The PFI Program within the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP) provides researchers from science and engineering disciplines funded by the NSF with the opportunity to take their research and technology from the discovery phase to the marketplace for the benefit of society. 

Russell Gentry, Professor in the Georgia Tech School of Architecture, serves as the project’s principal investigator (PI). The three-year grant continues Gentry’s research on the reuse of retired wind blades and builds on the proprietary technology developed as part of the Re-Wind Tripartite Research program funded by the U.S. NSF, Science Foundation of Ireland, and the Department for the Economy of Northern Ireland.  

“In our foundational NSF grants, our team demonstrated the potential for wind blade re-use and the positive environmental benefits that will come from the re-use of these amazing composite materials in civil infrastructure,” said Gentry. “This potential is embodied in the two patents we are pursuing and in the follow-on Partnership for Industry grant from NSF. The team is now advancing our hardware and software technology and has partnered with companies in the wind energy and electrical transmission industries to pilot these technologies.”

Logisticus Group joins the project as the key provider of transportation for the retired wind turbine blades. As one of the largest wind blade transporters, Logisticus Group brings supply expertise for the complex logistics of transporting decommissioned wind turbine blades, which are approximately 50 meters in length. 

"We are thrilled to partner with Georgia Tech on this project. Their team has always had a passion to conduct research and development on proprietary technology when it comes to reusing wind blades. We feel, as a company, that we need to be a part of the solution to find ways to recycle and repurpose these blades,” said Will Stephan, founder of Logisticus Group.”

Wind turbine blades are made from high-quality Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite materials, which are not biodegradable or recyclable. Currently, turbine blades are landfilled or incinerated at their end-of-life stage. Georgia Tech and Logisticus will conduct research and development to commercialize mass-market architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) products from repurposed FRP composite of decommissioned wind turbine blades.

The team, comprised of Georgia Tech faculty, laboratory staff, and graduate and undergraduate students in architecture and engineering, will develop commercial products using Generative Design software, architecture studios, and workshops, structural and Finite element analysis, life-cycle analysis, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology, and full-scale testing of prototypes in Georgia Tech’s 20,000 sq. ft. Digital Fabrication Laboratory. 

“The success of our project comes from the diverse talents and viewpoints represented on the team. It’s rare to have architects, engineers, and social, geospatial and environmental scientists working on the same fundamental problem,” said Gentry. “As we move to commercialize, we are building an entrepreneurial team and linking with industry. We look forward to seeing our re-use applications implemented in the next three years.” 

Prior to receiving the NSF PFI grant, researchers at Georgia Tech developed proprietary algorithms for a tool called the “Blade Machine” and created unique testing methodologies to rapidly characterize any wind turbine blade currently in production for architectural and structural analysis and design purposes. 

This fall the team is participating in the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program with Angie Nagle from the University College Cork in Ireland and Chloe Kiernicki, Bachelor of Science in Architecture student at Georgia Tech, serving as entrepreneurial leads.  James Marlow, founding CEO of Atlanta-based Radiance Solar, is serving as the I-Corps team’s industrial mentor.

About the Georgia Tech School of Architecture

The Georgia Tech School of Architecture offers five distinct degree programs – a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, a Master of Architecture, a Master of Science in Architecture, a Master of Science in Urban Design, and a Ph.D. in Architecture.  Embedded in the heart of Atlanta and a part of a top-ranked research institution, the School of Architecture combines research, technology, and design to form a well-rounded, interdisciplinary, future-focused education as students prepare to make an impact on the built environment.  www.arch.gatech.edu

About Logisticus Group

Logisticus Group (LLC), a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), specializes in transportation logistics, project management, and technology solutions serving projects throughout North and South America. At Logisticus Group, we believe our processes, technology solutions, personnel, and business model deliver a more predictable, controlled, efficient, and expedited project. To learn more visit, www.logisticusgroup.com. 

The competition, which kicked off on January 13, is designed to simulate a real-world design, planning, and development project.

This year, the competition enters its 18th year. According to the ULI competition website, "The ULI Hines Student Competition is part of the [Urban Land] Institute’s ongoing effort to raise interest among young people in creating better communities, improving development patterns, and increasing awareness of the need for multidisciplinary solutions to development and design challenges." 

Six teams from Georgia Tech entered this year's competition. Each team must have five graduate students from at least three different disciplines to be eligible to compete.

The assignment for this year's competition explored the redevelopment of a site in Miami with the Florida East Coast Roast Railway splitting the site into the Wynwood and Edgewater neighborhoods. Student groups imagined that the Tri-Rail would begin providing commuter rail service to downtown Miami in 2021. They were tasked with redeveloping the parcels in the site area to accommodate a station in Midtown Miami, and turning the site into “a thriving, mixed-use, transit-oriented neighborhood.”

The Georgia Tech teams selected as an honorable mention submitted projects titled, “ETS” and "SPACES."

Team ETS

On Team ETS were Master of Architecture (M.Arch) students, Zachary Brown and Rand Zalzala, Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) student Brock Thompson, and Master of Science in Urban Design (MSUD) students, George Doyle and Eleni Kroi. Building Construction and City Planning part-time lecturer John Threadgill was the faculty advisor for this team. Designer II at Portman Architects, T. Coston Dickinson, was the professional advisor for ETS. 

"The importance of the ULI Hines Student Competition for graduate students is the nature of its interdisciplinary emphasis,” said Doyle. “This competition immerses a diverse group of graduate students with unique post-undergraduate backgrounds and skillsets that allow new ideas and the byproducts of these ideas to become tangible solutions to real-life issues needing resolution or mitigation.”

Team SPACES

On Team SPACES were M.Arch students, Conner Smith and Wanli Gao, Master of Real Estate Development student Nicholas Ferran, MCRP student ShuHui “Giselle” Zhen, and MSUD student, Joel Jassu. School of Architecture professor of the practice, Brian Bell was faculty advisor for SPACES. Associate principal at Perkins&Will, Jeff Williams, AICP was the professional advisor for the team. 

“We had 30 students from across the Institute participate this year on six teams,” said Ellen Dunham-Jones, professor and director of the MSUD program. “I know it’s cliché to say they’re all winners, but seriously, it’s pretty awesome what their collective efforts were able to produce and the learning that went on. The fact that two of the six were recognized by the jury for honorable mentions is icing on the cake! We’ve had 12 placements, including four finalists in nine years. I couldn’t be prouder!”

The work from all six teams is currently on exhibition in the Cohen Gallery located on the second floor of the College of Design’s Architecture East Building.

Click here for the ULI Hines Competition press release.

Faculty from the Schools of Building Construction, Architecture, and Civil and Environmental Engineering, in addition to faculty participation from the School of Aerospace Engineering, organized the symposium. The primary goal was to define an industry-engaging, comprehensive agenda for future UAS research in the built environment.  

The symposium featured current research within the Georgia Tech College of Design and the Georgia Tech community; along with presentations from visiting faculty members and industry professionals.

"There were representatives from a wide range of disciplines and sectors working collaboratively to address a common challenge and opportunity for the built environment," said Daniel Castro, the chair of the School. "This is a reflection of the direction that we are heading in the School: using technology and innovative methodologies, collaborating with other disciplines, and producing relevant outcomes for the built environment."

Cutting-edge research showcased optimization of flight plan operations, building inspections, and integrating advanced design technology, building typology for multi-system design production, infrared modeling for energy modeling, multi-robot mapping, and more.

Click link to read full story: https://bc.gatech.edu/aec-dream-team-talks-unmanned-aircraft-systems

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a collegiate competition that tasks student teams with designing and building highly efficient and innovative buildings powered by renewable energy. This year, the Department of Energy combined two student building design competitions to create the new Solar Decathlon competition.

The Solar Decathlon Design Challenge Weekend took place April 12-14, 2019. Throughout the weekend, student design teams presented their work to a jury of industry experts, attended presentations by collegiate peers and leaders in the energy profession, and engaged with a variety of energy-focused organizations.

The Georgia Tech team was led by Tyler Pilet, Ph.D. in Architecture student with a focus area in high performance building (HPB).

