Joyelle Harris was one of 40 individuals from the metro Atlanta area who were honored at the 2017 Atlanta Business Chronicle 40 Under 40 Awards. An academic professional in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Harris and her fellow honorees were recognized at an event held at the Foundry at Puritan Mill on November 8.

The 40 Under 40 Awards honor young movers and shakers who are making a mark in their industries and leading in their communities. Harris was specifically recognized for her work as director of the Engineering for Social Innovation (ESI) Center and as co-director of the Grand Challenges Scholars Program, both of which are initiatives housed in the Georgia Tech College of Engineering (CoE), and for her work as executive director of the Council of Schools and Services for the Blind. She was also honored for her prior contributions to the community through her work at Oak Ridge National Labs, Exponent, and Intel.   

Through ESI, Harris enables hundreds of students each year to use their coursework and technical skills for significant, positive social impact in community projects throughout Atlanta and all over the world. In her ESI work, she empowers her community partners by incorporating their needs and desires into solutions that are sustainable and desirable. In the CoE Grand Challenges Scholars Program, Harris works with students who want to tackle today’s science, engineering, and technology challenges in areas like cybersecurity and global access to healthcare.

Harris was also recognized for her work with several student organizations, including Engineers Without Borders, which helps to improve the infrastructure of communities throughout the developing world, and Enterprise to Empower, an organization that helps students launch nontraditional, impact careers.