The Jackets got back out on the road and headed up to Kentucky to take on the undefeated and top-20 ranked Louisville Cardinals where they were handed their second loss of the season. Despite a strong performance and blowout bounce back game last weekend against VMI, the Jackets fell to a strong Louisville squad that put up 31 points. 

The Jackets had a strong opportunity to pick up a second ranked win, albeit on the road. It was a great opportunity to play spoiler against a Louisville team that has been a tough matchup to start the year. There were no illusions about the challenges that awaited. l. 

Going into the game, the Jackets knew they were up against a strong Louisville  rushing attack that has earned its place among the best in the nation. The Cardinals are currently averaging 6.4 yards per carry, which is the nation’s ninth-best mark.  Tech was able to hold Louisville’s ground game in check, allowing only 57 yards on 27 carries. Unfortunately,  Tech’s struggles on the other side of the ball kept them from securing a pivotal road win. Much like their earlier season defeat to Syracuse, Tech’s game was marred by untimely errors and a failure to execute in key moments.

The bright spot of the afternoon was the performance of redshirt junior quarterback Haynes King’s passing performance, who put on a show with 312 passing yards on 21 of 32 attempts. Redshirt junior receiver Malik Rutherford was once again a reliable target, hauling in seven receptions for 113 yards, while sophomore receiver Eric Singleton Jr. added 88 yards of his own. However, the aerial success did not translate into the offensive dominance needed to outpace the Cardinals. Despite out-gaining Louisville in total yardage (410-326), the Jackets’ offense failed to execute in crucial situations, particularly in the red zone. The most notable mistake from Tech was a special teams gaffe that led to a   blocked field goal). Overall, the two missed kicks loomed large in this game and their loss to Syracuse as well. Tech also faced multiple situations where they were on fourth down and only needed a yard to convert. Unfortunately, they  were stuffed on each of them. 

Despite the Jackets’ defensive line clogging up running lanes, their inability to get pressure on Louisville senior  quarterback Tyler Shough was glaring. The Jackets were not able to get past the Cardinals’ offensive line and finished with zero sacks on the day. Much like their performance against Syracuse senior quarterback Kyle McCord, the team allowed  Shough to drop back with ease. Shough’s efficiency—13 of 19 for 269 yards and two touchdowns—underscored the ongoing struggles of Tech’s pass defense.

Tech’s offensive line also failed to pave the way for a successful rushing attack. Averaging only 2.6 yards per carry, the Jackets’ ground game stalled repeatedly. Even King, who was responsible for the bulk of the rushing yards with 58, found little support from his backfield. The lack of a ground game forced Tech into a one-dimensional offense, making it easier for Louisville’s defense to anticipate and counter their passing plays.

Penalties and turnovers also plagued Tech throughout the game. Racking up six  penalties, including a costly running into the kicker call and a turnover deep in their own territory, is something the Jackets just could not afford against a ranked opponent. King’s lone interception, which Louisville quickly converted into a touchdown, was emblematic of a game where the Jackets stumbled at critical junctures.

For a team that prides themself on their ability to consistently run the ball and play a physical style of offense, they have struggled against their two toughest opponents. There seems to be a lack of creativity when setting up the formations to run out of. Furthermore, the adjustments being made to counter failure seem to not have much of an effect. Only gaining 40 rushing yards without King probably should’ve been a sign to transition off the ground game sooner. However, turning the offense into entirely passing and QB-run focused makes the jobs of King and his receiving core  harder and more predictable. The offense is going to need to find success on the ground against good defenses in order to stay in games . 

This loss raises questions about Tech’s ability to compete consistently against tougher opponents. With games against Duke and Miami looming, the Jackets need to find answers fast. The bye week should offer a chance to regroup and refine their approach. The talent is there, as proven by standout performances like those of King, Rutherford, and Singleton. Sadly, without the consistency and discipline needed to finish games strong, Tech risks being left behind in a crowded ACC.

The post Jackets cut down by Cardinals in 31-19 loss appeared first on Technique.

Coming off a huge series victory over the then tenth ranked Duke Blue Devils in Durham, Tech Baseball proceeded to lose every game that followed.

The team traveled to Macon to take on Mercer, where they lost 7-6 in 6 innings in a game that ended early due to severe weather conditions. Tech was mounting a comeback when the game was called, so arguably the Jackets may have taken this one had it been played out. However, the game brought the team’s pitching struggles back on display, struggles that did not show as heavily in the series against Duke. 

The pitching woes continued into the following weekend as Tech hosted 21st-ranked Virginia for the last series of the season. The team went down 6-3 after three innings, and it did not get better from there, as the Cavaliers took the first game 12-5. Tech looked to be on a better track in the second game as the team entered the seventh inning up 5-4, but after three runs in the top of the seventh, Virginia snatched the lead for good as they also took game two and the series 10-6. 

The Jackets looked to stop the sweep entering game three but were unable to do so. Tech rallied in this game, trading blow for blow with the Cavaliers and entered the ninth inning down 8-6. The Jackets put a run in to pull it to 8-7 and got to a point where bases were loaded with just one out. Tech was unable to get the clutch hit that would have propelled them ahead in the situation and fell short 8-7 on a day that looked to be going their way.   

Nonetheless, the team secured a bid to the ACC Tournament and looked to turn around their luck from the Virginia series. Coming in as the 11th seed, the team would face off against 7th seed North Carolina and 2nd seed Virginia to try to advance through the group stage of the tournament. 

