Recent Press Coverage

Current News and Events

Half of Earth’s satellites restrict use of climate data

May 1, 2018

Mariel Borowitz, assistant professor in the Nunn School, wrote, “Half of Earth’s satellites restrict use of climate data,” published by The Conversation.

Excerpt:

Scientists and policymakers need satellite data to understand and address climate change. Yet data from more than half of unclassified Earth-observing satellites is restricted in some way, rather than shared openly.

When governments restrict who can access data, or limit how people can use or redistribute it, that slows the progress of science. Now, as U.S. climate funding is under threat, it’s more important than ever to ensure that researchers and others make the most of the collected data.

Why do some nations choose to restrict satellite data, while others make it openly available? My book, “Open Space,” uses a series of historical case studies, as well as a broad survey of national practices, to show how economic concerns and agency priorities shape the way nations treat their data.

Find Borowitz's article on the Conversation website.

Published in: The Conversation
This Time It’s Too Personal: “James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction”

April 30, 2018

Lisa Yaszek, professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC) at Georgia Institute of Technology, was featured in the Salon, April 30, article “This Time It’s Too Personal: ‘James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction.’” The School of Literature, Media, and Communication is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Afterward the show moves on, checking its boxes by including input from Brown professor as well as authors Ken Liu and Veronica Roth. To be fair, expert commentary by critics Amy Nicholson and Annalee Newitz and science fiction professor Lisa Yaszek lend vital context to every episode, preventing "James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction" from being entirely “stale, male and pale,” to use Cameron's own words. Cameron’s series could had done a slightly better job at setting a standard for other “Visionaries” to follow.

For the full article, visit the Salon website.

Published in: Salon
UK Defence after Brexit: A Conversation with General Philip Breedlove

April 27, 2018

Scott Brown, postdoctoral fellow in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, had his interview with General Phil Breedlove, USAF (Ret.), distinguished professor in the Nunn School, published in CABLE, Scotland's international affairs online magazine.

Their discussion covered UK-NATO-EU relations in the post-Brexit world, and touched on future possibilities for Scotland as well.

Excerpt

Scott Brown (SB): In the run-up to the Brexit vote, there was lots of talk about potential security implications. We had interventions from former NATO Secretary Generals saying that we – the alliance – need a strong UK fully engaged in Europe, that there was no separation between political, economic, or security issues. They talked about Russia basically being an adversary; Stoltenberg issued such statements as well. There was also talk of the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander being switched to an EU member state, such as France. On the other hand, there were people that argued that the UK would become more involved in NATO to maintain its influence, once free from the EU. What’s your perspective of the implications of Brexit as far as the UK’s relationship with NATO, and NATO-Europe relations in general, are concerned?

Phil Breedlove (PB): My view is not shared by a lot of people, but I have a series of thoughts as to why I feel like I do.

First and foremost, the UK leaving the EU, to me, doesn’t threaten European security. Because the UK is not leaving NATO, and NATO is the military security of Europe. The EU and its military security force is very important – I don’t want to minimise that at all – but the command and control capabilities, the capability to move, shoot, sense, fight, that NATO has developed over time, is the security of Europe.

Find the article on CABLE’s website.

Published in: CABLE
Atlanta Leaders Want to Power the City with 100 Percent Clean Energy by 2035. Can it be Done?

April 23, 2018

Marilyn Brown, a professor at the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy, was quoted in the Atlanta Magazine, April 2018, article, “Atlanta Leaders Want to Power the City with 100 Percent Clean Energy by 2035. Can it be Done?” The School of Public Policy is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Last April, a candid moment on the campaign trail thrust Atlanta into the vanguard of an eco-revolution. During a Republican forum at a Buckhead restaurant, Kwanza Hall, then an Atlanta city councilman and mayoral candidate, said he questioned whether all the talk about melting ice caps and stranded polar bears was media overkill. When news reporters asked him for an explanation, Hall claimed that he misspoke—and simultaneously announced plans to introduce legislation committing the city to an ambitious goal: powering all city buildings, including the world’s busiest airport, with nothing but clean energy by 2025, followed by every structure within city limits a decade later. Call it a moment of clarity—or saving face. Regardless, Hall’s council colleagues and mayor Kasim Reed ultimately agreed, and overnight, Atlanta became a trailblazer among southeastern cities. The pledge made for positive headlines, but can a growing urban center of Atlanta’s size really part ways with fossil fuels in the next 17 years? Yes, experts say. But it won’t be easy… Marilyn Brown, a sustainability professor at Georgia Tech and former climate researcher, says technological advancements should definitely help Atlanta achieve its 2035 goal, but cleanly powering all city operations within seven years would be “ahead of its time.” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has promised to keep pushing the initiative, calling upon all Atlantans to help accomplish the goal.

