College of Science

Podcast: A small cup with big impact in the fight against Lyme disease

Lynden Tennyson — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 20:45:51 +0000

Podcast: A small cup with big impact in the fight against Lyme disease Lynden Tennyson Mon, 07/14/2025 - 16:45

One small bite from a deer tick can lead to debilitating symptoms and a lifelong battle with Lyme disease. At 海角社区, researchers are developing innovative diagnostic technologies that are changing the landscape of Lyme disease detection.

In this episode of the Access to Excellence podcast, George Mason President Gregory Washington speaks with Alessandra Luchini, professor in the School of Systems Biology in the College of Science, about the development of cancer and Lyme disease detection technologies and the importance of international collaboration in scientific progress.

One tick can transmit many, many diseases, upwards almost 20...there are terrible viruses, encephalitis generating viruses and they're very lethal. So we can, with the same approach, in one very small cup of urine, identify all of this. 鈥� Alessandra Luchini

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Intro (00:04):
Trailblazers in research innovators, in technology, and those who simply have a good story: all make up the fabric that is 海角社区, where taking on the grand challenges that face our students, graduates, and higher education is our mission and our passion. Hosted by Mason President Gregory Washington, this is the Access to Excellence podcast.

President Gregory Washington (00:27):
It wasn't long ago that we were all regulars at the Fenwick COVID-19 testing site, participating in saliva-based COVID-19 test, actually developed by George Mason researchers. And now with innovation comes further questions. What else can we detect and diagnose now? Alessandra Luchini is a professor in the School of Systems Biology in the College of Science. Her research focuses on developing technologies that improve current diagnostics and therapeutics for diseases, including cancer and inflammatory and infectious disease. Alessandra, welcome to the show.

Alessandra Luchini (01:10):
Thank you very much for having me.

President Gregory Washington (01:12):
Your Mason journey began in 2005 when you came here from Italy on a research fellowship to do cancer research, but your training is in engineering. So what led you to the field of diagnostic testing?

Alessandra Luchini (01:29):
I love, uh, the diagnostic challenge, uh, to me is like solving a puzzle, piecing together different clues to try and solve the final mystery: who done it, right? What, what is it that causes this ailment, this illness, uh, this terrible, uh, symptoms in the diagnostic journey. I hope to learn something that, uh, explains how the disease develops. Ah, diagnostics and, and new research in it is at, in the intersection between science, innovation, patient care. So 20 years in it. I find it very rewarding to be able to do a research that has very concrete, practical impact in the life of people.

President Gregory Washington (02:16):
You know, you came to the US to do research. What were your thoughts? What made you move?

Alessandra Luchini (02:20):
Right, I was chasing the dream! I, I had a plan. I, I wanted to come here, stay six months, solve the sole cancer issue, um, make my parents proud and come back. And what I realized when I came to Mason is that the tools and the technical aspects of the research were not completely figured out. And as humbling as it was, I found it to be an excellent challenge. And having an engineering background, I'm kind of wired of finding a problem, try to identify a solution, and, and I really embrace this, this new challenge. And I found an excellent environment with my directors, doctors Liotta and Petricoin, that foster creativity and, and finding new solutions. And great, uh, in involvement and synergy from the local biotech companies, students, different scientists, international collaboration. So, I loved it.

President Gregory Washington (03:20):
So you came in, you had a project, that's what got you here. There was some set of outcomes that you were hoping to achieve.

Alessandra Luchini (03:30):
Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

President Gregory Washington (03:31):
What were you hoping for? What kind of outcomes did you think you would get with the cancer diagnostic research that you started, uh, when you came here?

Alessandra Luchini (03:39):
Absolutely. So the, the, the goal and, and the reason why Italy sent me out here, and the reason why I was collaborating with all the C-A-P-M-M scientists was to develop a test, a blood-based test or something that is really non-invasive, that could tell us who was going to get cancer. And so this was a cancer risk kind of test. So we could identify people very early before they had any clinical signs and implications. And as, uh, the name of the center says we were focusing on proteomics, and this is kind of a phenotypical way of looking, um, at the patient's molecular information. And it is a little bit of the difference between a, uh, let's say a football playbook and, and the football players right?

President Gregory Washington (04:27):
<laugh>.

Alessandra Luchini (04:27):
Looking at, at proteins. These are the guys who do things, who carry the actions. And that's what we were looking, and, and by looking at all the complement of these players and, and you know, when they go wrong, then the health goes very wrong. We hope to understand the cancer development and pathogenesis, so to, for those protein targets to be the drugs of the future.

