Colleen Kearney Rich

Retro Mason: Muzzio places fifth at the Barcelona Olympics, 1992

Colleen Rich — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 17:32:21 +0000

Retro Mason: Muzzio places fifth at the Barcelona Olympics, 1992 Colleen Rich Mon, 08/05/2024 - 13:32

Muzzio Places Fifth at the Barcelona Olympics, 1992

��AV alumnus and former track star Rob Muzzio, BS ’87, finished fifth in the decathlon competition during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Although he didn’t bring home a medal, Muzzio told the Washington Post that he performed a “personal best” in the second day of the 10-event decathlon, moving from 20th place the first day to fifth place finish overall. Muzzio won the pole vault portion of the competition.

In addition to Muzzio, who was representing the United States, nine George Mason athletes qualified to represent their native countries in 1992: heptathlete and long jumper Diane Guntrie and sprinters Anthony Wallace and Patrick O’Connor of Jamaica; pole-vaulter Istvan Bagyula of Hungary; middle-distance runner Abdi Bile of Somalia; sprinters John Myles-Mills, Eric Akogyiram, and Tim Hesse of Ghana; and long-distance runner Stephan Franke of Germany.

Barcelona was the second time Bile, who was the 1987 world champion in 1,500 meters, carried Somalia’s flag in the opening ceremonies. His first time was when he competed in 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Information provided by Fall 1992 Inside Patriot Circles alumni newsletter.

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Frenn awarded Fulbright to pursue arts-based research in India

Colleen Rich — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 12:49:54 +0000

Frenn awarded Fulbright to pursue arts-based research in India Colleen Rich Mon, 07/01/2024 - 08:49

��AV professor Chawky Frenn, a painter and an associate professor in the School of Art, has received a Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Award for research and teaching for the 2024-25 academic year. As a Fulbright U.S. Scholar, he will conduct international research while teaching at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India, in the fall.

Chawky Frenn. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“My research will evolve around the role of art as a bridge between cultures, religions, and classes,” said Frenn. “In my teaching proposal, I emphasized the potential of art to cultivate connections between diverse cultures and communities. I will teach studio art and guide students in creating artwork addressing pressing societal issues of their choosing.” At the end of the semester, Frenn will curate an exhibition of student work at Banaras Hindu University.

While abroad, Frenn will focus on creating his own art, documenting his research and travels, collaborating with Banaras Hindu University’s faculty on art projects, and putting together an exhibition of his work before returning to the United States.

This is Frenn’s second Fulbright. His first was in 2017 when he pursued his international research in New Delhi, India. “During my 2017 Fulbright, I connected with people from various walks of life,” he said. “I am excited to be given another opportunity to establish new relationships, collaborate with new international partners in art and education, and build another body of work informed by my experiences and travels.”

He added, “[During 2017] I forged many meaningful connections with artists and academics who, upon learning about my upcoming Fulbright, have already invited me to visit their universities.”

Frenn was born in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States in 1981. He has a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and an MFA from Temple University. His work has been featured in solo and group exhibits in galleries and museums across the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Paraguay, and India.

In 2009, Frenn received George Maso’s Teaching Excellence Award. He was a finalist for the same award in 2002 and 2006 and was also nominated for the award again in 2021.

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Faculty and Staff News

School of Art

Fulbright

Research

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

George Mason joins arts research alliance

Colleen Rich — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 13:38:14 +0000

George Mason joins arts research alliance Colleen Rich Mon, 06/24/2024 - 09:38

��AV has joined the Alliance of Art Research Universities (a2ru) as an institutional member through a concerted effort by multiple colleges and the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact (ORIEI). This action uniquely positions George Mason among other R1 institutions to support an emerging research culture in the arts.

George Mason's Center for Live Interactive Virtual Education uses the Window Wall™ system to connect leading artists with students from multiple institutions. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Justin Sutters, assistant dean of research and assessment in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), is taking the lead on the membership and has already attended one of the alliance’s conferences.

Sutters sees participation in the alliance as generative in that it provides insight into other research universities and some of the challenges that they're encountering. “I think this also gives us a framework to share best practices to see how other colleges are navigating the current fiscal and political climate,” he said.

In this role, Sutters will also be working to elevate the research and collaborations already taking place in CVPA with a longer-term goal of “a vibrant and rigorous supported arts-based research structure at George Mason.”