“Our team designed a community-driven, low cost, net-zero home in Grove Park,” said Pilet. “We partnered with the Grove Park Foundation and Atlanta Habitat for Humanity to make the design’s construction a reality in the future. The competition was a great experience that taught us how to design every part and system of a building, from conceptual massing to HVAC and community solar power design.”

In addition to Pilet, the interdisciplinary team consisted of Warren Alexius Campbell (Master of Science (M.S.) in Architecture, HPB), Wen Yi (Vincent) Chang (M.S. in Architecture, HPB), Yuran Kong (M.S. in Architecture, HPB), Yuhang Li (Master of Architecture), Dan Lu (M.S. in Architecture, HPB), Jingxin Xu (Master of Science in Urban Design), Raj Sanjaybhai Shah (M.S. in Building Construction), Raunak Tibrewala (M.S. in Architecture, HPB), Xinyi Zhang (M.S. in Civil Engineering).

Jason Brown, full-time lecturer for high performance buildings in the School of Architecture, served as the team’s advisor. Fried Augenbroe, professor and director of the High Performance Building Lab, and Tarek Rakha, assistant professor for high performance buildings, also helped by reviewing the students’ work. Acme Panel and YKK served as industry partners. Additional outside partners that contributed to the final project included Grove Park Foundation, Grove Park Neighborhood Association, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, Perkins+Will, Southface, Pursuit Engineering, the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Mayor’s Office of Resilience.

Read more about the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

Many of us have experienced that. And not in a spooky sci-fi way, but in a 21st-century technology way.

Over the past 10 to 15 years the evolution of smart, sensor-based products and systems has reshaped the way we interact with each other and the world around us.

This evolution will be discussed in a College of Design Research Forum on Thursday, September 27. The title of that form is, "When the World Talks Back … Connecting People and Things."

Sensor technology enables us to tap all kinds technologies and allows us to connect to things we have not been able to connect to before, in ways not previously possible, explained Jim Budd, chair and professor in the School of Industrial Design.

With sensors of the late 1900s and early 2000s, interactive products could take an action and respond to it.

Later, researchers realized they could attach micro-processors to sensors to collect data and could share that data, Budd said.

For years, sensors have turned on lights and opened doors for us. But now we have begun to realize even more possibilities, he said.

For example, a sensor on a door or building can let the us know who comes into the building and know when they leave, and then could share that knowledge. If that building knows who you are, it could even greet you!

Researchers realized we could incorporate these technologies into our homes. Now we wire our homes with technologies that can inform us of the weather outside to lighting levels.

Your house, connected to your smartphone, could tell you when someone comes to your home. Then you could communicate with the house, let it know what to tell that person, maybe even have a dialogue.

Some of these things are already happening. Budd said we have only scratched the tip of the iceberg. We are about 20 years into this use of interactive technology.

One of the biggest technological changes over the past 10-15 years, he said, has been the cell phone. Initially it was a device designed for talking.

Now, we use cell phones to gather information, communicate, hail rides, pay for food, and more. And if we ask a question, it can answer!

Interactive Technology in the College of Design

As a community, we recognize that things that we were once only able to dream about can actually happen, he said.

Budd, who is organizing the forum, said the discussion will compare a snapshot from the past with new initiatives today that connect us with the products around us, the buildings we inhabit, and the cars we drive, along with speculation of where we might be headed tomorrow.

He will lead off with a history of where we came from and others talk about their work.

This forum is also a reflection of collaboration across disciplines in the College. Participants cross two school and a research center: School of Architecture, School of Industrial Design, and the Center for Spatial Planning Analytics and Visualization.

Joining Budd at the forum will be Noah Posner, a research scientist in the IMAGINE Lab in the Center for Spatial Planning Analytics and Visualization; Stuart Romm, a professor of practice in the School of Architecture; and Wei Wang, an assistant professor in the School of Industrial Design.

Posner said his current work focuses “on creating interactive experiences that leverage physical interaction. Past work includes creating an interactive sandbox for visualizing gorilla location data in Rwanda and data collection devices for capturing street view style panoramas. He also is designing physical interfaces for spatial VR experiences, and involved in teaching physical prototyping to MS-HCI students. For the research forum, he will talk about how we prototype connections. He also will discuss methods of prototyping, how technology gets integrated into product prototypes, different hardware prototyping platforms, and how this translates into a course.

Romm said as a topic, “When the World Talks Back… Connecting People and Things,” is one “that increasingly challenges designers to explore how new environments will intersect the physical + digital worlds.” He will talk about an ongoing case study on how the interdisciplinary collaboration between architects, industrial designers, and experience designers are innovating spaces that integrate the physical and virtual realms. One example is the use of interactive technologies in the transformation of Georgia Tech’s historic main library into a 21st Century Research Library for the digital age. 

Wang said we can anticipate that autonomous vehicles will have an impact on accelerating the transformation of automotive products into a transportation service. From the key criteria of human-computer interaction, Wang said he will talk about how to connect people and things in future autonomous driving through interactive technologies. He will also share some examples from experimental student project to sponsored research projects.

About the Research Forums

The College of Design Research Forums allow the College community and our friends across the campus to experience the design- and technology-focused research at Georgia Tech. From music technology to product design; from assistive technology to healthcare; from architecture to city planning, we explore the many ways technology can solve critical problems for the way we live.

The next research forum is scheduled for Thursday, November 8, in the Caddell Flex Space.

The title is, "Community Redevelopment in the Global South." This forum will explore ongoing projects designed to enhance the well-being of residents in the Global South in the face of its rapid growth and redevelopment.

Michael Elliott, an associate professor in the School of City and Regional Planning, will lead that discussion.

The forums take place from 11a-12p. All forums going forward will be in the Caddell Flex Space.

SimAUD is a highly selective annual conference supported by the Society for Modeling & Simulation International (SCS) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).  The conference returns to the United States this year for its 10-year anniversary. Previously, the conference was held in Delft, the Netherlands (2018), Toronto, Canada (2017) and London, United Kingdom (2016). Georgia Tech was selected this year because of the College of Design’s leadership in scholarship and education in design technology. The conference is organized by the Georgia Tech School of Architecture.

This year the program includes four keynote presentations, 11 sessions that showcase 40 single-track, peer-reviewed publications, 8 pre-conference workshops, two professional panels and engaging social events at Georgia Tech and in Atlanta. The conference will also feature a symposium-wide simulation game that will engage participants throughout the three days.

“SimAUD 2019 is going to be a universal celebration of a phenomenal international community of simulation scholars, coming together to discuss state-of-the-art design technology in a truly convergent format,” says SimAUD2019 Program Chair, Tarek Rakha, assistant professor of architecture and high performance buildings in the School of Architecture. “Georgia Tech is both thrilled and honored to host and develop the program for the decennial celebration of this event coming back to the United States, where 12 faculty across Tech’s campus will serve as session chairs and moderators, focusing on a variety of topics ranging from climate modeling to the simulation of people in the built environment. We look forward to welcoming colleagues from all around the world who will disseminate their latest advances in research and innovations for better built environment futures through the lenses of design technology”

“Contemporary architecture practice continuously develops a common digital language to integrate building industry frameworks.” says Scott Marble, Chair of Georgia Tech School of Architecture. “SimAUD 2019 will present critical topics being explored in top academic research centers and architectural practices from around the world. Design technologies have great potential to transform practice in new and innovative ways and through events like this, impactful international synergies are sure to be built to advance this transformation.

“Georgia Tech’s College of Design sets an ideal stage for the 10-year anniversary of SimAUD, leveraging Tech’s technological synergies, along with the College’s strengths in design, planning and creativity.” says Nancey Green Leigh, College of Design Associate Dean of Research. “By bringing together remarkable and established researchers and practitioners in urban planning and design, architecture and building science, visualization and construction, as well as software development, SimAUD 2019, offers promising opportunities for collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship that to advance Tech’s research agenda.”