President Gregory Washington (04:52):
Understood. Understood. Were you able to develop any new technologies during that time?

Alessandra Luchini (04:58):
Sure. Right. Where there is the need, there is an incentive to find a, a novel technology. And it was a very good collaboration. And the Mason scientists were very good at collaborating with the biotech enterprises, uh, around locally and nationally. And so many technologies were developed. My focus was on a specific way, or nanotechnology, a specific way to capture the proteins and the targets we were interested in while isolating the noise. And so in a way, we were stabilizing and amplifying the signal by blocking the background.

President Gregory Washington (05:38):
Wow. I see.

Alessandra Luchini (05:39):
And so this technology then was licensed by a company, and it was kind of very nice way to give back to the biotech community that sparked this collaboration in the beginning.

President Gregory Washington (05:51):
As a member of the George Mason Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, you supported the work on developing George Mason's novel saliva testing for COVID-19. What was it like being a researcher during those early months of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Alessandra Luchini (06:09):
It was a very intense time, right? The pandemic does bring back very hard memories of hardiness and commitment. I was very fortunate that I was allowed to go to work, right? And, and because of that, my experience might have been different than many others. There was no, not an hour of remote work. I was here. I felt I had the chance to help the community. I have two young kids. And so in the mornings I was trying to guide them through the online learning from the elementary school. And then in the afternoon I would come to the lab, put my lab coat on, and, uh, and give a little contribution to the, to the testing and the lateral flow. So like a, a rapid test that could tell who had the antibodies for COVID, so who was exposed to the disease. And so it was like this sense of purpose and helping the community that helped me plow through this, uh, exhaustion. I have to say that for the safety of the very same community, it was very good that going home, I had the highway for myself. <laugh> <laugh>.

President Gregory Washington (07:19):
Yeah. You didn't have to worry about traffic and all of that stuff. I remember that. You actually worked to develop the, uh, global partnership at that time, right? Between George Mason and the University of Padua in Italy. During COVID-19, you worked closely with the Italian microbiologists to help develop the test. And so how did this international collaboration work and how did it impact the actual saliva testing apparatus that we were able to develop here?

Alessandra Luchini (07:49):
Uh, it was extremely helpful, right? Italy was a bit ahead in the pandemic just for the geographical reasons. And it was good. It was a very productive exchange of samples of, uh, epidemiology information on, uh, uh, patients behavior and given the differences in the environment. But all this information and these specimens and this know-how really help us speed up the technology, the testing, and make it a better product.

President Gregory Washington (08:20):
Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Has the collaboration continued? Is it still ongoing since the COVID-19 pandemic has formally ended? Are you still working with the same group?

Alessandra Luchini (08:31):
Yes. I am very keen in international collaboration, and the group in Padua is very dear to, to my heart, and it's good to keep the relationship, uh, with your old school friends, right? So with Padua, we continue, we have a class where we bring Mason students to study translational medicine in Italy. Uh, we continue studying tuberculosis. We study sickle cell diseases, and we leverage the collaboration with scientists who have a global footprint of research operation. But then with tropical infectious diseases and tuberculosis and Chagas disease, the collaboration goes beyond Italy. And we collaborated with scientists in Nepal and in, uh, Guinea-Bissau and, and Peru, Bolivia. So...

President Gregory Washington (09:20):
That's pretty cool. So, so why, why is it important to have these global connections? When you're talking about the development of new detection and diagnostic technologies?

Alessandra Luchini (09:31):
There is a geographic factor that is very important. So one, as COVID taught us, the diseases don't respect borders. Right? <laugh>.

President Gregory Washington (09:41):
That's right. Doesn't care about boundaries. <laugh>, that is very, that was very clear. So being global enabled you to look at diagnostics from the perspective of needs that different countries may have. That we may not have here and then you're able to take those needs and, and then develop technologies that will also be useful here in the us. Right. So last May you got 1.2 million federal research dollars to support Lyme disease detection and diagnosis using urine as a framework, right? I assume that the work that you had been developing with these global partners enabled the development of this test, which we are now using in the US. Is that, is that accurate?

