From the muscle fibers that move us to the enzymes that replicate our DNA, proteins are the molecular machinery that makes life possible.

Protein function heavily depends on their three-dimensional structure, and researchers around the world have long endeavored to answer a seemingly simple inquiry to bridge function and form: if you know the building blocks of these molecular machines, can you predict how they are assembled into their functional shape?

This question is not so easy to answer. With complex structures dependent on intricate physical interactions, researchers have turned to artificial neural network models – mathematical frameworks that convert complex patterns into numerical representations – to predict and “see” the shape of proteins in 3D.

In a new paper published in Nature Communications, researchers at Georgia Tech and Oak Ridge National Laboratory build upon one such model, AlphaFold 2, to not only predict the biologically active conformation of individual proteins, but also of functional protein pairings known as complexes.

The work could help researchers bypass lengthy experiments to study the structure and interactions of protein complexes on a large scale, said Jeffrey Skolnick, Regents’ Professor and Mary and Maisie Gibson Chair in the School of Biological Sciences and one of the corresponding authors of the study, adding that computational models such as these could mean big things for the field. 

If these new computational models are successful, Skolnick said, “it could fundamentally change the way biological molecular systems are studied.”

Primed for Protein Prediction

Created by London-based artificial intelligence lab DeepMind, AlphaFold 2 is a deep learning neural network model designed to predict the three-dimensional structure of a single protein given its amino acid sequence. Skolnick and fellow corresponding author, Mu Gao, senior research scientist in the School of Biological Sciences, shared that the Alphafold 2 program was highly successful in blind tests occurring at the 14th iteration of the Community Wide Experiment on the Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction, or CASP14, a bi-annual competition where researchers around the globe gather to put their computational models to the test. 

“To us, what is striking about AlphaFold 2 is that it not only makes excellent predictions on individual protein domains (the basic structural or functional modules of a protein sequence), but it also performs very well on protein sequences composed of multiple domains,” Skolnick shared. And so with the ability to predict the structure of these complicated, multi-domain proteins, the research team set out to determine if the program could go a little further. 

“The physical interactions between different [protein] domains of the same sequence are essentially the same as the interactions gluing different proteins together,” Gao explained. “It quickly became clear that relatively simple modifications to AlphaFold 2 could allow it predict the structural models of a protein complex.” To explore different strategies, Davi Nakajima An, a fourth-year undergraduate in the School of Computer Science, was recruited to join the team’s effort.

Instead of plugging in the features of just one protein sequence into AlphaFold 2 per its original design, the researchers joined the input features of multiple protein sequences together. Combined with new metrics to evaluate the strength of interactions among probed proteins, their new program AF2Complex was created.

Charting New Territory

To put AF2Complex to the test, the researchers partnered with the high-performance computing center, Partnership for an Advanced Computing Environment (PACE), at Georgia Tech, and charged the model with predicting the structures of protein complexes it had never seen before. The modified program was able to correctly predict the structure of over twice as many protein complexes as a more traditional method called docking. While AF2Complex only needs protein sequences as input, docking relies on knowing individual protein structures beforehand to predict their combined structure based on complementary shapes.

“Encouraged by these promising results, we extended this idea to an even bigger problem, which is to predict interactions among multiple arbitrarily chosen proteins, e.g., in a simple case, two arbitrary proteins,” shared Skolnick.

In addition to predicting the structure of protein complexes, AF2Complex was charged with identifying which of over 500 pairs of proteins were able to form a complex at all. Using newly designed metrics, AF2Complex outperformed conventional docking methods and AlphaFold 2 in identifying which of the arbitrary pairs were known to experimentally interact.

To test AF2Complex on the proteome scale, which encompasses an organism’s entire library of the proteins that can be expressed, the researchers turned to the Summit Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, the world’s second largest supercomputing center. “Thanks to this resource, we were able to apply AF2Complex to about 7,000 pairs of proteins from the bacteria E. coli,” Gao shared. 

In that test, the team’s new model not only identified many pairs of proteins known to form complexes, but it was able to provide insights into interactions “suspected but never observed experimentally,” Gao said. 

Digging deeper into these interactions revealed a potential molecular mechanism for protein complexes that are particularly important for energy transport. These protein complexes are known to carry hemes, essential metabolites giving blood dark red color. Using AF2Complex’s predicted structural models, Jerry M. Parks, a senior research and development staff scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and a collaborator in the study, was able to place hemes at their suspected reaction sites within the structure. “These computational models now provide insights into the molecular mechanisms for how this biomolecular system works,” Gao said. 

“Deep learning is changing the way one studies a biological system,” Skolnick added. “We envision methods like AF2Complex will become powerful tools for any biologist who would like to understand molecular mechanisms of a biosystem involving protein interactions.”

AF2Complex is an open-source tool available to the public and can be downloaded here.

This work was supported in part by the DOE Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research (DOE DE-SC0021303) and the Division of General Medical Sciences of the National Institute Health (NIH R35GM118039). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29394-2

Georgia Tech will celebrate its 25th annual Earth Day with a 4-day schedule of events. The celebration kicks off Monday, April 18, with a keynote event featuring Vice President for Infrastructure and Sustainability Maria Cimilluca. She will share her inspiring vision for the future of sustainability at Georgia Tech. 

"The Institute's strategic plan asks us to envision an institution that leverages its unmatched scale and resources to address the most crucial challenges of our time,” Cimilluca said. “I see the Institute's sustainability plan as one of the many pathways for collaboration, innovation, and action that will lead us toward transformations in research, applied technologies, culture, and ultimately a more sustainable future."

Georgia Tech first celebrated Earth Day in 1997. For many years the celebration was a one-day, afternoon event. In 2020, it was expanded but held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Held in person last year, the event featured The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design’s Living Building Certification by the International Living Futures Organization, and President Cabrera cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the EcoCommons. These two areas on campus represent Georgia Tech’s commitment to sustainability and serve as living, learning laboratories for students, faculty, and staff.

Event co-chairs Anne Rogers, associate director of the Office of Campus Sustainability, and Emma Brodzik, campus sustainability project manager, have planned a strong lineup of events for this 25th anniversary. From a bike ride with President Cabrera, to a waste audit of the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons, to a bird walk and tree planting, this year’s “Down to Earth” event offers many opportunities to celebrate nature and learn about new and innovative ways to protect and preserve our planet.

