Georgia Tech News Center

holiday travel and covid-19

Home for the Holidays: Know the Travel Risks Before You Go

By Zoe Kafkes November 23, 2020

As Covid-19 outbreaks surge in several states, the choice to see family this holiday season gets more complicated by the day. Thankfully, there’s a tool — developed by Georgia Tech faculty, scientists, GIS specialists, and graduate students — that can help estimate the potential risk of exposure involved with a trip home for a turkey dinner.

ASSESS YOUR RISK FOR THANKSGIVING

Spotlight

Home for the Holidays: Know the Travel Risks Before You Go

Researchers have developed a tool that shows the risk someone with Covid-19 will be present at gatherings from 10 to 5,000 people anywhere in the U.S.
Arts in the Time of Covid-19: Georgia Tech Arts Pivots

Georgia Tech Arts has revamped its entire operation because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Georgia Tech Enrollment Continues to Rise Despite Pandemic

Georgia Tech’s Fall 2020 enrollment increased to nearly 40,000 students.

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Flexible large-area organic photodiodes can now compete in performance with conventional silicon photodiode technology.

Campus and Community

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InVenture Prize Mixes Virtual Rounds Into 2021 Competition

The road to the 2021 InVenture Prize will be different, but the pandemic won’t stop the 13th edition of Georgia Tech’s signature invention...
Global Engagement Takes a Detour

International mobility of students is frozen because of Covid-19 travel restrictions, but there is still extreme interest in global education.
MOVEments Podcast Highlights Service, Civic Engagement

Students, student organizations, and local groups are welcome to apply to be interviewed.
Meet True Merrill, senior research scientist

True Merrill is proud to be part of the team leading Georgia Tech's Covid-19 surveillance testing program.
Tech Graduate to Celebrate 100th Birthday

Floyd Franklin Blair came to Georgia Tech in 1938, and this Nov. 15, he celebrates his 100th birthday.
Begin Planning for Thanksgiving Holiday

Though students are allowed to return to campus after Thanksgiving, those who travel home for the holiday are encouraged to stay there until the...
Georgia Tech Enrollment Continues to Rise Despite Pandemic

Georgia Tech’s Fall 2020 enrollment increased to nearly 40,000 students.

Meet Cristina Fannin, Construction Manager

As a young adult, Cristina Fannin left a comfortable career as an architect in the Philippines to strike out on her own in the U.S.
Can We Get Along? Resilience Can Help Promote Civil Discourse

Suggestions for having a civil discussion with someone who doesn't share your views.

Get Spooky Safely this Halloween

There are plenty of ways to celebrate while following public health guidelines.
Q&A on Information Technology With Daren Hubbard

Daren Hubbard talks about the role of IT at a research university.

An Unexpected Game of Frisbee

President Cabrera joins students for some down time on Tech Green

Preventing Bike Theft on Campus

The Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) is currently investigating several thefts involving bicycles and scooters from the East and West Campus...
President Expands Cabinet to Include Human Resources, Information Technology

As of this week, the president’s Cabinet includes two new members: Kim D. Harrington, associate vice president of Human Resources, and Daren Hubbard...
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Susan Margulies Elected to National Academy of Medicine

Coulter Department chair earns one of the highest honors in health and medicine
2020 Transformative Narratives Storytelling Crawl To Be Hosted Virtually

The 2020 Transformative Narratives Storytelling Crawl will be presented virtually October 26-29.
Petit Institute to Host Race and Racism Event on Covid-19

The Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience will host a conversation next week with two campus leaders on the topic of “Covid-19 Is a...
Georgia Tech Celebrates the Largest, Most Diverse Transfer Class in Institute History

National Transfer Student Week is Oct. 19-23, and Georgia Tech is celebrating with a record-breaking transfer class.
How the Georgia Tech Band is Handling Covid-19

Covid-19 procedures include wind players doubling up on masks and using bell covers.
Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and the College of Computing Launch New Ethics Center

The new Center will advance ethics-in-technology-centered research, education, and engagement at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Science and Technology

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Machine Learning Advances Materials for Separations, Adsorption, and Catalysis

