doctoral students

PhD student’s research on COVID-19 transmission leads to discovery of a major model gap

Colleen Rich — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 20:52:40 +0000

PhD student’s research on COVID-19 transmission leads to discovery of a major model gap Colleen Rich Fri, 08/09/2024 - 16:52

Scientists have long studied the spread of diseases, but the emergence of COVID-19 and its profound impact on society have underscored the critical need to understand where and how diseases spread. As ��AV doctoral student Jericho McLeod reviewed literature on disease transmission as part of his work toward a PhD in computational science and informatics, he and George Mason professor Eduardo López noticed a gap in the models and now seek to correct it.

From left, PhD student and George Mason alum Jericho McLeod with Professor Eduardo López in front of their research poster at the International Pandemic Sciences Conference at Oxford University. Photo provided

In trying to understand why disease transmissions were worse in some areas over others, McLeod and López dove into COVID-19 data looking specifically at extended family ties—meaning family members beyond the nuclear family of parents and children, such as cousins, aunts, uncles, or grandparents.

“According to research on social networks in the United States, individuals during crises like COVID-19, contract their social circles yet become more active with them,” said McLeod. “During lockdown, you saw your friends less, but may have still delivered groceries to your grandmother regularly.”

Studies by McLeod, López, and George Mason PhD student Unchitta Kan previously confirmed that people migrated closer to family more frequently after the pandemic began and that availability of extended family plays a primary factor in influencing face-to-face interaction, laying the groundwork for this research. Now, McLeod and López wanted to know if these extended family ties played a role in the spread of COVID-19.

With the help of Kan and doctoral students Bryan Adams, Valentin Vergara Hidd, and Mailun (Alan) Zhang, they aimed to confirm that these networks mattered enough to warrant future research and updates to disease modeling.

The team gathered obituaries in the Unites States between 2020 to 2022 to examine familial relationships with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data on deaths by geography, age, and gender. They found that during COVID-19, there were more instances of multiple family members dying within short periods (e.g., 60 days) compared to 2018 and 2019, where such cases were less common. This rise in deaths aligns with CDC data on excess deaths but is more noticeable between different waves of the pandemic. So, should these relationships be considered in models demonstrating the spread of disease? McLeod says yes.

In July, McLeod presented his research at the International Pandemic Sciences Conference at Oxford University and was awarded best poster presentation in the epidemiology, data and analytics category.

“I am very proud of our work, and it has been collaborative in every way,” said López, who is an associate professor of computational data sciences. “Jericho has a strong ability to work through the data engineering portion of a problem, but also has the intuition necessary to make this research happen. We were optimistic that we would see the effects that we did, and now we have this great opportunity to study something that people have just completely overlooked.”

McLeod earned a degree in accounting from the University of South Alabama before attending George Mason to earn an MBA. In one of his business courses at the Costello College of Business taught by Pallab Sanyal, professor of information systems and operations management, McLeod was introduced to data analytics and machine learning—and found it fascinating. He went on complete a graduate certificate in data analytics at George Mason before deciding to pursue a PhD.

“Attending the [Oxford] conference was so energizing,” McLeod said. “It brought together a collection of top minds, and Dr. López knew the right people to introduce me to, which led to additional conversations, ideation, and thoughts on future directions for this research.”

George Mason’s Graduate Student Travel Fund, offered by the Office of the Provost, supported McLeod’s trip to the Oxford-based conference.

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George Mason scientists explore adhesives to advance preservation of historical texts

Colleen Rich — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 18:49:44 +0000

George Mason scientists explore adhesives to advance preservation of historical texts Colleen Rich Thu, 07/11/2024 - 14:49

What does science have to do with the conservation of historical texts? Everything.

Doctoral student Rocío Prisby. Photo provided

Rocío Prisby, a biosciences doctoral student at ��AV, led the first comprehensive analysis of proteins found within wheat starch-based and flour-based pastes used in historic texts.

This study produced a working database for historians to cross-reference for their own samples that will ultimately result in greater understanding of the evolution of adhesives, while also providing a starting point to determine the best conservation practices for bookbinding and paper conservation.

Each sample tells a story—someone in the 1500s mixing flour, water, and milk in a large bowl to create a paste that binds paper; another in the 1600s hoping to improve their glue’s viscosity with a dash of egg. But each story is different, and the uncertainty in these mixtures reinforces the need for a central database to aid in historical research.

“We still don’t know when in human history people stopped mixing flour and water and shifted to starches,” said Prisby, who also has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from George Mason. “So, you can’t make any assumptions for what a book’s glue makeup might be.”

Prisby worked alongside George Mason researchers Alessandra Luchini and Lance Liotta of the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, as well as Caroline Solazzo from the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute. Their study, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, involved extracting wheat proteins from three small leather cover samples obtained from the National Library of Medicine.

Photo by Getty Images

Their methodology sought to establish a protocol capable of identifying wheat proteins, along with collagen and other proteins commonly found in leather and adhesives. The results were then compared to a database containing collagen proteins from various sources like cattle, sheep, goats, and chicken eggs, as well as wheat proteins from common wheat.

Analysis of historical samples indicates a shift away from using whole wheat for glue production towards the use of starch-based glues. This transition has led to a noticeable decrease in protein content, as the starch extraction process significantly reduces the protein levels in the final product.

Consequently, samples containing starch-based glue exhibit considerably lower protein concentrations compared to those containing traditional wheat-based glue. Environmental conditions and extraction techniques also influence protein composition. Prisby said understanding the chemical changes in wheat-based adhesives is crucial for conservation and restoration practices, particularly in comprehending the degradation of samples over time.

The study’s researchers suggest that further investigation into wheat pastes and other plant-based adhesives should consider a diverse array of factors, including preparation methods, additives, aging processes, and the extensive variety and composition of the raw materials used.

A native of Argentina, Prisby (formerly Cornero) began her chemistry studies at a local university before moving to the United States. She continued her studies at Northern Virginia Community College and was in the first ADVANCE cohort to transfer to George Mason.

Prisby began researching proteins as an undergraduate in the College of Science’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP). In that early research, she studied the proteins in honey to monitor the health of the local environment while also seeking to identify a biomarker that might detect and diagnose diseases in honey bees.

It was through that project that Prisby met Luchini and became interested in her lab’s work in proteomics.

“Dr. Luchini is a great mentor. She dedicates so much time to her students,” said Prisby. “It doesn’t matter what knowledge or experience level you’re at, she meets you where you are.”

When Prisby graduated from George Mason with her undergraduate degree in chemistry, it was Luchini who encouraged her to pursue a PhD in Biosciences.

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Neuroscience PhD student pens novel rooted in Middle Eastern mythology

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

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

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

Rania Hanna. Photo provided

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

Can you tell us a little about your author journey?

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

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

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

What inspired the book?

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

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

How did you come to attend George Mason?

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

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

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

Do you think you will write another?

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

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Schar School Alum Bilal Wahab Named President of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 16 May 2024 14:10:28 +0000

Schar School Alum Bilal Wahab Named President of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani Andrew J Schappert Thu, 05/16/2024 - 10:10

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Louise I. Shelley

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Bilal Wahab, PhD ’15: ‘I am equally honored and humbled.’ Photo provided.

Bilal Wahab, a 2015 graduate of ��AV’s Schar School of Policy and Government’s PhD program, has been named the president of the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS). The not-for-profit university, founded in 2007, is among the top-ranked private universities in the Kurdistan region.

Wahab takes the reins of the 1,400-student campus from AUIS president Bruce Walker Ferguson, who announced his departure in July. The school teaches primarily in English and focuses on liberal arts, critical thinking, and leadership skills in graduate and undergraduate studies.

“I am equally honored and humbled,” Wahab said of the AUIS board of trustees’ unanimous vote for his appointment. As a AUIS faculty member from 2012 to 2016, Wahab taught courses on the petroleum industry, public policy, and international politics and founded the school’s Center for the Development of Natural Resources. His Schar School dissertation focused on oil federalism in Iraq.

Wahab came to George Mason as a doctoral student from American University when University Professor Louise Shelley moved her Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) to the Schar School from American University.

Shelley has nothing but the highest praise for her former student, who was among the first Iraqis awarded a Fulbright scholarship.

“When he came to the U.S. to study at American, he was the number one choice of the Fulbright selection committee out of the many thousands of applicants,” she said. “I always knew he would be a president but the question for me was, ‘of what?’