“The faculty and students at the Georgia Tech College of Design focus on integrating design and technology. We have developed advanced simulation and visualization models at the building, neighborhood, and city-scale,” said College of Design Dean Stephen P. French. “We are thrilled to host SimAUD and look forward to working with you to push the boundaries of simulation research. Welcome to Georgia Tech!”

The conference runs from Sunday, April 7 through Tuesday, April 9. All sessions are scheduled to take place in the John and Joyce Caddell Building’s Flex Space. The conference offers a platform to unite researchers and practitioners in the fields of architecture, urban design, urban planning, building science, and data science. SimAUD 2019 will feature a range of topics related to simulation with a special emphasis on methods that bridge disciplinary gaps between design, construction, operations, resource management, human behavior, and performance analytics across building and urban scales.

Follow this link to register for SimAUD 2019.

About the Georgia Tech School of Architecture

Georgia Tech School of Architecture’s mission is to instill students with a life-long curiosity for the social and cultural meaning of the built environment and a passion to be part of improving the future. The School offers six distinct degree programs that each address the wide spectrum of design, technology, and social and cultural components of the architecture profession. The programs include a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Master of Architecture, a Master of Science in Architecture, a Master of Science in Urban Design, a dual Master of Architecture and Master of City and Regional Planning, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture.

About Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as Georgia Tech, is a top-ranked public university and one of the leading research institutions in the U.S.A. Georgia Tech provides a technologically focused education to more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students in fields ranging from engineering, computing, and sciences, to business, design, and liberal arts.

This year, the competition enters its 17th year. According to the ULI competition website, "The ULI Hines Student Competition is part of the [Urban Land] Institute’s ongoing effort to raise interest among young people in creating better communities, improving development patterns, and increasing awareness of the need for multidisciplinary solutions to development and design challenges." 

Seven teams from Georgia Tech entered this year's competition. Each team must have five graduate students from at least three different disciplines to be eligible to compete.

The assignment for this year's competition explored the redevelopment of a site in Cincinnati comprising portions of a highway, the central business district, and the central riverfront along the Ohio River. Student groups took a deep dive into the potential to bridge the highway and combine it with adjacent properties, ultimately to connect both areas to create a sustainable, pedestrian-focused, mixed-use neighborhood.

The competition, which kicked off on January 14, is designed to simulate a real world design, planning, and development project.  This year's assignment focused on Cincinnati’s vision for connecting the central riverfront entertainment district.

The Georgia Tech team selected as an honorable mention submitted a project titled, "Looping the Banks." Conner Smith, Master of Architecture student, served as team leader for Looping the Banks. Also on the team were Master of Architecture student, Wanli Gao, Master of Real Estate Development student, Bryan Katz, and Master of Science in Urban Design students, Jingxin Xu and Siqi Li. School of Architecture professor and director of the Urban Design program, Ellen Dunham-Jones, and School of Architecture professor of the practice, Brian Bell were faculty advisors for this team. Director of the Master of Real Estate Development for the School of Building Construction, Rick Porter, and associate principal at Perkins+Will, Atlanta, Cassie Branum were professional advisors for Looping the Banks. 

According to the group's project proposal, Looping the Banks aims to complete, "a vibrant loop around the Banks riverfront park" while also, "forming a connection between the Central Business District and the Ohio River." 

“I’m really proud of them," Dunham-Jones said. "I love seeing the students work together and produce so much work with people they’ve never really met before. It’s extraordinary, really.”

The work from all seven teams is currently on exhibition in the Cohen Gallery located on the second floor of the College of Design’s Architecture East Building.

Click here for the ULI Hines Competition press release. 

On September 26, 2018, the Diversity and Inclusion Council welcomed Peggy McIntosh, Senior Research Associate of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and founder of the National S.E.E.D. Project on Inclusive Curriculum (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity), to campus to help facilitate a conversation about diversity and inclusion between faculty, students, and staff at Georgia Tech. Kaye Husbands Fealing, Professor and Chair of the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy and member of the Executive Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2017-2020), and Robert Kirkman, Associate Professor for the School of Public Policy, were invited to join in the discussion and share their personal experiences with diversity and inclusion. Following the panel discussion, the Council shared additional questions submitted by the audience with McIntosh, Husbands Fealing, and Kirkman for their input.

Question: What practical methods can be employed to restructure our education system to expand inclusion, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields?

Husbands Fealing: One item I would offer here is to have policies and governance on how to conduct searches for faculty, staff and students, where the search or recruiting committees reflect our diverse society (not just the representation we see on campus).

Question: When you are faced with a tricky situation, what would be a good technique to address it while simultaneously bringing awareness to diversity and inclusion?

McIntosh: I sometimes speak autobiographically and say, "When I am faced with this kind of situation, I automatically go to questions about diversity and inclusion in my own head, and whether they bear on the situation." I also sometimes say, "I have a divided mind here -- feeling both x and y." I try not to sound like the expert, but rather to talk about my process of thinking through how tricky situations are placed within contexts that carry power dynamics and bear on equity.

Husbands Fealing: In my experience, I first think about what the final outcome needs to be before I respond to the situation.  In my experience, I find it expedient to respond with facts and poise.  It is important in my view to have my best self-present.  What will be remembered is not the first affront, but what I do in response.

Question: How do you address people that try to ignore their own power in addressing diversity?

McIntosh: I am not sure what is meant by the phrase "try to ignore." When I am with people who have power through privilege, but don't seem to realize it, I just keep saying again and again that privilege brings power with it and that people who have privilege have far more power than most of them have recognized. I keep raising the question of how people will use their power, their unearned power, to weaken systems of unearned power. I think most white people have been trained to think of themselves as not having much power that they can use towards social change. But indeed we white people have considerable power just through being white, even if we grew up with class disadvantage. 

Husbands Fealing: It is important for everyone to understand that (a) diversity is often a benefit to all over time, and (b) if we create opportunities for growth, then diversity is not a zero-sum game. So, getting individuals to understand that the pie can be bigger even if various groups get larger wedges is key.  Of course, fairness is paramount, but what is perceived to be fair is subjective.

Question: Since you are speaking to a roomful of designers – have you noticed any particular physical design features that support or hinder inclusion?

Husbands Fealing: Yes!  Often I am on a stage where there is no ramp to get to the podium or dais. That is a clear signal to someone with a physical disability that they are not welcomed.

McIntosh: I have noticed that in schools, that is school buildings, the design of the front hall makes a big difference. If there are many tables to sit at and many chairs, that can make it feel like a cafe or a conversation nook. This makes students mingle more freely with people who do not look like them. In fact, I have come to say to school faculty groups that I believe they must reengineer and reshape the school entrance hall to prevent depression! In addition, I strongly recommend that small classes be configured as a circles with everyone facing each other, rather than having some look at the backs of heads of others, in rows. The mode called Serial Testimony is a structure for discussion which matches the circle. People can write to me (mmcintosh@wellesley.edu) to request my description of Serial Testimony. My assistant Rachel Nagin adds, "Buildings tell stories about who we are and what we value. Many recently built school buildings are designed much like prisons and built with cheap materials, which tells us quite lot about what we think of our students, especially our public school students. So as you analyze and design spaces, think about what's being valued."

Question: Can you talk about the importance of transparency in hiring and admissions and how that affects diversity and inclusion? Also how can we have increased diversity among faculty and professionals?

Husbands Fealing: This is a really complex question that requires several paragraphs to respond adequately.  So, in a nutshell, recognition that diversity, inclusion, and equity are important in concept and practice is paramount.  Leadership should be all-in, not just making comments in the open but not following through with actions—policies are guidelines to actions.  Often I hear, “Well, we just cannot find anyone…they don’t exist.” That is just not the case, though in some fields there is a low percentage of women or minorities. Networks can be used to find individuals to interview or to work on projects. The one caveat I should mention here—many of us get over worked and need to say “no” sometimes when asked to take on tasks. Junior faculty should be protected from placement on such committees. Yet, there is work to be done.