Alessandra Luchini (10:31):
It's absolutely accurate. Uh, and that's really the whole, uh, story, right? We, we understood what limitations can be outside the US and then with the lessons learned, we developed technology and that didn't require any infrastructure. And abating costs is good. And the important thing is that we see it maintains accuracy. So there is complete integration with the high complexity clinical lab, but without the need of that cold chain, very expensive freezers and refrigerators. Um, and, and in particular this, uh, collaboration, yielded a different technology, which is a specific urine collection cup that allows us to stabilize, um, the molecular content of urine with no technology, no laboratory infrastructure, no power, right? Because a lot of the country we were tried to do research with for many months a year, they don't have power. And so this, this collection cup allows us to measure accurately diseases and disease markers without a lab, without power. And so, although it was developed for underserved countries, this we hope will be something that can be integrated also in the US uh, system and with some kind of telehealth model where there is not the need for the patient to go to the lab to donate the sample, but kind of the lab goes to the patient and then is embedded in this telehealth model. It is just--

President Gregory Washington (12:04):
So you're able to do all of this accurate tests without the significant infrastructure of a lab. So I assume that means that people can use it in the home.

Alessandra Luchini (12:14):
The, it, it's a collection that is a home, a point of need collection and then is shipped at the room temperature.

President Gregory Washington (12:22):
Oh, wow.

Alessandra Luchini (12:22):
Where scientists--in the beginning, scientists are working on the test, and then in the future, yes. Uh, we hope that it will be a home, from the beginning to the end home solution.

President Gregory Washington (12:32):
Okay. I, I hear you. So let me back up for a minute. For our listeners who are unfamiliar with Lyme disease, uh, can you explain what it is, its symptoms and transmission and why it is so dangerous?

Alessandra Luchini (12:47):
Sure. Lyme disease is a, an infectious disease that this is transmitted by the blacklegged tick, which is the deer tick. We have many in our backyard in this area, unfortunately.

President Gregory Washington (13:00):
Because we got a lot of deer <laugh>, my goodness, they are everywhere.

Alessandra Luchini (13:04):
And deer are intimately connected to it. People saw that in islands where there is no deer, there is no Lyme disease. Huh! So no tick, no Lyme disease. So because of the involvement of our, the environment and the wild animals, a um, Lyme disease is an interesting disease also from the one health perspective. Right. But, um, anyway, when a tick who has that, has the bacterium, and it's called Borrelia burgdorferi, bite us, then it transmits the bacterium to the host to, to the human. And then the bacterium goes from the skin to the blood, and unfortunately from the blood it goes all over the body. And it, the bacterium likes to hide in organs, in places like the knees and the joints, the brain, the heart. So a minimal thing, like a tick bite, the infectious not treated correctly, for a small percentage of people can result in heart transplant. Very debilitating arthritis and, and joint pain, very difficult mobility, the need for a lot of joint replacement and, and brain fog. But to the point that is very debilitating. And when it happens to a young person, people have to drop college. They drop school. When it happens to an adult, they have to drop work. So it's, um, it's a simple solution. We just need to know who has it and treat it. And unfortunately, the--

President Gregory Washington (14:32):
So, so it is treatable if you catch it, right?

Alessandra Luchini (14:34):
Yes.

President Gregory Washington (14:35):
So what this test can do is literally be revolutionary in terms of helping us manage this disease. Is that accurate?

Alessandra Luchini (14:44):
Well, we certainly hope so, right <laugh>. But yes, the test looks for pieces of the bacterium that are shed in our bodily fluid. And, and these are pieces that can come only for these bacteriums, that, that is, there is no overlap with the microbiome. There is no overlap with our molecular content, it is just from the bacterium. And by knowing if we harbor this infection early, we can treat it. And, and the treatment is successful. However, we are also using this, uh, this test to learn what it is that cause all this, uh, terrible chronic symptoms. And again, like cancer, like, uh, tuberculosis, we hope to be able to identify this pharmacological targets, this, this future ways of treating, also the long-term consequences. And yeah, again, Lyme is very similar to long COVID in terms of the damage, the persisting damage that does to people. And we have some ideas.

President Gregory Washington (15:46):
Hmm. That is interesting. So talk to me a little bit about how did your work in cancer detection and the COVID-19 detection correlate to discovering a new method for Lyme disease detection?

Alessandra Luchini (16:00):
Mm-hmm <affirmative>. And it's very similar problem. We are looking for very rare labile signs, right? Almost like writing your name on the sand, and when the wave comes, this trace is gone. And so equally for, uh, for the cancer and, and for Lyme disease, we are looking at something very fragile in the bodily fluid. And, and the same approach of capturing and preserving and concentrated this, uh, very fragile biological traces, has held the same value for cancer and for the Lyme disease. And so it's like really finding the classic hay, um, needle in the haystack, but with the complication that the needle is being eaten very quickly by something. Yeah.

