April 2024

Georgia Tech recently was ranked the No. 1 public university in energy and fuels research and the School of Public Policy is an integral part of the reason why. Our focus on climate and energy policy, the clean energy transition, energy equity, and more places us at the heart of Georgia Tech's efforts to create a greener and more sustainable tomorrow. Read on for a few recent examples of our work published this month alone in this crucial area of inquiry.

Assistant Professor Omar Asensio's work with a team of Public Policy students, published in Nature Sustainability, found block-grant fund recipients saved up to $482 a year in energy costs, even when efficiency wasn't the goal.

The study digs into the historical causes of energy burden among Black residents in Georgia, and features interviews with nearly three dozen residents about their challenges keeping up with the high cost of energy.

Regents' Professor Marilyn A. Brown joins colleagues from other Ivan Allen College schools to discuss the future of renewable energy policy in the United States.

Waschak, Ph.D. Public Policy, is a senior analytics manager at the Georgia Department of Public Health. "I get to work with people who are making real decisions that affect the lives of all Georgians," he says. "Leaders spend billions of dollars on ideas that will affect millions of Georgians based on what I now write. I see the results of my team's work on the nightly news and in debates at the state legislature. That is pretty cool." Learn more about Waschak and his work in his alumni profile.

Brumbaugh is a fourth-year Public Policy major graduating this Spring with plans to move to Washington to consult for Guidehouse. "When I started at Georgia Tech I knew I wanted to experience working for the government, for a lobbying group, and for a company's government affairs team. I was able to achieve this goal and have a great understanding of the similarities and differences in the motivations of people in each of these roles," she said."I also learned a ton about different areas of policy, such as transportation and defense, that I would not if I had not pushed myself to try different roles." Congratulations, Lucy!

"Bolstering Integrity in Environmental Data Science and Machine Learning Requires Understanding Socioecological Inequity," a journal article by Joe Frank Bozeman, was published in Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering.

"Toward Residential Decarbonization: Analyzing Social-Psychological Drivers of Household Co-Adoption of Rooftop Solar, Electric Vehicles, and Efficient HVAC Systems in Georgia, U.S.," a journal article by Min-Kyeong Cha, Marilyn A. Brown, Snehal Kale, and Oliver Chapman, was published in Renewable Energy.

"Housing Policies and Energy Efficiency Spillovers in Low- and Moderate-Income Communities," a journal article by Omar Asensio, Olga Churkina, and Becky D. Rafter, was published in Nature Sustainability

Aaron Levine spoke at the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering on the ethical challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI) in cell manufacturing, drawing upon his work with the NSF Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies at Georgia Tech to explore the potential of AI to advance cell therapies and identify some of the key ethical challenges and policy barriers that complicate this effort.

Postdoctoral researcher Alzbeta Hajkova presented her project “Philosophical Examination of Westsplaining” at the Central Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association.

"Social Impacts of the American Red Cross (ARC) Disaster Interventions: A Scoping Review," a journal article by Mishayla A. Harve, was published in Cureus.

"Why Modify or Terminate Contracts for Critical Supplies? Evaluating Federal Purchasing of PPE Following Covid -19," a journal article by Juan D. Rogers, was published in the International Public Management Journal.

"Using Collaborative Governance to Regulate Sober Living Facilities: Structures and Strategies for Mitigating the Influence of Powerful Actors in Multi-Sectoral Networks," a journal article by Travis A. Whetsell, was published in Administration & Society.

"Understanding Super-Partnerships in Scientific Collaboration: Evidence From the Field of Economics," a journal article by Cassidy R. Sugimoto, was published in the Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology.

"Responsible Innovation Scholarship: Normative, Empirical, Theoretical, and Engaged," a journal article by John P. Nelson, was published in the Journal of Responsible Innovation.

"Social Responsibility and Ethics in STEM Education: The State of the Field," a chapter by Quintin Kreth and Jason Borenstein, was published in Building Inclusive Ethical Culture in STEM by Springer.

"Infant Safe Havens," a journal article by Lindsey Rose Bullinger, was published in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.

Commencement ceremonies run from Thursday, May 2, to Saturday, May 4. See the official schedule for details of specific events.

10th Annual Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts Distinguished Alumni Awards

Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center Ballrooms
April 10, 5:30 – 8 p.m.

Ivan Allen College Alumni Happy Hour in Washington

Off the Record at the Hay-Adams, 800 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
April 15, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

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