Spring/Summer 2005

Faculty Research in the News
Georgia Tech researchers' work covered in the news media.

CNN International, DiscoveryChannel.com, the San Francisco Chronicle, WashingtonPost.com and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on a College of Computing study that examined the social implications of music sharing within organizations. The study looked at how people within a mid-sized company formed judgments of one another based on the music they shared using the iTunes program. The researchers were graduate student Amy Voida and Associate Professors Beki Grinter and Keith Edwards. Other news organizations reporting on the research included Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Orange County Register, New Scientist.com, MacWorld UK, MacNN.com, LiveScience.com and numerous television news station Web sites.
(See the RESEARCH HORIZONS article, "You Are What You Listen To.")

photo by Gary Meek

Government Product News, Electronic Engineering Times, Medical News Today, myDNA.com, PhysOrg.com, I-Newswire.com, Wireless Developer Network, 4hearingloss.com, deaftoday.com, usernomics.com and The Engineer reported on a wearable captioning system developed at the Georgia Tech Research Institute to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing access information in public venues, such as movie theaters and sports arenas. The research was headed by research scientist Leanne West.
See the RESEARCH HORIZONS article at gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/reshor/rh-w05/captioning.html

The Chronicle of Higher Education published a column by School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Art Janata calling for a new approach to protecting closed public spaces, such as airports, from terrorism. Janata argues that protection of HVAC systems should be a top priority, and proposes installation of sterilization systems that would cleanse building air of toxic chemicals or biological agents – much like water purification systems protect public drinking water.
(See the RESEARCH HORIZONS article on Janata’s recommendations, "Protecting Public Places From Terror.")

The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Science News, Chemical & Engineering News and Electronic Engineering Times described research by Georgia Tech and Rice University on the environmental fate of nanowaste – fullerenes released into simulated groundwater and seawater. The research, headed by Joseph Hughes, chair of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is designed to assess any environmental implications before manufacture of the materials becomes widespread. Georgia Tech research scientist and Rice University Ph.D. student John Fortner collaborates with Hughes.
(See the Research News article at gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/newsrelease/nanowaste.htm

photo by Gary Meek

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Jan Youtie, a principal research associate in Georgia Tech’s Community Research and Policy Services, in an article about a new American Electronics Association report about technology-based employment in Georgia. The report found that despite a decline in the industry, Georgia has done better than other states in attracting new venture capital and creating new businesses.
(See a related article on Youtie’s research at gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/newsrelease/occupations.htm)

Washington Technology, a publication for the District of Columbia’s technology industry, mentioned the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s (GTRI) assistance in developing the Global Justice XML Data Model. The work helps justice agencies share information, and lowers the cost of developing new systems. Senior research scientist John Wandelt and others in GTRI’s Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory conducted the research. Wandelt and the project also received attention in Government Technology magazine.
(See the Research News article at gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/newsrelease/globalxml.htm)

Chemical and biological sensing research at Georgia Tech was covered in Materials World in February 2005. The publication described research by Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Uwe Bunz, Georgia Tech Research Institute senior research scientist Dan Campbell and Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering Stephen Ralph.
(See the RESEARCH HORIZONS article at gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/reshor/rh-f04/danger.html)

photo by Bob Englar

Machine Design, Fleet Maintenance and Fleet Management reported on the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s work on improving fuel efficiency in heavy trucks. The work, being led by principal research engineer Bob Englar, involved aerodynamic improvements and pneumatic controls to reduce drag and improve air flow. The improvements could boost fuel efficiency of the trucks by up to 12 percent.
(See the RESEARCH HORIZONS article at gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/reshor/rh-w05/trucks.html)

The Athens Banner-Herald, Augusta Chronicle and WSB-TV covered a Georgia Tech Research Institute initiative to educate public safety workers and other first responders about how to protect themselves from clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. The initiative also covers proper cleanup techniques.
(See the RESEARCH HORIZONS article at gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/reshor/rh-w05/meth.html)

Public Works, a magazine for local government, described a Georgia Tech study of fatal traffic accidents in rural areas. The study analyzed causes of the wrecks as a way to prioritize highway improvements. Karen Dixon, formerly an associate professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, led the study. Also reporting the story were Civil Engineering and Engineering Times.
(See the RESEARCH HORIZONS article at gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/reshor/rh-w05/rural-roads.html)

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Last updated: August 1, 2005