Machine learning is helping accelerate the development of highly tunable materials known as metal-organic frameworks.
Large-area Flexible Organic Photodiodes Can Compete With Silicon Devices

Flexible large-area organic photodiodes can now compete in performance with conventional silicon photodiode technology.
Dense Microgel Suspensions Reveal In-silico What Happens Under Compression

Simulations of microgel suspensions show the surprising behavior of these materials when they are compressed.
‘Programmable Medicine’ is the Goal for New Bio-circuitry Research

A team of researchers is now using what they’ve learned about bio-circuits to lay the groundwork for the future of programmable medicine. 
E-Beam Atomic-scale 3-D ‘Sculpting’ Could Enable New Quantum Nanodevices

By varyingResearchers have demonstrated the ability to both etch away and deposit high-resolution nanoscale patterns on two-dimensional layers of...
RNA Information Transfer Could Be Used in Repairing DNA

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New Process Boosts Lignin Bio-oil as a Next-Generation Fuel

A new process for upgrading lignin bio-oil could expand the use of lignin, which is now largely a waste product.
Microgel Immuno-acceptance Method Could Improve Pancreatic Islet Transplant Success

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Portable disinfection chambers that use ultraviolet (UV) light to inactivate virus particles could allow PPE to be quickly disinfected.
Baking and Boiling Botnets Could Drive Energy Market Swings and Damage

Evil armies of internet-connected appliances could be hijacked to slightly manipulate energy demand, potentially driving price swings.
COVID-19 Info Dashboards Come to the CDC With Georgia Tech Help

New dashboards at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are sorting public health data to make it more productive, with the help of...
Membrane Technology Could Cut Emissions and Energy Use in Oil Refining

New membrane technology could reduce carbon emissions and energy intensity associated with oil refining.
Spontaneous Formation of Nanoscale Hollow Structures Could Boost Battery Storage

The spontaneous formation of hollow structures in nanometer-scale antimony crystals could make them useful in lithium-ion batteries.
People Think Robots Are Pretty Incompetent and Not Funny, New Study Says

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Planetary Exploration Rover Avoids Sand Traps with “Rear Rotator Pedaling”

Using the Mini Rover, researchers have studied locomotion techniques that could help future rovers work on granular lunar and planetary surfaces.
Surfaces That Grip Like Gecko Feet Could Be Easily Mass-Produced

The science behind sticky gecko's feet lets these materials pick up about anything, and now they could be easily mass-produced.
Interactive Tool Helps People See Why Staying Home Matters During a Pandemic

A new interactive modeling tool can help people understand why social distancing is so important.
Cognitive Empowerment Program Opens Doors to First Members

The new Georgia Tech-Emory University Cognitive Empowerment Program provides new hope.
Do-It-Yourself Medical Devices and Protective Gear Fuel Battle Against COVID-19

The Georgia Tech community is working together to help meet the needs for personal protection equipment for health care workers.
Cyber Hygiene Keeps Your Email Safe from Virtual Viruses

Teleworking can create a new set of risks surrounding email use that require precautions.

Business and Economic Development

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NSF Convergence Accelerator Awards Second Round of Funding to Eduworks, Georgia Tech, USG, Credential Engine for $5 Million Competency Catalyst Initiative

Over two years, Competency Catalyst will receive $5 million in funding from the NSF Convergence Accelerator.
Georgia Tech to Lead Technology Coalition to Advance Inclusive Innovation Across the State

Georgia Tech will take a lead role in the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, a public-private partnership created to foster technology access,...
Creating Tech Solutions to Fight Covid-19: The Real-World Impact of Scheller College’s CDL-Atlanta and TI:GER’s Global Technology Innovation Practicum

Scheller College’s TI:GER practicum provides students with hands-on experience to bring business solutions to real-world issues in science and...
Tracking the Effects of Covid-19 on Georgia’s Economy

Scheller College of Business students create a database showing the pandemic's real-time impact on 11 industries.
Redesigning Hand Sanitizer and Donating 7,000 Gallons to Fight Covid-19

It was so obvious the country was going to have a hand sanitizer crisis, but few wanted to acknowledge it.
Why Restarting the Global Economy Won't be Easy

