Against the breathtaking backdrop of Midtown, Georgia Tech recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of Science Square's first phase. In collaboration with its partner, Trammell Crow Company (TCC), the Institute celebrated the opening of this cutting-edge space dedicated to scientific discovery.

Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera underscored the transformative power of partnerships like the one with TCC that has enabled Tech to create this space for innovation and collaboration, declaring, “Talent alone is not sufficient. We need to create spaces where ideas and talent can translate into solutions, businesses, startups, and economic opportunity!”

The purpose-built tower stands ready to welcome science and medical researchers. It’s a new dawn for Atlanta, said Katherine Lynch, TCC’s vice president, who emphasized the importance of this being the city’s first innovation district: “Today, we celebrate an important milestone: the opening of Science Square — the premier innovation district in the Southeast!” Lynch also spoke of Science Square’s pivotal role of providing Atlanta with the unique opportunity to “attract and retain these companies that would otherwise seek commercial lab space in other cities and states.”

The ceremony also paid tribute to the legacy of Professor Robert Nerem, a trailblazer in biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech. His vision led to the establishment of Project ENGAGES, which focuses on supporting high school students from underserved communities who are underrepresented in STEM. In a grand gesture of commitment to education, TCC presented a generous donation to the high school science education program. Lakeita Servance, assistant director of Outreach Initiatives at Georgia Tech, expressed gratitude for the endowment, saying, "We are immensely thankful that the Trammell Crow Company has decided to provide an endowment to Project ENGAGES to ensure the legacy of the program continues for many more years.”

In bringing the ceremony to a close, Atlanta City Councilman Byron Amos highlighted Science Square’s numerous benefits, including the development of an environment conducive to both work and recreation, funds allocated for community training initiatives, and the potential creation of 3,000 jobs. Noting that his District 3 is home to Science Square, Amos said, “Science Square has been what the relationship between the institution, a community, state and local elected leaders, and a developer really should look like. It has set the bar high for future plans".