Shayla Brown

George Mason’s Center for Molecular Engineering receives $1 million in federal funding for a high-resolution mass spectrometer

sbrown79 — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:28:37 +0000

George Mason’s Center for Molecular Engineering receives $1 million in federal funding for a high-resolution mass spectrometer sbrown79 Mon, 06/29/2026 - 12:28

A new high-resolution mass spectrometer is coming to 91��’s Center for Molecular Engineering (CME) this fall, thanks to $1 million Community Project Funding.

Mikell Paige. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The federal funding was by sponsored by Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (10th District) and emphasizes George Mason’s place as one of only six Virginia universities with Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s R1 designation. 

The spectrometer, which will be housed at George Mason’s Science and Technology Campus, will be instrumental in expanding regional research capacity and workforce training. Curricula utilizing the spectrometer is currently in development.

“I want to thank Congressman Subramanyam and his staff for securing this federal funding. With the mass spectrometer, we can train students in data acquisition and analysis tools,” said Mikell Paige, director of CME and chair of George Mason’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Science. “Our center has also been working with local biotechs, government agencies, and other universities. Researchers in these partner facilities rely on us for data analysis, and George Mason students will be able to go into these local industries that require these skillsets after they graduate.”

Through the center, Paige has built a robust group of collaborators including institutions, such as Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Capital Biosciences, and Amerimmune, and universities, such as Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, Old Dominion University, Georgetown, and the Max Planck Institute in Munich, Germany.

George Mason's Center for Molecular Engineering team. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Paige has a background in synthetic chemistry and works in drug discovery, meaning he can synthesize novel, small molecules and design drug molecules as potential medicine. His work has centered on antibacterial and antiviral efforts, and areas such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary fibrosis—areas where small molecules are necessary for the research process. 

When Paige came to George Mason, he wanted to build a program where he could conduct and expand this research alongside his students. Their work on mass spectrometry prompted their need for the high-resolution component for small molecules. 

“We will also have a continuing education component where local industries could send their companies to come train with our faculty and students to learn how to do the data analysis on their own, as well as provide the core services where they can do a fee-for-service running of samples,” said Paige.

“This opportunity makes our center an amazing place for us all to meet other academics and collaborate.”

“There is tremendous research and discovery happening right here in our region,” said Subramanyam. “I can’t wait to see what the mass spectrometer will allow Professor Paige and George Mason students to accomplish as they work toward improving our understanding of medicine.”

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George Mason sociologists advance families’ economic mobility through Fairfax County pilot program

sbrown79 — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:45:39 +0000

George Mason sociologists advance families’ economic mobility through Fairfax County pilot program sbrown79 Mon, 06/29/2026 - 10:45

An innovative partnership between 91��, Fairfax County, and the United Way is shedding light on how guaranteed income can support working families facing economic hardship. 

Throughout the county’s 18-month Economic Mobility Pilot Program, George Mason researchers Amy Best and Eliz Storelli investigated how unrestricted cash payments, when combined with organizational resources from local and state government and community nonprofits, affect the financial mobility of the county’s asset-limited, income-constrained, employed (ALICE) population, which represent a third of Fairfax County residents, according to the United Way.

ALICE are essential workers—teachers, medical assistants, postal office staff, Lyft, Uber, and bus drivers—that drive the local economy but have wages that are too low to make ends meet living in the county. For the Fairfax County Economic Mobility Pilot, 180 households were randomly selected from a pool of 2,400 eligible applicants from across 10 zip codes in the county with greater economic vulnerability. This guaranteed income pilot is among more than 150 municipal unrestricted cash pilots across the United States since 2020.

Eliz Storelli (left) presenting the results of the pilot program. Photo provided.

“The county hopes to use the pilot intervention as an opportunity to engage in systems-level change, improve service delivery, support programming, and policy design to better promote economic mobility and prosperity among Fairfax residents," said Best, professor of sociology and director for George Mason’s Center for Social Science Research. 

After 20 months of data collection and analysis, the research team submitted four major reports to Fairfax County. They have presented research findings to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Human Services Council, as well as at the 2026 Eastern Sociological Society conference. 

The results were clear: Unrestricted cash payments had a profound stabilizing effect, and in some cases boosted financial mobility for participating ALICE families.

Nearly 42% of participants reported they improved their credit scores, and many used the funds to pay down debts, earn credentials, and move closer to degree completion and better job prospects. The pilot provided participants with the “gift of time” enabling pilot participants to strengthen connections with family and community.

Best and Storelli served as co-principal investigators on the pilot program, which reflects the Center for Social Science Research's strong commitment to community-partnered scholarship.

Funding was provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a legislative proposal introduced by the Biden-Harris administration in 2021, and the Human Services Innovation Fund. Each household received a guaranteed monthly income of $750 for the duration of the pilot, in addition to their regular earned income.