Before arriving in Durham for the tournament, five players received All-ACC recognition for the season. Junior Stephen Reid was named to the All-ACC first team while junior Jake DeLeo, senior Angelo Dispignia and redshirt sophomore Jackson Finley received All-ACC second team accolades. Additionally, redshirt freshman Kristian Campbell was given All-ACC third team recognition. Five players was the fourth-highest amount of accolades given to any of the ACC teams for the season. 

With the extra motivation, the Jackets looked to take down North Carolina, a team they had beaten before this year, in their first matchup of the tournament. However, the Jackets started on poor footing, going down 4-0 after three innings. With an attempt at a comeback, Tech got the game to 4-2 in the top of the sixth, but the Tar Heels responded with a three-run inning that put the game out of reach for the Jackets. The North Carolina batting found ways to beat Tech’s pitching, and the Jackets fell 11-5 and now needed a win against a team they got swept by. 

The Jackets started well, keeping Virginia at bay early and sticking in a 3-0 deficit after four innings. However, the Cavaliers had an onslaught in the top of the fifth where they brought home eight runs, putting them up 11-0. The game was all but over, and the Jackets were run-ruled to end the season in a 15-1 whipping that took just seven innings. Although not Tech’s ideal way to go out on the year, the season was average as the team produced a 30-27 overall record, 23 of those wins happening at home, with a 12-18 ACC record.

After the average season, many fans speculated this could be Danny Hall’s last season with the Jackets, but he has since announced that he will remain at Tech. Hall was quick to fire pitching coach Danny Borrell after the season. Since Borrell arrived at Tech in 2019, the Jackets have had the worst pitching statistically in the ACC. Although pitching was not the only struggle for the team this season, it remained the foremost reason Tech would lose games. Borrell’s departure provides optimism for the coming season and a potential return to the NCAA Tournament for the Jackets. 

When GT CARE opened on Aug. 19, 2019, over 40 students showed up. 

The next day, over 80 came and by the end of that week, close to 100 students had sought out CARE’s services. What is GT CARE, and why was it founded? 

The Center for Assessment, Referral and Education (CARE) is housed on the first floor of the Smithgall Student Services Building and serves as the entry point for students to access mental health support, services and resources at Tech. 

CARE was born out of the “Path Forward — Together” initiative, which was launched in October 2017.  

It rallied student, staff and faculty feedback to create positive changes on campus by focusing on three pillars: academics, well-being and student and community life. 

The goal of this new service was to intake students quickly, assess their needs and refer them to appropriate resources. 

Each student is unique in their referral needs and on-campus referrals are to the Counseling Center, Stamps Psychiatry or other departments. 

Students are also referred to off-campus services if the case manager deems that they need long-term mental health care that cannot be provided through Tech services or that their needs would be better served off-campus. 

When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, the number of students going to CARE dropped slightly, but demand still remained relatively high. 

More case managers were hired, and CARE began to see students for more than one session. As staff increased, follow-ups with students who sought CARE’s services also increased. 

CARE was making an impact and was successful in its goal of quickly triaging new patients and referring them to appropriate resources.

Students no longer had to deal with long wait times to talk with a case manager, which was a helpful starting point for students who didn’t know where to turn to access mental health care. 

Today, when asked about their experiences with CARE, what do students say about it? 

Although we have heard students express a varying degree of satisfaction with the services, many report having or hearing of negative experiences with CARE. 

Often, students don’t know where to start, and it is common to not know the difference between the many campus mental health services. 

This can cause disappointment with the reality of CARE’s services and creates a bottleneck effect for students who already know they need to access a specific mental health resource. 

Referrals off-campus also create barriers for many students who are unable to access these services for a variety of reasons, such as finances and location. 

Students report issues with the scheduling process itself, including missed or unreturned phone calls, staff shortages at the front desk and slow email responses, with many students wishing for broadened accessibility to CARE appointments via online scheduling.  

Just in the past year, as part of the Cultivate Well-Being Action and Transformation Roadmap, CARE was combined with the Counseling Center into the new Center for Mental Health Care and Resources to address bottlenecking issues and to centralize mental health care at Tech. 

The creation of this new center brings the opportunity for a realignment of administrative priorities and student needs. 

To administration: for us, mental health care on Tech’s campus feels like an afterthought, both due to the negative experiences students have had and the physical size of CARE and the Counseling Center.

We call upon administration to work closely with student advocates to understand student needs and work through solutions hand-in-hand to create an improved student experience for those who seek mental health care on campus. 

To students: if you have had a negative experience with CARE before, your experience is not only heard but is very valid. 

Students tend to walk into CARE when they need immediate help, despite its value as a preventative measure. 

When the support doesn’t live up to expectations, it’s understandable to be frustrated, disappointed and disheartened. 

For students who haven’t gone to CARE or the Counseling Center, we encourage you to still seek out help when needed. 

Sometimes when we read Reddit posts and hear the extremely negative experiences that students have had, our opinions of services can be preemptively negative even though for some, the service has been a positive experience for them.

Forming a holistic, realistic understanding of the Institute’s mental health services requires that we hold and validate both positive and negative experiences. 

CARE was created in response to an outcry from the Tech students — and it worked! 

As students, it is integral that we continue to voice our mental health needs to administration, and together, we can continue on a strong path forward.

My freshman year at Tech, I floated from class to the dining hall to my dorm feeling like my life at college was empty and hollow. I was lonely, homesick and unsure about who I was. There were only two things I knew about myself: I really enjoyed my calculus class and loved picking up copies of the student newspaper. 

After finally working up the courage to show up to a Technique meeting, I walked into the old student media office in the Flag Building and felt inevitably drawn to this world of fact-finding, interviews and obscure grammar rules. 