“I think a lot of the arts-based research isn't fully visible across the university,” Sutters said. “And there are a lot of researchers in our university who are seeking interdisciplinary opportunities with units such as CVPA.”

CVPA Dean Rick Davis was one of the George Mason administrators championing this move. “Joining a2ru represents a pivotal moment for George Mason's profile as a major participant in the national conversation,” he said. “We've already both benefited from and contributed to the dialogue around the fast-changing world of research and creative production in the arts.”

Among the other universities participating in the a2ru are Dartmouth, Stanford and Georgia Tech. Other alliance members in Virginia are Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University.

In This Story

Justin Sutters

Learn more about CVPA

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Research

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

His Mason Korea experience was about connecting on many levels

Colleen Rich — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 15:35:13 +0000

His Mason Korea experience was about connecting on many levels Colleen Rich Mon, 06/17/2024 - 11:35

To commemorate Mason Korea's 10th anniversary, The George has published a series of profiles on Mason Korea students. Daniel (Seihoon) Lee pitched, curated, and wrote that series while an intern in the Office of University Branding. In this profile, the 10th in the series, we highlight Lee.

Daniel (Seihoon) Lee said felt like an outsider for much of his life. Bilingual, bicultural, and homeschooled for a time, Lee struggled to figure out where he fit in until he came to Mason Korea.

Daniel (Seihoon) Lee. Photo provided

“Mason Korea changed that narrative for me,” said Lee, who graduated in May and is now working on a master’s degree. “Meeting people from various backgrounds, we were all outsiders to the mainstream world in a way. I finally felt like I was home.”

Lee was two years old when he first moved to the United States with his parents who were working on their PhDs at Florida State University. His father accepted a job at his alma mater in South Korea when Lee was in fifth grade, but by then Lee said he felt like he has lost the language and the culture after living abroad for eight years.

“Once I moved to a normal Korean public school, the identity crisis feeling grew stronger for me,” he said, and eventually he chose to be homeschooled in high school. But the experience also helped Lee learn a lot about himself.

“While in my heart I leaned closer to my Korean identity, I preferred learning in English,” he said. “Since I developed those English language skills at a young age, my brain was wired to feel comfortable in that educational setting.”

Lee decided he would attend college in the United States, but then heard about the brand-new Mason Korea in a homeschool classical studies group.

“After learning about [this classmate’s] journey to Mason Korea, I was more curious to know what opportunities were available at a school that only existed for about three years,” he said.

And after meeting the admissions staff there and taking a campus tour, Lee could picture himself at the Songdo campus.

Once enrolled in Mason Korea, Lee immersed himself in extracurricular activities, which he said are the “core essence” of the Mason Korea experience. In his freshman year he joined The Voice, which is the student media group, and eventually became a leader there.

“From reconfiguring the whole media production process and launching ad deals with local businesses offering student discounts, to building a website for online media and analyzing social media data, I learned more about how to run an organization than I ever imagined I could,” Lee said.

He also welcomed internship experiences and even had the opportunity to intern for the Olympic Broadcasting Services at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. He acknowledges that his biculturalism played at a role in his marketability. “I was a U.S. college student in Korea who was able to speak English and connect both cultural spheres in a global context.”’

Connecting spheres also played a role in how Lee chose his major as he was torn between his interests in global affairs and business. “I was fascinated by how geographical environments shape people’s cultures, which affect the economy and in turn influence people’s values and their own unique stories,” he said.

Lee ended up majoring in global affairs and minoring in business. It was a business and legal studies course, BULE 303 Legal Environment of Business, that helped him see how to connect the two interests. He is now working on a master’s degree in higher education and student development.

To students considering Mason Korea, Lee encourages them to write their own legacy. “If you have the desire to be a global leader competent in both Korean and English and both cultural areas, I would recommend that student take a look at Mason Korea and go down a path no one else has been down.”

Lee said the collective educational journey he and his fellow classmates embarked on was transformational.

“These Mason Korea classmates who I consider lifelong friends were all at first nervous about their unknown future, but to see them all find their place and create their own story over the years reminds me again of what it means to be part of the greater George Mason family.”

