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Mason Korea launches Korea Serious Game Institute

Colleen Rich — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 14:46:23 +0000

Mason Korea launches Korea Serious Game Institute Colleen Rich Mon, 12/02/2024 - 09:46

Mason Korea recently hosted the opening ceremony for its Korea Serious Game Institute (KSGI), marking the global expansion of ��AV’s Virginia Serious Game Institute (VSGI), which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. KSGI is set to lead innovation in Korea's gaming industry while advancing the use of serious games in education, therapy, and social awareness.

A panel discussion following the event focused on the role of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in shaping the gaming industry and propelling the development of serious games. Participating were (l-r) James Casey, Associate Professor of Computer Game Design and Co-Director of VSGI; Rick Davis, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts; Sang Nam, Computer Game Design program director and do-director of VSGI; Jinsoo Jeon, former CEO of Superlabs; and Sun Kyun Moon, Education Lead at Microsoft Korea. Photo by Mason Korea

Professor Sang Nam, director of George Mason's Computer Game Design Program and codirector of VSGI, has been appointed as KSGI’s inaugural director. The institute will work closely with Mason Korea’s Industry-University Collaboration Foundation to drive its mission forward.

More than 120 distinguished guests attended the ceremony, including Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the National Assembly; Yun Won-seok, commissioner of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZA); Park Byung-geun, CEO of the IGC Foundation; Rick Davis, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts; Professor Kim Mi-kyung from Seoul National University College of Medicine; and Lim Ji-hyun, former vice president of Kakao Games.

“Serious games go beyond entertainment to unlock possibilities in education, rehabilitation, and raising social awareness,” said Ahn, who is a medical doctor, businessperson, and software entrepreneur. “KSGI will play a pivotal role in driving this transformation.”

College of Visual and Performing Arts dean Rick Davis spoke at the opening ceremony. Photo by Mason Korea

Ahn expressed hope that KSGI would contribute significantly to Korea’s gaming industry while advancing education and health initiatives. He also emphasized the need for collaboration to fully realize the potential of serious games in Korea.

IFEZA Commissioner Yun Won-seok said the institute would be a new growth engine for Korea’s gaming industry. “This initiative continues the MOU for promoting industry-academia collaboration. I hope KSGI leverages resources from the U.S. campus to enhance local business competitiveness and achieve greater vision.”

Other speakers, including Don Marinelli, co-founder of Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center, expressed optimism about KSGI’s potential to drive innovation in both South Korea and the global gaming community.

Following the ceremony, Professor Kim Mi-kyung and her students from Seoul National University’s Department of Forensic Medicine held discussions on practical applications of serious games in forensic science. Kim highlighted the potential of serious games to revolutionize forensic education and research, underscoring KSGI’s capacity to develop effective tools for training and field investigations. The institute is actively exploring how real-world scenario-based learning through serious games can enhance field-response capabilities.

A panel discussion on “Next-Generation Games: Emerging Technologies and Global Trends” was a key highlight of the event. Moderated by Nam, the panel featured Davis; James Casey, associate professor of computer game design and codirector of VSGI; Jeon Jinsoo, former CEO of Superlabs; and Sun Kyun Moon, education lead at Microsoft Korea. The discussion focused on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies in shaping the gaming industry and propelling the development of serious games.

“KSGI will serve as a vital platform connecting Korea and the world by tackling educational challenges and addressing social issues through serious games,” said Mason Korea Campus Dean Joshua Park. “Mason Korea is committed to supporting the development of serious games in Korea, enabling them to create meaningful social impact across diverse domains."

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Mason Community Arts Academy is doing big things

Shayla Brown — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 19:12:28 +0000

Mason Community Arts Academy is doing big things Shayla Brown Tue, 11/26/2024 - 14:12

��AV’s Mason Community Arts Academy (MCAA) has been named one of the Best Summer Camps by Northern Virginia Magazine every year since 2021.

This summer, the program broke multiple records including the number of student participants at just under 1,900. The Acting for Young People (AFYP) program also broke its attendance record with 950 students.