McIntosh: To increase diversity among faculty and professionals, they must be willing to redesign job descriptions, putting them on a broader base than before. This means rethinking everything that the institution is about. They must make sure that any candidate pool includes people from marginalized groups. Search committees must do the extra work needed and cast their nets wide to get beyond the usual habits of search committees, which include "looking for the best man for the job." 

Question: How can we improve diversity without tokenizing people?

McIntosh: In two universities where I have worked, the decision was made to hire two people of color at least, rather than one, for a previously all-white department, and two or more women for a previously all-male department. This helped to work against the appearance and feelings of tokenism. 

Husbands Fealing: Exactly…this is really important and, again, would take a few paragraphs to give examples of how this could work.  Perhaps the best answer to this question is found in the literature.  Someone should do a brief literature search to give readers of the article ability to explore this topic in more detail.  Attached, please find a report on this topic that a colleague and I prepared for the National Science Foundation (NSF) in fulfilment of a grant from NSF. We also published a special issue of American Behavioral Scientist in May 2018: http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/absb/62/5.

Let’s keep this conversation going! We need to hear from you on other ways we can broaden and raise awareness on key themes related to diversity and inclusion at Georgia Tech. Send your questions to Carmen Wagster, carmen.wagster@design.gatech.edu, and we will continue this discussion to help us all pursue a more diverse and inclusive community here at Georgia Tech.

The College of Design Diversity and Inclusion Council members include Julie Kim, Associate Chair for the School of Architecture; Catherine Ross, Harry West Professor for the School of City and Regional Planning and Director for the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development; Jerry Ulrich, Associate Professor for the School of Music; Xinyi Song, Assistant Professor for the School of Building Construction; Michelle Rinehart, ex-officio Council member and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach for the College of Design; Astha Bhavsar, undergraduate student, School of Architecture; and Chirag Venkatesan, graduate student, School of Building Construction.

DuBose is the associate director of the SimTigrate Design Lab and was previously a senior research associate.

Describing DuBose, Craig Zimring, director of the SimTigrate Design Lab, said, “Jennifer is unique in her drive to make the world better using research, and in her commitment to building systems and partnerships to do that. She’s great.”

As noted in her promotion packet, DuBose “has consistently demonstrated a high level of scholarly achievement and technical, managerial, and entrepreneurial productivity. She has established a program of healthcare design research that seeks to bring academic evidence to the practice of design in order to improve healthcare outcomes.”

DuBose said, “The promotion process takes a lot of effort, but it feels good to look back over the sum of my work at Georgia Tech and have my accomplishments recognized by my peers.”

The promotion process begins at the unit level. The candidate must assemble and submit a CV, a package of their work, and three external letters of recommendation. The package is subject to peer review and the unit director adds a recommendation. The package then moves up through several committees until it reaches the president, who makes the final decision.

As the associate director of SimTigrate, DuBose is responsible for the operations of the Lab as well as project development and research. SimTigrate is an interdisciplinary Lab that is at the forefront of design research, and is working to create a better built environment, particularly in healthcare.

At SimTigrate, DuBose has created a research team comprised of faculty and students, from undergraduate to doctoral levels, to conduct high-impact research. She has stitched together funding from multiple sources to build a research program in evidence-based design. At the same time, she often manages several projects at once.

Nancey Green Leigh, the associate dean for research in the College, said DuBose’s “years of experience and contributions to advancing the field of healthcare design are nationally recognized and have been validated through external peer review.” She has 11 refereed publications

DuBose “has been the PI or co-PI on more than $4.5 million in research projects, mentoring over 40 students involved in center research. She has also made significant service contributions to the College, including mentoring other research scientists,” Leigh said. She called DuBose’s promotion well-deserved.

Among DuBose’s recent research is her work on the areas of light and sleep for inpatient settings and the space layout and teamwork in outpatient clinics.

The Lab’s light and sleep research began with an exploration of the impact that disruptions in hospital environments have on patient sleep and the resulting harm. Her work has explored the range of disruptions and her publications have presented strategies to improve sleep for patients. She has also contributed to the study of light’s impact on daily biological rhythms and how it works in healthcare environments.

Several projects examining space layout and teamwork under DuBose’s leadership have led the way in understanding how design can support the growing trend in collaborative teams in outpatient clinics. Through field research, analysis of occupant behavior and workspace layout, and a review of the literature, her team has developed recommendations for successful implementation of shared team rooms that support collaboration and communication.

Reflecting on her work, DuBose said, “I feel fortunate to have been able to collaborate on research projects with academic faculty and many different students over the years. It is really nice to have such a close connection with the academic mission of the College.”

At the College of Design, which she joined in 2007, DuBose took a lead in forming and growing the SimTigrate Design Lab, which works with Emory Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, Positive Impact Health Centers, Mercy Care, the Pacific Northwest National Lab, and many other partners to use the built environment to improve health and healthcare.

She has a career of more than 18 years at Georgia Tech, including five years at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).

Long committed to improving the lives of people through direct action and by environmentalism, DuBose in the 1990s served in the Peace Corps in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, worked for the Georgia Tech’s Center for Sustainable Technology getting sustainability incorporated into the curriculum, and worked for Interface, Inc. – a carpet company -- where she established their carbon accounting program and the first corporate carbon neutral product.

She received her bachelor’s degree from Oglethorpe University and an MS in Public Policy from Georgia Tech. She joined the College of Design (then the College of Architecture) in 2007 after working in the Sustainable Facilities and Infrastructure group at GTRI.

On a personal level, DuBose also does her part to improve the world with her small organic garden in Intown Atlanta, where she grows cotton, peanuts, and vegetables.

Attendees included DBL members, Georgia Tech researchers, and a number of industry leaders from AISC, Arcom, Autodesk, Component Assembly Systems, Constructivity, HOK, Katerra, NIBS, Nucor, and Vectorworks.

The three-day event was held in May and included a DBL Members’ Meeting and two days of industry workshops with focused discussions on industry advancement.

Dennis Shelden, director of the DBL and an associate professor at the School of Architecture in the College of Design, said, “We were very encouraged by the level of interest shown, from our existing DBL members, new organizations interested in the program, and research faculty. Over the coming weeks we will be reviewing the results of the meeting and connecting DBL members to research projects. We are also ramping up for some really significant activities around the annual DBL Symposium on October 5-6, 2017.”

Georgia Tech faculty and students reviewed research proposals, including “Clash Prediction Based on Space Gridding by Bayesian Analysis in BIM Projects,” “ASE Program Opportunities,” “KBAD: Knowledge Base for Architectural Detailing,” and “Mixed Reality‐Enabled Spatiotemporal City Infrastructure Data‐Capture.”

The first workshop explored subcontracting trades’ data standards and workflows. The DBL has performed data standard and information delivery (IDM / MVD) development for numerous trades over the past decade. A number of new technical developments promise renewed interest and value for this standardization work: extending the data standards to web-based information exchanges and developing overall industry frameworks for data exchange workflows.

Participants received an overview of existing work and discussed potential forward-looking applications of the data to future industry data initiatives. The workshop brought together representatives of the industry trade organizations with leaders of next generation data and exchange initiatives.

The second workshop examined AEC web data services technologies. Web- and internet-data and communications protocols are rapidly evolving as needs for data interoperability and exchange encounter new demands of technology paradigms, including web microservices, web ontology applications (OLWL), and the Internet of Things (IoT). The existing technical frameworks for AEC data exchange (IFC / EXPRESS) are being reconsidered in light of these developments. The workshop’s goal was to initiate a set of research and development tasks to develop out this next generation AEC data architecture.

To view more photos from the event, please visit the DBL Facebook page.

Leigh is the associate dean for research in the College and last fall secured a grant from the National Science Foundation National Robotics Initiative to study the U.S. robotics industry and its economic impacts. She also is a professor in the School of City and Regional Planning.

She gave us her thoughts on robotics research and the industry.

1. Why should anyone research the robotics industry?

Robots are being developed and “employed” across the economy, on farms, in factories, warehouses, hotels and hospitals, to name just a few types of businesses using them. They will fundamentally transform daily life and work. Researchers are essential to making that transformation happen from a creative and technical perspective. They also have a key role to play in ensuring that robotics diffusion is not simply imposed upon society in a way the causes winners and losers, but, rather, leads to robotics’ full potential for enhancing all human experience and safeguarding the physical world.