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Students

Mason Korea

Alumni

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Campbell joins George Mason’s research enterprise

Colleen Rich — Thu, 23 May 2024 21:11:59 +0000

Campbell joins George Mason’s research enterprise Colleen Rich Thu, 05/23/2024 - 17:11

Sarah Campbell, ��AV’s new associate vice president of research for defense and security initiatives, joined the university in February 2024. She comes to George Mason with close to 20 years of experience in academia, government, and defense, most recently serving as the chief of staff at University of Maryland’s Applied Research Lab for Intelligence and Security. A George Mason alum, Campbell graduated with a master’s in international commerce and policy in 2011.

Sarah Campbell. Photo provided

What attracted you to this position at Mason?

I was attracted to this position and George Mason writ large because of the impact the university is making, and I wanted to be part of the future growth potential as we drive transformative change. George Mason is a young university so the faculty and staff here have a growth mindset and are adaptable to change faster than most organizations. My background aligns with the cross-disciplinary collaborative approach to achieving ambitious research and development goals. I have experienced successes at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the University of Maryland in large-scale research operations and strategic partnerships that will help propel the objectives of the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact (ORIEI) well.

Yours is a new role in the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact. What have you been charged to do in this role?

Over the course of the last year, ORIEI has been on an internal realignment/reorganization project to better serve the greater George Mason research community. To that effect, I will be working closely with the VPR [Andre Marshall] and the other members of his executive leadership team on this effort with the shared goal to increase operational efficiency and effectiveness, enhance Mason’s ability to scale research and build infrastructure, and improve risk management and compliance. I am also responsible for managing special projects that strengthen George Mason's position as a leader in innovation and research.

I will also focus on organizing and elevating the various defense and security initiatives to enhance the university's research profile. I will work closely with university leadership and the respective academic units to identify university-wide applied research goals, key resource needs, and funding sources to support defense and security programs at George Mason. I hope to advance a shared university-wide vision and execution for defense and security projects.

In your first weeks, you've been taking a deep dive into George Mason's research enterprise. What have you discovered?

I’ve confirmed what I already knew—George Mason is a wonderful and supportive community of incredibly accomplished and respected intellectual leaders. It is also clear the university has seen significant growth in research expenditures, furthering its competitive advantage as a large player in the area of research.

In those individuals with whom I’ve had the pleasure of connecting in my first few months, the dedication to breaking down silos for enhanced collaborative research is refreshing and something that will only continue to expand the research activity on campus in a way that benefits our faculty and students. This vibrant environment is ripe to further strategic initiatives, especially in the biohealth, sustainability, and quantum and digital innovation domains, which often have interesting intersections in the defense and security space.

What do you hope to tackle first?

My initial focus will be to enhance the infrastructure and systems supporting research collaboration, and ensure it is fully integrated with Mason's strategic objectives. As the research enterprise has grown significantly over the last several years, our infrastructure and supporting systems have not necessarily kept up, and we need to take a look at how we scale effectively and how we manage the ever-changing compliance environment for federal research for greatest impact.

What do you do for fun?

For fun I am usually consumed by the activities of my three very energetic school-aged sons. As a family, we also like to travel, go to the beach, attend sporting events, and spend time with friends. I personally enjoy cooking and exercising to decompress, along with getting outside when I can for long walks.

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Neuroscience PhD student pens novel rooted in Middle Eastern mythology

Colleen Rich — Mon, 20 May 2024 13:32:30 +0000

Neuroscience PhD student pens novel rooted in Middle Eastern mythology Colleen Rich Mon, 05/20/2024 - 09:32

��AV doctoral student Rania Hanna has been writing since she was a child. All those years of storytelling paid off this spring with the publication of her debut novel, The Jinn Daughter, published by Hoopoe Press in April.

Rania Hanna. Photo provided

Reviewers have called her book a “haunting homage to Middle Eastern folklore,” and Hanna, a Syrian American, said she draws from stories she heard as a child for inspiration.

Can you tell us a little about your author journey?

My writing journey started in childhood. I was a voracious reader, so it made sense I’d turn to writing.

In the third grade, I would write short essays on things I was interested in—like dinosaurs and Egyptian mummies, and then hand them to my teacher. At the end of the year, [my teacher] took all my essays and bound them into a book for me. It was such a beautiful and thoughtful gift, and I've never forgotten it.