As is the tradition, this year’s theme and logo were chosen from a student design contest. The winner, Abhinav Thukral, is a graduate student in human and computer interaction. “I think it’s incredibly important to be aware of how our activities affect the planet and to learn sustainable ways to progress as a community,” Thukral said. “Earth Day is essential to reflect on some of the environmental issues we face today and how we might work together to address them.”

Students have often requested to work with campus operations to manifest positive environmental change by engaging with the staff of Infrastructure and Sustainability. This unit is responsible for providing sustainable, safe, and well-maintained campus facilities. For example, recent Carbon Reduction Challenge winners aided in implementing the replacement of existing fluorescent lighting with LED in a wing of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience building. By working with the Building Engineering and Energy Strategies department, this improvement will yield more than 250,000 pounds of carbon dioxide reduction per year. Another area where students are proactive is recycling. When the need for acrylic shields lessened as the intensity of the pandemic waned, student volunteers from the Office of Minority Education assisted campus staff in collecting 800 pounds of acrylic and PVC for recycling.

These types of student-led collaborative efforts are encouraged. If your organization or class would like to collaborate with Infrastructure and Sustainability, use this form to get started.  

It’s been in the works for more than a decade and now construction will officially begin. An announcement from Georgia Advance Technology Ventures (GATV), a cooperative organization of Georgia Tech, and Trammell Crow Company (TCC), the project developer, shares details of what will become a major life science innovation hub for the Atlanta region. Now named Science Square, the development will be a mixed-use innovation community that includes commercial lab space as well as residential real estate and retail opportunities. 

You can read more about the project here.

How to Pre-Health at Tech is a new series of stories and experiences with our faculty, current students, and alumni working in healthcare and medical fields. Check back throughout the spring for interviews with:

  • Alonzo Whyte, faculty member, academic advisor for the Health and Medical Sciences (HMED) Minor, director of academic advising for the Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, and development leader in the School of Biological Sciences
  • Ritika Chanda, fourth-year neuroscience undergraduate with dual-minors in health and medical sciences and leadership studies
  • Jeffrey Kramer, first-year biology undergraduate
  • Jenna Nash (NEUR '21), physician assistant graduate student

From the moment Charles Winter stepped onto campus freshman year, he was ready to use his time at Georgia Tech to prepare for a pre-health career. Over the next four years, engaging classes, global study, extracurricular activities, and research with a number of supportive professors paved the way for his current career as an anesthesiologist assistant. 

At Georgia Tech, Winter shares that while success was a struggle, through studying in the Library and leaning on the support of professors and peers, he successfully entered graduate school and kick-started his career. He shares with the College of Sciences how he did it all – and what he’s up to today.

Here are Winter’s recommendations for “How to Pre-Health” at Georgia Tech:

Q: What degree did you receive from Georgia Tech and when did you graduate? Where did you go to graduate school after graduation?

A: I received my Bachelor of Science in Biology from Georgia Tech in 2012. I attended South University in Savannah, Georgia and graduated with my Master of Medical Science in Anesthesia in 2016.

Q: What were your extracurricular activities at Georgia Tech?

A: I did Crew my first year, and I spent a good amount of time at the Campus Recreation Center. I really enjoyed it, but I eventually decided to do intramural sports instead. I studied abroad in London for a full year after that (doing undergraduate research and taking classes) at the University College of London. I received the STAR award, a scholarship found via the Office of Internal Education, in 2010 for a project called "Keeping a Tab on Hope," where I would locally source tabs from cans to upcycle while raising awareness on lowering one's carbon footprint. My third and fourth year I did undergraduate research for various labs: professor Francesca Storici in 2011, professor Philip Santangelo in 2011, and professor J. Todd Streelman in 2012.

Q: Why did you decide to pursue a pre-health career at Georgia Tech?

A: I was pre-health from the moment I stepped onto campus. I planned out all the prerequisites I'd need to take over the next four years as well as relevant extracurriculars and service projects. I had a plan, but I didn't have a mission. “What's the primary reason why you're doing all this work? Will this career path make you happy? Are you doing this because all your peers are as well?” These were hard questions I had to answer during my time at Georgia Tech. 

My early medical shadowing motivated me to continue the pre-health career. It showed me that I could make a positive impact in someone's life in real time. I would urge anyone in the pre-health career track to do medical shadowing as soon as possible.

Q: What resources did you use at Georgia Tech to support your career aspirations, such as clubs, advisors, or professors?

A: I want to thank Paul Fincannon, assistant dean Jennifer Leavey, and associate professor Matthew Torres. Without these individuals, I wouldn't be where I am today. Paul Fincannon was my undergraduate advisor for biomedical engineering. He had a candid conversation with me, telling me if I wanted to pursue my pre-health goals, I needed to adjust my trajectory to hit that target. I took his advice, and I changed my major to biology. My undergraduate advisor for biology was assistant dean Jennifer Leavey. She was a wealth of knowledge throughout my remaining years at Georgia Tech. She opened the doors to medical shadowing at Piedmont Hospital, where I learned about the various programs for anesthesiologist assistants. Finally, associate Professor Torres offered me advice and a position in his lab during the time between graduation from Georgia Tech and entrance into the South University anesthesia program.

Q: What role do you hold today, and what does your typical routine look like?

A: I am an anesthesiologist assistant, and I work at a hospital in the metro Atlanta area. I work as part of a “4-1 care team model,” where an anesthesiologist supervises four anesthetists in the clinical care setting. My shift can vary, depending on the department I'm assigned to that day. I'll do anesthesia for neurovascular, orthopedic, abdominal, and other various cases. In the morning we prepare for our first case with our anesthesiologist, discussing the various aspects of our anesthesia care plan, which is tailored to each patient. We're in the operating room or procedural area during the whole time anesthesia is administered, and we finally hand off to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) or relevant post-procedure care area when the case is complete. You get to see your positive impact on patients every day, and it's such a good feeling.

Q: How did Georgia Tech prepare you for your career?

