School of Computing

Joint postdoc program develops from partnership between Statistics Department, Inova Health

Teresa Donnellan — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 18:42:25 +0000

Joint postdoc program develops from partnership between Statistics Department, Inova Health Teresa Donnellan Thu, 09/28/2023 - 14:42

In This Story

Jiayang Sun

A partnership between ��AV’s Statistics Department and Inova Health Care Services has entered its fifth year and continues to grow. The partnership has motivated a new initiative: a postdoc program for Inova researchers interested in developing skills in statistics and data science, run jointly by George Mason’s statistics and global and community health departments. Mohamad Bahij Moumneh, MD, and Jason F. Goldberg, MD, are the program’s standing inaugural members.

“As a fresh Lebanese medical graduate interested in expanding his acquired skills in the field of research, especially cardiology, and academia, the joint program provided me with this golden opportunity,” said Moumneh. He added, “By maximizing the resources of each institute, enhancements in the overall picture and quality of research and healthcare education occur, and allow both institutions to keep, if not exceed, pace with novel technologies and healthcare advancements and institutions.”

The partnership between Mason Statistics and Inova Health was supported by a contract between the university and the healthcare system via a parent award from NIH to the iTHRIV partnership. It supported the experts in George Mason’s Statistics Collaboration Core (SCC) to work with colleagues from Inova Health Care Services on research projects involving statistics or data science. To initialize each new project, INOVA researchers visit statinova.gmu.edu.

“The Statistics Collaboration Core (SCC) is a collaboration platform that supports and facilitates statistical collaborations with internal and external investigators or seekers for evidenced-based research, or statistical, biostatistical, or data science support to decision-making,” explained Jiayang Sun of Mason’s statistics department. Sun is a Principal Investigator on the new grant establishing the postdoc program, alongside co-PI Carolyn Drews-Botsch, the chair of the department of global and community health in Mason’s School of Public Health.

“The partnership between Inova and Mason will help with our research efforts aimed at prolonging life after heart transplantation,” said Goldberg. He noted that, for his case, SCC has provided advanced analysis of mircoRNA clinical rejection scores and has used machine learning to evaluate risk modeling of adverse outcomes within the first year of heart transplantation.

“These collaborations will continue to produce meaningful cardiovascular research,” he said.

Of the five-year partnership between Mason Statistics and Inova Health, Sun noted the relationship has been fruitful, producing additional grants, publications in the health and medical sector, and new grant proposals. She added that it serves as a welcome opportunity for both tenure track and term faculty to perform original research and collaborate with colleagues dealing with real-world problems. Research projects from the partnership have covered such important topics as opioid use, sepsis, heart failure, and—before there were reliable tests—the spread of COVID-19 among children in northern Virginia.

Sun, Moumneh, and Goldberg are likewise optimistic about the new joint postdoc program.

“Researchers can collaborate on various projects that eventually might lead to medical breakthroughs. One could say that the joint program fosters an environment of innovation and growth. The joint program also allows the addressing of pressing healthcare dilemmas, an event that might encourage students to think of possible solutions and managements,” said Moumneh.

Topics

Statistics

Inova

Department of Statistics

College of Public Health

College of Engineering and Computing

School of Computing

Community Partners

Students

Off the Clock: Kenneth Strazzeri, a duathlete who bikes to work

Lauren Reuscher — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 15:04:51 +0000

Off the Clock: Kenneth Strazzeri, a duathlete who bikes to work Lauren Reuscher Wed, 06/14/2023 - 11:04

In This Story

Kenneth Strazzeri

Life is much more than time spent on the clock. In this series, we highlight the unique hobbies and volunteer activities of Mason's talented faculty and staff.

Kenneth Strazzeri rides his bike on the Fairfax Campus on Bike to Mason Day. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

As term associate professor of statistics, course coordinator for STAT 250 (the quantitative reasoning course in the Mason Core), and academic advisor, Kenneth Strazzeri stays busy teaching about 300 students each semester. He teaches courses both in-person and online and has worked at ��AV since January 2012.

