Martha Bushong / en Researching the effect of smartphone-free schools in Virginia /news/2024-10/researching-effect-smartphone-free-schools-virginia <span>Researching the effect of smartphone-free schools in Virginia</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/326" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Martha Bushong</span></span> <span>Tue, 10/08/2024 - 18:05</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">Virginia K-12 students who returned to school this fall may be confronted with smartphone-free hallways and classrooms as part of new state cellphone bans that are sweeping the United States. Nora McDonald, an assistant professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) at AV, is teaming up with the Prince William County School district to try to understand how students, teachers, administrators, and parents are reacting to these bans and what are the long-term implications. </span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-10/cell_phone.jpg?itok=_JYqDpjH" width="350" height="350" alt="kids on cell phones" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Photo by iStock</figcaption></figure><p>Increasing concerns about the use of personal internet-connected (“smart”) phones and other devices among youth have dramatically intensified, especially about the constant connectivity in school settings. Scholars, educators, and lawmakers are taking action to combat the distractions, cyberbullying, and reduced face-to-face social interaction they perceive to be created and exacerbated by smart devices with near or total schoolwide bans. </p> <figure class="quote">McDonald says, “It is urgent that we do this work … we know that youth use technology to seek support for social and identity development, particularly for certain identities. At the same time, we do not understand how near-constant use of smartphones might simultaneously be eroding or limiting outlets for social support-seeking and identity expression offline.” </figure><p>While individual schools have already responded with cellphone bans, Virginia is among those states that will be introducing a full K through 12 ban starting this fall, though not all may adopt them until 2025. The goal of this proposed research is to talk to teachers, administrators, parents, and students before and after the imposition of cell phone bans creating a critical opportunity to determine what primarily psychosocial outcomes may be observed and whether any are sustained, or even potentially amplified over time.  </p> <p>Through focus group interviews and qualitative surveys, McDonald is now working on engaging parents and students to learn more about these cellphone bans' impact on student behaviors and social experiences in and out of the classroom, specifically how it impacts how students spend their time and where they are seeking social support.</p> <p>Her work builds on research in her field of human–computer interaction (HCI) that has focused on the benefits of social media for marginalized identities but increasingly acknowledges the darker side of these privacy-invasive algorithms on youth's sense of self. She published a paper at <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdl.acm.org%2Fdoi%2F10.1145%2F3613904.3642297&data=05%7C02%7Cmbushong%40gmu.edu%7C3b499794ca924a184ee008dce80a3b7b%7C9e857255df574c47a0c00546460380cb%7C0%7C0%7C638640377854767108%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=VjysdC5HuvD0tX8tAWvzmNCNBZf%2BY8xHaMGHD1yUHRw%3D&reserved=0" title="CHI2024">CHI 2024</a> and in <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconversation.com%2Fteens-see-social-media-algorithms-as-accurate-reflections-of-themselves-study-finds-226302&data=05%7C02%7Cmbushong%40gmu.edu%7C3b499794ca924a184ee008dce80a3b7b%7C9e857255df574c47a0c00546460380cb%7C0%7C0%7C638640377854779622%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Z%2BtIJNyrkioQ2js4udGOKlwA%2BUh4P0F44AW57g2J6uo%3D&reserved=0" title="The Conversation">The Conversation</a> on teen self-perceptions and digital literacy in relationship to social media “for you” algorithms. Ultimately, McDonald says, she wants to “engage youth awareness to understand why they are seeing the toxic content or the misinformation they are seeing, and the privacy-invasive algorithms behind it.” </p> <p>This month, McDonald attended the Symposium on Child Safety Research and Policy hosted by the <a href="https://cdt.org/" target="_blank">Center of Democracy and Technology</a> to talk more about these pressing issues related to social media technology and youth.  </p> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="aeb96f5c-19b1-47b0-aad6-5d11976fc081" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/nmcdona4" hreflang="en">Nora McDonald</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="ec2ba322-9f80-4e07-be79-25cf6bce8cf3" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="8d8fb2ad-3309-4afa-88c9-b1e6f5a6b726" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> <h2>Noteworthy work and publications</h2> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>CSCW <a href="https://aiyouthcscw2023.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">workshop</a>, “<a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3584931.3611281" target="_blank">AI through the Eyes of Gen Z: Setting a Research Agenda for Emerging Technologies that Empower Our Future Generations </a>”</p> <p>ACM Interaction journal, “<a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3681802" target="_blank">AI Through Gen Z: Partnerships Toward New Research Agendas</a>"</p> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="eb06708d-1892-4772-8cd8-a1f5d8d97fec" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="67744b70-dfe3-4f8a-8180-fa6a58c732b5"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="/research"> <h4 class="cta__title">Learn more about research at AV <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/20396" hreflang="en">Human Computer Interaction</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/20391" hreflang="en">smartphone bans</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/271" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/16891" hreflang="en">K-12 Partnerships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/20416" hreflang="en">CEC high impact stories</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 08 Oct 2024 22:05:15 +0000 Martha Bushong 114206 at SeaGlide Summer Camp ends swimmingly /news/2024-08/seaglide-summer-camp-ends-swimmingly <span>SeaGlide Summer Camp ends swimmingly</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/326" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Martha Bushong</span></span> <span>Tue, 08/06/2024 - 09:58</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">Lap swimmers at the<a href="https://freedom-center.com/" title="Freedom Aquatic Center homepage"> Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center</a> on AV's Science and Technology Campus shared the pool with some unusual visitors on Friday, July 25, as more than a dozen high school students tested their underwater gliders on the final day of the SeaGlide Summer Camp.