The 2025 round of Sustainability Next Research Seed Grants has been awarded to 17 transdisciplinary research teams representing a vibrant network of 51 collaborators from across Georgia Tech. These teams span 21 unique units from six of the seven Colleges, including Schools, research centers, and Interdisciplinary Research Institutes. 

The seed grant program, administered by the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS), reaches many faculty members from a diverse array of disciplines due to the generous support provided by broad-based partnerships in addition to the Sustainability Next funds. This year’s partners are the Georgia Tech Arts Initiative, BBISS, Walter H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Design, School of City and Regional Planning, School of Computer Science, Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, Energy Policy and Innovation Center, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Institute for Matter and Systems, Institute for People and Technology, Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines, Strategic Energy Institute, and Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education.

The goal of the program is to nurture promising research areas for future large-scale collaborative sustainability research, research translation, and/or high-impact outreach; to provide mid-career faculty with leadership and community-building opportunities; and to broaden and strengthen the Georgia Tech sustainability community as a whole. The call for proposals was modeled after the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research’s Moving Teams Forward and Forming Teams programs.

Looking ahead, BBISS will support and nurture these projects in collaboration with the relevant funding partners. Beginning in October, BBISS will host a series of focused workshops designed to foster collaboration and provide additional support to help advance these initiatives. Projects have been grouped into five thematic clusters, each of which will be the focus of an upcoming workshop:

• Circularity Programs
• Adaptation to the Changing Environment
• Community Engagement and Education
• Climate Science and Solutions
• Environmental and Health Impacts

BBISS faculty fellows, past seed grant recipients, and other interested Georgia Tech faculty are invited to participate. If you are interested in participating in the workshops, please email kristin.janacek@gatech.edu. The first session on Circularity Programs is Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. in the Peachtree Room (3rd floor) of the John Lewis Student Center.

The 2025 Sustainability Next Seed Grant awards are:

Forming Teams:

• Developing a Sustainable and Ethical Electric Vehicle Ecosystem Workforce for the Future Through Cross-Sector Partnerships. Principal Investigators (PI): Joe Bozeman. Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI): Jennifer Hirsch.
• Unlocking Circularity at Scale: Platform-Based Solutions for Advancing Material Reuse and Supply Chain Resilience. Principal Investigator: Marco Ceccagnoli. Co-PIs: Matthew Realff, Patricia Stathatou, Christos Athanasiou.
• OpenGUARD: Geospatial Utility Aggregations with Robust Differential Privacy. PI: Patrick Kastner. Co-PI: Juba Ziani.
• Regenerative Framework: A Transdisciplinary Model for Urban Climate Resilience and Soil Health. PI: Jenny McGuire. Co-PI: Nicole Kennard.
• Guiding Transportation With Community Action Through Research, Education, and Service (GT-CARES). PI: Rounaq Basu. Co-PIs: Ruthie Yow,  Sofía Pérez-Guzmán, Rebecca Watts Hull.
• Co-optimizing Design and Coordination for Sustainable Multi-Robot Construction. PI: Edvard Bruun. Co-PI: Harish Ravichanda.
• Campus as Material Ecology: Building Transdisciplinary Circular Systems for Plastic Tracking, Transformation, and Community Engagement. PI: Hyojin Kwon. Co-PIs: Michael Best, Russ Clark, Tim Trent, Meisha Shofner.
• Sonifying Climate Infrastructures: Community Outreach and Education With Shade Synthesizer. PI: Heidi Biggs. Co-PIs: Clint Zeagler, Alexandria Smith.
• Building a Georgia Tech Research Partnership for Community-Based Food System Resilience. PI: Johannes Milz. Co-PIs: Xin Chen, Inge Rocker,  Sofía Pérez-Guzmán, Nicole Kennard.

Moving Teams Forward:

• Are Data Centers the New Landfills? Social, Economic, and Environmental Tradeoffs. PI: Allen Hyde. Co-PIs: Josiah Hester, Cindy Lin, Nicole Kennard, Joe Bozeman, Elora Raymond, Tony Harding, Jung-Ho Lewe.
• Game-Based Learning in Energy Systems: A Rigorous Evaluation of Current Crisis. PI: Jessica Roberts. Co-PI: Daniel Molzahn.
• Strategic Application of Antibiotic-Independent Therapy to Treat Coral Disease Outbreaks. PI: Lauren Speare.
• Advancing Water Reuse Through Research, Education, and Community Partnerships in Atlanta, Georgia. PI: Katherine Graham. Co-PIs: Amanda Nolen, Yeqing Kong.
• Assessing the Accuracy and Reliability of Low-Cost Particulate Matter (PM) Sensors Across Diverse Ambient Environments. PI: Nga Lee (Sally) Ng. Co-PI: Ted Russell.
• Developing a Georgia Community Center Into a Sustainability Hub. PI: Ashutosh Dhekne, Co-PIs: Umakishore Ramachandran, Danielle Willkens, Ruthie Yow.
• What, When, Where of Air Pollution: PM2.5 and How It Impacts Health. PI: Shuichi Takayama. Co-PI: Nga Lee (Sally) Ng.
• Enabling Communities to Baseline the Performance of Energy Systems. PI: Jung-Ho Lewe. Co-PIs: Scott Duncan, David Solano Sarmiento, Danielle Willkens, Anna Tinoco-Santiago.