2. How will robots affect city and regional planning?

City and regional planning includes a number of specializations that focus on the world in which we live, such as economic development, environment, housing, land use, and transportation. Robotics diffusion will affect all of these areas, but, currently, the most attention is being given to how autonomous vehicles (a kind of robot) will alter our transportation infrastructure, as well as greatly reduce the number of driver jobs.

3. Your peers are inventing and improving robots: What does Georgia Tech need to do to shape a future with robots?

We are already shaping a robotic future at Georgia Tech, but there is much to be done. Within the College of Design, in a great example of how robots can contribute to the arts and empowering those with disabilities, music Professor Gil Weinberg has developed a marimba-playing robotic musician that uses machine learning for jazz improvisation, as well as a prosthetic robotic arm for amputees that restores and enhances human drumming abilities. Associate Professor Russell Gentry offers a great example for architecture; he is using a Kuka robot for teaching robotic fabrication and for researching humans – robot collaboration in a fabrication setting.

4. What else should the Design academic community research about robots? 

We have a major research focus on assistive technologies involving several schools and research centers of the College of Design and robots will be an increasing part of such technologies. How robots navigate existing street, sidewalk and building infrastructure, and how their presence might influence future design of such infrastructure is another rich research area. And how the deployment of robots in multiple economic sectors affects current and future jobs will be a critical economic development question tying in with many aspects of the Design academic community.

Five College of Design instructors have won the 2016 Class of 1940 Course Survey Teaching Effectiveness Award. This award is given to a maximum of 40 Georgia Tech teachers who received the best scores on the Course-Instructor Opinion Survey for the question, "Overall, this instructor is an effective teacher".

The prize includes a one-time pre-tax award of $1000 and having their name printed in the Celebrating Teaching Day (March 14, 2017) program.

School of Architecture: Michael Gamble

Michael Gamble, an associate professor in the School of Architecture, won the award for instructing ARCH 6069: Advanced Architecture Design I. Gamble also won the award in 2015, 2013, and 2012. He is the director of graduate studies for the School of Architecture, creative director for Gamble + Gamble Architects in Atlanta, and known for examining the environmental impact of design decisions, notably through his work with housing, energy, and building technologies.

Gamble’s research has received grants from: The Alcoa Foundation, The Kendeda Foundation, Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development, and the National Endowments of the Arts. He also received First Prize for Research in an international competition sponsored by the Environmental Design and Research Association.

School of City & Regional Planning: Dan Immergluck

Dan Immergluck won the 2016 award for instructing CP 6630: Government and Housing Markets. He's won the award twice before, both for CP 6611 | Real Estate Finance and Development.

As a professor in the School of City & Regional Planning, Immergluck teaches courses in statistics, real estate finance, housing policy, and social justice and equity planning. Professor Immergluck’s research concerns affordable housing, neighborhood change, community development finance, economic development, and other topics. His applied research focuses on housing and development issues in Atlanta as well as cities around the country.

Dan is the author of four books, more than four dozen scholarly articles, numerous book chapters and encyclopedia entries, and scores of applied research reports. His scholarship is widely cited, and he has been quoted extensively in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, and other media. He has testified several times before Congress and the Federal Reserve Board.

School of Industrial Design: Young-Mi Choi

Young-Mi Choi, an associate professor in the School of Industrial Design, won the award for instructing ID 2022: ID Studio II. The class is set up to give students the chance to interact with a variety of users, such as users with spinal cord injuries confined to a wheelchair or users with visual impairments. This allows them to practice engagement techniques with real users, obtain feedback and test their designs.

Choi teaches product development, human factors, and ergonomics. Her research activities focus on applying evidence-based design in innovation and human-centered design. Her research focuses on topics related to the roles played by users, industrial designers, engineers, and marketers during the process of creating new products and assistive technologies. She is also the director of the I3 Lab and a project director with the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Wireless Inclusive Technologies (WIT RERC). She has received the National Science Foundation ADVANCE Program Women of Excellence Award, Outstanding Faculty Award and multiple course teaching effectiveness awards.

School of Industrial Design: Stephen Sprigle

Stephen Sprigle, a professor with appointments in Bioengineering, Industrial Design and the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, won the award for instructing ID 6100 -- a required class for students in the Industrial Design and Human-Computer Interaction graduate programs.The class targets the science of design, professional ethics and responsible conduct of research. Students are challenged to think through the trade-offs between various design research methods, and discuss the history and profession of industrial design.

A biomedical engineer with a license in physical therapy, Sprigle directs the Rehabilitation Engineering and Applied Research Lab (REARLab), which focuses on applied disability research and development. The REARLab’s research interests include the biomechanics of wheelchair seating and posture, pressure ulcer prevention, and manual wheelchair propulsion. Its development activities include standardized wheelchair and cushion testing and the design of assistive and diagnostic technologies.

School of Music: Jason Freeman

Jason Freeman, a professor in the School of Music, won the award for instructing MUSI 6003: Music Technology: History and Repertoire. His artistic practice and scholarly research focus on using technology to engage diverse audiences in collaborative, experimental, and accessible musical experiences. He also develops educational interventions (such as EarSketch) in K-12, university, and MOOC environments that broaden and increase engagement in STEM disciplines through authentic integrations of music and computing. His music has been performed at Carnegie Hall, exhibited at ACM SIGGRAPH, published by Universal Edition, broadcast on public radio’s Performance Today, and commissioned through support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Freeman’s wide-ranging work has attracted support from sources such as the National Science Foundation, Google, and Turbulence. He has published his research in leading conferences and journals such as Computer Music Journal, Organised Sound, NIME, and ACM SIGCSE. Freeman received his B.A. in music from Yale University and his M.A. and D.M.A. in composition from Columbia University.

We sat down with Ghaziri, who recently accepted a position with DPR in New Jersey, to discuss the path that led him to the School of Building Construction and the milestones in his graduate journey.

This is Ghaziri’s story, in his own words:

My first degree was completed in Lebanon, in Architecture. I was seeking a way to move to the construction side. While searching for graduate programs, I found this unique program at Georgia Tech, in the School of Building Construction, with a focus on Program Management. I thought this would be a good fit, and would help me get to the Construction and Development side of the industry. I also knew the ranking of Georgia Tech, and that it was a great school.

Several things stood out to me during my graduate study. The academics/courses were the right fit. But what really stood out to me were the other aspects of graduate life at Georgia Tech-the faculty interaction, the life here, and the amount of opportunities. I was able to develop great relationships with the faculty in the School of Building Construction, they were always accessible.

Ghaziri’s Thesis Advisor, and Niles Bolton Professor of the Practice, Ennis Parker, said this about Ghaziri, “Louay Ghaziri is one of those young people who come along rarely and who reinforce your confidence in the future.  His attributes are numerous but it is their combination that is formidable.  One feels certain that Louay, with a little luck, is going to have a major positive influence in this world and we will all be proud to remind folks that he is a Georgia Tech alum. “

Ghaziri Continues: The life here at Tech, it changes the way you build yourself as a person. I was able to grow and develop leadership skills. I was honored to be elected President of the Student Construction Association (SCA), I had the freedom to organize programming and grow my leadership potential.

The amount of opportunities you get here is a real eye opener. I jumped in to everything. My attitude was to try it all and see what happens. I attended everything I could-it was fun. Every student has these opportunities, but you have to ask how much you are willing to take advantage of these unique opportunities. You learn from every situation.

My Study Abroad experience in England also stood out as an interesting student experience. I got a chance to experience yet another culture and get exposed to additional building related technologies.

Through these experiences I was able to network and engage with many potential employers. I had four job offers and accepted the one with DPR that seems the best fit for potential growth and professional culture.

I advise future graduate students to get involved, make use of the resources the School of Building Construction offers. Take advantage of all opportunities offered to students. The graduate program is more than books and classes. I also advise that students invest in themselves, build a profile and make connections. Don’t stress so much about the job search, use your first two semesters to learn and develop, then focus on the career search.

