Georgia Tech Research Institute
Encyclopedia
The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit applied research
arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology
in Atlanta, Georgia
, United States
. GTRI employs around 1520 people, and is involved in approximately $205 million in research annually for more than 200 clients in industry and government.
Initially known as the Engineering Experiment Station, the organization was proposed in 1929 by W. Harry Vaughan
as an analogue to the agricultural experiment station
s; the Georgia General Assembly
passed a law that year creating the organization on paper, but did not allocate funds to start it. To boost the state's struggling economy in the midst of the Great Depression
, funds were found, and the station was finally established with US$
5,000 (US$ today) in April 1934. Vaughan, the station's first director, hired 13 part-time faculty.
GTRI's research spans a variety of disciplines, including national defense
, homeland security
, public health
, education
, mobile and wireless technologies, and economic development
. Major customers for GTRI research include United States Department of Defense
agencies, the state of Georgia, non-defense federal agencies, and private industry. Overall, contracts and grants from Department of Defense agencies account for approximately 72% of GTRI’s total revenues. Since it was established, GTRI has expanded its engineering focus to include science
, economics
, policy
, and other areas that leverage GTRI's partnership with Georgia Tech. GTRI researchers are named on 62 active patents and 39 pending patents.
In its first decades of its existence, Georgia Tech
slowly grew from a trade school into a university. However, there was little state initiative to see the school grow drastically until 1919. That year, coinciding with federal debate about the establishment of Engineering Experiment Stations in a move similar to the Hatch Act of 1887
's establishment of Agricultural experiment station
s, the Georgia General Assembly
passed an act titled "Establishing State Engineering Experiment Station at the Georgia School of Technology." This station was established with the goal of the "encouragement of industries and commerce" within the state. Unfortunately, the federal effort failed and the state did not finance the organization, so the new organization existed only on paper.
In 1929, some Georgia Tech faculty members belonging to Sigma Xi
started a Research Club at Tech that met once a month. One of the monthly subjects, proposed by W. Harry Vaughan
, was a collection of issues related to Tech, such as library development, and the development of a state engineering station. This group investigated the forty existing engineering experiment stations at universities around the country, and the report was compiled by Harold Bunger
, Montgomery Knight, and Vaughan in December 1929. Their report noted that several similar organizations had been opened across the country at other engineering schools and were successful in local economic development
.
In 1933, S. V. Sanford, president of the University of Georgia, proposed that a "technical research activity" be established at Tech in order to boost the state's struggling economy in the midst of the Great Depression
. President Marion L. Brittain
and Dean William Vernon Skiles
asked for and examined the Research Club's 1929 report, and moved to create such an organization. $5,000 in funds ($ today) were allocated directly from the Georgia Board of Regents
and the station started operation on July 1, 1934. The State of Georgia provided the Engineering Experiment Station with a budget allocation, and Georgia Tech provided infrastructure and personnel to the unit. Professors who worked with the station could receive a $250 (annual) stipend ($ today) for doing so.
s, and helicopter
engineering. The early work of the station was conducted in the basement of the Old Shop Building next to Tech Tower
, and Vaughan's office was in the Aeronautical Engineering Building. The station's name was technically the State Engineering Experiment Station, but it was generally referred to as EES (Engineering Experiment Station) or simply "the research station".
By 1938, the Engineering Experiment Station was producing useful technology, and the station needed a method to conduct contract work outside of the state budget. Consequently, the Industrial Development Council (IDC) was formed. The IDC was created as a non-profit contract organization for the EES, which allowed the EES to receive federal
contracts while still retaining its relationship with Georgia Tech
and the State of Georgia
. It was created by the Chancellor of the University System and the president of Georgia Power Company, and the Engineering Experiment Station's director was a member of the council. The IDC later became the Georgia Tech Research Corporation
, which currently serves as the sole contract organization for all Georgia Tech faculty and departments. In addition, the contract organization manages the intellectual property
that results from research.
Examples of projects undertaken under Vaughan's directorship include Montgomery Knight's helicopter research, the Georgia Economic Survey, $6,000 ($ today) in aeronautical research for the Guggenheim Foundation
, and textile research that created cotton roving and spinning processes that were three to five times faster than contemporary practices. Vaughan was instrumental in securing a permanent building for the station, initially known as the Research Building; several years later it was expanded and named the Thomas Hinman Research Building. After Vaughan left for the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1940, Harold Bunger (head of the Chemistry Department) took over as acting director. However, Bunger died not long thereafter in August 1941.
the assistant director of the Engineering Experiment Station. Rosselot was the organization's director from 1941 to 1952. In his tenure as director, World War II
significantly increased the number and value of contracts coming to the station; the 1943-1944 budget being was first in which industry and government contracts exceeded the station's other income (most notably, its state appropriation). Director Vaughan had initially prepared the faculty for fewer incoming contracts as state had cut the station's appropriation by 40%, but increased support from industry and government eventually counteracted low state support. World War II is also credited with GTRI's entry into electronics, especially telecommunications and electronic warfare
; the electronics and communications research that Director Rosselot attracted is still a mainstay of GTRI research. Two of the larger projects were a study on the propagation of electromagnetic waves
, and United States Navy
-sponsored radar research.
At the end of World War II, Georgia Tech had about $240,000 ($ today) annually in sponsored research. Other accomplishments during Rosselot's administration at the Engineering Experiment Station included the purchase of an electron microscope
in 1946 for $13,000 ($ today), the first such instrument in the Southeastern United States
and one of few in the United States at the time. The Research Building was expanded, and a $300,000 ($ today) Westinghouse
A-C Network Calculator was gifted to Georgia Tech by Georgia Power
in 1947.
Rosselot's administration also included the 1946 establishment of the Industrial Development Council, renamed to the Georgia Tech Research Institute in 1948 and to its present name, the Georgia Tech Research Corporation, in 1984. When the Georgia Board of Regents
ruled that all money received in a year had to be spent that year; this was problematic because most government contracts span multiple years. Georgia Tech president Blake Van Leer and vice president Cherry Emerson
created the solution, a non-profit corporation that would manage contracts for research services and subsequently hire the Engineering Experiment Station to perform the research. The new organization would also handle patents garnered through research, and distribute funds garnered from contracts and patents as needed.
and six other Georgia Tech researchers (including Robinson's former professor and future EES director Jim Boyd
and EES director Gerald Rosselot) each contributed $100 ($ today) and founded Scientific Atlanta on October 31, 1951 with the initial goal of marketing antenna structures being developed by the radar branch of the EES. Robinson worked as the general manager without pay for the first year; after the fledgling company's first contract resulted in a $4,000 loss ($ today), Robinson (upon request) refunded five of the six other initial investors. Despite its rocky start, the company managed to become a success.