The office was full of stacks of old newspapers lying on every surface, awards celebrating the Technique’s work hanging from walls, desks brimming with Rolodexes of phone numbers and gorgeous bound volumes of papers from decades ago lined up on bookshelves.

 Surrounded by relics of the people who had come before me, I felt a part of something larger than just me, something that had a clear purpose. Seeing my name printed in the paper felt like I was proving to myself that I was indeed a student at Tech; I was not simply a body existing in the few spaces I felt comfortable in on campus. As much as I considered pouring my energy into other activities at Tech, I could never quite convince myself I would enjoy anything as much as writing for this paper.

Well, there was one exception. The Technique anchored me to Tech and gave me a sense of belonging, but majoring in industrial engineering gave me a sense of wonder and excitement every day. My love for integral calculus wasn’t just a fluke — I loved math, problem-solving and everything else my classes taught me. And now that I have the advantage of retrospection, it makes perfect sense why math and journalism gave me a home when I felt so lost freshman year.

Journalism gives us a framework to record the world around us. It’s a formula — a quote here, a statistic there, schedule an interview for this time, remove an Oxford comma. There are rules you follow to prevent biases, conflicts of interest and so on. Follow these rules, and you have a well-written and factual article. It is no surprise my brain, which loves formulas and patterns, has also found comfort and familiarity with being a journalist. 

With that being said, journalism is not one simple formula. It is not just adding two numbers together, nor is it something as repetitive as memorizing digits of pi. Fortunately, mathematics, as a field, can be the source for so much creativity. One theory could have multiple proofs, and each of those proofs could be varied and different. It takes a unique perspective to approach a concept in a new way. However, the purpose of each of those proofs is the exact same.

In a similar way, one breaking news event could be covered in so many creative ways. You may choose to cover a topic by looking deeper at the people it affected and conducting interviews. Perhaps you may rely on data and statistics to tell your story. Or maybe instead, you comb through historical records to piece together causes for an event. But, the end goal is to find the truth and communicate that information to your readers.

That’s why at such a STEM-focused school, journalism has its perfect home. Even though Tech might not have a school of journalism or the resources many other schools around the country have to support student media, its students are so well-equipped to be journalists. I wish that journalism was more accessible to those who feel they are not natural-born writers, because I promise that you too can be a journalist. 

Maybe it’s because of the constant presence of writing for a newspaper in my life for so many years that I already have intense nostalgia for something that’s just barely ended. I miss the feeling of removing Oxford commas, of spell-checking names and aligning text boxes perfectly. 

Making everything perfect for its publication. I miss getting ink on my fingers, the feeling of turning the pages of a freshly printed newspaper for the first time. I miss pouring over the pages that I spent hours on. But I don’t just miss the words, I also miss the numbers I found to ground me in it all. The 20 pages, the five sections, the 108 volumes, the 27 issues a year, the room number 137, the six desks, the Tuesdays at 7. 

To say that I grew as a person while working at the Technique would be an understatement. I could list off all the professional development the Technique offered me, and I can similarly list off the niche knowledge I acquired that I (most likely) will not have a use for after graduating. Will I need to know whether it’s spelled “Ramblin’ Reck” or “Ramblin’ Wreck” as I start my new engineering job? Probably not, but I’ll file it away, just in case. 

Most importantly, though, I found a space at the Technique to learn more about myself. It taught me lessons beyond those of just the grammatical (or mathematical) type. 

The final lesson it taught me was how to say goodbye to something you hold so closely to your heart. In a matter of weeks, I’ll be walking across the stage at graduation and leaving Atlanta, my home for the past 21 years. My goodbye to journalism is only one of many I will be making — yet one of the hardest. 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and its subsequent subvariants have been the predominant strain of COVID-19 in the U.S. for the past year. In December 2021, the Omicron strain (BA.1) caused nearly one million cases within the U.S. BA.5, a subvariant of Omicron, became the dominant virus strain in the U.S. through 2022 and was replaced in November with the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 subvariants. Since the beginning of 2023, a new Omicron subvariant known as XBB.1.5 has been on the rise. 

Scientists are still working to learn more about the XBB.1.5 subvariant, but they believe it is the most transmissible strain of the virus to date. The original strain of Omicron was also more transmissible than the Delta variant, the dominant strain in the later half of 2021. New research suggests that some of the 30 mutations on the virus’ spike protein may be the cause of increased infectivity. The severities of the new subvariants are still being determined, but the original strain of Omicron was less severe than previous strains, including the Delta variant. However, even with lower severity, the original strain of Omicron caused an increase in hospitalizations and deaths due to large surges in cases. 

The CDC has continued to emphasize vaccination as an effective way to prevent severe infection, hospitalization and death. Some breakthrough infections may occur, but the CDC is encouraging the public to stay up to date with the latest vaccinations. In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent boosters for everyone ages six months and older. These boosters are known to be effective against the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, along with the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. However, experts are still determining the efficacy of this booster against the latest Omicron subvariants. In addition to the XBB.1.5 Omicron variant on the rise, scientists are also investigating the BF.7, XBB, BN.1, BF.11 and other Omicron subvariants. 

With a variety of COVID-19 strains on the rise and the risk of increased infections as classes resume, there may be concerns about safety on campus. The Technique recently interviewed Dr. Benjamin Holton, director of Stamps Health Services, to learn more about the state of COVID-19 cases on campus. 

“There have been relatively low levels of COVID activity during the fall semester. The typical pattern [is] of a peak in the early semester and [then] a flatline in terms of cases (one-two cases at Stamps per day),” Holton said.

