Join the Neuro Next Initiative for lunch!
Connect with other graduate students across campus interested in neuroscience, neurotechnology, and society. Expand your network, learn more about the Initiative, and explore opportunities in the forthcoming IRI.
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This symposium is an opportunity for postdocs and research scientists working on neuroscience, neurotechnology, and society to showcase their research and network with peers. In the morning, each attendee will have 5 minutes to illustrate their previous or current research + 3 minutes of Q&A. During lunch and in the afternoon, attendees will have time for further discussion. The goal of this event is sharing knowledge and promoting new collaborations within our neuroscience community.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided
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Please join us for a joint seminar hosted by Physics of Living Systems and the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines!
Title: Intelligent Machines Inspired by Living Systems
Abstract: Living systems, like walking animals, can quickly develop their gaits within minutes of birth. This is due to their neural locomotion control circuits, which are genetically encoded. They can quickly adapt their leg movement to navigate various terrains and even take proactive steps to avoid colliding with an obstacle. Furthermore, in addition to locomotion, they can also use their legs/limbs to perform diverse complex autonomous behaviors, such as object manipulation and transportation. Biological studies reveal that these capabilities arise from the interplay of their biomechanics (e.g., structures, muscles, and materials) and neural mechanisms with plasticity and memory (brain).
In this talk, I will present “how we can realize biomechanics and neural mechanisms inspired by living systems for machines so they can become more intelligent like their biological counterparts”. I will also demonstrate that this nature-inspired approach not only advances robotics technology for real-world applications but also provides insights into fundamental scientific questions about motion intelligence and adaptability. Ultimately, it may bring us closer to the goal of creating truly intelligent machines.
About the speaker: Poramate Manoonpong is a Professor at the School of Information Science & Technology, Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science & Technology (VISTEC), located in Rayong, Thailand. He also serves as the head of the Research Center for Advanced Robotics and Intelligent Automation (ARIA) at VISTEC. Additionally, he holds a concurrent appointment as a Professor of Biorobotics at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU).
The central goal of his research is to understand “how biomechanics and brain-like mechanisms can be realized in robots so they can become more intelligent like living creatures?”. According to this, his team has developed bio-inspired behaving robots with general bio-inspired machine learning methods and could show that these robots can acquire complex behaviors with learning and adaptation. In addition to this, his team also focuses on transferring biomechanical and neural developments of robots to other real-world applications, like inspection, healthcare, industry, service.
The research results of his groups have been featured in news outlets, such as IEEE Spectrum (Video Friday), Advanced Science News, TechXplore, the cover page of Nature Machine Intelligence (Vol. 4, No. 2, February 2022), the cover page of Advanced Intelligent Systems (Vol. 4, No. 1, January 2022), the cover page of Advanced theory and Simulations (Vol. 6, No. 8, August 2023).
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The most recognizable yellow jacket at Georgia Tech is made of fabric and foam, but Professor Mike Goodisman and a team of researchers revealed a far more complex cellular structure by successfully sequencing the genome of two local species of yellow jacket wasps — Vespula squamosa (the southern yellow jacket) and Vespula maculifrons (the eastern yellow jacket).
Having the genome sequences of yellow jacket wasps expands biologists' understanding of the behaviors and evolution of social insects, including the intricacies of the caste system made up of queens, males, and workers.
"The genome is fundamental for a lot of questions that we ask," Goodisman said.
The research, published in Annals of the Entomological Society of America, identifies rates of gene evolution among the different species, which Goodisman says could offer explanations for the various roles each wasp plays in their colonies as well as their ability to adapt and thrive in different environments. Variations in the genomes will also help scientists dissect the interactions between the two local species.
Southern and eastern yellow jacket queens produce all caste members in the colony, and while mated queens from both species hibernate in the winter following the decline of their colonies, V. squamosa will stay in hibernation slightly longer. Southern queens then actively seek out established eastern yellow jacket nests, kill the resident queen, and take over her colony. Goodisman and his research team hope the genome provides insight into the southern queens’ parasitic behavior.
