2025 Sustainability Showcase

Exploring Community, Ecosystem, and Infrastructure Resilience

February 27-28, 2025

This event is sponsored by the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems. Join us for two exciting days of discussion and collaboration on resilience research. We invite Georgia Tech researchers, students, staff, and partners to join us. We will focus on resilience—how we can strengthen our communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

February 27 - Day 1 - Sustainability Showcase

8 - 9 a.m. | Networking Breakfast

9 - 9:10 a.m. | Sustainability Showcase Welcome

  • Jennifer Chirico, Associate Vice President, Sustainability, Georgia Tech
  • Beril Toktay, Interim Director, BBISS, Georgia Tech

9:10 - 9:20 a.m. | Framing Resilience

  • Susan Lozier, Dean, College of Sciences, Georgia Tech
Morning Session: Campus and City Resilience Planning

9:20 – 10 a.m. | Panel: Campus Innovation and Action - Georgia Tech's Resilience Plan

  • Jennifer Chirico, Associate Vice President, Sustainability, Georgia Tech (moderator)
  • Jairo Garcia, Full-time Lecturer, School of City & Regional Planning, Georgia Tech
  • Sonia Alvarez-Robinson, Associate Vice President, Strategy and Organizational Effectiveness, Georgia Tech
  • Will Smith, Director of Emergency Management and Communications, Georgia Tech
  • Jermaine Clonts, Associate Director, Utilities Management, Georgia Tech

10 – 11 a.m. | Greater Atlanta Campus Resilience Roundtable

  • Christopher Burke, Executive Director of Community Relations, Office of Institute Relations, Georgia Tech (moderator)
  • Drew Cutright, Director of Sustainability Engagement, Office of Sustainability, Georgia Tech
  • Maria del Mar Ceballos, Director of Sustainability, Kennesaw State University
  • Kimberley Reeves, Executive Director of the Center for Sustainability, Agnes Scott
  • Iesha Baldwin, Sustainability Coordinator, Spelman College

11 a.m. – Noon | Panel: Atlanta and Beyond: Building Regional Resilience across Communities

  • Jairo Garcia, Full-time Lecturer, School of City & Regional Planning, Georgia Tech (moderator)
  • Chandra Farley, Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Atlanta
  • Danny Johnson, Managing Director, Natural Resources Department, Atlanta Regional Commission
  • Rev. Kevin W. Earley, D.Min., Senior Pastor, Community Church - Atlanta, GA

Noon - 1 p.m. | Networking Lunch

Afternoon Session: Ecosystem Resilience

1 - 2 p.m. | Alumni Keynote - Aquaculture and Education: Building a Resilient Future for Georgia

  • Laura Solomon, Owner, Tybee Oyster Company; Director of Growth and Planning, Tybee Island Maritime Academy, Tybee Island, GA

2 - 2:45 p.m. | Lightning Talks

2:45 - 3 p.m. | Break