School of Biological Sciences Assistant Professor Benjamin Freeman has been named a 2026 Sloan Research Fellow by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Regarded as one of the most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career scholars, the Fellowship recognizes researchers “whose creativity, innovation, and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of leaders.”
“The Sloan Research Fellows are among the most promising early-career researchers in the U.S. and Canada, already driving meaningful progress in their respective disciplines,” says Stacie Bloom, president and chief executive officer of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. “We look forward to seeing how these exceptional scholars continue to unlock new scientific advancements, redefine their fields, and foster the wellbeing and knowledge of all.”
"This is a wonderful and welcome surprise that will support my ongoing research on mountains across the globe,” says Freeman. “It's a vote of confidence and will let me get out there and get to work."
Freeman is one of 126 scientists selected this year for the honor and will receive a two-year $75,000 grant of flexible funding to support his research.
He joins the ranks of nearly 50 faculty from Georgia Tech who have received Sloan Research Fellowships, including School of Mathematics’ Alex Blumenthal in 2024, Hannah Choi in 2022, Yao Yao in 2020, Konstantin Tikhomirov in 2019, Lutz Warnke in 2018, Zaher Hani in 2016, Jen Hom in 2015, and Greg Blekherman in 2012; School of Chemistry and Biochemistry's Vinayak Agarwal in 2018; School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences' Christopher Reinhard in 2015; and School of Physics’ Chunhui (Rita) Du in 2024 and Tamara Bogdanović in 2013.
Freeman joined the Institute in 2023 and was also recently named a 2024 Packard Fellow by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and 2025 Early Career Fellow by the Ecological Society of America.
Understanding the ‘escalator to extinction’
Known for his groundbreaking research in climate change and bird ecology, Freeman studies birds worldwide from Appalachia to Ecuador. He specializes in tropical populations where his work is centered on understanding how mountain species respond to a changing climate — and how to facilitate their survival.
“Tropical mountains are some of Earth’s largest biodiversity hotspots; they harbor an extraordinary number of species,” shares Freeman. “Additionally, tropical mountain birds are particularly sensitive to environmental change, so they can serve as an early warning system for global conservation efforts.”
Previously, his research has shown that some species are on an ‘escalator to extinction’ with vulnerable groups moving to higher elevations to escape warming temperatures. At the top of the escalator, some summit-dwelling species are disappearing.
“We know that many species are on this escalator,” Freeman says. “The next step is to figure out which species are most vulnerable and why. In order to direct conservation efforts, we need to know who is vulnerable, why small increases in temperature have dramatic effects, and what can be done to help.”
A worldwide early warning system
To uncover those answers, Freeman is taking two approaches: mapping global patterns with big picture data and conducting on-the-ground research in the tropics.
To target the former, he created the Mountain Bird Network, which supports community scientists in conducting bird surveys on their local mountains. The goal is to create a system that allows researchers to diagnose vulnerable species before they are too sparse to save.
“When a species is in trouble, we need to know as soon as possible,” Freeman says. “Once a population is small enough to be at risk of extinction, it’s very hard to reverse that process. The Mountain Bird Network collects data on mountain bird abundances and distributions across the globe, which, when used with data from a global citizen science program called eBird, can be leveraged to build models to identify which species might be vulnerable before those populations become critically small.”
A living lab on Tech Mountain
Freeman’s other avenue of research involves building an ambitious living laboratory in Pinchincha, Ecuador. The research site will span thousands of meters along the flanks of a local mountain, spanning lowland rainforest, foothill rainforest, and cloud forest ecosystems.
“The mountain is home to thousands of birds from hundreds of species,” Freeman says. “My goal is to track and understand their daily lives — and how climate changes impact them.”
Using cutting-edge tracking technology, he will tag and monitor their daily movements, mapping those against microclimate sensors placed at different elevations along the mountain’s slopes. The challenge of placing and maintaining thousands of tiny sensors in rugged conditions means that it has never been done before.
“We’ll track these birds for at least five years –- but hopefully for decades,” Freeman says. “The data we gather at Tech Mountain will be the first of its kind, and my hope is that it makes a real difference in conservation efforts worldwide.”
Georgia Tech Associate Professor Vinayak Agarwal has received the Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA) Bridge Award. The award provides up to $100,000 in continuity funding to support early-career researchers "pursuing exciting and productive programs that are training the next generation of scientists," according to the organization’s press release.
“Support from the RCSA is much appreciated right now to maintain our research productivity and pedagogic service to our student body,” says Agarwal. “The focus of RCSA extends beyond scientific research to include student success, which is in excellent concert with Georgia Tech’s mission.”
Agarwal, who joined Georgia Tech in 2017, holds joint appointments in the Schools of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biological Sciences. His research group studies natural products — small molecules created by living organisms — to understand how they are made and explore potential uses. In 2021, Agarwal was named an RCSA Cottrell Scholar in recognition of his study of natural products found in oceans and his efforts to develop new curricula for undergraduates related to this research.
His additional professional recognitions include the NSF CAREER Award, the American Society of Pharmacognosy Matt Suffness Young Investigator Award, the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, and the Sloan Research Fellowship.
