Novelis and Georgia Tech Establish Novelis Innovation Hub

Atlanta-based Novelis Inc. and Georgia Tech have announced a new collaboration to establish the Novelis Innovation Hub at Georgia Tech. The company has committed $2.5 million to initiate research, faculty, student, and educational program support. The collaboration will promote basic and translational research, innovative business models, and related educational endeavors at Georgia Tech and will serve as a cross-functional hub connecting Novelis’ technical and business innovators with Georgia Tech’s students and faculty.

“We are fortunate to have one of the world’s premier research institutions in our hometown,” said Steve Fisher, president and CEO of Novelis. “As we pursue our purpose of shaping a sustainable world together, we have a tremendous opportunity to collaborate with Georgia Tech to help train a new generation of the best and brightest students who are poised to advance the frontiers of engineering and research for the betterment of society.”

With the Novelis funding, Georgia Tech intends to recruit a senior interdisciplinary faculty member to serve as the director of the Novelis Innovation Hub. The director is expected to be identified and in place by the 2020-21 academic year.

“The collaboration with Novelis demonstrates our continued focus on providing students and faculty with unmatched academic and practical experiences through the creation of innovative corporate relationships,” said Chaouki Abdallah, Georgia Tech’s executive vice president for research. “Our expertise in materials science, advanced manufacturing, and business and AI systems is among the very best in global higher education. We look forward to working with Novelis’ scientific, engineering, and business innovators to develop new, industry- and world-changing solutions.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Novelis will annually identify sponsored research and provide a list of innovation needs, for which Georgia Tech faculty will be invited to offer proposals. An advisory board comprised of representatives from Georgia Tech and Novelis will evaluate the proposals that utilize the Novelis funding and external funding opportunities as well as foster future technology collaborations.

“Establishing closer ties with Georgia Tech provides tremendous benefits for both the students and the company,” said Todd Summe, chief research and development officer at Novelis. “Our combined efforts will advance our mission to lead the aluminum industry as the partner of choice for innovative solutions. At the same time, we are helping fill the industry’s talent pipeline with outstanding innovators. We see this as just the next step in our partnership, which can serve as a model for transformative innovation across Novelis, the Aditya Birla Group, and our industry at large.”

With this investment, Novelis is building upon longstanding ties with Georgia Tech. Historically, the company has provided internships and full-time employment as well as mentorship to more than 50 graduate students over the years. Novelis has consistently funded sponsored research as well as research equipment at Georgia Tech, most recently co-investing in additive manufacturing in the Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility. In addition, the company provides funds for graduate student research with renowned faculty and for Georgia Tech’s InVenture Prize, a student competition that fosters creativity, invention, and entrepreneurship.

About Novelis 
Novelis Inc. is a global leader in innovative products and services and the world's largest recycler of aluminum. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, operates 23 facilities in nine countries, has approximately 11,000 employees, and recorded $12.3 billion in revenue for its 2019 fiscal year. Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, an industry leader in aluminum and copper, and the metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai, India. 

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