Georgia Tech Research Podcast

• Abilities Expo information and 2027 schedule: https://www.abilities.com/
• GT CHIRP Project website: https://access-pd.design.gatech.edu/

The Georgia Tech Research Institute's Independent Research and Development (IRAD) program represents a strategic investment in innovation, funding groundbreaking research that directly addresses national security concerns and global challenges that will define our future. Through IRAD, researchers have the freedom to explore bold ideas, test unconventional approaches, and develop solutions before problems become crises. Dr. Kenneth Allen, GTRI Chief Technology Officer, provides the strategic vision behind IRAD investments, explaining how GTRI identifies emerging challenges and allocates resources to address them. Dr. Allen offers insider perspective on what makes a research project truly transformative and how IRAD serves as an innovation engine for both GTRI and the broader research community. With more than 200 research posters filling the exhibition hall at Georgia Tech, each one representing months or years of dedicated work, each one a potential game-changer in its field. The energy is palpable as researchers passionately explaining their work, colleagues challenging assumptions, students absorbing knowledge, and leaders identifying the next big opportunities. It's creativity, curiosity, and collaboration all converging in one dynamic space. Our podcast captures this electric atmosphere, bringing you conversations recorded live from the exhibition floor, where ideas are still fresh and enthusiasm runs high.

Featured Voices In addition to our headline interview, we captured the voices of the Extravaganza itself, researchers, students, and institutional leaders who generously shared their time and perspectives. Some offered in-depth insights into their work, while others simply introduced themselves, but all conveyed the unmistakable excitement that filled the exhibition hall. You'll hear from early-career researchers launching their first major projects, seasoned investigators pushing the boundaries of their fields, students gaining hands-on experience, and administrators shaping research policy.

What happens when cutting-edge artificial intelligence meets one of our most essential industries? In the latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast, host Stephanie Richter explores this fascinating intersection with two leading voices in the field. Walker Byrnes, Branch Head for AI, Machine Learning, and Data Analytics at the Georgia Tech Research Institute is joined by Ashley Peterson, Senior Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs of the National Chicken Council, for an in-depth conversation about how AI is quietly reshaping food safety in poultry processing. Walker has become a go-to expert on AI-driven foreign material detection, smarter monitoring systems that help prevent recalls, and secure language tools that help plants navigate complex regulations. But this isn't about treating AI like a magic black box; this is about careful, intentional innovation that strengthens the fundamentals of food safety. Throughout the episode, Walker shares his journey into AI, what his team is currently working on, and practical advice for both plant leaders and regulators on integrating these tools effectively.

From discussing data security and ownership challenges to explaining how AI systems handle the real-world chaos of variable poultry processing, this conversation offers valuable insights for anyone interested in the future of food safety and agricultural technology. Listen now to discover how GTRI is helping shape the AI world - carefully and intentionally - to improve the safety of the food we eat every day.

Brought to you by the State of Georgia's Agricultural Technology Research Program.

Indoor farms often lack natural pollinators like birds and bees, forcing growers to hand-pollinate every flower. In this episode, Dr. Shreyas Kousik from Georgia Tech joins us to discuss his work at the intersection of control theory, robot motion planning, and data-driven design—and how these tools are being used to build a robot that can autonomously and safely pollinate indoor crops.

GTRI Director Mike Gazarik, Ph.D., is the featured guest on the latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast.

In his first 90 days as Director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute, Mike Gazarik, Ph.D., is building the foundation of his tenure on certain core ideas: mission, people, culture, speed, and impact. They form an early blueprint for how he sees GTRI, why he came back, and where he believes the Institute can go next.

For Mike, being GTRI Director is not just a stop along the way, or a late-career experiment. It is something more personal and more final than that.

"This is it. This is the ultimate chapter for me," he said. "I'm not trying to go anywhere, do anything. I'm really just trying to help."

Smith Sheehy, Vice President of Program Development and a board advisor for the Cybersecurity Association of the Food Industry, discusses the critical role of cybersecurity in the food industry. She emphasizes the importance of securing the digital nervous system of food production, comparing digital threats to biological pathogens. She advocates for integrating cybersecurity into new technologies and policies. Smith also underscores the importance of transparency and continuous education within organizations to enhance cybersecurity practices.

This episode of The Georgia Tech Research podcast features Mary Catherine Foy, Director of Technical Services at Proxy Clean Products, discussing the critical role of water management in poultry houses. Foy emphasizes the importance of clean water for bird health, noting that birds consume twice as much water as feed. She highlights the vulnerability of water lines during the first two weeks of a new flock, when microbial counts peak. Foy recommends daily water treatment, regular flushing, and cleaning water lines between flocks. She also addresses the challenges of antibiotic-free production, which revealed weaknesses in water treatment programs.

The Georgia Tech Research Institute podcast, hosted by Georgia Tech staffers Fran and Salimah, discusses the Consortium for Helping Improve Research Participation (CHIRP). The podcast aims to increase research participation, particularly among underrepresented groups, including people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds.

They highlight the importance of inclusive research, citing historical mistrust due to unethical studies and the need for better representation. They also mention the role of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) in protecting research participants. The hosts emphasize that research affects everyone and encourage listeners to share their experiences and perspectives on research participation.

The latest Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP) episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast features Dr. Dana Dittoe (www.linkedin.com/in/danadittoe/). This episode showcases a unique cross-university collaboration between the Agricultural Technology Research Program within the Georgia Tech Research Institute and the University of Wyoming.

Dr. Dittoe, a Microbiology researcher and Assistant Professor at the University of Wyoming, brings her expertise in food safety to the discussion. Her research is advancing food safety, extending shelf life, and enhancing overall food quality, ultimately reducing waste and contributing to a more sustainable food system.

The episode delves into the application of inorganic and organic acids in preserving food and ensuring safety. Why does that matter? Have you ever wondered why food spoils or how to make it stay fresh longer? This episode explores those questions and more.

The latest Georgia Tech Research Podcast episode for the Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP) focuses on the Georgia Tech Diggle Lab (www.thedigglelab.com). This episode discusses cross-campus collaboration between GTRI's ATRP and GT's Diggle Lab. The Lab's director is Dr. Steve Diggle (hence, the name).

The Diggle Lab is based in the Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (part of the School of Biological Sciences) at Georgia Tech. Its primary objective is to gain a deeper understanding of microbial interactions and social behaviors, with a focus on their impact on virulence, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and the development of therapeutic strategies.

A prominent project is an investigation of the antibiotic-resistant superbug, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified as a "critical threat" in health care environments.

GTRI and the Diggle Lab collaborated on research focused on bio-based wound dressings and antibiotic resistance. The collaboration has led to has developed piacens, protein-based antimicrobial structures that target specific bacteria without causing resistance. The lab also explored ancient biotics, recreating a 1,000-year-old recipe that effectively treated Staphylococcus aureus.

The collaboration aims to address antibiotic resistance and biofilm issues in poultry and industrial settings, leveraging piacens' precision and stability.