Supply chain disruptions and other operational factors will affect the ability to restart the world's economy.
Georgia Tech Professor Uses Virtual Reality to Move Major Conference Online

For the first time in its 26-year history, IEEE VR will meet in an all-virtual environment.
Remote worker using laptop at kitchen table. Coping with COVID-19 overlaid in text.
Top Tips for a Successful Transition to Remote Work

New to remote work? Veteran remote workers from Georgia Tech Professional Education share their tips and advice to ensure your transition is...
Modify Hurricane Relief Strategies, National Academies Report Recommends

Hurricane devastation calls for heavy government relief, but a counterintuitive shift toward restoring private sector supply lines would help more...
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Georgia Tech agreement brings CDL’s successful program for rapid scaling of science-based companies to Atlanta
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The building is the first of its kind on the Southeast and designed to meet the Living Building Challenge 3.1 performance standards.
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A new report reveals how university leaders are preparing for changing market forces and disruption in higher education.
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GT Lorraine receives the Crystal Peach Award for economic development work.
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A new building in Tech Square Phase III to be named Scheller Tower
Georgia Tech’s Economic Impact on Atlanta Clocks in at $3.3B in 2018

Annual analysis shows the Institute's impact grew 8.5% and contributes 27,000 jobs to the region.
Forum Addresses Tech’s Role in Economic Development

Entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and political leaders gathered at The Biltmore Wednesday afternoon for an economic development forum.
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Karen Fite to Lead Enterprise Innovation Institute as Interim Vice President

Fite, who is EI²’s associate vice president, will lead the 12-program organization while Georgia Tech conducts a national search for a permanent vice...
Georgia Institute of Technology and Morehouse School of Medicine Announce Collaborative Effort for Health Technology Startup Development

Initiative aims to expand Morehouse School of Medicine’s research commercialization efforts, and support focus on the needs of underserved minority...

Earth and Environment

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Statewide Climate Solutions Powered by Georgia Tech Research Debut

Drawdown Georgia and its research team, led by the School of Public Policy's Marilyn Brown, rolls out its list of 20 climate solutions this week...
Fossil Pollen Record Suggests Vulnerability to Mass Extinction Ahead

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Volcanic Activity Does Not Contribute to El Ninos, Hard Evidence Says

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Regional Sustainability Network Receives Two United Nations University Awards

RCE Greater Atlanta was among the recipients of the eighth RCE Awards.
Robotic Submarine Snaps First-Ever Images at Foundation of Notorious Antarctic Glacier

These are the first-ever images taken at the foundations of the glacier that inspires more fear of sea-level rise than any other - Thwaites Glacier.
Georgia Tech Energy Policy Researcher Writes About ‘Green New Deal’ in ‘Scientific American’

The article focuses on the jobs impact of the proposed environmental legislation.
El Nino Swings More Violently in the Industrial Age, Hard Evidence Says

Hard evidence now says: El Nino and the climate phenomenon that drives it have become more extreme in the industrial age.
Exoplanet Axis Study Boosts Hopes of Complex Life, Just Not Next Door

An exoplanet study on axis tilts raises hopes that advanced life may exist elsewhere in the universe.
Reframing Antarctica’s Meltwater Pond Dangers to Ice Shelves and Sea Level

There's a speed limit on the damage surface ponds can do to ice shelves, but that doesn't mean the ponds aren't dangerous.
Energy Regulation Rollbacks Threaten Progress Against Harmful Ozone

This is what could happen if all endangered regulations that help in the fight against harmful ozone go away.
Georgia Tech Dedicates the Most Sustainable Building of Its Kind in the Southeast

The Kendeda Building goes beyond sustainability to be a regenerative building that gives back more than it takes from the environment.
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Georgia Tech is part of a new effort to address water security issues in the United States.
Warming Impedes a Coral Defense, but Hungry Fish Enhance It

Corals exude defenses against bacteria associated with bleaching, but warming disadvantages the defense. Conservation offers limited hope.
Metal Oxide-infused Membranes Could Offer Low-Energy Alternative For Chemical Separations

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are working on membranes that could separate chemicals without using energy-intensive distillation...
Instability in Antarctic Ice Projected to Make Sea Level Rise Rapidly

Instability hidden within Antarctic ice is likely to accelerate its flow into the ocean and push sea level up at a more rapid pace than previously...
Rising Tundra Temperatures Create Worrying Changes in Microbial Communities

Rising temperatures could affect the microbial communities in northern latitude tundra.
Scientists Discover the Biggest Seaweed Bloom in the World

Record-breaking belt of brown algae stretches from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico
Smart Sea Sensors Expo Highlights Accomplishments and Shares Future Plans

Smart Sea Level Sensors project marks first year successes.