MCAA, part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), includes summer camps, programs, and workshops that teach local children aged 4-18 in acting and theater, film and video, music, and visual art.

MCAA Children's Choir session. Photo by Matthew Geske.

“We have really honed in on our recruitment process,” said Regina Schneider, MCAA’s marketing and communications coordinator.

The summer program has also grown in its number of staff members. MCAA employees include industry professionals, George Mason alumni and students of all levels, and summer interns, including high school students.

This summer, 42 out of 90 intern applicants were hired, many of which were local high school students, George Mason undergraduate and graduate students, and as well as graduate students from across the country.

MCAA also acts as a major pathway to George Mason for students who often begin the program in elementary school. Some of them go on to become interns and eventually students in CVPA degree programs, said Mary Lechter, executive director of MCAA and professor in the School of Theater.

One of these students is Kaya Thomas, a freshman theater major with a concentration in musical theater. Thomas joined AFYP when she was in seventh grade and participated in the weekend showcase program.

“AFYP guaranteed that I would have something to do in terms of performing. You still go through the audition process, but you’re guaranteed to get in, which was really helpful for my confidence,” said Thomas.

MCAA faculty, staff, and students on the Roger Wilkins Plaza. Photo by Beth Anne Young.

Thomas now works for MCAA as an assistant choreographer teacher with the same program.

Thomas’ experience with the program was huge factor in her decision to attend to George Mason, she said.

“I'm teaching with the people who taught me when I was in middle school and I am getting to work with these kids that aren't super strong dancers yet and watch them grow too,” she said. “I was already connected with people who I had so much in common with and knew so much about these programs. There were also lots of opportunities for growth.”

Next semester, Thomas will be taking on a new role and teaching students in MCAA after school classes.

“I truly believe that you can't start early enough to create that pipeline for students to connect [to our] programs,” said William Lake Jr., director of concert bands and the Dewberry School of Music, who approached Lechter with the idea of starting a summer band camp at George Mason. It started in 2023 and runs for one week every summer.

Students have the option of staying on campus overnight and experiencing what college life is like.

“They’re staying in the dorms, eating the campus food. They have to get themselves up in the morning and practice college routines, which also reduces barriers, and makes the experience less foreign a few years down the road,” said Lake.

“The camp includes a large ensemble experience and students participate in instrument specific master classes with our school of music faculty, which are often their future teachers,” he said.

Summer 2024 saw the debut of the Children’s Choir Camp, headed by Beth Anne Young, director of Kodály at George Mason, which aims to provide children with a comprehensive music education experience.

After three years of planning, the camp was done in conjunction with Side-by-Side, a new course for adult learners who are currently working in the field of music education, and is integrated with the Kodály Levels program, allowing graduate music education students to gain hands-on teaching experience while being mentored by the highly skilled Kodály faculty.

“My dream was to have a program with current teachers from our and other programs, and even alumni could work with the children enrolled in the Children's Choir Camp,” said Young.

Children participating in the MCAA programs. Photo by Beth Anne Young.

Graduate students with the Kodály option come to campus in July for three summers to complete their Kodály Levels in person. Each level includes study in the areas of pedagogy, musicianship, folk song materials and research, conducting/choral studies, choir and special topics, including a one-week Side-by-Side course, which is offered the week before Levels Courses begin.

Kodály at George Mason is fully endorsed by the Organization of American Kodály Educators. The Kodály program also offers opportunities for international students, with participants attending from countries such as Ireland, China, and South Korea.

“The experience to work with children in real time and apply what they are learning about teaching in a Kodály-Inspired classroom is invaluable,” she said.

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Mary Lechter

Regina Schneider

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Research using AI to track Amazon rainforest species produces landmark results

Colleen Rich — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 13:47:06 +0000

Research using AI to track Amazon rainforest species produces landmark results Colleen Rich Mon, 11/25/2024 - 08:47

Thanks to the tenacity of a ��AV biology professor, animals in the Amazon have a lot less privacy these days, but that’s good for scientists who to want know what’s going on in the Brazilian rainforests.

David Luther recognizes the importance of playing the long game in research, but even he couldn’t have imagined the hurdles and roadblocks ahead of him following the approval of his 2019 4-VA Collaborative Research Grant proposal, “Species richness resilience to habitat fragmentation and restoration in tropical rainforests.”

His plan was to install recording equipment at 50 sites as part of the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil. These audio and video devices were meant to document and measure differences in animal community composition and the rate of animal recovery in secondary forest and forest fragments.

The proposed budget was devoted entirely to purchasing the wide array of materials necessary for the effort — cameras, acoustic recorders, and batteries—along with the international travel needed to bring the project to fruition.

In March 2020, all of Luther’s efforts came to a halt due to the pandemic. Additionally, one of the key members of the planning team, Tom Lovejoy, passed away in December 2021. Lovejoy was recognized as one the world’s leading conservation biologists and often referred to as the “godfather of biodiversity.” With Lovejoy’s passing, Luther lost a mentor and a critical member of the team.

Tens of thousands of animal images, such as this ocelot, have been collected for the project from camera traps. Photo provided

However, Luther stayed the course, revamping his team and rewriting the schedule. Finally, in June 2022, he received the green light to move ahead. Between June and October 2022, 136 cameras and 81 acoustic devices were installed across 50 sites at BDFFP.

Today, to Luther’s great delight, the results have proved far more successful than he could have ever anticipated. Tens of thousands of animal images from camera traps and audio recordings have already been collected.

To analyze the data, Luther built a team of 15 George Mason undergraduate researchers, artificial intelligence (AI) experts, and members of Arbimon, a nonprofit organization that specializes in analyzing acoustic recordings from the tropics to identify animals.

The student volunteers on this project included Alexis Lembke, Amanda Jones, Adriana Em, Madison Cheung, Morgan Ellingsworth, and Grace Carriero. Aline Medeiros, a PhD student in environmental science and policy, helped manage the undergraduate researchers working on the audio files. Medeiros will also use the captured data as the basis of her PhD research.

Another set of students helped identify animals in the camera images and entered that information into a large database. Hibo Hassan, Jordan Seidmeyer, Katie Russell, Carolian Sanabria, Adrian Em, Alix Upchurch, Piper Robinson, Tristan Silva-Montoya, and Estefany Umana spent hours creating this treasure trove of records. Emilia Roberts, a master’s student in environmental science and policy, managed these undergraduate researchers.

Discussing the project, Luther explained that, for the acoustic recordings, they built templates for 250 bird species and trained AI models to automatically detect and classify songs for each.

Channel-billed toucan. Photo provided

“The model performed very well in our evaluations. We have already detected 201 of the 250 species,” said Luther, who teaches in the Biology Department of George Mason’s College of Science. “Thanks to our model, new recordings can be passed through it to automatically detect species calls, facilitating long-term monitoring and efficient analyses moving forward. We are now working with local experts in Manaus, Brazil, to apply the same platform for frogs at our study sites in the Amazon rainforest.”

The biodiversity data is being used to assess how each species responds to variations in forest structure and recovery from forest fragmentation. Luther brought on Konrad Wessels from George Mason’s Geography and Geoinformation Science Department to assist with satellite information from the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation instrument, which uses high-resolution lasers to provide detail in three-dimensional forest structure. These results will build predictive models to study how the forest structure can forecast mammal and bird diversity and individual species occurrence in tropical rainforests.

In an important finding, the team has determined that the three-dimensional complexity of the forest structure, as measured by foliage height diversity, is the biggest predictor of mammal and bird diversity at this research site, and potentially others, in the Amazon rainforest.

The project continues to gain traction. The team has created a website featuring the results of the acoustic portion of the research, which has been very well received. Some of the acoustic training models have been used by teams competing for the X-Prize, a competition designed to encourage technological developments supporting “radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity.”