The typical colony will survive six to eight months, but in certain climates, colonies can outlast the winter months to become "supercolonies." These larger colonies take on multiple queens as they grow to the size of a couch or a car. Goodisman's team will use the genome to look for clues as to how these supercolonies thrive for multiple years and how natural selection operates in the two species.
Throughout the study, Goodisman relied on the Georgia Tech community's shared interest in the social insect to gather the necessary samples. Through ads in The Whistle and other campus publications, he collected yellow jacket wasps’ nests from faculty, staff, and alumni, in addition to samples from around the region. DNA was extracted from individual wasp samples and then sent to the University of Georgia for DNA sequencing. The resulting genomes, which are about 200 million base pairs in length, were then jointly analyzed by scientists at Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia.
“When you get the data back, you get these long sequences of the building blocks of DNA. Part of the game is putting that together like a puzzle, and then we analyze the sequence to figure out what it means,” he said.
With the genome sequenced, the team can then compare the local species to each other and all species of yellow jacket wasps worldwide. Unlike honeybees, yellow jacket wasps are not considered significant pollinators, but because their diet consists of insects and carrion, Goodisman explains that understanding their place in the ecosystems they inhabit is equally important.
He is enthused to be on a campus that shares his interest in the group of social insects known as Hymenoptera. That interest led him to study insects like fruit flies at Cornell University and fire ants at the University of Georgia before beginning his postdoctoral research on other members of the Hymenoptera order.
Now, when discussing his research with members of the Georgia Tech community, he finds himself answering one question more than any other. His response is always the same. "Because of the stinger, Buzz is anatomically female."
And while he can't definitively say which species of yellow jacket the mascot would be, Goodisman said Buzz's feisty nature would lean toward the more aggressive and charismatic southern yellow jacket, V. squamosa.
Benjamin Freeman has been named a 2024 Packard Fellow for groundbreaking research in climate change and bird ecology. Freeman, an assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, will receive $875,000 to fund his work.
“From all of us in Biological Sciences, we’re thrilled to see Ben Freeman named a Packard Fellow,” says School Chair Jeffrey (Todd) Streelman. “Ben’s research is important, compelling, and creative — a triple-threat combination that justifies this recognition.”
Awarded annually to only 20 individuals by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Packard Fellows are known for pursuing cutting-edge research, never-before-done projects, and ambitious goals.
“These scientists and engineers are the architects of tomorrow, leading innovation with bold ideas and unyielding determination,” shares Nancy Lindborg, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Packard Foundation. “Their work today will be the foundation for the breakthroughs of the future, inspiring the next wave of discovery and invention.”
“I'm flabbergasted to receive this prestigious award,” says Freeman. “Packard support will be transformative. It will give me the freedom to do the sorts of risky projects that I've dreamed about, and will support the intense fieldwork that I'm convinced is necessary to understand big questions in climate change ecology.”
The Packard funding will support Freemans most ambitious project to date: developing “Tech Mountain” in the tropics, a long-term field project focused on surveying thousands of individual birds. From mountain slope to summit, he will track their motions, their nests and predators, where they live, eat, move, and die — and how this changes as temperatures warm.
The pioneer study will shape a window into how birds and other organisms are responding to our changing climate, while developing technology and methodology that could revolutionize the fields of ecology and biology.
The escalator to extinction
Freeman’s previous research has shown that, in general, birds are moving to higher elevations as our climate changes.
“I found that as it's gotten warmer in the tropics, it's set in motion what I call an escalator to extinction,” he explains. “Birds are living at higher and higher elevations, and those that were common on a mountain top when I was a toddler in Peru are now gone from that mountain.”
While this previous research has shown that tropical birds are on this escalator, it hasn’t been possible to determine the specifics: which birds might be most vulnerable and what the key stressors are.
