IMP ACT
Table of Contents
IMP ACT
Educational Research & Outreach Magazine | Fall 2024
Georgia Tech Administration
Ángel Cabrera, President
Steven McLaughlin, Provost
Nelson Baker, Interim Dean, College of Lifetime Learning
CEISMC Leadership
Lizanne DeStefano, Executive Director
Meltem Alemdar, Associate Director, Educational Research & Evaluation
Sirocus Barnes, Senior Program Director, Atlanta
Timothy Cone, Senior Program Director, Savannah
Bonnie Harris, Director, Strategic Partnerships & GIFT Program
Norman “Storm” Robinson III, Associate Director, School & Community Engagement
Keisha Simmons, Pre-College Director, Anchor Institution Initiative
Ken Surdin, Director, EXCEL Program
Heidi Turcotte, Program Director, Campus & Community Coordination
CEISMC Communications Team
Joëlle Walls, Editor-in-Chief
James-Addis Hill, Creative Director
Randy Trammell, Managing Editor
Naya Nkosi, Senior Graphic Designer
Kavya Jade, Writer
Kerry Jarvis, Copy Editor & Writer
Angelica Jones, Writer
Amanda Smith, Writer
Michael Turner, Writer
Copyright © 2024
Georgia Institute of Technology
Page 04
Pages 06 - 08
Pages 09 - 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Pages 16 - 18
Pages 19 - 23
Pages 24 - 27
Page 28
Page 29
Pages 30 - 32
Page 33
Page 34
Pages 35 - 38
Pages 39 - 43
CEISMC Impact by the Numbers
Celebrating Three Decades
EXCEL Program
Interns Engage in R.E.A.L. Experiences
REMEZCLA Programming Wraps Up
GoSTEM Summer Program Returns
GoSTEAM Model Includes Innovation Teams
Middle Schoolers Attend Summer Bridge
Student Competitions
Teacher Impact
STEM Educational Initiatives
Faculty Member Recognized for K-12 Efforts
Expanded Learning Programs Has Dual Mission
CEISMC Savannah
STEM-ID Fosters Career Awareness
Data Visualization Summer Camp Debuts
CEISMC Activity (Selected Program Highlights)
What’s The Buzz?
Inspiring STEM Enrichment and Outreach to Maximize All Students’ Potential
CEISMC Impact throughout Georgia
Intensive Professional Development for STEM Educators
Local and Sustainable Community Partnerships for Workforce Development and Student Success
Innovative EvidenceBased Practices in STEM Education
Crucial Research and Impactful Evaluation of STEM Education
Dynamic Opportunities For Georgia Tech Community Engagement
27,000+
K-12 students have engaged in CEISMC outreach and extracurricular programs.
CEISMC Impact by the Numbers
August 2023 - July 2024
2,100+
K-12 teachers have participated in CEISMC programs.
90% of CEISMC funding comes from external sources.
18,000+
Teacher professional development hours have been provided by CEISMC.
227
Georgia Tech undergraduate and graduate students have served as facilitators.
96
Georgia counties have been impacted by CEISMC programs.
102
Georgia school districts have been impacted by CEISMC programs.
235
Georgia Tech faculty and staff have been involved in CEISMC programs.
156
External sponsors and partners have worked with CEISMC.
94
Georgia Tech entities have collaborated with CEISMC.
Fiscal Year 2024 Total Funding - $18,898,660.40
A Message from the Executive Director
As we celebrate three decades of the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for the incredible journey we have undertaken together. Our recent event in May brought together longtime friends and new collaborators to reminisce, honor CEISMC’s legacy and envision the future.
None of these achievements would have been possible without the unwavering support and collaboration of our dedicated CEISMC faculty and staff, Georgia Tech partners and community allies. Their commitment and passion have been the cornerstone of our success, driving us to new heights in STEM education, STEM outreach and STEM research in Georgia and nationwide.
CEISMC bridges academia and industry, campus and community. We are committed to expanding STEM and STEAM education, creating equitable opportunities for all learners and fostering student success and workforce development. This mission guides us in every endeavor.
Aligned with Georgia Tech’s strategic plan, we are currently engaged in several initiatives aimed at maximizing our impact. The Rural CS Initiative, in collaboration with STEM@GTRI, is making significant strides in bringing computer science education to high school students in rural Georgia. This program has sparked interest in Georgia Tech, with students from some participating school districts submitting undergraduate applications.
We are forging strong connections with schools and communities statewide, increasing campus visits, enhancing participation in the First-Generation College Institute and expanding dual enrollment offerings. Through the Anchor Institution Initiative, we are providing teachers and schools with STEM/STEAM certification support and STEM programming support. The multi-year Talent Development Program is offering middle school students rigorous STEM curriculum and career exploration opportunities that continue through high school.
These efforts are amplified with our partnership with Rick Clark, executive director of strategic student access, at Georgia Tech. He is focused on building relationships with education and community leaders as well as campus partners like us to create pathways that ensure affordability and accessibility of opportunities for all students. These collaborations are instrumental in preparing Georgia students for admission to Georgia Tech and contributing to the development of a diverse and talented pool of future scientists, innovators and leaders.
The most exciting news of all is the launch of the College of Lifetime Learning on September 5, 2024, comprised of CEISMC, the Center for 21st Century Universities and Georgia Tech Professional Education. This new designation marks a significant milestone and opens a world of possibilities for CEISMC. As the College of Lifetime Learning, we will continue to innovate and expand our programs, providing lifelong learning opportunities that empower individuals at every stage of their educational journey.
Warm regards,
Dr. Lizanne DeStefano
CEISMC faculty and staff at their 2024 annual retreat held at the Historic Academy of Medicine.
EXCEL'sGraduating Class-2019
Mentoring for Success - 2003
Shell-Georgia Tech Partners in Science - 2006
STEAMLeadership Conference-2017
CEISMC Impact Award
During its “Celebrating Three Decades” event in May 2024, the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing recognized collaborators for their significant contributions in helping make a CEISMC impact in the K-12 community over the years! The design of the award is reminiscent of many coming together to make an impact.
Allen Johnson, talent advisor with Georgia Tech’s Administrative Services Center, was nominated by CEISMC Human Resources Manager Nina Climes.
Jason Freeman, interim associate vice provost for the arts at Georgia Tech, was nominated by CEISMC Program Director Sabrina Grossman.
Kristen Harrison (right), representing the Georgia Tech Alumni Association's Alumni Engagement Team, was nominated by CEISMC Educational Outreach Manager Amanda Smith.
Mary O’Shea, Horizons at Georgia Tech teacher, was nominated by CEISMC Senior Program Director Sirocus Barnes.
Kimetha Hampton (right), lead facilitator for CEISMC’s Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers program, was nominated by CEISMC Program Director Bonnie Harris.
Russ Clark (right), senior research scientist with Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology, was nominated by CEISMC Savannah Senior Program Director Tim Cone.
Amy Maison, vice president for institutional advancement at Southern Regional Technical College, was nominated by CEISMC Program Director Danyelle Larkin.
Award emblem designed by Angelica Jones, LMC 23.
Students EXCEL by embracing challenges and rewards of college life
By Kavya Jade
When Lexi Guerrero first began her schooling in the EXCEL program at Georgia Tech, it was a big adjustment from her experience at her small high school. Now, as a rising sophomore, Guerrero has expanded her social circle and is an executive member in a dance company at Tech with big ambitions to become a dance instructor and teach children with special needs once she graduates. She also formed a deep appreciation for Georgia Tech sports after befriending athletes from the baseball, football, softball, and basketball teams. Her time in EXCEL has helped her break out of her shell, find a work-life balance and shape her career goals.
EXCEL is a four-year college certificate program at Georgia Tech that gives students with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to experience college life and build a skill set in the career fields of their interest. Students who participate in the program earn two certificates, complete EXCEL coursework, have access to career mentorships, and are taught independent living skills in a classroom setting and a peer support program. Many students also join clubs and take part in various extracurricular activities on the Tech campus.
“I have a peer coach and a mentor,” said Guerrero, who is now involved with the Georgia Tech Colorguard. “They have both been amazing and really helped me get through my first year and now I feel like they are my best friends. This is a great program because the staff and mentors really help you make new friends and join clubs and events. They helped me with my academics and how to be responsible with my work and friendship connections and balancing them.”
Braden Bartels entered EXCEL with a clear goal: to start a career in business or finance and become a wealth manager or financial analyst. He explored this interest by studying companies focusing
on the products or services they sell and their dynamics. He also meticulously followed the stock market. During the fall, he will be interning at Coca-Cola where he is shadowing all the finance departments. In addition, he will be interning at Flik Hospitality Group where he will be learning about operations and how they tie into financial statements. He also is a member of the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, having served on the Executive Board over the past few years. Concurrently, Bartels is active in the Georgia Tech rowing club, which he said helps him stay grounded and manage his course load.
“EXCEL is a program where you can still get the full college experience and you gain so much work experience, and socializing with other people,” Bartels said. “EXCEL is a unique opportunity, especially the academics, which is probably the hardest, but having a tutor is very helpful.”
Matt Strom, a rising senior in the EXCEL program, said he loves working out at the Campus Recreation Center and currently works in a customer service role at Chicken Salad Chick. Notably, he, along with two other EXCEL students,
received 2023 Advocates for Accessibility Awards, which recognized individuals or groups who have worked to enhance accessibility for people with disabilities at Georgia Tech. Each EXCEL student developed a project proposal, and Strom’s plan was to introduce a stop sign to promote pedestrian safety at an intersection in Tech Square. Strom said he values the deep connections and sense of community he has formed during the program.
“My freshman year, I was a little nervous living down here and spent a lot of time in my dorm,” he said. “But now, I have a lot of friends and a great community. I have become a mentor and leader for first-year students, making sure they feel supported and checking in on them regularly. EXCEL has allowed me to be myself and show the world what I can do.”
Zahmari Johnson, a recent spring graduate of the EXCEL program, said he is excited to begin working a full-time job as a conference setup crew member, having gained valuable experience from his space setup internships on campus. He also developed a career interest in cybersecurity. He supported this interest
Lexi Guerrero, Matt Strom, Zahmari Johnson, and Braden Bartels pose for a group photo in spring 2024.
through other internships, such as serving as an IT service desk intern at a global consumer goods company called Kid2. He also worked at Georgia Tech Library’s print studio through his final semester, assisting with customers’ printing needs and fixing technical issues on the computers. Johnson’s favorite experiences were his extracurricular activities, having joined 15 different student organizations, including Christian Campus Fellowship, the Caribbean Students Association and Best Buddies.
“EXCEL has helped me explore my interests, make friends and be social on campus through my activities, and prepare me for work based on the skills that I have developed through all my internship experiences,” Johnson said. “EXCEL gave me access to the resources I needed for life after graduation.”
Coca-Cola partnership helps students EXCEL
By Kavya Jade
The Coca-Cola Foundation is supporting the EXCEL program through a recent grant to Georgia Tech that includes critical needsbased scholarships for students over the next four years. The first cohort of recipients was selected in fall 2023 and awarded $25,000 in total scholarships.
“The Coca-Cola Foundation scholarships are making college attendance more affordable and increasing program completion for students who might not otherwise have been able to attend an inclusive post-secondary education program like EXCEL,” said Director Ken Surdin. “We are incredibly grateful for The Coca-Cola Foundation’s support, which plays a crucial role in advancing the mission of the EXCEL program and enriching the lives of our students.”
The collaboration with The Coca-Cola Company extends beyond scholarship funding, as representatives from the company’s employee-led This-Ability Inclusion Network have been actively engaged with EXCEL students this past spring.
For example, a Coca-Cola representative attended EXCEL’s business networking event to support the students in developing their networking skills. He also gave a presentation on work, disability and success to the first-year students in the program. Groups of EXCEL students and EXCEL career staff have also toured the Coca-Cola warehouse in Atlanta. Students were provided with individual tours and mock interviews at Coca-Cola headquarters. From these interactions, two EXCEL seniors successfully applied for open positions at the facility, with one graduate hired in a full-time position at the Coca-Cola warehouse.
“In a short time, our collaboration with Coca-Cola has been incredibly fruitful, significantly benefiting our students through career-focused activities and industry interactions,” said Surdin. “We look forward to future partnerships with Coca-Cola to further enhance our students’ career preparation.”
Devin Simmons, Itzel Ocampo, Tsedey Tesfaye, Joseph McGill, and Kaleb Handspur were the first recipients awarded scholarships funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation.