“He is so articulate in English and so poised and showed such leadership. He has been such a good analyst of Middle East politics and has such great fluency in so many different languages—Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish.

“Going back to the American University of Iraq is so characteristic of Bilal,” she added. “He wants to give back and help students grow.”

As for his experience at George Mason, where he was a research assistant from 2008 to 2012 at TraCCC, “It is my sincere and heartfelt thanks for the unwavering support extended to me by the Schar School and the many scholars I studied under,” he said. “It has been a journey, but here I am, embarking on a new personal and professional chapter.”

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Mason doctoral student aims for the stars through a passion for math

Colleen Rich — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 20:15:03 +0000

Mason doctoral student aims for the stars through a passion for math Colleen Rich Thu, 03/07/2024 - 15:15

Some people’s interest in space exploration begins in elementary school, while others grow a fascination through sci-fi television shows or movies. For Sky Ratcliffe, a ��AV student in the second year of their PhD in mathematics, it was a personal connection through their great uncle, a former NASA engineer who worked on Apollo 11, 12, and 16.

Mason PhD student Sky Ratcliffe. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“My interest in NASA started at a young age and began with a sense of being enamored by space, more specifically pictures of it, as that appealed to my artistic side,” Ratcliffe said. “My mom gave me a big binder of original photos of some of the rockets and moon landing pictures, [which belonged to my great uncle]. It felt so special to own original copies of those pictures you come across online when searching ‘the moon landing.’"

Originally from a small town in upstate New York, Ratcliffe, who identifies as nonbinary, has a strong affinity for the stars from being able to see them so clearly back home.

“I have a unique experience [because] I grew up off the grid. My house was powered through solar and wind power, and we had a generator. It wasn't easy to deal with as a child,” they said. “This inspired me to get out of the house and go to college right away knowing I wouldn’t be faced with limitations on electricity usage.”

While initially dreaming of becoming a chemist when they started their undergraduate studies at St. Lawrence University, Ratcliffe eventually realized their interest in chemistry was specifically due to the mathematics behind chemical processes.

“I have ADHD so all the memorization in chemistry was difficult for me, while math was just more appealing because it wasn't about having a good memory—it was about learning to understand,” Ratcliffe said. “I realized that if you learn to understand rather than learn to memorize, it becomes much easier and much more interesting.”

Applying to graduate school during the peak of COVID-19 was an overwhelming experience for Ratcliffe. Coming from a low-income family, they were thrilled to receive an email from Mason stating that McNair Scholars, a first-generation college student program for individuals interested in higher sciences that Ratcliffe took part in during their undergraduate studies, are eligible to apply for a PhD program at no cost.

“I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy my time at Mason until I got here,” they said. "There is a strong support system in the Mathematical Sciences Department. We all want to see each other succeed, and I can see myself working with and being friends with these peers long into my career.”

Focused on pursuing the mathematics side of chemistry, Ratcliffe’s interests landed on differential equations and dynamical systems, a type of math seen in engineering.

“’Applied math' can be referred to as math that pertains to our world directly such as math used in architecture or population models or, more topically, tracking the spread of diseases such as COVID-19,” said Ratcliffe. “This is opposed to theoretical math, which is simply math that hasn’t been applied to our world (yet), and one day it may.”

Still new in their PhD journey, Ratcliffe has not conducted any official research. Matt Holzer, associate professor for the Department of Mathematical Sciences who began working with Ratcliffe this semester, said he is impressed by their independence and work ethic. “They have been taking the lead in the readings that we have been doing and are doing a fantastic job.”

In search of a scholarship geared toward first-generation students in need of financial aid, Ratcliffe applied to the Graduate Inclusion and Access (GIA) Scholarship program at Mason and was accepted in 2022. “The scholarship allows me to not only progress more quickly in my program, but provides me the opportunity to be here and continue doing what I enjoy most: mathematics,” Ratcliffe said.

“Sky’s background as a McNair Scholar has helped them quickly contribute toward building inclusive communities of peer support, both within Mathematics PhD program and the GIA cohort,” said Senior Associate Provost for Graduate Education Laurence Bray. “They are the kind of scholar who is going to make a positive impact in this world and for whom the GIA scholarship is intended.

Ratcliffe said they feel content knowing other GIA scholars with whom they can connect and said they are thankful for the many resources available on campus to help them with any questions or concerns throughout the PhD journey.