"From Motion to Meaning: Empowering Neurorehabilitation Across the Lifespan via Wearable Sensing." Researchers have spent decades studying rehabilitation interventions for improving function in people with stroke and other neurological disorders. Trial outcomes are often measured at the activity capacity level, defined as what a person is capable of doing in the structured environment of the clinic or laboratory. It has long been assumed that improvements in activity capacity result in improvements in real-world activity performance, where activity performance is defined as what a person actually does in daily life, outside of the clinic or laboratory. We will discuss some of the surprising findings arising from measuring movement in daily life via wearable sensors in persons with stroke and Parkinson disease, beginning inquiries into pediatric motor behavior, and current efforts to move this tool from the research realm into the clinical realm. Host Young- Hui Chang
Event Details
The ExplOrigins early career group invites you to join the 2026 Exploration and Origins Colloquium! This colloquium will have events on two days: a poster session and social event on February 26th (4:30-8pm) and talks on February 27th (8:30am-3:15pm). We are thrilled to feature plenary talks by Dr. Danna Qasim from the Southwest Research Institute and Dr. Denis Bodewits from Auburn University, Alabama.
Talks and the poster session will be held in person at Georgia Tech, with a virtual viewing/presenting option for talks. Our aim is to highlight early career projects that explore, conceptualize, celebrate, and discover pieces of space, life’s origins, and astrobiology from any field in the Atlanta area. Through this colloquium, we hope to:
- forge relationships between diverse individuals of various fields, experience
levels and backgrounds - expand our internal awareness of local work and innovations
- encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary understanding
- provide a professional growth opportunity for early career individuals including undergraduates, graduates, and post-docs
This year’s theme is “Life on Ice: How Ices Shape Planets, Comets, and Origins.”
Register here.
Event Details
The ExplOrigins early career group invites you to join the 2026 Exploration and Origins Colloquium! This colloquium will have events on two days: a poster session and social event on February 26th (4:30-8pm) and talks on February 27th (8:30am-3:15pm). We are thrilled to feature plenary talks by Dr. Danna Qasim from the Southwest Research Institute and Dr. Denis Bodewits from Auburn University, Alabama.
Talks and the poster session will be held in person at Georgia Tech, with a virtual viewing/presenting option for talks. Our aim is to highlight early career projects that explore, conceptualize, celebrate, and discover pieces of space, life’s origins, and astrobiology from any field in the Atlanta area. Through this colloquium, we hope to:
- forge relationships between diverse individuals of various fields, experience
levels and backgrounds - expand our internal awareness of local work and innovations
- encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary understanding
- provide a professional growth opportunity for early career individuals including undergraduates, graduates, and post-docs
This year’s theme is “Life on Ice: How Ices Shape Planets, Comets, and Origins.”
Register here.
Event Details
Lentzsch Lecture in Applied Physiology
"From Motion to Meaning: Empowering Neurorehabilitation Across the Lifespan via Wearable Sensing”
Catherine Lang
Barbara J Norton Professor of Physical Therapy
Professor of Neurology and Occupational Therapy
Associate Director of Movement Science Program
Washington University School of Medicine
Event Details
There is a growing number of College of Sciences students pivoting from traditional academic pathways and exploring opportunities in industry. This panel features College of Sciences alumni who will share best practices, lessons learned, and practical advice on successfully making that transition.
Please register via CareerBuzz.
Event Details
Stargazers are invited to the Georgia Tech Observatory’s Public Nights for a close-up glimpse of the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and other night-sky wonders. Public Nights, which are held on select Thursday evenings, are free and open to everyone.
On the grounds between the Howey and Mason Buildings, several telescopes are typically set up for viewing, and visitors are also welcome to bring their own telescopes.
Public Nights are contingent on clear weather.
For updated schedules, potential closures, driving and parking directions, and other information, please consult the official website: astronomy.gatech.edu
Fall 2025 Semester
- September 4 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Albireo
- October 2 - 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
- October 30 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
- December 4 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Full Moon, Saturn
Spring 2026 Semester
- January 22 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
- February 26 - 7 to 9 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
- April 2 - 8 to 10 p.m. - Jupiter, Orion Nebula
- April 23 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
Event Details
Stargazers are invited to the Georgia Tech Observatory’s Public Nights for a close-up glimpse of the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and other night-sky wonders. Public Nights, which are held on select Thursday evenings, are free and open to everyone.
On the grounds between the Howey and Mason Buildings, several telescopes are typically set up for viewing, and visitors are also welcome to bring their own telescopes.
Public Nights are contingent on clear weather.
For updated schedules, potential closures, driving and parking directions, and other information, please consult the official website: astronomy.gatech.edu
Fall 2025 Semester
- September 4 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Albireo
- October 2 - 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
- October 30 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
- December 4 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Full Moon, Saturn
Spring 2026 Semester
- January 22 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
- February 26 - 7 to 9 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
- April 2 - 8 to 10 p.m. - Jupiter, Orion Nebula
- April 23 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
Event Details
Stargazers are invited to the Georgia Tech Observatory’s Public Nights for a close-up glimpse of the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and other night-sky wonders. Public Nights, which are held on select Thursday evenings, are free and open to everyone.
On the grounds between the Howey and Mason Buildings, several telescopes are typically set up for viewing, and visitors are also welcome to bring their own telescopes.
Public Nights are contingent on clear weather.
For updated schedules, potential closures, driving and parking directions, and other information, please consult the official website: astronomy.gatech.edu
Fall 2025 Semester
- September 4 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Albireo
- October 2 - 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
- October 30 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Saturn
- December 4 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Full Moon, Saturn
Spring 2026 Semester
- January 22 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
- February 26 - 7 to 9 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
- April 2 - 8 to 10 p.m. - Jupiter, Orion Nebula
- April 23 - 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. - Moon, Jupiter
Event Details
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