Strategic Direction

CVPA Announces Recipients of the 2025 Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards

Emily Schneider — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 16:28:07 +0000

CVPA Announces Recipients of the 2025 Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards Emily Schneider Wed, 02/19/2025 - 11:28

��AV’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) announces the recipients of the sixth round of its Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards. Two alumni were chosen based on the artistic excellence, career impact, and feasibility of their proposals and will receive financial, marketing, and production support to have their projects presented by the college at a Mason Arts venue during the 2025–26 season.

“This year’s Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards continue our mission to support emerging artists across the spectrum of disciplines that we practice and teach in Mason Arts. The projects are compelling in both form and content, rising to the top of a very competitive pool of proposals,” said College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Rick Davis. “We are equally excited to showcase the work we’ve supported in recent cycles, proving the value of this program not only to the artists themselves, but to the community at large, as we add more highly accomplished artistry to the world’s inventory.”

Brianna Camp is the 2025 recipient of the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award. Photo provided

Brianna Camp

Brianna Camp, BFA Art and Visual Technology ’23, received the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award and $5,000 in commissioning support for Flare: Finding a Sense of Place in the Chronically Ill Body. This work will consist of a series of large-scale oil paintings, each accompanied by documentary photographs and poetry. In exploring her personal experiences with navigating the ebb and flow of her chronic illness, Flare offers audiences the chance to reflect on how we process pain over time and the vastness of the potential for healing.

Camp is interested in pursuing a career in art therapy and hopes this project will serve as a starting point toward her future practice. Reflecting on her time at George Mason and the impact that the faculty had on her development as an artist, Camp said, “When I make work from a place of authenticity, allowing for potential mistakes, changes, and discoveries, I am able to get closer to expressing what feels true. Their belief in me helped me find my voice and understand the importance of sharing my perspective. I hope to create my project from this place of openness and authenticity that they helped foster within me.”

Marina Vianello is the recipient of the 2025 Young Alumni Creative Development Award. Photo provided

Marina Vianello

Marina Vianello, BFA Dance ’18, received the Young Alumni Creative Development Award and $2,500 in commissioning support for Three Generations of Bach, an intergenerational multimedia dance work. Vianello will work with her mother, Andrea Skowronek, a retired professional dancer, to recreate and blend together inspiration from an original dance work that Skowronek developed early in her career, set to music accompaniment from her own father. Collaborating as co-directors on this new piece, Vianello and Skowronek will incorporate live flute accompaniment of Bach’s Partita in A Minor, video footage of Skowronek performing as a young woman, and live performances by Vianello and Skowronek—solo and together.

A professional dancer and choreographer herself, Vianello aims to explore how the passage of time affects movement, memories, and mindsets, and wants audiences to consider what is lost and what is gained as one ages and releases themselves from the limits of ageism and judgment. Reflecting on her journey after graduating from George Mason, Vianello shared, “I have such admiration for the dance artists who continuously create opportunities for themselves and others, and this is something I champion and will always strive for and hope to forever do.”

Over the past five years, 18 CVPA alumni have been granted awards anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 to support the creation of a new artistic work for projects in film, dance, visual art, music, and game design. To be considered for this year’s award, applicants must have graduated from CVPA from the class of 2014 and after. Proposals could include original new work in any art form suitable for performance, exhibition, or screening in a Mason Arts venue. The size, length, duration, magnitude, and content are at the artist’s discretion. Potential venues include George Mason’s traditional theater spaces, galleries, and cinemas, but proposals for non-traditional venues, including digital spaces, were also considered.

During the 2023–24 award cycle, Jumana Al Refai, BFA Dance ’17, received the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award and $5,000 in commissioning support for Tashkeel َتْشِكيل,, a short film that explores all aspects of “Haraka”—the Arabic word for movement. Rebecca Wahls, BFA Theater ’15, received the Young Alumni Creative Development Award and $3,000 in commissioning support of Him, a feature-length ensemble comedy film. The film follows the final five contestants on a reality dating show, whose world is turned upside down as they discover a dark truth about their “suitor.” Wahls directed, co-wrote, and co-produced Him, alongside actor and writer Trey Higgins. The screening at George Mason’s Fairfax Campus will take place on March 21, and a screening at Carnegie Mellon University’s Los Angeles Campus is also planned.

The Young Alumni Commissioning Project is made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of Linda E. Gramlich for the support of young artists, and by donors to George Mason’s previous Giving Day, including Shugoll Research.