“This program differs from other kinds of policy interventions because the unrestricted cash was distributed with a trust and invest philosophy, which is a policy philosophy that assumes that people are the experts in their own lives,” Best said. These families know what they need, so we don’t have restrictions on how the money is spent.” 

The research team also worked closely with a community advisory board to ensure fidelity to the community and benefit from community expertise in research design, collection, and analysis.

That trust proved meaningful. Through three waves of surveys, three rounds of interviews, and 10 focus groups, the team documented both immediate economic relief, and broader changes in well-being and opportunity among the participants.

Emma Vetter Taylor. Photo provided.

For lead graduate researcher, Emma Vetter Taylor, PhD Sociology ’26, the human impact became clear after speaking with participants.

“During the interviews, parents told me about how they bought things like bunk beds and Christmas trees for the first time. It was really meaningful for them and their kids. As a sociologist, seeing their stress levels decrease from the first to the second interview and hearing about the positive impacts it had on their lives was really inspiring,” Taylor said.

“Being part of the mobility project was truly the highlight of my experience at George Mason,” she added. “It was invaluable learning from two really impressive researchers like Amy and Eliz, but then also having the opportunity to be able to conduct research myself.”

Fairfax County’s government works closely with community partners. Storelli, affiliate faculty at the center, Department of Sociology and Anthropology associate professor and undergraduate director, emphasized that these partnerships were essential because economic hardship does not exist in isolation, but is shaped by systems, structures, and long-standing inequalities.

“We have to look at what holds these financial problems in place,” Storelli said. “The government has made investments in people in the past and they can do it again in a way that is more inclusive so that everybody can take advantage of these community resources.”

For Best, Storelli, and their student team, the pilot shows that when local government and its community partners invest in people, the results can extend far beyond finances, building greater community trust, connection, and belonging. They can improve stability, reduce stress, strengthen well-being, and help families prepare for a healthier, more secure future.

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George Mason research initiative examines subversive campaigns and prepares students for communication careers in new areas

sbrown79 — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:06:03 +0000

George Mason research initiative examines subversive campaigns and prepares students for communication careers in new areas sbrown79 Tue, 06/23/2026 - 10:06

As debates over digital propaganda, misinformation, and media manipulation intensify, audiences are increasingly unsure what’s fact and what’s fiction across news outlets and social media feeds. At 91��, Sergei Samoilenko, associate professor in the Department of Communication,is working to better understand how digital disruption and manipulation practices shape public perception.

In 2016, Samoilenko, MA Communication '06, PhD Communication ’20, co-founded the Lab for Character Assassination and Reputation Protection (CARP), where he studies reputational attacks on individuals and organizations, and strategies to counter them. Samoilenko works alongside CARP co-founder Eric Shiraev, an adjunct faculty member at the Schar School of Policy and Government.

Samoilenko (bottom center) with his team, including CARP co-founder Eric Shiraev (right). Photo provided.

Through CARP, Samoilenko recently launched the Subversive Strategic Communication Research Initiative, examining how new era subversive campaigns disrupt conversations, hijack brands, and damage reputations through malicious actors ranging from trolls to angry activist groups that use boycotts, cancellation campaigns, and deepfakes to target brands and corporate executives.

The team is currently focusing on corporate subversive practices. The takeover of corporate identities is often intertwined with the hot-button issues present in public discourse that can be amplified by various agents of chaos and turned into social conflict situations. 

“We call them subversive because they aim to disrupt communication between brands and their stakeholders while subverting the original meaning, ideas, or identity of organizations,” Samoilenko said. “With new technologies emerging every day, artificial intelligence-generated deceptions and deepfakes are being created and spread at an alarming rate.”

By calling public attention to emerging malicious practices, the researchers hope this initiative will expose and combat these tactics—work that aligns with George Mason’s broader commitment to strengthening peace, trust, and engagement in democracy, one of the six solutions in the university's Grand Challenge Initiative. 

The center’s research is a collaborative effort, but when it comes to understanding how online culture evolves, Samoilenko said students often have an advantage. “Students are leading the discussions because they’re digital natives. When it comes to platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, they’re more knowledgeable about subversive humor—memes, trends, scandals, and general news—and they see a lot of things that faculty don’t,” he said. “My job is to teach them how to synthesize that information and explain it from a theoretical standpoint.”

Valentina Fala. Photo provided.

One of CARP’s defining strengths is the student-centered approach. This model helped shape the careers of students and recent graduates. 

Alumna Valentina Fala, BA Communication ’25, transferred to George Mason from Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) through the ADVANCE Program. Initially a CARP videography intern, Fala became a full-time media manager and intern supervisor. She credits that experience and Samoilenko’s mentorship with helping her secure her current role as communications coordinator at Spirit of America. 

“There's so much disinformation, and it’s important to be able to distinguish false narratives from the truth,” Fala said. “It’s one of the biggest challenges to democracy right now, and it’s essential to counter that with the truth.”

