Find the latest Georgia Tech sustainability news and research here.

June 24, 2026

Researchers Discover Membrane-Based Approach to More Sustainable Oil Refining

6 min read
Published in Nature, the researchers' findings suggest that using membranes to separate crude oil before distillation could significantly reduce the energy, water, and carbon footprint of petroleum refining.
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Headshot portrait of an individual photographed from the shoulders up against a plain light gray background, wearing a light gray turtleneck sweater. The individual faces forward with short, neatly styled hair and evenly lit features, centered in the frame.
June 24, 2026

Bruce Weinelt Joins BBISS as Managing Director

2 min read
Bruce will develop and lead BBISS’s external partnership and fundraising strategy, grounded in the Institute's academic research priorities.
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June 11, 2026

Scientist Maps Biodiversity on a Warming Southern Landscape

8 min read
Jenny McGuire is refining tools and partnerships that help protect biodiversity, from Atlanta’s urban canopy to the southern Appalachians.
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Anuja Tripathi works in the lab
June 3, 2026

Rising From the Ashes: A Hidden Supply of Critical Elements

4 min read
Georgia Tech researchers turn a widespread waste product into materials that power modern technology.
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"Three side‑by‑side headshot portraits showing individuals from the shoulders up against different backgrounds. The left image shows a person wearing a black top with greenery behind them, the center image shows a person in a light blue shirt and patterned tie against a neutral brown backdrop, and the right image shows a person in a light green collared shirt against a gray studio background."
May 28, 2026

BBISS Appoints Three New Faculty Directors

3 min read
BBISS has expanded its team to include three more faculty members.
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Portrait of an individual photographed outdoors, shown from the shoulders up and wearing a dark red top. The background includes a textured stone column, greenery, and part of a building with a window visible behind the subject.
May 27, 2026

Data Centers, Microbes, and the Future of Water Reuse

5 min read
Metro Atlanta has become a magnet for hyperscale data centers and securing enough cooling water with wastewater reuse has unknown public health risks.
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Side‑by‑side image showing a portrait photo on the left and a book cover on the right. The left image shows an individual standing outdoors among trees, wearing a dark jacket over a light shirt, while the right image displays the book Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet with bold red title text and illustrated ocean waves and ice formations. The book cover also includes the author name Kate Marvel at the bottom.
May 27, 2026

Clough Lecture Highlights the Human Side of Climate Science

3 min read
The Earth and Atmospheric Sciences 2026 Clough Lecture, co-sponsored by BBISS, featured Kate Marvel, a climate scientist and author.
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Aerial view of a large industrial facility with multiple blue cylindrical cooling towers arranged in rows, releasing visible steam into the air. The structures are connected by metal walkways, pipes, and equipment, with a darker building facade behind them. Green grass and patches of standing water are visible in the distance beyond the facility.
May 25, 2026

BBISS Insights Series Reflection: Demystifying Data Centers — Water

3 min read
A recent BBISS seminar focused on the issue of water and data centers, bringing together perspectives from engineering, utilities, and infrastructure planning.
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A salt marsh waterway is lined by cord grasses, sand, and trees. The sunny cerulean sky is dotted with clouds.
May 18, 2026

Georgia’s Tomorrow Awarded National Climate Resilience Grant

5 min read
The award is one of ten in a new $3.4 million fund to leverage genetic rescue for marine and coastal ecosystems under threat from climate shifts.
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Collage of multiple individual portrait photos arranged in a grid, showing people photographed from the shoulders up in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings. Backgrounds include office spaces, greenery, campus walkways, and neutral studio backdrops, with individuals wearing professional or business‑casual clothing. The images vary in lighting and composition but share a consistent head‑and‑shoulders portrait style.
May 4, 2026

2026 Sustainability Next Seed Grants Awarded

3 min read
This year’s seed grant awards align with the four main thematic areas in which BBISS aims to enhance Georgia Tech’s research to address some of our most pressing sustainability challenges
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Left: panelists Cindy Lin, Celine Benoit, Matthew Williams, Ding Wang, and Kahil Bostick. Center: Michael Best and Verghese Jacob. Right: panelists Allen Hyde, Michael Czajkowski, Zachary Hansen, and Donnie Beamer. Not pictured: Peter Hubbard who joined virtually.
April 29, 2026

Workshop Explores Policy Needs as Data Centers Surge in Georgia

3 min read
Georgia Tech hosted an event on April 21 examining the rapid expansion of data centers and the social and policy issues emerging alongside the growth of AI infrastructure.
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In the Press

NPR
Urban climate expert Brian Stone on how cities must adapt to survive deadly heat waves
Metro Atlanta CEO
Georgia Tech Earns National Recognition for Sustainability Innovation
The Conversation
Sargassum, the smelly nemesis of beach vacations, has become a self‑sustaining disaster that will keep coming back
Interesting Engineering
This New Test Reveals When Recycled Plastic Stops Being Good for the Planet
The Times of India
2022 Saw Ireland Building Its First Bridge With a Wind Mill Turbine and Solving a Waste Problem; Now it is a 'Reuse' Trend in the US
Times Higher Education
Shared Effort for Measurable Impact: Building Sustainable Labs Through Partnership
Metro Atlanta CEO
Cox Enterprises Announces Winners of Student Sustainability Challenge
Ledger-Enquirer
All Georgia Data Center Ordinances — From Most to Least Restrictive
The Conversation
How Sewage Treatment Plants Could Handle Food Waste, Sparing Landfills and the Climate
The Conversation
New Industry Standards and Tech Advances Make Pre-owned Electronics a Viable Holiday Gift Option
The Conversation
Companies are Still Committing to Net-zero Emissions, Even If It’s a Bumpy Road – Here’s What the Data Show
Public News Service
Culture, Conservation Thrive as Great Lakes Tribes Bring Back Wild Rice
The Conversation
Hurricane Helene Power Outages Leave Millions in the Dark – History Shows Poorer Areas Often Wait Longest for Electricity to be Restored
The Conversation
What is an Atlantic Niña? How La Niña’s Smaller Cousin Could Affect Hurricane Season
The Conversation
Ancient Rome Had Ways to Counter the Urban Heat Island Effect – How History’s Lessons Apply to Cities Today

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The Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems regularly releases content about sustainability research, faculty, and students. We highlight news from every corner of campus that demonstrates Georgia Tech's systems approach to sustainability research that improves the human condition.

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