About the 2025 Award Recipients

Brianna Camp (she/her) is a visual artist living in Fairfax, Virginia. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in painting from George Mason’s School of Art in 2023. Camp plans to combine her creative practice with her passion for social engagement and advocacy. In the coming years, she hopes to receive a graduate degree with a focus in art therapy. Camp’s first solo show, Lightkeeper, debuted at the Lake Frederick Shenandoah Lodge Art Gallery in December 2023. Her work has been shown at other galleries across the Northern Virginia area including the Kunsthaus Gallery, Open Space Arts, The Torpedo Factory Art Center, and the Gillespie Gallery at ��AV. Camp will be a guest artist at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in February 2025. She has also participated in chalk art events, receiving first place in the professional category at ChalkFest in Reston, Virginia, and Chalk the Walk in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Camp’s paintings, murals, and drawings emphasize light and utilize an impressionistic and painterly approach. As a chronically ill artist, Camp is inspired by the healing connection that can be facilitated through art, both on a personal and societal level. She recognizes art as a potential form of social action and as a tool to build community. Her site-specific works and murals often involve her peers and local organizations. Camp is drawn to portraiture and landscapes in her more personal pieces. She finds her artistic process to bring inner healing, allowing her to process pain and uncover the places where the light shines in.

Marina Vianello is a dance artist, choreographer, and arts administrator based in New York City. She grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and began her training at City in Motion Dance Theater’s School of Dance. She graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance and a minor in global systems from George Mason, where she was awarded an annual Dance Talent Scholarship. Throughout college, she was cast in pieces by Alejandro Cerrudo, Robert Battle, Lar Lubovitch, Susan Shields, Christopher d’Amboise, and David Grenke, and she choreographed three pieces for the Mason Dance Company. She has trained with the Mark Morris Dance Group on full scholarship, with Rioult Dance NY, with DanceWorksChicago, and with Shannon Gillen at the b12 dance festival in Berlin, Germany where she performed at the dock11 theatre. Professional performance credits include the Lyric Opera of Kansas City (West Side Story and The Pearl Fishers), Yoo & Dancers (92NY Artist in Residence), JKing Dance Company, As Arts NY Dance, and Terre Dance Collective. She is fluent in French and has performed internationally at Châteaux en Fêtes (Festival of Castles) in Dordogne, France, and recently returned for their 2024 festival. She currently dances professionally with Ballaro Dance, Mari Meade Dance Collective, and Arsenal Movement Dance Project. Her choreography has been presented at the Tada Theatre, Chain Theatre, and Arts on Site in NYC, and the Gem Theater and Folly Theater in Kansas City. She teaches dance and Pilates throughout NYC and serves as the Director of Operations for Pony Box Dance Theatre.

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Rick Davis

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George Mason researcher gets CAREER award for quantum leaps in computing, with the help of AI

Nathan Kahl — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 17:55:11 +0000

George Mason researcher gets CAREER award for quantum leaps in computing, with the help of AI Nathan Kahl Thu, 02/13/2025 - 12:55

Weiwen Jiang, an assistant professor in the ��AV's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is an expert in quantum computing, having recently received nearly $1 million in National Science Foundation (NSF) funding to study “noise” that impacts quantum computing and to work on training the next generation of quantum experts.

Jiang’s research is all about pushing the mysterious world of quantum computing into the mainstream. “We are at the quantum utility era, which means we are going to have computational applications that can be implemented with and utilize the power of quantum computing,” he said. But Jiang knows that researchers need a boost in understanding the full quantum capability.

In January he received an NSF CAREER award for $641,778 for his work on quantum-centric computing cyberinfrastructure (QuCI). A combination of quantum computers, classical computers, and AI accelerators, QuCI is set to revolutionize

Weiwen Jiang. Photo provided

software applications handling everything from geophysics, chemistry, finance, and life sciences, because it can outperform classical computing with its speed, accuracy, and the ability to handle large, data-heavy problems. For example, the success of processing geoscience data on quantum computers can enable real-time decision-making on natural hazards, which leads to cost savings, reduced environmental impacts, and improved safety.

Jiang’s project includes three thrusts. One is using what’s called an AI-powered quantum performance predictor, which leads to an innovative and efficient ability to allocate computing resources in the moment. Jiang said, “When a batch of jobs comes into the system, we need to allocate the jobs into different quantum nodes and we want to distribute the jobs effectively.”

Another focus is bridging a knowledge gap between experts who want to run software applications but are not experts in quantum. “In order to fill this gap we do not want the expert to learn quantum computing from scratch,” he said. “We’ll find opportunities to fine-tune the configuration for quantum control optimization,” helping a non-expert user harness the power of quantum computing by combining classical central-processing unit computing with quantum. Current QuCIs require complicated decision-making to ensure correct computing results are obtained, but this can fall into the hands of users who lack quantum knowledge. Jiang’s project automates QuCI deployment, making decisions and optimizations at different stages without human interference.

A third element is to develop what’s known as fault-tolerant quantum computing, which means allowing quantum computers to operate even when encountering errors. Jiang said, “Before we submit the job, we will add fault-tolerant protocols to ensure the functional correctness and boost performance.”

The NSF CAREER award is reserved for the nation’s most talented up-and-coming researchers. From the NSF website: “The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program offers NSF’s most prestigious award in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.”