Fala helped organize CARP’s fifth international conference at Mason Square, featuring Michael LaRosa, former press secretary for former first lady Jill Biden.

“It was really impactful hearing his perspective and experiences on what he had to go through and manage with the media, and how women often face more character assassination attempts against their image,” Fala said.

Deirdre Prigge. Photo provided.

Deirdre Prigge, BA Communication ’23, MA ’24, also transferred from NOVA through ADVANCE and said she’s fascinated by the darker side of communication. 

“Deception is not just immoral communication, but it’s often used to achieve a certain goal,” Prigge said. “To understand how we're being persuaded, we must understand the ideological conflicts that our society is currently experiencing and how that gray area of communication works.”

Prigge, host of the CARP Radio podcast, credits George Mason’s Summer Podcast and Radio Camp with Rodger Smith for preparing her for this role. 

“That's where I learned to edit audio in Audacity. Without Dr. Smith’s guidance, I wouldn’t have been nearly as knowledgeable when it comes to executing this podcast to spread the center’s work,” Prigge said.

After earning two degrees through George Mason’s Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s Program, Prigge became an adjunct faculty member and CARP research affiliate. “I think a lot of people would like a very simple and easy flowchart of how they should respond in a moment of crisis,” she said. “Unfortunately, there is almost never one clear answer, but I believe that above all, authenticity is one of the most important values in communication.”

The center’s work continues to gain an international audience. CARP’s sixth conference, “Character Assassination in the Era of Permanent Crisis,” is scheduled for May 2027 at University of Piraeus in Greece.

This initiative supports strengthening peace, trust, and engagement in democracy solution of George Mason's Grand Challenge Initiative

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From George Mason to Capitol Hill: How environmental policy training shaped one graduate’s path

sbrown79 — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:49:45 +0000

From George Mason to Capitol Hill: How environmental policy training shaped one graduate’s path sbrown79 Fri, 05/29/2026 - 13:49

During her final semester at 91��, Sophia Colby put her environmental policy training into action.

Colby traveled to Capitol Hill as part of the Rachel Carson Council's National Environmental Advocacy Day, where she met with federal lawmakers to discuss climate legislation and community resilience. For Colby, BA Environmental and Sustainability Studies '26, the experience was a direct extension of the analytical and communication skills she developed at George Mason.

"When I first came to George Mason, I was interested in studying law, but I decided to concentrate specifically on environmental law and policy," Colby said. "My coursework helped me understand how policy decisions affect both ecosystems and communities, and that gave me the confidence to speak about real legislation with lawmakers."

Sophia Colby on Capitol Hill. Photo provided.

From case studies to Congress

Colby credits courses such as EVPP 361 Introduction to Environmental Policy, EVPP 362 Intermediate Environmental Policy, and EVPP 432 Energy Policy with preparing her to evaluate and discuss complex legislation. Through case-study assignments and applied policy analysis, she examined existing laws, identified gaps, and proposed solutions to environmental challenges.

"My professors showed us how to examine real legislation and policy initiatives related to climate change and other environmental topics," Colby said. "The case study format made me much more comfortable articulating what policy changes are needed and explaining both the human and environmental stakes involved."

On Capitol Hill, she discussed the Opportunities in Organic Act, the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act, and concerns about the wood pellet industry with Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC).

"It was a great [opportunity] to discuss how issues like pesticides, wood pelletization, and deforestation impact human health as well as the environment," Colby said.

Building experience beyond the classroom

Colby's preparation also included hands-on research. During an internship with the U.S. Geological Survey, she analyzed species range shifts, conducted literature reviews, and navigated scientific databases to support climate research.

"At USGS, I learned how to conduct scientific research that can be used to inform the policy decisions that shape our responses to environmental change," she said.

The interdisciplinary structure of George Mason's Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program, jointly offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Science, emphasizes cross-sector collaboration—an approach Colby said mirrors the real-world complexity of environmental work.

Colby also presented her research at the 2026 Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, held in Chicago in April.

Sophia Colby with her mentor Younsung Kim. Photo provided.

Her faculty research mentor Younsung Kim, professor of environmental science and policy, talked about the skills Colby acquired during her time at George Mason. "[These skills] will help her become an environmental advocate who does not create conflicts, but instead brings peaceful and constructive resolutions to them," she said. "I believe she will be a strong force for environmental policy and sustainability, as well as a future leader in the field."

Colby, who was in the Honors College, said she found community during her time at George Mason through Alpha Kappa Chi, a fraternity focused on professional development and environmental stewardship, where she connected with peers committed to sustainability and advocacy.

Preparing for what's next

The Rachel Carson Council's Advocacy Day included policy briefings, advocacy workshops, and direct engagement with members of Congress. For Colby, the experience reinforced that the tools she developed at George Mason translate directly into public impact.

"Communication is a big part of advocacy and climate resilience," she said.

Colby hopes to pursue a career focused on how environmental policies disproportionately affect marginalized communities. "Getting involved in this kind of work is powerful and eye-opening," she said. "Knowing how environmental policy impacts communities really motivates people."

For Colby, meeting with lawmakers was more than a culminating moment of her senior year—it was a preview of how her George Mason education has prepared her to contribute to building a future in which communities are better prepared to face environmental change.

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Building a strong foundation one course at a time

sbrown79 — Fri, 15 May 2026 17:26:49 +0000

Building a strong foundation one course at a time sbrown79 Fri, 05/15/2026 - 13:26

As one of the key focal points of 91��’s Grand Challenge Initiative, building a climate-resilient society requires not just innovation in sustainable infrastructure, but innovation in how the university prepares future leaders in sustainability.

Assistant professor Xijin “Emma” Zhang recently launched CEIE 499/619 Innovations in Civil Engineering Materials, a first-of-its-kind special topics course in George Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing that aims to give students—undergraduate and graduate alike from any degree program — a strong foundation in the emerging technologies that are reshaping the future of civil engineering.

Emma Zhang presents to her students. Photo by Shayla Brown/Office of University Branding.

The course was developed after Zhang submitted a proposal to the Institute for a Sustainable Earth’s Creating Impactful Research Connections Through Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) program. Following panel review, the proposal was selected for development, an outcome that underscores George Mason’s emphasis on translating research into real-world solutions.

“My hope is that the course helps students understand how climate issues impact material properties and how we can improve material properties [when designing] future infrastructure,” said Zhang.

In the course, students study the fundamental physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of major construction materials, including aggregates, steel, concrete, asphalt, and wood. This course also introduces students to analytical techniques for assessing material performance and explores how advancements in civil engineering materials are influencing modern design, construction, and sustainability practices.

“I noticed that there was an opportunity to further expand students’ exposure to civil engineering materials within the CEIE program, and I really wanted to help students become more familiar with this topic,” Zhang said. “While developing this course, I spoke with government agencies and community partners that specialize in sustainability design in the Northern Virginia area and beyond to better understand the skills and knowledge communities and industries are seeking from future professionals in terms of sustainable infrastructure techniques and materials.”

One of Zhang's students presents his work. Photo by Shayla Brown/Office of University Branding.

Those conversations also highlight another defining strength of George Mason: its close connections to government, industry, and regional partners. Zhang engaged with organizations including Northern Virginia Regional Commission, Federal Highway Administration’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Virginia Department of Transportation. 

 Discovery interviews with these partners helped shape the course around real-world priorities such as safety, cost efficiency, and sustainability maintenance. In turn, students’ semester projects focus on analyzing the life-cycle of construction materials, encouraging them to think critically about how engineering decisions affect both infrastructure performance and environmental outcomes.

In preparing the course, Zhang also worked with George Mason’s University Sustainability to learn more about sustainable materials and practices already being implemented across campuses.

“I ask students to think about how materials are produced. For example, we need to consider their manufacturing process and the amount of carbon emissions associated with it,” Zhang said. “Also, I encourage students to think about what happens at the end of the materials’ life cycle, how can we recycle or re-utilize it for another project?”

Zhang said she hopes students will carry this mindset into their future careers in the civil engineering industry.

Senior civil engineering major Andres Lozano already sees how the course connects classroom learning to real-world impact Lozano hopes to enter the civil engineering field, specializing in structural and water resources engineering.

“I see this class as an opportunity to learn about innovations in materials and to contribute to the industry with new applications that are not yet widely used in current practice,” Lozano said. “There is still a gap between research and field implementation, but in Professor Zhang’s class, we’re working toward filling that gap by analyzing the performance and sustainability of current material applications and exploring potential improvements for future practice.”

Lozano, a Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s student, also works as a research assistant in George Mason’s Flood Hazards Research Lab revising projects for real-world clients from jurisdictions such as Fairfax County, Arlington County, the City of Petersburg, the City of Emporia, and the Town of Jarratt in Virginia.

Zhang and her students in the Engineering Building. Photo by Shayla Brown/Office of University Branding.

“The bridge infrastructure in Virginia and throughout the country is facing challenges related to aging, durability and rehabilitation,” Lozano said. “I see myself contributing to the development of rehabilitation strategies, that strengthen infrastructure resilience and protect the communities that depend on it. This course’s focus on materials and construction methodologies is such a good fit for me, and I now feel more prepared to take on these challenges in a professional setting.”

Through courses like Innovations in Civil Engineering Materials, George Mason is equipping students with the technical expertise, collaborative mindset, and community-connected experience needed to lead in a rapidly changing world. In doing so, the university continues to advance its mission of producing knowledge that matters—and solutions that strengthen communities locally and globally.

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From Cambodia to Carter School: Avery Butler builds a future in peacebuilding at George Mason

sbrown79 — Tue, 12 May 2026 17:56:30 +0000

From Cambodia to Carter School: Avery Butler builds a future in peacebuilding at George Mason sbrown79 Tue, 05/12/2026 - 13:56

When 91�� senior Avery Butler was 16 years old, his family traveled to Cambodia to visit the Killing Fields, the massacre sites associated with the country’s brutal Khmer Rouge era. The experience would change Butler’s perspective on life and inspire him to pursue a professional career in peacebuilding.

“I walked in and came face-to-face with a giant wall of human skulls,” said Butler, who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution in May. “It was such a jarring moment, and I asked myself how human beings could do this to one another and how we could prevent something like this from happening again.”

At George Mason, Butler found a place where he could turn those questions into action and has taken advantage of experiential learning opportunities that extend well beyond the classroom. 

Butler’s work at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution highlights George Mason’s emphasis on career-connected learning and real-world impact. Through hands-on learning, global experiences, and leadership opportunities, he has built an academic and professional path centered on dialogue, empathy, and impact. 

As part of the Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s Program, Butler plans to continue his education at George Mason this fall.

Avery Butler. Photo provided.

During his time at George Mason, Butler had an internship with the university’s Dialogue Across Differences initiative where he coordinated multiple workshops, including an all-women’s discussion and a session with international students. 

“It was a fantastic experience because by the time it was done, I really felt like I understood what it takes to be a facilitator for discussions on important life topics,” said Butler.

“I was able to strengthen the skills that are central to my work: listening across differences and creating space for multiple perspectives.”

Through a Peacebuilding Fellowship, Butler also works for the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation (MHCR), a nonprofit associated with the Carter School. After previously serving as a research and administrative officer, he now works as the center’s communications manager.

“The center does such amazing work supporting both peacebuilding and mental health,” said Butler. “We’re working with psychosocial support practitioners from all around the world and our main focus is East Africa right now.”

In that role, Butler has planned multiple events for Carter School’s Political Leadership Academy, including the inaugural Global Insider Reconciliation Summit held last year at George Mason’s Point of View Retreat Center in Lorton, Virginia.

Butler said working with Carter School PhD student and MHCR insider reconciler research lead Nick Sherwood was instrumental in helping him understand the role of insider reconciler. “I’ve learned from my time working with him  that an insider reconciler is someone who is connected to one or more stakeholders or groups of stakeholders in a conflict and is actively attempting to facilitate reconciliation processes within those communities.”

He described the concept this way: If a fight breaks out between two teams at a football game, a team captain who steps in to calm tensions and encourage resolution is doing more than stopping the conflict in the moment—they’re helping preserve relationships and rebuild trust.

“So long as you have a personal stake in one or more of the communities and understand them at an identity level, anyone can be an insider reconciler, from village elders to civil servants,” Butler said.

Butler’s commitment to cross-cultural understanding also led him abroad. Through the Global Education Office’s Global Gateway program, Butler studied in Madrid, Spain, for a semester.

He later served as a peer advisor for the program working with professor Leslie Durham, undergraduate academic advisor and program coordinator in the Carter School, to help other students navigate the experience.

“I have witnessed Avery jump in, lend a hand, and be a servant leader, not only as a peer advisor, but as a Carter School Ambassador,” said Durham, who had Butler as a teaching assistant in the Global Gateway Spain course. “Avery is empathetic, with a deep sense of cultural humility, and he has a great way of allowing people with varying perspectives have a voice.”

She added, “Avery is the kind of person who isn't afraid to reflect and do the hard work for personal and professional growth. His good nature and positive stance on life have and will serve him well.”

Butler said he enjoys reflecting on his time in the program so far and looks forward to finding out what more it has to offer.

“I have a lot of love for the Carter program,” Butler said. “It's rare to find such a program in any university where it's built upon values of mutual understanding and compassion, and I’m so proud of the important work that we will continue to do.”

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George Mason secures grant to expand high school cybersecurity internships in Northern Virginia

sbrown79 — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:57:14 +0000

George Mason secures grant to expand high school cybersecurity internships in Northern Virginia sbrown79 Thu, 04/09/2026 - 16:57

91��’s Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) Northern Virginia (NoVa) Node recently received a $150,793 grant from the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority for “CCI Scholars—High School Experiential Learning Program FY26,” a seven-week high school summer internship program for rising seniors and recent graduates of Northern Virginia public high schools.

The program provides hands-on experiential learning opportunities for high school students with local STEM and cybersecurity industry partners, addressing workforce gaps in the commonwealth.

“Given the gap between the number of cybersecurity-related job openings and the number of skilled graduates, creating opportunities for younger learners to spark that interest is critical,” said Liza Wilson Durant, director of the CCI Northern Virginia Node and associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement at George Mason.

CCI 2025 at CGI Bootcamp. Photo provided.

CCI is partnering with the Children’s Science Center Lab and STEM programs, operated by the Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The organization delivers STEM education at its Fairfax-based museum facility and to schools and community venues across the region and will support program administration for the CCI Scholars program.

“We are proud to collaborate with 91�� in growing the next generation of cybersecurity talent through the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Internship Program,” said Nene Spivy, Chief Executive Officer at the Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation. “Together we provide students with practical workplace skills and direct exposure to industry and careers that are critical to our nation’s future.”

“The Children’s Science Center is exemplary and has been running high school internship programs for many years. The center understands the challenges younger learners face and provides support to help overcome obstacles,” Wilson Durant said.

The program also acts as a pathway opportunity for the students who get to meet George Mason faculty and learn about the different community engagement opportunities that the university presents.

Students are selected through a competitive process that includes written responses, recommendation letters, transcripts, and in-person interviews conducted by industry professionals and Children’s Science Center staff. Selected students are matched with host organizations such as CGI Federal, ManTech, Leidos, and Chainbridge Solutions.

CCI 2025 at CGI Bootcamp. Photo provided.

Before starting their internships, students complete a professional skills bootcamp covering workplace etiquette, time management, teamwork, communication, and public speaking.

Once students are placed, they engage in cybersecurity-focused projects, that include addressing emerging cyber threats related to AI agents and digital twins, investigating cybersecurity incidents in the context of satellites, and expanding the technical capabilities of a host company’s product.

“We don't get a lot of hands-on experience in high school cybersecurity classes, so the opportunity of experiencing a professional workplace environment really intrigued me,” said Sridevi Annamalai, a sophomore cybersecurity student.

For her internship, Annamalai was placed with CGI Federal, a global consulting company for technology and business.

“I was assigned to make a presentation on cybersecurity basics for their nonprofit partners as well as conduct tests for different cybersecurity products,” said Annamalai, who is from Prince William County.

“There was a new product on the market, which they were considering, so I was able to help them compare the products and decide which one the company would invest in,” she said.

Annamalai credits her experience with the CCI Program for helping to prepare her for the courses in George Mason’s cybersecurity program.

“I've grown a lot more confident in myself, and my presentation skills have really improved a lot because of this internship,” said Annamalai.

Experiences such Annamalai’s prepare students for future careers both through technical and professional skills-building, as well as exposing them to the breadth of career opportunities they may not have known existed, said Wilson Durant.

Since its launch in 2021, the program has served 175 students. CCI and the Children’s Science Center are now reconnecting with alumni to track career outcomes and gather feedback.

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Special topics courses help students bridge science and communications

sbrown79 — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:39:20 +0000

Special topics courses help students bridge science and communications sbrown79 Thu, 04/09/2026 - 16:39

After taking notice of the growing distrust between the scientific community and the general public, 91�� adjunct professor Jennifer Lewis decided to take action by creating two special topics courses in George Mason’s Environmental Science and Policy Department (ESP)—EVPP 490 Conservation Storytelling and EVPP 490/505 Media Production for Environmental Science and Policy—that teach students how to communicate with the public about science in a way that is captivating, interesting, and easy to understand. All emphasizing the use of story, which is the preferred method to communicate for humans.

Jenn Lewis and her students in Nepal. Photo provided.

Emerging scientists enrolled in these undergraduate/graduate classes to learn how to be better communicators with the public, putting information in context for them so they can be more informed, interested, and take appropriate action.

“Communication skills aren’t traditionally taught in scientific fields, so these courses definitely give students an advantage,” said Lewis, an adjunct professor. “Audiences need to be able to understand the information you’re trying to convey, so I teach my students how to simplify complex ideas so that anybody can understand them.”

Jenn Lewis and her students in Nepal. Photo provided.

Aligned with the Global Education Office, EVPP 490 is cross listed with EVPP, FAVS, and COMM, and is open to students of all majors. The course takes students to Nepal over winter break, giving George Mason students the opportunity to learn directly about global conservation issues, and how to share these stories with the public using visual media. Film topics from past classes include climate impacts in the Himalayas, human–wildlife conflict with growing tiger populations, and the use of endangered elephants as work animals.

U.S. Army veteran Ryan Franks is a senior environmental science major who took both special topics courses with Lewis. While in Nepal, he tested the water quality of the Bagmati River in the heart of Katmandu and created social media and YouTube content about his findings for one of his projects. The river is notorious for its pollution due to the lack of municipal solid waste infrastructure and clean water regulations in the city.

“People who live there rely on this water source, so it was great to be able to address this important issue with cleanup efforts,” said Franks, who is also a certified permaculture designer and master gardener who runs a small homestead garden where he grows his own produce.

Jenn Lewis and her students in Nepal. Photo provided.