I found my publisher, Hoopoe Books, an imprint of the American University in Cairo, working with my literary agent. Hoopoe centers Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) voices, so they were the perfect choice for The Jinn Daughter.

What inspired the book?

My heritage! I grew up being fed oral stories by my dad, and so a lot of the stories are a reflection of his stories and our culture. What prompted the specifics of The Jinn Daughter is that a few years ago, I finished reading Tahereh Mafi’s Whichwood, and I loved the idea of taking care of the dead. When I was a teenager, I read Garth Nix’s Sabriel and the Old Kingdom series, and I fell in love with the idea of taking care of the dead there, too, so it all culminated into The Jinn Daughter, with someone who cares for the dead as she does the living. I think it’s important to honor our ancestors, our dead, and not forget their stories.

Hanna's debut novel, The Jinn Daughter, was published by Hoopoe Press in April. Photo provided

How did you come to attend George Mason?

I've been wanting to pursue a PhD in neuroscience for some time, and living in the area, I narrowed down choices to those local to me. George Mason was one of my top choices, and in fact, my top choice, after meeting with professors from the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience and learning of the research being done. The program’s flexibility has allowed me to pursue my degree and study the areas I want. I'm studying the effects of taxanes [a type of drug that blocks cell growth] in relation to neuropathic pain in cancer models.

How does the writing tie into your academic studies? Is there any overlap?

Academic studies and research are stressful, so my writing is cathartic. Having a creative outlet is necessary to my mental health, and without writing, I would walk dead through life. My research and writing do not overlap currently, but I hope to apply my skills in both and write a neuroscience or other scientifically bent book one day.

Do you think you will write another?

Absolutely. Writing is woven into my soul, and Middle Eastern culture is known to have such a rich tradition of storytelling, so it is my culture lineage to write and to tell tales. I have another story in the works, this one focused again on Middle Eastern themes and draws from Arabian star folklore.

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Hear Rania Hanna talk about her novel

This Senior of the Year found ‘true community’ at George Mason

Colleen Rich — Thu, 09 May 2024 21:24:11 +0000

This Senior of the Year found ‘true community’ at George Mason Colleen Rich Thu, 05/09/2024 - 17:24

Senior of the Year Celine Apenteng has made an impact during her time at ��AV, and she isn’t done. After graduating this spring with a bachelor’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution with a concentration in global engagement, and minor in intelligence studies, the Silver Spring, Maryland, native will continue to pursue her master’s degree in international security at the Schar School of Policy and Government through the university’s accelerated master’s program.

Senior of the Year Celine Apenteng. Photo provided

Senior of the Year is awarded annually by the George Mason Alumni Association. In nominating Apenteng, her academic advisors at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution—Isaac Jasper, Jane Walker, Averi Jordan—wrote: “From her academic to her professional success, Celine has shown she is leaving the university as an ambassador of the best George Mason has to offer.”

Throughout her college career, Apenteng, who is a member of the Honors College, was active in Student Government, serving as Student Body Vice President in 2022-23 and as Speaker of the Student Senate. She also was a member of President Gregory Washington's Student Advisory Board and co-chair of the Student Advisory Council for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Outside of the classroom, Apenteng held several internships that she said helped shape her as a person and a professional. She interned at the White House in the Office of Public Engagement and U.S. Department of State.

She also started out as an intern at the Carter School’s John Mitchell Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race, which focuses on promoting a more informed public, political, and academic dialogue on the intersections between historical memory, justice, and racial reconciliation. She continues her work with the program as a fellow, documenting the impact of lynching incidents on African American communities and conducting historical archiving to preserve evidence of racial terror.

How have you grown while at George Mason?

Mason has helped me create a life of collaborative relationships instead of competitive ones. When I look for friendships, workspaces, and all other types of connections, I find myself gravitating toward people who want the same, a life filled with supportive people, doing their best, whatever that looks like, and wanting the best for the people around them. I can’t say that wanting that has changed since coming to Mason, but my efforts to seek it out certainly have.

Senior of the Year Celine Apenteng with Carter School Dean Alpaslan Özerdem. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

How did your internships affect your career path?

[The internships] have all offered me different perspectives on what progress looks like for the world. Without a doubt, I can say that the key players are the local leaders we see every day who help us when no one is looking. As people look for opportunities, solutions, and answers, don’t overlook what your local or regional efforts can do for the people you know and the people you don’t.