Beyond his passion for teaching, Strazzeri discovered two new interests in recent years: running and biking. He has competed in duathlons (run-bike-runs) and even won two.

This hobby is now his major mode of transportation, as well: commuting to Mason by bike has offered Strazzeri motivation and an opportunity to improve as an athlete.

How did you first get started with running and biking?

I began biking regularly during the pandemic as a way to socialize and interact with friends safely outdoors. In addition, the City of Fairfax ran a pandemic promotion at many local businesses, and I purchased my first pair of running shoes for 50% off through a gift card. I decided to start running as well.

After about nine months of training, I competed in my first duathlon. A sprint duathlon includes a 5K run, a 20–25K bike ride, and another 5K run. I have competed in six duathlons since fall 2021, as well as several road running races.

How did you decide to bike to work? Do you take advantage of any of Mason's biking resources/programs?

Once my children graduated from Mason's Child Development Center, I decided to cancel my parking pass and ride my bike to work (since I did not need to drop off my child). I was now in far better physical shape and felt like it was a great way to get outside every day and save gas and the money I paid for parking. Once I discovered Mason's Bicycle Commuter Choice program where I would get paid to ride to work, I was hooked.

How far is your commute? What do you do on bad weather days?

I am lucky that my commute is just under two miles, and on a good day, I can get to my office faster than I could driving (six minutes is my record). Bad weather days can be accommodated with the parking passes you earn from the Bike Commuter Choice program. I have enough warm wear to handle the cold for my short ride; however, there were very few days with temperatures below freezing this past winter.

Strazzeri wins first place at a sprint duathlon in Richmond, Virginia, in May 2023. Photo by California Triathlon

What has been the most meaningful or memorable experience you’ve had in this hobby?

Personally, I am accomplishing things that I thought I might not be able to do. It has kept me young, physically fit, and healthy.

With my family, I am far more able to keep up with my kids. We can take bike rides together or I can run next to them when they ride.

Lastly, I have met some wonderful people in the biking and running community, including our amazing bike transportation staff at Mason. Find me on Strava (an exercise tracking app) or even better, let's meet up for a ride. I would love to meet and ride with other Mason community members.

What lessons have you learned through this experience?

If I can do it, anyone can do it. It cannot be a fad, but a lifestyle change. For those who think you do not have the time, an evening ride around the Mason loop is quite enjoyable and very well lit. A sunrise run around Burke Lake is also a lovely experience. Whether you like running, riding, or any other physical exercise, do it for yourself, but also for your family and loved ones.

Any safety tips for cyclists and drivers out there?

Bike riders, wear bright colored clothes, and be safe while riding with cars around. Mason's loop does have bike lanes, but I do wish all drivers would stay out of them. Also, drivers, please use turn signals.

Learn more about biking resources at ��AV, including the Bicycle Commuter Choice program, bicycle/scooter registration, Patriot Bicycle Checkout Program, and more. Check out this video featuring members of the Mason community who bike to campus.

Topics

Off the Clock

Faculty and Staff News

Bicycling

Parking and Transportation

Transportation

Statistics

School of Computing

College of Engineering and Computing

Giuseppe Ateniese

Tama Moni — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 20:05:54 +0000

Giuseppe Ateniese Tama Moni Tue, 02/14/2023 - 15:05

Professor and Eminent Scholar, Department of Cyber Security Engineering and Department of Computer Science

Contact Information

Building: 339 Research Hall, Fairfax
MSN: 6B1
Phone: (703) 993-6758
Email: ateniese@gmu.edu

Personal Websites

Professional Webpage

In the News

Mason professors are researching hacker psychology to defend against cyberattacks
May 2, 2024
Cybersecurity faculty participate in multidisciplinary projects
February 1, 2022

Biography

In addition to being a Professor and Eminent Scholar in Cyber Security Engineering, Giuseppe Ateniese is also a CCI Faculty Fellow in the Computer Science and Cyber Security Engineering departments. Ateniese was a Farber Endowed Chair in computer science and department chair at the Stevens Institute of Technology. In addition, he was with Sapienza-University of Rome, an assistant/associate professor at John Hopkins University, and one of the John Hopkins University Information Security Institute founders.