President Gregory Washington (16:46):
So why is early detection important?

Alessandra Luchini (16:48):
Early detection is very important because it can result in better outcome for the patients, their family, um, the healthcare system, right? And we hope to push it even further to prevention, right? And, and it's always better to treat a, a disease at the very beginning where the implications are minimal and the outlook for a therapy is much better. And, and that's true, you know, for cancer and all the programs for imaging and screening. And, and that is true also, um, for the infectious diseases.

President Gregory Washington (17:22):
So can this work be applied to other diseases? I assume that there may be other things transmitted through ticks or other types of diseases in general. What else are you looking at?

Alessandra Luchini (17:34):
Absolutely. One tick can transmit many, many diseases, upwards almost 20. Luckily, they are much less widespread than Lyme disease and any, and in one, uh, embodiment of the test, we do test for all the other diseases. And, and there are names that are less known, probably babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever--

President Gregory Washington (17:57):
That one is actually quite common, right? I I I've heard of that one.

Alessandra Luchini (18:01):
And, and maybe in different areas, right? Not necessarily in the, in the East coast. And so all of that, there are terrible viruses that they are encephalitis generating viruses, and, and they're very, actually very little. So the, so we can, with the same approach in, in one, uh, very small cup of urine, identify all of this, but then it can transcend the ticks and look for other vector borne diseases: mosquito borne diseases. But the reality is that it can be a solution for also other diseases at all. For example, we are collaborating for predicting a pain crisis for sickle cell disease children. And, and so the, the idea being that by monitoring the wellness or, or signs and, and alarm signals in the body, we can monitor the wellness and, and hopefully predict when something bad happens.

President Gregory Washington (18:52):
So what about moving over to the veterinary side of the house? Are we able to detect diseases in animals using some of the same techniques?

Alessandra Luchini (19:01):
Absolutely. For the fact that we target the bacterium and so the causative agents of disease, that's exactly the same. And, and our friends, our pets also, uh, different animals, they do harbor the same bacterium. So it's absolutely translatable to animals. And it's actually is at the heart of how this Lyme test came to be. And the whole idea came from a high school summer intern who came to work in the lab many years ago, and now she has, you know, her PhD, and a beautiful family. and her name is Temple Douglas. And Temple wanted to do something for her family that was highly hit by Lyme disease. Her mom, her sister, they had terrible time dealing with it. And so she came in one summer in high school, she developed a test, she published a paper. She was the first author.

President Gregory Washington (19:55):
Oh, first author!

Alessandra Luchini (19:55):
On the publication. She did it.

President Gregory Washington (19:57):
Nice.

Alessandra Luchini (19:57):
And, uh, and the first patient who was published, it was her dog.

President Gregory Washington (20:02):
<laugh> patient number one. Outstanding. Outstanding. So you were honored by the State Council of Higher Education, which we call here SCHEV, with a 2023 outstanding faculty award. How does your work as a researcher inform your teaching philosophy?

Alessandra Luchini (20:23):
Teaching and, and research, I believe they're intimately connected. And, and to me, it is difficult to think of one without the other. And I do love, uh, working with students and, and, and students are kind of the reason I get out of bed and the way I feel it's more effective to teach is working together, learning as we do, learn as we solve an issue, as we--even put our brain together to identify the issue. And, and the, the teaching involves knowledge, but involves also creativity and resilience and collaboration, and how to be professional. So it becomes like a, a different experience. Yeah.

President Gregory Washington (21:07):
Mm. Understood. Understood. Pre pandemic, the partnership with the Italian universities we spoke about earlier, included a class on translational research with students from both George Mason and the University of Padua. What do students gain from this kind of cross-cultural collaboration in the classroom and beyond?

Alessandra Luchini (21:28):
Based on the feedback we received, I think they gather a lot and they were exposed, or they are exposed to leading scientists in their field. And scientists can relay firsthand, um, their experience with that translational research and how to bring the science to the patient bedside and the community. But also there are very interesting and engaging conversation in terms of, for example, the universal healthcare system that Italy has and, and has been going on forever, and the US system, and, and what is good and what is bad. And, and there was a great input from patient advocacy groups and, and, and voice of people who live the disease on their skin and their family members. And so the, the conversation was, uh, very sparkly. And of course, the Italians, they do bring a lot of color and hand gesture and passion, but it was also good to have a deep dive in science in the mornings. And then in the afternoon, uh, student could enjoy art and, and, and history and cuisine. So, uh, it's a, I believe, a, a good model to teach and learn and, and, uh, exchange different visions and point of views

President Gregory Washington (22:46):
In, in terms of our students, what do, what do you hope they learn from engaging on international collaborators? You, you know, we, for lack of a better way of saying this, the connection between US students and foreign students, uh, it's one of the areas that is challenged right now in the country. And I think we are not paying attention to some of the real benefits of having people from all over the globe come to one place to study and to learn. If you look at the great centers of learning historically have always been like that, right? You can go back to the, the education in, in, in the Greeks, and you go, you know, further into Egypt and into Alexandria. And these centers of learning always drew people from all over. Europe had these great institutions, and during the whole period of enlightenment, people came from all over the world to study in the Europe and learn. And now the US is the place for that. I just think that in all of the back and forth that we're dealing with now, there is something fundamental there that we're missing and you engage in this kind of work. So talk to me a little about it.

Alessandra Luchini (24:07):
I cannot say enough how important a global reach for science and research is. And it's a matter of knowledge, it's a matter of exchange of samples, exchange of technology, uh, understanding different needs, understanding different realities, and understanding culture, local culture, and how that plays into the overall research enterprise. And science is a universal language, right? And, and, and--

President Gregory Washington (24:36):
That it is.

Alessandra Luchini (24:37):
And, and we can go everywhere and, and cancer hits us in the US like it hits people in, in Italy. And, and the way we can learn what causes it, it's deeply embedded in this constant exchange. And I hear you very much in Padua, uh, in Italy is a university that was funded in the 1300. And the motto is knowledge is open to the universe. It is the university, and it's in the world itself. Like it's a universal, in universe. And the, the very nature of the work we do is global and needs to, to be global, to flourish and move forward.

President Gregory Washington (25:22):
Well, we're gonna have to leave it there. Alessandra, thank you for your continued work in disease detection so that we can all live healthier, happier lives. And I really, really appreciate the work you're doing and the impact that it's having on the planet.

Alessandra Luchini (25:39):
Thank you very much, President Washington. It was a pleasure. Thank you for the opportunity.

President Gregory Washington (25:43):
Oh, outstanding. I am George Mason President Gregory Washington. Thanks for listening. And tune in next time for more conversations that show why we are all together different.

Outro (25:59):
If you like what you heard on this podcast, go to podcast.gmu.edu for more of Gregory Washington's conversations with the thought leaders, experts, and educators who take on the grand challenges facing our students, graduates, and higher education. That's podcast.gmu.edu.

Meet Alessandra Luchini

Explore the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine

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Disease Prevention

When the mosquitos bite, the Biomedical Research Lab bites back

Sarah Holland — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 19:45:51 +0000

When the mosquitos bite, the Biomedical Research Lab bites back Sarah Holland Thu, 07/03/2025 - 15:45

It鈥檚 summer, and with those longer days come backyard cookouts, outdoor activities and鈥攐uch!鈥攂ug bites. Mosquitoes love Northern Virginia鈥檚 infamous hot and humid summers. And as the world鈥檚 deadliest animal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they鈥檙e more than just a nuisance at the family barbeque: They鈥檙e a health hazard.

Farhang Alem. Photo by Creative Services

But in partnership with Prince William County, 海角社区鈥檚 Biomedical Research Laboratory (BRL) is working to prevent outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases.

Since 2016, in response to the Zika virus outbreak, the county and the university partner each year to collect mosquito samples and test them for diseases like West Nile virus.

鈥淲est Nile is endemic in the United States, and infections can be lethal,鈥� explained Farhang Alem, MS Biology 鈥�15, PhD Biosciences 鈥�19 , associate director of the BRL. Alem has led the mosquito testing program since 2019.

鈥淓ighty percent of people will have no symptoms,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut about one in every 150 cases of West Nile is severe.鈥� It鈥檚 a neuroinvasive disease, meaning severe cases can damage the nervous system, resulting in high mortality rates and a high likelihood of disability if survived. Even those with non-neuroinvasive West Nile virus, though most likely to make a full recovery, could experience symptoms for weeks or months.

鈥淲e want to prevent the spread as much as possible,鈥� Alem said.

Testing season starts in late spring and runs through the fall. Each week, samples are collected at more than 60 sites across Prince William County, and the mosquitoes are sorted by species. Vector species鈥攎eaning those that carry disease鈥攁re sent to the BRL for testing. Researchers extract RNA from the mosquitos and check for the markers of West Nile virus. They then send their report to county officials. If mosquitoes are positive for West Nile virus, the county will follow their larvicide and adulticide spraying protocols to eliminate the threat at the site where the mosquitoes were trapped.