In 1951, there was a series of disputes with Georgia Tech vice president Cherry Emerson over the station's finances and Rosselot's hand in founding Scientific Atlanta. At one point, Rosselot was president and CEO of Scientific Atlanta, but later handed off responsibility to Glen P. Robinson; at issue was potential conflict of interest with his role at Georgia Tech and what, if any, role Georgia Tech should have in technology transfer
to the marketplace. Rosselot eventually resigned his post at Georgia Tech, but his participation ensured the eventual success of Scientific Atlanta and facilitated subsequent technology transfer by Georgia Tech's VentureLab
and the Advanced Technology Development Center
.
In March 1950, Herschel H. Cudd
was appointed head of EES's Chemical Sciences division. After Gerald Rosselot left to work for Bendix Corporation
, Hudd assumed the directorship from 1952 to 1954. Despite his post only lasting approximately a year, Cudd made far-reaching changes to the station. Under Rosselot, research had been increasingly concentrated on a few researchers; Cudd reversed this trend such that EES's 1952-53 Annual Report stated that 66 faculty in 15 schools performed research at the station that year. In 1954, a faculty committee appointed to do a comprehensive study of Georgia Tech, "The Aims and Objectives of the Georgia Institute of Technology", noted that of EES's budget of $2 million for 1953–1954 ($ today), about 83% was sponsored by governmental agencies, and about two thirds of that was classified.
Cudd also created a new promotion system for researchers that is still in use to this day. Many EES researchers held the rank of professor
despite lacking a doctorate (or a comparable qualification for promotion as determined by the Georgia Board of Regents), something that irritated members of the teaching faculty. The new system, approved in the spring 1953, used the Board of Regents' qualifications for promotion and mirrored the academic
tenure track.
This period also saw a significant expansion in Georgia Tech's postgraduate education
programs, which received substantial support from the EES. Despite its slow start, with the first Master of Science
programs in the 1920s and the first Doctorate
in 1946, the program became firmly established. In 1952 alone, around 80 students earned graduate degrees while working at EES.
James E. Boyd was promoted to Assistant Director of Research at the station in 1954, and then appointed as Director of the station from July 1, 1957 until 1961. While at Georgia Tech, Boyd wrote an influential article about the role of research centers
at institutes of technology, which argued that research should be integrated with education, and correspondingly involved undergraduates in his research. Boyd was also known for his recruitment of faculty capable of both teaching and performing notable research; one such example is his recruiting noted physicist and nuclear scientist Earl W. McDaniel
.
Under Boyd's purview, the Engineering Experiment Station gained many electronics-related contracts, to the extent that an Electronics Division was created in 1959; it would focus on radar and communications. Boyd also championed the establishment of research facilities. In 1955, Georgia Tech president Blake R. Van Leer
appointed Boyd to Georgia Tech's Nuclear Science Committee. The committee recommended the creation of a Radioisotopes Laboratory Facility and a large research reactor on campus. The former was built and dedicated on January 7, 1959, and could receive, store, and process radioactive materials. The Frank H. Neely Research Reactor
was completed in 1963 and was operational until 1996, when it was defueled due to safety concerns related to the nearby 1996 Summer Olympics
events. The reactor was permanently decommissioned in 1999.
In 1980, GTRI developed a TEMPEST
approved version of the Apple II Plus
called the Microfix for U.S. Army FORSCOM. Fielded in 1982, the Microfix system was the first tactical system using video disk (Laserdisk) map technology providing zoom and scroll over map imagery coupled with a point database of intelligence data such as order of battle
, airfields, roadways, and bridges.
, and the Engineering Experiment Station became the Georgia Tech Research Institute. From 1992 to 1997, retired Vice Admiral Richard H. Truly
was GTRI's director, who helped GTRI survive a recession and the end of the Cold War
despite its dependence on United States Department of Defense
(DOD) contracts. During his tenure the percentage of GTRI's budget from the DOD did experience a small decrease (from 76 percent to 70 percent) which was balanced by increased research in other fields. In 1997, GTRI passed $100 million in research contracts, with 546 awards for $103,061,780 ($ today). One of GTRI's more widely used (and ongoing) products, FalconView
, was initially developed in the early 1990s; it is a geographic information system
that allows pilots to plot flight paths while integrating real-time military intelligence.
Truly was replaced by Edward K. Reedy
, who served from 1998 to 2003. Reedy encouraged funding researchers who had ideas that needed support, and introduced a new cost accounting standard for recovering indirect expenditures. Reedy was particularly influential in securing the $7.3 million in funding required to build the Food Processing Technology Building. Under his leadership, GTRI's first endowed chair was established in March 1998 in honor of Glen P. Robinson
, the $1.5 million Glen P. Robinson Chair in Electro-Optics. GTRI and Georgia Tech played host to sitting president George W. Bush
in March 2002, and demonstrated new technologies in a simulated disaster. At the end of Reedy's tenure, GTRI had $115 million in research contracts ($ today), a new high. Much new funding came as an indirect result of the September 11 attacks and the resulting War on Terrorism
as the DOD increased related research.
Stephen E. Cross
was selected as director in late 2003. In March 2010, Cross was named to the new position of Executive Vice President for Research for the Georgia Institute of Technology
, where he oversees all research at Georgia Tech, including GTRI, the Georgia Tech Research Corporation
, the school's interdisciplinary research centers, and the Enterprise Innovation Institute; and will "work closely with" academic researchers. He began the job on May 1, 2010. He was replaced as director by Robert McGrath
.
Some recent notable projects have included the Deployable Joint Command and Control System and ULTRA AP
. In 2010, researchers discovered a method to create microfabricated planar ion traps for use in a trapped ion quantum computer. Also in 2010, researchers developed a method of using GPGPU
to crack passwords, coming up with a minimum secure password length of 12 characters. Researchers are investigating the use of radar as a possible concussion detection tool. GTRI is the primary contractor of the Homeland Open Security Technology
program, which aims to promote the creation and use of open security
and open-source software
in the United States government and military, especially in areas pertaining to computer security
.
consisted of 72% of GTRI's awards by value; the remainder was composed of federal (12%); non-DOD (8%) state and local (6%); and university, business, or nonprofit (2%). GTRI researchers are named on 62 active patents and 39 pending patents.
, where five of its seven research laboratories are located. Some major buildings are the Centennial Research Building, the Baker Building, and the GTRI Headquarters. The GTRI Headquarters also contains the GTRI Conference Center, which has 10000 sq ft (929 m²) of space and hosts over 300 events a year. Other notable Atlanta buildings include the Food Processing Technology Building and the GTRI Machine Services Building. Two GTRI laboratories operate at a significant off-campus research facility, the Cobb County Research Facility, approximately fifteen miles north of Atlanta in Cobb County adjacent to the Dobbins Air Reserve Base
. Additionally, GTRI operates the Applied Systems Laboratory at Huntsville in Huntsville, Alabama
.