“It’s good to know there are other first-generation students around since I feel like we sort of had to navigate a lot of applying to and attending college on our own,” they said.

Ratcliffe plans on a career that will have a positive impact on the environment and hopes to work in an industry that is dedicated to healing and sustaining the Earth. Their childhood environment plays a significant impact in Ratcliffe’s deep care for the environment, which they hope to continue throughout their life.

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Mason doctoral student named Virginia Teacher of the Year

Colleen Rich — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:33:29 +0000

Mason doctoral student named Virginia Teacher of the Year Colleen Rich Thu, 06/01/2023 - 12:33

��AV doctoral student Jeffery W. Keller is the 2024 Virginia Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made by Governor Glenn Youngkin during a livestreamed event held on May 18, 2023, in Richmond, Virginia.

Jeffery Keller. Photo provided

Keller, who is also a Mason alum with a master’s degree in history, is a history teacher at John Handley High School in Winchester, Virginia, and is currently pursuing his PhD in education with a primary specialization in teaching and teacher education at Mason.

Upon being named recipient of this prestigious award, Keller stated, “It’s exciting. It’s validation for hard work and long hours...I am thankful for my students too, it’s really for them. They’re what it’s all about.”

“Jeffery encourages each of his students to set high goals and creates pathways for them to achieve excellence,” said Lisa Coons, Virginia superintendent of public instruction. “I am looking forward to visiting Handley High and watching him in action. Jeffery and our other regional teachers of the year are going to be outstanding ambassadors for the commonwealth’s teachers and public schools.”

Keller was one of eight individuals chosen to represent their respective school districts as the 2024 regional teacher of the year. Following an interview with each of the commonwealth’s eight regional winners, a Virginia Department of Education selection committee named Keller as the winner of the commonwealth award.

Keller will now be representing Virginia on the national stage as nominee for 2024 National Teacher of the Year. The winner of the national competition will be announced next spring during a ceremony to be held at the White House.

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Mason doctoral students compete in annual Three-Minute Thesis competition

Colleen Rich — Thu, 11 May 2023 19:29:15 +0000

Mason doctoral students compete in annual Three-Minute Thesis competition Colleen Rich Thu, 05/11/2023 - 15:29

On March 31, 2023, ��AV was home to the seventh annual Mason Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference and Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition, hosted by the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA), Graduate Student Life, and the Graduate Division.

From left, Three-Minute Thesis winners Patricia Sinclair, Steven Zhou, Amy Rose, and Doreen Peters. Photo provided

The conference showcased scholarly, research, and creative works from Mason graduate students across disciplines through posters, oral presentations, and creative, visual, and performing arts.

The opening panel “Globalized Society, Complex Issues: The Role of Interdisciplinary Research” set the theme for the daylong conference by discussing the critical role of interdisciplinary research in a globalized society and how to better engage interdisciplinary research due to the need for collaboration in an ever-shrinking world. Eight oral presentation sessions and one poster session followed, with a total of 65 Mason’s graduate students presenting their research.

“Becoming aware and understanding how your research might impact other disciplines is a unique opportunity,” said Emily Crawford, MPP candidate and vice president of Mason Square for GAPSA. “Mason Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference provides students with the chance to share outside their discipline and cultivate networks far beyond the classroom.”

The day culminated in the 3MT® Competition finals, where 10 PhD candidates from the Carter School of Peace and Conflict Resolution, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the College of Science competed. This year’s winners are:

First Place: Steven Zhou (CHSS): “Measuring Profiles and Patterns of Leadership Behavior”
Second Place: Amy Rose (COS): “Hyperspectral Signature Development for Aircraft-Induced Clouds from Aerial and Ground-Based Sensors”
Third Place: Doreen Peters (COS): “Using Dragonfly Exuviae as a No-Kill Approach to Monitor Mercury along the Freshwater Potomac River”
People’s Choice: Patricia Sinclair (COS), “Energy and Aging: The Estrogen Connection”

“The 3MT competition is an amazing opportunity to hone a unique and valuable skill: translating your research to a general audience in an engaging and informative format,” Zhou said. “I've found that the challenge of condensing a thesis into three minutes tested my understanding of the topic in a unique way that prepares me for bringing research into the public sphere.”