He explained that Stamps cases reflected trends around campus, specifically when surveillance testing was available prior to this past fall, and that the wastewater testing showed low COVID-19 levels. He also added that there was an uptick in cases from wastewater testing a week after Thanksgiving. Stamps reflected this trend three weeks after Thanksgiving, as there were 18 cases weekly instead of the average of six to seven cases a week. The week before classes began for the Spring 2023 semester, Stamps had nine positive cases and eight during the first week of classes. He said that he expects “a bump [in cases] with students coming back, similar to what is happening in the [greater Atlanta] community.”

Holton also discussed the Omicron subvariants, emphasizing that the “XBB1.5 subvariant is predominant in the Northeast U.S. and is becoming the dominant subvariant.” 

He expressed confidence in the fact that “students don’t get severely sick from COVID-19” which reflects the data that “symptoms don’t seem to be worse.” 

Holton made recommendations for students, including that vaccinations are important. The “primary series (first two shots) and the bivalent booster (… [which] everyone is eligible for that if it’s two months after your last COVID vaccine) reduces severity of illness and prevents hospitalization and death.” 

He also encourages wearing a mask if individuals are in high risk situations such as “crowded places that are poorly ventilated and lots of people close together and there is not a lot of ventilation (bar, dance venue, party).” 

He also recommended taking extra precautions if you have had exposure while traveling, encouraging students to “wear a mask in a space like an airport and public transportation. If you’re around friends and they are careful about avoiding high risk situations, then it’s safe to gather without a mask.” 

Holton listed other ways to stay safe. “[This includes] washing hands when out and about, keeping hands away from face, avoiding touching other people’s faces, staying home if you’re sick, protecting others and minimizing transmissions,” Holton said. 

He closed by saying that “COVID is still around and still a threat. Some people are still getting ill and still dying. When COVID first started, deaths were skewed to elderly. Then eventually it shifted to those in their 50s and 60s. And skewed back to elderly now. Most of us are not in that high risk community, but there are faculty and staff who are older. We can’t just ignore COVID but don’t need to live in fear of it.” 

Holton  added that Stamps has changed their primary care operations and returned to more normal pre-COVID operations, no longer having the telemedicine and respiratory/non-respiratory breakdown. He explained that students can still sign-up for COVID tests. For more information, visit health.gatech.edu. 

The Technique also spoke to third-year PUBP Derin Aladesanmi, a student who currently serves as chair of the Student Government Association’s (SGA) Public Health Committee and as president of the Public Health Student Association. She discussed the rise in COVID cases across the country, explaining that “new variants and rising cases are always a cause for concern. This is especially true for on-campus life, where students are often in close quarters and frequently interact with many different groups of people.” 

Aladesanmi emphasized the same mitigation strategies that Holton mentioned, such as “wearing masks, washing hands often and staying home [when] sick.” 

She encouraged students to remain calm, however, saying that she tries “to avoid outrightly panicking or giving into fear-mongering as they never really help people stay safe,” and saying that she “feels okay about safety on campus,” yet is “cognizant that the pandemic is not over.” 

Aladesanmi also discussed the steps that SGA has taken to support students’ health and well-being amidst COVID, including the PPE distribution project that she helped lead on campus as a major initiative. 

“We packaged and passed out a few hundred PPE kits full of hand sanitizer and masks (cloth and disposal). We also advocated for the reinstatement of COVID-19 mitigation policies and housing, dining and testing resources, as first-years and those living in communal-style housing were disproportionately at risk of contracting COVID-19,” Aladesanmi said. “Ultimately, we always want to engage with the student body and make sure their needs are being addressed as comprehensively as possible.” 

Finally, Aladesanmi discussed feeling burnout from the effects of the pandemic. 

“It is 100% valid to feel burnout due to the pandemic and even the general stressors of being a student,” Aladesanmi said.

She added that “if you are struggling please ask for help, whether that be from a friend, classmate, professor or CARE. The two phrases I say to encourage myself are ‘just take things a day at a time’ and ‘life is a journey, not a destination.’ They always remind me to celebrate every win I have, big or small, and to take as much joy out of each positive moment as I can.” 

Students can direct any feedback or questions about SGA’s role in supporting student well-being by contacting wellbeing@sga.gatech.edu. 

While COVID-19 cases are steadily on the rise across the U.S., taking basic precautionary steps will help reduce the spread. 

As the world transitions into an almost post-COVID era, recognizing the ways in which normalcy can be built into daily lives will be important to health and welfare of communities.  

Experts continue to emphasize the need to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations and masking-up as necessary. To learn more about COVID-19 and the resources available, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/. 

If you have looked at any company’s logo recently, you have probably noticed something has changed — or to be more precise, something is missing. 

Modernized, minimalistic logos are all the rage. From Google to MasterCard to Dunkin’, the evidence that minimalism has fully taken over the world of design is clear. 

Small, unique details are being lost in an abyss of bold fonts and basic shapes. Despite logos being the most important visual cue people have about a brand and what it stands for, they are increasingly becoming more simple and similar, losing any originality.

Take Pringles, for example. Their iconic Pringles man displayed on packaging (named “Mr. P”), with his bushy mustache, red bow tie and voluminous hair, was a staple of so many children’s lunches while growing up. 

But in 2021, Mr. P was redesigned for Pringles UK products, losing his hair, bowtie and detailing on his mustache. According to Pringles, Mr. P’s redesign is his “boldest look yet” and that the new logo simply modernized him. 

But were these changes really necessary to make the brand more distinct? The warm joy of Mr. P has been lost to an overly simplified emulation of a human face. 

I know it may sound pointless, overanalyzing the importance of Mr. P’s hair, but bear with me. Looking beyond the packaging on the shelves of grocery stores, what about design in the digital space? 

