Computer Engineering / en George Mason students fly into first place with no GPS, no grade, and (almost) no problems /news/2026-05/george-mason-students-fly-first-place-no-gps-no-grade-and-almost-no-problems <span>George Mason students fly into first place with no GPS, no grade, and (almost) no problems </span> <span><span>tdonnel</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-04T14:53:10-04:00" title="Monday, May 4, 2026 - 14:53">Mon, 05/04/2026 - 14:53</time> </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="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun intro-text" lang="EN-US">Driven by passion, persistence, and what they call “the love of the game,” a group of 91 students affiliated with the </span><a href="https://marc.gmu.edu/"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun intro-text" lang="EN-US">Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center </span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun intro-text" lang="EN-US">(MARC) claimed first place at the 2026 Raytheon Autonomous Vehicle Competition at Eagle</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun CommentStart intro-text" lang="EN-US">Bank Arena on April 24, 2026.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0 intro-text">&nbsp;</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/default/files/styles/medium/public/2026-05/260422838.jpg?itok=g7ziC4YJ" width="560" height="420" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <figcaption>Meah Chambers and Gagan Manjunatha at the competition. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Office of University Branding</figcaption> </figure> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">The competition </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun CommentStart" lang="EN-US">challenged</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"> student teams to design and deploy autonomous aerial and ground vehicle systems capable of executing a series of increasingly complex missions. Unlike prior outdoor iterations, the 2026 competition eliminated access to GPS, forcing teams to rely on advanced onboard sensing and visual navigation techniques to orient themselves in space. EagleBank Arena has been hosting national robotics competitions since 2023 with support from an Office of Naval Research grant to transform the venue into a robotics experimentation and sporting </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">venue.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun CommentStart" lang="EN-US">George Mason’s </span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW53354428 BCX0" href="https://gmu.autonomousrobotics.club/" target="_blank"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">autonomous robotics team</span></a><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"> rose to the challenge. Over the course of the competition, their system </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun CommentStart" lang="EN-US">successfully completed all three mission </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">objectives, earning the top overall score and securing first place. The win capped months of late nights and creative problem-</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">solving by</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"> a team that was not competing for a grade, credit, or formal requirement, but purely out of enthusiasm for robotics.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">“This isn’t even an official club yet,” said computer science major Gagan Manjunatha. “We’re here for the love of the game.”&nbsp;</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">For many teams at the competition, participation counts as a senior design project. George Mason’s team, however, had no such structure. “A lot of teams do use this as their senior design project, but the nice thing about us not doing it is that we have people that can come back year after year,” said team lead Meah Chambers, a junior majoring in electrical engineering.&nbsp;</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></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/default/files/styles/medium/public/2026-05/260430607.jpg?itok=ZWQ6hAyF" width="560" height="374" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <figcaption>Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding</figcaption> </figure> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">“I like the hands-on experience,” she said. This was Chambers’ third robotics team competition, each of which she found rewarding. “It’s like I’ve done three mini senior designs. I like the design team experience, working on a team for an end goal.”</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">The technical demands of the competition were steep. Challenge one required a drone to autonomously take off from a moving ground vehicle and land back on it. The second challenge layered on autonomous search and detection, requiring the drone to identify a visual tag, communicate its location, and guide the ground vehicle to the target. </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun CommentStart" lang="EN-US">A third challenge added obstacle detection and avoidance for both aerial and ground systems.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">To meet those demands, the team divided into drone and ground </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">sub</span><span class="NoBreakHyphenBlob BlobObject DragDrop SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW53354428 BCX0">‑</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">teams</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">, with students specializing in software, hardware, mechanical design, and systems integration. Majors across electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer science were represented. </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">Visual</span><span class="NoBreakHyphenBlob BlobObject DragDrop SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW53354428 BCX0">‑</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">inertial</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"> simultaneous localization and mapping (VSLAM) replaced GPS, allowing the drone to understand its position using cameras and onboard sensors.