Building on the 4-VA funded study, Luther also received a $200,000 National Science Foundation grant to continue both the camera and acoustic research. Luther and Wessels recently submitted a grant to NASA to expand on the research findings and apply them to the entirety of the Amazon basin.

“Through 4-VA@Mason, this project is up, running, and delivering fantastic information that will help scientists worldwide better design monitoring schemes for biodiversity in remote tropical forests, as well as those interested the relationship between habitat structure and degradation and species resilience to disturbance,” said Luther.

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George Mason researchers receive NEH funding for Connecting Threads project

Colleen Rich — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 18:49:31 +0000

George Mason researchers receive NEH funding for Connecting Threads project Colleen Rich Tue, 11/19/2024 - 13:49

Deepthi Murali and Jason Heppler of ��AV’s Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media have received a level two Digital Humanities Advancement Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), in support of their ongoing global textile history project titled Connecting Threads: Digitally Connecting Collections, Expanding Public Engagement.

Deepthi Murali. Photo provided

Connecting Threads is a collaborative digital history project by George Mason in the United States and the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. Led by Murali, an assistant professor at George Mason’s Department of History and Art History, and Meha Priyadarshini, a senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, the project is dedicated to amplifying the contributions of Indian weavers and Afro-Caribbean consumers to global histories of dress.

"We wanted to pursue original research and scholarship while connecting collections that allow people other than us to find information about these textiles more easily, and offer our research and interpretation to a global public audience, particularly those audiences whose histories we were exploring in our work," said Murali.

The digital project includes archival and material sources from more than 12 archives and museum collections, creating a network of institutional data and scholarship on these textiles. In its first phase, the project utilized the work of an interdisciplinary team of researchers to examine the history of the Madras handkerchief, an internationally popular dress accessory made of brightly colored checked cotton.

The project's institutional partners include the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Bristol Museum and Archives in England, the University of Glasgow Archives in Scotland, the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum in New York, and Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans.

Jason Heppler. Photo provided

The NEH grant will allow the project team to complete building the digital infrastructure and processing of collected data, setting up the project for Phase 2 development.

"The data is a mix of things: material compiled by the Connecting Threads team but also data that we’re computationally compiling from museum open data," said Heppler, senior developer at RRCHNM and the technical lead on the project. "Having those materials in our own database allows us to structure data in a way that serves our purposes."

Heppler said they are also building public-facing interfaces for browsing and viewing the data they’ve compiled. "We’ll be making interactive visualizations, primarily timelines and maps, to follow the movement of textile materials over time and space," he said. "To me, this really is the crux of the project—to understand how materials followed people and cultural ideas."

Murali said she is eager to see how they resolve the challenges of mapping these textiles with their fragmented histories. "This is a problem that most of us who work on non-Western art and material culture history face. The incompleteness of data makes it difficult to produce meaningful digital visualizations and networks," she said. "I am really excited by the possibility that we might be able to work out a solution and further make our process accessible to others dealing with the same issues."

In the next phase, the Connecting Threads team will further expand their research into the history of production of these textiles in southern India as well as begin research on the use of Indian cotton checked textiles in Southeast Asia.

The NEH is the nation's largest public funder of the humanities. The Digital Humanities Advancement Grants program supports innovative, experimental, and/or computationally challenging digital projects, leading to work that can scale to enhance scholarly research, teaching, and public programming in the humanities.

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Regional startups find support at annual Accelerate Investor Conference

Colleen Rich — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 19:15:31 +0000

Regional startups find support at annual Accelerate Investor Conference Colleen Rich Mon, 11/11/2024 - 14:15

In October, ��AV hosted its fourth annual Accelerate Investor Conference in Arlington, Virginia.