Freeman explains that “Tech Mountain” will be a first-of-its-kind field site, equipped with innovative sensors and trackers — think cameras placed on nets, recording equipment, climatic sensors, and small individual trackers on each bird.
“I want to figure out what drives their birth rates, where they're dying, and where they're moving during the course of their life,” he shares. “That will help us unravel how this escalator to extinction works.”
Building ‘Tech Mountain’
Several thousand meters tall, encompassing lowland rainforest, foothill rainforest, and cloud forest, Freeman’s field site will feature dense vegetation, steep grades, and encompass several different climatic zones — each with unique species.
Along its slopes, Freeman’s team will find, catch, mark, and follow the lives of thousands of individual birds across hundreds of species — for a minimum of five years, but potentially for decades. It’s never been done before.
Currently, most GPS trackers are too large for small birds, and smaller trackers capture limited information. Additionally, these smaller trackers cannot wirelessly transfer data — in order to download and access the data, each bird must be recaptured.
“The conditions are tough. It’s rugged. It’s humid. It’s cloudy and wet. We’ll need to put resources into developing technology that fits our needs, and experiment with different ways of tracking individuals in these difficult conditions,” Freeman says.
Freeman will also leverage eBird, an online hub where community scientists can upload their observations. “Millions upon millions of observations are uploaded by community scientists, citizen scientists, birders — people,” he adds. “And using this data, we can estimate the vulnerability of mountain bird species — which species seem to be shrinking their ranges and declining in abundance.”
This builds on Freeman’s current work creating the Mountain Bird Network, which supports community scientists in conducting bird surveys on their local mountains.
Georgia Tech and global connections
Freeman’s tools and methodologies could revolutionize fieldwork for ecologists and biologists, opening the door for rigorous new field studies.
It will also provide opportunities to deepen collaborations abroad. “I'm planning on working closely with Dr. Elisa Bonaccorso's lab at the University of San Francisco, Quito (USFQ Ecuador),” Freeman says, “and I’m looking forward to that collaboration. The Packard funding will also support work in Ecuador conducted by an Ecuadorian graduate student who is studying at Georgia Tech.”
Throughout the research, students will be at the heart of the projects. “I take mentoring scientists very seriously,” Freeman shares. “Undergraduates will have the opportunity to get involved on the biology side of this research, the computational side, and on the engineering side of the research. They’ll even help develop new tracking technologies.
The Packard Fellowship will not only support my research — but help me provide these opportunities in the coming years to Georgia Tech’s future scientists.”
ARCS Foundation Atlanta awarded a total of $117,500 to 15 Ph.D. students who show exceptional promise of making a significant contribution to the worldwide advancement of science and technology. Eight first-year ARCS Scholars will join seven returning scholars who were recognized as outstanding doctoral students.
Faculty may nominate candidates pursuing doctoral studies for the prestigious fellowship. The Graduate Education Fellowships Selection Committee, established by the Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, reviews the candidates for final selection.
This year, each Georgia Tech scholar will receive $7,500 and two will receive the Global Impact Award of $10,000. The Foundation grants the Global Impact Awards to students working on research problems having a broader global context or addressing global issues.
A scholars award ceremony will be held in November to honor the Atlanta chapter’s recipients.
Congratulations to the following Georgia Tech 2024-25 ARCS Scholars:
Returning Scholars
- Noam Altman-Kurosaki is a third-year ARCS Scholar who received the Herz Global Impact Award. Altman-Kurosaki is a Ph.D. candidate in biology with a research interest in understanding the processes that drive coral reef decline and recovery.
- Anjana Dissanayaka is a third-year ARCS Scholar who received the Northside Hospital Award. Dissanayaka is a Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering with a research interest in leveraging and applying microfluidic techniques to develop low-cost diagnostic devices.
