Partnership in Practice: Co‑Creating Sociotechnical Futures with Underserved Communities
SPEAKER: Katie A Siek, Professor in School of informatics, Computing and Engineering at Indiana University
Translating AI for Healthcare and Biomedicine: Grand Challenges and STAR Opportunities
SPEAKER: May Dongmei Wang, Professor in Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech
New Study Could Show How TikTok’s Algorithm Affects Youth Mental Health
Feb 24, 2026 —
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the witness stand last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court to defend his company from accusations that social media harms children.
A lawsuit filed by a 20-year-old plaintiff alleges Instagram and other social media apps are designed to make young users addicted to their platforms.
Meanwhile, social media experts believe the algorithms that drive content on these platforms play a role in hooking users and keeping them scrolling for extensive periods of time.
A new study led by Georgia Tech might confirm this suspicion.
Using recently acquired data from more than 10,000 adolescent users, Munmun De Choudhury will audit TikTok’s recommendation algorithm and study its impact on young people’s behavior and mental health.
De Choudhury is leading a multi-institutional research team on a four-year, $1.7 million grant from the Huo Family Foundation.
“We hope to learn the different types of negative exposures that young people experience when using TikTok,” De Choudhury said. “This can help us characterize what they’re watching and build computational methods to understand the consumption behaviors of these participants and how they’re affected by the algorithm.”
De Choudhury, a professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Interactive Computing, is collaborating with Amy Orben, a professor at the University of Cambridge, and Homa Hosseinmardi, an assistant professor at UCLA, on the project.
Social media platforms have become increasingly reluctant to share their data in recent years, posing a challenge for researchers like De Choudhury.
“We can’t do the type of studies we did 10 years ago with X (formerly Twitter) because the API is much more restrictive,” she said. “There are limited ways to programmatically access people’s data now.
“We must go through a tedious, manual process to get around declining access to social media data. This data-gathering process is essential given the sensitive nature of mental health research. You want data that is shared with consent.”
Orben collected TikTok data from more than 10,000 young people in the UK who consented to provide their personal data archives in accordance with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The collected data includes watch histories, which De Choudhury said distinguishes this research from other social media studies that focus on what users post.
“We don’t understand passive social media consumption very well, so we hope to close that gap and learn what that looks like,” she said. “That could complement or contrast what we know about people’s active engagement on these platforms. Is what they’re consuming directly related to what they’re posting? How does passive consumption affect young people’s mental health?”
A clearer picture of how algorithm-based content affects young people could result in design interventions to minimize negative effects. De Choudhury said studying data from young people is critical because it’s not too late to steer them away from unhealthy behavioral patterns.
“Some of the earliest signs or symptoms of mental health conditions appear in adolescence,” she said. “If appropriate care and support are provided, maybe it’s possible to prevent these symptoms from becoming full-blown in the future.”
Beyond TikTok
What the research team learns about TikTok could also provide broader insight into other social media platforms.
TikTok has been influential in how social media platforms display video content. Competitors like Instagram and X modeled their video presentation after TikTok’s, which can easily lead to doomscrolling.
“Our hope is that our findings can be generalized, with the caveat the data we have is exclusively from TikTok,” De Choudhury said. “Other platforms have similar video-sharing and consumption features where the video automatically plays from one to the next. We hope what we learn from TikTok will be applicable to people’s activities elsewhere, though it will require future work beyond this project to draw concrete conclusions.”
Simulating Feeds with AI
De Choudhury said an additional part of the study will be using artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate video feeds.
In 2024, Hosseinmardi led a study at the University of Pennsylvania on YouTube’s recommendation algorithm and used bots that either followed or ignored the recommendations.
De Choudhury said they will use a similar method for TikTok.
“The feeds will be realistic but generated by AI to see the potential pathways to consumption rabbit holes,” she said. “This should give us some insight into how algorithms influence the negative and positive exposures people might be having on TikTok.”
Foundation Expands Reach
Based in the UK and established in 2009, the Huo Family Foundation supports community education initiatives in the UK, the U.S., and China.
The organization announced in January its launch of the Huo Family Foundation Science Programme. The new program is committing $17.6 million to fund 20 new multi-year research grants that explore the impact of digital technology on the brain development, social behavior, and mental health of young people.
“Digital technology is profoundly shaping childhood and young adulthood, yet there is limited causal evidence of its effects,” said Yan Huo, founder of the Huo Family Foundation, in a press release. “We are proud to support exceptional researchers advancing vital scientific understanding.”
Georgia Tech Launches Pilot Program to Support Rural Arts Organizations
Feb 24, 2026 —
A production of the Perry Players, in Perry, Ga.
