A Message from the Interim Director
I am proud to present the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s (GTRI) 2025 Annual Report, which highlights the remarkable accomplishments of our researchers and mission-support units. Together, they continue to advance GTRI’s mission to enhance Georgia’s economic development, secure our nation, improve the human condition, and educate future technology leaders.
Since stepping into the role of Interim Director in May, I have been focused on positioning GTRI for continued success and preparing for the next director to lead GTRI effectively while serving the broader Georgia Tech community. It is a privilege to guide an organization with such a distinguished legacy and an even brighter future.
This past year brought significant changes, including shifts in federal government national security priorities which remain our primary mission. However, GTRI remains exceptionally well-positioned due to the alignment of our expertise with current federal priorities. These include groundbreaking initiatives supporting the Golden Dome missile defense program, as well as advancements in quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, hypersonics, cybersecurity, space operations, and many other critical areas. GTRI also remains committed to continuing research in vital categories such as sensors, information and systems that we have established over the past several decades.
In fiscal year (FY) 2025, our dedicated workforce of more than 3,000 staff, research faculty, and students achieved extraordinary milestones. We secured $964 million in new sponsored contracts, which brings us closer to becoming a $1 billion organization. None of this success would have been possible without your continued support. Thank you!
As Georgia Tech’s applied research unit and a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), GTRI is fortunate to leverage the full ingenuity and capability of Georgia Tech. This partnership enables us to develop innovative solutions to address some of the most complex challenges faced by government and industry partners.
Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. We look forward to collaborating with you to tackle even greater challenges in FY2026 and beyond. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact for the State of Georgia, the nation, and the world.
Regards,
Tommer Ender
(Interim) Director, Georgia Tech Research Institute; Senior Vice President, Georgia Tech
Adaptive Phased Array Antenna Supports Hypersonic Flight Testing
GTRI has collaborated with U.S. defense contractor AV to develop an Advanced Phased Array Antenna Technology (APAT) system to capture telemetry signals during hypersonic flight tests over the Pacific Ocean. This innovative system uses Radio Frequency System on Chip (RFSoC) technology to process signals directly on antenna elements, enabling the simultaneous tracking of multiple signals. Funded by the Pentagon’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC), APAT combines commercial components with custom elements, creating one of GTRI’s most advanced all-digital antenna systems.
GTRI Develops New Polarization-Diverse X-Band AESA Testbed
Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars are playing increasingly critical roles today, protecting warfighters and civilians as part of air and missile defense systems. They are also critical tools on modern test and training ranges, allowing aircrews to train against realistic simulations of real-world threats. To accelerate modernization of these systems, GTRI researchers have developed a novel, fully-integrated compact X-band polarization-diverse AESA testbed known as XPAT. The system was developed for operation in airborne and ground-based AESA applications that require a reconfigurable software-defined radio frequency (RF) aperture to meet a variety of requirements and mission sets.
Wearables Help Move Cognitive Workload Studies to the Field
Despite the expanding capabilities and increasing sophistication of automation, human operators still play vital roles in today's military systems. As the complexity of these systems continues to grow, so does the importance of understanding how humans interact with these technologies. GTRI scientists are using wearable instrumentation to study human performance indicators such as electrical activity and oxygenation of the brain, heart rate, respiration, eye movements, and facial expressions to understand how operators respond to stressful conditions while interacting with military systems.
Monitoring Technology Would Detect Airborne Pathogens in Buildings
GTRI, with funding from the CDC, is developing new technologies to detect airborne pathogens in large buildings, focusing on low concentrations of infectious agents often obscured by dust, pollen, and human DNA. The project, part of the Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence established in 2022, collaborates with multiple universities in Georgia and the Georgia Department of Public Health. The GTRI team is creating new methods to concentrate airborne pathogens, making them easier to identify with laboratory techniques. In addition, GTRI is developing a genomics data platform to help public health authorities analyze and share data efficiently.
Say When: GTRI’s SatisfAI Game Helps You Determine How Much AI You Want in Your Life
Would you let artificial intelligence (AI) mow your lawn? File your taxes for you? GTRI researchers have developed SatisfAI, a serious tabletop and digital card game that encourages players to consider how much agency they are willing to share with AI-based systems to solve their real-world problems. SatisfAI uses a player-judge mechanic to promote both introspection and consideration of the preferences of others, indexing real-world objectives against Max Neef’s model of fundamental human needs, and asks players to indicate their preferred level of autonomy, from choices such as “No AI,” “Assistant,” and “Surrogate.” The game has received enthusiastic feedback from K-12 teachers across Georgia and expansion plans are underway.
