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George Mason researcher develops an affordable helping hand for stroke recovery

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:25:34 +0000

George Mason researcher develops an affordable helping hand for stroke recovery Nathan Kahl Tue, 07/14/2026 - 15:25

For millions of stroke survivors, something as simple as picking up a glass of water or holding a sandwich is a daily challenge. Quentin Sanders wants to make those moments easier through wearable robotic technology designed to restore hand function.

The 91�� assistant professor is developing a new generation of hand exoskeletons that may help people regain independence after stroke. His lab is testing wearable devices that amplify a user's remaining muscle activity, allowing them to open and close their hand more effectively while remaining affordable enough for broader use.

Sanders' prior work focused on lower-limb prosthetics. Photo by Ron Aria/Office of University Branding

The latest prototype resembles a lightweight glove that fits over the hand and upper arm. As users attempt to move their hand, the device detects their remaining muscle activity and assists the motion.

"We instruct them to try to open their hand," Sanders explained. "When they try to open their hand, we sense whatever residual activity they have, and then the exoskeleton amplifies that."

One version of the device seeks to use wearable ultrasound technology developed in collaboration with George Mason researcher Siddhartha Sikdar, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering and director of the Center for Medtech Innovation. The system will use wearable ultrasound sensors to monitor how muscles deform as they contract, translating those signals into movement. Another simpler version uses a button embedded in the glove that users press to control the device.

While brain-controlled devices remain the long-term aspiration for many in the field, Sanders is focused on a more practical solution that builds on the muscle activity people retain after a stroke. "I would say brain-controlled systems is kind of the holy grail. In my lab, we're going one level lower to see if we can use muscle activity to control it."

The need for better rehabilitation tools is growing. Sanders noted that roughly 800,000 people experience a stroke each year in the United States, while millions more live with its long-term effects. Advances in medicine mean more people survive strokes, but many struggle to access the lengthy rehabilitation needed to regain function.

"We're at this point where you're living a long life, but you have this need for rehab," Sanders said. "You need either consistent opportunities for movement or some type of device that can help improve your quality of life."

Commercial hand exoskeletons remain scarce in the United States, and many existing systems cost tens of thousands of dollars. Making the technology more affordable and accessible has become one of the driving goals of his research.

"You've got this large population of people who need these devices who aren't getting them," Sanders said. "I'm hoping we can make this kind of low-cost, accessible version that people can use to improve some aspect of their life."

Sanders is also working to broaden who can benefit from rehabilitation technologies. Many research studies enroll only patients who meet narrow eligibility criteria, leaving others without solutions tailored to their needs.

"I think that's the other breakthrough people are working on that my lab is working on," he said. "How can we make these devices work for a larger population?"

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91�� and Phase Inc. receive NSF grant to advance 3D-printed microfluidic technology

Martha Bushong — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:37:20 +0000

91�� and Phase Inc. receive NSF grant to advance 3D-printed microfluidic technology Martha Bushong Wed, 07/01/2026 - 14:37

91�� and Phase Inc. have received a National Science Foundation (NSF) STTR grant to advance a new generation of 3D-printed microfluidic devices that could help move the technologies from the research lab toward broader commercial and scientific use.

Ramin M. Hakami and Remi Veneziano. Photo provided

The project combines the expertise of College of Science Professor Ramin M. Hakami’s group in extracellular vesicle (EV) biology, and that of College of Engineering and Computing Associate Professor Remi Veneziano’s group in bioengineering and materials characterization, at 91�� with Phase’s vision to create an end-to-end, automated microfluidic platform that brings together custom device design, scalable 3D-printed polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip manufacturing, and automated fluid handling. Specifically, this project leverages the microfluidic EV platform jointly developed and published by the Veneziano and Hakami groups.

Microfluidic devices use tiny channels to control small amounts of fluid and recreate environments on a cellular scale. They model human biology more realistically than flat cell cultures, making them important for drug discovery, disease research, and toxicology. Microfluidics are especially timely as the FDA has announced plans to phase out some animal testing requirements and encourage more human-relevant methods.