- Emily Hughes is a second-year ARCS Scholar who received the Lim Award. Hughes is a Ph.D. candidate in earth and atmospheric sciences with a research interest in the geologic history of the planet Mars, specifically how spectroscopy, field analogue studies, and in situ Martian data can be coupled to reconstruct ancient environments.
- Tawfik Hussein is a third-year ARCS Scholar who received the Boice/Reid Award. Hussein is a Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering with a research interest in the mechanics of the heart, specifically, simulating computationally the mechanical changes in the heart of patients with heart failure to help predict early stages of heart failure.
- KC Jacobson is a third-year ARCS Scholar who received the Herz Global Impact Award. Jacobson is a Ph.D. student in bioengineering, chemical and biochemical engineering, with a research interest in the neural mechanisms of impaired sensory processing in a human-relevant mouse model of autism spectrum disorder.
- Cassandra Shriver is a third-year ARCS Scholar who received the Chambers/Jones Award. Shriver is a Ph.D. student in quantitative biosciences, biological sciences, with a research interest in comparative biomechanics, specifically mammalian climbing mechanics with an emphasis on conservation applications.
- Naoki Yokoyama is a third-year ARCS Scholar who received the Dodson Award. Yokoyama is a Ph.D. candidate in robotics, electrical and computer engineering, with a research interest in developing intelligent robots that can assist the elderly and disabled in home environments.
New Scholars
- Alivia Eng is a first-year ARCS Scholar who received the David, Helen and Marian Woodward Award. Eng is a Ph.D. student in earth and atmospheric sciences with a research interest in planetary science, specifically the geologic history of Mars.
- Kierra Franklin is a first-year ARCS Scholar who received the Burke Award. Franklin is a Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering with a research interest in combining synthetic biology and epigenetics to study chromatin biology and disease pathology.
- Marrissa Izykowicz is a first-year ARCS Scholar who received the Roche Award. Izykowicz is a Ph.D. student in chemical biology with a research interest in designing and synthesizing nanohydrogels for targeted drug delivery in metastatic cancers.
- Zachary Mobille is a first-year ARCS Scholar who received the HA (Gus) Peed Award. Mobille is a Ph.D. candidate in quantitative biosciences with a research interest in how anatomical structure and precisely-timed dynamics are interrelated in networks of biological neurons.
- Heriberto Nieves is a first-year ARCS Scholar who received the Wahlen Award. Nieves is a Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering, robotics, with a research interest in applying deep learning to automate the quality control and measurement processes for staging liver fibrosis with magnetic resonance elastography.
- John Pederson is a first-year ARCS Scholar who received the Joslin/Mary Jo Peed Award. Pederson is a Ph.D. student in chemistry with a research interest in multi-scale modeling of complex chemical systems to study reactions at solid/liquid interfaces.
- Theodore St. Francis is a first-year ARCS Scholar who received the ARCS Atlanta Century Award. St. Francis is a Ph.D. student in aerospace engineering with a research interest in electrolysis for both oxygen generation for astronauts and hydrogen production on Earth.
- Gianna Slusher is a first-year ARCS Scholar who received the Swensson/ARCS Atlanta Award. Slusher is a Ph.D. student in bioengineering, mechanical engineering, with a research interest in developing innovative nano-scale technologies to enhance the manufacturing and monitoring of cell-based therapeutics.
The ARCS fellowship is made possible each year by way of fundraising and the continued generous support of the ARCS-Atlanta Foundation.
The mission of the ARCS Foundation is to advance science and technology in the United States by providing financial rewards to academically outstanding U.S. citizens studying to complete degrees in science, engineering, and medical research.
Since its inception in 1992, the ARCS Foundation Atlanta has awarded more than $4.5 million to over 400 science scholars at Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse College, and the University of Georgia.
For more information about the 2024-25 ARCS Atlanta Scholars, please visit www.atlanta.arcsfoundation.org/scholars/current-scholars-4.