For the full article, visit the Atlanta Magazine website.

Published in: The Atlanta Magazine
People's Republic of North Korea Nuclear Announcement

April 21, 2018

Margaret Kosal, associate professor in the Nunn School, was interview by Al Jazeera International on the implications of the recent diplomatic announcement by Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea related to their nuclear and missile capabilities.

Excerpt:

Al Jazeera: Does it really matter to stop testing nuclear missiles after testing 9 missiles?

Kosal: Yes and no.

Al Jazeera: Is there anything about technology that we can talk about that?

Kosal: Wrt to recent developments, not in a meaningful manner.

Al Jazeera: About upcoming summit, does it come with a surprise, North Korea can easily reverse course?

Kosal: Which summit? Surprise is always a possibility. In any negotiation much of the work is in the details. Details that are done by those at a level below cabinet secretary (or Minister). That's why having UnderSecretaries and below in position is important. And importance of civil servants with deep knowledge.

ROK-DPRK? US-DPRK?

Find Margaret Kosal's recent publications and interviews on her personal website.

Published in: Al Jazeera
Atlanta Jeopardy! contestant responds to his haters by retweeting them

April 20, 2018

Rishab Jain, material science and engineering student and member of the Model United Nations at Georgia Tech, recently participated in the Jeopardy College Championship. Jain made it to the semifinals, and following his participation in Jeopardy, he decided to read people's tweets about him. He found some mean tweets but rather than get upset, he retweeted them. Jain credited our very own Vince Pedicino, assistant director of the Nunn School of International Affairs graduate programs, for his quick wit in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article.

Excerpt

Jain said his “sense of humor, resilience and sarcasm” comes from his friends, family and others, such as his international affairs professor, Vince Pedicino.

“(Pedicino) inspired me to pay no mind to the haters, since he is arguably one of the most sarcastic yet informed people I’ve known,” Jain said.

Thankfully, there were some supportive (or mostly supportive) messages as well. Others loved his tactic of retweeting the negative Nancies instead of letting them bring him down.

Find the article, where Rishab Jain mentions Vince Pedicino on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution website.

Published in: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Bloody History of April 20: Mass Murders, a ‘Fake News’ War and Environmental Disaster

April 20, 2018

Robert Blaskiewicz, a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC) at Georgia Institute of Technology, was quoted in The Washington Post, April 20, article, “The Bloody History of April 20: Mass Murders, a ‘Fake News’ War and Environmental Disaster.” The School of Literature, Media, and Communication is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

T.S. Eliot wrote “April is the cruelest month,” and April 20 stands out if you want to zero in on a specific date besieged with bad news. Across American history and beyond, this particular spot on the calendar is blood-soaked, marked by significant catastrophe and upheaval. Some of the negative energy coiled around the date stems from the fact that Adolf Hilter was born on April 20 in 1889. For militia groups and anti-government types, the middle of the month is also significant as the beginning of colonial America’s fight against the British following the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775… “For many people who labor under the idea that the federal government is a tyrannical foreign oppressor like the British monarchy, Waco symbolizes a war of a government against its people,” Robert Blaskiewicz, a professor at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, told CNN in 2011. “Nonetheless, in the mythology that has grown up around Waco and Oklahoma City among self-identified patriots, the 19th has become a sort of high holiday for those who think that they live under the thumb of a tyranny.”

For the full article, visit The Washington Post website.

Published in: The Washington Post
Atlanta Jeopardy! Contestant Responds To His Haters By Retweeting Them

April 19, 2018

Vince Pedicino, assistant director of graduate programs in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Institute of Technology, was mentioned in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 19, article, “Atlanta Jeopardy! Contestant Responds To His Haters By Retweeting Them.” The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Jain said his “sense of humor, resilience and sarcasm” comes from his friends, family and others, such as his international affairs professor, Vince Pedicino.

“(Pedicino) inspired me to pay no mind to the haters, since he is arguably one of the most sarcastic yet informed people I’ve known,” Jain said.

