Sustainable Development Goals at Georgia Tech

UN Sustainable Development Goals logo

To advance the Institute’s new mission and strategic plan, President Ángel Cabrera charged leaders and units throughout campus with spearheading a project to promote, implement, and advance the 17 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at Georgia Tech.

The new sustainability initiative stems in part from Tech’s affiliation with the University Global Coalition (UGC), which President Cabrera chairs and helped found. Established in 2019, the UGC comprises a group of higher education leaders from across the globe who work together to advance the SDGs through education, research, service, and campus operations.

The long-term initiative will begin with two virtual events and a collaborative online activity during the Fall 2020 semester. Programming will focus on introducing the campus community to the SDGs, discussing their global importance and relevance to Tech, and demonstrating how the Institute can lead the region in implementing and advancing them.

Fall 2020 Programming

Sept. 10, 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals at Georgia Tech

The first event featured a keynote address from President Cabrera and a panel discussion moderated by Anna Stenport, chair of the School of Modern Languages and co-director of the Atlanta Global Studies Center. Panelists discussed how the SDGs can be a useful framework to catalyze action and positive change that advance the public good.

Miss the event? Watch the address and panel on BlueJeans

Open Through Sept. 23

SDG Asset Mapping

You are invited to participate in a collaborative online effort to identify SDG-related assets — such as places, programs, projects, organizations, and web-based resources — that Georgia Tech can leverage to lead higher education in working toward achieving the SDGs. This simple mapping activity will be open during the month of September.

Add assets to our shared spreadsheets

(Note: There are multiple worksheets. Start with the "Instructions" worksheet on the far left.)

Sept. 21, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

University Global Coalition Annual Gathering

The crises of 2020 have raised questions about the feasibility of achieving the SDGs. At the UGC's virtual Annual Gathering, university leaders from around the world will connect to learn and share how the SDGs can transform research, teaching, and operations within higher education amid the public health crises, natural disasters, and civil unrest that have defined this year.

Learn more and participate in the live event

Oct. 1

17 Zooms

A virtual version of the 17 Rooms event concept developed by The Brookings Institution and The Rockefeller Foundation, 17 Zooms aims to stimulate collective action toward implementing the SDGs. It works by convening 17 distinct groups — one per SDG — to identify, in concert, high-impact objectives that can be met in 18 months.

The virtual 17 Zooms event is limited to select participants across campus.

Call for Student Participation

Application Deadline: September 18, 8 a.m.

Students will be selected to participate in each of the 17 rooms.

Learn more and apply here

Sustainability Task Force

Georgia Tech’s newly formed Sustainability Task Force coordinates activities across campus to cultivate a shared vision for sustainability and better integrate the Institute's research, education, operations, and partnerships. 

Participating units (with contacts):
Sustainability Networks and Partnerships
Learn More About Sustainability at Tech

Sustainability Programs and Practices
Georgia Tech aims to “walk the talk” by demonstrating sustainability in action. At any given time, you will find a multitude of sustainability initiatives underway on campus. They unite faculty, staff, and students in our quest to provide solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges facing us today.

Explore our sustainability-related programs, practices, and projects 

Research and Education
Hosted by the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, Georgia Tech's 2019 Sustainability Showcase invited about 150 faculty to share their work in sustainability research and education. Talks were presented in a fast-paced lightning format covering topics that span the engineering, natural science, social science, business, planning, design, and computing disciplines.

Watch videos from the Sustainability Showcase
 

Questions? Contact sustain@gatech.edu.