Today, producing complex PDMS microfluidic devices often requires cleanrooms, manual optimization, and repeated trial-and-error. The NSF-supported work is designed to reduce that bottleneck by using thermal and curing models to predict how PDMS will behave during printing, then optimize print parameters before a device is manufactured.

Photo provided

“This partnership helps us move one step closer to a fully automated, scalable microfluidic platform,” said Jeff Schultz, principal investigator and co-founder of Phase, which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Our goal is to make microfluidic technology more reproducible and more accessible to researchers and companies working to develop better human-relevant models.”

George Mason researchers will help characterize the printed devices for dimensional accuracy, surface quality, batch-to-batch consistency, and biological function. The team will also test a device designed to study EV function. EVs are nanoparticles that are released by cells and play critical roles in intercellular communication. They have been shown to carry important regulatory functions in various human diseases, such as cancer, infectious disease, and neurological disorders, and are also highly advantageous for use in drug delivery.

“Being able to rapidly and cost‑effectively prototype and fabricate custom microfluidic devices will significantly enhance our capacity to design relevant microphysiological systems and will help broaden access to this technology to many research laboratories” said Veneziano.

“Our microfluidic device empowers researchers to conduct functional EV studies with ease and under physiologically relevant conditions. Through our partnership with Phase to 3D print the chips, we will be able to deliver more reliable, cost-effective, and commercially viable tools to the EV scientific community,” said Hakami, co-director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research at George Mason.

For Phase, the NSF grant builds on a growing base of support from federal and private sources. The company has already received more than $3.5 million in nondilutive funding, including support from the National Institutes of Health, the One North Carolina Small Business Program, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, NSF, and private-sector partners. Previous research partners include Harvard Medical School, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech.

By pairing George Mason’s biological and engineering strengths with Phase’s manufacturing platform, the project is positioned to advance both scientific discovery and commercialization. The result could be a more reliable path for producing the microfluidic tools needed to support the next wave of biomedical research, organ-on-a-chip development, and human-centered bio-innovation.

This research supports the Grand Challenge Initiative's goal of improving human health, well-being, and preparedness

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Graduation spotlight: Science as an act of care

Martha Bushong — Wed, 13 May 2026 11:40:35 +0000

Graduation spotlight: Science as an act of care Martha Bushong Wed, 05/13/2026 - 07:40

Zarin Musarrat Niladree remembers her pediatrician the way we remember someone who made us feel safe when we were scared. She was young, she was sick often, and he was kind.

“I want to be like him when I grow up,” she thought then. Four years at 91��’s College of Engineering and Computing gave her the scientific training to move toward that path.

Zarin Musarrat Niladree works in a lab at 91��. Photo provided.

Niladree graduates in May with a degree in bioengineering, pre-health concentration, and is on her way to medical school. The path ran through three research labs and one clarifying question she kept returning to: Who actually needs this, and does it work for them?

The answer felt most urgent in Professor Remi Veneziano’s lab, where she served as co-construction lead on a smart microneedle patch designed for patients with chronic wounds—elderly patients, people with disabilities, people managing wound care alone without reliable help. The patch used UV light to trigger targeted drug release at the wound site, sparing patients repeated invasive treatments. Niladree built the electrical system from the ground up: UV LED strips, an Arduino Nano, circuit boards she soldered and resoldered through months of setbacks, components that behaved differently assembled than they did on paper.

“It was not just building a device for the sake of building one,” she said. “We were trying to create something that could help people feel less overwhelmed by their own care.”

What the lab taught her was the distance between a working prototype and a patient who actually benefits from it—and how much stands between the two. That gap is what drew her toward the Dartmouth Water Filtration Project, where the engineering problem was inseparable from the community it was meant to serve.

She joined expecting to redesign a filter for communities in Guatemala. What the project actually taught her was harder to systematize: that engineering solutions deployed to real communities require humility before they require hardware. Safety concerns, sustainability questions, and guidance from faculty pushed the team away from a point-of-use filter toward broader water-system treatment. That pivot frustrated her at first, but then clarified something she carried forward.

