Delta Air Lines plans to open a collaborative research center at the Georgia Institute of Technology that will focus on operations and customer experience enhancements.
The Atlanta-based airline, which is funding the initiative through a $2 million grant, is leasing 6,500 square feet in the Centergy building at Technology Square. It is expected to open in early 2016.
“At Delta we are continuously seeking to improve and elevate our operations and the customer experience,” said Gil West, Delta’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “This facility is the first of its kind for the domestic aviation industry. Tapping into the bright minds at Georgia Tech is an opportunity to gain new perspectives and approaches across Delta for changes that will advance our business now and for years to come.”
The collaborative space is designed to promote business enhancements and innovation through research that centers on the way people and products interact, Delta said.
“Delta Air Lines and Georgia Tech have a rich heritage of working together in everything from research to hiring our co-ops and graduates. We are delighted that Delta’s collaborative research center will provide even greater opportunities for Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff to work with this outstanding global airline,” said Georgia Tech President G. P. “Bud” Peterson.
Delta joins a platinum roster of corporate giants that have opened innovation centers at Georgia Tech to partner with the Institute, access its faculty research, and tap into its student talent.
Those companies at Tech Square include Coca-Cola Enterprises, The Home Depot, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas, Southern Co., AT&T Foundry, NCR, and Panasonic Automotive Systems. FULL STORY.