“You can inform people that this river has 10 times the acceptable levels of mercury and phthalates, but then to show a picture or video of the river with literal trash floating across the surface and an oily sheen on the water will allow people to absorb that information differently,” said Franks. “Being able to take the skills that [Dr. Lewis] was teaching us, adding that visual element to it, and turning technical research into something that the general public could not only use, but would be genuinely interested in, was really cool.”

Ryan McIntire, MA Environmental Science and Policy ’25, took the media production course in fall 2024. The course implements multiple methods of storytelling, including podcasts, films, editorials, social media, and speaking engagements. 

“I really enjoyed Jen's approach to the course because scientists are expected to be very dry and factual with our communication, so it was nice to be a little more creative. I'd never done that in an academic setting before,” said McIntire, who was a teaching assistant for two years in the ESP Department.

Rachel Kelmartin, BS Biology ’16, is graduating with a masters in ESP with a concentration in Aquatic Ecology in May 2026. Kelmartin’s video projects incorporated her research on recreational fishing catch and release mortality statistics of striped bass.

“A really great way to spread awareness about this issue is social media. It has severely changed how we consume news; people need something bite-sized and easy to comprehend while hitting all the high points, but with these different platforms we can be sure to feature visual media to bridge that gap,” said Kelmartin, a part-time lab technician and Graduate Research Assistant in George Mason’s Freshwater Ecology Laboratory. 

Kelmartin also credits Lewis with showing her how to adjust posting news and research updates on social media when there are shifts in the algorithms.

Jenn Lewis and her students in Nepal. Photo provided.

Many of the projects in Lewis’s courses have lasting impact including the fall 2023 film “Black Peaks” about the climate change impact in Nepal, which was shown at the International Mountain Film Festival and at COP27 in Egypt.  

EVPP 490/505 Media Production for Environmental Science and Policy is offered this coming fall. EVPP 490 Conservation Storytelling will be open for applications this summer. Learn more.

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College of Science

Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP)

Global Education Office

innovative classes

Students

study abroad

George Mason partnership amplifies HBCU history and culture

sbrown79 — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:09:52 +0000

George Mason partnership amplifies HBCU history and culture sbrown79 Thu, 04/09/2026 - 16:09

91�� is equipping a new generation of archivists, scholars, and museum professionals with hands‑on digital preservation skills as part of a national effort to make hidden artifacts of Black history accessible to the public.

Since 2021, George Mason has been working on a first-of-its-kind initiative with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and a number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country to archive collections of century-old letters, photographs and other artifacts that document the Black experience. 

Deepthi Murali (second from right) and team outside the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Photo provided.

The HBCU History and Culture Access Consortium project brings together museum professionals, librarians, archivists, and higher education faculty to digitize, describe, and interpret materials. 

Initially, it was George Mason’s technology expertise that brought the university into the project. Under the leadership of then-executive director Mills Kelly, George Mason’s Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media (RRCHNM) helped develop and became a leading resource for users of the Omega S software, the primary software used to manage the project’s digital archival work.  

George Mason’s role was to train faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and student interns at partner institutions in digital history methodologies and metadata analysis software such as Omega S. However, as the project evolved, the university took on a broader role overseeing operations and project management.   

“We train them in broader public history writing, presenting digital public history to audiences, HTML coding, as well as how to work with AI coding,” said Deepthi Muralli, assistant professor in the Department of History and Art History and principal investigator for the project. 

Murali began her involvement as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of History and Art History.  

“The digitization itself comes from the Smithsonian,” she added. “Once the materials are digitized, we step in and teach [researchers] how to do digital archival metadata work—essentially how to interpret these materials for the public.” 

Joanna Söderberg. Photo provided.

Joanna Söderberg is a digital library project coordinator at Fisk University who is completing George Mason’s graduate certificate in digital public humanities. Her work on the project fulfills the certificate’s internship requirement. 

“Digitization is not something that many HBCUs have had access to previously, so George Mason’s program has not only helped me, it's also helped my students and peers,” said Söderberg. “I could not have taken on the responsibilities of this internship without the information and knowledge that I've gain from the program; I wish I could spend more time with it.”

Söderberg says her favorite part of the project is discovering and working with materials from the Black Panther Party. “It’s so exciting for me to see old stuff from America good and bad because it's so vastly different from where I come from,” said Söderberg, who is from Sweden.

“When you share something like this project with the community, they will reach out and engage with us as well,” she said. “Sometimes through their family history or life experiences, they will have relevant materials that they weren’t even aware of until viewing our digital archives. Finding ways to implement and integrate the community's narrative is a really important next step.”

Student intern Annabelle Spencer, MA History ’24, is a second-year PhD student in George Mason’s Department of History and Arts History and worked on the project while completing her master’s degree. Spencer credits her coursework with preparing her for the internship. 