“Just because we can design something does not automatically mean it is the best or safest solution,” she said. “Sometimes that means pausing, rethinking, and choosing the option that is safer and more useful for the people who will actually use it.”

Her role as a teaching assistant for BENG 360 Biomedical Imaging, a course she had struggled through, confirmed what her research had been building toward. She realized that helping a frustrated student finally understand a problem wasn’t so different from what she imagined doing in an examination room—meeting someone in their confusion, explaining clearly, making them feel less alone.

This orientation—science as a form of care, not just capability—is what she’s taking to medical school. The kind of physician she wants to become is already recognizable: the one who makes the patient feel safe.

What George Mason gave her was scientific fluency. What it kept showing her, through every lab and every student she taught, was that fluency alone was not enough.

Note: This story was written by Tiffany Boggs, Student Media, and edited by Chelsea Xu, UL Marketing and Communications. It was originally published on 91��'s University Life website.

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Patriot Performance Lab helps athletes stay in the game

sholla4 — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:52:28 +0000

Patriot Performance Lab helps athletes stay in the game sholla4 Tue, 03/03/2026 - 12:52

To be an NCAA Division 1 student-athlete, you need a village. From dieticians to strength trainers to physical therapists, developing and maintaining fitness for elite competition is a collaborative effort. One way that 91�� Intercollegiate Athletics and the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) keep our athletes in top form is through evidence-based practices and science. That's where the Patriot Performance Lab comes in.

Erica King, right, works with a student-athlete. Photo by John Boal Photography.

The Patriot Performance Lab’s role is twofold: They monitor and measure athletes’ health as well as conduct research studies on athlete performance. Over the years, they’ve conducted numerous studies with various D1 teams—such as testing vitamin D levels in basketball players and knee joint adaptations in volleyball players—while providing athletes with critical data on their health metrics like body composition, VO2 Max, strength measurements, and more.

Margaret Jones. Photo by John Boal Photography.

“We’re not just a research lab,” emphasized Margaret Jones, professor in CEHD’s Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management Division and director of the Patriot Performance Lab. “Providing health services to athletes is also critical. It’s what makes the partnership work.”

Strong science communication skills are essential in this field. Researchers need to be able to translate data and results to coaches and student-athletes so they can adjust and improve. Chris Green, professor of sport management and director of the Center for Sport Management, works with the lab to help staff develop research communication skills.

“It’s relatively new to consider sports management in sports science,” she said. “The field as a whole is starting to ask how we can make good management decisions around athlete health and performance data. But the Patriot Performance Lab is already doing this work. It’s one of the things that makes us unique, and it’s what makes our work impactful.”

Green has been essential, Jones said, in helping lab members develop their communication skills and better understand how information is being shared from researchers to coaches to athletes.

“When they understand why I’m asking them to wear or do something and understand how this will benefit them, they’re more likely to perform at the level required in order for us to get good data,” said Noelle Saine, BS Kinesiology ’22, MS Kinesiology ’23, and a third-year PhD student. Saine, who was herself a student-athlete in track and field, understands the importance of strong communication between sport scientists and athletes.

“It’s establishing trust that what we’re doing will improve their health and performance,” said Jones.

Noelle Saine, right, runs a strength test with a student-athlete. Photo by John Boal Photography.

Collaboration with the coaches and athletic trainers is also critical. “We couldn’t do what we do without them,” said Saine. “They see the benefits and importance of what we do.”

Postdoctoral research fellow Erica King, BS in Bioengineering ’21, PhD Bioengineering ’25 and a former student athlete in swim and dive, has been leading the work on knee joint adaptations since she was a graduate student. She led a recent 9-month study using wearable sensors for tracking load during practice, counter-movement jump testing, wearable and clinical ultrasound, MRIs, and surveys to assess the load demands on volleyball players’ knees.

“At the end of the season, we were able to show the coaching staff the average number of jumps athletes complete in a 15-16 week period and the direct effects of that from a joint adaptation standpoint,” she said. “They found that data really helpful, and now they can tailor practice sessions to better support the players and help alleviate strain that could lead to injury.”

Athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers often come to the lab with questions for study and ideas. A blood lactate study with the swim team last spring was requested by the swimmers, who applied for and received an Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) grant to fund the study. The team collected data from blood draws, heart-rate monitors, DEXA scans, and jump testing. Early review suggests athlete stroke specialization and maximal power generation capabilities significantly impact accumulation in blood lactate levels during all-out swim bouts.

Noelle Saine leads a VO2 Max test on a student-athlete. Photo by John Boal Photography.

And as Saine and King can attest, the Patriot Performance Lab offers George Mason students the opportunity to do hands-on research in a wide range of fields. There are opportunities for all levels of research, from postdocs like King to high school students interested in exploring this world of research for the first time.

“Having that R1 designation really gives us the extra push to be able to dive deep into research,” said Saine. “Faculty have always encouraged me to find what I’m passionate about and pursue it. And my experience has been that instead of being competitive, everyone wants to work together to push forward and improve.”

Green noted that Jones’ experience as both researcher and practitioner is also an important piece of the puzzle that makes the Patriot Performance Lab work. “[Jones’] capacity to connect all these parts and have both credibility and an understanding of what the needs are sets us apart,” she said.

Jones said she appreciates the openness and willingness of people at George Mason to work together.“We’re supported on both sides by CEHD and Athletics.”

“The Patriot Performance Lab reflects what George Mason does best, bringing research and practice together in service of people,” said Ingrid Guerra-López, dean of CEHD. “Our student-athletes are performing at the highest levels, and they deserve evidence-based support that protects their health and enhances their performance. This partnership between CEHD and Athletics ensures that science goes beyond the lab, to directly improve lives.”

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Brainpower inspires energy-efficient AI

tdonnel — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 16:57:20 +0000

Brainpower inspires energy-efficient AI tdonnel Thu, 01/22/2026 - 11:57

The key to energy-efficient artificial intelligence (AI) could lie in the human brain. 91�� researchers Maryam Parsa (PI) and Giorgio Ascoli (co-PI) are leading a Department of Energy-funded project to make AI dramatically more efficient by mimicking the brain’s computing strategies.

Maryam Parsa. Photo provided.

“AI today is powerful but extremely energy-hungry,” said Parsa, an assistant professor in George Mason’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering who specializes in neuromorphic computing. “We want to understand why the human brain is so efficient and why AI is not—and then bridge that gap.”

Unlike traditional AI models that rely on continuous signals and massive data centers, the brain uses sparse, event-driven signals called spikes.

“Any one neuron only fires a spike here and there, but the timing of those spikes carries a lot of meaning,” explained Ascoli, a Distinguished University Professor in George Mason’s Bioengineering Department specializing in neuroscience. “That’s why the brain can do so much with so little energy.”

To replicate this efficiency holistically, Parsa and Ascoli teamed up with Akhilesh Jaiswal at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Pedram Khalili at Northwestern University. The team is building a full-stack neuromorphic computing system spanning devices, circuits, architectures, algorithms, and applications.

Each principal investigator is contributing specific expertise to the system:

Ascoli contributes neuroscience insights using Izhikevich models, mathematical frameworks that capture real neuron spiking dynamics, to inform system design.
Khalili develops spintronic devices, components that utilize magnetic materials to harness an electron's quantum properties of spin and charge for processing and storing data. By naturally exhibiting neuron-like temporal behavior, these devices are expected to reduce energy demands.
Jaiswal designs analog circuits to integrate these spintronic devices into functional architectures.
Parsa leads the project as well as neuromorphic learning algorithms and application-level integration, exploring diverse learning approaches to optimize speed, precision, resiliency, privacy, and energy savings.

Giorgio Ascoli. Photo provided.

“Izhikevich models allow neuromorphic systems to mimic the timing, diversity, and variability of real neurons, enabling more brain-like learning and efficiency,” Ascoli said. His extensive experience with these models, including simulating hippocampal networks, provides the biological foundation for the project.