Get to know your professors and the staff. Learn from them.

https://bc.gatech.edu/   Visit our website for more information on the School of Building Construction at Georgia Tech.
You can contact Louay Ghaziri to learn more about his journey:  louay.ghaziri@gmail.com

BIMForum is one of the nation’s most important conferences on building information modeling (BIM) – a new development in design and construction using three-dimensional models for architecture, engineering, and construction.

Georgia Tech was the only academic program that had a formal presence at this event, according to Dennis Shelden, one of the event organizers. Students from architecture, civil engineering, and building construction joined the meetings, staffed a booth with an academic poster series, and discussed their work and papers with senior leaders of many of the top construction firms in the country.

Shelden, also director of the Digital Building Lab, said the students were received well. “The professional community was enthusiastic to have our students engaged in the event and to make the connection bridging between educational and professional work,” he said.

Two of those students talked about their experiences.

Keresh Afsari is a Ph.D. candidate in architecture focusing on design computation. She presented two posters at the booth. About six students staffed the booth, which also held work from master’s students as well as research papers from several students who work with the DBL.

One highlight of the conference for Afsari was a session on open BIM and the standardization of BIM data exchange. She called BIM standardization her "passion" and what she has been working on for the past few years.

The key, she said, is standardization and whether different industries -- architecture, construction, and engineering -- can communicate with each other.

Another student at the booth was Jeffrey Collins, a Ph.D. student in architecture and instructor in the undergraduate Media and Modeling class. He co-teaches with Shelden, who is also an associate professor in the School of Architecture.

Collins said he found it interesting to see the representation of industry, academia, professionals, and software manufacturers, and the overlap of what people are working on in all those fields.

He said it is “always beneficial to talk about the work I have done. … My poster is still in progress so it is always nice to think about it for a second, verbalize it to someone else, make sure they understand, and get some feedback.

“We want our work to be beneficial to all of those four categories.”

Overall, Afsari and Collins both felt student attendance at the event was successful.

Afsari said lots of people visited the booth, and she was excited to see people interested in their work.

Collins said there was a “constant flow of people.”

Both said they made connections with industry representatives and exchanged business cards with people who might want to collaborate with the DBL.

According to Shelden, “Many new professional organizations were introduced to the DBL and expressed interest in participating with the activities of the DBL and Georgia Tech. We are in discussions with several of them regarding participation at Georgia Tech as DBL members, research sponsors, co-op student supporters, and educational mentors.”

The event was organized by the Digital Building Lab. Professor Chuck Eastman and Associate Professors Dennis Shelden and Russell Gentry gave a plenary presentation on “BIM 2.0: Data Coordination and Exchange in a Connected World.” Shelden and Gentry worked with the students to organize the event.

AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center this year marks 10 years of providing products and services to those with disabilities.

Also this year, the Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA) moved from its location in a church on 10th Street to join AMAC in the same building on Means Street.

Being in the same building led the two Centers this year to create the Centers for Inclusive Design Innovation, which has already received funding for a project.

The Centers want to mark these milestones at an open house Thursday at their offices at 512 Means St., from 4-7 p.m.

Visitors will have the opportunity to tour their space, see demonstrations, such as AMAC’s braille machines used for tactile printing, and their student disability accommodation software.

CATEA will show various posters and demonstrations from current and past research projects. That includes the posters submitted to the TechSAge Design Competition for the GatePal app featured on the College of Design, and the TechSAge ALIGN app, which was mentioned in Atlanta Magazine and nominated for a Groundbreaker Award.

Transforming Accessibility in the College of Design

Although the approaches of the two Centers are different, they both use technology to assist people with disabilities and those aging with limitations.

Focused on helping students with disabilities, AMAC first offered services in 2006 at the University of Georgia. The Center moved to the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2010. Center Director Christopher Lee, along with Noel Gregg and other colleagues at UGA, were the inspiration behind AMAC. Gregg worked with AMAC for a few years and has since retired.

Today AMAC has more than 50 staff members who serve 800 member institutions and hundreds more who use their services on an as-needed basis. Not bad for a Center that started with 14 members serving 100 universities.

During the past 10 years, AMAC faced challenges, “including reducing the high cost of accommodations … and integrating a business model that would leverage existing business partners,” Lee said in a statement.

AMAC overcame these challenges and Lee transformed the Center into “an international research and development organization focused on inclusive design in corporate offices, government organizations and nonprofit environments,” he said.

One of AMAC’s biggest grants is the First in The World Grant from the U.S. Department of Education which funds the research of the Center for Accessible Materials Innovation (CAMI). The multi-million-dollar grant will help the center study the graduation gap between students with disabilities and their peers without.

CATEA started as the Center for Rehabilitation Technology (CRT) in 1980, and became the Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access in 1999.

CATEA’s focus today is on resources to help employers make accommodations decisions, promote accessible STEM education, and resources to promote health and wellness among seniors while also serving their accessibility needs.

In the past dozen years, CATEA had three national Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers funded by the federal government’s National Institute on Independent Living, Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).

These are the largest ($4.5-$4.75 million over 5 years) and most prestigious awards made by NIDILRR, and funded CATEA projects: “Workplace Accommodations” (2003-2013), “Wheeled Mobility” (2004-2016), and currently “TechSAge” (2013-2018). Current funding also includes a $2.5 million, 5-year study to demonstrate that universal design is a more effective strategy than ADA-required workplace accommodations to engage workers with disabilities.

According to CATEA Director Jon Sanford, by dollar amount, AMAC and CATEA account for about 70 percent of the outside funding in the College, with CATEA as the second largest research center in the College of Design.

Building Georgia Tech’s Accessibility Legacy

The move to create the Centers for Inclusive Design Innovation (CIDI), gives AMAC and CATEA, the two largest centers in the College, the opportunity to collaborate on a larger level, Sanford said.

“CATEA has expertise in research, particularly related to technology and the environment. AMAC has expertise in training and service provision, particularly related to information technology and assistive technology. These complementary programs can strengthen each other,” he noted.

“For example, the new Assistive Software Knowledgebase project was actually awarded to CIDI, and will use the expertise of both CATEA and AMAC.

“CIDI provides an umbrella to show one face to the outside world without losing the identities and name recognition of either center,” Sanford said.

Kim has been invited by IFMA to receive the scholarship at the annual IFMA World Workplace event held in San Diego in October. As part of his scholarship, IFMA has provided full conference access including the education sessions, networking, keynote address, travel expenses and receptions. The FM Academic Awards Reception and Scholarship Presentations will take place on the evening of Thursday, October 6^th at the Marriott Marquis Marina Ballroom in San Diego.

Sungjin Kim is a 3rd year Ph.D. student in School of Building Construction, and has been working as a Graduate Research Assistant at CONECTech Lab. His research focuses on integrating Information Technologies (ITs) on Construction Management (CM) process, particularly investigating Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) in current. He is working with Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) in order to analysis the implication of UAS technology on GDOT's operations. He is also concentrating on the development of a data exchange system between BIM and UAS for automated target-based visual monitoring during construction process.

"Sungjin is an exemplar Ph.D. student and his research interests will yield benefits to the construction and facility management industries in the near future. We are very proud of Sungjin and look forward to his bright future ahead. The support of the IFMA foundation is greatly appreciated and helps to make possible the success of students like Sungin." Explained Sungjin’s Ph.D Advisor, Javier Irizarry, Associate Professor School of Building Construction and Director, CONECTech Lab @ Georgia Tech.

Students and Faculty in the School of Building Construction are engaged with IFMA at the local level too. The IFMA Atlanta Chapter encourages student participation at their meetings and forums. IFMA Atlanta mentors students and provides access to local professionals, buildings, student memberships, building data, and encourages the students to apply for the foundation scholarships. School of Building Construction faculty attend local meetings and bridge the gap between academia and the professional associations.

“We are pleased that Ph.D. student Sungjin Kim is the recipient of his prestigious IFMA Scholarship, which shows the determined interest from the industry on applied research conducted in the School of Building Construction.” Said Daniel Castro, Professor and Chair, School of Building Construction.