From left, Presidential Partner Nicole Washington, Mason Enterprise Entrepreneur in Residence program founder Farhad Chowdhury, US-AID CIO and Executive Director Mohamed Abdel-Kader, George Mason President Gregory Washington, grand prize donor and George Mason alum Manesh Gupta, MS Electrical Engineering ’91, and George Mason AVP for Innovation and Economic Development Paula Sorrell. Photo provided

The Accelerate Investor Conference spurs the region’s innovation and startup ecosystem engagement to a new level and showcases the Virginia, Maryland, and metropolitan Washington, D.C., region as a destination for business development, venture investment, and job creation.

Each year the event grows in size and stature. This year Mason Enterprise, which plans the event, reports there were 480 registered attendees, 19 speakers, 48 company pitches, 72 investors judged and participated, and 14 student teams that pitched.

The competition targeted entrepreneurs with early to mid-seed stage, high-growth businesses with the potential to have an immediate and positive impact on our local economy, as well as student concepts with longer-term business viability. After days of networking, engagement, and education, the winners were selected.

Company Winner: AGED Diagnostics

Student Winners: CarbonSecure, light your path, and DigitAIRE

"Accelerate 2024 has once again showcased the immense talent and innovation within our tech community," said Paula Sorrell, associate vice president of innovation and economic development at George Mason. "We've seen extraordinary companies that will shape the future of our local economy. The level of creativity and ambition has been inspiring."

AGED Diagnostics Founder and CEO Rachel Zayas (left) receives the grand prize for the company pitch competition. Pictured with Tien Wong (center) and George Mason alum Manesh Gupta. The Maryland-based company is using genomic innovation to develop the most accurate blood test for liver disease. Photo provided

The Mason Enterprise team helps recruit companies and investors, curates the program geared toward growing the tech economy in the region, and coaches the companies and students to pitch for funding, said Paula Sorrell.

Local sponsors support the event. Among this year’s sponsors were the nonprofit Smart City Works, GO Virginia, and Marymount University.

Companies that pitched in the first three years of the conference have gone on to raise $72 million in follow-on funding, and two companies have successfully exited.

"We can't wait to see what this new crew of entrepreneurs achieves," said Sorrell.

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The Anti-Defamation League honors George Mason’s Charles Chavis Jr. for his work in civil rights education

Paul Snodgrass — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:32:34 +0000

The Anti-Defamation League honors George Mason’s Charles Chavis Jr. for his work in civil rights education Paul Snodgrass Wed, 11/06/2024 - 14:32

Charles Chavis Jr., a professor at ��AV’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the founder and director of the John Mitchell, Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race, will be honored at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) In Concert Against Hate, which celebrates everyday heroes who speak out against hate and make a difference in their communities.

Founded in 1913, the Anti-Defamation League is one of the country’s largest and most influential anti-hate organizations with a long history of addressing bigotry, antisemitism, and injustice.

Charles Chavis. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Chavis is a historian and prolific author whose work focuses on the history of racial violence and civil rights activism as well as Black-Jewish relations in the American South. Recently, Chavis and the Mitchell Program expanded the experiential learning initiative and began a partnership with Operation Understanding, DC (OUDC), to expand upon shared goals to build community among high schoolers and advance peacebuilding and social justice.

“I am deeply honored and humbled by this recognition,” Chavis said. “The work of building community never ends; we have a responsibility to plant, nurture, and grow partnerships that advance our common ideal for a better world, beginning in the communities where we live.”

Chavis will receive the Kay Family Award from the ADL for his scholarship and work in the field of civil rights, activism, and Black and Jewish relations, as well as his work on bridgebuilding and conflict de-escalation.

Alpaslan Özerdem, dean of the Carter School, praised Chavis for his groundbreaking and transformational work in the field of race relations. “His dedication and commitment to fostering understanding and reconciliation among diverse communities has made a significant impact. This prestigious award highlights why his work is crucial in our ongoing journey towards creating more just, equitable, and peaceful societies. Dr. Chavis’ contributions not only inspire us but also pave the way for a future where peace and justice prevail.”

Ann Ardis, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, highlighted Chavis’ work: “Dr. Chavis' commitment to civil rights education and advocacy, his place-based research uncovering untold local histories of both trauma and community-building in the U.S., and his leadership in fostering relationships among Black and Jewish youth enriches our academic community and exemplifies values we hold dear as a college.”