GTRI opened an international office in Athlone, Ireland
in June 2006. This effort was expanded when Georgia Tech, the National University of Ireland, Galway
and the University of Limerick
partnered in June 2010 to create a joint translational research institute. GTRI has several field offices that help with nearby on-site research and needs. These are in Dallas, Texas
, Dayton, Ohio
, Shalimar, Florida
(near Eglin Air Force Base
), Huntsville, Alabama
, Jacksonville, Florida
, Orlando, Florida
, Panama City, Florida
, Quantico, Virginia
, San Diego, California
, Tucson, Arizona
, Warner Robins, Georgia
(near Robins Air Force Base
), and Arlington, Virginia/Washington, DC.
GTRI is an operating unit of Georgia Tech although it performs research under commercial cost principles for nor non-profit organizations. For that reason, it uses a separate contracting entity, the Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation (GTARC). Although GTARC is the contracting entity, the Georgia Tech Research Corporation
(GTRC) owns the intellectual property
created by all Georgia Tech researchers and manages technology protection and licensing. GTRI reports to the Georgia Tech Executive Vice President of Research (currently Stephen E. Cross
) who currently serves as the President of GTARC.
GTRI's project directors are responsible for direction of all aspects of projects, including marketing, contract development, research, and fulfillment. Most projects are conducted on a cost-reimbursable
basis and are negotiated by Georgia Tech’s Office of Sponsored Programs with terms and conditions appropriate for contracts specific to the operation of a university research organizations.
The organization is led by the Director, who is also considered a vice president of Georgia Tech. Two people report to the director: the Deputy Director and Associate Vice Provost for Research; and the Deputy Director for Support Operations. The eight lab directors, business strategist, financial operations director, and chief scientist all report to the Deputy Director/Vice Provost. Business services, human resources, information systems, machine services, and other support services report to the Deputy Director for Support Operations.
GTRI has an "External Advisory Council" which, similar to a traditional board of directors
, consists of individuals that are notable in related fields of industry, government or academia and who provide advice about research direction, strategy, and markets although they do not govern the organization. Members of the Board of Trustees of the contracting agency, GTARC, are not necessarily members of the External Advisory Council, although there is sometimes overlap between them.
GTRI contributes to the Georgia Tech research environment for faculty
and students by conducting externally sponsored, applications-oriented research programs that benefit the state, region, and nation. These programs, led by GTRI research faculty, contribute to national security
, civilian needs, and industrial competitiveness, and provide students with career experience through graduate research assistantships
, cooperative education
programs, and undergraduate assistantships. Since 1995, GTRI (and in particular, its Huntsville Laboratory) has been a University Affiliated Research Center
, a designation by the United States Department of Defense intended to maintain what it calls "essential engineering and technology capabilities".
GTRI is the largest single employer of Georgia Tech graduate and undergraduate students; as of fiscal year 2010, GTRI employed 69 graduate co-ops, 129 undergraduate co-ops, and 132 student assistants. GTRI's contributions to the Georgia Tech community include collaborative research with academic faculty, courses
originated by GTRI faculty, and joint service efforts. Collaboration is strong between the faculties of GTRI and the academic schools and departments. Many GTRI researchers hold appointments as adjunct faculty members in Georgia Tech academic departments, serve on thesis
advisory committees, and teach both academic and continuing education
courses.
GTRI reaches out to Georgia Tech's academic and research departments for collaboration on many research activities, building interdisciplinary teams that take advantage of the broad expertise within Georgia Tech’s highly ranked programs. One such collaboration is with the Georgia Tech Information Security Center
to create GTRI's newest laboratory, the Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory
(CTISL).
Applied research
Applied research is a form of systematic inquiry involving the practical application of science. It accesses and uses some part of the research communities' accumulated theories, knowledge, methods, and techniques, for a specific, often state, business, or client driven purpose...
arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. GTRI employs around 1520 people, and is involved in approximately $205 million in research annually for more than 200 clients in industry and government.
Initially known as the Engineering Experiment Station, the organization was proposed in 1929 by W. Harry Vaughan
W. Harry Vaughan
William Harry Vaughan, Jr. was a professor of ceramic engineering at the Georgia School of Technology and the founder and first director of what is now the Georgia Tech Research Institute.-Education:...
as an analogue to the agricultural experiment station
Agricultural experiment station
An agricultural experiment station is a research center that conducts scientific investigations to solve problems and suggest improvements in the food and agriculture industry...
s; the Georgia General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
passed a law that year creating the organization on paper, but did not allocate funds to start it. To boost the state's struggling economy in the midst of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, funds were found, and the station was finally established with US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
5,000 (US$ today) in April 1934. Vaughan, the station's first director, hired 13 part-time faculty.
GTRI's research spans a variety of disciplines, including national defense
Defense (military)
Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
, homeland security
Homeland security
Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
, public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, mobile and wireless technologies, and economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
. Major customers for GTRI research include United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
agencies, the state of Georgia, non-defense federal agencies, and private industry. Overall, contracts and grants from Department of Defense agencies account for approximately 72% of GTRI’s total revenues. Since it was established, GTRI has expanded its engineering focus to include science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, policy
Policy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
, and other areas that leverage GTRI's partnership with Georgia Tech. GTRI researchers are named on 62 active patents and 39 pending patents.
Establishment
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
slowly grew from a trade school into a university. However, there was little state initiative to see the school grow drastically until 1919. That year, coinciding with federal debate about the establishment of Engineering Experiment Stations in a move similar to the Hatch Act of 1887
Hatch Act of 1887
The Hatch Act of 1887 gave federal funds, initially of $15,000 each, to state land-grant colleges in order to create a series of agricultural experiment stations, as well as pass along new information, especially in the areas of soil minerals and plant growth...
's establishment of Agricultural experiment station
Agricultural experiment station
An agricultural experiment station is a research center that conducts scientific investigations to solve problems and suggest improvements in the food and agriculture industry...
s, the Georgia General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
passed an act titled "Establishing State Engineering Experiment Station at the Georgia School of Technology." This station was established with the goal of the "encouragement of industries and commerce" within the state. Unfortunately, the federal effort failed and the state did not finance the organization, so the new organization existed only on paper.
In 1929, some Georgia Tech faculty members belonging to Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
started a Research Club at Tech that met once a month. One of the monthly subjects, proposed by W. Harry Vaughan
W. Harry Vaughan
William Harry Vaughan, Jr. was a professor of ceramic engineering at the Georgia School of Technology and the founder and first director of what is now the Georgia Tech Research Institute.-Education:...
, was a collection of issues related to Tech, such as library development, and the development of a state engineering station. This group investigated the forty existing engineering experiment stations at universities around the country, and the report was compiled by Harold Bunger
Harold Bunger
Harold Alan Bunger was the head of Georgia Tech's chemistry department and the director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute from 1940 until his death in 1941....
, Montgomery Knight, and Vaughan in December 1929. Their report noted that several similar organizations had been opened across the country at other engineering schools and were successful in local economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
.