Beyond the scientific impact, the project builds an easy-to-understand quantum education program, which includes building a visualization platform to make quantum computations visible. This is significantly important for beginners who easily suffer from the counterintuitive concepts of quantum computing. In addition, Jiang will create workshops, tutorials, and competitions for different research communities, contribute to a George Mason-led quantum immersion program for K-12 students; and redesign a quantum curriculum at George Mason with outcomes from this project.

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College of Public Health awarded prestigious Society for Simulation in Healthcare accreditation

mthomp7 — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 14:32:08 +0000

College of Public Health awarded prestigious Society for Simulation in Healthcare accreditation mthomp7 Tue, 02/11/2025 - 09:32

The Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation achieves ground-breaking accreditation.

The College of Public Health is proud to be the nation's first Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH)-accredited Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation at a public health college. This pioneering facility redefines how health professionals practice and reinforces ��AV's leadership in cutting-edge technology that revolutionizes public health education and workforce development.

The College of Public Health joins an elite group of only 250 organizations in the world to be accredited by SSH - and is the only public health college to be SSH-accredited.

“This prestigious recognition highlights the dedication and excellence of simulation programs that meet rigorous standards and contribute to advancing the field of health care simulation,” said Kristyn Gadlage, the director of accreditation for SSH. SSH-accreditation is an elite achievement, with only 250 institutions worldwide recognized for advancing simulation excellence. Accredited programs set a gold standard for health care education and are more likely to drive improved patient outcomes.

The college’s Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation is an interprofessional and transdisciplinary research and instructional center. At 8,000 square feet, the lab encompasses modular spaces replicating practice settings or converts multiple spaces for extended reality (XR). The lab is strategically positioned in Peterson Health Sciences Hall on George Mason's Fairfax Campus.

This central location allows students across all College of Public Health departments and schools access to this state-of-the-art space for innovation. The lab is designed for transdisciplinary immersive learning with human patient simulators and XR—spanning virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR).

The Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation achieves ground-breaking accreditation. Photo illustration by Emma Anderson and Karen Smith/CPH

In 2022, Dean Melissa Perry announced a bold vision to expand the lab and make XR and simulation technology available to every student in the college. The lab is led by Chief Innovation Officer Bethany Cieslowski and a dedicated team of Certified Healthcare Simulation Educators who are working to double the lab’s capacity within the next few years, ensuring that every student experiences this transformative learning.

"With this strategic accreditation, we are poised to provide every student in the college the opportunity to extend their learning through immersive technologies and simulation. This interprofessional learning environment offers high-impact skills and critical thinking in a low-risk, safe setting. This level and intensity of training could not be delivered through classroom learning alone," Perry said. "Our approach empowers and prepares graduates for clinical practice by developing skills and confidence that traditional methods simply cannot replicate."

James Casey, director of Virginia Serious Game Institute at George Mason and a leader in immersive technologies, said, "It has been truly inspiring to witness and support the college’s cutting-edge advancements in a transdisciplinary teaching environment. The SSH accreditation is an achievement that solidifies the lab as a true center of extended reality excellence. The potential for revolutionizing public health education is unlimited.”

The integration of immersive technologies in 2020 enabled the college to address workforce needs and expand its reach into social work, nutrition, health administration and policy, and beyond. The lab's mission is clear: harness the power of technology to advance interprofessional education, research, and patient safety through digital innovation. By leveraging ground-breaking technology, the lab advances the college's mission through collaboration, research, and innovation. The college is dedicated to revolutionizing interprofessional education and practice, to ultimately advance public health on a global scale.

Students who step into this innovative space don't just learn—they experience. From mastering complex skills and critical thinking to practicing effective opioid crisis interventions, immersive technologies prepare learners for the challenges of tomorrow. "Extended reality transforms the way we learn," said Cieslowski. "It's not just about creating a virtual environment—it's about creating opportunities for real-world impact, ensuring our students leave George Mason prepared to lead."

Looking ahead, the college plans to extend its reach, aiming to incorporate immersive technologies into all disciplines in the college. With a vision to forge strategic partnerships with corporate leaders and academic organizations, George Mason is driving the future of healthcare simulation.

Visit the Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation web page for academic publications and prior coverage about the college's Immersive technologies and simulation capabilities.

For media inquiries, contact Michelle Thompson at mthomp7@gmu.edu.

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Bethany Cieslowski, DNP

Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS

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George Mason’s new visualization and virtual reality lab is changing how research is conducted

Colleen Rich — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 18:35:42 +0000

George Mason’s new visualization and virtual reality lab is changing how research is conducted Colleen Rich Wed, 02/05/2025 - 13:35

The oft-heard phrase “you had to be there” could disappear as the growth of virtual reality (VR) allows individuals to experience the world without ever leaving home. While the pandemic ushered in the era of Zoom classes and meetings—providing the opportunity to participate in classes or meetings with others in different locations—it is VR that creates tangible experiences where people in the same room or thousands of miles away can successfully collaborate.