Society and Culture

Pause
Home for the Holidays: Know the Travel Risks Before You Go

Researchers have developed a tool that shows the risk someone with Covid-19 will be present at gatherings from 10 to 5,000 people anywhere in the U.S.
People Think Robots Are Pretty Incompetent and Not Funny, New Study Says

Good thing humanoid robots don't have feelings because people think they are pretty incompetent.
Will Smartphones Help Us Keep COVID-19 Under Control?

Smartphones could provide a critical service of automating contact tracing to control future COVID-19 outbreaks.
Ilya Kaminsky Wins Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for ‘Deaf Republic’

The awards “recognize books that have made important contributions to our understanding of racism and human diversity."
Georgia Tech Historian Co-Authors Book on Sports, War, and Pandemic

Georgia Tech historian Johnny Smith writes about the influence of pandemic flu and war on sports in 1918.
When Coeds Came to Georgia Tech

Historian Amy Bix explores the hurdles women have overcome — and still face — in engineering and STEM education.

Music Technologists Find Inspiration, Community at Guthman

In its 12th year, musical instrument competition showcases the newest and most innovative ideas in music.
Modify Hurricane Relief Strategies, National Academies Report Recommends

Hurricane devastation calls for heavy government relief, but a counterintuitive shift toward restoring private sector supply lines would help more...
STEM Diversity Scholarships Subject of Husbands Fealing Grant

Kaye Husbands Fealing will study the effectiveness of a program to increase the number of minority graduate students in STEM fields.
Georgia Tech Professor Produces 'The Nerdiest Study of 2019'

Prof. Joseph H. Saleh uses his engineering perspective to decode political history
Atlanta Honors College Namesake, Mayor Ivan Allen Jr., through Newly Dedicated Bridge in Downtown Atlanta

The Path Bridge connecting downtown to the Westside highlights the legacy of Mayor Ivan Allen Jr.
Natural Disasters Contribute to Holiday Travel Delays

Natural disasters and severe weather are unusual factors in planning for travel around the Thanksgiving holiday.
llya Kaminsky is One of the World's Top Poets, and He Teaches at Georgia Tech

Ilya Kaminsky, professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication, is a finalist for the National Book Award in Poetry.
Poetry@Tech Works to Increase Diversity in Literary Criticism, Publishing

Poetry@Tech is partnering with poets and scholars in the UK on a program meant to increase diversity among poetry critics in the United States.
Study Probes Gender Pay Gaps in U.S. Federal Science Agencies

The researchers, including Kaye Husbands Fealing, set out to understand the reasons behind gender pay gaps at U.S. federal science agencies.
New Partnership with Georgia State Looks for Computing Solutions to Social Challenges

Georgia Tech computer science researchers are collaborating with social scientists from GSU thanks to a new $180K grant.
Georgia Tech Poet Ilya Kaminsky Named Finalist for National Book Award

Ilya Kaminsky's book 'Deaf Republic' was one of 245 volumes of poetry submitted for the highly coveted literary award.
Kaye Husbands Fealing Elected NAPA Fellow; Keynotes AAAS Fellowship Program

The School of Public Policy Chair was chosen among 51 leaders in the field of public administration to have been selected for NAPA's 2019 Class...
Georgia Tech Aerospace Engineering Graduate James McConville Sworn in as Army’s Top Officer

A decorated helicopter pilot who earned a master's in 1990, McConville is the first aviator to serve as the Army’s chief.
$3M NSF Project Will Use Nature’s Designs to Spark High School Students’ Interest in Engineering

Four-year project will bring teachers into Georgia Tech labs and create new curriculum materials for them to use in class.

