Georgia Tech for Georgia's Tomorrow (GT2)
Research that serves all of Georgia — and delivers practical solutions for communities statewide.
GT² brings together Georgia Tech’s strengths in discovery science, engineering innovation, and AI-enabled decision tools to address urgent challenges at the intersection of environmental and community resilience in Georgia. We partner with state agencies, communities, industry, and nonprofits to turn research into outcomes.
Our state's wild and working lands are also central to our sense of place — shaping what Georgians value about living here and what visitors come to experience. Healthy ecosystems underpin major parts of our economy by supporting productive forests and farms, sustaining outdoor recreation and tourism, and helping communities manage climate and disaster risks.
How GT² works
- A clear front door for Georgia partners
- Coordination across colleges and Institute assets (IRIs, PIN, GTRI)
- Evidence-based tools and pilots that partners can use
- A statewide story — from the coast to rural communities
What we're working on
Coastal resilience
Reducing flood risk, protecting coastal communities, and supporting resilience planning with nature-based solutions and digital twin modeling — helping safeguard homes, infrastructure, and the coastal landscapes that drive recreation and tourism.
Wildlife and biodiversity conservation
Protecting biodiversity, managing shifting wildlife populations, reducing conflicts, and guiding smart investments with coordinated data and forecasting tools — supporting working lands, rural livelihoods, and sustainable bio-based products.
Future farms, forests, and the circular bioeconomy
Leveraging biotechnology, AI, and microbial support systems to modernize agriculture and build resilient plant feedstocks.
Explore GT² white papers (2026):
Healthy ecosystems power Georgia’s economy
Forestry
Georgia has 22 million acres of working forest — mostly privately owned — contributing more than $40 billion to the statewide economy and supporting 140,000 jobs. Forests also sequester enough carbon to annually offset nearly a quarter of Georgia’s emissions and help keep watersheds healthy for drinking water and recreation.
Agriculture
Georgia is home to nearly 10 million acres of farmland — contributing $84 billion to the statewide economy and supporting 360,000 jobs. Agricultural productivity and livestock health are closely tied to water availability and climate conditions.
Our coast
Georgia’s wild coast includes extensive salt marshes — 400,000 acres and one-third of the U.S. East Coast’s marsh — supporting fisheries, buffering storms, and connecting 100 miles of coastal jewels that continue to welcome record-setting numbers of visitors and tourism-related investments. People come for Georgia’s natural beauty alongside its history and culture — making healthy lands, rivers, coasts, and trails an important part of our state’s appeal.
Get involved
To get involved, please contact Joel Kostka at joel.kostka@biology.gatech.edu
Georgia Tech by the numbers
- 159 Georgia counties served
- $5.8B annual economic impact (FY24)
- 36,705 Georgia jobs supported (FY24)
- 3,900+ manufacturers supported across 144 counties
- 500+ technologies advanced to market (FY25)
- 66% increase in first-year students from rural Georgia (Fall 2025)