CEISMC high school internship program celebrates 20 years
By Joëlle Walls
For the last two decades, close to 500 high school students have participated in the R.E.A.L. (Research, Experiment, Analyze, Learn) Program, an initiative of the Georgia InternFellowships for Teachers (GIFT) program in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC). The students, identified and invited by their respective teachers selected for GIFT, conduct research in university labs with them.
“This unique opportunity is specifically designed for underrepresented students in the STEM fields, providing them with exposure to STEM majors and interactions with STEM professionals,” said GIFT Program Director Bonnie Harris. “It also inspires them to consider diverse career options, while introducing them to college life, especially for first-generation college students.”
For Vincent Batts, who spent three summers in the program, it was an experience he couldn’t pass up, since Georgia Tech had always been his dream school. “I knew I needed to express my interest early on so that when I applied, my application would show I was already taking advantage of Tech opportunities,” he said. “The R.E.A.L. Program helped me realize my potential and channel it into projects that allowed me to stand out among equally qualified peers as a high school student.”
Batts, who recently graduated from Tech’s School of Literature, Media, and Communication, spent his first summer working on a project about urban heat islands and his last two summers on a materials science project focused on pressure-sensitive flooring. This materials science project earned him a bid to present at the state science fair and recognition as a finalist at the international level in his second year, making him the first student from Westlake High School to achieve this honor.
“During these three summers, I completed industry-level work that helped me explore my career options and ultimately led me to pursue media design at Tech after switching my majors
twice,” said Batts, who works as a user experience designer for a global technology services firm. “The interpersonal skills I developed made me realize I could build a career as a knowledge translator.”
Lauren Russell, another former participant, said that her Westlake engineering teacher, Douglas Edwards, introduced her to the program. He was a GIFT teacher in the early years of the R.E.A.L. Program and later became a CEISMC researcher. “Since Dr. Edwards recognized the importance of having valuable summer experiences on your resume for college admissions, he was very intentional in making us aware of those opportunities,” she said.
In spending two summers at Tech, Russell said she learned about the different engineering career paths that influenced her initial major in college before she obtained a bachelor’s degree in classics with a secondary study in economics at Harvard University. Her most memorable research project was designing and testing solar cooker prototypes for implementation in Tanzania through Westlake’s Engineers Without Borders program.
“Even though I’m no longer an engineer, I still approach research by identifying issues people face and understanding the historical origins of those issues,” said Russell, who earned a master’s degree in economics and a doctoral degree in public policy. “The trip to Tanzania highlighted the importance of ensuring any proposed solution is accessible and sustainable for the end users. For instance, we used locally sourced materials.”
Now serving as a staff economist with the Federal Reserve Board, she said, “The topics I study in economics today and my approach to the field are directly influenced by my experience in the engineering program at Westlake, including my summers with the R.E.A.L. Program.”
Lauren Russell
Vincent Batts
Research project wraps up final year
By Michael Turner
With the completion of two summer camps hosted simultaneously at Georgia Tech and at the University of Puerto Rico–Río Piedras, the REMEZCLA collaborative research project, funded by the National Science Foundation (Award #2005791), has concluded its four years of planned student programming. Researchers for the project sought to expand Latino student representation in computer science with the integration of culturally relevant computational music practices. The Tech team hosted after-school programs and summer camps with partner schools in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.
Students from Lilburn Middle School and Lakeside High School attended the summer camps, where they were introduced to musical concepts and theory, learned Python on the web-based digital audio workstation EarSketch and explored campus. Each week culminated in a Friday evening showcase attended by students’ families and school administrators.
“The Atlanta team worked very closely with our partners in Puerto Rico in developing the lesson plans,” said CEISMC’s Jorge Hernandez Cervantes, who helped manage the REMEZCLA programs. “Focusing on student incentives, such as earning badges for completing different challenges, worked better than ever this summer and kept students motivated and persistent in their learning.”
The REMEZCLA team in Atlanta, including representatives from the School of Music, the Provost’s Office and CEISMC, collaborated with partner schools for summer recruitment, which included a substantial number of English for Speakers of Other Languages and bilingual students. While REMEZCLA instructors have always ensured the curriculum was available in both English and Spanish, this summer had the highest percentage of primary Spanish-speaking students in a single session.
“Our CEISMC instructors, Ana Garcia Isol and Ben Franco, fostered a joyful atmosphere where the participants could really be their authentic selves, and it was clear that the students valued them,” said CEISMC’s Jayma Koval, who is a co-principal investigator for the grant. “It was so inspirational to listen to the songs created by the students, some of whom have only been in the U.S. for a few months.”
With the implementation phase complete, the team is now focused on the research to demonstrate the program’s effectiveness and student benefits. Staff from Tech’s GoSTEM program, an outreach initiative for Latino K-12 students, is collaborating with REMEZCLA partner schools to continue offering STEM programs next year.
REMEZCLA students toured the School of Music during one of their campus visits.
Return of GoSTEM summer program inspires and prepares high school students for college and beyond
By Michael Turner
The GoSTEM program, an outreach initiative for Latino K-12 students at the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), reintroduced its “Fun Summer of Service” in collaboration with Cross Keys High School in DeKalb County. Twenty-five high school students, composed of rising sophomores, juniors and seniors, were selected for this experience. They visited four college campuses across Georgia and volunteered at three local nonprofits in mid-June.
Ana Garcia Isol, GoSTEM’s program coordinator, emphasized the significance of this program. “Many of these students had their first opportunity to visit a college campus, learn about what community service is and experience fun summer activities,” she said. “This program is especially impactful, considering how limited-income Latino students may have fewer options for how they spend their summers outside of school hours.”
Over the spring, GoSTEM team members spent time at Cross Keys High School, speaking to classes and working alongside administrators to encourage interested students to apply. During the application process, Garcia Isol explained, the GoSTEM staff considered each student’s background and potential benefits to be gained from the program.
The selected participants visited Kennesaw State University, Georgia Tech, Georgia Gwinnett College and the University of Georgia. They toured the campuses, which highlighted the noteworthy amenities and offerings of each institution, and had the chance to eat at some dining halls. They also visited the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens and enjoyed bowling at Tech’s John Lewis Student Center.
“Since most students were experiencing their first summer camp, it made me happy to know that we were creating lasting memories for them and introducing them to new possibilities,” Garcia Isol said. “These college visits aimed to make college attendance tangible and approachable decisions for these students, many of whom were considering it for the first time.”
The three local nonprofits participants volunteered at included Meals by Grace in Cumming, the Atlanta Community Food Bank in East Point and Books for Africa in Marietta. They learned about the missions and audiences of each organization and then were shown the proper methods for collecting, sorting and packing the donated items. The summer camp ended with a visit to the World of Coca-Cola in downtown Atlanta on Thursday and Six Flags over Georgia on Friday.
The GoSTEM program had hosted similar versions of the “Fun Summer of Service” in the past, with the most recent one held in 2019. Now, after four years, the program has returned and is expected to remain a central part of GoSTEM’s summer lineup of innovative educational programs.
“It is exciting to see the program be revitalized,” said Educational Outreach Manager Amanda Smith, who previously worked on GoSTEM’s programming. “It has always been a powerful experience for GoSTEM students and always impactful to share the importance of community outreach and the accessibility of a college education with students interested in post-secondary opportunities.”
CEISMC initiative empowers teachers through collaborative thinking spaces in STEAM
By Joëlle Walls
GoSTEAM, a multidimensional, schoolbased initiative housed in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), has concluded its six years of funding in its current format. This initiative began as a seed of an idea and has grown into a sustainable model that empowers teachers through collaborative thinking spaces in STEAM.
“GoSTEAM has transformed the way we approach education by integrating the arts into STEM subjects, creating a more holistic and engaging learning experience for students,” said CEISMC Program Director Sabrina Grossman. “This initiative has not only empowered teachers with innovative tools and collaborative spaces, but has also paved the way for a future where education is more inclusive, dynamic and reflective of real-world challenges.”
Grossman explained that the impact of GoSTEAM is evident in 13 schools across three school districts, involving 70 teachers and more than 5,000 K-12 students. Over 700 students have toured STEAM-inspired spaces at Georgia Tech, such as the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design and the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking.
Annual STEAM Innovation Days, hosted on campus to coincide with
Tech’s Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, brought more than 500 students and teachers. For spring 2024, Grammy-winning artist and producer Bosco Kante (pictured above) gave the keynote address and demonstrated the ElectroSpit mobile talkbox he invented, which won First Place and the People’s Choice Awards at the 2020 competition.
The GoSTEAM model was developed around having an innovation team set up at each school. The team includes technology and/or STEM teachers interacting with art and/ or music teachers to create STEAMfocused projects using a project-based learning framework. CEISMC staff serve as coaches who check in on a recurring basis, but the linchpin to the implementation of plans comes from part-time innovators-in-residence, local community members or Georgia Tech students with STEAM backgrounds.
Jazmine McBride, who served as an innovator-in-residence at Tuskegee Airmen Global Academy this past year, is an artist, business owner and gardener. She worked with kindergarten students on how to make a healthy garden and taught second-grade students (pictured left) about the benefits of making community green spaces.
“I believe it’s important to have innovators on site for teachers, who don’t have time to activate innovative technologies in their own classrooms, ensuring children experience an impactful learning environment,” McBride said. “Working with those two grade levels was an absolute joy. Their enthusiasm and curiosity were truly inspiring.”
Kindergarten teacher Aisha Bryant said that McBride was very popular with her students and hit the ground running. “GoSTEAM has been extremely beneficial in student engagement. Being able to incorporate STEAM into all subjects gives students a hands-on personal experience when learning,” she said. “I have witnessed many students understanding a topic more through an art form. They are excited to share their creative process.”
The schools that participated during the 2023–2024 academic year included Edwin S. Kemp Elementary School, Centennial Academy, Tuskegee Airmen Global Academy, Herman J. Russell West End Academy, Eddie White Middle Academy, Lilburn Middle School, Paul Duke STEM High School, Lovejoy High School and Meadowcreek High School.
Middle schoolers build advanced skills in STEM through Summer Bridge program
By James-Addis Hill
More than 60 middle school students participated in the second iteration of Summer Bridge, a component of Georgia Tech’s year-long Talent Development Program, which is coordinated by the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC). This program offers underserved and underrepresented middle school students from the west side of Atlanta and other metro-Atlanta school districts access to a rigorous, advanced STEM curriculum.
Students were recruited from the Washington Cluster, the Douglass Cluster, Clayton County and Drew Charter School, to further expand access to STEM programming opportunities. The program begins in the summer and includes about four touchpoint sessions each semester during the school year to continue building student skills and knowledge from the summer.
“University talent development programs are crucial in shaping the future workforce by offering valuable experiences outside of traditional academic settings,” said CEISMC’s Educational Outreach Manager Nisa Floyd, who manages the day-to-day operations of the Talent Development Program. “Summer Bridge exemplifies how Georgia Tech’s Talent Development Program empowers students to refine their skills and gain practical insights into prospective STEM careers.”
The six instructors received extensive professional development in preparation for these two weeks that were filled with early advanced math engagement and personalized storytelling projects based on the books Hidden Figures or Music for Tigers. The students developed computing skills using web-based app builders and coders, including EarSketch, a Tech-developed digital audio workstation.
“Teachers were equipped with the tools to inspire and help students see their place in STEM,” said CEISMC’s Pre-College Director Keisha Simmons for Tech’s Anchor Institution
Initiative, who leads the Talent Development Program. “By infusing strong mentorship opportunities, students were able to gain confidence and really master skills needed for success.”
Students attended daily classes in computer science (CS) with an introduction to Python programming, English language arts (ELA) and algebra. Students covered a variety of topics that helped to increase their computational thinking and skills. Sixth-grade students expanded their knowledge of functions and ratios to complete math challenges. Seventh-grade students calculated area and perimeter, learning how these concepts help in the identification and creation of 3D shapes.
“This program is important, because it builds a solid foundation in programming concepts, problem-solving skills and computational thinking, which will give our students a greater advantage over other students, who are majoring in CS today,” said ELA instructor Althea Williams.
Students were also exposed to various STEM careers through guest speaker presentations by industry partners and Georgia Tech admissions representatives, with roundtable discussions led by Georgia Tech students. They also took a walking tour of campus and visited Zoo Atlanta. On the last day, parents attended a showcase that featured the results of the students’ completed projects.
“I am so thankful to the CEISMC team at Georgia Tech. They are working to make emerging technology a consistent part of middle school education,” said CS instructor Jeremiah Long. “The rise of generative AI, with Python as a commonly used language, is an opportunity for underrepresented communities to learn and grow with the new economy, and the middle school students in Summer Bridge are positioned to become thought leaders for the next generation.”
Zoo Atlanta Visit
Storytelling Projects
FIRST LEGO League Challenge kicks off new season with exciting changes
By James-Addis Hill
For over two decades, Georgia Tech has been the affiliate partner for the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League Challenge, a global robotics initiative that introduces STEM to youth ages 9 to 14 through research, problem-solving, coding and engineering. The Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) facilitates the program for Georgia and operates the state championship held at Tech.
Since assuming the leadership role in fall 2023, CEISMC Savannah Senior Program Director Tim Cone shares a year in review of the program and its future goals in an interview with CEISMC Impact. He and CEISMC Educational Outreach Manager Bob Kraushaar serve as the program delivery partners for the FIRST LEGO League Challenge.
As the “Submerged” competition season is now underway, what changes have you implemented to enhance the experiences for Georgia participants?
One of the first actions we took was to be intentional about visiting competitions across Georgia to observe what was happening at the different regional and super-regional tournaments. We typically only see a handful of coaches who have made it to the state level, and we wanted to be a visible presence. As a result, we concluded that we needed to improve the initial interactions with our organization, primarily through our registration system and website. Over about a six-month period, we worked on launching a brandnew registration system and website, both of which debuted in August 2024.
Additionally, we hosted three professional development opportunities last summer in Atlanta, Savannah and Thomasville. Each of these trainings was fully booked and had a waitlist. The main people we interact with are the adults involved, and we’re ensuring they are comfortable and can be good stewards of the program.
What were some of the milestones that occurred during the “Masterpiece” competition season?
The biggest milestone was seeing the growth of teams. Additionally, as I mentioned before, the response to our professional development was another significant achievement. We surpassed 400 teams again this year, indicating that we’re on the right trajectory to return to our pre-COVID numbers of over 600 teams. Last summer, we also trained over 90 individuals on how to get started with a FIRST LEGO League Challenge team in Georgia.
CEISMC Savannah received a federal earmark last year to support programming for military families. How does this tie in with the FIRST LEGO League Challenge program at Tech?
We received federal funding through the House Appropriations bill, with support from State Rep. Buddy Carter, to grow and expand opportunities surrounding the FIRST LEGO League Challenge and another CEISMC program specifically for children of military families. Our goal was to provide not only better experiences and opportunities for children of military families to participate, but also on-the-ground support throughout the season. This support includes working directly with teams and coaches from the start of the season until the competition begins.
Patrick Dean, who has been a partner with CEISMC and the FIRST LEGO League Challenge for over 10 years through his position at Savannah State University, has been instrumental in delivering competitions, leading professional development and working with teams. It was a natural fit for us to approach him with the opportunity to support these teams in the Savannah area. He helped deliver our professional development sessions throughout the summer, and now, going into our second year, he’s able to provide on-the-ground support to teams in the region.
Do you plan to bring FIRST LEGO League Challenge competitions back to Georgia Tech’s Savannah campus?
Through this grant, we’ve been able to build capacity not only with additional teams, but also in terms of competition. For the first time in about 12 years, we will host a super-regional competition on the Georgia Tech Savannah campus. Previously, the closest super-regional tournament to Savannah or Southeast Georgia was in Warner Robins. The addition of this competition will greatly reduce the travel required for teams in the southeastern part of the state. Similarly, we are making efforts in Southwest Georgia to reduce travel times for teams in rural areas there.
Tenth anniversary of K-12 InVenture Prize wraps up with big wins at nationals
By Randy Trammell
Approximately 250 K-12 student inventors from 40 schools across the state—and for the first time, from select schools in Alabama—arrived on the Georgia Tech campus on March 13 for the 2024 K-12 InVenture Prize State Finals’ 10th anniversary celebration, aptly named “A Decade of Discovery.”
In this year’s competition, 108 student teams advanced from the online qualifier and regional qualifying events of the STEM invention/entrepreneurship program. The students were joined by family, friends and teachers, as well as Georgia Tech students, staff and faculty and community partners, many of whom worked as volunteer judges or helped with registration or other event duties. More than 30 student inventors were honored with awards at the ceremony.
The K-12 InVenture Prize, based in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), challenges kindergarten through high school students to identify real-world problems and design novel solutions through analysis, creativity and the engineering design process.
“We worked hard to make sure that this year’s State Finals event was very special because we were celebrating the 10th anniversary of our program,”
said Danyelle Larkin, who was named the new program director at the awards ceremony. “There were so many amazing highlights and so much joy and positivity. It was truly touching.”
“We really saw how this work has continued to develop and mature over the years,” she said. “Our panel discussion on patents included a student inventor/entrepreneur who is now enrolled as a college student at Tech as well as two high school student inventors who are successfully building a business around a school safety invention which they refined in our competition.”
“We were also so happy to be able to shine the spotlight on the truly incredible teachers who have worked as our partners over this last ‘Decade of Discovery.’ Our teachers make this program possible, so we created a new award to bring attention to their essential contributions,” Larkin added. “We are also seeing some of our students year after year, refining and redesigning, continuing to make improvements to their inventions, working hard to push things forward. And, really, that’s what this is all about.”
At the ceremony, each first-place team received a patent search or patent filing offered by longtime supporters, the
Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance (GIPA). Cameron Schriner, an engineer with local software company IronCAD, also presented at the event.
The 32 winners, singled out by contest judges, advanced to the next round of the competition to represent Georgia at the Raytheon Technologies Invention Convention U.S. Nationals at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan in early June.
Nathan McKee and William Tyler from Kennesaw Mountain High School, creators of The Corder, won first place for 11th grade as well as Best Live Presentation Award. Nellie Klodner and Anna Borsh from Panter Elementary won the Inclusion Award for Grocery Eyes.
“Our students created some amazing inventions, so it’s no surprise that they were singled out for honors on the national stage,” said Larkin. “That’s how this process works, through hard work, ingenuity and repeatedly reworking and rethinking how to make the invention work more efficiently. It all starts with the question: What problem do you want to solve?”
Student team takes home awards from 2024 State Finals.
New teacher fellowship in Thomasville brings real-world manufacturing job skills into the classroom
By Randy Trammell
The K-12 InVenture Prize has established a new Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) partnership with metal stamping and tool and die manufacturer Check-Mate Industries, Inc. in Thomasville. GIFT is a CEISMC professional development program that immerses Georgia K-12 teachers in STEM-based internships in university research labs, industry and informal science educational institutions. The new collaboration with Check-Mate Industries focuses on bringing real-world manufacturing job skills into classrooms and allowing students to get a head start on high-tech careers within the community.
“GIFT offers our local educators the opportunity to understand the resources that are available in the community,” said Willie Allen, director of innovation at Southern Regional Technical College, a grant/project partner. “Teachers can then take that experience back into the classroom to spark children’s interest, to spark their intuitive minds to understand that they can build or create something without leaving their hometown,” he said. “This opportunity is extremely beneficial overall for the community, especially at a time when we have such a great workforce shortage. The GIFT program enables our educators to visit a manufacturer to gain experience and knowledge they can share with their students.”
These GIFT Fellowships are funded by the Georgia Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing Corridor (Georgia AIM) grant, a statewide initiative that combines artificial intelligence and
manufacturing innovations with transformational workforce and outreach. The federal grant is also designed to increase job and wage opportunities in distressed and rural communities, including Thomasville.
Four area teachers were selected as GIFT Fellows for this first year of the partnership. They include Michael Clapper from Thomas County Central High School, Amanda Russo from Thomasville High School and Susan Milam and Bhavi Singletary from Cross Creek Elementary School.
“My kids are working on their K-12 InVenture Prize projects and inventions,” said Singletary (pictured below in green). “Part of that is learning about the engineering design process, which I still know very little about. But the people at CheckMate Industries have been so supportive in helping me to understand it so that I can help guide my students better.”
Check-Mate Industries Vice President Jacquelyn Santoro said the GIFT Program is breaking down barriers and creating needed connections with the potential to make transformative changes in Thomasville.
“If we can get children and students and teachers engaged early on and have an appreciation for what career paths are available in their own backyards, it’s certainly going to help us find the talent we need to continue to grow and evolve as an employer here in this rural town in Georgia,” she said. “And remember, I said ‘career paths’ because it’s not just a job, it really is a career in manufacturing that we are offering. That’s the goal.”
Middle school CS research project energizes music teachers with high-tech teaching tools
By Randy Trammell
The Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) and the School of Music collaborated with Gwinnett County Public Schools to implement a computational thinking and music technology curriculum using EarSketch, a platform that teaches students to code by remixing beats and creating music in a digital audio workstation. The curriculum was developed as part of a three-year Computer Science for All: Research Practitioner Partnership funded by the National Science Foundation (Award #2122499).
The project, “Promoting Computational Thinking Through Middle School Music Technology,” was launched in response to state legislation requiring all middle and high schools to offer rigorous computer science courses by the 2024–2025 academic year to enhance workforce development outcomes. This initiative builds on research showing music’s power to engage diverse student populations in computing in a culturally relevant way and increase their motivation to persist in computing.
“By embedding computer science within these courses, the project team supports statewide efforts to teach computer science at the middle school level, addressing the shortage of computing offerings and CS teachers,” said CEISMC Program Director Sabrina Grossman, a co-principal investigator for the grant. “It also demonstrates an authentic application of computer science and its use in the music industry. This is our third year, and we’ve come a long way since we started.”
“We have worked hard to relate coding to writing music and provide authentic examples connected to music composition. In our professional development sessions, we build on teachers’ knowledge in music to teach coding and connect music theory to the basics of computer science,” Grossman said. “Our music teachers have really taken advantage of
EarSketch tools that focus on music creation and composition, such as sorting sounds by key and creating triplets.”
Grossman described EarSketch as a powerful music remixing and coding tool, sitting at the intersection of computational thinking and music technology. “It allows students to see an authentic application of coding and create a real-time product from their code,” she said. “This fosters a greater intentional connection between music and computer science and can spur further student engagement. EarSketch is also easy to access online, enabling students to continue composing music both at home and at school.”
Heath Jones, music technology teacher at McConnell Middle School, said his participation in the program was profound for him, helping him to rediscover his passion for teaching and learning. “I learned how much fun learning can be again. I am not a digital native or tech head,” he said. “I tell teachers I share this with, ‘if I can learn how to do this, they certainly can too.’ Seeing teachers embrace or be open to integrating this content into their curriculum has been rewarding.”
Jones emphasized the importance of equipping teachers with tools to enhance their music technology classes, as many educators are unaware that computational thinking and computer science concepts are relevant in a music curriculum. “Georgia Tech taught us how to code,” he said. “If music education is to remain relevant and valued in our education system, we must consider how music is currently being made and how it will be made in the future. As we move into a future shaped by AI, music teachers and education systems must urgently catch up with the digital world. It’s essential to prepare our students for that future.”
“Our teachers are incredible, with a wealth of knowledge in pedagogy and music technology,” said Grossman. “This was a true research-practice partnership, with our teachers providing guidance in music technology resources and lesson planning and integrating EarSketch into lessons to maximize student learning.”
Georgia Tech summit brings together K-12 practitioners for learning and collaboration
By Amanda Smith
In fall 2023, the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) hosted the third Georgia Tech K-12 Summit, an event designed for campus faculty, staff and student organizations that facilitates and supports K-12 outreach and engagement. Over 60 participants from 16 departments networked and shared their experiences and approaches for connecting with the broader K-12 education community.
When the first K-12 Summit was convened by the Office of the Provost in 2017, CEISMC was moved to the institutional level so that it could better serve as a coordination hub for K-12 activities across campus. CEISMC’s campus and community coordination team was established to lead the charge and fulfill some of the action items from the K-12 Summit.
These action items included creating the campuswide K-12 STEM Outreach Group made up of departmental representatives, publishing a quarterly online newsletter to promote Tech’s K-12 outreach programs and hosting the STEAM Leadership Conference for K-12 educators, curriculum developers and administrators.
“The K-12 Summit is crucial for enhancing and increasing the visibility of K-12 programs and outreach across campus,” said CEISMC Program Director Heidi Turcotte. “Connecting with various groups on campus enables us to collaborate on projects and expand our reach.”
The summit featured a “Program Spotlight” in which faculty and staff from the School of Music, the Provost’s Office and CEISMC presented on the National Science Foundationfunded REMEZCLA program. It is a collaborative research project between Georgia Tech and the University of Puerto Rico–Río Piedras aimed to address the lack of representation of Latino and Spanish-speaking students in computer science. The researchers discussed the project’s culture and youth-centered model for teaching computer science to middle and high school students.
