Georgia Tech VIP Program

It's the second week of Fall 2024 semester at Georgia Institute of Technology and recently I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Georgia Tech VIP Program Rush event at the Klaus Advanced Computing Building, Research Wing. It was extremely inspiring to witness the groundbreaking projects being developed by Tech’s faculty and students! Though I only had time to explore a handful of projects, each one left me absolutely mind-blown. In the pictures below (in order) are the projects I had the opportunity to witness and learn about in detail -AccessCORPS, led by Bruce N. Walker and Noah Sinclair was the first one I stopped by to hear about. It was captivating to listen to Prof. Walker's presentation about CORPS making Georgia Tech courses & materials more accessible to students with disabilities. The platform that they are building has the potential to be adopted by universities nationwide, amplifying its impact exponentially as they work towards expanding inclusivity in learning at Tech and beyond. I leaned in to learn about the Resilient and Healthy Buildings initiative led by Matthew Swarts, a part of the ARPA-H BREATHE program. This project is pioneering the future of buildings and pathogen control, incorporating advanced technology to model disease transmission risks in indoor environments. There was so much to unpack here, in just those brief five minutes, I was completely mind-blown by the potential of these solutions. It offered me an entirely new perspective on how we can design and revolutionize the buildings of tomorrow! The highlight of my day was interacting with Prof. Mary Ann Weitnauer, leading the Electronic ARTrium VIP Project. Their approach is focused on creating a life-sized, interactive video game with mechatronics, slated to debut at the Ferst Center for the Arts in Spring 2025. The game integrates sound, mechatronics, and video, all controlled by the player’s movements. Sponsored by BMW, this project offers exceptional mentorship opportunities and the chance to contribute to a one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary project. As the event was wrapping up, I found myself eager to learn more about the Industry Innovation Circular Economy project. This initiative aims to establish a bio-based, biodegradable bottling plant in the Bahamas, fostering a circular economy that benefits both the environment and local communities. Led by Prof. Ingeborg M. Rocker, PhD., they are collaborating with the Bahamian government and UNESCO to make a tangible, positive impact on both the environment and the people of the Bahamas. While it was tough to just choose one, I’m excited to share that I’ve been accepted into the Electronic ARTrium VIP project for Fall 2024 and work under the mentorship of Mary Ann Weitnauer and many others! The unique combination of interdisciplinary collaboration, creative challenges, and valuable growth opportunities made it the perfect fit for me. I can't wait to get started!

I am working with West Atlanta Watershed Alliance (WAWA) and fellow Georgia Tech VIP Program students to construct an outdoor classroom and curate a self-guided outdoor museum in WAWA's 22-acre Old Growth Forest. The project is working to support WAWA's mission to improve the quality of life within West Atlanta through environmental education, justice, and stewardship. We are in the process of fundraising for the project and would appreciate any contributions. Please see the attached images (and scan the QR codes) for more information! Our website is https://lnkd.in/eQua89Ss and the donation page is https://lnkd.in/eKfej2EB