鈥淚t allows us to more precisely target areas before they become a concern for the local community,鈥� said Eli Hosen, environmental project manager for the mosquito and forest pest management branch of Prince William County Department of Public Works. 鈥淭he lab provides us with a quick turnaround so we can respond as soon as possible.鈥�

The program has been effective, Alem said, in reducing the number of West Nile carriers in the region. "Spraying is definitely working to control the spread."

Alem is in conversation with other counties in Northern Virginia to see if there鈥檚 interest in expanding the surveillance program. The BRL is also hoping to learn best practices on mosquito trapping from Prince William County to implement in other areas of research.

George Mason epidemiologist Amira Roess is looking into the possibility of a similar surveillance program in India for dengue fever, for example. And if deployed, researchers hope what they learn in India can be useful to their research here as well.

With almost 10 years鈥� worth of data from the ongoing testing, Alem is hoping the lab can one day look at trends in disease occurrence and correlating environmental factors.

鈥淚t's leading to new avenues of research for us,鈥� said Alem.

Learn more about the Biomedical Research Lab

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George Mason grad explores environmental management strategies

Katarina Benson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 20:24:09 +0000

George Mason grad explores environmental management strategies Katarina Benson Fri, 06/13/2025 - 16:24

For Northern Virginia native Ryan McIntyre, the path to a master鈥檚 in environmental science and policy at 海角社区 began with something simple: a love for the outdoors and a family connection.

Ryan McIntyre. Photo by Office of University Branding

While attending Northern Virginia Community College, McIntyre was introduced to a job opportunity in the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience through family friend Cindy Smith, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy who runs George Mason鈥檚 program with Fairfax County Public Schools.

鈥淚 liked being outside, so I took the job,鈥� McIntyre said. That decision would plant the seed for a future dedicated to conservation and environmental policy.

After completing his associate degree, McIntyre said George Mason felt like a natural next step. He enrolled in Mason鈥檚 Bachelor鈥檚 to Accelerated Master鈥檚 Program working on degrees in environmental science, a decision that would shape his academic and professional future.

鈥淭he accelerated master鈥檚 set me on a research path,鈥� McIntyre said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know where I would have ended up otherwise.鈥�

McIntyre with blue crab. Photo provided

That research path led him to a recent fellowship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). His work focused on invasive aquatic plants, specifically Trapa bispinosa, a species of water chestnut known for its ability to rapidly spread across the surface of freshwater bodies.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a history of this genus in the U.S. going back to the 1940s,鈥� McIntyre explained. 鈥淥ne species took over much of the Potomac River, and it took years to eradicate.鈥�

Now, with a new species surfacing in Northern Virginia, the U.S. Army Corps brought McIntyre on board to study how local, state, and federal agencies are managing the threat. His master鈥檚 thesis centered on observing the management techniques of different organizations, including Fairfax County Park Authority and the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. 鈥淚t became an observational study comparing their management techniques, how effective they are, and how they compare to each other,鈥� he said.

This blend of environmental science and government is no coincidence. When McIntyre earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in environmental science from George Mason, he did so with a minor in public policy. 鈥淚t was clear to me that you can鈥檛 protect the environment without the law,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 can do all the science I want to, but unless there is legislation in place, I don鈥檛 think we鈥檒l make a lot of progress.鈥�

That philosophy inspired his leadership as president of the George Mason student organization Science Policy Network, which works to bridge the divide between policymakers and scientists. The group organizes social and professional events that bring together students from both fields.

One of the most defining moments of his time at George Mason was a semester at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation (SMSC). 鈥淚t reset the course of what I wanted to do and changed my perspective on nature and ecology,鈥� he said.

For someone who grew up memorizing environmental trivia and enjoying time outdoors, McIntyre said it was the first time those passions were recognized as valuable academic assets. 鈥淭here were a lot of skills I had that I鈥檇 never applied in an academic setting before,鈥� McIntyre said. 鈥淭hat experience showed me how my knowledge and interests could contribute to a deeper understanding of ecology and biodiversity.鈥�

That semester working alongside Smithsonian Institution scientists at SMSC in Front Royal, Virginia, led to two internships for McIntyre. One summer he spent hunting for Virginia orchids in Shenandoah and identifying plants that grow around them, 鈥渋n an attempt to understand the factors that make these hyper-specialized blooms call particular areas home.鈥�

The next summer he found himself aboard a boat in the Chesapeake Bay counting fish as part of an internship with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland. There he served as an intern liaison between the Fisheries Conservation Lab and the center鈥檚 public-facing education department.

