Matter and Systems News | Research News Center

Five panelists sit at the front of a classroom during a Georgia Tech event, with one person speaking into a microphone. A projected slide behind them displays speaker headshots and names from the Institute for Matter and Systems.

March 17, 2026

Beyond Technology in the Future of the Grid

2 min read

The Boundaries and Breakthroughs panel explored how engineering constraints, institutional structures and societal values collectively influence the direction of grid research and development.

Group of people at Georgia Tech/Sandia MOU signing

March 12, 2026

Georgia Tech Renews Memorandum of Understanding With Sandia

3 min read

The Sandia partnership will expand research impact, talent pipelines, and national security innovation.

Georgia Tech Energy Day 2026 Header Image with three boxes showing an image of a datacenter, an electric bulb with energy sources around it and a multi-colored critical mineral

March 6, 2026

Georgia Tech Energy Day: Meeting AI’s Growing Energy Demands

5 min read

Join us on March 19 as we explore one of the most urgent questions facing the nation: How do we power an AI‑driven future?

A person wearing a blue lab coat stands with arms crossed in a laboratory filled with shelves of scientific equipment, supplies, and a refrigerator unit in the background.

March 6, 2026

Target the Tumor. Spare the Body.

1 min read

Housley and his team are developing self‑assembling nanohydrogels that deliver cancer drugs only when they reach tumor‑specific conditions, aiming to reduce side effects and make treatment more precise across multiple cancer types.

March 4, 2026

Building Space, Tools, and Trust

1 min read

Gary Spinner went from an unexpected start in engineering to a 30‑year career at Georgia Tech, where he helped expand the cleanroom, mentored generations of students, and led the creation of SUMS — a tool that transformed access to core research facilitie

Scanning electron microscope image of a tiny, arch-like structure made of looped, rope-textured material. A scale bar indicates the structure is on the order of 100 micrometers wide.

February 26, 2026

Celebrating Science Through Imagery

2 min read

Through its first Users Image Contest, the Institute for Matter and Systems celebrated the creativity and cutting-edge research captured in images produced across its core facilities.

February 24, 2026

Georgia Tech Arts Announces Spring 2026 Microgrant Awardees

5 min read

Georgia Tech Arts Announces Spring 2026 Microgrant Awardees

February 20, 2026

The Challenges and Opportunities of Cold Weather and Technology

2 min read

In labs chilled to 4 kelvins (-450 degrees!) and on expeditions to polar regions, Georgia Tech scientists are discovering how extreme cold simultaneously challenges and advances technology in computing, space exploration, and more.

A smiling graduate stands on a tree-lined campus walkway covered with fallen leaves. He is wearing a gold doctoral gown with blue velvet panels and sleeve bars, along with a matching blue tam and tassel. Campus buildings and autumn trees are visible in the background.

February 16, 2026

Finding His Path Through Undergraduate Research

3 min read

Sam Lucas’ journey from a summer undergraduate research program to a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering highlights how early research experiences can shape long-term academic and career paths

February 16, 2026

Obstacle or Accelerator? How Imperfections Affect Material Strength

4 min read

Research from Georgia Tech is showing how cracks occur and spread through materials — and how best to prevent them.

February 10, 2026

National Academy of Engineering Elects David McDowell

1 min read

Professor emeritus and founding executive director of the Institute for Materials is recognized for his computational work modeling metal alloys and designing materials.

February 3, 2026

Smaller, Smarter, Speedier, Stacked: Engineering Next-Gen Computing

2 min read

At Georgia Tech, engineers are finding new ways to shrink transistors, make systems more efficient, and design better computers to power technologies not yet imagined.

Could the Earth and everything on it – and even the whole universe – be a simulation running on a giant computer? OsakaWayne Studios/Moment via Getty Images

February 2, 2026

Is the Whole Universe Just a Simulation?

5 min read

How do you know anything is real? Some things you can see directly, like your fingers. Other things, like your chin, you need a mirror or a camera to see.

A panel of five speakers sits on tall stools at the front of a classroom, participating in a moderated discussion. The moderator on the left holds papers while addressing the group. A large presentation slide behind the panel displays names and academic titles. Audience members are partially visible in the foreground, and tables, chairs, and a water bottle are arranged throughout the room.

January 29, 2026

Confronting the Roadblocks in Medical Technology Innovation

4 min read

Clinicians and researchers outlined why breakthrough devices often fall short in clinical settings and emphasized the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and practical workflow integration.

Researcher tests improved vacuum chamber

January 21, 2026

New Cryogenic Vacuum Chamber Cuts Noise for Quantum Ion Trapping

2 min read

Researchers have developed an improved vacuum chamber that reduces noise for quantum ion trapping research.

January 15, 2026

Initiative Lead Q&A: Hailong Chen Drives Innovation in Electrochemical Manufacturing and Recycling

3 min read

Georgia Tech’s Electrochemical Manufacturing and Recycling initiative aims to revolutionize energy-intensive industries.

Georgia Tech student Yash Rajgure using an Apple Vision Pro headset device to demo his team's project.

January 12, 2026

Apple Vision Pro Powers New Wave of Immersive Education

2 min read

Spatial computing is transforming engineering education at Georgia Tech and opening new paths for entrepreneurship and technical training.

Two Georgia Tech researchers looking at a biomedical chip.

January 5, 2026

Georgia Tech Climbs to No. 2 University in Federally Sponsored Research Expenditures

3 min read

This is the Institute’s best ranking in the National Science Foundation’s annual survey.

Georgia Tech Professor Martha Grover with her research team

December 18, 2025

Nuclear Waste: What It Is — and What It Isn’t

1 min read

Nuclear waste can be managed safely with proper safety protocols. Researchers at Georgia Tech and around the world are working on safer reactor designs, advanced monitoring, and innovative recycling methods to turn nuclear waste into new opportunities — f

Many carbon-rich meteorites contain ingredients commonly found in life, but no evidence of life itself. James St. John, CC BY

December 12, 2025

Can Scientists Detect Life Without Knowing What it Looks Like? Research Using Machine Learning Offers a New Way

7 min read

Instead of searching for a single molecule or structure that proves the presence of biology, researchers attempted to classify how likely mixtures of compounds preserved in rocks and meteorites were to contain traces of life by examining the full chemical