A: Georgia Tech is tough. I had classmates that could breeze through undergrad with straight A's. That definitely wasn't me. I had to work hard for my grades. I spent a majority of my evenings and weekends in the Library or Student Commons studying. Georgia Tech increased my mental fortitude by making me comfortable under stressful situations. I realized early on that if I wanted to have a career in medicine, and finally, anesthesia. then I had to work as hard as I possibly could now to do that.

You realize when you get into college the terrifying truth that you're responsible for your future. You have to schedule your activities and parties around your studies, and you have to plan both short-term and long-term. Georgia Tech helped me become a self-motivated individual. Talk to the teachers. Talk to the teaching assistants. Ask for help from your classmates. I want to thank senior academic professional Edwin Greco for getting me through physics. He and his teaching assistants were amazing, and they took the time to explain everything to me during office hours. All of the College's resources are there, but you have to want to use them.  

Q: What advice do you have for current Georgia Tech pre-health students?

A: If you're doing pre-health, then you don't have to choose the “hardest” major. I made it into anesthesia as a biology student. You just have to perform really well in your prerequisites. Most (not all) parties and events can wait. Allocate your time wisely. You may think you have all the time in the world in undergrad, but it has a way of disappearing rather quickly. Finally, take advantage of every single opportunity you can at Georgia Tech, whether it's an undergraduate advisor or research position. 

Q: What are some of your favorite Tech memories?

A: I did write President Emeritus G. Wayne Clough when I was in undergrad, asking him for advice and what he liked the most about his time there. He had recently left Georgia Tech to start his position as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. I was more than surprised to find he not only read my letter, but he also wrote back! He said that it's the people there that have made it the amazing institution it is today, and he encouraged me to work hard. That letter motivated me along with the individuals previously mentioned. 

I also was an extra for “The Internship” when they were filming on campus, and I got into the final cut of the film! I'm in one of the Quidditch scenes, cheering on some of the players. That was pretty fun. 

Overall, Georgia Tech played a major role in who I am today, and I am grateful for that.

Winter spoke about his experience as a frontline healthcare worker to the Alumni Magazine in their On The Front Lines of A Pandemic feature.

How to Pre-Health at Tech is a new series of stories and experiences with our faculty, current students, and alumni working in healthcare and medical fields. Check back throughout the spring for interviews with:

  • Ritika Chanda, fourth-year neuroscience undergraduate with dual-minors in health and medical sciences and leadership studies
  • Jeffrey Kramer, first-year biology undergraduate
  • Jenna Nash (NEUR '21), physician assistant graduate student
  • Charles Winter (BIO '12), anesthesiologist assistant

Meet Alonzo Whyte

As a faculty member, advisor for the Health and Medical Sciences (HMED) Minor, and director of academic advising for the Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at Georgia Tech, Alonzo Whyte supports pre-health students throughout their time at Tech. He also teaches neuroscience and serves as a development leader in the School of Biological Sciences, working to incorporate feedback on the program and support future growth through curriculum development, course instruction, and academic advising. Whyte is also a member of the College of Sciences Task Force on Racial Equity and in spring 2021 received the Institute’s Class of 1934 Course Instructor Opinion Survey Award.

In his tenure at Tech, Whyte says he has seen a diversity of routes that students take on the path to a pre-health career. Today he shares some advice on success stories, mistakes to avoid, and resources to explore.

Here’s his take on “How to Pre-Health” at Georgia Tech:

Q: What is your role advising students on the Pre-Health Track?

A: As a neuroscience advisor and an advisor for the Health and Medical Sciences Minor, I see a lot of students on the Track for anything from medical school, to physician assistant school, to dental school, to physical therapy school, and everything in between. We try our best as advisors to have some knowledge in terms of what steps the students need to take in order to meet the pre-requisite requirements for different programs, because it’s not simple. 

There is no pre-medical major at Georgia Tech. Students need to do research to find out what specific programs they’re interested in and what classes they need to meet their goals. In that capacity, as an advisor for the major and the minor, I have developed some knowledge in terms of what classes students should be taking for the different paths. 

But really, my job is to ensure that their completed courses help students towards progress for their major or minor, and wrapped into that are the pre-health requirements. And even though I have some experience and knowledge about what things students are doing to prepare for their post-graduate experience, I strongly, strongly recommend that every student talk to the Pre-Health Advising Office. They have a set of advisors there that are dedicated to helping the writing medical school letters, interviewing, and anything else needed.

For example, last week I was part of a mock medical school interview process. The Pre-Health Office creates those types of events. As major and minor advisors, we ensure the students' academic course work will earn their desired degree and that students’ courses are getting applied appropriately, while edging them along the pre-health path. 

Q: What other key resources are there for students on the pre-health path?

A: Again, the Pre-Health Office is fantastic. They’re very busy, so to get a meeting with their advisors such as Mr. Castelan or Ms. Liggins, it’s important to book in advance. 

Additionally, advisors are still not the only experts in what the students need. I find that the best solution is to utilize peer advisors as well as a student groups. The Pre-Health Office has many resources; they have their own set of peer advisors; they have a very active Piazza page, that allows you to connect with the pre-health community to get quick answers to your pre-health questions; and they have a list of pre-health student organizations.

I’m also a faculty advisor for a new club, the American Physician Scientist Association. They are students who are looking to be physicians, scientists, or something similar. They’ll have speakers come who are focused on that subject.

Additionally, I am faculty advisor for Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students. It’s not just limited to minority identity students, it’s a very diverse group of students and open to all. This semester they hosted a medical school showcase where they had representatives from different medical schools come and talk the attendees through the application process.

There’s also an American Medical Student Association, a Pre-Dental Society, and many more places where you can connect with senior students who are going through the application cycle, as well as participate in their events where they bring in guest or representatives of medical schools to provide great insight. The pre-health path is really a collaborative process. 

There’s not one single resource. You have to pick and choose what resources you need. If you have questions about classes, I’ll be a person to talk to. If you have questions about the application cycle, you can talk to me, but I’ll refer you to the Pre-Health Office as they have all these peer advisors, all these student associations. The community is great, and there are plenty of supportive resources.

Q: In your experience, what kind of activities do students on the Pre-Health Track do to ensure they take the right steps to pursue the rigorous process of applying to these difficult schools?

A: I think one of the biggest things is thinking beyond GPA and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score. While those are important factors for the application, currently the holistic view of the student is huge. There are some shifts and trends in the application experience. 

I would say many students are waiting a year or two after their undergraduate graduation as a way to build up their credentials. Maybe they need more clinical hours, or they’re taking positions as a medical assistant, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), things like that, to get hands-on experience to show that they can thrive in a medical environment. Maybe they don’t have the strongest GPA, so they’ll do a one- or two-year master’s in something like genetics to show that they can achieve academically and handle the rigor of medical school. 

Three important things that students do are leadership positions, getting involved in clubs, and research. 

Showing commitment to clubs is important by staying active not just for one semester but two or three years if possible. Additionally, research is becoming popular. Working in biomedical, neuroscience, chemistry, or other research lab shows that students can commit to a project that’s high-level science. We have these opportunities at Georgia Tech where students can successfully write a thesis, get some publications or poster presentations.

That’s a lot of what I see for strong candidates – along with maintaining a good attitude throughout that all, because when recommendation letters are written, it won’t matter how much you’ve done if you’ve had a sour attitude the whole time! As advisors, we want to ensure that we’re putting students in the position to become a good clinician. When we’re thinking about who we’re sending to medical school, we think, who do we want to be treated by when we’re older? Do I want some student who is grumpy, even if they’re the smartest? That’s one of the reasons for graduate school interviews – personality does matter for who you choose as your doctor.

Q: For students who are on the Pre-Health Track, but have a major that is not explicitly science related, how does their path differentiate from students studying a healthcare related subject?

A: The College of Sciences majors, in particular neuroscience and biology, have a lot of pre-health courses already built into the major requirements … Whereas if you’re studying computer science or engineering, you don’t have the lab science requirements built into the degree the same way. You have other courses you must take, so you have to find a place in your schedule to fit the pre-health courses in. 

For students studying biomedical engineering, for example, because of the heavy credit requirements to complete that major, students are often really stretched to find every free elective that completes a pre-health requirement … So, there’s a bit more pressure.

There are plenty of non-science students who attend medical school after graduation successfully. In fact, some schools are looking for students with diverse skill sets. For example, some schools want engineering students who want to be doctors, because that’s how they design medical devices well. 

Q: What would you tell prospective students interested in pursuing a pre-health career through Georgia Tech?

A: The rigor of Georgia Tech has a national, if not international, reputation. You leave Georgia Tech prepared for the rigor of medical school. That’s what we hear from our students who have gone off to places like Emory for a medical degree – they say that Georgia Tech prepared them to excel and succeed in their medical school courses. You can go to many different institutions and earn high marks, but you’re going to get your world turned over when you go off to medical school. The struggle is helpful, because you build skills to succeed while struggling, and then when you step up to the challenge of medical school, you’re ready for it.

Q: What other advice do you have for students on the Pre-Health Track to ensure they have a successful time here?

A: Again, I think it’s important that students don’t focus solely on GPA. A “C” is not the end of your pre-health path. A “D” is not even the end of your pre-health path. Think about the whole picture. There are plenty of students who struggle their first year and that’s expected. So, you have to adjust, and have some grace there, understanding that there’s more to the process than GPA.

I also encourage students, regardless of if they’re straight “A” students or straight “B” students, to have an open mindset to other careers. You may have come to Georgia Tech thinking that you want to be pre-health, but I would suggest still exploring other paths. Consider, “What if I were to start my career with a bachelor’s degree and not go to medical school, what would I do? What would I enjoy?” And then tailor their minor towards that. For example, if they like programming, pursue a Computer Science Minor. If they like writing science communication, a Language, Media, and Communications Minor. There are many things they can do in addition to their major, along with the pre-health requirements. So, if they get to graduation and decide they don’t want to go to medical school, they have something that they’re also equally excited about.

Some of the best medical school applicants I've seen have had activities like projects where they worked in conjunction with local hospitals to design new algorithms for them to read how patients are treated upon arrival. That’s taking their interests and putting in into this pre-health context. And that you would be great for public health, if they decide they don’t want to pursue a medical doctorate. A multimodal, diverse skill set is really important to think outside the box of what it means to be a typical pre-med student, to move to being something more creative and unique.

Q: My last question is a little more personal to you. What do you like about advising for the Health and Medical Sciences minor? 

A: I love the energy that students bring. The HMED minor requirements are flexible, diverse and very interdisciplinary – similar to the Neuroscience major. We have students taking classes in science, bioethics, and any of the College of Sciences programs. I love seeing the diversity of classes that they pull together and the interesting things that they’re doing. And I think that the freedom to explore these interdisciplinary courses is important. They really choose their own adventure to complete the minor.

Just to show how varied the minor is, you could complete the HMED minor and not take a single class that is a pre-requisite for medical school. If you’re a neuroscience student also interested in physics and psychology, you could take those courses through the minor, none of which will serve as pre-health requirements. So, people can cater the minor to what their future path may be. 

How to Pre-Health at Tech is a new series of stories and experiences with our faculty, current students, and alumni working in healthcare and medical fields. Check back throughout the spring for interviews with:

  • Alonzo Whyte, faculty member, academic advisor for the Health and Medical Sciences (HMED) Minor, director of academic advising for the Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, and development leader in the School of Biological Sciences
  • Ritika Chanda, fourth-year neuroscience undergraduate with dual-minors in health and medical sciences and leadership studies
  • Jenna Nash (NEUR '21), physician assistant graduate student
  • Charles Winter (BIO '12), anesthesiologist assistant

Jeffrey Kramer’s first semester at Georgia Tech was a running start. With the post-grad goal of attending medical school to be a physician, the biology major from Marietta, Georgia has set ambitious plans to prepare for graduate school, focusing on his studies, three unique organizations, and learning “what it means to be a Yellow Jacket.”

Here are Kramer’s recommendations for “How to Pre-Health” at Georgia Tech:

Q: What attracted you to pursue a pre-health career at Georgia Tech?