Another example of oversimplifying logos is the Google Workspace icons, which encompasses platforms such as Gmail, Google Drive and Google Calendar. 

In 2020, Google released new icons with the intent to unify the colors and shapes used in the icons. 

For instance, the Gmail icon, which was historically an envelope with a red border, was redesigned to incorporate all of Google’s colors (red, blue, yellow and green) along the edges. Google Calendar, which was originally a blue page of a calendar, became a rectangular box with all four colors along the border.  Google was clearly trying to give its apps a consistent look while removing any unnecessary design elements, but it only led to confusion. 

Where its previous icons had not only unique colors but slight shading to give them a three-dimensional shape, the new icons are oversimplified and too similar to easily distinguish.

Looking outside of just the digital space, there are plenty of examples in architecture and interior design of this trend towards minimalism. 

On Tech’s campus, the new Student Center and Exhibition Hall were made with very similar design choices: huge windows with uninterrupted glass, bold solid colors on the walls, concrete flooring and in some parts of the buildings, exposed piping on the ceilings. 

There is a lack of pattern used, and huge open layouts give the buildings feelings of being airy and fully connected. 

Display cases compartmentalize the decorations in the space and a few select murals are carefully placed on walls.  

The spaces seem to use these minimalistic design elements to create the sense of increased productivity — less distractions and more functionality for various uses, right? While I have found that the spaces are very functional to work in, I do not think this functionality is inherently due to its minimalist design. Compare the detailing (or lack thereof) in these buildings to other existing buildings on campus such as Tech Tower. These spaces are still comfortable to use and perfectly functional. Not only that, they take advantage of the fact that physical spaces are full of opportunities to add little touches of character, like in the shape and design of windows, molding around the ceilings, and pattern and material of floors. 

Another good example of spaces that are functional while taking advantage of opportunities for design is that of subway stations. The New York City Subway features beautiful artwork at many of its stations, such as vibrant, colorful mosaics at the 34th Street-Hudson Yards Station and glass artwork of the Broadway Station on the Astoria Line. Finally, what about the furniture itself placed in physical spaces? 

Again, I do not believe that the functionality of an item (or in the digital space, the effectiveness of communication of logos or icons) is inherently tied to how simple it visually appears. One of my least favorite trends in interior design is that of furniture flipping. 

Furniture flippers will scour flea markets and thrift stores for old furniture in need of some repairs, and instead of simply giving the furniture the TLC it needs, they instead gut the furniture and make it more “modern.” 

This includes sanding down furniture and painting over the original wood beneath it, as well as replacing the original handles. Little details that make furniture unique are lost while being modernized for a profit. We already have stores to purchase new furniture — why destroy a dresser that has unique character so that it matches the same monochromatic products that are already found everywhere? Seeing minimalism dominate so many design choices is very concerning to me. 

While I completely understand that for some, minimalism may be a lifestyle that resonates with their values, I cringe to think at how much richness in design is being lost to primary colors and basic shapes. 

Even the smallest everyday things are opportunities for creative designs. From lights switches to cutlery to doorknobs to buttons we click on an app, our daily tasks can be enriched by the objects around us — why not make them visually interesting to look at?

Stemming from the Institute’s Strategic Plan, the Sustainability Next Plan will guide Tech throughout the next decade in regards to campus sustainability.

Its executors, the Sustainability Next Task Force, recently announced the formal launch of the plan and will begin its implementation soon.

The Tech Strategic Plan includes the Amplify Impact, Connect Globally and Lead by Example focus areas that directly informed the creations of the  Sustainability Next Plan. 

In 2021, the Sustainability Next Task Force was formed to address these specific areas and to “propose a strategic plan implementation roadmap for sustainability at Georgia Tech over the next 10 years,” according to the Office of Campus Sustainability (OCS) website. 

The current Task Force includes four co-chairs: Maria Cimilluca, Laura Taylor, Anne Rogers and Beril Toktay. These co-chairs brought together diverse backgrounds in sustainability to inform their plan and identified six focus areas to prioritize throughout the next decade. 

“We’ve done things in campus sustainability already,” said Toktay, professor of operations management in the Scheller College of Business. “But when we look to the future, what should our aspirations for the next 10 years be? And what are some new things that we should do to achieve those aspirations as well as what are some things we should do to strengthen what we already have?”

The assembled team has experience in campus operations, research, education and external engagement and is supported by more members beneath the co-chairs. Toktay says these factors are brought in different proportions, but the Task Force is completed by their different perspectives.

“It takes everybody to be engaged and to see their role as being critical to the success of our charge,” said Rogers, associate director of OCS. “I had the pleasure of facilitating this process through to implementation, and now we’re moving forward through implementation.”

Over the past year, the Task Force has collected data on campus sustainability to inform the Sustainability Next Plan. Rogers said much of this data came from the Institute’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) report from 2021, which many universities use to measure their sustainability. 

“[STARS] served as a benchmark report in [the] advance of our strategic, sustainability planning work,” Rogers said. “We had this report that allowed us to assess our current standing in these international rankings, and [there were] some of the things that came out that were clear identifiers around how [we] can move the needle.” 

The Task Force is launching some of its initiatives this year, and its members are excited for the first steps in the implementation of the plan. One example is the unveiling of the Climate Action Plan, which Rogers says is a long-awaited program.

“Since 2008, Georgia Tech has had a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050, but we never had a plan,” Rogers said. “It’s an amazing opportunity for Georgia Tech to engage our campus community to define one. How do we reach carbon neutrality? … The second component is that Georgia Tech has an opportunity to elevate climate action within the mission of its role as a higher [education] institution.”