“Each year, at this powerful event for our organization, we relish the opportunity to shine a light on heroes who should be celebrated,” said Meredith R. Weisel, ADL Washington, D.C. Regional Director. “At a time when our world is so rife with conflict and division, Dr. Chavis is an embodiment of a light we all need. We are thrilled to highlight him and his crucial work.”

Also receiving Kay Family Awards at this year’s event are Mehnaz Afridi, director of Manhattan University’s Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center; and Holocaust survivor Rosette Goldstein. Previous honorees have included Ruby Bridges, the first African American student to integrate into a southern elementary school; Holocaust survivor Tova Friedman and her grandson, Aron Goodman, who create TikTok videos to educate people about the Holocaust; and Susan Bro, the mother of Heather Heyer who was killed in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the founder of the Heather Heyer Foundation.

About the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

��AV’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution is a community of faculty, students, staff, alumni, and partners with a fundamental commitment to building peace. Through the development of cutting-edge theory, research, education, and practical work, we seek to identify and address the underlying causes of conflict and provide tools for ethical and just peacebuilding on the local, national, and global stages. Learn more at carterschool.gmu.edu.

About the College of Humanities and Social Sciences

The College of Humanities and Social Science is one of the largest colleges at George Mason, employing more than 800 faculty and staff, delivering critical courses for the university community, and offering an expansive range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary degree programs (23 undergraduate majors, 14 graduate certificates, 18 master’s degrees, 9 doctoral degrees, and 22 accelerated master’s degree pathways). Learn more at chss.gmu.edu.

About ��AV

��AV is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., George Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. George Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.

About The Anti-Defamation League

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org.

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Listen to Podcast - EP36: Charles Chavis: The truth will set you free

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Dean Park shares his vision for Mason Korea

Colleen Rich — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:05:11 +0000

Dean Park shares his vision for Mason Korea Colleen Rich Wed, 11/06/2024 - 13:05

Nearly 20 journalists from national and local media outlets came to the Mason Korea campus in Songdo to hear ��AV’s newest dean, Joshua Park, talk about his vision for the international campus.

Mason Korea Dean Joshua Park’s (center) vision for the next five years centers around four strategic goals. Photo provided

“Over the past decade, Mason Korea has expanded more than thirtyfold—from 34 students to 1,000—serving as a bridge between the U.S. and Korea,” said Park, who joined Mason Korea in July. “We will create a global educational hub where outstanding talents can study and conduct research together.”

Park’s vision for the next five years centers around four strategic goals: producing global talent, driving academic innovation, internationalizing Incheon, and strengthening industry partnerships. He aims to increase the international student body and expand partnerships with leading Asian universities to cultivate globally minded graduates.

“We will provide opportunities for exceptional students from regions like China, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia to study here, with top talents supported by scholarship funding,” he said.

Among the new initiatives Park announced are the establishment of an Honors College and the launch of the Korea Serious Game Institute in November.

Park also highlighted plans to promote academic innovation in such fields as artificial intelligence, digital entertainment, and robotics, while collaborating with George Mason’s research institutes in areas such as biohealth and cybersecurity. This will allow Mason Korea to boost both research initiatives and industry–academic partnerships.

To support Incheon’s internationalization, Park emphasized his dedication to expanding international exchange opportunities for local youth, lifelong learning programs for citizens, and creating pathways for domestic companies to enter the U.S. market.

“In 10 years, we aim to be recognized as an institution that positively impacts the development of Incheon and South Korea, and we will work tirelessly toward this goal,” Park said.

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��AV recognized for supporting military families through collaboration

Colleen Rich — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 14:17:27 +0000

��AV recognized for supporting military families through collaboration Colleen Rich Mon, 11/04/2024 - 09:17

��AV was recently recognized as a member of the Northern Virginia team that earned one of the four national Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Awards for 2024 from the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC).