A: I decided to pursue pre-health here at Georgia Tech for a variety of reasons. First, as an in-state student eligible for the Zell Miller Scholarship, it is difficult to beat the price and quality of a Georgia Tech education. Compared to out of state or private institutions, Georgia Tech is significantly more affordable while still offering a high level of prestige.

Second, Georgia Tech is in close proximity to a huge number of hospitals and clinics including Grady, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta Medical Center, and Emory. This makes it significantly easier to obtain clinical volunteering and experience.

Third, Georgia Tech has an incredibly active pre-health community. There are a number of pre-health campus organizations, including Student Hospital Connections and the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), dedicated to helping students navigate the pre-health process. These organizations provide access to a wealth of opportunities and connections, and were a huge factor in my decision to attend Georgia Tech.

Q: What have you been involved with on campus?

A: In the past semester, I have become an active member of three organizations: Student Hospital Connections, AMSA, and the Student Center Programs Council.

Q: How did you find your first semester of classes?

A: I found my first semester of classes to be very difficult, but very manageable as well. It's a lot of content, but I'm very satisfied with my professors and their teaching. I've found it necessary to radically change my study habits, but Georgia Tech provides a wide variety of resources, such as office hours and Peer-Led Undergraduate Study (PLUS) sessions, to make this transition easier. Looking forward to future semesters, I'm thrilled to continue my science education here.

Q: How do you plan to make the most of your time at GT to prepare for a pre-health career?

A: Outside of my coursework, I plan on participating in a number of extracurriculars during my time here at GT to prepare me for a pre-health career. First, I plan on volunteering as often as possible throughout my time here. Fortunately, there are a huge number of campus organizations dedicated to facilitating community service opportunities.

Second, I plan on getting involved in scientific research. Luckily, Georgia Tech makes it easier than perhaps any other university to begin research as an undergrad.

Third, I plan on gaining clinical experience by both volunteering at local hospitals and clinics and shadowing physicians.

Q: Do you have any future career plans, or ideas for what you would like to do upon graduation?

A: After graduation, I currently plan on attending medical school with the goal of becoming a physician. I am not yet decided whether I wish to pursue a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree.

Q: What advice would you share with others interested in coming to Georgia Tech on a pre-health path?

A: I would advise them to look into the huge variety of pre-health resources here at Georgia Tech. Taking classes is only one component of the pre-health journey. The campus organizations, academic support resources, and research opportunities provided at Georgia Tech are unrivaled. They were a huge factor in my decision to attend GT.

How to Pre-Health at Tech is a new series of stories and experiences with our faculty, current students, and alumni working in healthcare and medical fields. Check back throughout the spring for interviews with:

  • Alonzo Whyte, faculty member, academic advisor for the Health and Medical Sciences (HMED) Minor, director of academic advising for the Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, and development leader in the School of Biological Sciences
  • Ritika Chanda, fourth-year neuroscience undergraduate with dual-minors in health and medical sciences and leadership studies
  • Jeffrey Kramer, first-year biology undergraduate
  • Charles Winter (BIO '12), anesthesiologist assistant

If it wasn’t for her dad’s encouragement, Jenna Nash may never have applied to Georgia Tech. After her admission to Tech, Nash says the resources available for pre-health students at Tech felt like “the missing puzzle piece that fell in place” when deciding what college to attend.

Four years and countless memories later, the Canton, Georgia native graduated in May 2021 with a degree in neuroscience and a minor in health and medical sciences. From her involvement in the Physician Assistant Club as a member and vice president of marketing, to support from peers, professors, and the Neuroscience Club, Nash shares that coming to campus was “the best decision I have ever made.”

Her time at Georgia Tech helped Nash achieve her goal of physician assistant (PA) school. This semester, she begins classes at Mercer University for the Master of Medical Science (MMSc) degree.

Here are Nash’s tips on “How to Pre-Health” at Georgia Tech:

Q: Why did you decide to pursue pre-health at Georgia Tech?

A: I knew going into college that I wanted to pursue a pre-health career, but Tech actually helped secure my decision to become a physician assistant. I was weighing heavily between nurse practitioner, which requires a complete Bachelor of Nursing, then going back to school to become a nurse practitioner for around two years; versus physician assistant, where you can choose your own undergraduate degree and then complete around 27 months of school; versus doctor, which requires a complete undergraduate degree then four or more years of school depending on specialty.

While choosing what school to attend, I knew I wanted to stay in state because of financial reasons, but most schools in Georgia that offered nursing programs did not seem challenging enough to me.

My dad actually encouraged me to apply to Tech, even though I thought there was no way I would get in, and I didn't think it had a huge pre-health program. However, checked all the boxes – challenging, football team, great location – so when I got in, I knew that it was meant to be. From there, I decided to become a physician assistant instead of a doctor because of a mentor in high school that told me about the flexibility and freedom that comes with becoming a PA instead of doctor – then, I knew it was for me. Additionally, I found out there was a club for pre-physician assistant students at Tech which sealed the deal. It was kind of my missing puzzle piece that fell in place. It was the best decision I have ever made.

Q: What resources did you use at Georgia Tech to support your career aspirations, such as clubs, advisors, or supportive professors?

A: One of the best resources for me during my time at Tech was the Physician Assistant Club (PAC). It is tricky navigating how to get into graduate school and it was getting super overwhelming trying to figure it out on my own. My pre-health advisor, Maria Krakovski, and one of my sisters in my sorority, Claudia Varnedoe, encouraged me to join PAC. I am so happy that I did! It helped me figure out what I needed to do while in college, allowed me to form connections with other people that aspired to become PAs, gave me job and volunteering options, and walked me through the application process which was so helpful when it came time to apply for schools my senior year.

One of the best things that came from PAC was the opportunity to work with Good Shepherd’s Clinic, which provided healthcare to uninsured people of Atlanta. At this clinic, I learned how much I loved working with underserved populations and learned a lot about the inequality in the healthcare system of Georgia and the United States.

Another thing I am so thankful for was one-on-one tutoring through the Tutoring & Academic Support Office at the Clough Undergraduate Commons (CULC). I was studying there nearly three times a week for help on subjects that I could not figure out for the life of me. It increased my confidence in my ability to solve problems and allowed me to reflect on what I really understood. Tutoring is a very underused resource at Tech, and I cannot encourage people to take advantage of the tutoring resources enough!