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">“We were given the challenges in September and two semesters to plan and work on our system,” said electrical engineering major Emma </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">Misevschi</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">. Without senior design funding or course integration, students </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">volunteered</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"> their time over the academic year to design, build, test, and refine their system. “Everything just happened to come together this week,” she said.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"></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/default/files/styles/medium/public/2026-05/260422843.jpg?itok=o5DexL8J" width="560" height="420" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <figcaption>Some members of George Mason's 2026 Raytheon Autonomous Vehicle Competition team. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Creative Services/91.&nbsp;</figcaption> </figure> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">Funding constraints added another layer of difficulty. While funding for system components were provided by competition sponsor Raytheon, the money arrived late in the academic year, forcing the team to borrow equipment, lean on shared research lab resources, and compress months of testing into intense overnight sessions.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"></span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">Despite many team members having stayed up testing into the wee hours of the night before the competition, spirits were high at the end of the first day of the two-day competition. Chambers joked, “Two hours is like a nice nap instead of sleeping for the night.”&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">Computer engineering major and ground team lead Logan </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">Teyema</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"> added the (understandably tired) motto of hustle culture, “Water is life, food is fuel, and sleep is a crutch.”</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"></span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">In the end, their teamwork paid off. When the judges arrived, George Mason’s system performed cleanly and consistently, earning top marks across the challenges and finishing first overall.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">The full team includes Luis Anchundia, James Daniel, </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">Konraad</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"> Ludwig, Hassan Youssef, Emma </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">Misevschi</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">, Thomas Fletcher, Christopher Romero-</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">Klevisha</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">, Toan Do, Meah Chambers, Gagan Manjunatha, Connor Roberts, William Maynard, Logan </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">Teyema</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">, Ellie Kwon, Rico Rodriguez, Nick Kasa, and Yousif Alani. Faculty advisors include Cameron Nowzari, </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">Xuesu</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"> Xiao, and </span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed" lang="EN-US">Ningshi</span><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"> Yao.</span><span class="EOP SCXW53354428 BCX0">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"></span></p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">Are you interested in joining the team? Learn more on </span><a class="Hyperlink SCXW53354428 BCX0" href="https://gmu.autonomousrobotics.club/" target="_blank"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US">the team’s website</span></a> and watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIVQBmexkuU">a video about their experiences</a>.</p> <p class="Paragraph SCXW53354428 BCX0"><span class="TextRun SCXW53354428 BCX0 NormalTextRun" lang="EN-US"></span></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="187b574b-a77e-4b52-805c-003f3644d671"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://marc.gmu.edu/"> <p class="cta__title">Learn about MARC <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </p> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="fa21c9d4-3736-4fee-ac2a-aa6438790de4" class="block block-layout-builder 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visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <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/15806" hreflang="en">competitions</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/4696" hreflang="en">Electrical Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2406" hreflang="en">Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2186" hreflang="en">computer science</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/16401" hreflang="en">robotics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/18121" hreflang="en">Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> </div> </div> Mon, 04 May 2026 18:53:10 +0000 tdonnel 345810 at PhD student knows how to (neural) network  /news/2024-10/phd-student-knows-how-neural-network <span>PhD student knows how to (neural) network&nbsp;</span> <span><span>tdonnel</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-10-15T14:54:28-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - 14:54">Tue, 10/15/2024 - 14:54</time> </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">Electrical and computer engineering PhD student Shay Snyder is not only “a very capable student,” as his 91 advisor </span><a href="/profiles/mparsa"><span class="intro-text">Maryam Parsa</span></a><span class="intro-text"> said, but he is also a tenacious networker. Passionate for his subject and tireless in his pursuit of research opportunities, Snyder joined George Mason's </span><a href="https://ece.gmu.edu/"><span class="intro-text">Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering</span></a><span class="intro-text">&nbsp;(ECE) and assisted in securing at least two years of funding for a project in Parsa’s lab.</span></p> <p>Parsa’s research focuses on neuromorphic, or "brain-inspired," computing across various levels of the computing stack. The question is "how can neuroscience and biology help us redesign computers to be more capable, energy-efficient, and robust?" said Parsa, who is an assistant professor in ECE.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Although Snyder began his PhD in January 2023, he had been part of the Mason Nation for the prior year, working as an undergraduate research assistant for Parsa as he finished up a bachelor’s degree at East Tennessee State University.