The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) podcast celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps, Nov. 10, 2025. GTRI employees who are Marines share their experiences, emphasizing the Corps' traditions and values.

Key moments include the Birthday Ball, which reinforces Marine identity, and deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, highlighting the camaraderie and challenges faced.

Stories from veterans including Courtney Daniels, Patrick Clark, Kirk Blehm, Kyle Blond, Terence Sterba, Rupert Simon, and Eric Scott, illustrate the Marine Corps' impact on their lives and the lessons they apply in their civilian roles at GTRI.

The podcast underscores the importance of Marine Corps traditions in fostering teamwork, leadership, and resilience.

This episode of the Georgia Tech Research podcast discusses PFAs, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, with Dr. Christopher Heist and Jordan Ash. PFAs, known as "forever chemicals," are synthetic compounds with strong carbon-fluorine bonds, making them highly persistent in the environment. They are ubiquitous in products like waterproofing, stain-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foam.

The episode highlights the challenges in analyzing PFAs due to their widespread presence and the need for specialized equipment. The discussion also covers the impact of PFAs on human health, including cancer risks, and the efforts to reduce exposure through filtration and product updates. The conversation emphasizes the importance of collaboration and ongoing research to address PFAs contamination.

Dr. Heist will discuss the subject as a featured speaker during the Georgia Food Safety Conference, to be held Nov. 5- 6 at The Georgia Tech Research Institute Headquarters Conference Center (250 14th Street, Atlanta, GA).

In the latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast, host Stephanie Richter speaks with Dr. Dimitri Mavris, Distinguished Regents Professor and Executive Director of Georgia Tech's Professional Master's in Applied Systems Engineering (PMASE) program.

Now in his 46th year at Georgia Tech, Mavris reflects on his journey from student to professor and on the evolution of systems engineering as a discipline. "It wasn't the plan—it became the plan," he said.

Mavris described PMASE as a program designed for working professionals navigating the increasing complexity of technology. He emphasized that staying relevant requires constant education.

"Only by never stopping reading and learning will one have a chance of keeping up."

Since taking leadership of the program, enrollment has grown from 28 to 81 students, supported by collaborations with GTRI researchers and Georgia Tech Professional Education. New initiatives include a certificate program for General Dynamics and plans for a European variant based at Georgia Tech-Europe.

Mavris also discussed the growing influence of artificial intelligence and data-driven engineering. "AI isn't new," he said, "but its scale today makes discernment critical. Students must learn not just to use tools—but to judge what's credible."

The most recent episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast features a conversation with Georgia Tech Human Resources (GTHR) leaders about the many benefits and programs available to Georgia Tech and GTRI employees.

Host Scott McAtee, assistant director-HR business partner at GTRI, is joined by Kimberly Goler-Stubbs, Yolanda McDaniel, and Michelle Jordan-Dumas, who each oversee different aspects of employee health, benefits, and retirement.

The discussion highlights how Georgia Tech's benefits go beyond health care and retirement.

The latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast brings together two leaders from the Human Centered Engineering Division (HCED) at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI): Dr. Theresa Kessler, branch head of the Human Performance Branch, and Stuart Michelson, associate division chief.

Together, they break down common misconceptions about human factors, explaining how careful attention to human-system interaction can save time, money, and even lives.

They explain why trust is not the ultimate goal, why manpower, personnel, and training studies are critical, why UX/UI is more than attractive interfaces, and why human systems integration must be treated as foundational.

The latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast turns its focus to the people at the heart of cutting-edge defense and technology research. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Kessler, principal research scientist in the Human Centered Engineering Division (HCED) at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), shares how her team's work bridges the gap between technology and the humans who depend on it.

Dr. Kessler's research centers on improving the way humans interact with increasingly complex systems, particularly in defense contexts where clarity and reliability can have life-or-death implications. HCED integrates principles of psychology, engineering, and systems design to ensure that technology enhances, rather than hinders, human performance.

"Our goal is to understand the human in the loop," Kessler explains in the podcast. "When systems are designed with human factors in mind, they become more intuitive, more resilient, and ultimately more effective."

GTRI's independent research and development (IRAD) investment aims to develop and advance research that addresses national security and global challenges.

The latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast brings listeners into the 2025 IRAD Extravaganza, an annual event where Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) researchers present their boldest ideas and emerging projects.

This year, more than 200 posters filled the lobby and meeting spaces of GTRI Headquarters, creating an atmosphere buzzing with creativity, curiosity, and collaboration.

The podcast episode features interviews with researchers, students, and leaders in attendance, each offering a unique perspective on the role of Independent Research and Development (IRAD) in shaping the future.

Speakers and time marks:

Speaker #1 @01:22 = Walker Byrnes

Speaker #2 @03:13 = Nathan Damen

Speaker #3 @04:02 = Amy Mo

Speaker #4 @04:40 = Julian Grinberg

Speaker #5 @05:01 = Calvin Hur

Speaker #6 @05:27 = Justice Williams

Speaker #7 @06:12 = Benjamin Riley

Speaker #8 @07:20 = Peter Tuuk

Speaker #9 @09:10 = Alexis Noel

Speaker #10 @10:24 = The Office of Technology Licensing (Mary Albertson – Director)

Speaker #11 @13:24 = Judy Song

Speaker #12 @15:18 = Shelby Allen; Robert "Bob" Wright

Speaker #13 @19:45 = Thomas Williamson

Speaker #14 @20:48 = Maxwell "Max" Tannenbaum; Dante Dimenichi

Speaker #15 @25:01 = "IRAD of the Year" Winner - XPAT

In the most recent episode of the GTRI Tech Connect series, Principal Research Scientist Dr. Jon Duke discusses the groundbreaking Georgia All Payer Claims Database (APCD) project. APCD is a state initiative that centralizes health care claim data to improve access, quality, and cost of care for Georgians.

Sponsored by the Georgia Office of Health Strategy and Coordination, the APCD aggregates over 1.5 billion medical records, 750 million pharmacy records, and even dental claims data from health insurers across the state. This massive, de-identified dataset allows researchers to address healthcare challenges at an unprecedented scale, from maternal and behavioral health to rural healthcare access.

In the latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast, GTRI Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP) research scientist Stephanie Richter interviews Maeve Mobley and Alyssa Albino, two Georgia Tech students who interned at ATRP.

Alyssa, a business major with a concentration in marketing; and Maeve, a literature, media, and communications major, worked to tell ATRP's story in its marketing/communications unit.

They discuss their roles in expanding the social media presence of ATRP. Maeve and Alyssa emphasize the importance of utilizing Instagram and LinkedIn accounts to effectively showcase ATRP's research and core values.

In a special behind-the-scenes episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast, the usual hosts—Stephanie Richter and Eric Klein—become the guests. Hosted by summer intern Randeep Hora, a high school student with a keen interest in research and storytelling, this retrospective episode offers a candid, entertaining, and insightful look into the podcast's evolution, mission, and dynamic team.