Team
ARI’s team brings together decades of expertise in research, academia, and organizational leadership.
Carla Zachery
Sr. Director of Business
Operations
About Carla
Carla Zachery has more than 36 years of experience in government and state finance and accounting. She is a seasoned operations leader with a proven track record of launching and managing complex administrative and financial ecosystems in higher education and research environments. At Georgia Tech, she played a pivotal role in the successful launch and ongoing management of all administrative, facilities, finance, human resources, and IT operations for the state-of-the-art Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB). Her leadership ensured seamless integration of teams, optimized operational efficiency, and supported the groundbreaking research conducted within the facility.
Carla brings a strategic mindset and a hands-on approach to operational excellence, with deep expertise in building infrastructure, budget management, and organizational development. Her ability to align operational goals with institutional priorities has made her a trusted partner to faculty, researchers, and executive leadership alike.
She has worked in various departments during her 29+ years at Georgia Tech. She holds an MBA from Kennesaw State University.
Sue Winters
Director of Research
Operations
About Sue
With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, Sue Winters brings a deep understanding of academic research administration, strategic planning, and operational excellence to ARI as the Director of Research Operations. A proven leader in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, streamlining research processes, and ensuring compliance with institutional and federal regulations, she has successfully guided complex research initiatives from concept to execution. Her career reflects a strong commitment to advancing institutional research goals, supporting faculty and student scholarship, and building sustainable infrastructures that enhance research productivity and impact.
Cindy Spalding
Research Program
Manager
About Cindy
Cindy Spalding serves as ARI's Research Program Manager where she supports the team across program administration, operations, procurement, event planning, and programmatic travel. She also manages the communications and engagement efforts for tours of the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design. Cindy holds a Bachelor of Journalism with an emphasis in Advertising from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Misha Rodin
Program Manager and
Sr. Research Engineer
About Misha
Misha Rodin applies his expertise to guide cutting-edge technology and research initiatives. He holds a PhD from Georgia Tech and has been instrumental in advancing interdisciplinary projects across engineering and applied sciences.
Shan Arora
Director - Kendeda Building for Innovative
Sustainable Design
About Shan
Shan Arora is a globally recognized leader in advancing regenerative building practices. To advance this mission, he draws on a diverse background spanning clean energy policy, sustainability, community engagement, business development, and tax policy. He holds both BA and JD degrees from Emory University and is Living Future Accredited by the International Living Future Institute—an acknowledgment of his expertise in the world’s most rigorous and holistic standards for sustainable design.
Faculty
Research associates, research engineers, non-tenure-track faculty, tenure-track faculty, and adjunct faculty are eligible for affiliation with ARI and encouraged to participate. The following is a list of faculty who have agreed to participate (updated August 11, 2025).
Marta Hatzell School of Mechanical Engineering
Tequila Harris School of Mechanical Engineering
David Hu School of Mechanical Engineering
Henry (Pete) LaPierre School of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Mark Losego School of Materials Science and Engineering
Alexis Noel Georgia Tech Research Institute
Olivier Pierron School of Mechanical Engineering
Meisha Shofner School of Materials Science and Engineering
Richard Simmons School of Mechanical Engineering
Todd Sulchek School of Mechanical Engineering
Emily Weigel School of Biological Sciences
Shannon Yee School of Mechanical Engineering
Micah Ziegler School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
It is not the research area that defines engagement, but the readiness to think differently and pursue unconventional lines of inquiry.
Faisal Alamgir School of Materials Science and Engineering
Alexander Alexeev School of Mechanical Engineering
Antonia Antoniou School of Mechanical Engineering
Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb School of Materials Science and Engineering
Steve Biegalski School of Mechanical Engineering
George P. Burdell Georgia Tech Tradition
Anna Erickson School of Mechanical Engineering
Alper Erturk School of Mechanical Engineering
Craig Forest School of Mechanical Engineering
Michael Gamble School of Architecture
Animesh Garg School of Computer Sciences
Jennifer Glass School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Martha Grover School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