What’s your best memory at George Mason?

During my junior year, I was Student Body vice president. Although the entire year is filled with great memories, one that sticks out the most is the fall farmer's market. So many people had come out to support the local vendors we had brought to campus, Student Government members were out in full force, and we were all having a great time. We danced to music, played games, and of course ate really good food. Seeing everyone out just happy to be in that environment made me really happy, and I hope that event continues with the same excitement that made so many people feel the presence of true community at Mason.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

You are on time. If you think you’re behind, you're not. There’s no science to living life and college is just one chapter of a (hopefully) very long book! It can be easy to feel like everything is passing you by, but just think back to high school and where you thought you’d be now. Your hopes will change, your dreams will change, and you will change. And that’s all just a part of the process of being alive. So don’t stress about what you can’t control and enjoy what you can.

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Senior of the Year

Graduation

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Students

Honors College

Schar School of Policy and Government

Schar School Student Spotlight

Schar School News for May 2024

A native food forest takes root on Mason’s Fairfax Campus

Colleen Rich — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:16:51 +0000

A native food forest takes root on Mason’s Fairfax Campus Colleen Rich Mon, 04/15/2024 - 12:16

There is a Chinese proverb that says “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” But what about a forest? Last fall, volunteers planted the beginnings of a “food forest” on ��AV’s Fairfax Campus.

Mason graduate student Sarah Roth gives a tour of the Foragers' Forest. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Office of University Branding

In November 2023, Mason students, faculty, and staff gathered to help transplant 1,700 plants of more than 50 native species into two groves near the stream behind Student Union Building I between Aquia Creek Lane and Patriot Circle, on what used to be the site of the Student Apartments, which were razed in 2018.

“We are planting America’s first campus-based native food forest dedicated to feeding both human and animal foragers,” said Mason professor Dann Sklarew of what has been aptly named the Foragers’ Forest.

And like most things in the university’s Living Lab, science helped drive many of the decisions, according to Mason graduate student and lead forest maker Sarah Roth.

Roth, who will graduate in May with an MS in environmental science and policy, is leading the project with Sklarew, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, and University Sustainability Program Manager Doni Nolan, and with administrative support from Mason’s College of Science, Mason Facilities, and University Sustainability. The forest was also made possible with a grant from Amazon Web Services, which the university matched.

An artist's rendering of the Foragers' Forest. Image provided

Roth’s designs for the Foragers’ Forest are based on the work of Japanese botanist and forest ecologist Akira Miyawaki. Designed to create forest cover quickly on degraded land that has been used for such purposes as construction, Miyawaki’s method emphasizes using native plants and trying to reconstruct natural plant communities.

Roth said the Miyawaki method also emphasizes mixing the species in the planting and planting very densely—around three trees/shrubs per square meter—to mimic natural patterns of forest regeneration. The Foragers' Forest adheres to these principles by having a high diversity of plant species and mixed dense planting.

“We were surprised to see how many edible or food-producing plants are native to Fairfax County—strawberries, blueberries, black raspberries, hazelnuts, persimmons, oaks, hickories, and even American chestnuts,” said Roth. “We surrounded our tree clusters with a native meadow that will support pollinators and other meadow-dependent wildlife.”

Sklarew said the site also will serve as a new Living Lab space where students can experiment and “act local” to promote food security, wildlife conservation, climate resilience, and other opportunities to advance sustainability.

Faculty from the College of Science and other colleges are collaborating to identify both curricular and Mason Impact projects to use the space.

Pathways, seating, and signage will lead visitors to forage, learn about the site’s principles and propagation, and enjoy the scenery.

“We're excited to highlight Virginia's natural heritage and indigenous foods in this space,” said Roth, who saw Miyawaki’s forests firsthand during a recent trip to Japan.

The Foragers’ Forest joins a prestigious group: More than 3,000 Miyawaki forests have been successfully planted globally.

“What I love about this project is that it blends everything I’m passionate about: native plants, ecological restoration, and bringing people closer to nature,” said Roth. “Our future depends on us building spaces that serve people and wildlife, and we hope this offers a blueprint others can take and improve on.”