Rogers explained that the Climate Action Plan expands climate solutions across educational curriculums and research at the Institute, creating an appropriate roadmap to carbon neutrality. 

She emphasized how the plan will work to include students in these changes rather than just happening in the background of their time at the Institute. 

Toktay is looking forward to some of the student programs launching within the next year. 

“We’re starting another program called Sustainable-X, which is a riff on Create-X,” Toktay said. “It’s going to be co-led by Create-X and the Ray [C.] Anderson Center for Sustainable Business … It’s basically trying to create this funnel where students interested in both entrepreneurship and making a difference through climate solutions or sustainability solutions can bring those things together.”

A short bootcamp for Sustainable-X was hosted on Nov. 5 and 6 and introduced its attendees on to how to approach complex sustainability problems and propose startup solutions. 

The event also emphasized the importance of aligning student initiatives and ideas with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“What Sustainability Next found is that we could really tie our education programs to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, and so there’s a real intention with the Sustainability Next Plan to do that,” Rogers said. 

The SDGs focus on promoting global development while preserving and protecting the planet, and the co-chairs feel that including these in educational curricula will shape students into better environmental stewards. Other initiatives for the academic year include innovating undergraduate and graduate degrees around sustainability, providing funding for climate research at the Institute and promoting living learning spaces on campus in line with the SDGs. As Tech enters the next decade and enacts its Strategic Plan, students may see more focus on sustainability. 

With the Task Force in place and working to implement their goals, the Institute is entering a new era of committed work towards sustainability. 

After a tough match against top-ranked Pittsburgh, the Jackets spent their weekends facing opponents home and away. 

For Pink Out night on Oct. 12, the crowd gathered in O’Keefe to support the Jackets and those fighting breast cancer. The Jackets immediately took off in the first set by attaining a seven-point lead against Clemson. With a 9-2 lead, the Jackets stretched the margin into double digits with a 14-4 lead and secured the first set by finishing with a 25-13 set score. 

The Jackets continued the streak into the second set by grabbing eight of the first nine points and widening the lead to 19-6. After an error from the Tigers, the Jackets took the set with a 25-12 finish and a 2-0 lead. 

Although the Jackets entered the third set strong, the Tigers continued to keep it close. The third set was the toughest set for the Jackets, but with a finishing kill from senior Julia Bergmann, the Jackets won the set with a 25-21 score and secured the sweep. 

With 18 kills, Bergmann finished the night by placing ninth in career kills in program history. Junior Isabella D’Amico led the offense with 35 assists while sophomore Bianca Bertolino led the defense with 13 digs. 

The Jackets traveled to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Oct. 14 to face the Duke Blue Devils at their home venue. At the start of the first set, the Jackets quickly took the lead after winning six out of seven points to double Duke’s score at 16-8. The Jackets kept their lead and took the first set after finishing 25-15. 

The second set started off with points going back and forth. However, the Jackets took the lead and started to widen the gap after a four-point run. The Blue Devils fought back and shortened the gap to just one point, but the Jackets continued to widen the gap to gain the set win with a 25-16 finish. 

The Jackets had two set wins and just needed one more to end the game, but the Blue Devils fought back in the third set. Although the two teams were tied 3-3, the Blue Devils scored six straight points to take the lead. The Jackets rallied back and put themselves at set point with a 24-22 score. However, Duke came back to tie the score. After multiple set points, the Jackets fell short and handed the third set over to the Blue Devils after a final score of 30-28. 

After a long third set, the Jackets went into the fourth set and quickly took the lead. Although the Blue Devils were close to tying up the score, the Jackets won the set 25-22 for a final score of 3-1. Senior Paola Pimentel finished with a career-high of 22 digs while D’Amico ended the night with 43 assists, almost recording a career high. 

On Oct. 21, the Jackets came back to O’Keefe to face the Boston College Eagles. The first set started off in favor of the Jackets as they were quick to take six- straight points to gain their first lead of the night. However, the Eagles caught up to the Jackets after tying the set at 10-10 and quickly overturned the lead to 13-11. The Jackets responded back with a five-point run and continued to keep the lead to end the first set at 25-19. 

Keeping this streak going, the Jackets entered the second set and immediately took the lead by only allowing the Eagles two points and stretching the score to 15-2. The Jackets got to set point before the Eagles could get to double digits. However, the Eagles went on a five-point streak. The Jackets gained the last point needed for the win and took the second set with a final score of 25-13. 

The third set was a continuous back and forth rally in points between the two teams. Although the Eagles took a short lead, 14-11, the Jackets fought back to win nine out of eleven points and finish off with a 25-18 final score and a sweep against the Eagles. 

Bergmann finished the night as one of the nine players in program history to have 1500 kills, and senior Erin Moss also ended with a career high of nine blocks. Pimentel finished with 11 kills while D’Amico ended with 25 assists to lead Tech. 

As the weekend came to an end, the Jackets faced Syracuse in O’Keefe on Oct. 23. The Jackets got the crowd on their feet by quickly gaining a six-point lead against Syracuse. With a 6-2 lead, the Jackets only allowed four out of 12 points to Syracuse to quickly widen the gap to 15-6. However, Syracuse came back to grab nine out of 10 points and quickly caught up to make the set a onepoint difference. The Jackets did not back down and regained the lead to take home the first set and finish the set with a 25-18 score. 

The second set started off in the Orange’s favor as they took the first three points of the set. The two teams traded points back and forth until the Jackets went on an eight-point streak to take a wide lead. But Syracuse was fast to tie the score back at 20-20. The Jackets quickly got to set point after a four-point streak. The Jackets took the second set with a 25-21 finish. 