George Mason graduate student works with the virtual construction site in the Visualization and Virtual Reality Lab in Research Hall. Photo provided

With the opening of the new Visualization and Virtual Reality Lab in Research Hall—hosted by the Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX) and made possible with funds from the Tech Talent Investment Program—��AV has the opportunity to be part of this global movement and to be a leader in transdisciplinary research.

A ‘Cradle’ for Collaboration

The highly anticipated lab, which has been years in the making and serves as the hub of data analysis, visualization, and technology-enabled pedagogy for the university, provides countless opportunities for faculty to combine and advance their interests in new ways. It is also the ideal space to hold demonstrations for sponsoring agencies and partners.

Craig Yu, associate professor of Department of Computer Science, sees the lab as a “cradle for setting up interdisciplinary collaborations” that he believes will enhance the research synergy at George Mason. His current work on a simulated construction site set in the future has brought together researchers from the College of Education and Human Development and the College of Engineering and Computing.

In the lab, users have access to five virtual reality pods within two rooms. The smaller of the rooms has two display screens that connect with high-quality headsets, while the larger room has a 24-foot-long, 9-foot-tall screen that is touch activated—allowing users to manipulate and move data.

Once users are inside this VR or augmented reality (AR), they can experience their surroundings and even “feel objects and be part of accidents or disasters without experiencing pain,” Yu said.

Visualizing and Communicating Complex Ideas

Visitors to the Visualization and VR Lab use the VR pods. Photo provided

The lab is also ideal for capturing complex ideas that are difficult to understand if one doesn’t visualize them, Yu said.

In Yu’s simulated construction site, performances are tracked and replayed, allowing researchers to see exactly how people work together and respond to situations. Researchers then analyze user performance using scientific metrics, which can help individuals improve over time through repeated exercises.

“Training through VR/AR is helpful to conduct experiments because we can track performance through state-of-the-art technology and give feedback,” said Yu. “These experiments not only enhance user performance, they can also validate if investments [in training] are effective.”

A major component of George Mason researcher Dave Lattanzi’s research involves the generation and analysis of complex, large-scale 3D virtual model data, which he said is difficult to visualize and communicate.

It requires specialized computing and graphics technologies that are challenging to operate on typical computer hardware, making visualization “fundamental to navigating and assessing 3D data,” said Lattanzi, an associate professor in the Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering.

The lab will support communications across project teams like Lattanzi’s by providing a shared space for visualization, as well as providing a place for teams to demonstrate their capabilities or findings to sponsoring agencies and university partners, which can lead to additional collaborations and funding opportunities.

VR and Training

Computer science PhD student Liuchuan Yu, a self-described VR/AR addict who is part of the team working on the simulated construction site project, sees creating simulations as a cost-effective and safe way to train individuals in a variety of jobs.

“I am very glad to have this opportunity because it is giving me the necessary experience to create training applications using VR,” he said. “Real-world training is expensive while VR is technically low-cost. Simulations also allow total control of the environment, which is much safer. But they do create awareness and [generate] real responses from the users.”

While use of the lab is restricted to faculty during the 2024-25 academic year, administrators are already thinking about how to incorporate student instruction and student access to modern geospatial technology applications that are difficult, if not impossible, to demonstrate in a traditional classroom environment. Eventually students with ideas for new technologies, applications, or products will be able to use the lab to work on their own projects.

The lab, located in Research Hall, Room 369, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can be reserved through 25 Live. All faculty are welcome to reserve and use the lab for research purposes, but must receive training prior to lab use. Contact MIX manager Max Kazemzadeh at mkazemza@gmu.edu, MIX operations coordinator Minjin Batzorig at mbatzor@gmu.edu, or visit the MIX website for more information.

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Driving Innovation: DELTA-FORCE steers army vehicles into the digital future

Nathan Kahl — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:58:03 +0000

Driving Innovation: DELTA-FORCE steers army vehicles into the digital future Nathan Kahl Wed, 01/29/2025 - 13:58

The U.S. Army relies on numerous ground vehicles for successful operations, requiring vehicles that can navigate a variety of terrains and allow soldiers to be effective and safe. This creates a challenging set of requirements for new vehicle design, engineering, and operations that must be cost-effective.

Ali Raz. Photo by Creative Services

��AV is now an important contributor for researching novel approaches and development of new vehicles, thanks to a $1.6 million grant from the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences under Digital Enterprise Technology for Maintenance and Sustainment Improvements—Phase II effort, sponsored through the Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center.

The George Mason project, called DELTA-FORCE (Digital Environments for Life-Cycle Test and Evaluation For Off-Road Combat VEhicles), is a joint effort between the College of Engineering and Computing’s (CEC) Center for Excellence in Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Cyber, and Intelligence and the College of Science’s Center for Collision Safety and Analysis. Ali Raz of the Systems Engineering and Operations Research (SEOR) Department is the principal investigator (PI) and Steve Kan, a professor in Mason Science, is the co-PI.