Roth began working as a landscape architect for Fairfax County's stormwater planning division this year. “I’m working to restore healthy forests as part of stream restoration projects. The Foragers' Forest project was integral to me making those connections with county staff.”

Laura Powers and Tracy Mason contributed to this story.

Did you know?

Sarah Roth received a Dean's Award from the College of Science for her efforts in building the food forest.

Get involved with the Forager's Forest

Opportunity Starts Here, Partnerships Grow Here

Colleen Rich — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:54:09 +0000

Opportunity Starts Here, Partnerships Grow Here Colleen Rich Fri, 04/12/2024 - 10:54

When Shrishti Singh, PhD Bioengineering ’22, came to ��AV for her doctoral studies, she had a goal in mind: developing a new technology that would allow the visualization of cancer in deep tissue and perhaps enable earlier diagnoses.

Entrepreneur Shristi Singh in her lab on Mason's Science and Technology Campus.
Read more about Singh's research. >>
Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Using a combination of FDA-approved dyes and photoacoustic imaging, Singh created an injectable dye that attaches to tumor cells and increases the contrast of those cells against the background tissue.

During her time at Mason, Singh used all the tools the university provided to bring her discovery to the marketplace. In April 2023, Singh was on one of the 15 teams that competed for $40,000 in prizes at the Costello College of Business Patriot Pitch Competition. She took home first place and the Mason’s Choice Award in the competition’s science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) track.

In November 2023, Singh was at Mason Square pitching her technology at Mason’s annual Accelerate Investor Conference, which attracts more than 400 entrepreneurs, investors, students, and members of the Washington, D.C., entrepreneurial ecosystem. She was also awarded $75,000 by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation’s Commonwealth Commercialization Fund.

Singh, now a postdoctoral fellow at Mason, co-founded her company NIRView Biosciences with her bioengineering faculty mentors Remi Veneziano and Parag Chitnis. Singh and NIRView Biosciences have been designated a 2023 Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Success Story.

Growing Small Businesses

The Virginia SBDC, a part of Mason Enterprise, is an organization of 25 offices across Virginia providing professional advising and resources to help businesses grow. Singh participated in its Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP), a no-cost incubator that helps technology start-ups from ideation to initial funding and beyond.

NIRView Biosciences worked with ICAP’s life science business mentors over the course of a year to position their technology for successful commercialization, and in 2023 they were accepted into the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program, which provides financial support and experiential education to help university researchers commercialize scientific discoveries.

Singh was one of 30,000 entrepreneurs who participated in a Virginia SBDC workshop, seminar, or training in 2023. Through its 16 programs, the Virginia SBDC helped 10,000 businesses, provided 40,000 hours of one-on-one counseling, offered 1,600 training programs, and incubated more than 550 companies with an impact of $3.36 billion. Of the businesses they served, 61 percent were woman- owned, 46 percent were minority-owned, and 15 percent were veteran-owned.

Paula Sorrell, associate vice president of innovation and economic development, leads Mason Enterprise. This university-based economic development organization focuses the energy, skills, and intellectual capital of Virginians on lab-to-market expansion of university research, new company creation, and small business expansion. Virginia Business magazine recently named Sorrell to its list of 100 Virginians to Meet in 2024: Innovators.

“Mason has used its university position to develop a powerhouse of interwoven federal, state, and local programs,” says Sorrell. “But even more critical are the partnerships among the private and public organizations that help support and codevelop the programs and mentor innovators.”

Through a broad array of activities that include business counseling, workshops, training, and connections to Mason assets—faculty research, classes, and potential interns—Mason Enterprise strengthens the strategy development and operations of businesses, governments, and other institutions throughout Virginia and the region. The Virginia APEX Accelerator (DoD) helps small businesses compete for government contracts, which total more than $1.5 billion annually.

The Virginia SBDC is also part of the larger Mason Virginia Promise, which offers a pathway to a bachelor’s degree or help starting a small business to any Virginian who wants one.

In 2023, Mason also expanded its small business incubator programs to the Town of Herndon, with the aim of empowering more Northern Virginia businesses with high growth potential. Herndon becomes the fifth Northern Virginia locale to partner with Mason Enterprise, joining Fairfax, Arlington, Fauquier County, and Springfield.

