Technology

We’re in Augusta to learn about careers in the medical field with a visit to Augusta University! Up first we meet a doctor specializing in wilderness medicine who was actually the first person in his family to go to college. Very inspirational! But if those years of medical school sound daunting to you, we also learn about being an athletic trainer, the field of nuclear medicine technology, and the artistic career of medical illustration.

What makes the fabulous Fox Theatre so fabulous? Great question! And that’s just what we ask the folks who work at the Fox. They answer by giving us an exclusive backstage tour, as well as an on-stage tour, and even an under-the-stage tour. And we tell the “theatrical” story as you’d expect—in three acts. By the way, it turns out that part of what makes the Fox so fabulous is their air-conditioning system and their LED lights, both of which we cover in our Teachable Moments.

There’s a lot to know about Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Sure, it’s the busiest airport in the world. And yes, it’s within a two-hour flight of 80% of the U.S. population. But perhaps the most important characteristic of this “airport city” is that it’s the biggest employer in the state with 58,000 jobs!

It’s true that Georgia is about 2,000 miles from Hollywood, but the film and television industries are actually much closer. In fact, they're right here in Georgia. We talk with the people at Meddin Studios in Savannah to learn why film and television are responsible for Georgia’s fastest-growing job markets. We also find out what kinds of jobs are available, how to get started, and why the folks at Meddin love what they do.

There are big things coming out of the little town of Senoia—like the most popular TV show in the history of cable, for example. That’s right, it’s shot at Raleigh Studios, about an hour’s drive south of Atlanta. We go behind the scenes and talk with the experts about what it takes to create the fictional world of The Walking Dead.

We go to McCaysville to meet a group a people who claim their jobs are “better than your vacation.” They’re river guides at Rolling Thunder River Company, a white water rafting company where the employees, surprisingly, still use math to do those jobs. They also use a host of certifications to ensure customer safety. Oh, and being an Eagle Scout doesn’t hurt either.

If you’ve got an idea for the next great flavor of Coca-Cola but don’t know what to do with it, we’ve got you covered. We visit the world headquarters of The Coca-Cola Company in downtown Atlanta and talk with a few of their nearly 100,000 employees about what it takes to be one of the most recognized brands on the planet. As it turns out, those high school chemistry classes might come in handy.

Some of television's most popular networks make their home in midtown Atlanta, so Fast Forward goes behind the scenes to find out what makes these networks … work. We learn all about their creative technologies as well as other aspects of multilevel media. Teachable Moments include a description of metadata and an explanation of how understanding gravity is essential for a cartoon animator.