“Instead of forcing existing devices to mimic brain behavior, we asked: What if we leverage new devices that naturally exhibit these dynamics?” Parsa said. This approach ensures innovations at the hardware level align with biologically inspired algorithms, creating a cohesive system rather than isolated solutions.

By introducing greater biological complexity and leveraging novel spintronic devices, the team hopes to reduce AI’s energy footprint while improving performance metrics such as accuracy and privacy. Early results are promising; even simple changes to spike distributions improved privacy without sacrificing accuracy.

The research also explores learning algorithms beyond the traditional. “Our goal is to see how different neuron models and learning rules interact and which combinations optimize for speed, precision, or energy savings,” Parsa said.

Ultimately, the project could transform AI by making it greener and more brain-like. “If we succeed, we’ll have systems that learn faster, consume less power, and operate more like the brain,” said Ascoli.

“This is not just about making AI more efficient,” said Parsa. “It’s about rethinking computing from the ground up."

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Printing play: A path forward for children with prosthetics

Nathan Kahl — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:32:50 +0000

Printing play: A path forward for children with prosthetics Nathan Kahl Thu, 01/15/2026 - 08:32

A child who uses a lower-limb prosthesis faces unique challenges when it comes to activities most children take for granted, such as running and being active. Without access to a prosthetic device designed to support these movements, children may miss out not only on the simple joys of play, but also on critical opportunities for physical development during key stages of growth.

Quentin Sanders. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

91�� researcher Quentin Sanders is part of a collaborative research team working to make high-performance prosthetic limbs more affordable, accessible, and better tailored to the needs of active children. Sanders, along with Jonathon Schofield, an associate professor at the University of California, Davis, and Garrett Melenka, an associate professor at York University, received a three-year, $500K grant from the National Science Foundation to support the project, which began in September 2025.

Most standard foot or leg prostheses are built for basic walking, not for the kind of active movement that helps children develop strength, balance, and coordination, the benefits that come from running and jumping with friends.

“This limitation can be especially challenging for children,” said Sanders, who has a joint appointment in the Department of Bioengineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “Kids want to run and play. When they can’t, they’re more likely to avoid physical activities, such as sports, or even stop using their prosthesis altogether.”

A 3D-printed running blade prototype, created using the technique Sanders and his colleagues are developing. Photo provided

Often seen in competitive events such as the Paralympic Games, running blades are curved, spring-like prosthetic feet made from carbon fiber that mimic the energy return of a biological foot. While these devices offer an alternative option to standard leg prostheses and can enable children to run, they are expensive and often inaccessible. A single running blade can cost several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars and is typically not covered by insurance because it is considered nonessential, rather than medically necessary.

Some charitable organizations help families access these devices, but demand far exceeds supply, and for growing children, one blade is rarely enough. “Kids grow quickly,” said Sanders. “As they get taller, they outgrow their prostheses, which means going through multiple blades over time.”

The research team has several goals, starting with identifying what children truly need from an activity-enabling prosthesis. The researchers are examining how motivation to be active, physical growth, and different types of movement influence prosthetic performance in everyday settings. “What do you use it for? What don’t you use it for? What do you wish you could do?” said Sanders.

The team is also analyzing how children move while using their current running blades, studying activities such as running, jumping, and changing direction to better understand the biomechanics and physical demands involved.

Finally, the team will take a close look at how today’s running blades perform under real-world demands. “We want to understand how stiff they are, how much load they can handle, and when they might fail,” said Sanders. “We can then combine that information with what kids tell us they want to do and use it to guide our 3D printing process—creating blades that are better suited for active play.”

Sanders and his collaborators are using an advanced additive manufacturing approach known as continuous-fiber 3D printing, in which carbon fibers are embedded within the printed plastic to reinforce the prosthetic structure. This method enables the creation of strong, lightweight devices that can be tailored to a child’s size, growth, and activity needs.

“By combining manufacturing, composite materials, prosthetics, design, and biomechanics, this project provides an innovative and holistic solution,” said Melenka.

The technique is already used to produce strong, lightweight components in the aerospace and automotive industries, but it has seen limited adoption in prosthetic design. This project represents one of the first efforts to apply it systematically to activity-enabling prostheses for children.