And the Virginia SBDC is also going global. Its International Business Development Program was a stage one and a stage two winner in the 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition from the U.S. Small Business Administration. It received $50,000 and then $150,000 to build strategic partnerships that will support the launch, growth, and scale of STEM and research and development-focused small businesses that target international markets.

Research Impacting Society

Mason Enterprise operates two federal programs in support of all Virginia universities: the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program, designed to guide researchers and students on the first steps toward commercializing a technical discovery, and the National Institutes of Health’s REACH program, which funds proof-of-concept research for promising biohealth technologies.

Sorrell and her team are also mentoring entrepreneurs through the annual Accelerate Investor Conference, which is an investor event and start-up business competition held at Mason Square that showcases the mid-Atlantic region as a powerhouse for innovation and business opportunity.

The competition fuels innovation-based business growth by showcasing the best and brightest new tech start-ups to potential investors to foster their development within the region.

Among those angel investors and companies supplying prize money to Accelerate entrepreneurs was Mason alum Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ’94. A leader in the government IT industry, Shrivastava recently launched the Shrivastava Family Refugee and Immigrant Success through Entrepreneurship (RISE) Program, which focuses on mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs from refugee and immigrant back-grounds. Nanomaterial research and development company NanoBioFAB received the Shrivastava Family RISE Program prize at last fall’s conference.

Mason’s Costello College of Business Patriot Pitch Competition offers support and resources to student-led start-ups. Now in its 23rd year, the competition is open to all Mason students and recent alumni and attracted 50 teams from across the university last year. Powering the success of the student and alumni pitch teams were more than a dozen mentors who are CEOs, consultants, entrepreneurs, start-up coaches, Mason faculty, and alumni. By sharing their real-world experience in launching and managing start-ups, mentors were incredibly valuable to the teams.

The finalists, including Singh, pitched to judging panels of local business leaders whose professional experience included consulting, derivatives exchange, energy consulting, food technology, nonprofits, and venture capital.

The Mason Innovation Exchange, also known as the MIX, is also part of Mason Enterprise and helps student entrepreneurs. With its makerspace and fabrication lab, a digital media lab, and a start-up incubator, the MIX offers creative thinkers everything from metal fabrication to business mentoring. It is open to all members of the Mason community regardless of their major or affiliation. Currently, there are six student start-ups in the MIX’s incubator. Mentors meet individually with student entrepreneurs and provide a range of business advice.

In 2023, the Virginia Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) recognized Gisele Stolz, senior director of entrepreneurship and innovation programs at Mason, with an Impact Award for her work with its cyber-security start-up internship program.

“From envisioning the internship program to building out the structure of the Commonwealth Cyber Incubator and Accelerator Program cohort programming, few people within the CCI network have had such a widespread impact as Gisele,” says Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement at Mason and director of the CCI Northern Virginia Node.

Under Stolz’s stewardship, the internship program attracted more than 700 applicants, placing 83 Mason undergraduates with more than 50 companies. Of the students placed, 73 percent received offers for follow-up positions with their host company, including full-time employment.

Beyond this internship program, the CCI Northern Virginia Node, led by Mason and headquartered at Mason Square in Arlington, supported experiential learning opportunities for more than 3,000 students, including more than 100 internships and apprenticeships in cybersecurity.

The MIX's makerspace enables Mason students to create prototypes of their inventions. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Talent Development = Workforce Development

All these Mason opportunities align with the university’s vision of graduating students who can power Northern Virginia’s economic engine and serve in areas of critical need, while also providing a pathway of opportunity to all Virginians.

“Mason is committed to providing novel and varied experiential learning opportunities for our students, preparing our workforce for the future and readying them to compete on a global scale,” says Andre Marshall, vice president of research, innovation, and economic impact at Mason.

The need for well-trained health professionals, across disciplines and among fields, is one of the most critical issues facing communities in Virginia and throughout the nation. The Mason Center for the Health Workforce was established in 2022 to help address the shortage in Virginia. The center supports the development and delivery of public-private strategies to optimize physical and behavioral health career education and postgraduate skill training. It also serves as a technical assistance center for health workforce research, program evaluation, and planning and analysis for government agencies, academic entities, and professional organizations.

Mason’s Center for Community Mental Health in Fairfax is unique in its dual function as both a working clinic and a training facility. Last year, the center helped train 77 undergraduates and 57 graduate students while providing more than 2,100 therapy sessions to the community.