This round of funding was highly competitive, with 45 proposals submitted. BBISS extends its gratitude to all the individuals and groups who applied, as well as to the faculty and staff who contributed their time and expertise to evaluate the proposals. Their thoughtful input was essential to achieving a fair and collaborative selection process, ensuring that the awarded proposals align strongly with the BBISS’ strategy and show promise for long-term impact and future research opportunities.

According to BBISS Executive Director Beril Toktay, and Brady Family Chair in Management, “The high level of participation demonstrates the enduring commitment to sustainability research and engagement by the Georgia Tech community. BBISS honors this commitment by looking for collaboration opportunities with all who are driving sustainability efforts at Georgia Tech.”

The College of Sciences hosted its first-ever Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration to honor eight alumni who embody the Institute’s motto of Progress and Service and reflect the transformative power of an education from Georgia Tech. Held at the Historic Academy of Medicine, the event brought together more than 200 faculty, students, and alumni, including Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera, a College of Sciences alumnus, and Alumni Association President Dene Sheheane.

“A university’s success is measured and reflected in the achievements of its alumni,” notes Cabrera. “It is a great source of pride for Georgia Tech to recognize these College of Sciences alumni and their impressive accomplishments — across the world and at Georgia Tech.”

Six alumni — one from each School — received the Distinguished Alumni Award:

School of Biological Sciences

Jack McCallum, Applied Biology 1966, a surgeon-turned-entrepreneur and educator, was honored for his contributions to medicine, business, and philanthropy. He joked that medical school was easier than Georgia Tech.

School of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Kelly Sepcic Pfeil, M.S. Chemistry 1992, Ph.D. Chemistry 2003, a scientific leader in flavor and sweetener technology, was recognized for her global career and support of women in chemistry. She thanked Tech for supporting her as a young working mother who traveled globally for business while earning her graduate degrees.

School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Rutt Bridges, Physics 1973, M.S. Geophysical Sciences 1975, a pioneer in seismic software and climate solutions, author, and venture fund owner, was celebrated for his entrepreneurial success and philanthropy. His introduction revealed that he worked for $3.50 a day as a roustabout and well digger before Georgia Tech.

School of Mathematics

Frank Cullen, Math 1973, M.S. Industrial and Systems Engineering 1976,
Ph.D. Industrial and Systems Engineering 1984, a serial entrepreneur and longtime supporter of faculty research, was honored for his business leadership and philanthropic impact. He entered Georgia Tech at just 16 years old — and didn’t leave for 14 more years!

School of Physics

Nathan Meehan, Physics 1975, a globally recognized petroleum engineer, business leader, and educator, was celebrated for his technical leadership and commitment to early-career scientists. His introduction showcased his many professional accolades as well as his self-proclaimed status as the “best BBQ cook of his generation.”

School of Psychology

Margaret Beier, M.S. Psychology 1999, Ph.D. Psychology 2004, now chair of Psychological Sciences at Rice University, was honored for her research on lifelong learning and academic leadership. She thanked the faculty and researchers who inspired and supported her, enabling her to realize her dreams.

The evening also included two special honors:

The Young Scientist Award 

Kristel Bayani Topping, Ph.D. Physiology 2021, a principal researcher at The Home Depot, dedicated her win to her two young daughters and thanked her mentor School of Biological Sciences Professor Lewis Wheaton for helping her become a “better scientist and leader.”

The Impact Award 

John Clark Sutherland, Physics 1962, M.S. Physics 1964, Ph.D. Physics 1967, currently the dean of Science and Mathematics at Augusta University, was recognized for being an exceptional graduate whose sustained engagement, visionary leadership, and strategic support significantly advanced the College’s mission. Sutherland spoke about how far Georgia Tech has come since he was a student and the importance of continuing to invest in the Institute’s future through student support.

“This celebration marks a significant milestone for our College,” says Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair. “Our alumni are not just a part of our history; they are central to our future. Their leadership, generosity, and engagement support our faculty and inspire our students.”

In her closing remarks, Lozier thanked alumni Paul Goggin, Physics 1991, and Charlie Crawford, Applied Mathematics 1971, for their help in creating the celebration as well as Leslie Roberts, director of Alumni Relations, for “her vision, persistence, and championship of an alumni recognition event.”

The awards presentation concluded with a rousing performance by the Georgia Tech Glee Club and a reception to celebrate the award winners.

“It was an amazing night recognizing eight incredible alumni who have made such a difference in the world,” says Roberts. “What struck me the most about this night was the humility of our honorees. In their speeches, they thanked Georgia Tech for launching their careers and recognized others for their efforts. They are truly an inspiration to the Yellow Jacket community.”