</span></p> <figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2024-08/seaglide_splashdown_feature_photo.png" width="700" height="500" alt="Students by the pool drop their robots into the water" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Splashdown! High school campers launch their maritime robots at the pool inside the Freedom Aquatics and Fitness Center. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Office of University Branding</figcaption></figure><p><span><span>The camp is supported by the National Science Foundation grant (NSF), BRITE Relaunch: Persistent and Accessible Maritime Monitoring (PAMM), which promotes STEM outreach activities in maritime robotics. College of Engineering and Computing Professor Leigh McCue started the camp a few years ago to help get high schoolers excited about STEM.</span></span></p> <figure class="quote"><span><span>According to Kim Campbell, a parent of one of the high schoolers, the camp exceeded its goal. “This camp engages your child mentally and physically,” said Campbell. “I felt it resembled an abbreviated summer college course. The instructors were hands-on and made the course exciting.  My child talked about the camp every day for a minimum of an hour after she departed.”</span></span></figure><p><span><span>At the camp, students built an untethered underwater glider from a kit designed by <a href="https://shop.robonation.org/collections/seaglide" title="RoboNation homepage">RoboNation</a>. The kit provides supplies and directions, but students can innovate and experiment with different designs. The kit includes a sports water bottle that forms the hull of the glider with material for wings that extend from the sides. The glider moves by changing its buoyancy, taking in or expelling water. making it sink and rise. As the glider travels up and down, its “wings” generate lift, which propels the glider forward. Different colored lights indicate the glider’s status as it rises, falls, and moves forward.</span></span></p> <figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2024-08/240725803.jpg" width="1000" height="667" alt="students testing their gliders in the pool" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>The high school students built their gliders from a kit and tested them in the Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center pool. Photo by Ayman/Rashid/Office of University Branding</figcaption></figure><p><span><span>Graduate research assistant Vanessa Barth who works in McCue’s lab at the <a href="https://potomacsciencecenter.gmu.edu/" title="Potomac Science Center">Potomac Science Center</a> on fundamental research in maritime robotics supported by the NSF grant helped McCue coordinate and manage the camp activities. She said the students experimented through trial and error using pieces of a pool noodle or adding weights to achieve neutral buoyance with their gliders.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>In the past, campers tested the devices in a four-foot-deep tank at George Mason’s Innovation Drive facilities, but this year McCue wanted to try something different, so she contacted the team at the Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center, and they agreed. “I want to be sure to give a shout-out to them. They couldn’t have been more helpful and accommodating,” said McCue.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>In the pool, the gliders could move more freely, even if they didn’t always stay within the lane lines. Sometimes they drifted into the lanes of recreational swimmers, but McCue said everybody was understanding. Some even stopped to watch and ask questions. Though the grant ends soon, McCue hopes to keep the camp going and wants to continue the partnership with the aquatic center.</span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/lmccuewe" hreflang="und">Leigh McCue-Weil</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="c543bfec-d7b6-4380-b94c-4aa6c12866e1" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" 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href="/taxonomy/term/3071" hreflang="en">College of Engineering and Computing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1161" hreflang="en">National Science Foundation</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 06 Aug 2024 13:58:56 +0000 Martha Bushong 113296 at Study abroad combines tourism and tech /news/2024-07/study-abroad-combines-tourism-and-tech <span>Study abroad combines tourism and tech</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/326" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Martha Bushong</span></span> <span>Tue, 07/23/2024 - 11:18</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p class="MsoBodyText"><span class="intro-text">When most people think of Vienna, Austria they imagine elegant baroque palaces and a world-class opera and symphony, not a European Tech hub. The tension between old and new inspired Professor Rob Pettit, associate chair of the Computer Science Department at AV, to lead a pioneering study-abroad program there in the summer of 2024.</span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText">Designed for undergraduate computer science students, this initiative is among the nation’s first faculty-led, study-abroad opportunities specific to computer science. "Studying abroad is not just about combining academics with travel," said Pettit. "It's a transformative experience that expands horizons, fosters cultural understanding and builds a global perspective. Given today's interconnected world, studying abroad equips students with unique skills and insights, preparing them to navigate and contribute to a diverse and dynamic global community."