This project aims to develop a comprehensive digital engineering methodology for new vehicle concepts. “It's a very unique opportunity for George Mason in that we're going to be building a complete digital environment for life cycle testing and analysis," Raz said. "Life cycle elements have their own domain-specific models, and analysis tools that are not linked. We are building a digital environment to connect them.”

Steve Kan. Photo by Creative Services

The different phases of the vehicle life cycle, from conceptual design, preliminary design, detailed design, manufacturing, and maintenance, each have their own models and analysis tools that do not “talk” to one another. A key aspect of this project is creating an ontology and model-based systems engineering (MBSE) foundation that will connect the different domain-models, providing a common language for integrating the models and building interfaces in a digital environment.

“In order to produce new advanced complex systems, we need to transition into digital environments; the Department of Defense has been laying the groundwork for that for five years or so,” said Raz. “So essentially we will build a digital twin for modeling the off-road vehicle and environments, that is connected to a physical twin via reverse engineering.”

Kan said that “This project will enable us to work in the digital engineering field in a holistic way by integrating different system-level requirements, design, and performance, to the physics level of materials and geometry using reverse engineering technologies. In this project, we build upon our expertise in automotive and aerospace safety engineering and collaborate with colleagues in both CEC and Mason Science at George Mason to develop this digital engineering platform.”

Raz added that DELTA-FORCE will provide an opportunity through new undergraduate courses for George Mason students to get hands-on experience in building digital twins and conducting analysis.

Although this effort is sponsored by the Department of Defense, its content does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the government; no official endorsement should be inferred..

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Ali K. Raz

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Schar School Biodefense Students Selected for Distinguished Fellowship

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 18:31:16 +0000

Schar School Biodefense Students Selected for Distinguished Fellowship Andrew J Schappert Thu, 01/23/2025 - 13:31

The Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity (ELBI) Fellowship, offered by the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is one of the most distinguished and prestigious fellowship available to those in the biosecurity profession.

Two students in ��AV’s Schar School of Policy and Government’s highly ranked biodefense PhD program, Janet Marroquin and Katie Dammer, were chosen for this honor and will be joining 29 other young professionals in the fellowship’s 2025 cohort.

During their fellowship, participants will participate in biosecurity workshops, networking events, and research symposiums, in Washington, D.C., and abroad.

Gregory Koblentz, director of the biodefense graduate program, congratulated the students on their accomplishment.

“Janet and Katie are rising stars in biosecurity, so it’s very gratifying to see their potential recognized by the leading think tank in the field,” he said.

Janet Marroquin: ‘I’m most excited to engage with international perspectives on common problems …’ Photos provided.

Marroquin graduated in 2019 with a master’s degree in biodefense. Her PhD dissertation examines Russia’s motivation and strategy for using vaccine-related narratives in its disinformation operations.

She currently works as a full-time research analyst for a federally funded research and development center. Her work focuses on analyzing national security challenges related to emerging biotechnologies and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) weapons.

“I’m most excited to engage with international perspectives on common problems, especially science communication and public trust in state institutions,” she said.

Her time at George Mason helped prepare her for both her career and the fellowship because of the nature of the program, the diverse student backgrounds, and its comprehensive approach to biosecurity, she said.

“The biodefense courses exposed me to the vulnerabilities that we as a global society have to the spread of disease due, in no small part, to inadequate preparedness,” she said, adding that her favorite classes were Koblentz’s course on biodefense strategy and computational physics and chemistry professor Estela Blaisten-Barojas’s challenging-but-rewarding course on numerical methods.

Dammer is a first-year student in the biodefense PhD program. The ELBI program and those who speak highly of it have surrounded her since her undergraduate studies, so she jumped at the chance to learn more about this ever-changing field.

Katie Dammer: ‘Every year brings changes, but it is exciting to know that this will be a key piece of my professional development …’

“I am so grateful to the Center for Health Security for the acceptance and to colleagues and ELBI alumni for all of the kind words I have received since this year’s cohort was announced,” she said. “Every year brings changes, but it is exciting to know that this will be a key piece of my professional development throughout 2025.”

Her focus is on the intersection of national security and science policy, and her current professional role covers a variety of natural, accidental, and deliberate threats.

She said she is most excited to build a biosecurity community and take time away from her career to “nerd out” over the many topics presented during the fellowship.

Dammer hopes her time as a ELBI fellow will both complement and enhance her research and discussion skills, and she looks forward to engaging with pioneers across the public health and policy fields.

She added that she owes a special thanks to her father who, as a career academic, has been an inspiration as she started her PhD journey and now the fellowship ahead of her.

Marroquin and Dammer join a number of other Schar School biodefense students and graduates who have served as ELBI fellows, including Siddha Hover, MS ’14 (ELBI Class of 2016); Francisco Cruz, MS ’15 (ELBI Class of 2016); Saskia Popescu, PhD ’19 (ELBI Class of 2017); Yong-Bee Lim, MS ’13, PhD ’21 (ELBI Class of 2018); Justin Hurt, PhD ’23 (ELBI Class of 2019); and Matthew Ferreira, MS ’22 (ELBI Class of 2023).