Now in its 20th year, the award recognizes and celebrates partnerships between military installations and nearby school districts that support K-12 children from military and veteran families, addressing their unique challenges that come from frequent relocations. There are approximately 1.6 million military-connected children in the United States, with nearly 80% attending public schools. Each year, the coalition honors schools and military installations from around the world for their “exceptional and sustainable” efforts in celebrating military children.

George Mason is part of the Fairfax County Military-Connected Youth Process Action Team, a collaboration between Fort Belvoir, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), and George Mason’s Military, Veterans, and Families Initiative. This team works to support military-connected students as they transition in and out of FCPS, ensuring their academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs are met through ongoing events.

“This program is another terrific example of how George Mason’s Military, Veterans, and Families Initiative works to bring together faculty expertise, community partnership, and experiential learning for our students in service of the broader military and veteran population,” said Keith Renshaw, MVFI director, professor in the Department of Psychology, and George Mason’s senior associate provost for undergraduate education.

Studies show that military children typically move six to nine times between kindergarten and high school graduation—about three times more often than their nonmilitary peers—as their parents change duty stations. These frequent moves can make it difficult for them to feel connected to their communities, a factor that is crucial to their success and well-being. Around 900,000 military children have experienced a parent being deployed, adding another layer of complexity to their lives.

George Mason and Fort Belvoir officials worked directly with Renée LaHuffman-Jackson, the director of family and school partnerships for FCPS.

And that collaboration proved effective.

“This award recognizes the value of community collaboration and working together to support the population,” said Jennifer Drake Patrick, an associate professor at George Mason’s College of Education and Human Development and a military spouse. “It shows the power of coming together rather than working individually.”

Help from Mason came through consulting in course development for Fairfax educators in understanding military culture and strategies to engage and support military families and in collaborating to develop training for Student Ambassador Programs in area high schools. These initiatives serve to help K-12 schools create a more welcoming and supportive culture for military-connected students and their families.

“We want the students with military connections to come in and feel connected,” Drake Patrick said.

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George Mason REACHes for regional health policy solutions

Nathan Kahl — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 15:53:52 +0000

George Mason REACHes for regional health policy solutions Nathan Kahl Fri, 11/01/2024 - 11:53

As the planet’s climate shifts, so too does the health of its inhabitants. Rising temperatures, wildfires, and worsening air quality are environmental and public health concerns.

With a new $3.69 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Research and Engagement for Action in Climate and Health (REACH) Center is set to tackle the urgent intersection of climate change and public health in the nation’s capital. ��AV is part of a team of institutions working on environmental health innovation that includes George Washington University (GWU), Howard University (HU), and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The REACH Center will be directed by Susan Anenberg, professor and chair of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at GWU.

Jim Kinter, director of the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies and the Virginia Climate Center (VCC) at George Mason, sits on the REACH internal advisory board. VCC's interdisciplinary team of Mason experts conduct research on Virginia’s vulnerability and risks to the impacts of climate change in order to provide local decision makers with actionable climate information.

“Climate change is having negative impacts on public health, and projected future climate changes will only exacerbate those effects, most acutely felt in underserved communities," said Kinter. "The REACH Center serves a vital role in making data and information more accessible, more effective, and more useful for conducting research and co-producing equitable solutions to advance public health resilience. With George Mason experts working across several disciplines, the center has a unique and powerful capability to transform research and applications in public health, and the emphasis on community engagement will help translate findings into practical solutions.”

Lucas Henneman, an assistant professor in the Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering at George Mason, is leading a research project within the center studying climate policy in Washington, D.C. He’ll look at congestion pricing—charging a toll for vehicles traveling into a central part of the city—and the impacts on air pollution and local health. The D.C. government previously showed interest in such policies, and Henneman is working with researchers at George Mason and GWU along with a transportation advocacy group called Greater Greater Washington, who have deep ties in the D.C. government and interested community groups.

“The big thrust is that there's all this useful data out there that can be used to better protect public health from impacts of climate change," said Henneman, "but how do we make that data useful to stakeholders like researchers, community groups, and local governments?”