</p> <p class="MsoBodyText">Pettit and the students lived as locals in Vienna's dynamic 6th district for this six-week immersive program. Students attended classes at the renowned <a href="https://www.tuwien.at/en/" title="TU Wien">Vienna University of Technology </a>(TU Wien), consistently ranked in the world's top 100 computer science universities. There, Pettit held lectures for CS 321 Software Engineering in which students gained hands-on experience with team-based agile software development practices in preparation for their transition to industry.</p> <p class="MsoBodyText">“CS 321 is a project-based course and part of the required curriculum for the BS CS and BS ACS degrees at George Mason,” said Petit. “For their projects, students were required to incorporate elements of their study-abroad experience into a deliverable software application.”</p> <p class="MsoBodyText">In addition to CS 321, students earned credit for CS 399 Exploration of the Global Software Engineering Industry. Together, this combination provided six credits of coursework directly applicable to the computer science major.</p> <figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/medium/public/2024-07/melk_abbey_feature_image_0.jpg?itok=hJYARfSo" width="560" height="373" alt="Computer science students in front of Melk Abbey" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Computer Science students in front of Melk Abbey. Photo provided.</figcaption></figure><p class="MsoBodyText">Organized excursions and industry interactions enhanced the students' cultural and historical understanding. Highlights from the program's first half included visits to the Hofburg Imperial Palace, Vienna's Technical Museum, and the Belvedere Palace's art galleries and gardens. The undergraduates also traveled to nearby Melk Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.</p> <p class="MsoBodyText">For the industry experience, TTTech corporation hosted students at its Vienna location and included presentations on high-reliability software. Beyond site visits, the group also shared community meals where they experienced traditional Austrian, Hungarian, and Turkish cuisine while building stronger bonds within the group.</p> <figure class="quote">For their first long weekend, students and Pettit traveled to Prague, staying in a hotel with views of the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. A guided tour of Prague's historic city center provided deep insights into the city's rich history. "Our guide, a lifelong resident, enriched our experience with his extensive historical knowledge, concluding the tour in Wenceslas Square with a firsthand account of the Soviet suppression of the Prague Spring uprising, which he witnessed as a teenager," said Pettit.</figure><p class="MsoBodyText">Additional excursions included visits to Schönbrunn Palace—the stunning Baroque summer palace of the Hapsburgs—and day trips to Bratislava, Slovakia, and Sopron, Hungary. The students explored and traveled to locations in Croatia, Germany, and Italy during their free weekends.</p> <p class="MsoBodyText"> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/rpettit" hreflang="en">Robert Pettit</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="28fbf254-7ce8-40d6-abad-f35a575c88b9" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" 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data-inline-block-uuid="f96ed6a1-5608-4b1b-ab41-7f410e57d623"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://studyabroad.gmu.edu/"> <h4 class="cta__title">Explore the world with the Global Education Office <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"> <div class="field field--name-field-cta-icon field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-font-awesome-icon field--type-fontawesome-icon field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div class="fontawesome-icons"> <div class="fontawesome-icon"> <i class="fas fa-map-marked-alt" data-fa-transform="" data-fa-mask="" style="--fa-primary-color: #000000; --fa-secondary-color: #000000;"></i> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" 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class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1676" hreflang="en">study abroad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/336" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3071" hreflang="en">College of Engineering and Computing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7736" hreflang="en">Global Education Office</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17356" hreflang="en">Strategic Direction</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/20251" hreflang="en">CEC Global Engagement</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div> </div> <div> </div> </div> Tue, 23 Jul 2024 15:18:13 +0000 Martha Bushong 113181 at Nanofabrication Lab opens on SciTech Campus /news/2024-05/nanofabrication-lab-opens-scitech-campus <span>Nanofabrication Lab opens on SciTech Campus</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/326" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Martha Bushong</span></span> <span>Fri, 05/17/2024 - 13:15</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="e19b80f5-ed21-42da-9ac6-8bead98927c5"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/george-mason-officials-state-leaders-celebrate-3-75m-nanofabrication-facility-at-manassas-campus/article_66754fa9-35c2-5876-a4f7-5c4f8e49d826.html"> <h4 class="cta__title">Read More About the Ribbon Cutting <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">AV officials, faculty, regional economic leaders, government, and business partners gathered at SciTech Campus on May 3, 2024, to cut the ribbon on the new $3.75 million Nanofabrication Facility (NFF).</span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Vice President for Research Innovation and Economic Impact Andre Marshall welcomed guests. President Gregory Washington and other special guests followed. After the ribbon cutting, attendees enjoyed a first-hand look at the new state-of-the-art space.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>The NFF is the only cleanroom facility and resource for partners in Northern Virginia. It offers hands-on nanofabrication workforce training in research applications that will accelerate the growth of high-tech companies.