“What’s most exciting about this project is the collaboration across institutes, disciplines, and areas of expertise,” said Schofield. “We are bringing together researchers in movement mechanics, advanced materials manufacturing, and pediatric lower-limb prosthetic care. We are also incorporating the lived experience of children and families, along with clinicians who work with these patients every day.”

The work also has the potential for industry disruption, according to Sanders. “If we can show that a child’s physical measurements and movement needs can be translated into a digital model and then used to 3D print a customized prosthesis, existing prosthetic manufacturers would begin to integrate this approach into their production pipelines.”

For Sanders, the motivation goes beyond technical innovation. “I’ve always been interested in translating new technologies into real-world solutions,” he said. “Helping people with disabilities and impairments is why I got into this field in the first place.”

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George Mason team earns $2.1M to study seizure dynamics

tdonnel — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:06:52 +0000

George Mason team earns $2.1M to study seizure dynamics tdonnel Tue, 01/13/2026 - 10:06

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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded a 91�� research team $2.1 million to create a system that could revolutionize the study of seizures.

The project combines the expertise of Parag Chitnis and Remi Veneziano (Department of Bioengineering), and Rob Cressman (Department of Physics and Astronomy) to develop an imaging and sensing system for identifying areas of the brain with potassium ion dysregulation.

“Potassium is one of those ions that actually inhibits activation of cells. If there's a dysfunction in those ions, you get runaway signaling. A seizure is an example of that,” said Cressman, who has studied epilepsy since his postdoctoral work. “We’re trying to develop tools that help us understand that better.”

From left, Parag Chitnis, Rob Cressman, and Remi Veneziano. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding.

When the biocompatible nanosensors, made of DNA and light-sensitive dye, encounter a local change in potassium concentration, they change their shape resulting in a change in their near-infrared fluorescence signal.

“We want to detect even very small changes in potassium,” said Veneziano, whose work involves synthesizing new nanomaterials from DNA particles, proteins, and lipids. “The system we’ve built is modular, versatile, and highly sensitive.”

These signals can be mapped in real-time using a near-infrared imaging device to understand dynamic changes in ion concentration.

One of the most promising applications is image-guided surgical intervention for epilepsy. By pinpointing seizure foci through potassium mapping, surgeons may be able to perform precise tissue ablation, removing only the affected areas.

“If you can identify the focus and remove that part of the tissue, you can sometimes stop the seizures,” said Cressman.

The four-year NIH-funded project, previously funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), builds on years of research supported by George Mason’s Center for MedTech Innovation.

“This grant allows us to translate our NSF-funded feasibility work into real-world applications,” said Chitnis, who studies brain-body interactions using light and ultrasound. “We’re not just studying disease—we’re building tools that could guide future interventions.”

The toolkit will be tested across multiple platforms—from cell cultures to brain slices to intact mammalian models—allowing researchers to study bioelectrical activity at various scales.

The team also sees potential for assessing functional recovery after traumatic brain injury. Scar tissue can disrupt potassium regulation, and the nanosensors may help identify regions at risk of developing seizure foci. As the research progresses, the team hopes to open new pathways for understanding and treating complex brain disorders.

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Students S.E.R.V.E. those who have served

Jennifer Pocock — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:47:53 +0000

Students S.E.R.V.E. those who have served Jennifer Pocock Tue, 10/28/2025 - 16:47

91�� students take third in competition to help veterans maintain their quality of life.

Team 7 shows their prosthetic liner solution after winning third place at the Project S.E.R.V.E. National Design Competition. From left, Kunaal Jindal (student), Steve McMillian (Project S.E.R.V.E. Northeast Program Manager), Cassidy Worzalla (student), Dibyashree Basu (student), Shani Ross (senior design instructor), and Gabriel Gibson (student). Photo provided

Miami-based nonprofit Project S.E.R.V.E. (Student Engineering for Resilience of Veterans and Emergency Responders) helps wounded responders get back on their feet and gives bioengineering students valuable hands-on experience in the prosthetics field at the same time. It has sponsored prosthetic limbs for more than 1,300 veterans and first responders from more than 2,000 students since its founding in 2009.