Beginning this March in Perry, Georgia, the Georgia Arts Innovation Network (GAIN) will support arts‑related nonprofits and small businesses in Perry, Houston County, and surrounding counties in Middle Georgia. The six‑month pilot is funded by a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Our Town grant and is the first EI² program dedicated specifically to the arts.
“Arts organizations contribute so much to the vibrancy of a community,” said Caley Landau, program manager for GAIN and marketing strategist at EI². “They help create a sense of place and provide the ‘something to do’ that small cities and towns want to offer residents, new workers, and prospective businesses. Our hope is to enhance the arts and cultural ecosystem in Middle Georgia by providing training and technical assistance to the organizations that produce art in the region.”
A Rural Community Already Investing in Placemaking
Perry was selected as the pilot location in part for its active downtown revitalization work and commitment to placemaking. Through the Georgia Economic Placemaking Collaborative, Perry city staff partnered with EI²’s Center for Economic Development Research to develop strategies for arts‑based community development.
“Working alongside the Georgia Tech team has been a wonderful experience,” said Alicia Hartley, downtown manager for the City of Perry. “We hope that participants walk away from the cohort inspired and empowered to activate their organizations in creative and meaningful ways.”
Listening First, Then Providing Targeted Support
The program will begin with a listening session to understand participating organizations’ needs. EI² will then design tailored workshops drawing from experts at Georgia Tech and beyond. Every other month, cohort members will meet for sessions on business practices, digital tools, operational efficiency, marketing, placemaking partnerships, and other areas that support long‑term sustainability.
“They sound like great ideas — murals, pop‑up exhibits, outdoor performances — but how do you really get down to the nuts and bolts of making them happen?” Landau said. “And how do you bring the right partners to the table? That’s what we’ll explore together.”
A Statewide Mission, Strengthened Through the Arts
As Georgia Tech’s economic development arm, EI² administers programs that support entrepreneurs, manufacturers, communities, and municipalities across the state and around the world.
“GAIN represents an important part of EI²’s comprehensive approach to economic development,” said David Bridges, vice president of EI². “It gives us another way to create impact in Georgia by applying our expertise to serve arts organizations that are vital to Georgia communities.”
Jason Freeman, associate vice provost for Georgia Tech Arts, noted that the pilot aligns with the Institute’s broader commitment to supporting arts, culture, and creativity statewide.
“Through GAIN, I’m excited to learn more about the arts ecosystem in Middle Georgia,” Freeman said. “The lessons we learn will inform both statewide collaborations and new initiatives emerging through our Creative Quarter innovation district on campus.”
Program Funding and Support
The pilot is funded through the NEA’s Our Town program, which supports projects integrating arts, culture, and design into community development. The Georgia Council for the Arts is partnering with EI² on cohort recruitment, curriculum development, and arts‑based placemaking strategies.
Recruitment has begun. Arts nonprofits and arts‑based businesses in Middle Georgia may apply at innovate.gatech.edu/gain/.
MEDIA CONTACT
Péralte Paul
peralte@gatech.edu
GAIN PROGRAM CONTACT
Caley Landau
caley.landau@innovate.gatech.edu
Designing AI With People in the Loop: Lessons from Socio Technical Systems Deployments
SPEAKER: Rosemarie Santa Gonzalez, Research Scientist, H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering and NSF AI Institute for Collaborative Assistance and Responsive Interaction for Networked Groups (AI-CARING) at Georgia Tech.
Democracy in the Age of Algorithms: AI, Influence, and the Future of the Information Space
As artificial intelligence reshapes how information is created, distributed, and consumed, democracies face new and evolving challenges. In this upcoming program, Valerie Wirtschafter, fellow in Foreign Policy and the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at Brookings, will examine how AI-driven technologies, algorithms, and new media ecosystems are transforming the global information space and testing democratic resilience.
Leanne West Named 2026 Innovator of the Year in Pediatric Health
Feb 06, 2026 —
Leanne West, chief engineer of pediatric technologies at Georgia Tech and a national leader in pediatric health innovation, has been honored as a 2026 Innovator of the Year in Pediatric Health by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and selected as one of Titan CEO’s 2026 Georgia Titan 100 Honorees. These recognitions celebrate West’s leadership and impact in pediatric health innovation at both the local and national level. In January, West was also named chief research and innovation officer at Shriners Children’s, a role that expands her longstanding commitment to pediatric innovation.
