Tech Topics - Winter 2007 - (Page 18) TheHill STATE OF THE INSTITUTE ADDRESS 2007 VANISHING BOUNDARIES A s the 21st century unfolds around us, the future shape of the new technological research university is becoming clear. It is collaborative in its nature. It is innovative, continually reshaping its educational experience and refocusing its research thrusts to produce the talent and the discoveries the future demands. It embraces the challenge of creating solutions to the world’s seemingly intractable problems and shaping the way in which technology is used. By President G. Wayne Clough A university that is collaborative, interdisciplinary and global has a unique educational experience to offer. It gives students an opportunity to gain deeper knowledge and expertise in a chosen field but at the same time to see that chosen field in a global context. It is an opportunity to become a citizen of the world as well as an architect, scientist, engineer, historian or business leader. Georgia Tech should be willing to reinvent the learning environment we offer our students. Our faculty seek new ways to make the boundaries of the traditional classroom vanish by providing real-time, realistic ways for them to interact. The Horizon Wimba Live Classroom grew out of the work of Georgia Tech’s Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning. It is a live, real-time, interactive approach to teaching modern languages online. The limitations of physical distance between learning communities is on the way to being erased by the breakthrough high-definition video technology that our researchers in the Arbutus Learning Center have developed with HP engineers. This technology allows classes in two locations to be seen by each other through its ability to project highdefinition, life-size images from one site to another onto the walls of the classrooms. GARY MEEK Delivering his address during Homecoming, President Wayne Clough tells alumni that “the combination of Georgia Tech’s global presence with its interdisciplinary culture provides unique opportunities to work on challenging issues.” Breaking Down Boundaries Diversity is a word often used with a specific end in mind. Here at Georgia Tech we see this concept more broadly — as a means to break down boundaries between cultures, races and economic classes. First there is economic diversity, something we have been at risk of losing on our campus as costs of education have risen. This fall, we inaugurated the Georgia Tech Promise program with the commitment to help students from Georgia whose family income is less than $30,000 to cover the costs of their education. This is not just a handout, since we ask these students to do their part — apply for grants and participate in work/study to help earn their way. But Georgia Tech Promise gives students the opportunity to realize their dream of a Tech degree without the burden of excessive debt or fear of losing their status because of a temporary setback. We are working to raise a $50 million endowment to provide long-term support, and as we are able, we will expand Georgia Tech Promise to other worthy students. Beyond economic diversity there is ethnic and cultural diversity. We seek to achieve both and use them to create a vibrant community of learners. This does not come without focus and intent. For example, the number of African-Americans who graduate with PhDs in engineering nationally has remained well below what this country should achieve. Georgia Tech has made it part of our mission to change this, and even though there are 320 accredited engineering programs in the U.S., for the last three years we graduated 10 percent of the African-American PhDs in engineering. Many deserve credit for this remarkable accomplishment, but we should acknowledge Gary May, chair of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who was recognized this year for his efforts with the nation’s top mentoring award. We seek to bring together a richly diverse student body and provide it with an educational experience where boundaries cease to limit what is possible; where technology and the liberal arts are intertwined; where technology is suffused with appreciation of sustainability; where students learn to not only work in groups but to lead; where students learn by listening and by doing through internships and co-op jobs, study abroad and research. Georgia Tech has 125 interdisciplinary centers that address subjects ranging from nanomedicine to digital media. Of the dozens of new majors we have added in the past decade, the vast majority have been created by a melding of disciplines. Sustainable Approach Most of the important problems facing the world today are broad and call for the participation of interdisciplinary teams to solve — energy, for example. Political volatility in the Middle East, growing energy demands from large, emerging nations such as China and India and deepening concern about global warming have made energy a priority issue for the nation and the world. Our response has been to create the Strategic Energy Institute to bring together researchers from areas of policy, engineering, science and earth and atmospheric sciences to craft a comprehensive, sustainable approach to the problems. The combination of global warming and rising fuel prices has focused national attention on biofuels. Georgia Tech is a partner in a new $125 million biofuels research center led by Oak Ridge National Lab and has a $12 million partnership with Chevron 18 TECHTOPICS | WINTER 2007
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