Degrees

PhD, Computer Science, University of Genoa (2000)

Research Interests

Cloud Security
Cybersecurity
Applied Cryptography

Google Scholar

Podcast - EP 46: Missy Cummings: Artificial intelligence is artificial and not intelligent

Damian Cristodero — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:46:13 +0000

Podcast - EP 46: Missy Cummings: Artificial intelligence is artificial and not intelligent Damian Cristodero Wed, 01/25/2023 - 10:46

Missy Cummings, one of the country’s first female fighter pilots and director of Mason’s Center for Robotics, Autonomous Systems, and Translational AI, calls herself a tech futurist, charged with making tech work better and safer. In a conversation with Mason President Gregory Washington, Cummings is unflinching in her critique of AI’s strengths, weaknesses, and shortcomings, as well as that of humans. There is a lot to like about AI, Cummings says, but she calls out bad tech where she sees it, including in the vision systems of self-driving cars and Tesla’s Autopilot.

Listen to this episode

In This Story

Gregory Washington

Missy Cummings

Access to Excellence Podcast Episodes

Podcast — EP 63: The economic perceptions driving U.S. politics
December 11, 2024
Podcast — EP 62: What are the chances of intelligent life beyond Earth?
November 18, 2024
Podcast - EP 61: Can dirty coffee grounds be the key to clean water?
October 21, 2024
Podcast Ep 60 - Marking a decade of success at Mason Korea
August 6, 2024
Podcast Ep 59 - Cybersecurity and the global threats of tomorrow
July 5, 2024

Topics

Access to Excellence podcast

Podcast Episode

podcast

��AV

Artificial Intelligence

College of Engineering and Computing

Volgenau School of Engineering

School of Computing

robotics and autonomous systems

Center for Robotics, Autonomous Systems, and Translational AI

Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center

Getting to know School of Computing Divisional Dean Gurdip Singh

Colleen Rich — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 20:22:15 +0000

Getting to know School of Computing Divisional Dean Gurdip Singh Colleen Rich Tue, 12/13/2022 - 15:22

Gurdip Singh is the divisional dean of ��AV’s new School of Computing and a professor in the College of Engineering and Computing. Although he officially joined the university on August 1, he is currently assigned to the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) to complete his work there as Director, Division of Computer and Network Systems (CNS) in the Computer and Information Science Engineering (CISE) Directorate. He will join Mason full-time in January 2023.

Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

As an NSF division director, he oversees 27 program officers, 12 administrative staff, and a budget of $240 million. Prior to his work at NSF, Singh was associate dean for research and graduate programs of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University. He also served as a program director in the Division of Computer and Network Systems in the CISE Directorate at NSF from July 2014 to August 2016.

Singh earned his MS and PhD in computer science from SUNY, Stony Brook, in 1989 and 1991 respectively, and his BTech in computer science and engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, in 1986.

What attracted you to this position at Mason?

Mason has a very comprehensive portfolio of research and teaching programs in computing that permeate throughout the university. At the same time, the Greater Washington Region has a great ecosystem of industry, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations and academia that offers tremendous opportunities to both students and faculty. The role of Divisional Dean is a great opportunity to leverage the Mason computing landscape and regional ecosystem to position the School of Computing as a leader in innovative research and education programs.

What do you bring to the role of dean that will make you successful?

