses a nationwide problem in the field.

“Decades ago, space physics largely fell within electrical engineering,” Beyah said. “These days, it’s highly interdisciplinary and typically has no true home — faculty are often scattered across aerospace engineering, applied physics, and earth sciences.”

Beyah said that a few universities have a large cluster of space physics faculty as a result. Many others have none. He said this limits the pipeline of future space science professionals because a substantial fraction of students has little or no exposure to the field.

Georgia Tech is right in the middle, with a presence in solar-terrestrial science and space weather research but not a large cluster of faculty members. The new hire will allow Tech to reach more students interested in the field. Georgia Tech also pointed to its Vertically Integrated Projects program as a mechanism to get many new students involved in the new hire’s research.

According to Lozier, solar-terrestrial science and space weather encompass at least four buckets: advanced theory and simulations that span the extremes of physics; big data and machine learning; innovative tools to collect new types of measurements; and operational needs in industry and defense, which motivate translation of research into real-world practice.

“This breadth has hampered faculty growth in this area, as it has other interdisciplinary research fields like quantum computing and neuroscience,” Lozier said. “These areas straddle pure science and engineering, which often are separate in university hierarchy. We believe these interdisciplinary aspects of geospace science should be celebrated. More importantly, we believe they can be turned into a strength.”

Representatives from AE, ECE, GTRI, the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and the School of Physics will form the hiring committee. The hire will complement Georgia Tech’s February announcement of a new Space Research Initiative. Once the NSF-funded position is filled, the Colleges will collectively fund and search for a second faculty member in the field.

Subtitle

With NSF support, Colleges of Sciences and Engineering will collaborate to hire a researcher focused on solar-terrestrial science and space weather.

Summary sentence

With NSF support, Colleges of Sciences and Engineering will collaborate to hire a researcher focused on solar-terrestrial science and space weather.

Summary

With NSF support, Colleges of Sciences and Engineering will collaborate to hire a researcher focused on solar-terrestrial science and space weather.

Dateline

Wed, 05/22/2024 - 12:00

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Fri, 05/24/2024 - 15:24

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

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Wed, 09/18/2024 - 10:35

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