The new students were welcomed by Daniel Castro, Chair and Professor, School of Building Construction and orientation was led by their advisor, Laura Alger.

Welcome Students!

Alger began her higher education career at SCAD, moved to Georgia State, and has been advising students at Georgia Tech for over four years. In October 2015, Alger joined the School of Building Construction as Academic Advisor II.

Alger uses the student’s own goals to advise them and can assist with the puzzle that is registration and scheduling. She is determined to help them graduate and succeed at Georgia Tech. She does this with an interest and enthusiasm that students appreciate. “Laura is so full of life and always ready to help students! She is great and such a breath of fresh air,” said Adeniyi Ogunsua, a master’s student in the School of BC.

In addition to student advisement, Alger volunteers with the Homeless Student Task Force and First Gen Students (first generation, foster, and homeless students). She really cares about the GT students and their continued success. This fall she is tackling a new challenge-teaching a section of GT1000. She is eager to help freshmen navigate Georgia Tech and get them excited about their education.

Alger grew up in South Georgia and has made her home in Atlanta. She is an artist at heart and applies that artistic vision to advising School of BC students. She’s interested in construction and relates as an artist to the students that develop and build. She appreciates the size of the School of Building Construction, where she can get to know the students she advises.

“When Laura joined Building Construction last year, she hit the ground running given her deep knowledge of course scheduling and registration, besides her genuine willingness to become a caring advisor for BC students. She is a great resource for students, faculty and staff alike”, added Daniel Castro, Ph.D., P.E., Professor and Chair, School of Building Construction.

So get to know your advisor, Laura Jones Alger,--the best resource on campus!

Pishdad-Bozorgi and de la Garza’s research focused on the Successful Delivery of Flash Track Projects.

The Construction Industry Institute (CII), based at The University of Texas at Austin, is a consortium of more than 130 leading owner, engineering-contractor, and supplier firms from both the public and private arenas. A learning organization with a wealth of knowledge and information, CII is unique in the engineering and construction industry.

CII requirements indicate that an award winning research report has the following characteristics: 

• has a thorough going account of the data collection methods
• presents a complete description of the data analysis performed
• explains the findings in statistical detail, as appropriate
• makes reasoned claims and conclusions; divulges any limitations of the findings
• presents a useful and valuable discussion of industry implementation
• makes viable recommendations for further research

Pishdad-Bozorgi is honored to receive this research award and have her research on Successful Delivery of Flash Track Projects singled out for this distinction. Congratulations to Professors Pishdad-Bozorgi and de la Garza!

Daniel Castro, Professor and Chair, GT School of Building Construction, moderated  a key panel on "Connected Living-At Home and in the City". The panelists, from industry and government, focused on issues regarding cities and homes adoptiong IoT technologies and solutions to help address challenges of city life-waste management, traffic congestion, and energy usage. Participants addressed the role between private sector and governments, and explored how to implement latest technology and opportunities. 

The IoT Summit, received bipartisan support from a Senate Resolution and the launch of a Congressional Caucus on IoT. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene and EU Ambassador to the US, David O'Sullivan delivered the keynote presentions. 

In addition to Castro's panel on Connected Living, other topics included: Security for IoT, Privacy in a Connected World, Healthcare & Wearable Technology, Smart Retail, and the Connected Car.

For more information on GT School of Building Construction, Connected Living, or Castro's current research on defining and implementing performance evaluation protocols for technology innovation in the built environment, please contact Dr. Castro at: daniel.castro@coa.gatech.edu 

The School of Building Construction Study Abroad kicked off in 2004 with a 12 week program in Paris. Back then, it was two professors and about 20 undergraduate students.  The program continued to grow and eventually Thom Keel took over as the sole professor and leader of the BC Study Abroad program.

In 2012, the BC Study Abroad program moved to England. A great relationship with the University of Reading’s Construction Program, along with exciting construction due to the London Olympics, led to the selection of the London area for the new Study Abroad program.

The program grew and changed. More graduate students were attending, and the program continued to evolve. Now, the majority of the students that attend the program, are graduate students from the School of Building Construction. ( Students from other majors are certainly welcome)

Keel said, “We are finding a need, and meeting it” as the program adapts to older students, Keel is finding ways to meet the needs of the graduate professional student. He’s shortened the program to 6 weeks for summer 2016, knowing that a busy graduate student, often can’t take off for the entire summer.  Keel thinks the international experience is a great fit for the graduate students and will really enhance their academic program. Students are introduced to new companies and organizations they might not meet in their career search on campus. Two attendees even expressed interest in working for one of the companies they met in the UK, and have returned to England after they were hired by this firm.

Keel promotes the Study Abroad program and hopes to have a large group for summer 2016. However, he has found that the students are the ones that tell each other. “They provide the best testimonials and convince others to attend.” Keel has had a brother recruit his younger sister, has had repeat attendees, and even a busy working mom/graduate student attend. These students then share the experience and convince other students of the quality of the experience.

Students are exposed to behind the scenes buildings and tours- that tourists would not usually see.
Prior to London Olympics, the students toured the Olympic Stadium and Olympic park-both under construction. They have also toured the Shard building while under construction (the tallest building in Western Europe) and rode the construction elevator to the top for a hard hat tour.

Keel is glad the program continues to evolve and grow. He loves introducing the students to exciting international construction projects blended with the unusual construction and history that Western Europe offers.

To learn more about Study Abroad opportunities in the School of Building Construction, please contact Professor Keel at:  thomas.keel@coa.gatech.edu

When Bowen started researching the topic in late 1990’s he discovered very little was to be found. There was no textbook or research being conducted in the U.S. He put together a short presentation for a continuing education class and found, “we all wanted more, it was one hell of a good story”.

With support from his colleagues in the College of Architecture, Bowen dug further in to the history of the industry. In 2006 He attended a conference in the United Kingdom and discovered a society of like-minded historians. But nothing like this existed in the U.S. While at the conference in UK, Bowen met a researcher from MIT, and together they stood up and committed to opening a society in the U.S.

The Construction History Society of America (CHSA) was born. They committed to hosting a national meeting every two years. The first was held at Georgia Tech in 2008.  Interest in the organization continued to grow. CHSA hosted the first International Congress held in the U.S. In June 2015, over 270 delegates from around the world attended the conference.

As the organization grows, Professor Bowen wants to see Construction History tied more to the academic curriculum in architecture, engineering, and construction. He said there is a barrier getting people interested in history, but will continue to promote the discipline. “We study history to equip us best to guide the future”.  “Our industry in particular has made incredible contributions to history”.

He believes studying construction history can create pride and lead people to understand that construction is a good industry to build a career. Bowen approached Engineering News Record (ENR) about a story. For years they did not think history would be relevant to their readers. Now as the industry faces a shortage of talent, they finally relented to an op/ed piece.  http://enr.construction.com/opinions/viewpoint/2015/0511-does-construction-history-matter.asp

Bowen teaches a course at Georgia Tech-“History of the Construction Industry”. He is excited and hopeful that a new generation of students and researchers will continue to delve in to construction history and say, “Look at what we have done”.

To learn more about CHSA:  http://www.constructionhistorysociety.org/

Georgia Tech School of Building Construction Professor, Javier Irizarry, co-authored a recent study with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). The results demonstrated more than 40 tasks where GDOT could benefit from use of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. 

Through the CONECTech Lab, Irizarry is researching ways to utilize technology as a solution to assist people at work, home, and now as they commute. His research on UAV technology is getting international interest.

Irizarry's research collaboration with GDOT continues to receive attention in this recent article.http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/7658baac#/7658baac/42

-Traffic Technology International

In addition, Irizarry's work was quoted in MTV news:

http://www.mtv.com/news/2219507/good-things-about-drones/

Among the key research initiatives identified as priorities for near future research, included:  Define values of smart buildings from FM perspectives; Value structuring; Operational level use of new technologies; Aging workforce within FM; and Big data implications for FM.  All of these issues sub-topics which will provide researchers a broad base to launch new research projects, as well as expand existing basic research in these areas.  Key themes for standardization focused on the strategic, tactical and operational levels of built environment management, with numerous sub-topics, as well.  Participants praised the outcomes and attendees left energized toward continuing the interactions developed in Atlanta during the symposium.

