Georgia Tech Students Develop Chemical Safety Tool for Workers

Georgia Tech’s Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) program has produced a new tool aimed at improving worker safety during chemical spills. In a single semester, second‑year chemical and biomolecular engineering (ChBE) student Diya Godavarti collaborated with a multidisciplinary research team to develop a system that could help employees respond more effectively to hazardous spills or open containers.

The project was part of a course on chemical equity, which focuses on reducing chemical exposure in vulnerable communities. By embedding students in long‑term research teams that span multiple disciplines and semesters, the VIP program enabled Godavarti and her colleagues to apply classroom concepts directly to real‑world safety challenges, culminating in a prototype that could be deployed in industrial settings.

The tool’s development demonstrates the practical impact of Georgia Tech’s integrated curriculum, linking academic learning with tangible solutions for workplace safety. The project’s success underscores the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex chemical exposure problems.