College of Sciences

The University of Georgia is following Georgia Tech's lead by announcing this month it would rely more on saliva-based testing for its voluntary Covid-19 surveillance program for students and employees. Georgia Tech developed its own saliva-based test last semester. 

Climate scientist Kim Cobb, who has committed to a flight-free career, gets two chances to publicly lobby for less air travel after the pandemic subsides. Her first is this Nature story, where Cobb, director of Georgia Tech's Global Change Program, argues for large conferences replaced by smaller, regional gatherings. She echoes that in The Guardian: "It will be nice to know that going forward, we have a viable, remote alternative for those trips where the climate costs, and associated injustices, outweigh the value for us as an individual."

Health officials are wondering how they can speed up the administration of Covid-19 vaccines in Georgia. M.G. Finn, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor and Chair, and James A. Carlos Family Chair for Pediatric Technology, discusses how delays impact vaccine potency. 

The pandemic's silver lining? Worldwide lockdowns have caused a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. Yet as vaccines get distributed and countries look to quickly stimulate virus-stalled economies, they should focus their economic recovery packages on efforts that are climate "friendly and equitable," says Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb.