National Engineers Week

“Always Ready, Always There”: Mason graduate student named the top ROTC Cadet in the nation

Sarah Holland — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 14:36:12 +0000

“Always Ready, Always There”: Mason graduate student named the top ROTC Cadet in the nation Sarah Holland Wed, 02/14/2024 - 09:36

Bryan Vega never expected that, at 33 years old, he would be named the number one Army ROTC Cadet in the country.

But if Vega, a graduate student in ��AV’s College of Engineering and Computing working toward his master’s in data analytics engineering, has learned anything from his lengthy career, it’s that he can never count himself out.

Photo provided.

Vega’s path starts with a dream: to become an Army officer. He enlisted in the Army National Guard almost 15 years ago and pursued his undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University while enrolled in their ROTC program. Degree planning is an important component of being commissioned as an officer upon graduation; switching majors made it difficult for Vega to meet the required standards within the few months prior to graduating.

After earning his undergraduate degree, he continued his work with the Army National Guard, first with Florida (FLARNG) and then with Virginia (VAARNG). “It was all about timing,” Vega said of the wait to become an officer. “Everything happens for a reason, so I was just waiting for the right opportunity to take that next step toward being commissioned as an officer.”

In 2018, Vega was accepted into the newly formed 91st Cyber Brigade, the Army National Guard’s first, and only, cyber brigade. “I had developed an interest in the coding, data science, and artificial intelligence side of things during my work in military intelligence with the Army National Guard and in my civilian career developing and integrating artificial intelligence/machine learning and cyber solutions to both public and private sector,” he said. “The Cyber Brigade felt like the right move.”

It was. The connections he made in the 91st encouraged him to pursue commissioning through ROTC, for which he was still eligible. “I decided to knock two things out at once: officer status and a master’s degree. Mason had both a good ROTC program and a strong artificial intelligence and machine-learning education pipeline.”

So how does one become the number one ROTC cadet in the nation? Through the Order of Merit List (OML), which ranks every cadet via a points system. Throughout the year, Army ROTC Cadets earn points in different categories for various activities and accomplishments. These categories—such as physical fitness, GPA, athletics, extracurriculars, and employment status—have varying weights and point values within those categories. For example, extracurricular involvement overall is not weighted as heavily as GPA and STEM academic alignment (also known as degree pathway), so leading multiple clubs won’t necessarily balance out a low GPA.

At the end of the Army fiscal year, the points are tabulated, and every ROTC cadet across the nation is ranked based on their overall accessions point value, creating the OML. OML rank is more than just an achievement: higher ranking cadets on the OML will have a higher chance of receiving their first pick of branch preference upon commissioning.

“I was surprised. Shocked, honestly,” Vega said, of the announcement that he ranked number one. “I’m not as fit as my younger members; I didn't think I had a chance. It just goes to show what you can accomplish with the right support."

That refrain of support was critical to Vega’s success: not only the support he received, but the support he was able to provide.

Mason’s ROTC program, Vega said, has supported him and his commitments to full-time employment with his civilian career as Lead Data Scientist (AI/ML), part-time with the National Guard, his growing family, and his rigorous graduate studies. As a university renowned for providing veterans with quality education, Mason’s support of post-traditional students in ROTC is yet another testament to the university’s commitment to inclusive and accessible education and career opportunities.

“Having been in ROTC at another institution, I can say that Mason ROTC’s flexibility and adaptability is incredible. And my advisor in CEC has worked hard to find classes for me that will make sure I complete the degree on time while being able to work full-time and fulfill all my duties as a cadet, a husband, a father, and a member of the VAARNG.”

And for Vega, he paid that support forward through his own informal mentoring of the other cadets. “Being further along in life, I had a lot I could teach them. And the commissioned and noncommissioned officers in our program encouraged that transfer of knowledge. It helped all of us, me learning from them and them learning from me.”

Vega looks forward to walking across the stage at Spring Commencement 2024 with his peers, with a plan to finish his degree over the summer. His future, hopefully as a soon-to-be commissioned officer, is bright.

Start your own journey with the College of Engineering and Computing

Learn more about George Mason Army ROTC

Mason Engineers Week poster winners announced

Rena Malai — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 13:26:00 +0000

Mason Engineers Week poster winners announced Rena Malai Thu, 03/10/2022 - 08:26

Congratulations go to the winners of the Engineers Week poster competition at George Mason, in the undergraduate and graduate categories.