In 1933, S. V. Sanford, president of the University of Georgia, proposed that a "technical research activity" be established at Tech in order to boost the state's struggling economy in the midst of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. President Marion L. Brittain
Marion L. Brittain
Marion Luther Brittain, Sr. was an American academic administrator and president of the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1922 to 1944. Brittain was born in Georgia and, aside from a brief stint at the University of Chicago for graduate school, spent most of his life serving the educational...
and Dean William Vernon Skiles
William Vernon Skiles
William Vernon Skiles was a professor of mathematics and dean at the Georgia Institute of Technology...
asked for and examined the Research Club's 1929 report, and moved to create such an organization. $5,000 in funds ($ today) were allocated directly from the Georgia Board of Regents
Georgia Board of Regents
The Georgia Board of Regents oversees the University System of Georgia as part of the state government of Georgia in the United States. The University System of Georgia is composed of all state public institutions of higher education.-History:...
and the station started operation on July 1, 1934. The State of Georgia provided the Engineering Experiment Station with a budget allocation, and Georgia Tech provided infrastructure and personnel to the unit. Professors who worked with the station could receive a $250 (annual) stipend ($ today) for doing so.
Early years
Vaughan was selected as its acting director in April 1934, and hired 13 part-time faculty and a few graduate assistants. EES's initial areas of focus were textiles, ceramicCeramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s, and helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
engineering. The early work of the station was conducted in the basement of the Old Shop Building next to Tech Tower
Tech Tower
The Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Administration Building, commonly known as Tech Tower, is a historic building located at 225 North Avenue NW in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and a focal point of the central campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology...
, and Vaughan's office was in the Aeronautical Engineering Building. The station's name was technically the State Engineering Experiment Station, but it was generally referred to as EES (Engineering Experiment Station) or simply "the research station".
By 1938, the Engineering Experiment Station was producing useful technology, and the station needed a method to conduct contract work outside of the state budget. Consequently, the Industrial Development Council (IDC) was formed. The IDC was created as a non-profit contract organization for the EES, which allowed the EES to receive federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
contracts while still retaining its relationship with Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
and the State of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. It was created by the Chancellor of the University System and the president of Georgia Power Company, and the Engineering Experiment Station's director was a member of the council. The IDC later became the Georgia Tech Research Corporation
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
The Georgia Tech Research Corporation is an organization that supports research and technological development at Georgia Tech. It was founded in 1937 as the Industrial Development Council to be a contract organization for the Engineering Experiment Station...
, which currently serves as the sole contract organization for all Georgia Tech faculty and departments. In addition, the contract organization manages the intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
that results from research.
Examples of projects undertaken under Vaughan's directorship include Montgomery Knight's helicopter research, the Georgia Economic Survey, $6,000 ($ today) in aeronautical research for the Guggenheim Foundation
Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation
The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation is located at 950 Third Avenue in Manhattan.New York, NY 10022.-History:The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation was founded in 1924.Between 1930 and 1941 the foundation financed Robert H. Goddard...
, and textile research that created cotton roving and spinning processes that were three to five times faster than contemporary practices. Vaughan was instrumental in securing a permanent building for the station, initially known as the Research Building; several years later it was expanded and named the Thomas Hinman Research Building. After Vaughan left for the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1940, Harold Bunger (head of the Chemistry Department) took over as acting director. However, Bunger died not long thereafter in August 1941.
World War II
In 1940, Georgia Institute of Technology president Blake Van Leer appointed Gerald RosselotGerald Rosselot
Gerald A. Rosselot was a physicist and engineering executive at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Georgia Tech Research Institute and Bendix Corporation . He was an IEEE Fellow.-Early life:As a child, Rosselot traveled to France and England and was somewhat proficient in French...
the assistant director of the Engineering Experiment Station. Rosselot was the organization's director from 1941 to 1952. In his tenure as director, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
significantly increased the number and value of contracts coming to the station; the 1943-1944 budget being was first in which industry and government contracts exceeded the station's other income (most notably, its state appropriation). Director Vaughan had initially prepared the faculty for fewer incoming contracts as state had cut the station's appropriation by 40%, but increased support from industry and government eventually counteracted low state support. World War II is also credited with GTRI's entry into electronics, especially telecommunications and electronic warfare
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
; the electronics and communications research that Director Rosselot attracted is still a mainstay of GTRI research. Two of the larger projects were a study on the propagation of electromagnetic waves
Radio propagation
Radio propagation is the behavior of radio waves when they are transmitted, or propagated from one point on the Earth to another, or into various parts of the atmosphere...
, and United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
-sponsored radar research.
At the end of World War II, Georgia Tech had about $240,000 ($ today) annually in sponsored research. Other accomplishments during Rosselot's administration at the Engineering Experiment Station included the purchase of an electron microscope
Electron microscope
An electron microscope is a type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen and produce a magnified image. Electron microscopes have a greater resolving power than a light-powered optical microscope, because electrons have wavelengths about 100,000 times shorter than...
in 1946 for $13,000 ($ today), the first such instrument in the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
and one of few in the United States at the time. The Research Building was expanded, and a $300,000 ($ today) Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
A-C Network Calculator was gifted to Georgia Tech by Georgia Power
Georgia Power
Georgia Power is an electric utility headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is the largest of the four electric utilities that are owned and operated by Southern Company....
in 1947.
Rosselot's administration also included the 1946 establishment of the Industrial Development Council, renamed to the Georgia Tech Research Institute in 1948 and to its present name, the Georgia Tech Research Corporation, in 1984. When the Georgia Board of Regents
Georgia Board of Regents
The Georgia Board of Regents oversees the University System of Georgia as part of the state government of Georgia in the United States. The University System of Georgia is composed of all state public institutions of higher education.-History:...
ruled that all money received in a year had to be spent that year; this was problematic because most government contracts span multiple years. Georgia Tech president Blake Van Leer and vice president Cherry Emerson
Cherry Logan Emerson (engineer)
Cherry Logan Emerson, Sr. was an American engineer and academic administrator.-Education:Emerson graduated from Georgia Tech with two bachelor's degrees: one in mechanical engineering and one in electrical engineering...
created the solution, a non-profit corporation that would manage contracts for research services and subsequently hire the Engineering Experiment Station to perform the research. The new organization would also handle patents garnered through research, and distribute funds garnered from contracts and patents as needed.
Scientific Atlanta
Glen P. RobinsonGlen P. Robinson
Glen Parmelee Robinson Jr. , called the "father of high-tech industry in Georgia", is a founder of Scientific Atlanta, now a subsidiary of Cisco Systems...
and six other Georgia Tech researchers (including Robinson's former professor and future EES director Jim Boyd
James E. Boyd (scientist)
James Emory "Jim" Boyd was an American physicist, mathematician, and academic administrator. He was director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute from 1957 to 1961, president of West Georgia College from 1961 to 1971, and acting president of the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1971 to...
and EES director Gerald Rosselot) each contributed $100 ($ today) and founded Scientific Atlanta on October 31, 1951 with the initial goal of marketing antenna structures being developed by the radar branch of the EES. Robinson worked as the general manager without pay for the first year; after the fledgling company's first contract resulted in a $4,000 loss ($ today), Robinson (upon request) refunded five of the six other initial investors. Despite its rocky start, the company managed to become a success.