Q: How did Georgia Tech help you during the application cycle for graduate school? Any tips that process?

A: I am so thankful that I had Georgia Tech resources available during my application cycle. I used lots of the available resources, especially when it came to writing my personal statement. I took advantage of the Communication Center to edit my essay a lot. They really helped to critique and organize my thoughts. Writing has always been a weakness of mine, because I write just like I talk, and my message can get confusing; they went through it with me sentence by sentence to make sure every word in my essay was meaningful.

I put to use every bit of knowledge I gained from PAC during the application process. I utilized other students in the Club that I made connections with to review my application and make sure that I did not miss any small details. I encourage students to take advantage of peers with similar goals to share the stress of the application cycle with, because they are an invaluable resource.

Q: What graduate degree are you pursuing and where? Why did you choose that program?

A: I am studying to become a physician assistant (PA) at Mercer University. I knew from high school I wanted to become a physician assistant because of my desire to form connections with patients while still having time to enjoy life outside of my career.  I chose the PA program at Mercer because of its proximity to Atlanta. During my time at Tech, I became connected to the city and realized how much it has to provide. But, living in Atlanta and through my involvement at Tech, I also noticed the large population of people in need of healthcare, shelter, food, and more. Since Mercer focuses on service opportunities, I thought this would be a great way for me to give back to the city I learned so much from in college.

Q: What advice do you have for current Georgia Tech pre-health students?

A: Get as many healthcare experiences as possible that you can while you are at Tech. In Atlanta you have access to many different fields – take advantage of that! Try different things, because each thing you do will give you more information and shape your future as a healthcare provider. During those experiences, keep a journal of conversations, patients, or advice that make an impact on you. This will help you in future interviews, when writing your personal statements, or talking about your career. And it is fun to look back at it all when you are questioning whether you have chosen the correct path for yourself.

One of the most important pieces of advice that was given to me is: this is the only time in your healthcare journey where you will get the opportunity to see how different providers handle situations differently. Take advantage of shadowing experiences to determine how you will act as a healthcare provider in the future.

Lastly, develop a network of people that have a career path that is similar to you. For me I had three main people: someone who already was working in the field, someone currently in my chosen graduate program, and then someone that was at the same stage as myself. Having these people to go to with “stupid” questions was so useful and really eased my stress about the whole application process. In my experience, people are flattered when you ask them for help because it makes them feel important, so don’t be afraid to reach out!

Q: What makes Georgia Tech special?

A: I had the best four years of my life at Georgia Tech, and I am forever thankful for everything I learned from my professors, friends, and peers. It was challenging, but at the end of the day, you come out of Tech ready to accomplish anything that is ahead of you. Cherish the moments getting to learn in such a stimulating academic environment. You were chosen to be at this school for a reason.

Feel free to reach out to me if you ever need advice or encouragement! I’m always available. Email Jenna Nash

How to Pre-Health at Tech is a new series of stories and experiences with our faculty, current students, and alumni working in healthcare and medical fields. Check back throughout the spring for interviews with:

  • Alonzo Whyte, faculty member, academic advisor for the Health and Medical Sciences (HMED) Minor, director of academic advising for the Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, and development leader in the School of Biological Sciences
  • Jeffrey Kramer, first-year biology undergraduate
  • Jenna Nash (NEUR '21), physician assistant graduate student
  • Charles Winter (BIO '12), anesthesiologist assistant

Ritika Chanda has made the most of her time at Georgia Tech. Through challenging classes, undergraduate research, leadership roles in student organizations, and an internship, Chanda shares she's ready to enter the healthcare field after graduation.

She encourages all students to take advantage of their time at Tech to get involved in various activities to learn more about their future career path. She shares that “I am someone who strives to challenge myself and try new things,” and her time at Georgia Tech certainly has been full of excitement and discovery.

While serving as president of Student Hospital Connections (SHC), the organization was awarded “Burdell’s Best for Community Champion” award at Tech’s Up with the White and Gold Ceremony. From volunteering at pop-up vaccine clinics, to helping on a Covid-19 helpline, to making masks for local charitable clinics and homeless shelters, service has been a vital part of Chanda’s Georgia Tech experience.

Here are Chanda’s recommendations for “How to Pre-Health” at Georgia Tech:

Q: What is your degree, year, and hometown?

A: I am a fourth-year Neuroscience major with minors in health and medical sciences and leadership studies. I am from Columbus, Georgia, which is located about two hours south from Atlanta!

Q: What activities are you involved with on campus?

A: On campus, I am involved in several student organizations, research and mentoring. I currently serve as the president of SHC, executive vice president of American Medical Student Association (AMSA) and vice president of Support, Health, and Education (S.H.E) for Women.

SHC is an organization focused on promoting volunteerism and healthcare awareness among Georgia Tech students. Our goal is to provide students interested in leadership and volunteerism with the opportunities and resources to make an impact in our community! 

AMSA is an organization with the mission of supporting, informing, and inspiring future physicians to make healthcare a better place. Our goal is to provide support for the academic aspects of being a pre-health student through our workshops and initiatives. 

Last, but not least, S.H.E for Women is a newly chartered organization with the mission of spreading awareness to women’s health issues, especially in the realm of homelessness. Our goal is to provide support to larger Atlanta-based organizations with similar missions by advocating for them, informing our Georgia Tech students of these issues, and hosting service projects to help alleviate said issues. 

My role in each of organizations involves coordinating the operations of the organizations and most importantly supporting all members in their future endeavors. My goal is to be a resource for others and to share my experiences. As a teaching leader for a Neuroscience GT 1000 course, I have the opportunity to continue this goal as a mentor for first-year students! I also serve as an undergraduate research assistant in professor Eric Schumacher’s Cognitive Neuroscience at Tech Research Lab (CoNTRoL). I am currently completing the research option on my own project investigating whether attentional brain networks, which are neural pathways in the brain modulating attention, can predict learning in an online environment using fMRI techniques!