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Tannia Telento, regional director for U.S. Senator Mark Warner’s office offered remarks from the senator. In the remarks, Senator Warner said, “The Nanofabrication Facility will play an important role in education and research, which is integral to securing the supply chain, bringing greater transparency to the microelectronics ecosystem, training tomorrow's leaders, and ensuring our long-term national security. I am excited to see the advancements that will come from the establishment of this facility right here in Virginia. </span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span>The (NFF) will serve as a core laboratory for innovative research and development on the micro- and nano-scale. </span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Faculty from the College of Engineering and Computing and the College of Science have already taught classes in the facility, this summer the facility will host camps, and in the fall workforce training will begin.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2024-05/ribbon_cutting_nanofab.png" width="800" height="640" alt="Gregory Washington and attendees at the Nanofabrication Facility grand opening" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>AV President Gregory Washington and Shawn Wagoner, the Nanofabrication Faciilty's lab manager cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the facility. Photo by Creative Services.</figcaption></figure><figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2024-05/gw_shaking_hands.png" width="800" height="640" alt="Tannia Telento, Regional Director for U.S. Senator Mark Warner’s Office " loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Tannia Telento, regional director for U.S. Senator Mark Warner’s office, shakes hands with President Washington. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding</figcaption></figure><figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2024-05/andre_marshall_and_lab_window.png" width="800" height="640" alt="Vice President Andre Marshall (on right) stands outside the clean room." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Vice President Andre Marshall (on right) and Danny Vargas of GO Virginia stand outside the clean room. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding</figcaption></figure><figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2024-05/inside_the_nanofab_lab.png" width="800" height="640" alt="Shawn Wagoner provides explains equipment" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Lab Manager Shawn Wagoner explains the equipment to a group of attendees during the facility tour. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding</figcaption></figure><hr /></div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/19221" hreflang="en">Nanofabrication Facility</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/271" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/16836" hreflang="en">Science and Technology Campus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15126" hreflang="en">workforce</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/19491" hreflang="en">Tech Talent Investment Program</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/18541" hreflang="en">TTIP</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 17 May 2024 17:15:09 +0000 Martha Bushong 112226 at Building a new tool to tackle health disparities /news/2024-04/building-new-tool-tackle-health-disparities <span>Building a new tool to tackle health disparities</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/326" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Martha Bushong</span></span> <span>Tue, 04/02/2024 - 08:00</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/dlattanz" hreflang="und">David Lattanzi</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/kscafide" hreflang="und">Katherine Scafide, PhD, RN, FAAN</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/jwojtusi" hreflang="und">Janusz Wojtusiak, PhD</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="8f4240e0-7d19-4efb-995b-6feb0060612e"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/northern-virginia/gmu-gets-5m-for-creation-of-ai-fueled-anti-domestic-violence-app/3571731/"> <h4 class="cta__title">Watch the interview <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"> <div class="field field--name-field-cta-icon field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-font-awesome-icon field--type-fontawesome-icon field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div class="fontawesome-icons"> <div class="fontawesome-icon"> <i class="fas fa-video" data-fa-transform="" data-fa-mask="" style=""></i> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="47c94fd3-6b6f-407a-956a-fab6af2a4c79"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://bruise.gmu.edu/science/"> <h4 class="cta__title">Learn more about the research <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"> <div class="field field--name-field-cta-icon field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-font-awesome-icon field--type-fontawesome-icon field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div class="fontawesome-icons"> <div class="fontawesome-icon"> <i class="fas fa-desktop" data-fa-transform="" data-fa-mask="" style="--fa-primary-color: #000000; --fa-secondary-color: #000000;"></i> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span><span><span class="intro-text">When people ask AV Associate Professor David Lattanzi why a civil engineer is working in forensic nursing science, he can only say, ‘Why not?’ Lattanzi is a co-principal investigator on research to develop a tool that will help clinicians and others assess bruises on victims of violence, particularly those with darker skin tones.</span> </span></span></p> <p><span><span>This work, led by principal investigator Katherine Scafide, associate professor in the <a href="https://publichealth.gmu.edu/">College of Public Health</a>, recently received a $4.86 million gift from an anonymous donor which extends the findings of an earlier Department of Justice grant that began more than three years ago.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>The team’s multidisciplinary research combines Scafide’s work with alternate light source technology, co-PI Janusz Wojtusiak’s expertise in informatics, and Lattanzi’s knowledge of computer vision and deep learning to address challenges of identifying bruises and other injuries in victims of domestic violence. </span></span></p> <p><span><span>“When I started at Mason 10 years ago, I never imagined that my work could have a societal impact like this,” said Lattanzi. But Lattanzi has always been interested in finding innovative solutions to real-world problems. A structural engineer by training, he spent his early years as a bridge and tunnel inspector. After seeing too many close calls while working on inspection sites, he thought there must be a better way. So he began using drones and imaging to address the next generation of infrastructure-inspection technologies—and make bridge inspection less dangerous.