For more than a decade, West has been instrumental in the partnership between Georgia Tech and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, working through the Pediatric Technology Center (PTC) to translate clinical needs into engineered solutions for children. In this role, she has worked alongside Children’s clinicians, nurses, and researchers to identify unmet needs, form multidisciplinary teams, and guide projects from early concepts through prototyping, validation, funding, and regulatory pathways. The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta PTC established Atlanta as a nationally recognized hub for pediatric technology innovation enabling clinician-driven research, accelerating translational projects, and fostering a culture in which engineering solutions are shaped directly by real clinical experience.
In 2019, West began building a relationship with Shriners, working to understand their most pressing clinical needs. She then connected clinicians with researchers at Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Kennesaw State University to foster collaborations focused on real-world clinical challenges. She also supported teams with promising prototypes by helping them navigate national funding opportunities and pathways at the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), accelerating the transition from lab discoveries to patient care.
Over time, this steady engagement evolved into a strong research partnership. In June 2025, Shriners announced they are joining the robust pediatric innovation ecosystem in Atlanta by establishing the Shriners Children’s Research Institute (SCRI). SCRI will be co-located with Georgia Tech as the anchor tenant at Science Square. This investment will be transformational for the future of pediatric research and innovation in the state of Georgia.
“What excites me most is what we can accomplish together when we combine our strengths to align around a children-first mindset to improve the healthcare of children everywhere,” said West. “Kids will benefit in ways no one organization could achieve alone.”
West’s leadership in pediatric innovation doesn’t stop there. In November 2025, she consolidated three major gatherings into the first International Pediatric Healthcare Innovation Summit, combining the Pediatric Innovation Day, the International Society for Pediatric Innovation’s (iSPI) biennial PEDS2040 event, and the joint meeting of the FDA-funded Pediatric Device Consortia. The Summit highlighted the work of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, bringing together more than 150 representatives from children’s hospitals, startups, venture capitalists, clinicians, patients, and leaders from across the Georgia innovation ecosystem, strengthening the region’s global presence in pediatric health innovation.
As president of the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN), West continues to elevate the voices of young people with chronic and rare conditions and their caregivers. Under her leadership, iCAN partners with industry, regulators, and the FDA to ensure pediatric patients are included in device and drug development, clinical trials, healthcare education, and regulatory conversations. She also champions opportunities that train and inspire youth and early career professionals to pursue roles across healthcare and life sciences — from clinicians and innovators to public health leaders and patient advocates.
West served as an invited speaker at the 2025 World Health Organization’s World Children’s Health Day on the Importance of Clinical Trials for the Safety of Children, and at the FDA’s meeting on the Implementation of the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act and Pediatric Research Equity Act. She continues to contribute nationally through service on the Medical Device Innovation Consortium’s (MDIC) NEST executive committee to advance use of real-world evidence in regulatory submissions, particularly for pediatric devices, and the MDIC Patient Value committee. In addition, she serves on the iSPI executive team, the Patient Focused Medicines Development board, the Pediatric Trials Network steering committee, and as a judge for MedTech Innovator.
West’s awards and new role reflect the cumulative impact of more than a decade of leadership, partnership-building, and translational work across the worldwide pediatric ecosystem. West and her fellow honorees will be officially recognized at the 2026 Health Care Champion Awards on March 19 and at the Titan 100 Awards on May 7.
Laurie Haigh
Institute Communications
Introduction to "The IPaT Way" - A People-Centered Approach to Providing Technical Solutions
Pictured clockwise from upper left: Michael Best, Maribeth Coleman, Clint Zeagler, and Noah Posner.
Please RSVP if attending >>
Introduction to "The IPaT Way" - A People-Centered Approach to Providing Technical Solutions
Georgia Tech Recognizes Excellence with 2026 Institute Research Awards
Mar 25, 2026 — Atlanta
Georgia Tech has announced the 2026 Institute Research Award recipients, recognizing faculty and staff whose work has made significant scientific, technological, and societal impact.
Presented by the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research, the awards honor contributions across the full research spectrum — from fundamental discovery to technology commercialization.
Winners were selected across six award categories highlighting innovation, mentorship, collaboration, and community engagement, including two awards presented to teams for their collective achievements.
“The strength of Georgia Tech’s research enterprise begins with the talented people who push discovery forward every day,” said Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for Research. “Congratulations to this year’s honorees, who demonstrate what it means to turn bold ideas into real-world impact, advancing knowledge from fundamental science to commercial and community applications. With these awards, we celebrate their leadership, creativity, and dedication to serving the public good.”
Considered among Georgia Tech’s most prestigious internal honors, the awards rely on a peer‑driven nomination process that emphasizes measurable contributions and leadership across disciplines. Recipients include both early‑career researchers making emerging breakthroughs and long‑standing faculty and staff recognized for sustained excellence and mentorship.