As the third set began, the Jackets took the first lead, but Syracuse continued to keep it close. The Jackets kept their lead to finish off with a 3-0 sweep and a set score of 25-20. Bergmann once again led the team with 15 kills and 31 attacks. After a career-high game of nine blocks against the Eagles, Moss landed eight blocks and 14 kills against Syracuse. D’Amico once again led the team with 41 assists. 

The Jackets are now 15-4 and head back on the road to face the North Carolina Tar Heels  at 6 p.m. on Oct. 28.

On Sept. 23, Swiss great Roger Federer played the last professional tennis match of his historic career. For 24 years, Federer graced tennis courts, bringing joy to millions of fans around the world. Throughout his career, he played 1,526 singles matches, winning 1,251 of them, and claimed 103 Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) singles titles. He amassed 20 Grand Slam titles including a record eight Wimbledon titles, a record six ATP Tour year-end titles, 28 Masters 1000 titles and an Olympic

Gold Medal in doubles. He also spent 310 weeks as World No. 1 across two decades. 

Federer was born in 1981 in Basel, Switzerland to Swiss and South African parents. At a young age, he was a ball boy at the Swiss Indoors Open in his hometown of Basel. He then spent several years as an International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior world champion, winning the Wimbledon Boys Singles and Doubles titles in 1998. His professional career also began in 1998 when he lost his ATP tour debut at Swiss Open in Gstaad before winning his first tour match at Toulouse later that year. He lost his first ATP final to fellow Swiss Marc Rosset at the Marseille Open in 2000. 

He would go on to win the Hopman Cup in January 2001, representing Switzerland with Martina Hingis. Later that same month, he won his first ATP tour title at Milan. He would go on to reach the French Open quarterfinals later that year, and at Wimbledon too, defeating seven-time champion Pete Sampras in five sets in the fourth round. In 2002, Federer won his first

Masters 1000 title at Hamburg and finished the year ranked No. 6 in the world. 

2003 saw Federer win his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and six other ATP singles titles. He finished the year ranked No. 2 after winning the year-end championships — the ATP tour finals. 2004-2007 is often considered Federer’s most dominant stretch and the peak of his career. He claimed 11 Grand Slam titles, finished each year ranked No. 1 and won 42 ATP singles titles. He also won a record 24 consecutive finals from the 2003 Vienna Open to the 2005 Thailand Open. He also spent a record 237 consecutive weeks as World No. 1 from 2004-2008. From 2003-2007, he won five consecutive Wimbledon titles and from 2004-2008, he won five consecutive US Open titles. 

In 2008, Federer won his lone Olympic Gold Medal in doubles with compatriot Stan Wawrinka. His 2008 Wimbledon final loss to rival Rafael Nadal is considered one of the greatest matches to ever be played. In 2009, he finally completed the Career Grand Slam, winning his only French Open title, and would go on to break Pete Sampras’ all-time record for men’s singles Grand Slam titles won, which stood at 14, by winning his sixth Wimbledon title. He ended the year as World No. 1 for a fifth time. In 2010, Federer won his 16th Grand Slam at the Australian Open. He would not win another Grand Slam until Wimbledon in 2012. Between 2013-15, he would reach another three Grand Slam finals but struggled to match his peak. 

The end of his career was plagued by injury struggles. In early 2016, he tore his meniscus, setting off a string of struggles with knee injuries as he headed from his mid-30s to his early 40s. He would go on to miss his first Grand Slam in 17 years at the 2016 French Open. Following a Wimbledon semifinal loss, Federer took five months off of the tour to have knee surgery and prepare for the 2017 season. The 2017 season was a resurgence for Federer, which saw him end the year as No. 2 and win both the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles. Federer would go on to win his 20th and final Grand Slam at the 2018 Australian Open before losing his final Grand Slam championship match at Wimbledon 2019 in a heartbreaking five-setter. He would go on to play in only seven tournaments between 2020-2021. 

Throughout his career, Federer broke numerous records and redefined the meaning of dominance in men’s tennis. But Federer will be remembered for his mastery of the game of tennis. One of few players who could take the racquet out of his opponent’s hands, Federer’s game was defined by the ease with which he glided across the court and hit seemingly impossible shots. From his masterpiece of a one-handed backhand to his perfect forehand, Federer redefined the game of tennis — alongside his main rival Rafael Nadal — and brought in a new generation of fans to the sport. 

Federer garnered praise from both the legends of the sport and his rivals. Former World No. 1 and one of Federer’s chief rivals, Novak Djokovic, heaped great praise for Federer: “His impact on the game has been tremendous, the way he was playing, his style, effortless, just perfect for an eye of a tennis coach, player or just a tennis fan.” Nadal, his biggest rival, said at a press conference that “when Roger leaves the tour, yeah, an important part of my life is leaving too.” 

At the 2022 Laver Cup in London, Federer was able to say goodbye to the sport surrounded by his closest rivals, his friends and his family. He played his final match alongside rival and friend Rafael Nadal, representing Team Europe. After a valiant effort that included a stunning forehand that Federer hit through the netpost, he and Nadal fell 11-9 in the Laver Breaker to the Team World pairing of Americans Jack Sock and Francis Tiafoe. Seemingly on brand for Federer, he failed to convert on match point at 9-8 in the tiebreaker, something he had done an astonishing 23 times throughout his career. 

The match saw many more fun moments between Federer, Nadal and Djokovic (collectively referred to as the Big Three) who are considered the three greatest men’s tennis players of all time. One of the most emotional points that night saw both Federer and Nadal crying side-by-side, with Djokovic also breaking down at one point. In the days after, many tennis fans have taken to Twitter and Instagram to claim how this was one of the greatest moments — not just in tennis but in sports as a whole. Seeing Federer’s chief rivals praise him and shed tears for his retirement is rare in sports and is a testament to the reverence that so many have for Federer and what he has done for the sport. 