“Lightning Talks” highlighted 17 K-12 programs supported by campus partners and interactive breakout sessions explored several topics related to K-12 outreach and programming, such as K-12 research and evaluation best practices and building successful collaborations with campus, community and school partners.
“The K-12 Summit was exceptionally well-received and participants gained numerous valuable insights to implement in their home departments,” said Turcotte. “We were thrilled with the turnout and the enthusiasm generated by bringing dedicated experts together, ensuring our impact is both meaningful and far-reaching.”
Going forward, the K-12 Summit will be held every other year, with the next event planned for fall 2025. In the off years, CEISMC will publish Collective Impact, a snapshot of Georgia Tech’s K-12 outreach efforts across the state.
CEISMC creates network of STEM educators to serve as liaisons between Georgia Tech and local communities
By Angelica Jones and Amanda Smith
The Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) established the Georgia Tech STEM Educators’ Network (GTSEN) last fall to give teachers, informal educators and administrators the tools and information to help them prepare the youth in their communities to become college and career ready.
“Georgia Tech values the remarkable STEM educators who work in our K-12 schools and informal science centers across the state,” said CEISMC Executive Director Lizanne DeStefano. “The Georgia Tech STEM Educators’ Network is one way to connect them to the Georgia Tech community to offer collaboration, recognition and support.”
The first cohort of 22 members from 13 school systems and three organizations attended a two-day kickoff event held at Tech in fall 2023. The event consisted of several activities to introduce the network members to key Georgia Tech leaders and provide information about available resources specifically created to support enrolled undergraduates as well as enhance opportunities for prospective students.
“These GTSEN members serve as liaisons between Georgia Tech and local communities to expand access to higher education and pathways to Tech,” said Bonnie Harris, GTSEN co-organizer and director of CEISMC’s Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT). “They also participate in professional development that can be used to build
upon innovative classroom curricula to increase student awareness of the connections and impact between various disciplines and societal implications.”
On the first day, the group attended a “Meet and Mingle” with CEISMC faculty and staff as well as campus partners followed by a “Twilight Trek,” an afterhours guided tour at Zoo Atlanta and an educational activity on bio-inspired design facilitated by faculty from Tech’s Center for Biologically Inspired Design.
“This was a great opportunity for educators from all over the state to make connections across Georgia Tech and the community,” said GTSEN coorganizer Heidi Turcotte, CEISMC’s campus and community coordination program director. “Building these types of partnerships is imperative for supporting and expanding access to STEM education.”
The second day was filled with a campus tour and presentations about initiatives for first-generation college students and the undergraduate admissions process. Current students also led a panel discussion about their Tech experiences and how they prepared for college.
“One of the things that I enjoyed about GTSEN was hearing from current Georgia Tech students about their experiences getting into Tech and how things have worked out for them,” said Gerald Nelms, a science teacher from the Bradwell Institute in Liberty County. “It was also interesting that one of the
students that was selected for the panel discussion was a graduate of Bradwell Institute. It gave me something to take back to my school to show it is possible for our students to be successful at Georgia Tech.”
Beyond the inaugural kickoff event, GTSEN members were also invited to participate in exclusive lunch and learn sessions throughout the year, which included topics on participating in the GIFT Program or submitting proposals for the STEAM Leadership Conference, both professional development opportunities offered by CEISMC. GTSEN members also can access additional information online that includes a range of K-12 resources and programs offered at Georgia Tech.
“Participating in GTSEN was truly transformative. Through this program, I gained invaluable insights into the wealth of resources provided by CEISMC,” said Karen Artis, STEAM coordinator for Mundy’s Mill Middle School in Clayton County. “Moreover, the networking opportunities were priceless, connecting me with likeminded professionals committed to elevating education standards. If you’re seeking to empower your school with cutting-edge knowledge and professional support beyond the ordinary, GTSEN is the definitive experience for you.”
Plans are underway for a second cohort for the 2024–2025 academic year.
Georgia teachers dive into data visualization on Sapelo Island
By Amanda Smith
Fifteen Georgia middle school teachers spent four days this summer at Sapelo Island, a state-protected barrier island off the coast, as part of Georgia Tech’s Summer Workshop in Marine Science (SWiMS) program. The workshop was facilitated by staff from the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC).
“Place-based learning enhances teaching by providing educators with the opportunity to make lessons more relevant and engaging,” said CEISMC Program Director Heidi Turcotte, who served as one of the facilitators. “By connecting classroom content to the local environment, teachers can inspire students and foster a deeper understanding of the subject matter.”
Teachers learned how to use data visualization while immersed in island culture and ecology, using AMP-IT-UP curricular materials developed by CEISMC researchers. These materials emphasize the integration of science, mathematics and engineering within an inquiry and problem-based challenge.
“The focus on data science really hooked me,” said participant Erica Brown, a sixth-grade math and science teacher from Chattooga County. “Science and math go so easily hand in hand, but they’re taught separately most of the time. The learning experiences in the SWiMS program enabled me to bring back authentic learning tasks to my students.”
Over a decade ago, Frank Stewart, an adjunct professor in Tech’s School of Biological Sciences, developed the concept and implementation of SWiMS as a pilot program funded by a National Science Foundation CAREER award. SWiMS was originally a five-day program held at the Atlanta campus with faculty lectures and teaching modules developed around marine science, including a field trip to Sapelo Island.
“In order to get students and teachers motivated, especially by science that has an environmental component, it’s essential to get them into the field, get their hands wet and give them a chance to observe nature and its system,” said Stewart, who has worked in partnership with CEISMC since 2016. “Then just let the learning flow from there.”
The SWiMS program was moved to Sapelo Island to increase statewide recruitment and provide full immersion. Although Stewart has not been able to be on-site in recent years, his graduate students continue to provide teachers with a hands-on research experience that focuses on a different theme annually.
“I was amazed by the program after my first year as a facilitator,” said CEISMC Program Director Sabrina Grossman, who was a part of this year’s group. “By incorporating the research component in SWiMS, teachers gain valuable insights and practical skills that enhance their teaching and ignite a deeper curiosity about the ocean in their students.”
Georgia Tech’s CS initiative reaches more rural area students with refined focus and bigger budget
By Randy Trammell
A groundbreaking Georgia Tech program that focuses on developing coding, music, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity skills in high school students in rural parts of the state has exploded with unprecedented growth over the last year, going from 800 participants to 4,400 to date. The curriculum involves harnessing emerging technologies to jump-start computer science proficiency, critical thinking skills and new career paths for students.
Launched with funding from the state legislature in 2022, the Computer Science for Rural Georgia High Schools program was developed collaboratively by Georgia Tech’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) and STEM@GTRI, Georgia Tech Research Institute’s K-12 outreach program. Tech faculty members lead classes online in collaboration with in-person classroom teachers across the state.
This past year’s expansion included 21 new participating schools from 17 school districts in Candler, Catoosa, Chattooga, Clinch, Decatur, Grady, Hancock, Houston, Jeff Davis, Laurens, Lumpkin, Oglethorpe, Peach, Screven, Stephens, Thomas and Twiggs counties. During its pilot year, the program served 11 schools in eight school districts in Bartow, Chattooga, Effingham, Fayette, Gordon, Haralson, Liberty and Walker counties.
Norman “Storm” Robinson III, CEISMC’s associate director for school and community engagement, highlighted the growing momentum as school systems, state leaders, teachers and administrators recognize the transformative power of this initiative.
“By connecting students in rural areas with limited resources to Georgia Tech expertise, this program empowers students to take control of their learning, opening new opportunities and fostering a sense of confidence and capability in their educational journey,” he said. “People have seen that we are here, not for the moment, but for the duration. They gravitate to that when they can see the value of what your purpose, your big picture, your why, is to them and their students.”
Shiona Drummer, a computer science teacher in Twiggs County Public Schools, observed that her students are not only excited about a prestigious research university like Georgia Tech taking an interest in them, but they are also deeply engaged with the material. “My students are seeing that they can learn more than they thought,” she said. “They will be some of the first in their families to do this as they are getting skills that will be commonplace in the future. They are getting a head start in their lives and hopefully, the exposure will lead them to careers in computing or encourage them to incorporate computing technology skills into whatever careers they choose.”
STEM@GTRI Consultant Sean Mulvanity said another part of the initiative’s success is the focus on building and supporting a community of advanced computer science teachers throughout the state, which has the potential to strengthen entire communities. “The main conversations we have with teachers are about how we can create a high-tech workforce. Teachers also say that they want to help make sure that our young people can stay in their communities and earn a living wage,” he said. “So, it does not matter if they are in the southwest corner or the northeast corner of the state. Georgia Tech is committed to partnering with school districts across the entire state.”
CEISMC and Google collaborated to open technology hub at local high school
By Joëlle Walls
A cutting-edge technology hub, a result of a collaboration between CEISMC and Google, has transformed Benjamin E. Mays High School into a thriving epicenter of STEM innovation. Nearly 100 students engaged in capstone projects in the past year, harnessing the hub’s potential. The initiative also prioritizes faculty development, equipping teachers with the skills to seamlessly integrate the tech hub resources into their lessons.
“The overarching goal for this initiative is student-focused and studentdriven. We want to provide unique experiential experiences in engineering, data center operations, cloud computing, machine learning and supply chain, using Google technologies,” said Google’s Global Head of Modeling and Technical Innovation Nathaniel W. Tindall III, PhD EnvE 14. “Through these learning opportunities and interactions with Google employees who are already working in these roles, we can help the students discover new possibilities and opportunities for their future.”
The tech hub, housed in a renovated classroom, is equipped with project materials such as robotic kits, microcontrollers, sensors and motors with alternative workspaces and flexible seating arrangements.
“We are super excited about this partnership and what it means for the students at Mays High School,” said Principal Ramon Garner. “The tech hub will not only enhance our learning environment, but also inspire our students to pursue their passions and dreams in the STEM fields.”
Planning for the technology hub and the creation of an accompanying integrated curriculum began in spring 2023 when Tindall approached Norman “Storm” Robinson III, CEISMC’s associate director for school and community engagement. After meeting over several months with all stakeholders, Robinson and his
CEISMC team developed three distinct capstone projects that illustrated the full potential of the hub’s capabilities while bringing real-world applications of techspecific jobs to the students’ attention.
“This initiative demonstrates how we need to transform our K-12 learning environments to be more adaptable, engaging and relevant to the interests and aspirations of students,” said Robinson. “By doing so, we can prepare them for the future creative economies that require skills such as innovation, collaboration and problem-solving. More importantly, these students are acquiring computational and computer science skills that will enable them to earn a livable wage.”
The CEISMC team provided summer training for teachers, three of whom successfully implemented projects during the pilot year. The professional development was designed to give them the necessary foundational knowledge to carry out future projects on their own using tech hub resources.
Information technology teacher
Anbria Powell led the gaming network server project, while engineering technology teacher Mariama Boone worked with her class on building a robot that would serve as a school tour guide. Students in Leah Leonard’s computer science principles class created microcontroller applications based on student inquiry of a community issue.
“With this partnership, students have a chance to apply what is learned in a real-world context, and in my classes, I believe that my students can enhance their mathematical reasoning, critical thinking and creativity by demonstrating the coding and software development principles through this experience in the tech hub,” said Leonard.
The tech hub initiative also included college peer mentors from Spelman College, Morehouse College and Georgia Tech who shared their experiences directly with students during class visits in which CEISMC and Google volunteers helped move the projects along.
Recent graduate Malachi Rivers (pictured above), who completed all three courses, said the experience reinforced his career goals of pursuing entrepreneurship and civil engineering. “I have gained a better understanding of how robotics and computing can help shape the world we live in,” he said. “In the upcoming years, I will be working to develop game servers and applications that analyze the most optimal and effective way to bring eco-friendly and sustainable energy to housing in areas that have lower urbanization.”
This past summer, additional teachers participated in professional development, with plans to create new capstone projects supported by CEISMC curriculum developers.
CEISMC assists Clayton County in planning its new STEM and STEAM magnet schools
By Joëlle Walls
Clayton County Public Schools has been working to establish four new magnet schools, funded by a Magnet School Assistance Program (MASP) award from the U.S. Department of Education, which supports magnet schools focused on equity and accessibility. The school district has received curricular development assistance, teacher training and the development of expanded learning opportunities from the school and community engagement team at the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) as part of its “STEMifying Clayton County” project.
Bryan Reese, the district’s MSAP project director in strategic improvement, emphasized the impact of a supportive community mindset, which he believes can lead to more students considering Georgia Tech as a viable option.