Thankfully, there were some supportive (or mostly supportive) messages as well. Others loved his tactic of retweeting the negative Nancies instead of letting them bring him down.

For the full article, visit the Atlanta Journal-Constitution website.

Published in: The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Smart Speakers Are a Great Tool for the Visually Impaired

April 16, 2018

Ian Bogost, professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Institute of Technology, was quoted in the Lifehacker, April 16, article, “Smart Speakers Are a Great Tool for the Visually Impaired.” The School of Literature, Media, and Communication is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Touchscreens have become the primary way many of us interact with the digital world, but they aren’t great options for the visually impaired. Smartphones have small displays and require precise controls, and their screens shut off after a few moments of inactivity, which makes them difficult to use if your vision isn’t great. In these instances, a smart speaker is probably a much more useful device. In a touching new essay for The Atlantic, Ian Bogost (Georgia Tech) describes the experience of teaching his blind father to use Amazon’s Echo. There’s a bit of a learning curve, like with any new technology, but his dad soon starts asking Alexa for sports scores and stock market updates. He also uses Amazon’s voice messaging feature to communicate with his son, as well as another friend who has an Echo at home.

For the full article, visit the Lifehacker website

Published in: Lifehacker
Voice Assistants Are Only Intuitive If You’re Already Tech Savvy

April 16, 2018

Ian Bogost, professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Institute of Technology, was quoted in the How-To-Geek, April 16, article, “Voice Assistants Are Only Intuitive If You’re Already Tech Savvy.” The School of Literature, Media, and Communication is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

It’s easy to confuse “familiar” with “intuitive.” This applies to voice interfaces as much as it does to desktop ones. Tech savvy people think of Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant as easy-to-use, because we’re used to using search engines and know to employ similar language when asking a question out loud. For people who haven’t used search engines, however, it can be hard to wrap your head around this. Ian Bogost (Georgia Tech), writing for The Atlantic, talks about watching his 82 year old father, who has been blind most of his life, try to use the Amazon Echo. His dad is frustrated when Alexa won’t respond to the nickname “Lexi.”

For the full article, visit the How-To-Geek website.

Published in: How-To-Geek
Face the Nation

April 15, 2018

An interview with James A. “Sandy” Winnefeld Jr. on CBS News was quoted in “Face the Nation,” which aired on Sunday, April 15, 2018. Winnefeld is distinguished professor and Center for International Strategy, Technology, and Policy (CISTP) senior fellow in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech. The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

The U.S. says missile strikes on three sites in Syria early Saturday were successful in setting the Syrian government's chemical weapons program back years. The strikes came in response to the suspected use of poison gas against civilians in the outskirts of Damascus on April 7.

Retired Navy Admiral James Winnefeld, the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a CBS News military and homeland security analyst, and Ambassador James Jeffrey, the former U.S. envoy to Turkey and Iraq, joined us to discuss the efficacy of the strikes, the impact on U.S. relations with Russia and more.

The following is a transcript of the interview with Winnefeld and Jeffrey that aired Sunday, April 15, 2018, on “Face the Nation.”

For the full article on “Face the Nation,” visit the CBS News website.

Published in: CBS News
Countries Fail to Share Satellite Climate Data

April 13, 2018

Mariel Borowitz, assistant professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Institute of Technology, was quoted in the Science Magazine, April 13, article, “Countries Fail to Share Satellite Climate Data.” The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

From 1957 to 2016, space-faring nations launched 458 government-operated, Earth-observing satellites, which gather data for weather forecasts and climate studies. But data from just 38% of the satellites are shared without restrictions, Mariel Borowitz, a space policy researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, notes in her new book Open Space: The Global Effort for Open Access to Environmental Satellite Data. Whereas Europe and the United States have set the standard for open data, she says, Russia and Japan tend to restrict their availability, for example, by requiring agreements and conditions that can be cumbersome. And sometimes countries attempt to sell satellite data, as in the case of Canada's RadarSat series. Nations less experienced in launching satellites often build them as technology demonstrations, with little thought to data dissemination. Still, Borowitz notes, data sharing is on the rise. “It's getting significantly better.”

For the full article, visit the Science Magazine website.