Off campus, I am involved in several different activities as well. I serve as a medical intern at the Good Samaritan Health Center, or Good Sam, which is a charitable clinic just five minutes away from Georgia Tech. Through this position, I support the hard-working medical staff, while also practicing skills essential for future healthcare providers, such as making patients feel safe and comfortable, managing the demands of healthcare, and being adaptable and flexible. Throughout my four years at Tech, this experience has been the most eye-opening and impactful to me. Before Good Sam, I was blind to many of the issues related to healthcare, such as the effects of healthcare disparities, the lack of healthcare accessibility and more. 

This experience inspired me to also be an advocate for more accessible and equitable healthcare and motivated me to use my resources to help spread awareness and educate other Georgia Tech students through AMSA’s Urban Clinic of Atlanta (UCA) team and Student Hospital Connection’s Outreach team. With Good Sam, I also serve as a clinical caller and shift coordinator on their Covid-19 helpline and a volunteer for their Covid-19 and flu pop-up vaccine sites! I also work as a medical scribe for Comprehensive Women’s Care of Columbus (CWCC), a private OBGYN practice in my hometown dedicated to providing accessible and women-focused healthcare. During my free time, I do some dancing here and there!

Q: When did you know you wanted a career in pre-health?

A: When I was about eight years old, my uncle came to live with us while studying for the United States Medical License Exam, which is a three-step examination program to receive your medical license. During this time, my uncle was also responsible for watching me while my parents worked. He would encourage me to study with him by giving me case studies to memorize. I was responsible for learning the patient’s symptoms and history, and then presenting the case to him so he could “diagnose” me. That was the summer I realized I wanted to pursue medicine because connecting with and being able to help others has always been something I have been passionate about! As I grew older, I began seeing the positive and life-changing impact physicians had on individuals, families and groups of people, and my Georgia Tech experience inspired me to use my education to help underserved and uninsured populations receive quality healthcare.

Q: Why did you choose to pursue pre-health at Georgia Tech?

A: When I was a prospective student, I came to tour Georgia Tech. Prior to the tour, I was quite hesitant in coming to Tech for pre-health, but very quickly I realized that Georgia Tech was located in a vibrant community full of opportunities just steps away from campus! Additionally, I am someone who strives to challenge myself and try new things. I value personal growth and I knew Georgia Tech would help facilitate that for me. I am really thankful for choosing to come here for my undergraduate experience.

Q: What resources at Georgia Tech have prepared you for a pre-health career?

A: Student organizations and the Pre-Health Advising Office have been really impactful in preparing me for my pre-health career. Through student organizations, I found an open and welcoming community, as well as support from my upperclassmen peers. As a current upperclassman participating in student organizations, I am grateful to be able to provide support those still learning about the path! The Pre-Health Advising Office has been crucial in supporting me academically as I pursue this path. They have many programs to help assist through the process and are always available during their drop-in hours to talk. Talking about your career can be really stressful and make you feel vulnerable, but the Office does a great job with building relationships with students, so you have a safe place to go to for career-related discussions.

Q: What have some of your favorite classes at Georgia Tech been and why?

A: One of my favorite classes to participate in was Vertical Integrated Projects (VIP). During my first and second year at Tech, I joined a VIP regarding Health Informatics on FHIR, or Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources. This project was heavily industrial engineering-based, but very interesting! I appreciated learning about how other fields, especially engineering, could improve healthcare. 

As a leadership studies minor, I am required to delve a little bit into management and business, which led me to taking MGT 3662, Management in the Healthcare Sector. This course was extremely eye-opening as it exposed me to many conflicts in healthcare and delved into how business and technology make an impact on the patient experience. I would highly recommend this course to pre-health students! I am currently taking the practicum portion of this course and working closely with the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to help resolve an issue they are currently facing using the skills I have learned in MGT 3662 and my experience working in and learning more the healthcare field. 

I also really enjoyed taking physics for life sciences and organic chemistry, as these courses challenged me the most! In the end, despite the challenge, I realized how much they helped me improve my critical thinking skills. Additionally, it was great seeing how they could be applied in medicine and pharmaceuticals to improve healthcare.

Q: What professors, advisors, or older students have helped you prepare for your career?

A: During my first semester at Georgia Tech, my GT 1000 and PSYC 1101 professor Mary Holder played a huge role in helping me adapt to college life. With her support, I learned the necessary time management and study skills needed to succeed at Georgia Tech. This also gave me the opportunity to try out other interests of mine inspired by Tech, such as industrial engineering through a VIP program and my leadership studies minor! I am really thankful for the support of my family, friends, and academic and career advisors!

Thirteen College of Sciences students and alumni are among nearly 90 Georgia Tech students and alumni being awarded five-year fellowships and honorable mentions for their research in STEM disciplines through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).

They are among 50 graduate student researchers at Georgia Tech and 39 Institute alumni being recognized by GRFP for research excellence.

The program supports outstanding students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines through five-year fellowships, which include an annual stipend to each fellow, as well as a cost of education allowance for tuition and fees to their academic institutions. 

Georgia Tech Sciences students and alumni recognized this year hail from the Schools of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Physics, and the Georgia Tech Neuroscience program.

College of Sciences student researchers receiving GRFP awards and honorable mentions are:

Half a dozen College of Sciences alumni who received their undergraduate degrees at Tech and are now conducting graduate research at other universities and organizations, are also receiving 2022 GRFP Awards:

Hardt, a Georgia Tech Stamps President's Scholar, and Verboncouer are also prior recipients of the Rutt Bridges Undergraduate Research Initiative Award for Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS) students. Gibson, an AGU Bridge Fellow, and Elbon, a Georgia Tech President’s Fellow, also hail from EAS. Hanna, who majored in chemistry at Georgia Tech, also conducted undergraduate research in EAS. 

More information on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program can be found here.

As the academic year nears its end, a season of celebration begins. Several students were recognized for excellence this year at the annual Student Honors Celebration on Thursday, April 21. See photos from the event on Flickr.