Awardees will be celebrated at the Georgia Tech Faculty and Staff Honors Luncheon on April 24 in the Midtown Ballroom Exhibition Hall.
2026 Institute Research Award Winners
Outstanding Achievement in Research Engagement and Outreach — Edward Botchwey
Awarded to a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in research engagement and outreach to other institutions of Higher Education or external partners.
Outstanding Achievement in Research Enterprise Enhancement — Anna Österholm
Awarded to a member of the administrative staff whose exceptional contributions advance the research and scholarly enterprise and exemplify the values of the Institute Focus Areas and/or Big Bets.
Outstanding Achievement in Research Innovation — Lakshmi ‘Prasad’ Dasi
Recognizes a faculty member who excels in research engagement and outreach through meaningful collaboration with higher education institutions and/or external partners, advancing awareness, scholarship, and understanding of research topics and the broader research process, with demonstrated impact on audiences and scholarly work.
Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Advisor — Shimeng Yu
Recognizes a faculty member whose excellence in doctoral advising is reflected in the achievements of their doctoral students who completed all degree requirements between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2025. This award honors exceptional mentorship demonstrated through advising approach, guidance practices, and meaningful student outcomes.
Outstanding Achievement in Research Program Development — Human Space Exploration Team
Recognizes a faculty‑ and staff‑led research team that has developed a thought‑leadership platform to significantly expand Georgia Tech’s research and scholarship portfolio through impactful engagement, collaboration, and outreach that advances understanding of research and scholarly topics and processes.
Outstanding Achievement in Research Program Impact — Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (GA-AIM)
Recognizes a faculty‑ and staff‑led research team whose innovative program has significantly expanded Georgia Tech’s research portfolio, demonstrating measurable impact, broad influence, and meaningful engagement with external partners across academic, industry, and community sectors.
Shelley Wunder-Smith
Research Communications
Yuanzhi Tang Named Executive Director of the Strategic Energy Institute
Feb 02, 2026 —
Yuanzhi Tang
Georgia Tech has appointed Yuanzhi Tang as executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute (SEI), effective Feb. 1.
Tang will lead the strategic vision, interdisciplinary research efforts, and internal and external partnerships at SEI, strengthening connections across Georgia Tech’s Colleges, Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRI), the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), and external partners to advance energy-related initiatives.
Founded in 2004, SEI is one of Georgia Tech’s IRIs and serves as a campuswide hub for energy research, education, and engagement.
Tang is the Georgia Power Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Her research and leadership focus on advancing secure, circular, and sustainable energy systems by integrating Earth, environmental, biological, materials, and sustainability sciences and innovations. She previously served as an initiative lead on sustainable resources at SEI as well as the associate director for interdisciplinary research at the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems.
“Professor Tang brings a strong record of research impact, leadership of complex initiatives, and a collaborative approach that will help elevate Georgia Tech’s energy research enterprise,” said Julia Kubanek, vice president for Interdisciplinary Research at Georgia Tech. “She brings deep expertise in fundamental Earth and environmental science, including water, soil, and energy research, while also leading state and regional partnerships in emerging, applied areas such as critical minerals. Most importantly, she is community-minded with excellent listening and consensus-building skills.”
As executive director, Tang will develop and communicate a unifying vision to advance interdisciplinary energy research and strategic thought leadership at Georgia Tech, integrating expertise across engineering, sciences, computing, business, design, economics, policy, and the humanities.
Tang is also the founding director of the Center for Critical Mineral Solutions and leads a multidisciplinary coalition spanning three University System of Georgia institutions. The coalition connects research, industry, and policy to build Georgia’s critical minerals innovation ecosystem, while driving resource advancement, workforce development, and economic impact.
“I'm honored to serve as the executive director of SEI. Georgia Tech’s energy research and the people behind it have always inspired me. I’m eager to listen, learn, and work alongside our community,” said Tang. “SEI connects research excellence with real-world impact, and I look forward to partnering across campus, industry, government, and communities to translate breakthrough ideas into solutions that strengthen energy security, reliability, and affordability.”
About the Strategic Energy Institute
The Strategic Energy Institute (SEI) serves as a system integrator for more than 1,000 Georgia Tech researchers working across the entire energy value chain. SEI brings together expertise to address complex energy challenges, from commercializing scalable technologies to informing long-term energy strategy and policy. Through research, education, community building, resource development, and thought leadership, SEI mobilizes Georgia Tech’s collective strengths to advance reliable, affordable, and lower-carbon energy solutions for a growing global demand.
Priya Devarajan || Communications Program Manager
Strategic Energy Institute