“I am confident that students can learn when they have supportive environments, both at home and in school, that contribute to their academic successes,” he said. “Our partnership with CEISMC has ignited our students’ passions and abilities to excel. For example, we offered students the opportunity for dual enrollment at Georgia Tech, which many would not have considered otherwise. Providing them with the tools and guidance to succeed changes their perspectives and helps them realize that Georgia Tech is not a far-off dream, but an attainable goal.”
Over the last two years, the CEISMC team, which includes Associate Director Norman “Storm” Robinson III, Educational Outreach Manager Camille Moore and Program Director Shameka Williams, has collaborated with the school system in various areas. The team has introduced and implemented project-based learning, design thinking, growth mindset, and immersive STEM/STEAM programming to the four schools, each with its own unique
theme. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School focuses on botany and zoology, while West Clayton Elementary School integrates STEAM into its curriculum. North Clayton Middle School emphasizes STEM, and Morrow High School offers pharmacy, aeronautical sciences, computer science and engineering pathways.
Williams said the final year of the partnership will concentrate on helping the schools build capacity to sustain the work they have initiated. “Our collaboration has fostered an environment where innovation and excellence thrive, setting a new standard for educational success,” she said. “I am excited to see the continued growth and success of these schools as they carry forward the momentum we’ve created together.”
An example of carrying forward that momentum is the impact of community partners’ guidance and support provided through the district’s MSAP project, which is strongly emphasized by CEISMC’s Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) program. This past summer, eight teachers participated in the GIFT program, which places teachers in STEM-based internships in university research labs, industry or informal science educational institutions.
“Through these experiences with access to numerous community partners, more schools and teachers will recognize how these partnerships can transform education. By connecting students to real-world applications and experts, we are bringing the community into our classrooms and taking teachers outside the classroom to better prepare them for teaching STEAM,” said Akilah Williams, a K-5 STEAM instructor at West Clayton Elementary who was placed at the Museum of Design Atlanta with fifth grade math and science teacher Dareon Collier.
Maria Wynn, an academic coach at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, said that her placement at the Atlanta Botanical Garden helped her to explore the literary connections to the school’s STEM program, which includes the Garden as a partner.
“My internship was amazing,” she said. “Seeing how the Atlanta Botanical Garden used portions of the book Alice in Wonderland to create incredible living sculptures throughout the garden was inspiring. This experience showed me that every page has a story, and you can turn each page into a theme or project for your students.”
Leslie Yarborough from Museum of Design Atlanta with GIFT teachers Akilah Williams and Dareon Collier.
Kathryn Masuda from the Atlanta Botanical Garden with GIFT teacher Maria Wynn.
Biomedical engineering faculty member receives CEISMC Impact Award
By Amanda Smith
Last spring, the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) recognized faculty member Elaissa Hardy with the CEISMC Impact Award for her exceptional contributions to K-12 outreach, significantly impacting STEM education in various community settings. The award is given to community members and campus partners who help advance CEISMC’s goals which include providing K-12 STEM enrichment and outreach to support student success and workforce development.
Hardy holds a joint appointment as a pediatrics instructor with Emory School of Medicine and as an adjunct lecturer in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) at Georgia Tech in a unique partnership with Emory University. She teaches a biomedical engineering course at Tech which centers on BME HealthReach, an educational outreach program where BME undergraduates create and teach interactive STEM activities for K-12 students, where children with chronic illness are the primary audience.
“The BME HealthReach program offers undergraduates a unique opportunity to earn six credit hours over two semesters. In the first semester, students engage in both classroom learning and community involvement, dedicating half of their efforts to supporting local events and initiatives,” Hardy said. “Students have attended events at the Ronald McDonald House, two partner schools in Fulton County and participated in Atlanta Science Festival’s Exploration Expo. However, I received a lot of feedback that they wanted to find more events at Georgia Tech.”
Hardy met Senior Program Director Sirocus Barnes through CEISMC’s K-12 STEM Outreach Group, which consists of campus partners who meet quarterly to network and share resources. “I was aware of CEISMC’s Saturday programs which Sirocus and his team thought would be an excellent match for my undergraduate students,” she explained. “So for the past two years, we have collaborated with CEISMC’s K.I.D.S. Club and STEAM Workshops. This partnership has allowed my students
to gain invaluable hands-on experience while making a meaningful impact in the community. The synergy between our teams has truly enhanced the educational experiences we can offer.”
In addition to Saturday workshops, Hardy and her students also support standalone programs.
“In February, CEISMC hosted a group of students from Dougherty County’s GEAR Up Program on campus, and Dr. Hardy and her undergraduates provided them with an exciting day of engaging activities and a campus tour,” Barnes explained. “We thought it was the perfect opportunity to honor Dr. Hardy for her continuous commitment to helping provide access to hundreds of K-12 students to learn about biomedical engineering.”
Sirocus Barnes presented Elaissa Hardy with the CEISMC Impact Award for her exceptional contributions to K-12 outreach.
High schoolers explore college life and high-tech learning
By Kavya Jade
CEISMC’s Expanded Learning Programs introduced two new residential programs this past summer: GT G.I.R.L.S. (Girls Interested in Rapidly Learning STEAM) and the Robotics Institute. These additions, along with others already in place, are designed to give high school students, including rising ninth graders, a taste of living on a college campus and high-quality summer learning opportunities. Both programs began as one-week summer day sessions in previous years.
“I think one of the best ways to engage kids and spark their interest in STEM is through early exposure,” said Sirocus Barnes, senior program director at CEISMC, who leads Expanded Learning Programs. “I hope that when students start making decisions about college and careers, these programs will be part of that process and provide valuable information. If students decide to pursue
or not pursue majors in areas they experienced in these programs, I think that is incredibly beneficial because of the early exposure to these concepts.”
GT G.I.R.L.S. was led by all-female instructors, including Georgia Tech faculty, graduate students and an alumna. Each day featured different activities based on the instructors’ research interests. Students learned about biomedical engineering, computer science, building construction and music technology. Students also interacted with robot dog prototypes, supportive robotics exoskeletons, and drones.
For the Robotics Institute, CEISMC has partnered over the years with Aaron Young, an associate professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and a member of the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent
Machines. Graduate students in the Woodruff School always serve as instructors. Participants learned how to use 3D computer-aided design software and how to automate robots, using cameras and sensors to control them. Then students implemented their newly learned skills as they tested their robots in a series of challenges.
STEAM professionals learn how to create impactful lessons
By James-Addis Hill
The Expanded Learning Programs team at CEISMC has a dual mission. The teams in Atlanta and Savannah provide high quality K-12 STEAM enrichment and professional development for informal educators and out-of-schooltime professionals.
“Providing professional development specifically to this group is a cornerstone of our work. It empowers them with the skills and knowledge needed to create impactful learning opportunities for children outside the traditional school day,” said CEISMC Senior Program Director Sirocus Barnes. “We believe that investing in our educators is investing in the future of education.”
For example, Barnes, along with Antonia McCain from CEISMC Atlanta and Deidra Wirick from CEISMC Savannah, presented “Arts Integration into STEM: Start with Art” at the 2023 Georgia
Afterschool and Youth Development Awards and Professional Learning Summit in Macon. Attendees engaged in block-based coding to direct robots equipped with markers to create unique art pieces on mini canvases.
“Our session demonstrated that with the right tools and a creative mindset, the boundaries between art and technology blur, paving the way for innovative educational
experiences that inspire students,” said Barnes, who is also director of Expanded Learning Programs.
Another ongoing initiative has been the partnership between the Expanded Learning Programs team and the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network. This collaboration includes providing STEAM professional development throughout the state and facilitating bimonthly meetings of the STEAM Afterschool Professionals Learning Community.
“It’s about creating meaningful connections and pathways that empower students, especially underserved and underrepresented, to explore and excel in these fields. Through this work, I hope and encourage other after-school and summer programs to do the same, as their teaching is equally impactful, if not more,” he said.
GT G.I.R.L.S.
CEISMC Savannah sees exponential growth in participants, programs and research initiatives
By Kerry Jarvis
CEISMC Savannah has seen unprecedented growth in the past several years while reaching more participants in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty and surrounding counties than ever before. What began as a single summer program and one on-site competition over six years ago, has grown into comprehensive and robust offerings that are an extension of CEISMC in Atlanta.
The Expanded Learning Programs is one of the most visible components with on-campus summer and Saturday programs for students in 1st–12th grades. Growing from three summer offerings as recently as 2019 to 27 for the summer of 2024, along with six Saturday STEAMlabs during the school year, more students are participating than ever before. Some of the summer offerings include Make It, Move It, a supply chain and logistics program; IoT (Internet of Things) & You, an advanced coding-based program; and Murder Mystery, a program where theater, science and forensics combine.
Student competitions are offered for every grade level, where participants can test their skills in the areas of robotics, coding, engineering, science, entrepreneurship and more.
They include the K-12 InVenture Prize, FIRST LEGO League Challenge and Elementary Science Olympiad—with the participation from schools/teams increasing each year.
“I am incredibly proud of the efforts from the CEISMC Savannah team and the resulting growth,” said Diane Lee, executive director of Georgia Tech’s Savannah campus. “The impact being made on students, teachers and community members cannot be underestimated. CEISMC is integrated into the fabric of our mission, and the entire campus is invested in its success.”
Professional devlopment and internships continue to be another area of expansion. Lifelong learning is critical for everyone, and teachers and out-of-school learning professionals are no exception. CEISMC Savannah provides opportunities for professionals to retool and gain new knowledge to take back to their respective learning environments.
Grants and curriculum development are something new and exciting developed during the past three years. Spearheaded by Senior Program Director Tim Cone, CEISMC Savannah is a regional leader in educational outreach and research and participates in several grants each year from a variety of funders, including the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and state and local organizations.
School and community engagement has always been at the heart of what CEISMC Savannah is all about. Going directly into schools and communities means being an integral part of the fabric of learning. This past year, the team participated in more than 25 outreach and off-campus events reaching over 3,000 participants.
“This exponential growth that we have experienced is directly due to the efforts of the team,” said Cone. “We are ambitious, and the team has responded to that aspiration with the dedication, hard work and diligence it has taken to get to this point. That said, we are not done. We have program and staffing growth on the horizon, so we will continue to aspire to even more.”
In 2023, CEISMC Savannah worked with more than 100 schools, offered professional development to 305 teachers and out-of-school learning professionals, had 1,493 oncampus student participants and over 2,000 off-campus student outreach participants.
HMTX supports summer literacy
By Kerry Jarvis
CEISMC Savannah summer program offerings have rapidly grown in the past few years with hundreds of K–12 students participating. The programs are based on the Georgia Tech Savannah campus, where longtime partner HMTX Indistries, a global luxury vinyl tile manufacturer, stepped in to provide books to all students during the entire six weeks of programming. The importance of literacy cannot be overstated, as it provides the foundation for all academic knowledge and acquired technical skills.
Deidra Wirick, educational outreach manager for CEISMC Savannah, knew that carefully selected books would be required for the six weeks of summer programs. “The instructors read the books to students at the beginning of each week’s summer camp, and it was interesting to see how much every child, even those in middle and high school, enjoyed being read to,” she said. “The
instructors encouraged the students to refer to their books while working on their projects and they got to take their own copy home with them at the end of the week. It really enhances the impact of the cognitive learning process and is a great way to incorporate meeting literacy goals into the summer programs.”
HMTX committed not only to providing books for every student participating, but also to providing scholarships. Brian Greene, chief supply chain officer and Georgia Tech alumnus, said, “Our company is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work and we are passionate about giving back. This initiative is exciting as it is a conduit to giving children more educational opportunities.”
Greene considers the sponsorship to be a win-win. “Not only is supporting the community the right thing to do and
CEISMC Savannah partners with GPB
By Kerry Jarvis
CEISMC Savannah partnered with Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) on a first-of-its-kind CS summer program that brings the world of computer gaming into the classroom for one week. The program was focused on GPB’s Gasha Go! World—a suite of skill-building, computational thinking games, videos and other support resources for children ages 4–8 that are aligned to the Georgia Department of Education’s (DOE) Georgia Standards of Excellence.
Georgia has been a leader in computer science education. With that in mind, GPB joined the Georgia DOE, higher education institutions, Georgia educators and FableVision Studios to integrate educational objectives and standards into a narrative-based gaming world. The result was Gasha Go! World, where students, parents and teachers can access the game, supporting materials, activity books, videos and more online.
A storyline and characters were created in which the Gashlings (characters) solve problems individually and together, displaying personality traits that students can relate to. During the summer program, students learned from the characters how to solve problems through various scenarios.
“CEISMC understands the importance of using creative storytelling to reach students, and we were thrilled to partner with GPB on this program,” said Tim Cone, senior program director of CEISMC Savannah. “We are also excited about exploring the research aspects with our CEISMC educational research and evaluation team.”
Through all these components, students took their global understanding of computer science to a new level in an entertaining way. They also learned digital literacy, digital citizenship and worked together to learn more about
an integral part of HMTX Industries’ culture, but this initiative also improves educational levels in the communities we recruit from,” he said. “We are happy when graduates remember our brand and our commitment to the community and then come to work for us.”
computer science from an experienced teacher who was on the standards team that helped create Gasha Go! World.
“Our GPB education outreach team is out in schools and communities bringing opportunities like this one to the citizens of Georgia,” said Laura Evans, vice president of education at GPB. “Working with CEISMC Savannah on this summer program has allowed us another opportunity to work outside of Metro Atlanta and continue our commitment to family and community engagement.”
STEM-ID curricula aim to foster engagement and career awareness among middle schoolers
By Joëlle Walls
Middle school students in Gwinnett County are immersed in STEM Innovation and Design (STEM-ID) curricula developed by researchers at the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC). Supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant (Award #2101441), the STEM-ID curricula combine foundational math and science concepts in an engineering context through design challenges.
Principal Research Scientist Meltem Alemdar, who serves as the principal investigator for the grant, said that the integrated STEM curricula were initially developed under a seven-year NSF grant called AMP-IT-UP. “At the time of AMP-IT-UP 13 years ago and even now, there have been few engineering-focused programs in middle school,” she said. “Research shows that middle schoolers start cognitively developing career interests at this age, engaging with different fields and role models. Therefore, it is critical to reach all students at this age range to foster career awareness of these opportunities before they enter high school.”
Each grade level has one design challenge throughout the 18-week course, broken down into components, all part of a single theme. Engineering and technology teacher Noelle Thompson (pictured with her students below), said she has enjoyed watching her students have fun and show enthusiasm for the activities. “I get to have a little more fun teaching because it’s so much more interactive, and I have some flexibility with the curricula and interaction with the kids,” she said. “It allows them to showcase strengths that aren’t always visible in the academic classroom.”
Senior Research Scientist Jessica Gale, a co-principal investigator for the grant, noted that one of the project’s major goals is to replicate and extend the previous project’s findings. “Students who completed STEM-ID for at least two years had significantly higher math and science performance on standardized tests as well as some promising outcomes for math and science anxiety, self-efficacy and 21st century skills,” she said. “With that, we know that teachers play a pivotal role in the success of STEM-ID. Their ability to adapt the curricula to meet the unique needs of their classrooms is key to making STEM-ID effective and engaging for students.”
Gale added that over the past year, the research team adopted a case study approach to examine the contextual impacts of STEM-ID implementation. “We are assessing the teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge, and how it may influence their use of the curricula, as well as how their STEM-ID experiences affect it,” she said. “With teachers from diverse backgrounds, we have observed interesting decisions in how they supplement, build upon and implement the curricula we designed.”
Monica Shaffer, who comes from a biology and marine science background, said she appreciates the professional learning community that has developed from this project. “The teacher community and professional developments have been incredible,” she said. “They have really focused on teachers collaborating to solve problems within our group. We’re applying the engineering design process to teaching, evaluating successes and failures and considering changes to improve outcomes.”
Research grant funds data visualization camp
By Michael Turner
Twenty-two rising sixth through ninth graders from Ronald E. McNair Middle School joined staff and faculty members from the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) and the School of Interactive Computing for the inaugural Data Visualization and the Environment summer camp at Georgia Tech’s campus in July.
The camp, which introduces awareness of environmental factors such as air quality measurements and helps students develop the skills to analyze and visualize that data, is a central program in a recent $1.8 million grant awarded by the National Science Foundation (Award #2314109) to Georgia Tech researchers Jessica Roberts and Alex Endert from the College of Computing and Jayma Koval from CEISMC. The project is titled “Air Pollution Visualizations for Promoting Data Literacy with Middle Schoolers and the Public.”
Over two weeks, students worked in teams on their capstone projects, which were to create data visualizations to tell community stories. As part of this challenge, they selected topics and learned how to conduct basic data analysis and make data visualizations using tools such as Google Sheets and Tableau. In addition to classroom data visualization activities, students had the opportunity to gather data and see their lessons in action as they toured campus and visited local attractions, such as the Atlanta History Center and the College Football Hall of Fame.
“It was so impressive to see the data visualization projects created by the students, since they selected topics of personal interest and those topics ranged from gas prices in the region to high school graduation rates across DeKalb County,” said Koval, a senior research associate at CEISMC, who serves as co-principal investigator for the grant. “They organized and visualized the data themselves and even presented it to an audience which included the principal of McNair Middle, Dr. Taylor.”
The summer camp was organized by CEISMC staff members Sabrina Grossman and Rachel Warren, alongside Katrina Hammonds, the STEM coordinator at McNair Middle School and a 2024 participant in CEISMC’s Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers program. Hammonds additionally oversaw student recruitment at her school and served as an instructor during the camp, alongside interactive computing doctoral student Yixuan Li.
The student projects from the summer will continue throughout the school year as a data visualization club at McNair Middle School, while the camp itself is set to become an annual offering at Tech. In addition, the team behind the grant is working on developing a public informational kiosk to serve as an air quality data resource.
“The summer camp was an amazing experience. It allowed my students to use critical thinking skills while interacting with data, to tell a story about an environmental issue in their community,” said Hammonds. “Academically, this experience has allowed my students to gain knowledge and skills in data collection, analysis and communication. Socially, this experience has helped my students become more aware of issues in their community that have a direct impact on their quality of life.”
Jessica Roberts with summer camp participants.
Horizons at Georgia Tech scholars return as program mentors CEISMC ACTIVITY
Best friends Makayla Ferguson and Ajai Brinkley are former Horizons at Georgia Tech scholars who returned to the Tech campus this past summer as teaching assistants. The yearround program, housed in CEISMC’s Expanded Learning Programs, advances educational equity by building long-term partnerships with participants, their families, communities and schools to create experiences outside of school that inspire the joy of learning.
In an interview with CEISMC Impact, Ferguson, now a sophomore at Southern University and A&M College, and Brinkley, now a sophomore at the University of Georgia, reflected on their experiences, which spanned their elementary and middle school years.
How did the Horizons at Georgia Tech Program influence your academic and personal growth?
Makayla: The Horizons program influenced my academic growth over the years because I had opportunities to conduct research and hands-on projects on topics I had not explored deeply in school. Horizons also frequently focused on developing soft skills such as leadership, communication and teamwork. These skills are invaluable in both personal and professional contexts.
Ajai: While I was younger, there were times I didn’t understand why I had to do academic work during the summer if I wasn’t in summer school. Looking back, the work ethic and support I received from Horizons helped me accomplish a lot, especially with my matriculation to high school. Horizons allowed me to dream big and believe in whatever I wish to achieve in life. I’m proud to say that I graduated from my high school as valedictorian.
By Kavya Jade
Please describe your friendship and your shared experiences in the program.
Makayla: Ajai and I have been friends since age 4 and we have done everything together, including cheering, dancing, school and summer camp. Being in the Horizons program together helped us build a stronger connection with each other outside of school and grow together. I couldn’t imagine my Horizons experience without Ajai because it led us to so many other different opportunities like becoming teacher assistants together.
Ajai: Makayla and I have been best friends since the age of three years old, and since we’ve met, our parents have made sure we did everything together. This included attending Horizons together from the beginning, graduating from the program together and now returning as teaching assistants together. As Horizons scholars, we had the opportunity to make many memories with each other.
What have you both enjoyed about being teaching assistants?
Makayla: I have enjoyed building relationships. Developing connections with students and fellow staff members is a highlight. Forming meaningful relationships and becoming a mentor to students fosters a supportive and collaborative environment.
Ajai: My scholars were the best part of being a teaching assistant. I feel like the little moments meant the most whether we were going swimming, helping the scholars solve problems they felt were too difficult, my encouraging words of not giving up or playing recess games in the classroom when it was too hot outside. The scholars were always curious, and I loved that the most about them. Knowing that I meant something to many scholars of all age groups means the world to me and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Makayla and Ajai as Horizons scholars in 2014.
Makayla and Ajai as Horizons teaching assistants in 2024.
Bill to expand scholarship funding passed By Kavya
In spring 2023, the Georgia legislature passed Senate Bill 246, allocating nearly $1 million in scholarship funding for Inclusive Post-secondary Education (IPSE) programs for the 2024 fiscal year. This five-year pilot program aims to ease the financial burden of attending college for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
During this past year, there was a concerted effort to increase funding to include all tuition and program fees for those receiving the IPSE scholarships. With House Bill 916 passing in May, state lawmakers allocated $2.6 million for the 2024-2025 academic year. Modeled after the HOPE scholarship, it is reported that advocates hope funding will be included in the annual state budget after the pilot program concludes.
The scholarships cover tuition costs, mandatory fees, and other IPSE program fees at eligible public colleges and universities and technical institutions in the state. The Georgia Tech EXCEL program is one such program, with over 93% of its graduates gainfully employed. Assistant Director Nathan Heald said that this increase in funding is vital to making higher education more equitable for students with disabilities. Since students attending IPSE programs are not eligible for the HOPE scholarship, this funding would ease the burden.
“Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities have historically been left out of higher education. Programs like EXCEL offer these students opportunities, but financial barriers still exist for many Georgia residents,” he said. “EXCEL,
EXCEL program recognized for advocacy
Last fall, Georgia Tech celebrated 50 years of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 through a series of events, honoring the efforts of disability rights activists of the past by recognizing recent accomplishments in improving accessibility.
The celebration ended with a reception debuting the Advocates for Accessibility Awards, established by the Office of Equity and Compliance Programs–ADA Compliance to recognize Tech community members who have actively worked to enhance accessibility on campus. The Georgia Tech EXCEL program was honored: one for the program; one for Director Ken Surdin; and one for a group of EXCEL students.
The student recipients each developed a project proposal as a capstone assignment during an EXCEL Social Diversity course taught by lecturer Nadiah Blackman, who said the course combines the concept of anti-bias social justice with the rigor of awareness and understanding of others.
Students learn to make a connection between themselves and the larger community in which they live and
work as they learn how to welcome difference into their communities. These proposals were included in the award nomination submission.
“I am proud of my students for being recognized,” she said. “Their dedication and innovative approaches to accessibility is not only inspiring, but also essential in creating a more inclusive world.”
Jade
particularly through the efforts of the students, was instrumental in supporting this increase and communicating with our legislators about the impact that this funding would have on future Georgia IPSE students.”
By Kavya Jade
Kaleb Handspur’s proposal focused on the lack of accessibility tools for the web-based learning management system Canvas, widely used by students for their classwork. Matt Strom’s proposal focused on pedestrian safety. Martha Haythorn proposed to add more than one staircase or an escalator in the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons to better accommodate students with physical disabilities.
Collaborative summer program provides immersive STEM environment
In the latest iteration of Georgia Tech’s summer program, Energy Unplugged, high school students attended the Atlanta and Savannah campuses for weeklong sessions and industry field trips. These sessions focused on critical energy topics, including energy production and delivery, and equitable electricity access. Both camps were led by Richard Simmons and his team from the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI) in collaboration with CEISMC.
“The partnership with CEISMC allows me to focus on content development and effective instruction, while also providing an opportunity to hire Georgia Tech students. These students can also immerse themselves in a STEM environment and serve as peer mentors,” said Simmons, who is SEI’s Director of Research and Studies and a jointly appointed instructor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. He has facilitated these camps since 2019 in Atlanta and since 2022 in Savannah. He also was the founding director and remains involved with SEI’s Energy Policy and Innovation Center, which is responsible for regional energy policy and innovation research and outreach, including hosting Energy Unplugged.
Short lectures were sprinkled throughout the sessions, complementing activities that integrated math and physics principles. For example, students conducted solar charging experiments and engaged in outdoor remote-controlled car races, competing to be the fastest and most energy efficient. The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, renowned for its regenerative approach to energy consumption, served as the campus base for the Atlanta program. The week concluded with a global entrepreneurial challenge, where students applied what they learned to a realworld mini-project that focused on an issue related to solar microgrids, integrated networks of power.
The field trips were a pivotal moment of the sessions, providing insights into how hydroelectric power and gas turbines work to supply energy to cities. Participants visited Georgia Power plants in their respective areas, with an additional tour of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation for Savannah attendees.