Space Station Testing Will Evaluate Photovoltaic Materials
Georgia Tech researchers have sent 18 photovoltaic cells to the International Space Station (ISS) to study their performance under space conditions. The cells, installed in the Multi-purpose International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) Flight Facility, aim to improve solar power efficiency, crucial for space missions. The six-month study will test halide perovskite-based cells, silicon-based devices, III-V materials, and infrared photodetectors, examining their power output, radiation tolerance, and degradation. MISSE, operated by Aegis Aerospace, will provide real-time data on the cells’ space performance, in a mission that underscores the importance of advancing photovoltaic technology for space exploration.
GTRI Develops Climate, Moisture Control Technologies to Optimize Poultry House Operations
GTRI is developing technologies to optimize poultry house operations in Georgia, where poultry has an annual economic impact of over $28 billion. To address challenges such as changing weather, bird density, and high energy costs, GTRI developed the Broiler House Integrated Guided-Motion Excreta Saturation System (BHIG-MESS) and the “chicken bubble” enclosure. BHIG-MESS features a tiled floor for automatic manure removal, reducing moisture and ventilation needs, thereby lowering energy consumption. The “chicken bubble” uses an inflatable barrier to minimize air volume requiring conditioning, cutting energy expenses.
New “Megaflash” Lightning Record Set; Could Provide Severe Storm Insights
GTRI researchers, in collaboration with the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and Georgia Tech’s Center for Space Technology and Research (CSTAR), have identified a new record-setting "megaflash" lightning discharge extending 515 miles from near Dallas, Texas, to Kansas City, Missouri. This megaflash, which included over 100 cloud-to-ground strikes, was discovered in satellite data from an October 2017 storm. Led by GTRI's Severe Storms Research Center (SSRC), the research into these megaflashes aims to unravel the complexities of lightning and enhance severe storm prediction. The goal is to use these insights to improve forecasting capabilities and provide timely public warnings of lingering lightning dangers even after the main storm front has passed.
GTRI’s Nanoparticle Technology Enhances Water Purification
GTRI has demonstrated that its innovative nanoparticle technology significantly improves wastewater treatment efficiency and reduces waste, leading to safer discharge or reuse and potential operational cost savings. In pilot tests at Woodstock's wastewater treatment plant in Georgia, the technology effectively removed various pollutants and reduced reliance on chemicals and sludge production. GTRI aims to scale up the technology for larger municipal and industrial applications, including in facilities like poultry processing plants and paper mills.
GTRI’s Hives Program Empowers Emerging Leaders to Tackle Future Challenges
GTRI is empowering junior researchers through its Hives Early Career Independent Research and Development (IRAD) Program. Funded by GTRI’s IRAD program, Hives allows researchers within their first six years of employment as well as tenure-track assistant professors at Georgia Tech to lead innovative projects on emerging technologies and security topics with significant national and global impacts.
Research With Impact: How GTRI’s Military Graduate Research Program Develops Mission-Ready Leaders
Through its Military Graduate Research Program (MGRP), GTRI is providing military personnel with the opportunity to conduct part-time, Department of Defense-related research in GTRI labs while earning a STEM master’s degree from Georgia Tech. This year’s cohort consisted of nine officers from the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Space Force who worked on projects ranging from using machine learning for military runway damage assessment to deploying nuclear power units for disaster relief. This initiative strengthens GTRI's bond with the military and highlights its commitment to advancing defense technologies.
Georgia High Schoolers Gain Real-World STEM Experience at GTRI’s Summer Internship Program
GTRI’s K-12 outreach program STEM@GTRI hosted 74 high school students from 16 Georgia school districts for its 2025 summer internship program. The students were selected from an application pool of 1,104. Students gained real-world STEM experience, working on projects ranging from developing a device to protect runners from dog bites, assessing and mitigating security risks in Large Language Models and creating a “smart” trash can to count all items used during surgery to ensure patient safety. Forty-six GTRI professionals representing six labs and one support units served as mentors to the interns.