Continuing into its eighth year of competition, Mason’s 3MT joins nearly 1,000 other universities from more than 80 countries; the competition originated at Australia’s University of Queensland in 2008.

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Statistics student wins COVES Fellowship

Rena Malai — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 16:29:52 +0000

Statistics student wins COVES Fellowship Rena Malai Mon, 04/17/2023 - 12:29

It will be an exciting summer for ��AV PhD student Zhenyi Huang.

As a Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science (COVES) Fellowship winner, he’ll begin to embark on his career path in May as he helps to foster relationships between the engineering and science community, and the Virginia state government.

“I think this will be a very valuable experience for me, and a great opportunity,” said Huang, who is studying statistics.

The 12-week program offers Huang a stipend of around $14,000 and aims to strengthen ties between the scientific community and state government in the Commonwealth of Virginia, while encouraging and equipping more scientists and engineers to be effective advisors for public policy in the state of Virginia.

Huang was inspired by last year’s COVES winner who he shared some things in common with – basketball and being of Chinese descent. As he developed the connection, Huang asked his new friend questions about the fellowship process, which he said helped him with the application.

“I asked him a lot of questions about requirements, what kind of material I should prepare, what the application process is like. I learned a lot from him about all the points I needed to take care of,” said Huang.

With encouragement from his academic advisors, Huang decided to apply.

“I never thought to make the connection between science and engineering and politics. It’s a unique opportunity and will be a strong point on my resume,” he said.

Huang said he was drawn to studying statistics at George Mason because of the strong faculty and programs offered. His advice to future COVES Fellowship potential applicants is to collect any information online and ask as many questions as possible. It’s a method that helped him tremendously.

“Never be afraid to ask questions!” he said.

To return the favor, Huang is happy to answer questions for anyone interested in the fellowship. He can be reached at zhuang6@gmu.edu

The COVES Fellowship is offered through the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine to graduate students and postdoctorals. Selected participants are placed in legislative, executive agency, or policy offices within a Virginia company or nonprofit.

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Mason researchers imagine improved imaging for health diagnostics

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 12:41:27 +0000

Mason researchers imagine improved imaging for health diagnostics Nathan Kahl Tue, 04/11/2023 - 08:41

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Remi Veneziano

Parag Chitnis

Peering into the body past skin and tissue to detect problems, spot disease, and make proper diagnoses challenges medical professionals, even with recent leaps in the technology. Ultrasound, for example, while reliable, may add or omit information, cannot see through bones, is not adapted for deep structures, and might show things to be of a size and shape—or in a location—that is not accurate.

Bioengineering professor Remi Veneziano and Shrishti Singh in the lab. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

��AV College of Engineering and Computing bioengineering team members, including recent Mason PhD Shrishti Singh, Assistant Professor Remi Veneziano, and Associate Professor Parag Chitnis, are clearing things up with advancements in what’s known as near-infrared photoacoustic imaging (NIR-PAI).

This technique combines the advantages of optical and ultrasound imaging to provide high-resolution anatomical and functional information about tissues. They are tackling the biggest hindrance to NIR-PAI—the limited availability of contrast agents—by using a novel contrast agent platform to improve imaging capabilities. It will result in improvements in everything from deep-tissue tumor imaging, lymph node imaging, and biopsies.

“This technology might give patients better diagnostics for colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and more, and can improve their prognosis,” said Singh, who also has a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut and an engineering degree from Ramaiah Institute of Technology in Bangalore, India.

The Mason team is making inroads with this important element of health diagnosis and treatment, and with funding from the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) Commonwealth Commercialization Fund, they are seeking to launch a startup to commercialize their developments.

The VIPC award totaled $75,000 and will largely be used to develop the technology further with Singh now working as a postdoctoral fellow. Along with Veneziano—her advisor—and Chitnis, Singh hopes to launch a company based on this technology.

In 2022 the three researchers participated in the Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP), which assists Virginia-based tech-focused start-ups to get off the ground by teaching them to interview potential customers, get an understanding of the marketplace, and validate their business model.

The nonprofit operations arm of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA), VIPC is the commercialization and seed stage economic development driver in the commonwealth that leads funding, infrastructure, and policy initiatives to support Virginia's innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, and market development strategies. VIPC collaborates with local, regional, state, and federal partners to support the expansion and diversification of Virginia’s economy.

