The National Academy of Engineering recently named "Restoring and Improving our Urban Infrastructure" as one of the Grand Challenges of Engineering in the 21st Century. For more than a century, our infrastructure systems have been the key to our economic growth, national security, health, safety and overall quality of life. Infrastructure systems provide a means for the distribution of resources and services, the transportation of people and goods and the communication of information.
But these systems, once envied around the globe, are beginning to lose luster.
America's infrastructure is facing unprecedented challenges including aging and deterioration, rapid population growth in urban areas, threats from natural and manmade hazards and the effects of climate change. As a result, transportation systems, water facilities, buildings, telecommunication systems, the power grid, etc. are increasingly vulnerable to failures.
We have an opportunity, through research and innovation, to make the necessary changes, to rebuild and restore infrastructure to make it more resilient, efficient and sustainable.
Researchers at Georgia Tech are working with industry and government to address the nation's infrastructure challenges. Georgia Tech is uniquely positioned to address these complex challenges based on its breadth of interdisciplinary and strategic research initiatives performed by world-renowned faculty. Recent advances in materials science, nanotechnology, information technology, robotics and systems engineering provide unique opportunities for faculty to work across disciplines on critical issues facing our infrastructure. These emerging technologies can extend the operating life of infrastructure, increase the capacity of our infrastructure and get us from point A to point B faster and safer.
From smart buildings and intelligent highways systems to solutions that support renewable energy infrastructure, researchers at Georgia Tech are at the forefront of the latest advancements to support the 21st Century Sustainable Infrastructure. This Web site explores and explains tomorrow's infrastructure, both in terms of cutting-edge interdisciplinary research as well as unique academic opportunities. The site is intended to meet the needs of faculty, current and prospective students, government, private industry and news media.
Explore the challenges of our current infrastructure while learning about the new and exciting research that can restore our systems to grandeur while preparing for the needs of the 21st century and beyond.