&nbsp;</p> <p>Snyder was an effective networker even as a teenager. He attended a two-week summer camp at Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a junior in high school and was eager to return.&nbsp;&nbsp;</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/default/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-10/shay_snyder_0.png?itok=fADUMdnB" width="350" height="350" alt="Shay Snyder" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <figcaption>Shay Snyder. Photo provided by Maryam Parsa.&nbsp;</figcaption> </figure> <p>“I found out that they have an internship program for high schoolers, so my entire senior year of high school, I emailed and emailed, saying like, ‘Hey, I like this about your work, and I want to work with you," Snyder said.</p> <p>He recalled, “I sent so many emails, I got two e-mail accounts blocked because they thought I was spamming them, but luckily I heard back … so a week after I graduated from high school, I got to go to work at Oak Ridge for a summer, and that kind of started everything.”</p> <p>He added, “It was a miracle.”&nbsp;</p> <p>The internship was an eye-opening experience for Snyder. “Where I grew up in East Tennessee was much more remote," he said. "There are not a lot of technology jobs, and coming from my high school, I think over 50% of the kids were below the poverty line. So getting to see that was a whole new world for me, and I was determined that I wanted to continue doing work like they do at Oak Ridge.”&nbsp;</p> <p>After that initial internship, Snyder continued reaching out to scientists he had met or learned about at Oak Ridge. He attended Lunch and Learn events for undergraduate students, at one of which he met Catherine Schuman, who introduced Snyder to the concept of neuromorphic computing.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I was super inspired,” he said. He followed up with Schuman and was offered a yearlong position at Oak Ridge doing autonomous vehicle research for General Motors. He took his undergraduate classes part-time and worked remotely to leverage this opportunity.&nbsp;</p> <p>Snyder first encountered Parsa when she gave a presentation at the International Conference on Neuromorphic Systems. She was then a post-doc also working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with Schuman. Snyder contacted her, and the two stayed in touch. After joining George Mason, Parsa hired Snyder remotely as an undergraduate research assistant while he finished his undergraduate degree. Meanwhile, Snyder also started a part-time internship at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.)</p> <p>“[Snyder] was still an undergraduate, and he worked on an area that was completely different from his background,” said Parsa. “The project was on neuromorphic computing, but it involved learning multiple new areas including Bayesian learning and Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINN). He quickly learned the necessary background and developed Lava Bayesian Optimization that later merged with the Intel’s neuromorphic optimization framework, Lava-Optimization.”</p> <p>The work has been published in multiple conference papers at the <a href="https://iconsneuromorphic.cc/">International Conference on Neuromorphic Computing Systems (ICONS)</a>, the <a href="https://www.glsvlsi.org/">Great Lakes Symposium on Very Large Scale Integration (GLSVLSI)</a>, and the <a href="https://www.icmla-conference.org/">International Conference on Machine Learning and Applications (ICMLA)</a>, and Snyder’s contribution is publicly available in Intel’s open-source Lava framework. &nbsp;</p> <p>Two years ago, after Parsa circulated a call for proposals from the Army Ground Vehicle Research Center with her lab, Snyder approached her with an idea involving hyperdimensional computing. She encouraged him to write a draft. The two refined the idea and submitted a white paper on the topic. They were then invited to submit a full proposal, which was accepted for funding. So, the same semester that Snyder joined Parsa’s lab as a PhD student, the lab also began to receive funding for a project based on Snyder’s idea.&nbsp;&nbsp;</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/default/files/styles/extra_large_content_image/public/2024-10/shay_snyder-3.png?itok=s0_Yc-yA" width="1000" height="700" alt="Maryam Parsa and lab members" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <figcaption>Maryam Parsa and lab members. Photo provided by Maryam Parsa.&nbsp;</figcaption> </figure> <p>Since Spring 2023, Snyder has become a full PhD student at George Mason and remains an important part of Parsa’s lab. Snyder has taken lead on multiple projects, academic, industry and government collaborations, and published multiple papers. He has also been mentoring not only high school interns and undergraduate students in Parsa’s lab, but also other PhD students. Since Snyder joined Parsa’s lab, he has been the first author of five published conference papers in top artificial intelligence and neuromorphic venues and coauthor in one published journal paper and six published conference papers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Parsa deeply appreciates having Snyder in her lab, not only for his technical and professional skills but also for the positive energy he brings to the team. She highlights how Snyder's can-do attitude, curiosity, and collaborative nature have been instrumental to the success of numerous projects. His peers frequently rely on him, valuing his contributions and leadership in driving projects forward. Parsa regards working with Snyder as a true pleasure, given the impact he has made inside and outside in the lab.