The poster competition was one of several activities for students to participate in during the week of events, which occurred February 22 to February 25. This year’s theme Reimagining the Possible celebrated the five senses: taste, smell, sound, touch, and sight.

Undergraduate Winners

First place: Mahati Malladi and team

Poster name: A Decision Support Tool to Evaluate Navy Future Vertical Lift Manpower

Second place: Aditya Pulipaka and team

Poster name: The Effect of 3D Printing Process Parameters on Surface Mechanics of FDM Printed Peek

Third Place: Nicholas A. Denton

Poster name: Mini Wave Tank Project

Graduate Winners

First place: Shirin Movaghgharnezhad and team

Poster name: Ultrasensitive and Broadband Flexible Photodetectors based on Three-dimensional Porous Graphene

Second place: Randy Jamil Pugh and team

Poster name: Dynamic Postural Stability Among Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease Following Performance-Based Overground Locomotor Training

Third place: Ruizhi Cheng

Poster name: Reality Check of Metaverse: A First Look at Commercial Social Platforms

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Mason’s Engineers Week Celebrates the Senses

Rena Malai — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:14:44 +0000

Mason’s Engineers Week Celebrates the Senses Rena Malai Mon, 02/14/2022 - 10:14

Engineering takes on a whole new feel, as ��AV gears up for Engineers Week February 22 – February 25. This year’s theme, Engineering Your Senses: How Engineering and Technology Relmagine Our Impact on the World, will take participants on a journey through the five senses—taste, smell, sound, touch, and sight.

Making ice cream with nitrogen, bottling custom made perfume, and exploring new technologies that support well being are just a few of the activities happening during Engineers Week. The College of Engineering and Computing hopes everyone will come to enjoy this exciting event, ask questions, and engage with the panelists, presenters, and each other to explore how engineering and technology transforms our lives.

RSVP here.

Engineers Week is open to all and will take place in person. The full schedule of Engineers Week events is as follows:

TASTE

Tuesday, February 22

Noon to 3 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building Atrium
Taste your way to the Nguyen Engineering Building and spend the day mixing, tasting, and making your own ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Learn about the advances in engineering and technology that make this reimagined treat possible. Whether you like vanilla, chocolate, or something in between, we’ve got something for you.

4 to 5:30 p.m. oSTEM Startup Meeting and Discussion ENGR 2901
Students and faculty interested in becoming members and advisors for the university’s soon to be established Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM) are invited to gather to brainstorm and discuss the mission, vision, and outcomes they want for the chapter.

TOUCH and SMELL

Wednesday, February 23

Noon to 3 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building Atrium

Feel the effects and importance of mechanotherapy and immunotherapy to your wellbeing and that of others. While you are at it, take in the massages that will be offered for students and faculty utilizing massage equipment made through engineering advancements.

Noon to 3 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building, Vangent Conference Room 2901 and 1602
Smell your way into an olfactory opportunity and join us to find out more about how scents are made. Join us and engage in your own perfume or cologne making. Create your scent, bottle it, and take it home.

SIGHT and SOUND

Thursday, February 24

4 to 6:00 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building Atrium
Hear about the impact that engineering and technology has made on music, acoustics, symphonics, etc., and make your own beats and music. We will have DJ recording booths – where you’ll learn how sound engineers make music.

6 to 9:00 p.m. Jajodia Auditorium
Come out and see for yourself. Students, faculty, and staff can come and enjoy our AI/Technology themed film, “Free Guy.

SENSES SHOWCASE

Friday, February 25

Noon to 2:00 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building Atrium
Come see, touch, taste, smell, and hear about the cool and interesting projects that our CEC students and faculty are working on. From creating life-saving technology in bioengineering, to protecting our national interests through cybersecurity, or making our infrastructure stronger and more accessible through civil engineering. Come and be awed by the reimagined possibilities of engineering and computing.

Topics

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College of Engineering and Computing

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National Engineers Week

“Always Ready, Always There”: Mason graduate student named the top ROTC Cadet in the nation

Start your own journey with the College of Engineering and Computing

Learn more about George Mason Army ROTC

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Mason’s Engineers Week Celebrates the Senses

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