Michelle LaPlaca is a Georgia Tech biomedical engineering professor specializing in traumatic brain injury, concussion, and neuroengineering. Her research focuses on injury biomechanics, diagnostics, and cognitive assessment tools, including sideline testing for concussions. Her work supports efforts to better detect, manage, and prevent head injuries in high-impact sports, informing player safety protocols during global events. 

Kirk Bowman is a Georgia Tech professor and expert in Latin American politics and global development whose research explores the intersection of soccer, society, and international affairs. A Fulbright scholar and award-winning educator, he studies how the sport shapes political narratives and social outcomes across regions. His work provides context for understanding the World Cup’s global impact on governance, cultural identity, and international relations, particularly in soccer-centric regions like Latin America. 

Michael Hunter is a Georgia Tech professor and transportation systems expert whose work focuses on traffic operations, adaptive signal control, and corridor design. He leads major research initiatives on digital twins, AI-driven signal optimization, and connected infrastructure. His work modeling real-time traffic in cities like Atlanta directly applies to managing large-scale events, where efficient traffic flow, transit prioritization, and smart city coordination are critical to moving crowds safely and reducing congestion. 

Declan Abernethy is a Georgia Tech scholar specializing in the history and sociology of sport, with a focus on soccer’s cultural and social impact. His research examines fan communities, gender equity, and the role of technology in shaping modern soccer. His work provides insight into how global events like the FIFA World Cup influence identity, fandom, and community dynamics in host cities and beyond. 

Mindy Millard-Stafford is a Georgia Tech professor and leading expert in exercise physiology, specializing in thermoregulation, hydration, and performance in extreme heat. For more than 30 years, she has led research on how the body responds to heat stress and fatigue, with applications for athlete safety and performance. Her research informs strategies to protect athletes from heat, optimize hydration, and maintain performance during physically demanding matches in high-temperature conditions.