In 1951, there was a series of disputes with Georgia Tech vice president Cherry Emerson over the station's finances and Rosselot's hand in founding Scientific Atlanta. At one point, Rosselot was president and CEO of Scientific Atlanta, but later handed off responsibility to Glen P. Robinson; at issue was potential conflict of interest with his role at Georgia Tech and what, if any, role Georgia Tech should have in technology transfer
Technology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
to the marketplace. Rosselot eventually resigned his post at Georgia Tech, but his participation ensured the eventual success of Scientific Atlanta and facilitated subsequent technology transfer by Georgia Tech's VentureLab
VentureLab
VentureLab is a technology commercialization project launched at Georgia Tech in 2001. It has since been adopted by the Georgia Research Alliance for other research universities in the state of Georgia...
and the Advanced Technology Development Center
Advanced Technology Development Center
The Advanced Technology Development Center is a science and business incubator in Georgia. It is part of the Enterprise Innovation Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is headquartered in Technology Square. ATDC was formed in 1980 to stimulate growth in Georgia's technology...
.
Cold War
| Academic | Research (non-tenure) |
|---|---|
| Professor | Senior research scientist or engineer |
| Associate professor | Research scientist or engineer |
| Assistant professor | Junior research scientist or engineer |
| Instructor | Research assistant |
In March 1950, Herschel H. Cudd
Herschel H. Cudd
Hershel Herbert Cudd was the director of the Georgia Institute of Technology's Engineering Experiment Station from 1952 to 1954, succeeding Gerald Rosselot in that position. He would later become the president of Amoco Chemical Company and serve on the board of the R. J...
was appointed head of EES's Chemical Sciences division. After Gerald Rosselot left to work for Bendix Corporation
Bendix Corporation
The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence made brake systems, aeronautical hydraulics, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers, and which licensed its name for...
, Hudd assumed the directorship from 1952 to 1954. Despite his post only lasting approximately a year, Cudd made far-reaching changes to the station. Under Rosselot, research had been increasingly concentrated on a few researchers; Cudd reversed this trend such that EES's 1952-53 Annual Report stated that 66 faculty in 15 schools performed research at the station that year. In 1954, a faculty committee appointed to do a comprehensive study of Georgia Tech, "The Aims and Objectives of the Georgia Institute of Technology", noted that of EES's budget of $2 million for 1953–1954 ($ today), about 83% was sponsored by governmental agencies, and about two thirds of that was classified.
Cudd also created a new promotion system for researchers that is still in use to this day. Many EES researchers held the rank of professor
Professors in the United States
In the U.S., "Professors" commonly occupy any of several positions in academia, typically the ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Full Professor....
despite lacking a doctorate (or a comparable qualification for promotion as determined by the Georgia Board of Regents), something that irritated members of the teaching faculty. The new system, approved in the spring 1953, used the Board of Regents' qualifications for promotion and mirrored the academic
tenure track.
This period also saw a significant expansion in Georgia Tech's postgraduate education
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
programs, which received substantial support from the EES. Despite its slow start, with the first Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
programs in the 1920s and the first Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1946, the program became firmly established. In 1952 alone, around 80 students earned graduate degrees while working at EES.
James E. Boyd was promoted to Assistant Director of Research at the station in 1954, and then appointed as Director of the station from July 1, 1957 until 1961. While at Georgia Tech, Boyd wrote an influential article about the role of research centers
Research institute
A research institute is an establishment endowed for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research...
at institutes of technology, which argued that research should be integrated with education, and correspondingly involved undergraduates in his research. Boyd was also known for his recruitment of faculty capable of both teaching and performing notable research; one such example is his recruiting noted physicist and nuclear scientist Earl W. McDaniel
Earl W. McDaniel
Earl W. McDaniel was a Regents Professor of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Georgia Tech Research Institute and is most noted for his contributions to the field of ion mobility spectrometry....
.
Under Boyd's purview, the Engineering Experiment Station gained many electronics-related contracts, to the extent that an Electronics Division was created in 1959; it would focus on radar and communications. Boyd also championed the establishment of research facilities. In 1955, Georgia Tech president Blake R. Van Leer
Blake Ragsdale Van Leer
Blake Ragsdale Van Leer was the fifth president of Georgia Institute of Technology from 1944 until his death.-Early life and education:...
appointed Boyd to Georgia Tech's Nuclear Science Committee. The committee recommended the creation of a Radioisotopes Laboratory Facility and a large research reactor on campus. The former was built and dedicated on January 7, 1959, and could receive, store, and process radioactive materials. The Frank H. Neely Research Reactor
Neely Nuclear Research Center
The Frank H. Neely Nuclear Research Center, also known as the Neely Research Reactor and the Georgia Tech Research Reactor is a nuclear engineering research center on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus, which had a live, 5 megawatt heavy-water-cooled research reactor from 1961 until 1996....
was completed in 1963 and was operational until 1996, when it was defueled due to safety concerns related to the nearby 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
events. The reactor was permanently decommissioned in 1999.
In 1980, GTRI developed a TEMPEST
TEMPEST
TEMPEST is a codename referring to investigations and studies of compromising emission . Compromising emanations are defined as unintentional intelligence-bearing signals which, if intercepted and analyzed, may disclose the information transmitted, received, handled, or otherwise processed by any...
approved version of the Apple II Plus
Apple II Plus
The Apple II Plus was the second model of the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer, Inc. It was sold new from June 1979 to December 1982.-Features:...
called the Microfix for U.S. Army FORSCOM. Fielded in 1982, the Microfix system was the first tactical system using video disk (Laserdisk) map technology providing zoom and scroll over map imagery coupled with a point database of intelligence data such as order of battle
Order of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
, airfields, roadways, and bridges.
Recent history
In 1984, the Georgia Tech Research Institute became the Georgia Tech Research CorporationGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
The Georgia Tech Research Corporation is an organization that supports research and technological development at Georgia Tech. It was founded in 1937 as the Industrial Development Council to be a contract organization for the Engineering Experiment Station...
, and the Engineering Experiment Station became the Georgia Tech Research Institute. From 1992 to 1997, retired Vice Admiral Richard H. Truly
Richard H. Truly
Richard Harrison Truly is a retired Vice Admiral in the United States Navy, Naval Aviator, former astronaut, and was the eighth Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from 1989 to 1992...
was GTRI's director, who helped GTRI survive a recession and the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
despite its dependence on United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
(DOD) contracts. During his tenure the percentage of GTRI's budget from the DOD did experience a small decrease (from 76 percent to 70 percent) which was balanced by increased research in other fields. In 1997, GTRI passed $100 million in research contracts, with 546 awards for $103,061,780 ($ today). One of GTRI's more widely used (and ongoing) products, FalconView
FalconView
FalconView is a mapping system created by the Georgia Tech Research Institute for the Windows family of operating systems. It displays various types of maps and geographically referenced overlays. Many types of maps are supported, but the primary ones of interest to most users are aeronautical...