By Joëlle Walls
“Students are able to observe in real time the practical applications of energy, talk with industry experts and truly understand the types of career paths possible in this field— a field that touches everyone because we use this source every day to live,” said SEI Program Support Coordinator Jordann Shields, who sets up the camps and interfaces with community collaborators.
In late spring, Simmons and CEISMC’s Senior Program Director Sirocus Barnes gave a presentation about Energy Unplugged and CEISMC’s role in community outreach to U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, who was visiting SEI along with Mayor Andre Dickens. The campus visit was part of a Department of Energy announcement on clean energy investments of which a Georgia-based project was a grant recipient. “Presenting our work to the U.S. Secretary of Energy was an incredible honor, showcasing the innovative efforts and collaborative spirit at Georgia Tech,” Barnes said.
“CEISMC and SEI are a powerful team!” said Simmons. “Like baking soda and vinegar combining forces in a tabletop volcano at a STEM science fair, Energy Unplugged is unleashing creativity instead of carbon dioxide and inspiring a new generation of STEM minds with hands-on experiments led by today’s experts.”
Atlanta Savannah
Richard Simmons led demonstrations during summer camp.
EarSketch intern builds advanced features By Randy Trammell
Georgia Tech’s innovative music remixing and coding educational platform, EarSketch, has been expanded with new features that give users more creative control thanks to Sam Kuran, a recent graduate of North Springs High School. Kuran spent the spring semester as an EarSketch intern at CEISMC, teaching advanced-level techniques to K-12 teachers and students as well as working with lead developer Luke Heerman from Tech’s School of Music to develop powerful new functions and features within the software.
Kuran, who was one of five winners of the 2021 “Your Voice is Power” EarSketch Coding Competition, approached CEISMC Program Director Sabrina Grossman with the idea to become the first EarSketch intern.
“Sam is such a great fit for this work, because he is such an innovative person,” Grossman said. “He’s a coder and a very accomplished musician. And he can combine these two passions into very meaningful work to build out special functions for EarSketch users like Sam,
who want to dig deep into the process of remixing and composing using coding.”
Kuran said that working with EarSketch isn’t really work for him. It’s something he loves to explore and experiment with whenever he can. “I’ve always been interested in the advanced stuff, because it was more of a means to an end to do what I wanted to do musically,” he said. “It is so interesting to keep pushing the limits of EarSketch. The more I experiment, the more I see how much is possible.”
“Having Sam as an EarSketch intern is a great example of the reach of our work and our goal to empower young people with real-world coding and computer science applications,” Grossman said. “We are providing young people with opportunities to explore how music, computer science and entrepreneurship can be tools to advance racial justice. Sam’s involvement shows how much potential this project really has.”
CS curriculum earns AP endorsement
This past May, Student-Centered Computing (SCC), a suite of curricula developed by CEISMC researchers, received Advanced Placement (AP) endorsement for its Computer Science Principles course from the College Board, a first for Georgia Tech. The College Board develops standardized tests and curricula used by K-12 and post-secondary education institutions to promote college readiness and as part of the college admissions process.
The curricula, which promotes inclusivity through a student-centered pedagogical approach and year-long projects, enables middle school and high school students to develop digital technology and programming skills as they research and design solutions for problems of their own choice. Other courses include Computing Explorations for grades 6–8 and Student-Centered Computing Foundations for grades 8–10.
“We need critical thinkers and problem-solvers—individuals who can step in when things go wrong and enhance what’s already working. Our curriculum is nurturing the next generation of innovators and community contributors,” said Stacy Byous, a curriculum developer on the SCC team.
CEISMC researchers and curriculum developers spent several months updating the curriculum to meet all required standards for AP endorsement.
By James-Addis Hill
These standards included creative development, algorithms and programming, networks, data and the impact of computing. Additionally, the team provided detailed documentation on teacher professional development and a plan for outreach and recruitment to advertise the new endorsement.
“Supporting teachers, education and learning is crucial for Georgia Tech,” said Byous. “As a leader in numerous fields, Georgia Tech’s development of a nationally endorsed curriculum by the College Board further solidifies its position at the forefront of educational innovation.”
Sam Kuran with Sabrina Grossman.
Talent Additions
Leigh Acevedo – Educational Outreach Manager I
Sherri Burrell – Peer Mentorship Coordinator
Eve Cuero – Educational Outreach Coordinator II
Henry Felton – Educational Outreach Coordinator I
Ben Franco – Educational Outreach Coordinator I
Ana García Isol – Educational Outreach Coordinator I
Marissa Gardner – Educational Outreach Coordinator II
Eric Koonce – Program Director
Kari Nimox – Research Program Coordinator I
Career Trajectories
Zijun Alexander – Research Associate I
Timothy Cone – Senior Program Director
Nisa Floyd – Educational Outreach Manager II
Ed Gnatiuk – Educational Outreach Manager I
Jayma Koval – Senior Research Associate
Danyelle Larkin – Program Director
Ebony Minter – Program Director
James Sands II – IT Support Professional II
Dasja Williams – Educational Outreach Manager I
Retirements
Bonnie Harris – Sept. 2024 (16 years)
Academic Achievements
Sirocus Barnes – Ed.D. in Learning Sciences & Policy, University of Pittsburgh, 2024
Danyelle Larkin – Grant Writing Certificate
What’s The Buzz?
Faculty and Staff Recognition
Service Recognition
1 Year of Service
Nadiah Blackman
Cheyne Blow
Nisa Floyd
Lesa Hagins
Antonia McCain
Yolanda Payne
Randy Trammell
Rachel Warren
Shameka Williams
5 Years of Service
Katie Boice King
Roxanne Francis
Ed Gnatiuk
Bob Kraushaar
Camille Moore
Keisha Simmons
Heidi Turcotte
10 Years of Service
Ken Surdin
15 Years of Service
Meltem Alemdar
Georgia Tech Honors
Meltem Alemdar – 2023 CEISMC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Outreach Award, 2024-2025 Emerging Leaders Program
Dyanne Baptiste Porter – 2023 CEISMC Outstanding Achievement in Research Innovation Award
Nadiah Blackman – 2024 Thank-aTeacher
Katie Boice King – Fall 2023 Student Recognition of Teaching Excellence
Honor Roll, 2024 Inclusive Leaders Academy Cohort 8
Rayne Bozeman – 2023 CEISMC Service Award
Nina Climes – Fall 2023 Student Recognition of Teaching Excellence
Honor Roll
Nisha Detchprohm – Fall 2023 and Spring 2024: Student Recognition of Teaching Excellence Honor Roll
Heather Dicks – 2024 Thank-a-Teacher EXCEL Program – 2023 Advocates for Accessibility Award
Expanded Learning Programs
Team – 2023 CEISMC Education
Partnership Award
Nathan Heald – 2024 Thank-a-Teacher
Antonia McCain – 2023 CEISMC Process Improvement Excellence Award, Fall 2024 ASPIRE Leadership Learning Experience
Ashley McKeen – Spring 2024 Ascend Faculty Development Program Cohort
Brandon Mitchell – 2023 CEISMC Director’s Choice Award
Roxanne Moore – 2023 CEISMC Manager Recognition Award, 2023 College of Engineering Outstanding Research Award (Research Faculty)
Jed Paz – 2023 CEISMC Outstanding Achievement in Research Enterprise Enhancement Award
Dajuana Robinson – Fall 2023 ASPIRE Leadership Learning Experience
James Sands II – 2023 Spirit of CEISMC Award
Amanda Smith – Fall 2023 ASPIRE Leadership Learning Experience
Ken Surdin – 2023 Advocates for Accessibility Award
Joëlle Walls – 2023 CEISMC Wreck Award for demonstrating leadership qualities
External Honors
Meltem Alemdar – 2024 1st Runner Up, Lighting the Path Leadership Award, Georgia State University
Dyanne Baptiste Porter – 2024 CADRE Fellow, Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education
Susan Belmonte – 2024 Outstanding
Ph.D. in Teaching and Teacher Education Award, Georgia State University
Jorge H. Cervantes – Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta 30 Under 30 Class of 2023
Ebony Minter – 2024 BOOST Emerging Leaders Fellowship, Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network
Research Publications and Presentations
Alemdar, M., Newton, S. H., Gale, J. D., Kessler, T. C., & Moore, R. (2024, June). Impact of Engineering Course Participation on Students’ Attitudinal Factors: A Replication Study (Evaluation). In 2024 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Baptiste Porter, D., Blackman, N., Sands II, J., & Annan Jr., V. (2024, March 28). Neurodiversity & Mental Health STEM Equity Seminar [Panel discussion]. Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA.
Baptiste Porter, D., Gale, J. D., Alemdar, M., Choi, J., & Newton, S. (2024, April 14). Changing in the Moment: Examining Enacted and Personal Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Engineering Teachers [Poster presentation]. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
Barnes, S. (2024, April 26). How to Create K-12 Programs to Boost Belonging and Participation. Times Higher Education Campus. www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-create-k12-programmes-boost-belonging-and-participation
Barnes, S., & Rose, D. (2023, November 8-9). Embedding Social Emotional Learning in Summer Learning Programs [Poster presentation]. CASEL Exchange, Atlanta, GA.
Barnes, S., & Williams, S. (2024, February 27-29). How Project-Based Learning Supports Transformative Social Emotional Learning [Presentation]. Horizons National Conference, Asheville, NC.
Barnes-Watson, C., Barnes, S., & Thompson-Mettle, E. (2024, March 8). Together We Can! Reinforcing the Legacy of Black STEM Identities through Community Cultural Wealth & Culturally Relevant Pedagogy [Presentation]. STEAM Leadership Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Barnes-Watson, C., Barnes, S., & Thompson-Mettle, E. (2023, October 19-21). Together We Can! Reinforcing the Legacy of Black STEM Identities through Community Cultural Wealth & Culturally Relevant Pedagogy [Presentation]. Black Doctoral Network Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Boice K. L., Alemdar M., Jackson J. R., Kessler T. C., Choi J., Grossman S., & Usselman, M. (2024). Exploring teachers’ understanding and implementation of STEAM: one size does not fit all. Frontiers in Education, 9:1401191. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1401191
Boice, K. L., & Jackson, J. (2024, June 4). Rightful Presence in the STEAM Classroom. Northwest Georgia Regional Education Service Agency STEM Forum, Cartersville, GA.
Boice, K. L., Jackson, J., & Coger, M. (2024, February 22-23). Reflecting on Rightful Presence in the STEAM Classroom. Georgia Science Teacher Association Annual Conference, Columbus, GA.
Byous, S., Grossman, S., & Larkin, D. (2024, June 13-14). Hour of Code with EarSketch. MathCON & CS CON Summer Conference, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta, GA.
Gale, J. D., Alemdar, M., & Moore, R. (2024, June). Board 417: Understanding the Implementation of the STEM-ID Curricula in Middle School Engineering Classrooms (Fundamental). In 2024 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Gale, J. D., Baptiste Porter, D., Alemdar, M., Choi, J., Newton, S. H., Rehmat, A. P., & Moore, R. (2024, June). Exploring How Contextual Factors Influence the Implementation of Middle School Engineering Curricula (Fundamental). In 2024 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition.
Harrison, J., Casas-Ferrer, L., Jackson, J., Gallice, G., Reyes, J., Nina, J., Hu, D., & Bhamla, S. (2024, January 2-6). The in-situ Jungle Biomechanics Lab [Poster presentation]. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Jackson, J. R. (2024). Intersecting Identities: Graduate Teaching Assistant Experiences in the Academy. The Educational Forum, 1-16. doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2024.2374311
Jackson, J., Boice, K. L., & Alemdar, M. (2024, April 11-14). STEAM Teachers Embracing Rightful Presence: A Shared Commitment to “Amplify the Sociopolitical” [Roundtable]. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
Jackson, J., Boice, K. L., & Alemdar, M. (2023, October 4-6). Embracing the complexity of evaluator identity and role [Roundtable]. Seventh International Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation & Assessment Conference, Chicago, IL.
Jackson, J., Grossman, S., Kessler, T., Boice, K. L., & Alemdar, M. (2024, March 8). Promoting STEAM partnerships [Presentation]. STEAM Leadership Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Kaneria, A. J., Koval, J., Brown, T. L., Padró Collazo, P., Hernández, D., & Quiñones Pérez, I. R. (2024, May). Belonging, Engagement, and Wellbeing: Latine Youth Experiences in Informal, Resource Pedagogy Based Computer Science Education Programs. In 2024 Conference for Research on Equitable and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, & Technology.