HEALTH AND MEDICINE

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Local Company Plays Part in Georgia Tech’s Covid-19 Surveillance Testing Program

Omni International's technology is used to separate virus from the saliva or mucous samples collected from members of the Tech community.
Covid-19 Interventions Can Cut Virus Infections, Severe Outcomes, and Healthcare Needs

Interventions such as shelter-in-place taken to control the SARS-CoV-2 virus can reduce infections and overall deaths.
Ultra-Low-Cost Hearing Aid Could Address Age-Related Hearing Loss Worldwide

Researchers have developed an ultra-low-cost hearing aid to help the hundred of millions of people with age-related hearing loss.
Map of the United States showing the Covid-19 doubling time in each county.
New Tool Can Detect COVID-19 Outbreaks in U.S. Counties

Using machine learning, the online tool can predict outbreaks in different counties across the U.S.
Researchers Redesign the Face Mask to Improve Comfort and Protection

Researchers have redesigned the face mask to make it comfortable and able to protect both the wearer and those nearby.
Wearable Device Could Help EMTs, Surgeons Assess Hemorrhage Blood Loss

A new device under development could help first responders more accurately assess the effects of blood loss due to hemorrhage.
COVID Central App Checks Symptoms, Provides Links to Key Campus Resources

COVID Central is a web app designed to help the Tech community check for Covid-19 symptoms and access key resources.
Antibody Research Could Boost Coronavirus Testing, Therapies, and Vaccines

Georgia Tech researchers are working with colleagues at the CDC to produce coronavirus antibodies that could lead to improved testing techniques.
COVID-19 Info Dashboards Come to the CDC With Georgia Tech Help

New dashboards at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are sorting public health data to make it more productive, with the help of...
Ozone Disinfection Could Safely Allow Reuse of Personal Protective Equipment

A new study shows that ozone gas could provide a safe means for disinfecting certain types of PPE.
Redesigning Hand Sanitizer and Donating 7,000 Gallons to Fight Covid-19

It was so obvious the country was going to have a hand sanitizer crisis, but few wanted to acknowledge it.
Chemotherapy and Cancer Gang up to Cause a Neurological Side Effect, Study Says

Chemotherapy has gotten the blame for this neurological side effect, but it's cancer's fault, too.
Turgay Ayer and Interdisciplinary Team Develop COVID-19 Policy Simulator

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Inspired by Parents, Georgia Tech Student Helps Build Lifesaving Equipment to Battle COVID-19

Mechanical engineering student Kentez Craig grew up in Atlanta with two paramedics as parents. Now he's making equipment to help first...
Emory and Georgia Tech Create Barrier Protection Devices for Use During COVID-19

Two Atlanta universities have created barrier protection devices designed to contain the droplet spray and aerosol produced during certain medical...
Immunity of Recovered COVID-19 Patients Could Cut Risk of Expanding Economic Activity

The presumed immunity of those who have recovered from the coronavirus infection could allow them to substitute for susceptible people.
Atlanta Institutions Take Lead Role in Fast-Tracking COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

A trio of Atlanta health care and research institutions will play a leading role in helping to evaluate potential COVID-19 tests.
Open-AirVentGT Emergency Ventilator Provides Patient Monitoring, Feedback Control

Georgia Tech researchers have created a prototype for an emergency ventilator with electronic sensors and computer controls.
A New Normal: Researchers Across Georgia Tech Rally to Fight COVID-19

Tech's research community has engaged deeply in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic with government- and Institute-funded projects.
Georgia Tech Produces Key Components for Governor’s Coronavirus Test Initiative

Volunteer Georgia Tech researchers burn midnight oil to produce important enzymes that make coronavirus test kits work.

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Expert Voices

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TECH IN THE NEWS

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Featured Videos

True Merrill is a senior research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. He is a member of the team that developed and implemented Georgia Tech's Covid-19 surveillance testing program. (audio slideshow by Allison Carter)

Cristina Fannin, a construction manager in Georgia Tech Facilities Management, talks about her work.

Two students asked Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera if he'd like to play frisbee with them, and he said yes.