In 2019, Mason joined the commonwealth’s Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP). The top TTIP goal is to build and sustain a diverse tech talent pathway, and Mason, as the largest and most diverse public university in Virginia, and the largest producer of technology talent among four-year institutions in the state, is poised to lead.

At that time, Mason agreed to educate about 30 percent of the 25,000 additional graduates in tech fields over the next two decades to serve regional and state employers, including Amazon and its HQ2. Mason continues to exceed its goals. In 2023, Mason was 281 percent over its bachelor of science target and 192 percent over its master of science target in terms of graduating students in computing and computing-related majors.

Mason is also working to add faculty members in computer science and related fields to teach and mentor these students. The College of Engineering and Computing will soon expand into Fuse at Mason Square. The college is already working to build robust curricula for students in Arlington and provides ample opportunities to explore skills through research opportunities, state-of-the-art labs, hackathons and competitions, and student organizations.

Computer science student Quang Vo demonstrated virtual reality applications that will be part of the visualization labs at Fuse at Mason Square. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

If You Build It…

From Mason Square in Arlington to the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, Mason is building a new economic corridor along Route 66 in Northern Virginia.

Fuse at Mason Square, the university’s LEED Platinum building opening this summer, is a digital innovation center that will house research and development labs, corporate centers, incubators, accelerators, and convening spaces, alongside classrooms and retail spaces.

The SciTech Campus is home to the new outdoor Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory—or “body farm,” one of only eight in the country—and the Biomedical Research Lab, one of 12 biosafety level-3 labs in the nation.

New to this campus is the Nanofabrication Facility, which is the only cleanroom facility and resource of its kind for partners in Northern Virginia and offers hands-on nanofabrication workforce training in research applications that will accelerate the growth of high-tech companies.

“The most powerful asset we offer is opportunity,” says Marshall. “Only through providing opportunity can we educate, inspire, and equip the next generation of leaders to solve the grand challenges of our day.”

Jennifer Anzaldi, Sarah Holland, John Hollis, Katie Maney, and Ryley McGinnis contributed to this feature.

As Virginia's largest public research university, Mason is an economic driver in the region and the state.

Learn more about Tech Talent at Mason

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Mason researcher tackles 'The Politics of Innocence' in new book

Colleen Rich — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 19:38:42 +0000

Mason researcher tackles 'The Politics of Innocence' in new book Colleen Rich Fri, 04/05/2024 - 15:38

Since 1989, more than 3,000 people have been exonerated after being wrongly convicted. In his new book, The Politics of Innocence: How Wrongful Convictions Shape Public Opinion (New York University Press, September 2023), Robert J. Norris, associate professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, and his coauthors explore the political dynamics that shape the innocence movement.

Robert J. Norris. Photo provided

What inspired you to write this book?

After exploring how wrongful convictions had become such a prominent advocacy issue in the criminal legal system, I was left with lingering questions about how much the public knew about [wrongful convictions] and how they responded to information about them. Around that same time, one of my coauthors and I were having lunch and discussed the first season of the podcast Serial, which was about a likely wrongful conviction. We were talking about how those sorts of stories made people nervous and wondered how common that feeling was. We began designing our first study and now, seven years later, here we are!

Was there anything that surprised you in the research for this book?

Throughout the book, we show that wrongful convictions can change people’s support for the death penalty and their trust in the criminal justice system generally. However, we were a bit surprised to find that we could not change people’s trust in police, even when explicitly telling people about the role of police in wrongful convictions. Those attitudes appear to be more entrenched and resistant to change than others. Another thing that is perhaps not surprising, but definitely heartening, is that while innocence reform is political, people across the ideological spectrum can be persuaded to support changes that would help improve our legal system. We can cut through some of the ideological noise and appeal to a variety of different people.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a variety of things. Some of these projects are still related to innocence, including work on the racial history of wrongful convictions, the post-release experiences of wrongly convicted people, narrative language in wrongful convictions, and the relationship between the innocence movement and the antideath penalty movement. Other work is more generally tied to public opinion, such as the process that leads people to support punitive practices and the effects of the language we use to discuss incarcerated populations. I’m also beginning to explore some broader conceptual ideas about completely unrelated issues, which is really exciting for me.

Colleen Kearney Rich

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