鈥淢y background as a science communicator got me a role turning the FishCon鈥檚 work into lesson plans for the public,鈥� he wrote in an essay about his experience for a Smithsonian Magazine blog.

As he prepares for the next chapter, teaching as an adjunct professor at Northern Virginia Community College, McIntyre hopes to inspire a new generation of environmental leaders.

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Graduating Senior Anna Garren: Commencement, Leidos, Hopkins, and Beyond

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 05 May 2025 16:17:31 +0000

Graduating Senior Anna Garren: Commencement, Leidos, Hopkins, and Beyond Andrew J Schappert Mon, 05/05/2025 - 12:17

It鈥檚 going to be a whirlwind week for graduating senior Anna Garren.

Anna Garren: 鈥楾he Schar School degree really helped expand my worldview.鈥� Photo by Jennifer N. Victor/Schar School of Policy and Government

On May 10, she moves into her first apartment. Five days later, she鈥檒l don cap and gown at 海角社区鈥檚 EagleBank Arena to receive her bachelor of science degrees in public administration, from the Schar School of Policy and Government, and computational and data science from the College of Science.

Three days after that, she starts her new job at the Reston, Virginia-based government contracting giant Leidos, where she鈥檒l work in the Artificial Intelligence Accelerator.

And the very next day, she begins her master鈥檚 degree program in artificial intelligence at Johns Hopkins University鈥檚 Whiting School of Engineering.

Garren, 21, is used to managing big transitions with poise and purpose. She grew up in Fairfax, Virginia, home of George Mason, but she began her college career more than 200 miles away, at Roanoke College, where she was a third-generation student and her grandfather, Kenneth R. Garren, had been a dean (he retired in 2001).

Initially a computer science major, she quickly realized she wanted a broader, more interdisciplinary focus. She transferred to George Mason as a sophomore and declared a double major in computational and data sciences and public administration.

鈥淚 always knew I wanted to go into STEM,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut after taking government classes in high school, I added the political science aspect.鈥�

She was further inspired by the passing of her high school legislative bill project鈥攔egarding a special needs indicator on state vehicle registration鈥攁ctually being passed into law by the Virginia legislature.

That hybrid identity鈥攁nalytical and civic-minded鈥攈as been her hallmark at George Mason. And at the Schar School, Garren found not just challenging coursework but a welcoming and supportive community. In fact, the community she found was a higher education highlight for her.

鈥淒efinitely the relationships I made with my professors and peers,鈥� she said when asked what stands out from her time there, adding that her two terms as part of Associate Professor Jennifer N. Victor鈥檚 Politics Research Lab was a particular highlight.

Anna Garren, left, and mentor Associate Professor Jennifer N. Victor. Photo provided.

In that setting, Garren, who was also a teaching assistant, was part of a collaborative environment where undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty work on real-world political science research鈥攕ometimes for credit but always for impact.

Not surprisingly, Garren has made an impression on one of her professors.

鈥淎nna鈥檚 eagerness to meet the world鈥檚 challenges head-on should make the world鈥檚 challenges very nervous,鈥� said Victor, the university鈥檚 2025 Faculty Mentor Excellence Award winner. (An aside: Garren is the 2025 OSCAR Student Excellence Award winner.)

鈥淪he is a remarkable student,鈥� Victor added. 鈥淗er combination of deep knowledge and interest in politics and government combined with her incredible skills in computational and statistical programming make her one of the most sought after students I鈥檝e ever worked with.鈥�

Outside the classroom, Garren took her passion for technology and education into the community, volunteering as coach for the robotics team at Centreville High School, her alma mater. During peak season, the team, a certified nonprofit organization that offers STEM training to middle and elementary schools, consumed about 20 uncompensated hours a week. The squad also competes in the prestigious international FIRST Robotics competitions.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot,鈥� she agreed in a tone that mixes understatement and pride, adding that she also substitutes on occasion as a teacher at the school.

In addition to her double-major course work, her volunteer hours with Victor鈥檚 lab, and her high school robotics club, Garren completed four summer internships at various units of the Department of Defense.

Ask her what she鈥檒l miss most about George Mason and her answer is fast鈥斺€渢he Schar School,鈥� specifically the people and the intellectual exploration of government and politics, even as she pivots into the sharper tools of data science and AI.

