Barge and Vanderbilt Reimagine the Future of Infrastructure with New Research Collaborative

NASHVILLE, TN - Barge Design Solutions, an engineering and architecture firm with diverse in-house multidisciplinary practice areas, announced it is officially kicking off its latest strategic initiative with Vanderbilt University. ‘Reimagining the Future of Infrastructure by Leveraging Generative AI’ is a research collaborative set to revolutionize the infrastructure sector and address today's and tomorrow's most critical infrastructure challenges, paving the way for a more sustainable future.  

“Our work with Vanderbilt represents a significant step forward in our mission to address some of today’s biggest infrastructure challenges with unique solutions,” said Bob Higgins, president and CEO of Barge. “By leveraging generative AI, we aim to create safer, more efficient, and sustainable infrastructures for our communities.” 

This initiative combines Vanderbilt’s cutting-edge research capabilities with Barge’s extensive industry experience and aims to create practical AI applications that address real-world infrastructure and design opportunities. Following a series of collaborative sessions, which will include community members and other interested parties, Barge and Vanderbilt will work together to investigate and identify a sustainable solution that addresses future industry challenges, including aging infrastructure, workforce demands, and technological advancement. This collaborative is designed to address the future-state needs of our clients and community partners. 

“This initiative is a testament to the power of combining academic research with practical industry applications,” said Jules White, senior advisor to the chancellor for generative AI in education and enterprise solutions and professor of Computer Science at the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. “We are excited to see the transformative impact of our joint efforts on infrastructure projects.” 

This initiative underscores Barge and Vanderbilt’s commitment to deploying generative AI ethically and responsibly and will focus on some of today’s most pressing challenges, including improving pedestrian safety, managing large asset platforms, and enhancing large-scale water systems. This collaboration is the culmination of extensive efforts, including education initiatives through the Coursera platform. Both organizations have developed a deep understanding of each other’s strengths, laying a solid foundation for this ambitious initiative.  

"The Vanderbilt School of Engineering’s mission is to make a deep and lasting societal impact," said Krishnendu Roy, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering and University Distinguished Professor. "Collaboration with industry partners is crucial to achieve that mission. Applying new technologies like AI in real-world settings to solve challenges our industry partners face is critical to discovery-led translation and real-world impact. We are grateful to work with companies like Barge and other community members to advance new ideas and applications in AI." 

The collaborative efforts with the Vanderbilt School of Engineering are designed to foster a culture of continuous innovation within Barge and ensure that the company remains at the forefront of technological advancements and infrastructure solutions.  

About Barge  

Barge, Inc., is an engineering and architecture firm with diverse, in-house, multidisciplinary practice areas. The 600-person employee-owned company serves clients nationwide from multiple U.S. locations. Barge is ranked No. 167 on Engineering News-Record's (ENR) 2024 Top 500 Design Firms list and is a certified Great Place to Work®. Learn more and stay connected on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.  

About Vanderbilt University and the School of Engineering  

Founded in 1873 as an institution that would “contribute to strengthening the ties that should exist between all sections of our common country,” Vanderbilt University is globally renowned for its transformative education and pathbreaking research. The university’s 10 schools reside on a parklike campus set in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, contributing to a collaborative culture that empowers leaders of tomorrow and prizes free expression, open inquiry and civil discourse. 

The Vanderbilt School of Engineering is internationally recognized for the superior quality of its inclusive research and education programs in numerous fields of engineering. The School prepares students to become leaders and innovators in addressing our grand societal challenges.