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>Though drones aren’t part of this research, he and the team are using the image-based diagnostic techniques that began a decade ago. Now Lattanzi is enhancing these tools with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to examine human skin structures damaged by incidents of domestic violence.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>According to <a href="/news/2024-03/george-mason-university-receives-485-million-gift-increase-intimate-partner-violence" target="_blank">a statement from the university,</a> one in three women worldwide experience some form of violence. In the United States, more than 10 million women and men deal with interpersonal violence each year. These numbers tell only part of the story, because bruises are difficult to detect on darker skin tones, many victims miss out on getting the help they need.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>The tool these researchers will build needs a large enough database to identify  skin tones “accurately and equitably,” said Lattanzi. One of the important goals of the project, therefore, is to build a unique data repository that combines images of bruises and other injuries, with measurements, clinical and demographic information about the victim, and information inferred by artificial intelligence. Currently, the platform includes about 30,000 images of bruises collected using visible and alternative light sources. </span></span></p> <p><span><span>“Having a massive database leads to better outcomes and measurably better outcomes for those victims downstream in terms of their care and in terms of their outcomes in the criminal justice system,” Lattanzi said.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>The tool the Mason researchers are building could be an app on a smartphone that clinicians can use to assess the age of bruises. Lattanzi said they hope to have a prototype in a year, and possibly have the technology available for use in a couple of years. </span></span></p> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7221" hreflang="en">Healthcare Technology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7961" hreflang="en">Artificial Intellgence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3071" hreflang="en">College of Engineering and Computing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17226" hreflang="en">College of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/271" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 02 Apr 2024 12:00:33 +0000 Martha Bushong 111396 at Deborah Goodings to serve on White House task force of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) /news/2024-03/deborah-goodings-serve-white-house-task-force-national-infrastructure-advisory-council <span>Deborah Goodings to serve on White House task force of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC)</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/326" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Martha Bushong</span></span> <span>Tue, 03/05/2024 - 16:41</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/goodings" hreflang="und">Deborah Goodings</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span><span>Deborah Goodings, associate dean for graduate studies at the <a href="https://cec.gmu.edu" title="College of Engineering and Computing">College of Engineering and Computing,</a> has been appointed to a task force of the White House National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC). The NIAC has created the Expanding the Workforce for Critical Infrastructure subcommittee in recognition that a skilled workforce is essential to plan, design, build, operate, maintain, and repair the infrastructure that supports the basic functions of American society. The task force will provide recommendations to incentivize workers to enter this critical infrastructure field and to broaden access to training and educational opportunities.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>“Engineers and computer scientists are leaders in ensuring resilience and sustainability of existing infrastructure.  And they are central in creating a future that depends even more on innovative and secure systems with increased capacity.  Achieving the vision, however, depends on taking a holistic approach to the broader health of the ecosystem of our critical infrastructure workforce, said Goodings. </span></span></p> <figure class="quote"><span><span><span>“This workforce is as much about construction crews, infrastructure operators, and maintenance workers as it is about engineers and cybersecurity experts. </span>I am honored to join a group of such distinguished national leaders in workforce development serving America’s needs.”</span></span><span><span> </span></span></figure><p><span><span>Goodings’s leadership in engineering higher education and research spans four decades. During that time, she has been a department chair, chaired professor, and associate dean of engineering and computing at AV, a division director at the National Science Foundation, and a professor at the University of Maryland.  Her experience and expertise have led to her service to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Academies/National Research Council, and to institutional visiting and review committees both in the United States and Canada.  </span></span></p> <p><span><span>She has developed programs that enrich the classroom experience of engineers to expand their sense of citizenship and responsibility. These experiences often include emphasis on the non-technical skills that engineers must develop to be successful in their jobs and lives.  Her career accomplishments have been recognized with awards from the U.S. Department of the Army; the U.S. National Research Council; the U.S. Universities Council on Geotechnical Engineering Research; Professional Engineers Ontario; and the University of Maryland.