Direct to Discovery (D2D): Delivering opportunities for authentic STEM discovery directly to Georgia's K12 classrooms
Direct to Discovery delivers the subject matter STEM expertise of Georgia Tech directly to Georgia's K12 classrooms through virtual learning experiences focused on STEM inquiry and design. Direct to Discovery enables students to interact with world-class scientists and engineers, engage in real-world STEM inquiry and design, and remotely access select Georgia Tech research facilities. Direct to Discovery is free for Georgia schools and families, and is developed using the approved Georgia education standards.
Upcoming Direct to Discovery sessions
Dive into a world of STEM with our regularly scheduled Direct to Discovery sessions. We regularly offer sessions on a variety of topics designed to spark curiosity and enhance STEM learning. Each session is approximately 45 minutes.
Past D2D Sessions
Featured Sessions with Video Recordings
Hacking the Planet: Defending the Systems that Run Our Lives
Monday, February 23, 2026 | Recording
Focus Area: Computer Engineering/Cybersecurity
Presenter: Dr. Saman Zonouz
Real People, Real Challenges, Real Robots: Mobility Tech with Purpose
Thursday, February 26, 2026 | Recording
Focus Area: Mechanical Engineering
Presenter: Kinsey Herrin
3D Printing Titanium: Realizing the Superhero Powers of Ironman
Friday, February 27, 2026 | Recording
Focus Area: Mechanical Engineering
Presenter: Dr. Aaron Stebner
My 157 Days in Space!
November 18, 2025 | Recording
Presenter: Dr. Sandra "Sandy" Magnus, Georgia Tech graduate, Georgia Tech Professor of Practice, and 20-year NASA veteran.
2026
Fast and clean: Developing the next generation of engines for supersonic aircraft
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 9:00 a.m.
Focus Area: Aerospace Engineering
Presenter: Dr. Adam Steinberg
Interactional Aerodynamics Research at One of the Largest Wind Tunnels in the US
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 1:00 p.m.
Focus Area: Aerospace Engineering
Presenter: Dr. Juergen Rauleder
It's a Blast: Designing Buildings for Extreme Loads
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | 9:00 a.m.
Focus Area: Civil Engineering
Presenter: Dr. Lauren K. Stewart
2025
A Tour of the Solar System (4th Grade)
October 14, 2025, 9:00am and 1:00pm
Dr. James Sowell (Professor Emeritus of Astronomy, Georgia Tech) will serve as your tour guide in a quick flight around our solar system.
Associated Standard: S3E2a, S3E2b
The Secret Life of Bacteria (7th Grade)
October 15, 2025, 9:00am and 1:00pm
Dr. Lauren Speare (Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences and Ocean Science and Engineering, Georgia Tech) will take the students on an exploration of the lives of bacteria. They are much more complex than most people think!
Associated Standard: S4E1a
That Used to Be a Dinosaur! (3rd Grade)
October 16, 2025, 9:00am and 1:00pm
Ms. Slenker (Spatial Ecology and Paleontology Lab, Georgia Tech) will explore the process of fossilization and discuss fossils found in the state of Georgia.
Associated Standard: S3E2a, S3E2b
Living on Mars! (6th Grade)
October 17, 2025, 9:00am and 1:00pm
For years, we have discussed the colonization of Mars. Dr. James Sowell (Professor Emeritus of Astronomy, Georgia Tech) will explore what would need to be done for us to one day live on the Red Planet.
Associated Standard: S5E1a, S5E1b, S5E1c
The Earth is Moving! (5th Grade)
October 22, 2025, 9:00am and 1:00pm
The Earth is a dynamic place. Dr. Jennifer Glass (Professor and Associate Chair, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Tech) will explore the constructive and destructive forces that have shaped the face of our planet.
Associated Standard: S8P1b, S8P1c
Lights! Cameras! Volcanoes! Earthquakes! (6th Grade)
December 9, 2025, 9:00am and 1:00pm
Dr. Samantha Wilson, Director of the Solid Earth and Planetary Sciences Degree Program at Georgia Tech, will discuss the destructive powers of volcanoes and earthquakes by exploring their portrayal in popular movies.
Associated Standard: S6E5f
Where did they go? (8th Grade)
December 10, 2025, 9:00am and 1:00pm
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is a world leader in the development of Radar and Lidar systems. Jack Wood of GTRI will discuss how these technologies are practical applications of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Associated Standards: S8P4b, S8P4c, S8P4d
Sizzle! Crack! Pop! The Science of Lightning (4th Grade)
December 11, 2025, 9:00am and 1:00pm
Dr. Levi Boggs, a scientist at Georgia Tech's Severe Storms Research Center, will explore how clouds, air, and tiny electric charges work together to create lightning. Cool high-speed videos will be used to give students an up-close view of a lightning strike.
Associated Standards: S4E4b, S4E4c
Space Lightning! (5th Grade)
December 12, 2025, 9:00am and 1:00pm
Did you know there’s lightning that happens way up in space, above the clouds? In this presentation, Dr. Levi Boggs, a scientist at Georgia Tech's Severe Storms Research Center, will discuss transient luminous events, or space lightning. These amazing flashes, like red sprites and blue jets, are different from regular lightning and happen high in Earth’s atmosphere.
Associated Standard: S5P2a
For more information, email STEM-GTRI@gtri.gatech.edu.
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