GA Tech, Peachtree Corners Solidify Partnership with First-of-its-Kind Venue

The fortunate 200 or so attendees of the opening of the Georgia Tech Atrium at Curiosity Lab in Peachtree Corners can say they witnessed a significant bit of history. The ceremony highlighted a decade-long partnership between the Georgia Institute of Technology and the city of Peachtree Corners and introduced one of the university’s new global initiatives.

Led by the Center for 21st Century Universities at the Georgia Tech College of Lifetime Learning, each GT Atrium will offer a space for the institute’s faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners to advance their academic and professional interests in the country or region that it serves.

Designed to foster hands-on student research, industry collaboration and technology breakthroughs, they will provide tailored programs, event space, a study abroad base, co-working and co-learning spaces and opportunities to engage and associate with Georgia Tech.

The opening of the GT Atrium in Peachtree Corners is the first of many planned collaborations to come between the school and municipalities throughout the state.

“The Georgia Tech Atrium at Curiosity Lab represents the future of higher education — where learning extends beyond the classroom and where broad community collaboration creates novel opportunities and advances,” said Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera.

“This initiative proceeds from a concerted strategy to extend Georgia Tech’s reach, expand access to our resources and expertise and build connections that benefit students and advance research. We’re proud to partner with the City of Peachtree Corners to bring this vision to life.”

Key points

Key points of the event included the Atrium’s role in fostering innovation, upskilling and community engagement. Through this and other initiatives, Georgia Tech aims to double its degree awards and enhance its research impact.

The atrium will offer professional education, K-12 programs and networking opportunities.

The project aligns with the state’s economic development goals, having created 193,000 jobs and $90 billion in investments since 2019.

The event concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, emphasizing the significance of the Atrium in Georgia’s innovation ecosystem.

A collaborative project

With Gov. Brian Kemp, his wife Marty Kemp, Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason, Ga Tech President Ángel Cabrera, Georgia state Rep. Scott Hilton-R, Peachtree Corners and many other politicians and dignitaries present, Gov. Kemp made a point of thanking local Georgia Department of Economic Development board member Jose Perez for his hand in bringing the project together.

“And I just want to thank Jose Perez — you’re a great champion,” he said. “We appreciate your leadership and your friendship. You know this pro-business environment that we have is essential to Georgia’s success, and it’s why we’ve been named the number one state in the country for business for 11 consecutive years.”

A resident of Peachtree Corners, Perez is the retired President of Target Market Trends, Inc. (TMT), a consulting firm he founded in 2002 to help clients develop market strategies. He also spent 25 years at BellSouth in various management roles and worked as an international consultant with Gartner, Inc.

From 2004 to 2011, he served on the Board of Education and held leadership positions with the National Association of State Boards of Education and the State Charter School Commission.

About Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institute of Technology, or Georgia Tech, is one of the top public research universities in the U.S., developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.

The Institute offers business, computing, design, engineering, liberal arts, and sciences degrees, as well as professional development and K-12 programs for fostering success at every stage of life.

Its more than 53,000 undergraduate and graduate students represent 54 U.S. states and territories and more than 143 countries. They study at the main campus in Atlanta, at instructional sites around the world, and through distance and online learning.

As a leading technological university, Georgia Tech is an engine of economic development for Georgia, the Southeast, and the nation, conducting more than $1 billion in research annually for government, industry, and society

For more about the GT Atrium at Peachtree Corners, visit atrium.gatech.edu/peachtree-corners.

Read the full story about the opening of the GA Tech Atrium in the May/June issue of Peachtree Corners Magazine available online beginning May 8.

Gallery photos of the event courtesy of Curiosity Lab