</span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3926" hreflang="en">civil and infrastructure engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/206" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff News</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 05 Mar 2024 21:41:07 +0000 Martha Bushong 110981 at Mason, AWS partner on renewable energy lab and Sustainable Data Center Engineering concentration /news/2024-03/mason-aws-partner-renewable-energy-lab-and-sustainable-data-center-engineering <span>Mason, AWS partner on renewable energy lab and Sustainable Data Center Engineering concentration</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/326" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Martha Bushong</span></span> <span>Fri, 03/01/2024 - 14:00</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p>The significant demand for data centers and their impact on global energy requires new models for renewable and sustainable energy systems. Working with Amazon Web Services (AWS), AV will unveil a renewable energy lab within Fuse at Mason Square and launch a companion curriculum concentration in sustainable data center engineering this fall 2024.</p> <figure class="quote">“We are very appreciative of our continuing partnership with AWS,” Mason President Gregory Washington said. “Because of their support, we are providing our students and faculty with cutting-edge technology and tools that unite our researchers across many disciplines to further their knowledge about data centers. With this level of education and experience, our students are well-prepared to enter the tech workforce.”  </figure><p>“Investing in expanded laboratory experiences for students is critical,” Nicholas Lee-Romagnolo, program lead of workforce and economic development at AWS, said. “George Mason students from all disciplines will have access to real-world technologies and hands-on simulations. This type of immersive learning complements the breadth of new programs offered to students and helps ensure they have the opportunity to develop the skills needed to fill high-demand jobs across the region.” </p> <p>The new concentration in sustainable data center engineering will focus on renewable energy generation, storage, and distribution training and hands-on experience. The course builds upon the Data Center Engineering course launched last year that develops student expertise in data center infrastructure design, operations, efficiency, cooling, and decarbonization. </p> <figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2024-03/renewable_energy_photo_0.jpg" width="500" height="357" alt="Guests at Fuse Topping Out visit student demonstrations." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>President Gregory Washington (right) visits student demonstrations at Fuse Topping Out event. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding.</figcaption></figure><p>With advanced equipment and software tools funded by AWS, Mason’s new Renewable Energy Lab will allow students to explore, analyze, and simulate data related to renewable energy sources as well as the complex design and operation of microgrids. The lab will replicate real-world equipment such as power grids, wind power plants, and other renewable energy sources.  </p> <p>“AWS’s investment in the renewable energy lab provides another critical piece to Mason’s experiential ecosystem designed to prepare the next generation of engineers for roles that did not exist 10 years ago. Mason will now expand the number of students in our power engineering and data center engineering programs with hands-on skills development, which is essential to bridge between the classroom and industry practice,” said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement. </p> <p>The new lab will be based at Fuse at Mason Square and is part of a broad partnership with Amazon. This project also strengthens Mason’s participation in the Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP), a statewide program that aims to increase the number of undergraduate and graduate students completing degrees in the fields of computer science, applied computer science, computer engineering, and software engineering.</p> <p>Kamaljeet Sanghera, executive director for the Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA) adds, “Mason consistently delivers on its promise to foster collaboration across disciplines and industries not only to deliver the best student experience but also to advance critical solutions to the nation’s grandest challenges.” </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/ldurant2" hreflang="und">Liza Wilson Durant</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/president" hreflang="und">Gregory Washington</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/ksangher" hreflang="und">Kamaljeet Sanghera</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="8697c257-88fa-4f1c-9d55-383355e5a144"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://ece.gmu.edu"> <h4 class="cta__title">Learn About Electrical and Computer Engineering <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"> <div class="field field--name-field-cta-icon field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-font-awesome-icon field--type-fontawesome-icon field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div class="fontawesome-icons"> <div class="fontawesome-icon"> <i class="fas fa-desktop" data-fa-transform="" data-fa-mask="" style="--fa-primary-color: #000000; --fa-secondary-color: #000000;"></i> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </span> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/4541" hreflang="en">Electrical and Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/16766" hreflang="en">Fuse at Mason Square</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">Campus News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7171" hreflang="en">Tech Talent Investment Pipeline (TTIP)</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/18541" hreflang="en">TTIP</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/19491" hreflang="en">Tech Talent Investment Program</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17696" hreflang="en">Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/966" hreflang="en">Workforce Development</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 01 Mar 2024 19:00:41 +0000 Martha Bushong 110951 at Mason Competitive Cyber scores multiple wins at CyberForge 2024  /news/2024-02/mason-competitive-cyber-scores-multiple-wins-cyberforge-2024 <span>Mason Competitive Cyber scores multiple wins at CyberForge 2024 </span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/326" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Martha Bushong</span></span> <span>Wed, 02/14/2024 - 