The author is a first-year student in the biodefense master’s program with a special interest in terrorism and the use of pathogens as weapons. This story first appeared in the biodefense program’s The Pandora Report.

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Using robotics to introduce AI and machine learning concepts into the elementary classroom

Colleen Rich — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 17:52:02 +0000

Using robotics to introduce AI and machine learning concepts into the elementary classroom Colleen Rich Thu, 01/23/2025 - 12:52

��AV researcher Erdogan Kaya is part of an interdisciplinary research team that is planning to introduce elementary students to the foundational concepts of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning using educational robotics.

George Mason professor Erdogan Kaya with some of the educational robots his team will be using with elementary school students. Photo provided

Kaya, an assistant professor in George Mason’s School of Education, and his collaborators—Hasan Deniz of University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Ezgi Yesilyurt of Weber State University; and Refika Turgut of University of South Carolina—have been awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) “Computer Science for All” program for their project, “Cultivating Artificial Intelligence Literacy through Linguistically Inclusive Integrated Elementary Curriculum via Educational Robotics.”

“Over the years, I have seen firsthand how robotics can captivate and inspire students, making complex STEM concepts accessible and more engaging,” said Kaya. “Students gain insight into how AI systems work and develop a deeper understanding of the power of AI, which promotes foundational AI literacy.”

Approximately 600 elementary students in grades 4 and 5 from schools serving underrepresented populations in Clark County, Nevada, will participate in this study. The goal of this project is to provide the students with hands-on learning opportunities that will allow them to develop an understanding of AI and its application in science and technology.

The study will also offer professional development to 25 in-service educators to equip them with the foundational knowledge of AI and machine learning needed to teach an AI-integrated STEM curriculum.

Kaya emphasized that it is essential for young learners to acquire a level of AI literacy that includes an understanding of how AI algorithms work, how AI applications are developed, and how they can be used responsibly and creatively. He hopes that by being exposed to AI and machine learning at an early age, students will develop skills that may lead them to pursue careers in STEM.

“This project is about opening doors to AI literacy for young students, especially those from multilingual backgrounds who may not see themselves represented in tech fields,” said Kaya, who grew up in Turkiye and began learning English in middle school.

After working with multilingual learners in Title I schools in Arizona, Kaya discovered that his perspective as someone who has navigated education in multiple languages gave him insight into serving this population of students effectively.

“By integrating AI and robotics early on, we are providing a foundation in STEM that not only builds skills but instills a belief in students that they can be part of AI-intensive fields,” he said.

Educational tools, including Birdbrain Technologies’ Hummingbird Robotics®, Teachable Machine, and Snap!, a visual block-based programming environment, will be used in this study. Students will be tasked with designing automated solutions to real-world challenges that exist in their home communities, such as how to make smart homes more energy-efficient or how to develop farming robots capable of harvesting strawberries. Kaya said that projects like these will allow the students to apply AI concepts in ways that they will find more culturally relevant and meaningful.

The study will also promote the responsible and ethical use of AI by asking students to engage in critical thinking regarding the broader societal impact of AI and how bias can affect AI algorithm outputs.

Teachers using the AI-integrated curricular resources developed under this project will be able to incorporate them into their existing curricula.

“Our curriculum is designed to be flexible and integrative. By combining AI, engineering, language arts, and science into integrated lessons, teachers can address multiple subjects within a single lesson, making the most of limited classroom time,” said Kaya.

The importance of teaching the principles of AI and machine learning at an early age continues to gain traction in K-12 computer science education. Kaya notes that organizations such as the International Society for Technology in Education and Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) are responding with programs such as Teach AI. In addition, CSTA is updating its standards, scheduled for release in 2026, to incorporate machine learning and AI.

At the state level, Virginia’s recent updates to the Computer Science Standards of Learning (SOLs) include requirements for machine learning, further underscoring the need to prepare students in this field.

It is these changes in the field of computer science education that influenced Kaya’s decision to pursue a second master’s degree—this one in machine learning—at George Mason. “Even though I have a CS background, I recognized that machine learning and AI are becoming crucial parts of CS education,” he said. “To better serve the needs of future teachers and K-12 students, I decided to further my own education in this rapidly evolving field.”

With this project, Kaya said the goal is to equip teachers to bring AI and robotics into their classrooms with confidence, even if they do not have a technical background. “By providing practical training and readily available materials, we hope to create a ripple effect where teachers inspire their students and make AI education a reality in their classrooms,” Kaya said.