College of Sciences students — from first-year students to Ph.D. candidates — enjoyed an informative and frequently humorous career panel on September 25, 2024, featuring alumni from the Schools of Biological Sciences, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Psychology. Co-sponsored by the Georgia Tech Career Center and the College of Sciences, the “What Can I Do with my Georgia Tech Science Degree (Life Sciences)” panel provided an opportunity for alumni to share career advice and outline their sometimes-circuitous career paths.
“We do alumni panels because it’s a great way for students to learn and network with alumni like them, former Tech students who have walked this campus, listening to the Whistle in the background and cheering for the Jackets on the Flats,” says College of Sciences Career Educator James Stringfellow, who moderated the event alongside Graduate Career Development Officer Catharine Groover.
First-year neuroscience major Kali Breckley is currently on a pre-med track. She attended the event to discover what else she can do with her major.
“I learned about opportunities I could see myself pursuing in the future, and it gave me a better big-picture outlook for what my life could look like after my undergraduate degree is complete,” says Breckley.
“I enjoyed meeting distinguished GT alumni eager to share wisdom and help students on their academic journeys,” adds Yusuf Ismail, an applied physiology Ph.D. student. "The event was extremely beneficial, allowing us to network with alumni and gain valuable connections.”
The panel included Atlanta-based alumni at various stages in their careers. Although they came from many different industries, they all had one thing in common — joy in their chosen professions.
Panel Insights
- “Your future job will value you for how you think, not only for what you know. I’m a big believer in the scientific method and that almost any problem can be tackled if you channel those principles and dissect the problem to figure it out.” Justin Burns, B.S. BIO 2005, Ph.D. BIO 2010, Georgia Research Alliance;
- “Everything you learn at Georgia Tech will carry through with you for the rest of your life. It’s not just science you learn here. It’s about the experiences and the relationships you build, including the unique style of problem-solving that will become a part of your brand.” Anthony Diaz, B.S. EAS 2001, The Coca-Cola Company;
- “While you’re in school, adopt a ‘hungry hungry hippo’ approach to life, gobbling up knowledge and opportunities. You want to be so good at what you do that you're ‘dangerous’ — dangerous in a positive way because you're incredibly capable and generate immense impact.” Austin Hope, B.S. PSY 2014, Google;
- “Develop a pitch explaining who you are that captures a person’s attention. Get comfortable with that pitch and be ready to use it, even when standing in line at the movie theater. My one-on-one interactions have helped get my foot in the door for interviews and subsequently jobs.” Maureen Metcalf, M.S. BIO 2014, Deloitte;
- “Leverage your network and get introductions to the people in that company that can connect you with the hiring manager. Get in front of a person and show your personality. Let them see you’re more than a piece of paper with a bullet-pointed list of accomplishments.” Kristel Topping, Ph.D., APPH 2021, The Home Depot;
- “My best advice is to be flexible and seek out mentors at all stages of your career. I’ve been in private industry, academia, and the federal government. In all of those places, I’ve learned something. I never expected to be where I am today, but I feel incredibly lucky to be in a position with the CDC where I can make a daily difference.” David Williamson, B.S. BIO 1973, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
- “Practice your soft skills, especially communication, now. Speak in your classes. Talk to your professors about their research. Get excited to talk about the work you and your friends are already doing. When you are hired, those soft skills will be even more important. Your technical skills may be amazing, but you must also communicate why your research results are important to your company.” Ashley Zuniga, B.S. BCHM 2014, Geovax.
Coming Up Next
Alumni and students who enjoy networking and discussing career options are encouraged to attend the College of Sciences Student & Alumni Leadership Dinner on October 30, 2024, at the Georgia Tech Alumni House. Students can register via CareerBuzz. Alumni interested in future career events are encouraged to contact College of Sciences Director of Alumni Relations Leslie Roberts.
Dean and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair Susan Lozier has been reappointed to a five-year term in the College of Sciences.