, was initially developed in the early 1990s; it is a geographic information system
Geographic Information System
A geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
that allows pilots to plot flight paths while integrating real-time military intelligence.
Truly was replaced by Edward K. Reedy
Edward K. Reedy
Edward K. Reedy was the director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute from 1998 to 2003, and correspondingly a vice president of the Georgia Institute of Technology. He first joined GTRI in 1970, and specialized in radar system development and electromagnetic scattering...
, who served from 1998 to 2003. Reedy encouraged funding researchers who had ideas that needed support, and introduced a new cost accounting standard for recovering indirect expenditures. Reedy was particularly influential in securing the $7.3 million in funding required to build the Food Processing Technology Building. Under his leadership, GTRI's first endowed chair was established in March 1998 in honor of Glen P. Robinson
Glen P. Robinson
Glen Parmelee Robinson Jr. , called the "father of high-tech industry in Georgia", is a founder of Scientific Atlanta, now a subsidiary of Cisco Systems...
, the $1.5 million Glen P. Robinson Chair in Electro-Optics. GTRI and Georgia Tech played host to sitting president George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in March 2002, and demonstrated new technologies in a simulated disaster. At the end of Reedy's tenure, GTRI had $115 million in research contracts ($ today), a new high. Much new funding came as an indirect result of the September 11 attacks and the resulting War on Terrorism
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
as the DOD increased related research.
Stephen E. Cross
Stephen E. Cross
Stephen E. Cross is the current Executive Vice President for Research at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a position to which he was appointed in 2010. Previously, he served as the director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute from 2003 until 2010. He was also previously the director and...
was selected as director in late 2003. In March 2010, Cross was named to the new position of Executive Vice President for Research for the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, where he oversees all research at Georgia Tech, including GTRI, the Georgia Tech Research Corporation
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
The Georgia Tech Research Corporation is an organization that supports research and technological development at Georgia Tech. It was founded in 1937 as the Industrial Development Council to be a contract organization for the Engineering Experiment Station...
, the school's interdisciplinary research centers, and the Enterprise Innovation Institute; and will "work closely with" academic researchers. He began the job on May 1, 2010. He was replaced as director by Robert McGrath
Robert McGrath
Robert "Bob" T. McGrath is the director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology, a position he has held since February 1, 2011...
.
Some recent notable projects have included the Deployable Joint Command and Control System and ULTRA AP
ULTRA AP
The ULTRA AP is a concept combat vehicle that was unveiled in September 2005 by the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology, under contract from the Office of Naval Research...
. In 2010, researchers discovered a method to create microfabricated planar ion traps for use in a trapped ion quantum computer. Also in 2010, researchers developed a method of using GPGPU
GPGPU
General-purpose computing on graphics processing units is the technique of using a GPU, which typically handles computation only for computer graphics, to perform computation in applications traditionally handled by the CPU...
to crack passwords, coming up with a minimum secure password length of 12 characters. Researchers are investigating the use of radar as a possible concussion detection tool. GTRI is the primary contractor of the Homeland Open Security Technology
Homeland Open Security Technology
Homeland Open Security Technology is a five-year, $10 million program by the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate to promote the creation and use of open security and open-source software in the United States government and military, especially in areas pertaining...
program, which aims to promote the creation and use of open security
Open Security
Open security is an initiative to approach application security challenges using open source philosophies and methodologies. Traditional application security is based on the premise that any application or service relies on security through obscurity.On the developer side, legitimate software and...
and open-source software
Open-source software
Open-source software is computer software that is available in source code form: the source code and certain other rights normally reserved for copyright holders are provided under a software license that permits users to study, change, improve and at times also to distribute the software.Open...
in the United States government and military, especially in areas pertaining to computer security
Computer security
Computer security is a branch of computer technology known as information security as applied to computers and networks. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to...
.
Description
Employees and financials
As of the beginning of 2011, GTRI employed 1,520 people, 330 of which were students. In 2010, GTRI had $205.4 million in research awards, and spent $7.8 million in independent research and development. In 2010, the United States Department of DefenseUnited States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
consisted of 72% of GTRI's awards by value; the remainder was composed of federal (12%); non-DOD (8%) state and local (6%); and university, business, or nonprofit (2%). GTRI researchers are named on 62 active patents and 39 pending patents.
Facilities
In total, the organization has at least 892000 square feet (82,869.5 m²) of laboratory and facility space. GTRI is headquartered on the Georgia Tech campus in Midtown Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, where five of its seven research laboratories are located. Some major buildings are the Centennial Research Building, the Baker Building, and the GTRI Headquarters. The GTRI Headquarters also contains the GTRI Conference Center, which has 10000 sq ft (929 m²) of space and hosts over 300 events a year. Other notable Atlanta buildings include the Food Processing Technology Building and the GTRI Machine Services Building. Two GTRI laboratories operate at a significant off-campus research facility, the Cobb County Research Facility, approximately fifteen miles north of Atlanta in Cobb County adjacent to the Dobbins Air Reserve Base
Dobbins Air Reserve Base
Dobbins Air Reserve Base or Dobbins ARB is a United States air reserve base located in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb about northwest of Atlanta. It was named in honor of Captain Charles M. Dobbins, a World War II C-47 pilot who died near Sicily...
. Additionally, GTRI operates the Applied Systems Laboratory at Huntsville in Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
.
GTRI opened an international office in Athlone, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in June 2006. This effort was expanded when Georgia Tech, the National University of Ireland, Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
and the University of Limerick
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick is a university in Ireland near the city of Limerick on the island's west coast. It was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989...
partnered in June 2010 to create a joint translational research institute. GTRI has several field offices that help with nearby on-site research and needs. These are in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Shalimar, Florida
Shalimar, Florida
Shalimar is a town in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. The population was 718 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 738...
(near Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
), Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Panama City, Florida
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
, Quantico, Virginia
Quantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
, San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, Warner Robins, Georgia
Warner Robins, Georgia
Warner Robins is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located primarily in Houston County with a small portion in Peach County. The city has its own metropolitan statistical area . As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 48,804...
(near Robins Air Force Base
Robins Air Force Base
Robins Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base located in Houston County, Georgia, United States. The base is located just east of and adjacent to the city of Warner Robins, Georgia, SSE of Macon, Georgia, and about SSE of Atlanta, Georgia...
), and Arlington, Virginia/Washington, DC.
Organization
Structure
GTRI is composed of eight laboratories organized by technical focus, which are further subdivided into divisions. Labs frequently collaborate with one another and outside groups based on the unique requirements of each project. GTRI performs research for clients at the local, regional, national, and international level, and employees are encouraged to present their work at conferences and consortia. At a given time, laboratories may work with 200 or more agencies simultaneously.GTRI is an operating unit of Georgia Tech although it performs research under commercial cost principles for nor non-profit organizations. For that reason, it uses a separate contracting entity, the Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation (GTARC). Although GTARC is the contracting entity, the Georgia Tech Research Corporation
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
The Georgia Tech Research Corporation is an organization that supports research and technological development at Georgia Tech. It was founded in 1937 as the Industrial Development Council to be a contract organization for the Engineering Experiment Station...