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��AV leads Virginia with strong U.S. News online program rankings

Colleen Rich — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 18:53:30 +0000

��AV leads Virginia with strong U.S. News online program rankings Colleen Rich Fri, 01/17/2025 - 13:53

��AV continues to distinguish itself as a top academic institution and a top 50 public university. Today, U.S. News & World Report released their 2025 Best Online Programs rankings, highlighting the university’s exceptional offerings across several disciplines, especially for veterans.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

George Mason advanced its rankings in nearly every online master’s degree program where it was included. The university is one of just five institutions in Virginia ranked in at least nine of the 13 categories where it is included, earning No. 1 rankings in four of those categories, more than any other university in the state for these categories.

“These rankings affirm that George Mason is a leader in Virginia in producing graduates for high-demand industries critical to the growth and prosperity of the commonwealth,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “We achieve these outcomes by partnering with industry leaders to develop academic programs that prepare graduates for a rapidly evolving workforce.”

A Leader for Military-Affiliated Students

With more than 4,700 students identifying as active-duty service members, veterans, or dependents, George Mason remains a vital resource for Virginia’s largest military-connected community. This year, approximately 20% of the university’s incoming freshman, transfer, and graduate cohorts have military connections, reinforcing the university’s reputation as a top destination for military-affiliated students.

George Mason earned the top spot in Virginia and nationally among public universities for its MBA program for veterans, and was first in Virginia and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region for its master’s in nursing for veterans.

In September 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked George Mason as one of the state’s best colleges for veterans. The university was also recognized with “Gold” status as a top Military Friendly University, underscoring its commitment to supporting those who have served.

“We are proud to serve a region that is home to a significant number of military members, veterans, and their families,” said Jennifer Connors, George Mason’s director of Office of Military Services. “At George Mason, we are committed to providing resources to support their unique needs. It is our duty to honor their service to our nation by empowering them to excel academically and professionally.”

Strong Performances Across Disciplines

In addition to its programs for veterans, George Mason’s online master’s programs excelled in several other areas: education, nursing, business, and engineering.

Northern Virginia boasts some of the nation’s top public school systems, and George Mason playing a significant role in that success. Approximately half of the region’s K-12 school administrators and an estimated one third of its teachers hold degrees or certificates from George Mason.

In the face of a national shortage of special education teachers, the university’s master’s in special education program stands out, ranking No. 1 in both Virginia and in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, and 5th nationally.

“We are thrilled to see our special education program recognized among the top five in the country,” said Ingrid Guerra-López, dean of the College of Education and Human Development. “This achievement is a reflection of our faculty’s remarkable expertise, dedication, and innovative approaches to preparing graduates to make a lasting impact in classrooms and communities.”

The School of Nursing within George Mason’s College of Public Health saw significant advancements in its rankings. The master’s in nursing program ranked No. 1 in Virginia, climbing up eight spots to 41st nationally (34th among public universities). Additionally, the Master’s in Nursing for Veterans program rose to 14th nationally (up from 18th), and 9th among public universities (up from 11th).

“Through hands-on clinical training and cutting-edge simulation technologies, our students are equipped with unmatched knowledge and cultural competencies,” said College of Public Health dean Melissa J. Perry. “Our graduates are among the most well-prepared nurses in the country.”

The Costello College of Business earned significant accolades, with its MBA for veterans program climbing to 30th (up from 41st) among public universities and 34th nationally (up from 50th). The MBA program also rose to 41st among public universities (up from 54th), 55th nationally (up from 74th), while its non-MBA program ranked 39th among public universities (up from 44th) and 56th nationally (up from 62nd).

George Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing saw two of its newest programs make strong debuts. The master’s in industrial engineering is best in Virginia and 10th nationally. The master’s in engineering for veterans’ program ranked 29th nationally. The master’s in engineering program climbed 22 spots to 45th nationally, and 38th among public universities (up from 51st).

The new master’s in IT for veterans program also made a strong first impression, ranking 21st nationally and 13th among public universities.

A Commitment to Excellence in Online Education

The strong performance of George Mason’s online programs aligns with the university’s mission to support students where they are. The flexible class offerings are a welcome boon to the university’s large number of post-traditional students, many of whom are professionals who continue to work full-time jobs and family responsibilities while pursuing academic goals to enhance their careers.

Check out the full list of George Mason rankings at gmu.edu/rankings.

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Using AI to uncover human smuggling networks

Teresa Donnellan — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 22:39:59 +0000

Using AI to uncover human smuggling networks Teresa Donnellan Wed, 01/15/2025 - 17:39

In This Story

Carlotta Domeniconi

Sean Luke

Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera

As vulnerable members of society, migrants are subject to exploitation. Professor Carlotta Domeniconi in the Department of Computer Science at ��AV is using artificial intelligence (AI) to combat that abuse. She is the principal investigator (PI) on a groundbreaking project aimed at understanding and modeling human smuggling networks.

Carlotta Domeniconi

In collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security’s Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis (CINA) Center for Excellence, Domeniconi and co-PIs Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera and Sean Luke are developing advanced machine learning techniques to analyze publicly available data and uncover the intricate workings of human smuggling networks between Mexico and the United States. While Domeniconi and Luke, both computer science faculty, bring expertise in machine learning, Correa-Cabrera is a professor in George Mason's Schar School of Policy and Government specializing in border studies, U.S.-Mexico relations, international security, migration studies, and illicit networks.

