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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Please join the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs in the Georgia Institute of Technology for a presentation by Danielle Wood, the director of the Space Enabled Research Group in the Media Lab at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, on the work of the Space Enabled Research Group at the MIT Media Lab.
The mission of the Space Enabled Research Group is to advance justice in Earth's complex systems using designs enabled by space. Our message is that six types of space technology are supporting societal needs, as defined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These six technologies include satellite earth observation, satellite communication, satellite positioning, microgravity research, technology transfer, and the infrastructure related to space research and education. While much good work has been done, barriers remain that limit the application of space technology as a tool for sustainable development. The Space Enabled Research Group works to increase the opportunities to apply space technology in support of the Sustainable Development Goals and to support space sustainability. Our research applies six methods, including design thinking, art, social science, complex systems, satellite engineering and data science. We pursue our work by collaborating with development leaders who represent multilateral organizations, national and local governments, non-profits and entrepreneurial firms to identify opportunities to apply space technology in their work. We strive to enable a more just future in which every community can easily and affordably apply space technology. The work toward our mission covers three themes: 1) Research to apply existing space technology to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; 2) Research to design space systems that are accessible and sustainable; and 3) Research to study the relationship between technology design and justice. The presentation will give examples of research projects within each of these themes.
Danielle Wood serves as an assistant professor in Media Arts & Sciences and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Within the MIT Media Lab, Prof. Wood leads the Space Enabled Research Group. Prof. Wood is a scholar of societal development with a background that includes satellite design, earth science applications, systems engineering, and technology policy. In her research, Wood applies these skills to design innovative systems that harness space technology to address development challenges around the world and contribute to the long-term sustainability of outer space. Prior to serving as faculty at MIT, Professor Wood held positions at NASA Headquarters, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Aerospace Corporation, Johns Hopkins University, and the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs. Prof. Wood studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned a Ph.D. in engineering systems, S.M. in aeronautics and astronautics, S.M. in technology policy, and S.B. in aerospace engineering.
The event in the Guggenheim 246 is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the Visitor Lot 1.
