Georgia Tech Research Podcast

The latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast is devoted to the research and integration efforts of Georgia Tech and GTRI. The episode's guests are Benjamin (Ben) Riley, a principal research associate in GTRI's Chief Technology Officer's office; and Benjamin (Ben) Yang, a principal research engineer in GTRI's CIPHER lab. They are the coordinators of the Hives Early Career IRAD program (FY26).

Ben and Ben give details about the program, which has a proposal deadline of March 28.

At the 2025 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), Georgia Tech Research Institute's (GTRI) Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP) captured industry attention with two groundbreaking technology demonstrations. Highlighted in the latest Georgia Tech Research Podcast episode, hosted by Stephanie Richter, the expo showcased how ATRP continues to drive innovation in poultry production.

"IPPE is a fantastic event that allows us to showcase what our great folks do here at GTRI," said Doug Britton, ATRP program manager. "We get a chance to network, learn what's state-of-the-art, and build relationships crucial for driving our innovation forward."

The ATRP booth featured two key projects: the revolutionary poultry rehang shackle system by Dr. Konrad Ahlin and the autonomous chicken house monitoring robot, Go-Bot, led by Colin Usher.

Konrad's demonstration focused on improving safety and ergonomics in poultry processing. "We're developing a system for performing the rehang action, simplifying a physically and mentally demanding job," explained Konrad. "Our device allows operators to push the birds onto a rehang mat, reducing the risks associated with manually hanging birds on fast-moving shackles."

Meanwhile, Colin Usher's Go-Bot, a fully autonomous ground robot designed to monitor chicken houses and collect eggs, drew significant interest. "It started as a wild idea in 2014," Colin recalled. "The first time we showed it, farmers didn't ask about research—they just wanted to buy it. That blew our minds."

Alexis Noel, Ph.D., a senior research engineer at GTRI, manages the GTRI SEEDLab makerspace, which opened in September 2021. The SEEDLab, which includes 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines, fosters creativity and collaboration among GTRI employees. Despite its small 400-square-foot space, the lab has over 300 employees with room access and over 660 monthly users.

Opened in September 2021, the SEEDLab (short for "Support for Early Engineering Design")—is housed in the Baker Building and has quickly become a hub of activity for GTRI researchers, staff, and students. It provides access to cutting-edge tools, including multiple 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines. Despite its compact 400-square-foot space, the lab serves a rapidly growing community.

"There are over 300 GTRI employees who have room access to the SEEDLab," says Alexis. "We have over 660 individuals who sign in during work hours every month."

You are invited to listen to the next Tech Connects podcast on Friday, January 24th. The purpose of the Tech Connects series is to disseminate institutional knowledge of technical capabilities and portfolios across all of GTRI. The January 24th Tech Connects event will feature Paul Brancato and Moeiini Riley, researchers in the Electronic Systems Laboratory (ELSYS) Test Engineering Division (TEN).

Modern warfare requires the use, control and dominance of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum has become a critical domain for military operations. With the increasing reliance on wireless communications and electronic systems, the rapidly evolving landscape of electronic warfare (EW) and cyber options requires new solutions to help maintain this dominance. The aim of Paul and Moeiini's research is to investigate the viability and effectiveness of employing a low-cost jamming solution, known as low-cost kitten (LCK), to enhance cyber-EM activities (CEMA) within contested radio frequency (RF) environments.

LCK is a cost-effective variant of GTRI's Angry Kitten electronic attack system that enables dynamic jamming of RF transmissions. LCK uses simple and cheap commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, and with only small modification, operates within the RF band of ground-based army systems. This provides EW capability to army units that currently do not have this capability. This research also became part of a summer 2024 GTRI Research Internship Project (GRIP), known as Command Post Kitten developed entirely at the Warner Robins field office. GRIP is sponsored by GTRI's Office of the Chief Technology Officer. The focus here was on the development, testing, and evaluation of the LCK in CEMA operational environments, considering factors of affordability, portability, and adaptability for various operational scenarios.

This episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast highlights the fifth annual Georgia Regulatory Symposium, held in late 2024 at GTRI Headquarters building in Atlanta. The event was organized by Wendy White, Industry Manager for Food & Beverage at the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) of Georgia Tech.

The annual event brings together stakeholders from government, industry, and academia to discuss regulatory compliance and emerging issues in food safety. The symposium, evolving from a breakfast event, now includes diverse speakers and topics such as cybersecurity, avian influenza, and peracetic acid research.

In the podcast episode, Wendy emphasizes the importance of collaboration between regulators and industry professionals.

The podcast also features on-the-scene interviews with attendees at the Georgia Regulatory Symposium. The attendees, from various industry sectors such as food manufacturers and regulatory agencies, speak about how their attendance at the Georgia Regulatory Symposium is valuable for networking and learning about industry updates and best practices.

If you would like to stay up to date on the upcoming 2025 Georgia Regulatory Symposium, please complete this short interest form: https://gamep.ac-page.com/regulatory-symposium

GaMEP exists to enhance the economic well-being of Georgia by helping manufacturers improve their performance in the global market. Manufacturing is the second-largest private industry in Georgia.

In the latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast, host Stephanie Richter sits down with Janet Standeven, Program Director of the Frugal Science Academy at Georgia Tech's School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. A former high school educator and a passionate champion of synthetic biology, Janet's journey exemplifies how accessible science education can spark innovation and, as GTRI's mission states, "educate future technology leaders."

This episode gives listeners a primer on Learning and Development (L&D) initiatives at Georgia Tech and Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). Hosted by Eric Klein, the episode features insights from Dr. Diamond Ford, Senior Director of Employee Experience and Development, and Ms. Sarah Cockrell, Director of Employee Development and Culture. The discussion underscores the vital role of L&D in fostering organizational success, innovation, and employee engagement, highlighting Georgia Tech's commitment to creating a collaborative and supportive workplace.

Daniel (Danny) Browne recently took the helm as the Director of the Information and Communications Laboratory (ICL) at GTRI. In the latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast, hosted by GTRI research scientist Stephanie Richter, Danny shares insights into his journey, leadership philosophy, and vision for the future of GTRI. The episode highlights not only Danny's impressive career trajectory but also his collaborative and forward-thinking approach to research and innovation.

The latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research Podcast focuses on a key agricultural technology initiative at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI): the USDA Farm Processing and Transport (FPAT) project. The episode features Dr. Alexander Samoylov, a Principal Research Scientist at GTRI, who shares insights into this project, which aims to reshape the poultry industry's approach to transport and processing.

The latest episode of the Georgia Tech Research podcast delves into the remarkable journeys of two Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) researchers, Megan Birch and Sheila Isbell, both recently honored as finalists in the 2024 Women in Technology (WIT) Women of the Year Awards. Hosted by GTRI Senior Researcher Eric Klein, the episode explores Megan and Sheila's stories, insights, and the impact they have made at GTRI.

Megan, a research scientist in GTRI's Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL), was recently named the inaugural winner of the WIT "Young Professional" Woman of the Year Award, while Sheila, principal research scientist and chief of the Software Engineering and Analytics Division within the Information and Communications Laboratory (ICL), was recognized as a finalist in the "Medium/Mid-Sized Company" category. Their stories not only celebrate personal achievements but also shed light on the influence of women in STEM fields and the ongoing efforts to inspire more women to enter and thrive in technology.