Kaneria, A., Koval, J., Hernández, D., Padro Collazo, P., Brown, T., McKlin, T., Edwards, D., Arce, R., Freeman, J., Quiñones, I., & Marrero, L. (2023, October 4-6). Remezcla: Cultural Relevancy & Belonging Through Music and Coding with Latinx Youth. Seventh International Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation & Assessment Conference, Chicago, IL.
Kessler, T. C., Boice, K. L., Koval, J., Jackson, J., Choi, J., Alemdar, M., Grossman S., Simmons, K., & Usselman, M. (2024). Partnerships in STEAM: How Collaborating with STEAM Experts Impacts K-12 Teachers’ Abilities to Implement STEAM Lessons in the Classroom. Education Sciences, 14(5).
Research Publications and Presentations
Kessler, T. C., Simmons, K., Boice, K. L., Jackson, J., Choi, J., & Alemdar, M. (2024). Work-in-Progress: Pursuing STEM/STEAM Certification as a Method for Maintaining an Integrated STEM/STEAM Learning Environment. In 2024 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Levine, R., Barnes, S., & Kiyama, F. (2024, April 11-14). Promoting Adolescent Social and Emotional Development During Out of School Time: A Systematic Review [Roundtable]. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
Mack, E., Blackmon, S., Boice, K. L., & Grossman, S. (2024, February 22-23). Growing Green Minds: Exploring Plant Growth Through STEAM. Georgia Science Teacher Association Annual Conference, Columbus, GA.
Patel, J., Moore, R., Rutledge, A., Cellitioci, J., Giordano, A., Lanman, K., & Valentin, J. (2024, March 26-28). Pop-ups, P-values, and Partnerships. inventEd Annual Convening, Alexandria, VA.
Patel, J., Rutledge, A., Cellitioci, J., & Moore, R. (2024, June). The Impact of Invention Education Participation on Students’ Confidence and Anxiety in STEM. In 2024 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition.
Reckner, M., Tien, I., Smith, S., Omunga, P., Alemdar, M., & Hyde, A. (2024). Impact of Youth Education on Green Stormwater Infrastructure Recommendations to Increase Equity and Resilience in Marginalized Communities. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 150(9), 04024032. doi.org/10.1061/JWRMD5.WRENG-6315
Rehmat, A. P., Alemdar, M., Baptiste Porter, D., Helms, M., Rosen, J. H., & Weissburg, M. (2024, June). Exploring high school teachers’ perceptions of biologically inspired design integration in engineering classrooms (Fundamental Research). In 2024 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition.
Rehmat, A. P., Alemdar, M., Helms, M., Weissburg, M., and Moore, R. (2024). Exploring High School Engineering Students’ Integration of Biological Concepts in the Engineering Design Process. International Journal of Engineering Education, 40(4), 715-732.
Rehmat, A. P., Helms, M., Alemdar, M., & Rosen, J. H. (2024, June). Biologically Inspired Design in Introductory High School Engineering Design Courses: Student Expectations, Fixation and the Importance of Prior (Fundamental Research). In 2024 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Rehmat A. P., Towner A. A., Alemdar M., Helms M. E., Rosen J. H., Moore R. A., & Weissburg, M. J. (2024, August). Examining an Evolving Biologically Inspired Design Professional Learning Environment through Conjecture Mapping and Design-Based Research. Biomimetics, 9(8):468. doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9080468
Surdin, K., & Heald, N. (2023, October 25-26). Building and Measuring Student Outcomes: How Iteration Helped Build a Model for Tracking Student Competencies Over 4 Years. State of the Art Conference, Colorado Springs, CO.
Wirick, D., Barnes, S., & McCain, A. (2023, October 27). Arts Integration into STEM: Start with Art [Presentation]. Georgia Afterschool Youth Development Summit, Macon, GA.
Worsley, T., Jackson, J., Boice, K. L., Alemdar, M., Whitmore, D., & Porter, S. (2024, January 19-21). Supporting Socially-Just STEAM/Science Teachers’ Practices through Rightful Presence. Science Educators for Equity, Diversity, & Social Justice Conference, Tucson, AZ.
Yraguen, B. F., Koolman, E., Moore, R., & Fu, K. (2024, June). Promoting Equity and Cognitive Growth: The Influence of an Authentic Learning Assignment on Engineering Problem-Solving Skills. In 2024 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition
Sponsors and Partners
Universities
Albany State University
Arizona State University
Atlanta University Center Consortium
Carnegie Mellon University
Georgia College and State University
Georgia State University
Indiana University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mercer University
Middle Georgia State University, Dublin
Middle Georgia State University, Macon
Mississippi State University
Morehouse College
Purdue University
Savannah State University
Southern Regional Technical College
Syracuse University
Technical College System of Georgia
University of Georgia
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
University of Iowa
University of Minnesota
University of North Georgia
University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix
University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas
Valdosta State University
Advanced Auto Alliance Theatre
External Organizations, Businesses, and Federal & State Agencies
Amazon Future Engineer
AMC North DeKalb
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Ansley Golf Course
Anthem (Georgia Families 360)
Apple
Aramark
ArtsNOW
Association of Academic Programs in Latin America & the Caribbean
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Atlanta Science Festival
Bark and Board
Barnes and Noble
Black Girls Code
Boeing
Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time (BOOST) grant program
California Sea Grant Center for Puppetry Arts
Center for Visually Impaired
Challenger Sports
Check-Mate Industries, Inc.
City of Savannah - Office of Sustainability
Climate Science Alliance Code Art Code.org
Colegio Bilingüe New Horizons International School
Computer Science Teachers Association
Crème de la Crème
CS4ALL
CS4GA
CS4NYC
Dauphin Island Sea Lab - Discovery Hall Programs
Decatur YMCA
Emory Conference Center Hotel
FBI Atlanta
Fernbank
Foundational Leadership Entrepreneurship & X-perience (FLEX)
Francis Wood Wilson Foundation
Fulton County Government
Fulton County Innovation Lab
Acoustic Water Tank Laboratory
Bioengineering & Bioscience Unified Graduate Students
Burdell’s
BuzzCard Center
Campus Recreation Center
Campus Recreation Center – Competitive
Sports
Campus Recreation Center – Facilities
Campus Recreation Center – Member
Services
Center for Advanced Communications Policy
Center for Inclusive Design & Innovation
GearUP Dougherty
Georgia AIM
Georgia Center of Innovation
Georgia Coastal Equity & Resilience (CEAR)
Hub
Georgia Council on Development Disabilities
Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Georgia Department of Education
Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Georgia F.I.R.S.T.
Georgia General Assembly
Georgia Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Consortium
Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance
Georgia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
Georgia Power
Georgia Public Broadcasting Education
Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network
Gulfstream Aerospace
Gwinnett County Afterschool Programs
High Museum of Art
Hines Family Foundation
Horizons Atlanta
Horizons National
Hotel Indigo Atlanta Midtown
HMTX Industries
Hyundai
IFMA Foundation
IK Hoffman
Imagine Thomasville
Insight Global IronCAD
Kids2
Latin American Association
MALDEF
Metro Power
Microsoft
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
Museum of Aviation
Museum of Design Atlanta
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Science Activation Program
NASA Space Grant K-12 Inclusiveness & Diversity in STEM
National Center for Civil & Human Rights
Institute Collaborators
Center for Music Technology
Center for Teaching & Learning
Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons
COLLEGE OF COMPUTING
School of Computer Science
School of Interactive Computing
COLLEGE OF DESIGN
School of Building Construction
School of Industrial Design
School of Music
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Dean’s Office
School of Aerospace Engineering
National Inventors Hall of Fame
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
National Science Foundation - DRK-12
Northside Hospital Foundation
Northwest Georgia Regional Education
Service Agency
NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program
Open Hand Atlanta
Paradies Lagardère
Partnership for Inclusive Innovation
Paul Duke Endowment
Post Office - Central Processing
Publix
Roswell City Department of Recreation
Shell Corporation
Southwest Georgia Regional Commission
Spelman College Bookstore
STEM/STEAM Georgia
Synchronicity Theatre
TAG Manufacturing
TAG-Ed
TEALS
The Ark Animal Hospital
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
The Coca-Cola Company Warehouse
The Coca-Cola Foundation
The Creative Coast
The Goizueta Foundation
The Harambee House
The Water Institute - Gulf Center for Equitable Climate Resilience
Think College
Tisk/Task
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Department of Education
UGA Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant
United Way of Greater Atlanta
Up3 Atlanta
UPS
Voya
Wedge, Inc.
Westside Future Fund
Woodruff Arts Center
YELLOW
Zoo Atlanta
School of Biomedical Engineering
School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering
School of Electrical & Computer Engineering
School of Industrial & Systems Engineering
School of Materials Science & Engineering
School of Mechanical Engineering
COLLEGE OF SCIENCES
School of Biological Sciences
School of Chemistry & Biochemistry
School of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
School of Mathematics
School of Physics
School of Psychology
Constellations Center for Equity in Computing
CREATE-X
Data Science & Policy Lab
DramaTech Theatre
Energy Policy & Innovation Center
Enterprise Innovation Institute
Entertainment Intelligence Lab
Ferst Center for the Arts
First-Generation & Limited Income Student
Initiatives
Georgia Smart
Georgia Tech Alumni Association
Georgia Tech Facilities
Georgia Tech Fire Safety Office
Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center
Georgia Tech Housing – Warehouse
Georgia Tech Library – Facilities
Georgia Tech Library – Gadget Room
Georgia Tech Motorsports
Georgia Tech Office of Information
Technology - AV Services
Appling County
Athens-Clarke County
Atlanta Public Schools
Barrow County
Bartow County
Ben Hill County
Bibb County
Bryan County
Bulloch County
Butts County
Camden County
Candler County
Carrollton City Schools
Cartersville City Schools
Catoosa County
Chattahoochee County
Chattooga County
Cherokee County
City Schools of Decatur
Clayton County
Clinch County
Cobb County
Coffee County
Colquitt County
Columbia County
Coweta County
Crawford County
Decatur County
DeKalb County
Dooly County
Dougherty County
Douglas County
Dublin City Schools
Emanuel County
Georgia Tech Post Office
Georgia Tech Professional Education
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Georgia Tech Student Center – Multicultural
Lounge
Georgia Tech Student Center – Tech Rec
Georgia Tech Student Center Operations –
Event Planning & Management
Georgia Tech Women’s Resource Center
Global Research & Internship Program
Hive Makerspace
Institute Communications
Institute Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Institute for Leadership & Social Impact
Institute for People & Technology
Institute for Robotics & Intelligent Machines
Institute Relations
IVAN ALLEN COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
School of History & Sociology
School of Literature, Media, & Communication
School of Modern Languages
School of Public Policy
Johnna S. Temenoff Lab
School Districts
Effingham County
Evans County
Fannin County
Fayette County
Floyd County
Forsyth County
Fulton County
Glynn County
Gordon County
Grady County
Gwinnett County
Habersham County
Hall County
Hancock County
Haralson County
Harris County
Heard County
Henry County
Houston County
Jackson County
Jeff Davis County
Jones County
Laurens County
Lee County
Liberty County
Long County
Lowndes County
Lumpkin County
Macon County
Marietta City Schools
McDuffie County
Mitchell County
Monroe County
Montgomery County
Klemins Kitchen & STAR Health Services
Krishnendu Roy Lab
Laboratory for Intelligent Decision & Autonomous Robots
NSF Engineering Research Center for Cell
Manufacturing Technologies
Office of Hispanic Initiatives
Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid
Office of the President
Office of the Provost
Office of Undergraduate Admission
Pre-Graduate & Pre-Professional Advising
Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking
RoboMed Lab
Scheller College of Business - IT Services
Serve-Learn-Sustain
Social & Language Technologies Lab
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Strategic Energy Institute
Tech Catering
Tech Dining
Visual Intelligence Lab
Yellow Jackets Baseball
Youth Programs
Muscogee County
Newton County
Oconee County
Oglethorpe County
Paulding County
Peach County
Pickens County
Pike County
Putnam County
Rabun County
Randolph County
Richmond County
Rockdale County
Savannah-Chatham County
Screven County
Seminole County
Stephens County
Sumter County
Thomas County
Thomasville City Schools
Toombs County
Treutlen County
Trion City Schools
Twiggs County
Upson County
Valdosta City Schools
Walker County
Walton County
Ware County
Washington County
Wayne County
White County
Whitfield County
Wilkinson County
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Private schools, independent schools, K-12 serving organizations and others were not included on this list due to space constraints but are accounted for in CEISMC Impact by the Numbers (page 4).