“It was so interesting to work in a space that I had simultaneously been learning about,” Spencer said. “My coursework was basically smaller versions of this project—it combined all the nuts and bolts of archiving, collecting, and allowed me to practice analyzing and organizing metadata and thinking about design.” 

Annabelle Spencer. Photo by Benjamin Little.

“Getting to teach these storytelling skills to people from other higher education institutions is amazing,” she added. “It's a big part of what it means to be a public historian.” 

Participating HBCUs include Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University, and Tuskegee University. 

“These institutions have some remarkable objects and text-based materials that have never been seen or digitized,” said Murali, who is an affiliate faculty member at the RRCHNM. “We hope to bring them to the public and make the rich collections of these HBCUs visible to the world.” 

Also on the team are Timmia J. King, a graduate research assistant, and Amber Phelman, a graduate teaching assistant and PhD student in George Mason's Department of History and Art History, whose contributions were instrumental to the project's operational success.

King, a fifth year PhD candidate in George Mason’s Department of History and Art History, has worked on a variety of tasks including creating and conducting trainings with other interns and GRAs, and doing project management tasks.

“I created an instructional design module which involves reviewing all the project documentation, its processes, methodology and all our experiences and the knowledge we have gained working on the to create a plan to approach working on the project in future cycles,” King said. “The goal is to make the project more sustainable and not dependent on any one institution to oversee it.”

King emphasized the importance of recognizing the different skill sets that contribute to the project.

“We wanted some form of collaboration on every aspect of the metadata creation process. The HBCUs have much to contribute to this process, as they are the experts and bring valuable institutional and subject matter expertise on metadata creation and on their collections,” King said.

The project will be featured in a travel museum and on an official website. It will also be displayed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture until summer of 2026.

Learn more about the College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Explore the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

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College of Humanities and Social Science

Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Department of History and Art History

collaboration

Research

Smithsonian

Inside George Mason’s first VR art classroom, students build new worlds

sbrown79 — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 17:38:20 +0000

Inside George Mason’s first VR art classroom, students build new worlds sbrown79 Wed, 03/18/2026 - 13:38

When students step into AVT 496 Intro to VR for the Artist, they're not just walking into another studio course—they're entering entirely new worlds of their own making. 91��'s School of Art launched the course this spring, marking its first-ever deep dive into virtual reality (VR) as an artistic medium.

AVT 496 student presents their virtual reality world. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding.

Taught by John von Bergen, assistant professor of sculpture and expanded fields, the class meets inside the Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX) and previously held workshops in the visualization and virtual reality lab in Research Hall. For many students, it's their first time creating art in a fully immersive digital space.

Von Bergen designed the course to give artists hands-on experience with emerging tools shaping the future of digital art. His students primarily use Open Brush, a VR painting program that lets them draw, sculpt, and animate in 3D space using a wide range of virtual brushes.

"I imagine that there will be way more job opportunities for students who have the diverse skillset that relates to new media and potentially digital art fabrication," von Bergen said. "Exploring these tools in class helps students see what's possible."

There are 16 students in the course, which builds on the work students completed in his fall Aesthetics class, AVT 307. Five students from AVT 307 volunteered to create a pilot VR project titled "The Real Reality," now displayed in video form on the Digital Wall at Fuse at Mason Square.

Digital Wall at Fuse at Mason Square. Photo by Shayla Brown/Office of University Branding.

The project showcases the students' first experiments with Open Brush—floating landscapes, glowing brushstrokes, and imaginative environments that stretch beyond the limits of traditional studio materials.

For sophomore art and visual technology major Ash Porrata, the course has been transformative. "This course experience has not only made me a better artist, but a better team member," she said. "It was really a group effort making something of this scale. We had to communicate constantly and work with Fuse faculty to keep everything on track."

Porrata, who hopes to become an animation director, said the VR tools opened up new creative possibilities. "Having access to the virtual world and virtual art is really inspiring. Getting to explore another side of visual art will be so helpful in the job market."

Junior transfer student Mason Caporuscio came into the course with no VR experience at all. By the end of the semester, he had built an entire virtual kitchen scene—complete with a fruit basket, a loaf of bread, a bar stool, and a wine glass.

"We each built our own world on the headsets, and the video just rotates through them, kind of like musical chairs," he said. "There was so much variety."

Mason Caporuscio presents his virtual reality world. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding.

Other students created fantasy forests, amusement park inspired spaces, and surreal environments that could only exist in VR.

Behind the scenes, the course has been supported by several George Mason partners. The Department of Computer Science provided much of the equipment, with faculty member Craig Yu offering guidance. MIX makerspace manager Max Kazemzadeh helped the class set up its own VR lab inside the MIX. Additional funding came from the School of Art, the Research and Teaching Support Fund, and the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research. The course will be offered again in Spring 2027.

"There are a lot of technical aspects that aren't typical for a sculpture class," von Bergen said. "Building good relationships with other colleges has been instrumental."

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