In May, the nonprofit (formerly known as Quality of Life Plus) brought eight teams together for a national competition in Blacksburg, Virginia. Universities from Ohio, Florida, New Jersey, and Virginia gathered to see who could design a prosthetic socket and liner that would mitigate heat and moisture for lower limb amputees.

George Mason’s team comprised Gabriel Gibson, Cassidy Worzalla, Dibyashree Basu, and Kunaal Jindal, all bioengineering majors. Over the course of two semesters, they developed, tested, and evaluated multiple prototypes. They also had to present their progress and proposed solutions twice in fall and once in spring to a group of stakeholders, including prosthetic wearers, for feedback. 

On May 3, the day of competition, Team 7 presented their solution: a silicone liner made with a thermal conductive polymer and containing moisture-absorbent strips. They were judged on two different real-time tests: how much the design lowered the temperature, and how the design helped control temperature and humidity levels when a test subject performed a physical activity.

“The judges liked the innovative design and thought their idea was creative and promising,” said Shani Ross, the senior design instructor and bioengineering associate professor. “We are very proud of the work that the team did. They showed ingenuity, tenacity, and teamwork and represented 91�� well.” 

Their product helped them take third place—and contributed to the science of prosthetics, and a better quality of life for affected heroes.  

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Forged in passion, not just fire: This alum is on a hot streak

sbrown79 — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 18:20:46 +0000

Forged in passion, not just fire: This alum is on a hot streak  sbrown79 Mon, 10/27/2025 - 14:20

Keeping his nose to the grindstone is not just how Andrew Hutsell approaches his academic career in engineering—it's how he cut a small slice of fame.  

The 91�� alumnus recently put his engineering skills to the test on national television, competing in an episode of the History Channel’s Forged in Fire, a competition show that challenges bladesmiths to create weapons under tight deadlines.  

Hutsell (second from right) and the Forged in Fire judges. Photo provided.

Hutsell, BS Mechanical Engineering ’23, appeared on the episode “Junkyard Meltdown” on September 17 (S10E27).  

 Hutsell’s journey began when one of the show’s judges posted a casting call on Instagram.  

“I was still a student at the time, so they asked what I do at George Mason, what I do in my free time, and to provide examples of the knives I’ve made,” said Hutsell, who also was president of George Mason’s club baseball. 

Hutsell has been a fan of the show since 2016 and started bladesmithing in 2019.  

“Ever since I started making knives, I have only had one goal with each knife I make: learn at least one new skill or method [for the trade]. With this mindset, it is easy to see how my skills have improved over time,” said Hutsell. 

After multiple rounds of interviews, he got the call to appear during a midterm exam.  

Filming took place in March and April 2023. Hutsell described the show’s format as similar to Chopped, but instead of cooking, contestants forge knives through three rounds of competition.  

One of Andrew Hutsell's knives. Photo provided.

For the last round, judges pick a historical weapon, such as a broad sword or katana, and then contestants go back to their hometown to forge it with their own equipment.   

"I traveled back home to Newport News. When I came back, they tested it to determine the winner,” said Hutsell.  

“They tested the knives by chopping through bone for strength, then slicing sugar cane to see how well the edge held up. It was surreal to compete on a show I’d watched for years,” said Hutsell, who came in second place.  

Hutsell is currently a graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University working on similar topics such as fluids research.  

“The research that I’m doing is for thermal hydraulics—the cooling system—of molten salt [nuclear] reactors, researching the gas sparring of fission products of molten salts for molten salt reactors,” said Hutsell.  

Hutsell was influenced by Jeffrey Moran, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, who Hutsell describes as a “a big influence on my work with heat and mass transfer,” as well as Juan Cebral, an associate professor in the Department of Bioengineering.  

“It is always very rewarding when a student demonstrates this passion for learning and dedicates substantial time and effort to master the material to reach high levels of achievement,” said Cebral. “Andrew was one of those students who is dedicated to solving complex problems. His perseverance and motivation will certainly help him make important contributions in his field.”  

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