I have experience in both academic and research administration, and I have been successful in advancing academic units with respect to the research and education goals. I have also maintained a high-quality research and teaching program throughout my career. In my current role, my division is responsible for developing (a) research programs to maintain national competitiveness in critical/emerging areas, and (b) education programs to transform computing education to meet the challenges and opportunities of a world where computing is increasingly essential to all sectors of society.

What are some of your goals for your time as dean?

I would like to the Mason School of Computing to develop programs that can serve as national models for advancing computing research and education within a university. I want to elevate computing as a strategic differentiator for Mason by partnering with units in humanities, education, science, policy, engineering, and the many other disciplines and domains across the university.

What is your strategic vision for the School of Computing (SOC)?

My vision for SOC is to have (1) comprehensive suite of education programs in computing across Mason in partnership with other units on campus, (2) nationally recognized research and scholarship programs in computing that are providing leadership in university-wide multidisciplinary efforts, (3) programs leveraging the regional ecosystem to advance entrepreneurship and civic engagement, and (4) a vibrant environment with diversity in student, faculty and staff. Overall, I want SOC to be among the top schools of computing in the nation.

Diversity is central to Mason’s mission. Why is diversity particularly important in learning and research within School of Computing?

Diversity is important within SOC for several reason: First, there is a tremendous national need to train our workforce with computing knowledge/skills, and it is important that our education programs are available to a diverse student body. Second, computing plays a central role in addressing societal challenges; hence, it is important that we involve people from diverse groups in designing programs/solutions that are effective in benefiting a broad cross section of society. Finally, SOC has a tremendous opportunity to have a great regional impact by advancing diversity.

What would you like students, faculty, staff, and partners to gain from your tenure as dean?

I would like all stakeholders to gain from my experience in building collaborations/partnerships to advance computing research and education. I also bring experience in developing research/education programs for computing—looking out into the next decade—at the national/international level. I hope to develop mechanisms and mentoring programs for professional development of faculty and staff to advance them in their careers. Overall, my goal is for student, faculty and staff to work in a thriving, energetic environment that is making a positive impact at Mason and in the region.

How would you describe your leadership style?

My leadership style is based on decision making by consensus and leading by example. I like to involve all relevant stakeholder group—students, faculty, staff, alumni—in decision making. I try to provide opportunities to others to lead initiatives and develop leadership qualities.

How did you get interested in computing?

When I finished high school in 1982, the computing discipline was relatively new, promising and exciting, and a new—and first—undergraduate program in computing was just announced at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi. I was lucky to be admitted to the first batch of computer science undergraduate students. I liked the computing discipline from the start, and my interest grew tremendously over time.

What do you do outside of work/for fun?

I am a great fan of college/professional sports—football and basketball. I like to travel and try to spend time to get to know local culture/food at places I visit.

In This Story

Gurdip Singh

Topics

Campus News

School of Computing

Mason Square

College of Engineering and Computing

National Science Foundation

Lishan Yang

Tama Moni — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 20:00:29 +0000

Lishan Yang Tama Moni Mon, 08/22/2022 - 16:00

Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science

Contact Information

Email: lyang28@gmu.edu

Biography

Lishan Yang's research interest mainly falls in system reliability, including the reliable operation of GPUs, nonconventional sensors, autonomous driving systems, and neural networks. Yang is also interested in GPU architecture and software engineering efforts to accelerate reliability and system research processes.

Degrees

PhD, Computer Science, William and Marry (2022)

Binqian Yin

Tama Moni — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:33:34 +0000

Binqian Yin Tama Moni Thu, 08/11/2022 - 11:33

Assistant Professor (Teaching), Department of Computer Science

Contact Information

Building: Buchanan Hall, Room D215J
Email: byin2@gmu.edu

Biography

Binqian (Bella) Yin will join the Computer Science Department at ��AV in Spring 2023 as an assistant teaching professor. Yin is currently a PhD student in Earth Science at the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas. Her research focuses on developing novel machine-learning algorithms for geological problems.