This decision follows a rigorous review process outlined in the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook, which includes feedback from faculty, staff, and students, and an evaluation of Lozier's performance and accomplishments during her term.
Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences since 2019, has been instrumental in advancing Georgia Tech’s mission of excellence in research, education, and outreach. Under her leadership of more than 3,000 students and 500 faculty members and researchers across six Schools, the Institute has seen the sciences grow and flourish. Increased research funding, the establishment of new interdisciplinary programs, and an upswing in student enrollment are a testament to Lozier’s commitment to the future of the College.
"Susan Lozier has provided exceptional leadership to the College of Sciences," said Steven W. McLaughlin, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. "Her vision and dedication have not only strengthened the College but have elevated Georgia Tech's reputation as a leading institution for scientific research and education. We are excited to see what the future holds under her continued guidance."
Lozier is a distinguished oceanographer whose research focuses on the large-scale circulation of the ocean and its role in the global climate system. She has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to oceanography, including the Henry Stommel Research Medal from the American Meteorological Society and membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She has also served in leadership roles in several international scientific organizations.
"I am honored to continue serving as the dean of the College of Sciences," said Lozier. "I look forward to building on our successes and working with our talented faculty, staff, and students to further our mission of advancing scientific knowledge and addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing our world today."
The review committee was comprised of the following faculty and administrators:
- Ellen Bassett, John Portman Chair and Dean, College of Design
- Isaiah Bolden, Assistant Professor, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
- Marcus Cicerone, Professor, School of Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Michael Lacey, Professor, School of Mathematics
- Chrissy Spencer, Associate Chair for Undergraduate Affairs and Principal Academic Professional, School of Biological Sciences
- Kimberly Stanley, School Administrative Officer, School of Mathematics
- Rick Thomas, Professor, School of Psychology
- Sabetta Matsumoto, Associate Professor, School of Physics
The reappointment runs through Aug. 31, 2029.
The Georgia Tech community congratulates Lozier on her reappointment and looks forward to her continued leadership and contributions to the College of Sciences.
The Center for Promoting Inclusion and Equity in the Sciences (C-PIES) has named Eric Schumacher, Christina Ragan, and Carrie Shepler as recipients of the 2024-2025 College of Sciences C-PIES Inclusive Excellence Faculty Fellowship.
Schumacher, a professor in the School of Psychology; Ragan, an academic professional in the School of Biological Sciences; and Shepler, assistant dean of Teaching Effectiveness in the College and a principal academic professional in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry joined forces with a proposal to expand educational content in chemistry, neuroscience, and psychology. Their goal is to offer a new pedagogical approach to teaching that incorporates underrepresented groups in STEM.
“This project aims to create content that instructors can easily integrate into their courses to create a more inclusive learning experience,” says C-PIES Program Operations Director Lea Marzo.
Schumacher adds that the team plans to highlight science done by researchers from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Shepler explains that “when students don't see their own identities reflected in the curriculum, it can make them feel demotivated or as if they don't belong in the discipline. Our goal is to highlight the hidden figures in science and engender a greater sense of belonging in the sciences."
“We are excited to support the inclusive education goals of our community,” shares C-PIES Director and Professor in the School of Biological Sciences Lewis A. Wheaton, who also serves as Director of the Cognitive Motor Control Lab. “This effort is in line with our Institute goal of creating cross-cultural competence of our students to support their development as future global leaders."
The team’s project, which runs through June 2025, is also supported by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Inclusive Excellence Grant.
"We have been thrilled to see the level of interest from students, and this increases our belief that this project can make a difference for students in our introductory courses," says Shepler.
Click here to learn more about C-PIES and the annual Inclusive Faculty Fellowship.
The Center for Promoting Inclusion and Equity in the Sciences (C-PIES) invites you to mix, mingle, and unwind with the College of Sciences community as we celebrate the new academic year. This event is open to all staff, faculty, and students.
Please register here by Monday, October 7, 2024.
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