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</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="31d3ea91-6ce1-4e65-990e-2ac1a71ff959"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://ece.gmu.edu/"> <p class="cta__title">Start your own Electrical and Computer Engineering journey <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </p> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="60dba096-dff0-481b-950d-0c507002caf5" 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/mparsa" hreflang="en">Maryam Parsa</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="33712b6e-c18e-4f2c-a4c2-fee82750ba1a" 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-ec9e2284cb464269de63125c814dd6f7b68a27ba34a8cda940102bc27f81ab94"> <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 class="field-content"><a href="/news/2026-06/why-did-ai-agent-cross-road" hreflang="en">Why did the AI agent cross the road? </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">June 8, 2026</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2026-06/george-mason-phd-student-recognized-blockchain-privacy-research" hreflang="en">George Mason PhD student recognized for blockchain privacy research</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">June 2, 2026</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2026-05/making-carter-school-conflict-coach" hreflang="en">The making of a Carter School conflict coach</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">May 29, 2026</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2026-05/george-mason-biosciences-doctoral-student-turns-setbacks-nih-research-opportunity" hreflang="en">George Mason biosciences doctoral student turns setbacks into NIH research opportunity </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">May 14, 2026</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2026-05/public-health-phd-focuses-how-everyday-environmental-exposures-affect-metabolic-and" hreflang="en">Public health PhD focuses on how everyday environmental exposures affect metabolic and reproductive health</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">May 6, 2026</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/6861" hreflang="en">Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2406" hreflang="en">Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/336" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/436" hreflang="en">doctoral students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/271" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/19046" hreflang="en">C-TASC</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:54:28 +0000 tdonnel 114281 at ASEE SE conference focuses on a diversely educated workforce /news/2023-03/asee-se-conference-focuses-diversely-educated-workforce <span>ASEE SE conference focuses on a diversely educated workforce</span> <span><span>Rena Malai</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-03-17T09:52:44-04:00" title="Friday, March 17, 2023 - 09:52">Fri, 03/17/2023 - 09:52</time> </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/ball" hreflang="und">Kenneth Ball</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/gsingh36" hreflang="en">Gurdip Singh</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/terpenny" hreflang="en">Janis Terpenny</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">Given the digital society we live in now, it’s important to think about how well students are prepared for it.</span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>This was a point made clear by 91 </span></span><span><a href="https://seor.gmu.edu/"><span>Systems Engineering and Operations Research</span></a></span><span><span> and </span></span><span><a href="https://mechanical.gmu.edu/"><span>Mechanical Engineering</span></a></span><span><span> professor and National Science Foundation (NSF) Program Director </span></span><span><a href="/profiles/terpenny"><span>Janis Terpenny</span></a></span><span><span>, during a panel at the 2023 <a href="https://www.asee.org">American Society for Engineering Education</a> (ASEE) Southeastern section conference. The conference was hosted by Mason this week at Mason Square in Arlington, with this year’s theme <em>Educating the Inclusive Engineer: Diverse, Innovative, Accountable.</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Alongside Terpenny, the ASEE SE panel </span></span><em><span><span><span>Changing the Landscape of the Digital Workforce and DEI:</span></span></span>&nbsp;<span><span><span>A Call to Action and Research in Engineering Education</span></span></span> </em><span><span><span>included</span></span><strong><span><span><span> </span></span></span></strong><a href="/news/2022-07/gurdip-singh-named-divisional-dean-college-engineering-and-computings-school-computing"><span>Mason Divisional Dean of the School of Computing Gurdip Singh</span></a></span><span><span> and other education experts like NSF Division Director of Engineering Education &amp; Centers José L. Zayas-Castro.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>“My interest is in the perspective of how digital transformation can be embraced in the computing curriculum,” Singh said. “We can develop and think more on how to do that.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Fuse (at Mason Square) will be a new, 345,000-square-foot hub for digital innovation that will promote the exchange of new ideas and the transfer of technology between Mason’s researchers and students and industry partners to accelerate the development of digital innovation.&nbsp;</span></span>According to </span><a href="https://bioengineering.gmu.edu/profiles/ball"><span>College of Engineering and Computing Dean Ken Ball</span></a></span><span><span>, Mason is proud to host such an important conference for the first time, and at such a great venue.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><a><span><span>“It is an honor and a privilege to host fellow engineering educators here in the Washington, D.C., area,” says Ball</span></span></a><span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><span><span>who is Chair of ASEE’s Engineering Deans Council, the leadership organization of engineering deans in the United States, with approximately 300 members. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></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/default/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2023-03/Natalia%20Cardelino%20leads%20a%20technical%20session%20during%20the%20ASEE%20SE%20conference.jpg?itok=ZmtvXBlq" width="350" height="234" alt="ASEE SE technical session" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <figcaption>Dr. Natalia Cardelino leads a technical session. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services</figcaption> </figure> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The 2023 ASEE SE conference brought together engineering educators, industry leaders, and students to discuss and learn about the importance of promoting a diverse, digitally prepared workforce within engineering and STEM education paths. Conference attendees joined a variety of plenary sessions to learn about topics like ChatGPT use, creating optimal learning environments for student success, early outreach for K-12 students, and structural design.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><a><span><span>Students competed</span></span></a><span><span>&nbsp;</span></span><span><span>in a poster competition during the conference, detailing work they’ve accomplished. Projects included creating environmentally sound recreation space from toxically saturated "brownfield" sites of abandoned gas stations, and a virtual reality rock climbing experience for those with disabilities. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></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/4831" hreflang="en">Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2406" hreflang="en">Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/4396" hreflang="en">Civil Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/336" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17356" hreflang="en">Strategic Direction</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 17 Mar 2023 13:52:44 +0000 Rena Malai 104641 at Andre Manitius honored with the David J. King Teaching Award /news/2022-06/andre-manitius-honored-david-j-king-teaching-award <span>Andre Manitius honored with the David J. King Teaching Award</span> <span><span>Rena Malai</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-06-30T08:56:49-04:00" title="Thursday, June 30, 2022 - 08:56">Thu, 06/30/2022 - 08:56</time> </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"><figure role="group" class="align-left"> <div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2022-06/andre%20manitius.jpg?itok=sfzBzEPs" width="233" height="350" alt="Andre Manitius wears a tan suit and green polo in his faculty profile." loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <figcaption>Andre Manitius, ECE professor<br><br> Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services/<br><br> 91</figcaption> </figure> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Professor Andre Manitius, of the <a href="https://ece.gmu.edu">Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering</a> (ECE), received the <a href="https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/awards/david-j-king/">David J. King Teaching Award </a>at the university’s Celebration of Teaching Excellence on May 2. This award is given annually in recognition of a sustained impact on the excellence of teaching and learning at 91.&nbsp;The award recognizes the vision and leadership that supports the excellence of teaching and learning, rather than classroom teaching alone and it is given once a year to one faculty member who has worked at Mason for at least twenty years. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Manitius, who has been at Mason for 34 years, was recognized for laying a foundation for sustained and lasting impact in multiple departments as well as at the college and the university. His nomination highlighted how he has focused on holistic and sustainable change. For example, he not only led to the creation or substantial enhancement of degree programs -- such as the BS in bioengineering or the MS in applied information technology -- but he recruited diverse faculty for those programs. He also&nbsp;mentored those new faculty&nbsp;and&nbsp;developed or supported administrative&nbsp;roles such as an associate chair for graduate programs and departmental ABET coordinator to support the work of faculty and students in those programs. Finally, he&nbsp;built strong&nbsp;partnerships with industry leaders to give them ongoing feedback.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Manutius's vision and coordination were crucial in establishing the first MS program in computer forensics in the nation. The MS in computer engineering, one of his early projects, is now poised to be a centerpiece of the <a href="https://cec.gmu.edu">College of Engineering and Computing</a> and its work with the Tech Talent Investment Program to increase the number of students with computing degrees in Virginia. Manutius's forward-thinking mindset extends to his teaching as he was an early proponent of computer labs to promote hands-on instruction in programs like MATLAB, one of the early participants in a China 2+2 structure, a strong supporter of project-based learning, and an early adopter of asynchronous online pedagogies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>As he helped grow student enrollment in programs like information technology, Manitius also hired and supported new academic advisers,&nbsp;and&nbsp;helped coordinate the program to ensure a smooth and sustainable pathway for students in Northern Virginia to matriculate at Mason. By doing this he helped create strong foundations on which others can build. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>“I feel very honored by this award, which reflects favorably on the ECE Department. Whatever I did to deserve this award is owed to a great collaboration of the ECE faculty, for which I am thankful,” says Manitius. He says his outlook on his teaching career can be summed up by the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, a 19th-century&nbsp;Scottish novelist, and poet who said, "Do not judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant."</span></span></span></span></span></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/7551" hreflang="en">Awards</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2406" hreflang="en">Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6861" hreflang="en">Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 30 Jun 2022 12:56:49 +0000 Rena Malai 71871 at Wing Lam brings home a flaky test achievement /news/2022-04/wing-lam-brings-home-flaky-test-achievement <span>Wing Lam brings home a flaky test achievement </span> <span><span>Rena Malai</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-04-04T14:11:31-04:00" title="Monday, April 4, 2022 - 14:11">Mon, 04/04/2022 - 14:11</time> </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> </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>Getting rewarded for being flaky doesn’t usually happen. But when it comes to computer science, researching flaky (non-deterministic) software tests resulted in Wing Lam – professor in the <a href="https://cs.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">Department of Computer Science</a> at 91 – receiving the <a href="https://www.sigsoft.org/awards/dissertationAward.html" target="_blank">ACM Special Interest Group on Software Engineering (SIGSOFT) Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <div class="align-left"> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2022-04/winglam-picture.jpeg?itok=PdVPCTiX" width="233" height="350" alt="Wing Lam" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <p>“It is a tremendous opportunity to be honored with this award,” says Lam. “It makes me reflect on the many tiring nights that I spent on the work in my dissertation and on the dissertation text itself.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Lam’s winning dissertation pinpointed flaky tests, an important topic for software developers. He says these kinds of tests tend to non-deterministically pass or fail on the same code. Basically, the tests flake out and provide unreliable results, which can cause challenges for developers trying to see if their recent code changes introduced software bugs or not.&nbsp;</p> <p>“In recent years, many companies – like Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft –highlighted through research and blogs the difficulties developers face when dealing with flaky tests,” says Lam. “The work in my dissertation proposes techniques to help developers detect, understand, and fix them.”&nbsp;</p> <p>A fairly new arrival at Mason, Lam has been with the university for about one year. He says he was drawn to Mason’s influential researchers and strong computer science presence, particularly in the area of software engineering, which he teaches and conducts research in.&nbsp;</p> <p>“<span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Software engineering at Mason is now ranked seventh in the country, based on publications in recent years according to</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>&nbsp;<a href="http://csrankings.org/#/fromyear/2016/toyear/2021/index?soft&amp;us" target="_blank">CS rankings,</a>” says Lam. “With Mason being close to Washington D.C., there are also many collaboration opportunities and software development companies unique to this region.”&nbsp;</p> <p>According to Lam, the work in his dissertation detected more than 3,000 flaky tests in over 300 open-source projects and helped fix more than 1,200 flaky tests in over 170 open-source projects. Lam’s work also led to changes in Maven Surefire, the default plugin of a popular build system for running tests in Java projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>His changes are part of a toolset that is used by over 6.8 million Java developers worldwide, he says.&nbsp;</p> <p>His advice for folks looking to develop an award winning dissertation is to explore anything that is exciting or interesting and learn through the process.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The work in this dissertation took me three years,” says Lam. “Although I explored other related topics, I ended up mainly focusing on flaky tests because of how important this subject is for software developers.”&nbsp;</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/10196" hreflang="en">software</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2406" hreflang="en">Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2186" hreflang="en">computer science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/7551" hreflang="en">Awards</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 04 Apr 2022 18:11:31 +0000 Rena Malai 68061 at Mason’s Engineers Week Celebrates the Senses /news/2022-02/masons-engineers-week-celebrates-senses <span>Mason’s Engineers Week Celebrates the Senses</span> <span><span>Rena Malai</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-02-14T10:14:44-05:00" title="Monday, February 14, 2022 - 10:14">Mon, 02/14/2022 - 10:14</time> </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"><div class="align-left"> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2022-02/Engineers%20Week%20image.jpg?itok=kFUid-f3" width="350" height="350" alt="Engineers Week 2022" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Engineering takes on a whole new feel, as 91 gears up for Engineers Week February 22 – February 25. This year’s theme, <em>Engineering Your Senses:&nbsp;</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><em><span>How Engineering and Technology Relmagine Our Impact on the World,</span></em><span> will take participants on a journey through the five senses—taste, smell, sound, touch, and sight.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Making ice cream with nitrogen, bottling custom made perfume, and exploring new technologies that support well being are just a few of the activities happening during Engineers Week. </span><a href="https://cec.gmu.edu/"><span>The College of Engineering and Computing</span></a><span> hopes everyone will come to enjoy this exciting event, ask questions, and engage with the panelists, presenters, and each other to explore how engineering and technology transforms our lives.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://forms.office.com/r/u1EEJdVAxg"><span>RSVP here.</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Engineers Week is open to all and will take place in person. The full schedule of Engineers Week events is as follows:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong><span>TASTE</span></strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>Tuesday, February 22 </strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>Noon to 3 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building Atrium</strong><br><br> Taste your way to the Nguyen Engineering Building and spend the day mixing, tasting, and making your own ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Learn about the advances in engineering and technology that make this reimagined treat possible. Whether you like vanilla, chocolate, or something in between, we’ve got something for you. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>4 to 5:30 p.m. oSTEM Startup Meeting and Discussion ENGR 2901</strong><br><br> Students and faculty interested in becoming members and advisors for the university’s soon to be established Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM) are invited to gather to brainstorm and discuss the mission, vision, and outcomes they want for the chapter. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong><span>TOUCH and SMELL</span></strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong><span>Wednesday, February 23</span></strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong><span>Noon to 3 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building Atrium</span></strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Feel the effects and importance of mechanotherapy and immunotherapy to your wellbeing and that of others. While you are at it, take in the massages that will be offered for students and faculty utilizing massage equipment made through engineering advancements. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>Noon to 3 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building, Vangent Conference Room 2901 and 1602</strong><br><br> Smell your way into an olfactory opportunity and join us to find out more about how scents are made. Join us and engage in your own perfume or cologne making. Create your scent, bottle it, and take it home. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong><span>SIGHT and SOUND</span></strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>Thursday, February 24</strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>4 to 6:00 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building Atrium</strong><br><br> Hear about the impact that engineering and technology has made on music, acoustics, symphonics, etc., and make your own beats and music. We will have DJ recording booths – where you’ll learn how sound engineers make music. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>6 to 9:00 p.m. Jajodia Auditorium</strong><br><br> Come out and see for yourself. Students, faculty, and staff can come and enjoy our AI/Technology themed film, “Free Guy. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>SENSES SHOWCASE</strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>Friday, February 25</strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>Noon to 2:00 p.m. Nguyen Engineering Building Atrium</strong><br><br> Come see, touch, taste, smell, and hear about the cool and interesting projects that our CEC students and faculty are working on. From creating life-saving technology in bioengineering, to protecting our national interests through cybersecurity, or making our infrastructure stronger and more accessible through civil engineering. Come and be awed by the reimagined possibilities of engineering and computing. </span></span></span></span></span></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/10646" hreflang="en">National Engineers Week</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/15011" hreflang="en">Events(28786)</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2406" hreflang="en">Computer Engineering</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:14:44 +0000 Rena Malai 65201 at Break Through Tech peer leaders are cheer leaders for students /news/2021-12/break-through-tech-peer-leaders-are-cheer-leaders-students <span>Break Through Tech peer leaders are cheer leaders for students</span> <span><span>Rena Malai</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-12-03T13:13:20-05:00" title="Friday, December 3, 2021 - 13:13">Fri, 12/03/2021 - 13:13</time> </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"><div class="align-left"> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2021-12/Andi_headshot.jpg?itok=4-otfncZ" width="219" height="350" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <p>As soon as Andrea&nbsp;(Andi)&nbsp;Motas, a computer science major at 91, heard about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.breakthroughtech.org/where-we-work/dc-metro-area/" target="_blank">Break Through Tech</a>&nbsp;peer leadership program, she wanted to join. Meeting other students, faculty, and making a contribution were the key factors that drew her in, she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I can relate to the younger students, and I know what they’re going through,”&nbsp;Motas&nbsp;says. “I want them to feel supported and that they have a place to go.”&nbsp;</p> <p>She&nbsp;says the main role of a&nbsp;Break Through&nbsp;Tech peer leader is to&nbsp;help&nbsp;support&nbsp;students—especially females and those from underrepresented communities—--&nbsp;pursuing computer science, engineering,&nbsp;and information technology degrees at Mason.&nbsp;Peer leaders are available to answer questions, meet, or simply talk.&nbsp;</p> <p>“It’s important to have Break Through Tech in place because a lot of students can feel a lack of support, especially freshman getting adjusted to college life or&nbsp;minorities&nbsp;who may not see anyone that looks like them in any of their classes,”&nbsp;Motas&nbsp;says. “But they can come to Break Through Tech for that support whether they want someone to talk to, or help with a resume.”&nbsp;</p> <p>She says being a peer leader is a natural fit for her because she’s done&nbsp;similar duties before&nbsp;with&nbsp;other student organizations.&nbsp;Motas&nbsp;brings plenty of experience to the table with hosting events, being able to connect with others, and giving advice.&nbsp;</p> <p>“A lot of it, for students, is just how to get started in the right direction,” she says. “Freshmen will be curious about what internships are out there, and what classes to take. I like to share my own experiences with them of what worked for me and what didn’t, and the things that helped me to succeed.”&nbsp;</p> <p>Motas&nbsp;is currently a senior, and is set to graduate December 2021.&nbsp;After graduating, she plans to&nbsp;start work as a software engineer at Oracle and eventually pursue a master’s degree in data science or machine learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>She’s always enjoyed anything to do with computers and is keenly interested in how technology works behind the scenes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>“As long as you have the resources and an internet connection, you can build whatever you want and go wherever you want with it,” she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>Motas&nbsp;was awarded the&nbsp;<a href="https://cec.gmu.edu/admissions/financial-aid" target="_blank">Washington Apple&nbsp;Pi&nbsp;Endowed scholarship</a>&nbsp;and was recognized for her work with&nbsp;<a href="https://patriothacks.org/home" target="_blank">PatriotHacks</a>&nbsp;in 2018 (awarded best data analytics hack) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hackviolet.com/" target="_blank">HackViolet</a>&nbsp;in 2021 (awarded best hack for female empowerment and best web app.)&nbsp;</p> <p>The&nbsp;Break Through Tech&nbsp;peer leadership program provides support to all Mason College of&nbsp;Engineering and&nbsp;Computing&nbsp;students. For more information, contact&nbsp;<a target="_blank">breakthroughtech@cs.gmu.edu.</a></p> <p>Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.breakthroughtech.org/where-we-work/dc-metro-area/&nbsp;">Break Through Tech DC at George Mason</a> for more information.&nbsp;</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/6331" hreflang="en">Peer mentors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1421" hreflang="en">diversity</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/656" hreflang="en">Leadership</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2406" hreflang="en">Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2186" hreflang="en">computer science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/4066" hreflang="en">Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP)</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Fri, 03 Dec 2021 18:13:20 +0000 Rena Malai 60856 at CEDRIC launch supports diverse students; offers opportunities /news/2021-11/cedric-launch-supports-diverse-students-offers-opportunities <span>CEDRIC launch supports diverse students; offers opportunities</span> <span><span>Rena Malai</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-11-04T10:41:47-04:00" title="Thursday, November 4, 2021 - 10:41">Thu, 11/04/2021 - 10:41</time> </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/ball" hreflang="und">Kenneth Ball</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"><figure role="group" class="align-left"> <div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2021-11/Dean_CEDRIC.jpg" width="320" height="240" alt="Kenneth Ball, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing, addresses the audience at CEDRIC's launch" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <figcaption>Kenneth Ball, dean of the College of&nbsp;<br>Engineering and Computing, addressed the audience<br>during CEDRIC's launch.</figcaption> </figure> <p>Having access to support and resources&nbsp;is&nbsp;essential&nbsp;for students from&nbsp;diverse backgrounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://cec.gmu.edu/news/2021-10/diversity-center-goes-live" target="_blank">Computing and Engineering Diversity Resource and Information Center&nbsp;(CEDRIC)</a>&nbsp;is dedicated to&nbsp;giving&nbsp;diverse&nbsp;and underrepresented&nbsp;students&nbsp;at the&nbsp;<a href="https://cec.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">College of Engineering and Computing</a>&nbsp;the tools they need to succeed.&nbsp;Guest speakers, Mason staff, and students gathered&nbsp;Friday, October 29&nbsp;for CEDRIC’s official&nbsp;virtual&nbsp;launch.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Mason’s newly appointed&nbsp;Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and&nbsp;Chief Diversity Officer&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.gmu.edu/news/2021-07/sharnnia-artis-joins-george-mason-university-vice-president-diversity-equity-and" target="_blank">Sharnnia&nbsp;Artis</a>, also an engineer,&nbsp;shared with the audience that if it wasn’t for a similar organization like CEDRIC which had helped her, she may not be where she is today.&nbsp;</p> <p>She&nbsp;encouraged&nbsp;students to&nbsp;explore all the&nbsp;opportunities&nbsp;and&nbsp;mentoring&nbsp;CEDRIC offers.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The journey to your profession of choice is not going to be easy,” she says. “But CEDRIC will help you build a foundation to make that journey a little easier&nbsp;and&nbsp;more innovative, rewarding, and successful.”&nbsp;</p> <p>According to Kenneth Ball, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing, CEDRIC is committed to supporting students so everyone can be successful as they navigate through their College of Engineering and Computing&nbsp;degrees at Mason.&nbsp;</p> <p>“This is wonderful for us, and wonderful for 91,” he says.&nbsp;</p> <p>CEDRIC is a one stop shop for students from underrepresented backgrounds, says&nbsp;Christopher A.&nbsp;Carr,&nbsp;chief diversity officer in the College of Engineering and Computing. Students can find not&nbsp;just a home, but resources, connections, friendship, collaboration, and guidance&nbsp;both during their time at CEC and beyond.&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://www.youvisit.com/tour/diversitygmu/diversitygmu?tourid=tour1" target="_blank">CEDRIC&nbsp;can be accessed here.</a>&nbsp;It is an&nbsp;initiative of the Office of Diversity, Outreach, and Inclusive Learning&nbsp;within the College of Engineering and Computing. &nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="db8da85e-aea9-401b-aa57-72a574cb95b6" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p><span>The programs and services offered by 91 are open to all who seek them. George Mason does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic national origin (including shared ancestry and/or ethnic characteristics), sex, disability, military status (including veteran status), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. After a thorough review of its policies and practices, the university confirms that it meets all federal mandates as articulated in federal law, as well as recent executive orders and federal agency directives.</span></p> </blockquote> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 04 Nov 2021 14:41:47 +0000 Rena Malai 56646 at Break Through Tech at Mason hosts inaugural on-campus event /news/2021-10/break-through-tech-mason-hosts-inaugural-campus-event <span>Break Through Tech at Mason hosts inaugural on-campus event</span> <span><span>Rena Malai</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-10-19T15:40:58-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 19, 2021 - 15:40">Tue, 10/19/2021 - 15:40</time> </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"><div class="align-left"> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2021-10/BTT%20%2010-25%20Poster.jpg?itok=QyLmvf2O" width="227" height="350" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Break Through Tech at Mason will host its first on-campus event, run by student peer leaders. This event is an opportunity to learn more about the Break Through Tech program, network with&nbsp;other students interested in tech and computing, and get some free candy.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>When: Monday, October 25 from 7:00 p.m.&nbsp;to&nbsp;8:00 p.m.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Where:&nbsp; Nguyen Engineering Building Room 2901</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Break Through Tech DC is a part of a national program that aims to develop&nbsp;inclusive tech hubs to accelerate the representation and leadership of women in tech. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>For more information about the on-campus event, email <a href="http://amotas2@gmu.edu/">Andrea Motas</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>More information on Break Through Tech DC <a href="https://www.breakthroughtech.org/where-we-work/dc-metro-area/">can be viewed here.</a></span></span></span></span></span></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/1961" hreflang="en">information technology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2406" hreflang="en">Computer Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/2186" hreflang="en">computer science</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 19 Oct 2021 19:40:58 +0000 Rena Malai 56051 at