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Mason researchers connect with community members to develop an app for individuals recovering from opioid use disorder

Shayla Brown — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 18:39:08 +0000

Mason researchers connect with community members to develop an app for individuals recovering from opioid use disorder Shayla Brown Thu, 03/30/2023 - 14:39

In This Story

Holly Matto, PhD, LCSW-C

Siddhartha Sikdar

Screenshots of the app iCONNECT by Rebecca Leung, Dylan Scarton, Jonathan Mbuya, and Srinath Silla. Photos provided.

��AV graduate student Rebecca Leung is part of a team finding ways to use smart technology in order to help those who are struggling with or recovering from substance use disorder (SUD).

“I have always wanted to use smart technology to help different populations,” said Leung, who is working on her master of social work degree.

Leung is teaming up with other Mason researchers to develop an app called iCONNECT, which is intended to help peer support specialists, individuals in recovery from SUD, and their families connect with the specific resources needed to sustain recovery.

Leung was a 2021-22 fellow in Mason’s National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) program, which is training the next generation of leaders to take on some of the most challenging problems faced by society today. The program, led by Mason researcher Siddhartha Sikdar, is a part of the Center for Adaptive Systems of Brain-Body Interactions (CASBBI) program.

During the fellowship, Leung teamed with Dylan Scarton, a third-year PhD student in neuroscience, and Jonathan Mbuya, a PhD student in computer science. The team calls themselves the Good Troublers, and they are mentored by Mason researcher Holly Matto, as a core CASBBI faculty member and mentor in the NRT program, who studies addiction and recovery.

Matto, who was working on her own app to help with mental disease, told Leung about the program and recommended that she apply for it. “I saw an opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team to solve a social problem that I was keen on solving,” said Leung. After interviewing with CASBBI faculty Leung was chosen to be part of the cohort. “Fortunately, I met Dylan and Jonathan – who were also motivated to help with the opioid epidemic,” said Leung.

Screenshots of the app iCONNECT by Rebecca Leung, Dylan Scarton, Jonathan Mbuya, and Srinath Silla. Photos provided.

“The app will have immediate local impact on the ways in which peer support specialists, individuals in recovery from substance use, and their families are able to connect with the specific resources needed to sustain recovery,” said Matto.

“If someone needs transportation to get to appointments or they need to find a methadone clinic or inpatient places, we put all the local resources together in the app,” said Leung. “It turns out it's very hard to Google, and even when you go to [the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration] to look for resources, you don't know if they're available or if the address or hours are updated.”

“The three of us have been personally affected by the opioid epidemic in different ways, and we're motivated to try to address that crisis in some form or fashion,” said Scarton. “We're designing the app with accessible user interface considerations, to minimize the number of clicks and present the information very clearly, for anyone not familiar with this domain like a caregiver, family member, concerned friend.”

Working with the nonprofit The Chris Atwood Foundation, the team spoke with multiple peer recovery specialists, individuals who have history with either mental health or substance use issues. These certified peer recovery specialists consult and guide individuals who are struggling with those issues, as well as their family members.

CAF is a nonprofit organization that provides free harm reduction, and recovery support services and resources. Daniel Adams, a certified peer recovery specialist at CAF, is working alongside the Mason research team as they develop iCONNECT.

“Through The Chris Atwood Foundation we realized that a big need of theirs is connecting individuals in recovery with necessary resources,” said Scarton. “That’s why we're currently developing a smartphone application to address that need.”

“People caught up in substance use and trying to recover have limited information about the resources available to them,” said Adams. “As a peer recovery specialist, you always have resources at your fingertips.”

The team has provided the first Android version of the app to community partners for testing. The peer recovery specialists will continue to test out iCONNECT once it is coded to the Apple platform, before being released to a limited number of users in the county for further feedback.

CAF is in the process of developing a peer drop-in center near Mason’s Fairfax Campus for community members to use. Mason’s Student Support and Advocacy Center also provides resources for individuals dealing with substance use issues on and off campus such as recovery and support meetings.

“It's been a blessing to partner with ��AV,” said Adams. “This app is a tremendous idea and something that I can pass on to the individuals I help and teach them how to be self-reliant in a positive way.”