Each year, the RAC collects High Value Research highlights from member states across the nation. These highlights showcase projects that are providing transportation excellence through research. Each of the four RAC regions selects its top four projects to form the Sweet Sixteen Awards. Continually challenged to deliver more efficient transportation systems, State DOTs are committed to utilizing research and innovation to meet these challenges. All aspects of transportation, from planning and design to construction and maintenance, benefit from the power of research. The “Sweet 16” projects are just a sampling of the many pioneering works from across the nation.

Dr. Ashuri’s project was a partnership between the Georgia Department of Transportation and Georgia Tech to develop a Design-Build (DB) guidebook to improve efficiency of DB contracting in highway construction.  A DB selection tool was developed to evaluate the appropriateness of DB for transportation projects. This tool helps GDOT determine suitability of DB for projects, assess project risks, evaluate and select the most appropriate authorized procurement methods, and implement DB transparently and consistently.  A post-research workshop was held to facilitate adoption of DB contracting in Georgia. Effective July 1, 2012, Georgia legislators raised the cap for DB by 50 percent (in dollars), based on the total amount of construction projects awarded in the previous fiscal year. This was made possible, in part, by solid DB project suitability assessments that this research enhanced for future use.

Dr. Baabak Ashuri is director of the Georgia Tech Economics of the Sustainable Built Environment (ESBE) Lab in the School of Building Construction. He specializes in economic decision analysis, strategic risk management, investment analysis under uncertainty (e.g., the Real Option Methodology), capital budgeting, and project finance. He is an assistant professor in the School of Building Construction at the Georgia Institute of Technology where he teaches decision analysis and risk management, building economics and value engineering, and real option analysis for life cycle costing of flexible infrastructure assets.

The conference, themed "Leveraging Technology to Build Your Business" will focus on innovative construction technologies for improving business performance as well as project outcomes. 

Learn more about Dr. Irizarry >

Learn more about the conference >

Debbie Phillips is a lecturer in the School of Building Construction at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  In 2005, Debbie and members of the Georgia Apartment Industry Education Foundation formed a strategic alliance with Georgia Tech’s School of Building Construction to educate students about the diverse career opportunities within the multi-family real estate industry.

About the National Apartment Association

The National Apartment Association (NAA) is America's leading advocate for quality rental housing. NAA's mission is to serve the interests of multifamily housing owners, managers, developers and suppliers and maintain a high level of professionalism in the multifamily housing industry to better serve the rental housing needs of the public.

NAA is a federation of 170 state and local affiliates, comprised of more than 55,000 multifamily housing companies representing more than 6.2 million apartment homes throughout the United States and Canada. NAA members represent all facets of the multifamily housing industry: apartment owners, management executives, developers, builders, investors, property managers, leasing consultants, maintenance personnel, suppliers and related business professionals throughout the United States and Canada. www.naahq.org.

About the Georgia Apartment Industry Education Foundation

Georgia Apartment Industry Education Foundation (GAIEF) is a private, non-profit organization that promotes career opportunities within the multi-family real estate industry. Through statewide initiatives including a certificate program in the School of Building Construction at the Georgia Institute of Technology, GAIEF has educated over 5,000 students about the multi-family real estate industry. Advisory companies serving with board members include Post Properties, Gables Residential, First Communities, Pollack-Shores, Fogelman, Wilkinson Real Estate Advisors, Lane Company, ECI Group, For-Rent, AT&T, StoneMark, Ventron, Love Properties, LeCraw Investments, Warshaw Properties, Redi-Floors, HMI Property Solutions, Crabapple Landscape, and Tribridge Residential.

For more information, visit www.gaief.com

Earlier this year, Georgia Tech’s School of Building Construction team, led by Dr. Javier Irizarry, received  top prize in a National Housing Endowment competition, taking home a four-year, $99,535 grant. A key goal of the National Housing Endowment competition is to increase the number of qualified college graduates entering the residential construction profession and to better prepare them for the challenges facing the industry, equipping them with the needed skills to manage the industry's complexity. The grant is being used to advance the curriculum in the graduate track in Residential Construction Development, and to support three research fellowships for students enrolled in the program. Kruger is the first research fellow; applications will be made available soon.

Every year Emerald invites each journal’s Editorial Team to nominate what they believe has been that title’s Outstanding Paper and up to three Highly Commended Papers from the previous 12 months. Dr. Ashuri’s paper has been chosen as a Highly Commended Award Winner at the Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2012.

The award winning papers are chosen following consultation amongst the journal’s Editorial Team, many of whom are eminent academics or managers. His paper has been selected as it was one of the most impressive pieces of work the team has seen throughout 2011.

Further information regarding the Awards for Excellence can be found at the following site:

www.emeraldinsight.com/literati

The scholarships are highly competitive and candidates are evaluated for their academic success, their commitment to the industry through participation in professional organizations, work in the construction industry, and their goals for the future. The scholarships come with a $2,500 award toward the students' Georgia Tech education. 

“Renovation of our facility has been a top priority for quite some time,” said School of Building Construction Chair Daniel Castro. “Through their very generous gift, John and Joyce Caddell are enabling us to remain competitive with much larger building construction programs both regionally and nationally. This gift will absolutely transform our facility and the education that we offer our students, and we are tremendously grateful for this opportunity.”

“I wanted Georgia Tech’s Building Construction students to have the best start that they can possibly have,” said Caddell, a Montgomery, Alabama, resident who has previously served on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board and was one of the first recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Career Achievement Award presented by the Building Construction Program. “Our gift will lead to an increase in both the size and quality of the program’s facilities, and hopefully that will translate into a stronger educational experience and even better career prospects for our graduates.”

Caddell has certainly made the most of his career prospects. Since its formation in 1983, Caddell Construction Co.—which Caddell founded and continues to serve as chairman—has emerged as a major player in both domestic and international markets. The Caddell project record includes U.S. diplomatic facilities, federal courthouses, prisons, high-tech research and development centers, hospitals, airports, hotels, power plants, manufacturing facilities, military barracks and housing complexes, and a long list of unique specialty projects. Recent projects of note include the U.S. Embassies in China and Afghanistan, eighteen other U.S. embassies/consulates around the world, and four facilities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Caddell Construction has also been recognized by its industry peers with a wide array of national construction excellence awards and has consistently ranked among the two hundred largest U.S. contractors.

The School of Building Construction seeks to become the leading force of innovation in integrated project delivery, integrated facility management and program management. Its undergraduate degree is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education. Its graduate degree is accredited by the International Facility Management Association and recognized by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. With an undergraduate enrollment of 125 undergraduates and 120 graduate students, the School of Building Construction is the fastest growing among the five schools in the College of Architecture. A Ph.D. degree with a major in Building Construction was approved by the Institute’s Graduate Curriculum Committee and by the Faculty Senate, and is awaiting approval by the Board of Regents in Fall 2011.

The successful candidate will be expected to teach graduate and undergraduate courses; develop a sponsored research program; advise and mentor students; collaborate with other faculty in multidisciplinary research; interact and participate in outreach activities; and be involved in service to the Institute and the profession. Scholarly collaborations with other units in the College of Architecture and across campus with the College of Engineering, the College of Management, and the College of Computing, are expected.

The School seeks candidates with expertise in construction technology/BIM applications, program management/integrated project delivery, and/or facility operations/sustainability.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, including academic and professional experience, a list of conference and journal publications, a one‐page statement of teaching philosophy, a one‐page statement of research interests and objectives, and the names and contact information for at least five professional references as a single PDF file to BC‐Search@gatech.edu.

Requests for further information should be directed to:

Kathy O. Roper, Chair, BC Faculty Search Committee

Georgia Institute of Technology

School of Building Construction

280 Ferst Drive, 1st Floor

Atlanta, GA 30332‐0680