Published in: Science Magazine
How to Check What Personal Information Facebook Has, and Whether You’re Data Was Shared

April 12, 2018

Ian Bogost, professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC) at the Georgia Institute of Technology, was quoted in the Romper, April 12, article “How to Check What Personal Information Facebook Has, and Whether You’re Data Was Shared.” The School of Literature, Media, and Communication is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

So your data may have been shared with Cambridge Analytica, but there are ways to check what personal information Facebook has — if that gives you any sort of comfort. In case you're out of the loop and wondering what happened, in short, Facebook suspended Donald Trump’s data operations team for misusing people’s personal information. Basically, a Facebook app developer (of the "This Is Your Digital Life" app) collected 50 million Facebook profiles (including that of Mark Zuckerberg), and sold that information to Cambridge Analytica, according to The Verge. Facebook said it has hired a forensics team to investigate Cambridge Analytica, which reportedly hasn't yet deleted Facebook user data as promised, The Verge reported, but is allegedly conducting a third-party audit over Facebook data… But this data breach may have a domino effect, many fear. "There are certainly thousands, if not millions, of applications that had similar access and collected similar data — and many are still doing it, although under different terms," Ian Bogost, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and contributing editor to the Atlantic, reportedly told Vox.

For the full article, visit Romper’s website.

Published in: Romper
Point-Based System Launched for Beijing Permanent Residency

April 12, 2018

Fei-Ling Wang, professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Institute of Technology, was interviewed in the Straits Times Press, April 12, article “Point-Based System Launched for Beijing Permanent Residency.” The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Professor Wang Fei-Ling, from the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Sam Nunn School of Interna-tional Affairs, noted that the latest changes were part of a trend of us-ing hukou to attract talent to cities.

Beijing first declared its intention to roll out a point-based system in 2015. Similar systems have been launched in the past few years in such cities as Shanghai and Shen-zhen.

“Low-skilled and low-wage workers from outside have never had much chance to obtain a Beijing hukou, even though they may have been an indispensable part of the Beijing economy for a long time,” said Prof Wang.

Find the full article in The Straits Times website.

Published in: The Strait Times
9 Questions About Facebook and Data Sharing You Were Too Embarrassed To Ask

April 10, 2018

Ian Bogost, professor at the School of Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC) at Georgia Institute of Technology, was quoted in the Vox, April 10, article, “9 Questions About Facebook and Data Sharing You Were Too Embarrassed To Ask.” The School of Literature, Media, and Communication is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Baby pictures, vacation check-ins, your new job announcement — they all seem like innocuous posts to mark simple milestones. But your personal life is Facebook’s business. Those data points, taken together, build a powerful (and lucrative) profile of who you are and what you value. That’s perhaps one of the most important lessons from the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the revelation that the firm may harvested data from as many as 87 million Facebook users. But Cambridge Analytica is far from the only firm that gained access to vast amounts of users’ personal information. “There are certainly thousands, if not millions, of applications that had similar access and collected similar data — and many are still doing it, although under different terms,” Ian Bogost, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and contributing editor to the Atlantic, told Vox.

For the full article, visit the Vox website.

Published in: The Vox
2001, 50 Years Later

April 6, 2018

Jay Telotte, professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC) at Georgia Institute of Technology, wrote the Science Magazine, April 6, article, “2001, 50 Years Later.” The School of Literature, Media, and Communication is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Fifty years after its appearance, 2001: A Space Odyssey remains a film that commands attention. This is partly because of its status as the most influential science fiction movie ever made; partly because of the ever-growing reputation of its director, Stanley Kubrick; and partly because it has always been a work that confounds easy interpretation—and so readily opens itself to multiple interpretations. Michael Benson's Space Odyssey, an epic-like account of the film's planning, making, and reception, will hardly answer all of the questions that haunt it, but his thoroughly researched, multivoiced narrative should become essential reading for anyone wanting to penetrate the mysteries that continue to swirl around this work and its creator. Written by Jay Telotte, Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

For the full article, visit the Science Magazine website.

Published in: Science Magazine
Remembering a Slugger Named Mickey Mantle

April 1, 2018

Johnny Smith, assistant professor in the School of History and Sociology (HSOC) at Georgia Institute of Technology, was mentioned in The Washington Times, April 1, article “Remembering a Slugger Named Mickey Mantle.” The School of History and Sociology is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

A joyful fringe benefit of baseball fandom is memories of games past. And reading this book took me back to my first major league games the summer of 1956, as a young soldier stationed in Baltimore. A slugger named Mickey Mantle, of the New York Yankees, was terrorizing American League pitchers while delighting fans nationwide who felt they were witnessing the emergence of “the new Babe Ruth.” One evening at the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, an Oriole pitcher served up a fast ball to the muscular Mr. Mantle’s liking. CRACK! The ball vanished over the left field wall and seemed destined to come to earth somewhere near the city limits of Bethesda. I exaggerate, of course, but such is the privilege of a fan who worships the national pastime. And anyone who loves the sport will find hours of undiluted joy in one of the best books on baseball — or any other sport — that I have encountered. In addition to being astute fans, the authors are also professors — Randy Roberts at Purdue University, and Johnny Smith at Georgia Tech. Their intensive research is backed by brisk writing that lets this reader sense he was sitting in a prime third-base-line seat.