(GTRC) owns the intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
created by all Georgia Tech researchers and manages technology protection and licensing. GTRI reports to the Georgia Tech Executive Vice President of Research (currently Stephen E. Cross
Stephen E. Cross
Stephen E. Cross is the current Executive Vice President for Research at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a position to which he was appointed in 2010. Previously, he served as the director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute from 2003 until 2010. He was also previously the director and...
) who currently serves as the President of GTARC.
GTRI's project directors are responsible for direction of all aspects of projects, including marketing, contract development, research, and fulfillment. Most projects are conducted on a cost-reimbursable
Reimbursement
Reimbursement is the act of compensating someone for an expense . Often, a person is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses when the person incurs those expenses through employment or in an account of carrying out the duties for another party or member....
basis and are negotiated by Georgia Tech’s Office of Sponsored Programs with terms and conditions appropriate for contracts specific to the operation of a university research organizations.
The organization is led by the Director, who is also considered a vice president of Georgia Tech. Two people report to the director: the Deputy Director and Associate Vice Provost for Research; and the Deputy Director for Support Operations. The eight lab directors, business strategist, financial operations director, and chief scientist all report to the Deputy Director/Vice Provost. Business services, human resources, information systems, machine services, and other support services report to the Deputy Director for Support Operations.
GTRI has an "External Advisory Council" which, similar to a traditional board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
, consists of individuals that are notable in related fields of industry, government or academia and who provide advice about research direction, strategy, and markets although they do not govern the organization. Members of the Board of Trustees of the contracting agency, GTARC, are not necessarily members of the External Advisory Council, although there is sometimes overlap between them.
University affiliation
Faculty (academic staff)
In North American English, faculty is the academic staff of a university: senior teachers, lecturers, and/or researchers. The term is most commonly used in this context in the United States and Canada, and generally includes professors of various rank: assistant professors, associate professors,...
and students by conducting externally sponsored, applications-oriented research programs that benefit the state, region, and nation. These programs, led by GTRI research faculty, contribute to national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
, civilian needs, and industrial competitiveness, and provide students with career experience through graduate research assistantships
Research assistant
A research assistant is a researcher employed, often on a temporary contract, by a university or a research institute, for the purpose of assisting in academic research...
, cooperative education
Cooperative education
Cooperative education is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a "co-op", provides academic credit for structured job experience...
programs, and undergraduate assistantships. Since 1995, GTRI (and in particular, its Huntsville Laboratory) has been a University Affiliated Research Center
University Affiliated Research Center
A University Affiliated Research Center is a strategic United States Department of Defense research center associated with a university. UARCs were formally established in May 1996 by the Director of Defense Research and Engineering , Office of the Secretary of Defense, with the UARC Management...
, a designation by the United States Department of Defense intended to maintain what it calls "essential engineering and technology capabilities".
GTRI is the largest single employer of Georgia Tech graduate and undergraduate students; as of fiscal year 2010, GTRI employed 69 graduate co-ops, 129 undergraduate co-ops, and 132 student assistants. GTRI's contributions to the Georgia Tech community include collaborative research with academic faculty, courses
Course (education)
The very broad dictionary meaning of the word course is the act or action of moving in a path from point to point . There are multiple meanings for this word, some of which include: general line of orientation, a mode of action, part of a meal, a mode of action, and many more. This article focuses...
originated by GTRI faculty, and joint service efforts. Collaboration is strong between the faculties of GTRI and the academic schools and departments. Many GTRI researchers hold appointments as adjunct faculty members in Georgia Tech academic departments, serve on thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
advisory committees, and teach both academic and continuing education
Continuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
courses.
GTRI reaches out to Georgia Tech's academic and research departments for collaboration on many research activities, building interdisciplinary teams that take advantage of the broad expertise within Georgia Tech’s highly ranked programs. One such collaboration is with the Georgia Tech Information Security Center
Georgia Tech Information Security Center
Georgia Tech Information Security Center is a department of Georgia Tech that deals with information security issues such as cryptography, network security, trusted computing, software reliability, privacy, and internet governance.-History:...
to create GTRI's newest laboratory, the Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory
GTRI Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory
The Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory is one of eight labs in the Georgia Tech Research Institute. It was created on October 1, 2010 and focuses on cyber security. It will feature existing business areas such as secure information systems and resilient command and control with...
(CTISL).
Laboratories
GTRI conducts its research programs through eight laboratories that focus on specific subjects:| Name | Research area | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory (ATAS) GTRI Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory The Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory is one of eight labs in the Georgia Tech Research Institute. ATAS develops advanced systems concepts and performs research related to aerospace systems, power and energy systems, threat systems, intelligent autonomous systems, and... |
ATAS develops advanced systems concepts and performs research related to aerospace Aerospace Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space... systems, power and energy systems, threat systems, intelligent autonomous system Autonomous robot Autonomous robots are robots that can perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous human guidance. Many kinds of robots have some degree of autonomy. Different robots can be autonomous in different ways... s, and systems engineering Systems engineering Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how complex engineering projects should be designed and managed over the life cycle of the project. Issues such as logistics, the coordination of different teams, and automatic control of machinery become more... methodologies. Contains the Agricultural Technology Research Program GTRI Agricultural Technology Research Program The Agricultural Technology Research Program is part of the Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory of the Georgia Tech Research Institute. It was founded in 1973 to work with Georgia agribusiness, especially the poultry industry, to develop new technologies and adapt existing... . |
|
| Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory (CTISL) GTRI Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory The Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory is one of eight labs in the Georgia Tech Research Institute. It was created on October 1, 2010 and focuses on cyber security. It will feature existing business areas such as secure information systems and resilient command and control with... |
CTISL is the newest lab, founded on October 1, 2010. It focuses on cyber security and features existing business areas such as secure information Information security Information security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection, recording or destruction.... systems and resilient command and control with emerging areas such as cyberwarfare, while collaborating with the Georgia Tech Information Security Center. |
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| Electronic Systems Laboratory (ELSYS) GTRI Electronic Systems Laboratory The Electronic Systems Laboratory is one of eight labs in the Georgia Tech Research Institute.-Research areas:ELSYS focuses on systems engineering solutions in electronic defense; modeling, simulation and analysis; countermeasures technique development; sensors performance analysis; electronic... |
ELSYS focuses on systems engineering solutions in electronic defense Electronic warfare Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly... ; modeling, simulation and analysis; countermeasures Electronic countermeasures An electronic countermeasure is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar or other detection systems, like infrared or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy... technique development; sensors performance analysis; electronic warfare systems integration; standardized test procedures; flight test support; laboratory support stations and test systems; missile warning system improvements; technology insertion and human factors Human factors Human factors science or human factors technologies is a multidisciplinary field incorporating contributions from psychology, engineering, industrial design, statistics, operations research and anthropometry... . |
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| Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL) GTRI Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory The Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory is one of eight labs in the Georgia Tech Research Institute. It conducts basic and applied research into electro-optical topics and supports electro-optical education at the university level.... |