The co-location of these entities in the Washington, D.C., region allows them to work with the federal and regional governments, as well as other experts in public health and big data. The REACH Center will also look broadly at the implication of health and climate data.

“How do you process air pollution and public health information in a way that can be useful for different stakeholders,” said Henneman. “In D.C., for example, you have wards, neighborhoods, and census tracts, and you might have different amounts of data in each of those geographies and different stakeholders would want to see information about their locations. So, how do we interpret the outcome of a policy on these different geographic boundaries?”

Daniel Tong, director of George Mason's Cooperative Institute of Satellite and Earth System Studies, is co-directing REACH’s Exposure Assessment Core. He gave an example of how even far-flung incidents can affect local populations, and why it’s important to understand this impact. “Rising temperature and droughts bring more wildfire smoke and every-day air pollution to cities like Washington, D.C.," said Tong, who is also an an associate professor in the College of Science. "It is critical to measure how these changes harm people’s health. The exposure core will leverage George Mason’s world-renowned expertise in atmospheric and climate sciences to support health researchers and practitioners to understand these impacts.”

Jenna Krall, an associate professor in George Mason's College of Public Health, also brings expertise to the project, further emphasizing the interdisciplinary aspects.

The NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative (CCHI) funded 16 new exploratory research centers in September, including the REACH Center. These centers will support the development of innovative transdisciplinary research into the complex impacts of climate change on health.

Henneman noted that, in the long-run, this could mean more opportunities for George Mason researchers to study how regulations can consider the intersection of climate change and health.

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Lucas Henneman

Jenna Krall, PhD

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Scholarship will help creative writing student further her career

Colleen Rich — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 15:20:09 +0000

Scholarship will help creative writing student further her career Colleen Rich Fri, 11/01/2024 - 11:20

��AV undergraduate Jasmine Haskins is the first recipient of the Bill Miller BFA Scholarship in Creative Writing, established in 2023 to support undergraduate creative writing students who are part of an under-represented group at George Mason or who are involved in an organization that works on issues or causes related to under-represented groups. The scholarship provides $2,500 in support.

Jasmine Haskins talks with George Mason alum Bill Miller, who endowed the scholarship she received. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Miller, MFA Creative Writing ’87, taught at George Mason for 33 years and directed Creative Writing Program in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences from 1992 to 2018. He also helped start the bachelor of fine arts (BFA) in creative writing during this time. It is one of only a handful of BFA programs for undergraduates in the country.

“Jasmine is so clearly a worthy recipient to inaugurate this scholarship,” said Miller. “She is a talented writer, and I hope that this support and her having been selected will encourage her to develop her talent to its fullest potential. I think we will be seeing her by-line accompanying a lot of written words before long, and I wish her well as she works toward that goal.”

A Virginia native, Haskins grew up reading fantasy and supernatural fiction with her father, which led to her writing fiction throughout her childhood. Today she primarily writes poetry, a passion she discovered during a high school project.

Jasmine Haskins. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“I’ve always had an interest in reading and writing that has only strengthened over time thanks to my family’s influence,” Haskins said. “Their storytelling and passions still influence me to this day.”

Haskins said that her experience in the Creative Writing Program at George Mason has given her the space to grow and change as a writer. Her favorite class was an advanced poetry workshop she took with Professor Eric Pankey in the spring semester.

“It was such an insightful session,” Haskins said. “I enjoyed the poets, Professor Pankey’s feedback, and the amazing people I got the chance to workshop with. I felt so happy that I got to be in Professor Pankey’s last class before his retirement, and a poem I workshopped in that class was actually published in Volition’s spring issue.”

Haskins said this scholarship will help her pursue a career as a writer. “I had so many doubts about myself, my writing, and my career choices, so after hearing that I was selected for something because of my writing, I cried. After supporting myself through school for so long, to have this help as I finish my time at Mason feels like a blessing and a push forward to my career as a writer.”

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