For the full article, visit The Washington Times website.

Published in: The Washington Times
Enough With the Trolley Problem

March 30, 2018

Ian Bogost, professor at the School of Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC) at Georgia Institute of Technology, wrote The Atlantic, March 30, article, “Enough With the Trolley Problem.” The School of Literature, Media, and Communication is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Should an autonomous car endanger a driver over a pedestrian? What about an elderly person over a child? If the car can access information about nearby drivers it might collide with, should it use that data to make a decision? The trolley problem has become so popular in autonomous-vehicle circles, in fact, that MIT engineers have built a crowdsourced version of it, called Moral Machine, which purports to catalog human opinion on how future robotic apparatuses should respond in various conditions. But there’s a problem with the trolley problem. It does a remarkably bad job addressing the moral conditions of robot cars, boats, or workers, the domains to which it is most popularly applied today. Deploying it for those ends, especially as a source of answers or guidance for engineering or policy, leads to incomplete and dangerous conclusions about the ethics of machines. Written by Ian Bogost, contributing editor at The Atlantic. He is the Ivan Allen College Distinguished Chair in media studies and a professor of interactive computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

For the full article, visit The Atlantic website.

Published in: The Atlantic
The Reign of Lew Alcindor in the Age of Revolt

March 30, 2018

Johnny Smith, assistant professor in the School of History and Sociology (HSOC) at Georgia Institute of Technology, wrote The Undefeated, March 30, article, “The Reign of Lew Alcindor in the Age of Revolt.” The School of History and Sociology is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is known as one of the greatest basketball players in history. During his 20-year professional career with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, he appeared in 19 All-Star Games, won six championships and collected six MVP awards. In retirement, he has become a prominent cultural commentator and writer, a leading voice on the intersection between sports and politics. Recently, he published a memoir about his collegiate career at UCLA, Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court. Fifty years ago he was the most dominant college basketball player America had ever seen. Between 1967 and 1969, he led UCLA to three consecutive national titles and an 88-2 record. Yet, his legacy transcends the game; in the age of Black Power, he redefined the political role of black college athletes. In 1968, when black collegians debated boycotting the Olympics, Lew Alcindor, as he was then still known, emerged as the most prominent face in the revolt on campus. Why did Alcindor refuse to play in the Olympics? To answer that question we have to return to Harlem, New York, in July 1964, the first of many long, hot summers. Written by Johnny Smith, Julius C. "Bud" Shaw Professor of Sports, Society, and Technology and an Assistant Professor of History at Georgia Tech.

For the full article, visit The Undefeated website.

Published in: The Undefeated
Why Are Sportswriters Whitewashing Baseball’s Dark Secrets

March 29, 2018

Johnny Smith, assistant professor in the School of History and Sociology (HSOC) at Georgia Institute of Technology, wrote the Daily Beast, March 29, article, “Why Are Sportswriters Whitewashing Baseball’s Dark Secrets?” The School of History and Sociology is part of the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Excerpt:

The results are in. Cooperstown has a new class. On Jan. 24, 2018, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voted, electing Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, and Trevor Hoffman to the Hall of Fame. Once again, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Manny Ramirez, three superstars of the past whom the writers have branded “cheaters,” finished out of the running, and poor Sammy Sosa was so far down the list that he now will have to buy a ticket on StubHub to get into Wrigley Field. Baseball’s Fourth Estate, the sanctified moral arbiters of the national pastime, have spoken with righteous clarity. For more than a decade, since former Sen. George J. Mitchell’s investigation implicated 89 Major League players for using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), baseball writers have tried to reclaim the mythical purity of the game. Written by Johnny Smith, Julius C. “Bud” Shaw Professor of Sports, Society, and Technology and an Assistant Professor of History at Georgia Tech.

For the full article, visit the Daily Beast website.

Published in: The Daily Beast