12:50</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/pcosta" hreflang="und">Paulo Costa</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">The AV team Mason Competitive Cyber scored first, second, and fourth place at the <a href="https://cyberforge.cvcsa-cyber.org/">Cyberforge 2024</a> competition held on February 11-12. During the two-day conference students heard from industry professionals and enhanced their cyberskills by competing in the Capture the Flag (CTF) competition. </span></p> <div class="align-right"> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-02/masoncc_2024.png?itok=5hJvzoJx" width="350" height="350" alt="group shot from event" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <p>“Winning a Virginia-wide competition is pretty good news by itself,” said <a href="https://volgenau.gmu.edu/academics/cyber-security-engineering-department">Cyber Security Engineering Department</a> Chair <a href="https://volgenau.gmu.edu/profiles/pcosta">Paulo Costa</a>. “CyberForge is especially important due to the quality of the teams, the level of effort every team and associated organizations/universities put into it, and the impact it has in the Virginia cybersecurity space."</p> <p>Costa consider this one of the two most important competitions in the area. The other is Virginia Military Institute’s Cyber Fusion event happening later this month on February 23-24.</p> <p>The Cyberforge event featured companies such as MITRE, CCI, G2OPS, HAK5, CompTIA, Virginia Cyber Range, WiCyS, TCM Security, and more. The Mason students competed against top collegiate teams and industry professionals from around Virginia. Students value competitions as these events allow them to meet talented students and industry professionals outside their home institution. </p> <p>The team won multiple different prizes, including but not limited to Canakit raspberry pi 5 kits, CompTIA vouchers, and HAK5 gift cards, but they are most proud of the winner’s plaque, which they hope to display in the department’s office. </p> <p>The event was hosted by the <a href="https://www.cvcsa-cyber.org/" target="_blank">Coastal Virginia Cybersecurity Student Association (CVCSA),</a> Coastal Virginia Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (COVA CCI), and a local college/university's cybersecurity club. </p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/3056" hreflang="en">Cybersecurity</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6886" hreflang="en">Department of Cyber Security Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/10431" hreflang="en">Mason Competitive Cyber</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/336" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7171" hreflang="en">Tech Talent Investment Pipeline (TTIP)</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/18541" hreflang="en">TTIP</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/19491" hreflang="en">Tech Talent Investment Program</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:50:37 +0000 Martha Bushong 110686 at Computer Science Department’s Professor Sanmay Das was named a distinguished member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)  /news/2024-02/computer-science-departments-professor-sanmay-das-was-named-distinguished-member <span>Computer Science Department’s Professor Sanmay Das was named a distinguished member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) </span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/326" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Martha Bushong</span></span> <span>Mon, 02/05/2024 - 14:35</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span><span><span>The Association for Computing Machinery has named Professor Sanmay Das a distinguished member. Das and the 51 additional inductees are longstanding ACM Members and were selected by their peers for work that has advanced computing, fostered innovation across various fields, and improved computer science education.   </span></span></span></p> <p>Das is chair of the ACM Special Interest Group on Artificial Intelligence, a member of the board of directors of the International Foundation for Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, and serves as an associate editor of the ACM Transactions on Economics and Computation and of the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research. He has served as the program co-chair of the AAMAS and AMMA conferences and area chair for AAAI and IJCAI, in addition to regularly serving as a senior program committee member of major conferences, including IJCAI, AAAI, EC, and AAMAS.  </p> <p>“Sanmay Das is an internationally esteemed scholar working on foundational problems in the use of machine learning for social good, and I am thrilled that he has been recognized with this prestigious and very well-deserved honor from the ACM,” said Computer Science Department Chair David Rosenblum. </p> <p lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US">The 2023 ACM distinguished members work at leading universities, corporations, and research institutions in Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This year’s class of distinguished members made advancements in areas including AI and economics, principles of data management, software development, human-computer interaction, developing technology for people with disabilities, mobile and wireless sensing systems, and many others.  </p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2186" hreflang="en">computer science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/19011" hreflang="en">CEC Faculty Awards</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/19006" hreflang="en">college</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/206" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff News</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:35:39 +0000 Martha Bushong 110526 at New College of Engineering and Computing professor Missy Cummings seeks to address challenges in artificial intelligence /news/2023-01/new-college-engineering-and-computing-professor-missy-cummings-seeks-address <span>New College of Engineering and Computing professor Missy Cummings seeks to address challenges in artificial intelligence</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/1011" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Tama Moni</span></span> <span>Tue, 01/03/2023 - 14:27</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">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. So, when the opportunity to develop a new interdisciplinary program in artificial intelligence (AI) at AV’s <a href="https://cec.gmu.edu/" title="College of Engineering and Computing">College of Engineering and Computing</a> emerged, she didn’t hesitate.  </span></p> <p>Cummings wants to increase the public and workforce's understanding of AI and its limits.</p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/medium/public/2023-01/M.Cummings-embed_700x1050.jpg?itok=A3b1GDQ4" width="373" height="560" alt="Missy Cummings wears a black shirt and has light-brown hair in her profile for the CEC at Mason" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Missy Cummings, Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services</figcaption></figure><p>For example, self-driving cars have proven to be much more difficult to launch safely than originally believed. Before coming to Mason, Cummings served as the senior safety advisor to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. She said that experience sparked her interest in a new program in the design and deployment of AI.  </p> <p>“I believe we have a national security crisis across the Department of Transportation, the Department of Defense, and many other government agencies,” Cummings said. “We have a genuine technical illiteracy problem. It's not that people can't understand AI. It's that people are just not being educated in how AI is constructed or in its limitations.”  </p> <p>Cummings encountered tech illiteracy problems earlier in her career while serving on the Defense Innovation Board. </p> <p>“I saw the problem then, and now that I've been in the Department of Transportation, it's doubly reinforced my concern about people's limited understanding of AI,” she said. </p> <p>Cummings wants industry and government employees to know how to ask the right questions about performance weaknesses and understand where to invest tax dollars.  </p> <p>She said she’s concerned the U.S. doesn’t have an effective workforce when it comes to understanding, managing, acquiring, evaluating, and testing AI. She wants people to learn about the right way for humans and AI to work together as well as to learn what is truly attainable and what is merely hype.  </p> <p>“I think traditional academia has a hard time accepting new areas, like a degree program in the design and deployment of AI. Older schools with more ingrained traditions struggle to embrace newer thinking,” she said. “I don't think Mason is like that. Dean Ken Ball and others at the College of Engineering and Computing as well as Mason’s president Gregory Washington have embraced these ideas.”  </p> <p>“Missy’s knowledge and experience surrounding AI are going to be a phenomenal asset to Mason,” Ball said. “Her ability to make connections between computer science, electrical, and mechanical engineering fields and leverage the strengths of each to improve our understanding of AI will be a game changer. We are thrilled she has decided to work with us.” </p> <p>Cummings is proposing a new degree program in AI that will target engineering students as well as those in policy, law, and public health. “To navigate the world of AI students also need softer skills in policy, and maybe even ethics,” Cummings said.</p> <figure class="quote">"I find that Mason is far more flexible and more open to new ideas than older more entrenched schools. At Mason, people are willing to come together from the different colleges and schools to solve real complex sociotechnical problems," she said. "There's not one societal problem we have today that belongs to a sole discipline."</figure><p>Her faculty appointment spans three departments—<a href="https://cs.gmu.edu/" title="Computer Science">Computer Science</a>, <a href="https://mechanical.gmu.edu/" title="Mechanical Engineering">Mechanical Engineering</a>, and <a href="https://ece.gmu.edu/" title="Electrical and Computer Engineering">Electrical and Computer Engineering</a>. She will also be the First American Bank Endowed Chair and Director of the Center for Robotics, Autonomous Systems, and Translational AI. Cummings' scholarly work will include opportunities to work with <a href="https://masonsquare.gmu.edu/innovate/fuse-mason-square" title="Fuse at Mason Square">Fuse at Mason Square</a> faculty and partners. Fuse will launch in 2024. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="95884c3c-243a-4b5c-ba3d-fcf6ec9ef655"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://masonsquare.gmu.edu/innovate/fuse-mason-square/?utm_medium=cpa&utm_source=oub-spirit-magazine&utm_campaign=sum23&utm_content=article"> <h4 class="cta__title">Learn more about Fuse at Mason Square <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="307f787f-35d5-414f-bfa5-ce02449060d3" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/cummings" hreflang="en">Missy Cummings</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="e4f21cc8-616d-49ef-b192-73451a767da2" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="72955a95-3f55-4b83-be30-2af24870b591" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocknews-list"> <h2>Related News</h2> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="view view-news view-id-news view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-3c0678b75a8c903ed4061865a9cd799f836b538ef502438bb9af9306d9691ea0"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="news-list-wrapper"> <ul class="news-list"><li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span 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2024</div></div></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/4656" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17381" hreflang="en">Engineering Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7216" hreflang="en">aeronautics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7831" hreflang="en">robotics and autonomous systems</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17026" hreflang="en">Aerospace</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">Campus News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15406" hreflang="en">Mason Square</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/18121" hreflang="en">Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/15216" hreflang="en">Mason Spirit</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/18176" hreflang="en">Spirit Summer 2023</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17511" hreflang="en">At Mason</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 03 Jan 2023 19:27:32 +0000 Tama Moni 103656 at