EOSL has technology thrusts in the areas of electro-optical modeling and analysis, microelectronic and nanotechnology Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres... development, remote sensing, acoustics Acoustics Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics... , and mechanical systems. |
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| Applied Systems Laboratory at Huntsville (ASLH) | This laboratory, in Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census.... , primarily supports the United States Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center United States Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center The Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center , part of the United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command , operates simulation facilities to evaluate missile components, such as seekers, in a variety of flights and countermeasures environments... (USA AMRDEC) in its aviation and missile R&D efforts. |
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| Information and Communications Laboratory (ICL) | ICL conducts a broad range of research in areas of computer science Computer science Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems... , information technology Information technology Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications... , communications, networking, and the development of commercial products from university research. Until October 1, 2010, the lab was named the "Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory." |
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| Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory (SEAL) GTRI Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory The Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory is one of eight labs in the Georgia Tech Research Institute. SEAL researchers investigate radar systems, electromagnetic environmental effects, radar system performance modeling and simulations, and antenna technology.-Research areas:Radar... |
SEAL researchers investigate radar systems, electromagnetic environmental effects, radar system performance modeling and simulations, and antenna Antenna (radio) An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver... technology. |
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| Signature Technology Laboratory (STL) GTRI Signature Technology Laboratory The Signature Technology Laboratory is one of eight labs in the Georgia Tech Research Institute. STL conducts research and development in four technical areas: electromagnetic materials and structures, electromagnetic apertures and scattering, optical and infrared physics and phenomenology, and... |
STL conducts research and development in electromagnetic Electromagnetism Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation... materials and structures, electromagnetic aperture Aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,... s and scattering, optical Optical physics Optical physics, or optical science, is a subfield of atomic, molecular, and optical physics. It is the study of the generation of electromagnetic radiation, the properties of that radiation, and the interaction of that radiation with matter, especially its manipulation and control... and infrared physics and phenomenology Phenomenology (science) The term phenomenology in science is used to describe a body of knowledge that relates empirical observations of phenomena to each other, in a way that is consistent with fundamental theory, but is not directly derived from theory. For example, we find the following definition in the Concise... , and secure information systems. |
Interdisciplinary research centers
Many interdisciplinary research centers report through GTRI:| Name | Research area | Reference |
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| Center for Geographic Information Systems | The Center for GIS develops spatial programs and enhances digital spacial databases. | |
| Center for International Development and Cooperation | The Center for IDC develops low-cost radar Radar Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio... and phased array Phased array In wave theory, a phased array is an array of antennas in which the relative phases of the respective signals feeding the antennas are varied in such a way that the effective radiation pattern of the array is reinforced in a desired direction and suppressed in undesired directions.An antenna array... concepts through joint international research activities. |
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| Center for Optimization of Simulated Multiple Objective Systems (COSMOS) | COSMOS develops tools relating to the simulation of complex systems. | |
| Commercial Product Realization Office (CPRO) | CPRO provides clients with comprehensive technology selection, product design Product design -Introduction:Product design is the process of creating a new product to be sold by a business or enterprise to its customers. It is concerned with the efficient and effective generation and development of ideas through a process that leads to new products.Product designers conceptualize and... , prototyping, production preparation, product data documentation Documentation Documentation is a term used in several different ways. Generally, documentation refers to the process of providing evidence.Modules of Documentation are Helpful... , and testing assistance. |
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| Center for Innovative Fuel Cell and Battery Technologies | This center researches low-temperature fuel cell Fuel cell A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used... s, solid-oxide fuel cell Solid-oxide fuel cell A solid oxide fuel cell is an electrochemical conversion device that produces electricity directly from oxidizing a fuel. Fuel cells are characterized by their electrolyte material; the SOFC has a solid oxide or ceramic, electrolyte. Advantages of this class of fuel cells include high efficiency,... s, hybrid Hybrid vehicle A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:... power systems, fuel processing, microscale fuel cells, battery materials, and rapid-charging batteries. |
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| Environmental Radiation Center (ERC) | ERC researches the effect of radiation in various environments. | |
| Foundations for the Future (F3) | F3 provides vendor-neutral technology advising and customized professional development experiences for educators. | |
| Georgia Tech Quantum Institute Georgia Tech Quantum Institute The Georgia Tech Quantum Institute is a multi-disciplinary research center within the Georgia Tech Research Institute and the Georgia Institute of Technology that focuses on research within quantum computing and related fields.-History:... (GTQI) |
GTQI combines the strengths in engineering and technology at Georgia Tech with the emerging field of quantum information science Quantum information science Quantum information science is an area of study based on the idea that information science depends on quantum effects in physics. It includes theoretical issues in computational models as well as more experimental topics in quantum physics including what can and cannot be done with quantum... in order to advance both fundamental science and emerging quantum information technologies. |
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| Landmarc Research Center | Landmarc is a multi-discipline research and development center focused on mobile and wireless solutions. | |
| Military Sensing Information Analysis Center | This center fosters communications within Military Sensing Sensor A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury-in-glass thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated... Technology community; creates standards; and collects, analyzes, synthesizes, maintains, and distributes critical information within the field. |
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| Modeling & Simulation Research & Education Center | This center develops and supports modeling and simulation programs. | |
| Office of Policy Analysis and Research GTRI Office of Policy Analysis and Research The GTRI Office of Policy Analysis and Research is a division of the Georgia Tech Research Institute that focuses on policy analysis, particularly in fields where GTRI has science and technology experience... (OPAR) |
OPAR integrates public policy considerations into GTRI's technical research and facilitates GTRI's input into the science and technology policy debate | |
| Phosphor Technology Center of Excellence (PTCOE) | PTCOE develops phosphor Phosphor A phosphor, most generally, is a substance that exhibits the phenomenon of luminescence. Somewhat confusingly, this includes both phosphorescent materials, which show a slow decay in brightness , and fluorescent materials, where the emission decay takes place over tens of nanoseconds... technologies, including improving low-voltage thin-film electroluminescence Electroluminescence Electroluminescence is an optical phenomenon and electrical phenomenon in which a material emits light in response to the passage of an electric current or to a strong electric field... displays, field emission display films and thin-film cathode ray tube Cathode ray tube The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms , pictures , radar targets and... films. |
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| Severe Storms Research Center (SSRC) | SSRC organizes and coordinates the state's severe weather forecasting Weather forecasting Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since the nineteenth century... , serving as a focal point for severe storm research in Georgia. |
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| Test & Evaluation Research and Education Center (TEREC) | TEREC serves as a focal point for solving the problems of the Test and Evaluation Community. |
External links
- GTRI official website
- Laboratories
- Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems (ATAS) Laboratory
- Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory (CTISL)
- Electronic Systems Laboratory (ELSYS)
- Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL)
- Huntsville Research Laboratory (HRL)
- Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory (ITTL)
- Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory (SEAL)
- Signature Technology Laboratory (STL)