Degrees

MS, Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh

Missy Cummings

Tama Moni — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:29:20 +0000

Missy Cummings Tama Moni Thu, 08/11/2022 - 11:29

Professor and Director of Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC); First American Bank Chair

Contact Information

Campus: Fairfax
Building: Nguyen Engineering
Room 2705
Phone: 703-993-6969
Email: cummings@gmu.edu

In the News

Mason's new MARC focuses on autonomy, robotics, and responsible AI
April 16, 2024
New certificate program in responsible AI starting fall 2024
March 1, 2024
College of Engineering and Computing launches graduate certificate programs in AI, microfabriction, smart grid technology, and machine learning
February 29, 2024
Associated Press: Missy Cummings (CEC) quoted in story about Pentagon AI initiatives
November 27, 2023
AI's future discussed at roundtable
June 13, 2023

Biography

As one of the U.S. Navy’s first female fighter pilots and an engineer, Mary “Missy” Cummings is accustomed to breaking barriers and solving problems.

A naval officer and military pilot from 1988-1999, Cummings was one of the U.S. Navy's first female fighter pilots. She is now the director of Mason's Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC) and a professor at ��AV. She holds faculty appointments in the Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science departments. She is an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Fellow and recently served as the senior safety advisor to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Cummings received her BS in Mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1988, her MS in Space Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1994, and her PhD in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2004.

ORCID: 0000-0003-2557-6930

Degrees

BS, Mathematics, U.S. Naval Academy
MS, Space Systems Engineering, Naval Post Graduate School
PhD, Systems Engineering, University of Virginia

Research Interests

Human-unmanned Vehicle Interaction
Human-autonomous System Collaboration
Human-systems Engineering
Public Policy Implications of Unmanned Vehicles
Ethical and Social Impact of Technology

Xiaonan Guo

Tama Moni — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:17:47 +0000

Xiaonan Guo Tama Moni Thu, 08/11/2022 - 11:17

Assistant Professor / Tenure-track

Contact Information

Campus: Fairfax
Building: Research Hall
Room 432

Personal Websites

Professional Webpage

Biography

Xiaonan Guo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology at ��AV. Xiaonan Guo's research focuses on security and privacy in cyber-physical systems, security in mobile devices, IoT, mobile sensing and mobile healthcare, and machine learning and extensive data analysis for mobile computing. He earned a PhD in Computer Science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Degrees:

PhD, Computer Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Lisa Luo

Tama Moni — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:13:27 +0000

Lisa Luo Tama Moni Thu, 08/11/2022 - 11:13

Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science

Contact Information

Email: lluo4@gmu.edu

Biography

Lannan Lisa Luo is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at ��AV. Luo received her PhD from Pennsylvania State University in 2017. Her research mainly focuses on software and systems security, including software analysis and verification, vulnerability discovery, IoT security, mobile security, and software engineering. She is also interested in applying deep learning to cybersecurity problems.

Degrees

PhD, Computer Science, Pennsylvania State University (2017)

School of Computing

Joint postdoc program develops from partnership between Statistics Department, Inova Health

In This Story

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Off the Clock: Kenneth Strazzeri, a duathlete who bikes to work

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In This Story

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Giuseppe Ateniese

Contact Information

Personal Websites

In the News

Biography

Degrees

Research Interests

Podcast - EP 46: Missy Cummings: Artificial intelligence is artificial and not intelligent

Listen to this episode

In This Story

Access to Excellence Podcast Episodes

Topics

Getting to know School of Computing Divisional Dean Gurdip Singh

Read More about the School of Computing

In This Story

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Lishan Yang

Contact Information

Biography

Degrees

Binqian Yin

Contact Information

Biography

Degrees

Missy Cummings

Contact Information

In the News

Biography

Degrees

Research Interests

Xiaonan Guo

Contact Information

Personal Websites

Biography

Degrees:

Lisa Luo

Contact Information

Biography

Degrees