A significant challenge in this project is the sparsity and complexity of the data, said Domeniconi. Criminal networks are large, dynamic, and constantly evolving.

"The very nature of criminal networks—their secret nature—makes it practically impossible to gather useful data," she explained. This challenge led to the team’s innovative approach of using publicly available text data—past cases of prosecuted smugglers at both the state and federal levels in the United States as well as social media posts and news articles by and about smugglers. They are collecting data from the 1980s to 2024 to analyze the temporal dynamics of these networks.

“There are videos of smugglers actually showcasing people traveling across very difficult areas from Central America,” Domeniconi noted as an example. “You can extract a lot of information about the routes they take, where they cross the borders, and the means they use."

The team is using natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning models that are pre-trained on vast amounts of text data, enabling them to understand and extract meaningful information from the data they are collecting. Two doctoral students will support the co-PIs, one from computer science and the other from the Schar School. The team is working on automating the process of building and analyzing these criminal networks using large language models and graph mining techniques. By visualizing these networks as knowledge graphs, the team aims to mine behavioral patterns and understand how these networks adapt to changes in policy enforcement. Ultimately, this project could provide a methodology applicable to various criminal networks beyond human smuggling.

Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera

“The current project bridges the gap between machine learning and social science,” explained Correa-Cabrera. “We can replicate this same model and methodology to analyze legal cases of drug smuggling, money laundering, and arms trafficking, thereby modeling and explaining the evolution of these activities over the past few decades.”

Domeniconi's pioneering work in modeling human smuggling networks is a testament to the power of AI in addressing complex social issues. By merging domain expertise with state-of-the-art machine learning techniques, this project not only promises to unravel the clandestine operations of human smuggling but also to create a robust methodology applicable to various criminal networks. The insights gained from this research could significantly enhance national security measures, offering a strategic advantage in the fight against human smuggling and those who perpetrate this crime.

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The Carter School named a United Nations Academic Impact Sustainable Development Goal Hub Chair

Katarina Benson — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 17:51:09 +0000

The Carter School named a United Nations Academic Impact Sustainable Development Goal Hub Chair Katarina Benson Wed, 01/15/2025 - 12:51

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution was named a United Nations Academic Impact Sustainable Development Goal Hub Chair for (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

There are 17 SDGs, including “No Poverty,” “Clean Water and Sanitation,” and “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.” Currently, George Mason is one of only two universities in the United States to chair a Sustainable Development Goal Hub.

Out of more than 330 applications, George Mason was selected to chair SDG 16 Hub, a position it will hold for the next three years. In a letter from the United Nations, it says George Mason “was selected based on its pioneering research and programs focused on promoting peace and conflict resolution” as well as the university’s educational policies.

As Hub Chair, the Carter School will be responsible for education and training, research, community engagement, developing partnerships, and working with other SDG hubs to strengthen and further the United Nations’ mission of peace and justice.

“This prestigious recognition highlights our school’s longstanding commitment and impactful contributions to the field of peace and conflict resolution,” said Carter School dean Alpaslan Özerdem. “As chair for SDG16, we will have the privilege and responsibility of generating, coordinating, and amplifying SDG16-related programs and activities on a global scale. This role represents not only a significant milestone for the Carter School but also an exciting new chapter in our journey toward advancing global peace, justice, and institutional resilience. It positions us to foster meaningful partnerships, drive innovative initiatives, and contribute thought leadership on critical global issues.”

Andre Marshall, George Mason’s vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact, highlighted that this new role aligns perfectly with Mason’s global challenges agenda, offering opportunities to amplify the university’s contributions to global peace and justice. “The Carter School’s successful bid to lead the United Nations Academic Impact SDG16 Hub not only elevates George Mason’s profile in the international community for sustainable development, it is also a well-deserved recognition of the Carter School and George Mason’s leadership in and commitment to producing research, scholarship, and impact that moves the needle on the world’s grand challenges,” Marshall said.

In the coming months, Özerdem will engage with academic and research units across George Mason to identify collaboration opportunities, ensuring a transformative Mason stamp on all aspects of the SDG16 agenda over the next three years.

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CVPA Announces Recipients of the 2025 Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards

Brianna Camp

Marina Vianello

About the 2025 Award Recipients

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College of Public Health awarded prestigious Society for Simulation in Healthcare accreditation

The Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation achieves ground-breaking accreditation.

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A ‘Cradle’ for Collaboration

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����AV leads Virginia with strong U.S. News online program rankings

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Strong Performances Across Disciplines

A Commitment to Excellence in Online Education

See more of George Mason's rankings

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Using AI to uncover human smuggling networks

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The Carter School named a United Nations Academic Impact Sustainable Development Goal Hub Chair

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��AV leads Virginia with strong U.S. News online program rankings