In last November’s issue of the Alumni Magazine, we focused on the second half of the Institute’s motto of “Progress and Service.” Now, I want to talk about progress.
Progress can be viewed in many ways. It can be seen in economic development, social change and technological advancements. It’s a fitting guide-word for this great Institute, as Tech plays a role in all of those areas. But chief among them is technological progress.
Innovation is Tech’s lifeblood. In this issue, you’ll read about some amazing advancements being made on campus, and you’ll meet alumni who are driving progress in their fields.
On page 60, you’ll read about the smallest advancements happening at Georgia Tech, nanoscale innovation that includes rapid developments with graphene and potential treatments for cancer.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Tech researchers recently created synthetic platelets that could speed up blood-clotting on the battlefield, potentially saving soldiers’ lives. Meanwhile, Tech’s Center for Innovative Fuel Cell and Battery Technologies is studying how fuel cells erode, which could result in significant durability increases and lower costs. The list goes on and on.
And there’s one common theme that might not be obvious but is hugely important in Georgia Tech’s rise in the world of research and higher education: cross-disciplinary work.
Georgia Tech boasts world leaders in a wide number of disciplines: biology, computer science, physics, every branch of engineering and many more. Following a central imperative of Tech’s strategic plan, the Institute has encouraged these leaders to collaborate with those outside their fields, and those partnerships have led to more and greater breakthroughs. This is at the heart of work by Tech professor Nancy Nersessian, who seeks to learn where creativity comes from (pg. 52).
We also have valuable external partnerships with Emory University, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, private industry, and state and federal government. By reaching out into the world, Georgia Tech reinforces its commitment to addressing real-world challenges.
From humble beginnings as a trade school, Georgia Tech has grown into an institution that has a remarkable impact in Atlanta, in the state of Georgia and in the world, and the Institute is ranked 25th in the world in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
Now that’s progress.
Joseph P. Irwin, IM 80
President & CEO
Georgia Tech Alumni Association
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