Thousands of Atlanta residents were left without water due to a recent water main break, but the issue of aging infrastructure is widespread. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that a water main break occurs every two minutes in the U.S.
 
In the latest episode of Generating Buzz, civil and environmental engineering Professor Susan Burns explains how, as most of the country’s 2.2 million miles of pipes near the end of their lifespan, inaction could be costly. She discusses barriers to funding and the challenges in planning future projects.

Generating Buzz: The Rising Cost of Aging Infrastructure

Twenty million people worldwide were diagnosed with cancer in 2022. However, misdiagnoses, high costs, and the toxic side effects of some treatments are common roadblocks. Anant Madabhushi, a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, is using artificial intelligence to improve the diagnosis and treatment of certain cancers.
 
As the executive director of the Emory Empathetic AI for Health Institute, Madabhushi's research aims to expand access to testing and reduce the financial and emotional strain on patients and providers when developing treatment plans.

Generating Buzz: Using AI to Detect and Treat Cancer

A software update initiated by a third-party cybersecurity company caused Microsoft systems to crash in July, grounding flights, delaying medical procedures, and drastically slowing business worldwide. Experts estimate that the outage cost Fortune 500 companies more than $5 billion and raised questions about the risks and vulnerabilities of our interconnected digital infrastructure. Alex Orso, a professor in Georgia Tech's College of Computing, discusses how the error occurred, how to prevent similar situations, and how Georgia Tech is shaping the future of cybersecurity.

Generating Buzz: What the CrowdStrike Outage Tells Us About Global Cybersecurity

The term "brain rot" dates back to Henry David Thoreau’s 1854 book Walden, but in the digital age, it has become Oxford University Press’ 2024 Word of the Year. With people averaging nearly seven hours of screen time per day, brain rot is defined by the publication as the result of overconsumption of material considered to be trivial or unchallenging, with a particular emphasis on online content and social media.
 
Usage of the term increased by 230% between 2023 and 2024, and Eric Schumacher, professor of psychology specializing in the study of cognitive control, talks about how brain rot is spreading and how to stem the tide.

Generating Buzz: Understanding 'Brain Rot'

Baseball season is underway, and it’s not a surprise that the New York Yankees are among the league leaders in hits and home runs. But how they’re doing it has become the biggest storyline in the sport.
 
Several Yankee sluggers were swinging a new style of bat, dubbed the torpedo bat, on March 29, when the team hit nine home runs, and the trend quickly caught on around the league. 

Materials and manufacturers may vary, but the design of a baseball bat has remained relatively unchanged, so how does the torpedo bat compare to other game-changing innovations in sports history? Jud Ready, associate director for external engagement at the Institute for Matter and Systems and the creator of the Materials Science and Engineering of Sports course at Georgia Tech, shares his thoughts on the bat and how the Institute is using technology to create change in sports.


Generating Buzz: The Torpedo Bat: A Trend or New Standard in Major League Baseball?

If you’ve driven in Atlanta since April 2024, you’ve likely seen retrofitted Jaguar I-Pace vehicles navigating the streets without a driver behind the wheel. These robotaxis, operated by Waymo in partnership with Uber, are now available to passengers within a 65-square-mile area in the city. 

 

Atlanta is one of five cities in the U.S. to have access to the new ride option, but with plans to expand to seven by 2026, are the roads and riders ready for an autonomous future?

 

In the latest episode of Generating Buzz, Srinivas Peeta — director of the Autonomous and Connected Transportation Lab and the Frederick R. Dickerson Chair and Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering — shares his expertise on how Waymo’s systems differ from other vehicle manufacturers, how social media influences adoption of the new technology, and what comes next.

Generating Buzz: Your Driverless Ride Has Arrived

In fashion, food, and media, the saying “What’s old is new again” remains a constant, as brands find ways to use nostalgia to turn the past into profits. These strategies can connect consumers to memories of their childhood or introduce new generations to vintage experiences, but experts say there is nuance to the approach. 

In the latest episode of Generating Buzz, Tim Halloran, a principal lecturer in the Scheller College of Business, shares his thoughts on the trend. Having worked with some of the nation’s biggest brands, such as Coca-Cola, to launch products worldwide, Halloran says it all comes down to the relationships built between brands and consumers, and avoiding an overreliance on the past. 