Federer had one last on-court interview immediately after finishing the match. Hall of Famer Jim Courier interviewed Federer who struggled to hold back tears as he spoke. He paid tribute to his family including his wife, Mirka, saying she “allowed me to play when she could so easily have asked me to stop.” He said his experience leading up to the last match was “like a celebration.” Finally, he reflected on his career. 

“It’s what I wanted it to be, so thank you. It’s been a perfect journey, I’d do it all over again,” Federer said.

As the sun sets on an illustrious career, tennis fans can rest easy knowing that Federer does not plan to fully leave the sport. Federer closed his retirement statement, writing “Finally, to the game of tennis: I love you and will never leave you.” 

On June 16, FIFA announced that Atlanta would be one of 16 cities in North America to host the World Cup. The announcement, although exciting, was not surprising for those who have been closely watching the rise in popularity of soccer in Atlanta and other cities across the U.S. 

Atlanta is no stranger to hosting sporting events. From the 1996 Summer Olympics, partially hosted on Tech’s campus, to the 2019 Super Bowl held in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta has successfully played the role of a host city. But hosting the World Cup is a new challenge. 

The World Cup, held every four years, is one of the most anticipated and viewed international sporting events. It has never seen the United States men’s national soccer team (USMNT) win the tournament. In fact, the men’s team’s best performance at a World Cup was in 1930, when they placed third. From 1950 until 1990, the U.S. did not qualify. More recently, the USMNT was absent from the 2018 World Cup after losing to Trinidad and Tobago in a qualifying match. The disappointing loss drew severe criticism of the team, especially when comparing their recent performance to the success of the women’s team.

For decades, soccer did not have a home in the U.S. — players and fans alike had to turn abroad to find excitement and support for the sport. Professional soccer did not really start in the U.S. until the 1960s with the formation of the North American Soccer League (NASL), the predecessor to Major League Soccer (MLS). Compared to Italy’s Serie A, founded in 1898, and England’s Football League First Division, founded in 1888, NASL’s lifetime was not long. NASL’s last season was in 1984, only 17 years after it was founded. 

The U.S. lacks the history and devotion to soccer that other countries carry so proudly. Football, baseball and basketball have, for decades, been the focus of American fans and sponsors. One reason for this could be the many differences between soccer and more commonly played sports in the U.S.

Soccer has a completely different pace than a football game that has frequent stops in play, or baseball games that last hours. With the exception of half time, injuries and fouls, soccer has constant play for 90 minutes. But despite this, soccer games are much more low-scoring than football or basketball games and a single moment can decide the match. Americans have long preferred a high-scoring game, faster pace or — in the case of baseball — one that is proudly labeled as “America’s pastime.” 

This has disconnected the U.S. from what is considered “the beautiful game” in the rest of the world. In 2018, the World Cup final between France and Croatia averaged 517 million viewers, with 1.1 billion viewers watching at some point during the match. In contrast, the Super Bowl held that same year between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots had approximately 103 million viewers. 

American players must leave the U.S. and play abroad to get the level of play and support that can catapult them into international success. On the flipside, it is very common for successful soccer players to only play in the MLS near the end of their careers — players like Wayne Rooney and David Beckham both did so. MLS has historically been where soccer player’s careers die, not where they begin. 

Without having a national team that is known to perform well in competitions, it is hard to keep fans’ spirits up. To add to this, for years, it has been difficult for fans of soccer in the U.S. to attend games to watch many of their favorite teams and players in action. But times are changing.

In the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar later this year, the USMNT hopes that they will be able to redeem their 2018 absence from the tournament. With an increase in young players having success in European leagues, that might be possible. Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, Borussia Dortmund’s Giovanni Reyna, Juventus’ Weston McKennie and AC Milan’s Sergiño Dest are just a few of many young players who have shown their talent abroad and are hoping to rebuild the USMNT.

Having the World Cup co-hosted by the U.S. is a sign that attitudes towards soccer are changing, including in Atlanta. In 2014, Atlanta got its own MLS team with Atlanta United (ATL UTD), which began play in 2017, with some of their first games played in Bobby Dodd Stadium. In only their second season, Atlanta United won the MLS Cup. Between the Braves winning the 1995 and 2021 World Series, only Atlanta United’s 2018 championship broke Atlanta’s drought. 

Despite being a young team, ATL UTD is certainly not lacking in its spirited fan base and has become an integral part of Atlanta in just a matter of a few years. Part of that could be due to the fact that Atlanta’s other professional teams, the Falcons and Hawks, have historically had less-than-stellar performance, and Atlantans were looking for a fresh start and new team to rally behind. ATL UTD broke several attendance records, including a record-breaking 73,019 attendance at their 2018 championship match.

Besides MLS soccer, Atlanta is already hosting international soccer.  Bobby Dodd held El Súper Clásico, a match-up of two teams in the highest league of soccer in Mexico’s Liga MX, Chivas de Guadalajara and Club América, this past Sunday. For fans of soccer of all ages, having the 2026 World Cup held in Atlanta is a huge moment. Atlanta will be welcoming players at the top of their sport into Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Four years from now, it is unlikely that Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi will still be playing, but Atlanta could see the likes of Kylian Mbappé or Erling Haaland playing for their national teams. Most excitingly, we could finally see the USMNT’s young talent shock the rest of the world and do something they have rarely done in the past — win on a global stage and affirm that soccer has found a new home.