The following students were recognized at this year's event:

College of Computing

Donald V. Jackson Fellowship
Shoale Badr, Lohith Burra, Raj Sanjay Shah

Marshall D. Williamson Fellowship
Cole Anderson, Tricia Dang, Abrahim Ladha, Pengda Xie

Outstanding Graduate Head Teaching Assistant Award
Rusty Otomo

Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
Sam Jijina

Outstanding Undergraduate Head Teaching Assistant Award
Mitchell Gacuzana

Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Award
Anthony Zheng

 

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts

History and Sociology

The Bellon Award
Katie Marchese and Yihua Xu

Modern Languages

Excellence in Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies (ALIS) Award
Ella Tiller

International Affairs

International Affairs Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
Amelia Rousseau

International Affairs Online Teaching Assistant of the Year
Leslie Dwolatzky

International Affairs Outstanding Graduate Student Award
Brian Stewart

International Affairs Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award
Samuel Ellis

Economics

Outstanding Economics Student Award
Samantha Cameron

Public Policy

Outstanding Public Policy Undergraduate Student Award
Archa Amin, Kathryn Earles, Adam Lederer

 

College of Design

AIA Medal for Academic Excellence
Weston Byerly and Monica Rizk

AICP Outstanding Student Award
Freyja Brandel-Tanis

Alpha Rho Chi Medal
AnLi French

Industrial Designers Society of America Student Merit Award
Sophia De Lurgio

John and Joyce Caddell Student Merit Award
Blaine Allen and Naomi Censullo

Kim Scott Logan Award
Mir Jeffres

Stanley, Love-Stanley, P.C. Award
Breanna Rhoden and Christian Waweru

 

Scheller College of Business

Dow Chemical-P.C. McCutcheon Prize for Outstanding Student Achievement in Business
Cindy Qiu

Jennifer R. and Charles B. Rewis Award for Student Excellence in Accounting
Katherine Fishman and Vicky Yang

John R. Battle Award for Student Excellence
Ben Barnett and Kara Pomerantz

Naresh K. Malhotra Scholarship for Marketing Research
Clara McKay

 

College of Sciences

A. Joyce Nickelson and John C. Sutherland Prize
Sarah Eisenstadt

Cynthia L. Bossart and James Efron Scholarship
Sena Ghobadi

Larry S. O’Hara Fellowship
Jason Tsukahara, Youngho Yoo, Pedro Marquez Zacarias

Mehta Phingbodhipakkiya Undergraduate Memorial Scholarship
Nabojeet Das

Roger M. Wartell, Ph.D., and Stephen E. Brossette, M.D., Ph.D. Award for Multidisciplinary Studies in Biology, Physics, and Mathematics
Lila Nassar

Virginia C. and Herschel V. Clanton Jr. Scholarship
Griffin Wagner

College-Wide Award

Robert A. Pierotti Memorial Scholarship
Holly McCann and Soham Kulkarni

 

College of Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace Engineering Outstanding Senior Scholar Award
Anonto Zaman

Donnell W. Dutton Outstanding Senior in Aerospace Engineering Award
Stacey Tian

Biomedical Engineering

G.D. Jain Outstanding Senior in Biomedical Engineering Award
Kevin McCoy

Outstanding Academic Achievement in Biomedical Engineering Award
Adith Srivasta

S.K. Jain Outstanding Research Award in Biomedical Engineering
Mary Kate Gale

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Chair’s Award — Outstanding Chemical and Biomolecular Junior
Ethan Guglielmo

Chair’s Award — Outstanding Chemical and Biomolecular Senior
Christina Whetzel

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Buck Stith Outstanding Junior Award in Civil Engineering
Anthony Sanseverino

Buck Stith Outstanding Junior Award in Environmental Engineering
Aidan Labrozzi

Buck Stith Outstanding Senior Award in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Zoe Zhang

School Chair’s Outstanding Senior Award in Civil Engineering
Thomas Papageorge

School Chair’s Outstanding Senior Award in Environmental Engineering
Johanna Hall

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Research Award
Pradyot Yadav

Outstanding Computer Engineering Senior Award
Zachary Olkin

Outstanding Electrical Engineering Senior Award
Katherine Roberts

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Alpha Pi Mu Academic Excellence Award
Oscar Aguilar and Xufei Liu

Evelyn Pennington Outstanding Service Award
Hung Doan and Duncan Siebert

Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers Excellence in Leadership Award
Dany Shwayri

Materials Science and Engineering

American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Student Chapter Award for Graduating Senior
Alp Kulaksizoglu

School of Materials Science and Engineering Outstanding Senior Award
Alp Kulaksizoglu and Matthew Kuner

Mechanical Engineering

George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering Outstanding Scholar Award
Andrew Galassi

George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering School Chair’s Award
Joseph Stein

Richard K. Whitehead Jr. Memorial Awards
Julia Binegar, Blake Castleman, Sarah Chen, William Compton, Rebekah Travis

Nuclear and Radiological Engineering

Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award — Nuclear and Radiological Engineering Program, School of Mechanical Engineering
MaryEmma Hughes

College-Wide Awards

College of Engineering (COE) Honors Awards
Evan Beckley, Denzel Carter, Eliezer Zavala Gonzalez, Zhiyi Li, Matthew Liu,
Bain McHale, Kristina Malinowski, Jana Shade, Taryn Trigler, Sophia Ung, Nick Vu

Davidson Family Tau Beta Pi Senior Engineering Award
Zachary Olkin

 

Institute Awards

Alvin M. Ferst Leadership and Entrepreneur Scholarship Award
Adam Lederer and Chris Ozgo

Naugle Communication Center Assistant of the Year Award
Jose Miranda-Hernandez

Georgia Tech Faculty Women’s Club Scholarships
Alexander Emelianov, Kelly Haas, Ben Howard, Parth Parashar, Shiloh Emma Thomas-Wilkinson

Jordan Lockwood Peer Tutor of the Year Award
Emily Nguyen and Raneem Rizvi

Outstanding Learning Assistant Award
Aboubacar Barrie

Outstanding PLUS Leader Award
Jerry Schweiger

Outstanding Student Assistant Award
Vivi Tran

Outstanding Tutor Award
Raymond Copeland

Provost’s Academic Excellence Award
Kathryn Earles, Jocelyn Kavanagh, Emily Salmond, Conner Yurkon

Love Family Foundation Award
Yashvardhan Tomar

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