鈥淭he Schar School degree really helped expand my worldview,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he type of brainwork in data science is different than in political science classes, and I鈥檒l miss that.鈥�

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Graduating community health student has her own floss-ophy

Shayla Brown — Fri, 02 May 2025 17:09:05 +0000

Graduating community health student has her own floss-ophy Shayla Brown Fri, 05/02/2025 - 13:09

Growing up, 海角社区 senior Haila Salaheddine was not a big fan of going to the dentist.

鈥淚 was initially very fearful of the dentist. When I was living in Lebanon, there wasn鈥檛 really preventative care for oral hygiene,鈥� said Salaheddine, a community health major.

After high school, Salaheddine moved to the United States and discovered she had eight cavities.

鈥淚 got them filled in quadrants, which was not fun, but I paid close attention to what the dentist was doing; all the material he was picking up. I started asking questions and ended up shadowing the same dentist, and soon fell in love with it,鈥� said Salaheddine.

Salaheddine is graduating this spring with a bachelor of science from George Mason鈥檚 College of Public Health and plans to attend dental school at the University of Maryland.

鈥淣ow it will be my responsibility to make sure that patients feel comfortable with me, which is something that I'm very excited for. Going to the dentist is a different experience for everybody and I want to help make the process as easy as possible,鈥� said the Honors College student.

Haila Salaheddine. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding.

During her time on campus, Salaheddine was president of the Volunteers Around the World dental outreach program, vice president of Patriots for Public Health, and a member of the Pre-Dental Society, Chemistry Club, and Alpha Phi sorority.

鈥淥ur main goal with Volunteers Around the World is to get enough members to travel overseas for two weeks in the summer and provide dental care for underserved communities in countries like the Dominican Republic, Vietnam, and Peru,鈥� said Salaheddine, who has attended multiple national meetings.

She was also president of a student advisory group that advocated for more global and community health (GCH) courses in Peterson Hall.

鈥淲e met with President Gregory Washington on a monthly basis and discussed how having more courses in this building can help GCH students to integrate themselves more in the major and with fellow peers,鈥� she said.

Salaheddine is in her third semester of being a learning advisor for College of Science professor Gwendolyn Fondufe, providing support to students in Fondufe鈥檚 classrooms.

One of Salaheddine鈥檚 favorite courses was organic chemistry taught by Greg Petruncio.

鈥淗aila has a high capacity for memorization, something that is necessary to perform well in organic chemistry and is evidenced by her stellar performance in the course,鈥� said Petruncio, a postdoctoral fellow in George Mason鈥檚 College of Science.

鈥淪he would show up to my office hours regularly and would often ask exam-focused questions to target her studying efforts,鈥� he said.

Salaheddine describes the course as the climax of her college experience.

鈥淚t taught me a lot about myself, about my time management skills, and it was really impactful in me passing my dental admission exams,鈥� she said.

What鈥檚 your best memory at George Mason?鈥�

My freshman year in fall 2021. It was the turnover of the COVID-19 era and we were getting more social interactions, but it was still very quiet on campus. It was a really new and unique experience, and a critical point for me. I often question what it would be like if I was to go back freshman year and have it completely in person, and whether that would've changed my way of thinking or the places where I usually hang our and study now.

How have you grown at George Mason?

My senior year is when I found my love of joining clubs and trying to hold leadership positions because it was something that kept me intertwined with George Mason as a commuter. Something that鈥檚 important for me is being able to receive constructive criticism when working with others so being able to socialize and ask this from people was really significant for me, especially as I started applying to dental schools and interviewing for programs. I don't think I would be where I am now as a leader in two different clubs and admitted into dental school otherwise.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

As a learning advisor for BIOL 213 [Cell Structure and Function], a lot of my students are freshmen, and funny enough I oftentimes advise them to socialize and put themselves outside their comfort zone and make friends with people they wouldn't typically interact with. It builds a lot of personality and social awareness.

There are so many different perspectives surrounding us at all times and being able to keep an open mind while interacting with all these different individuals helps you, especially as a person who's still growing. We can't always control the environment we鈥檙e in and being able to communicate with others in a meaningful way is crucial.

What鈥檚 next for you?鈥�

I'm very excited to finally go to dental school at the University of Maryland. As a dental assistant, you're shadowing professionals and helping on the sidelines. I finally get to say that I am pursuing my future career and providing firsthand care to others. That's something that's very heartwarming and amazing to hear.

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Chemistry PhD receives U.S. Department of Defense SMART Scholarship

Katarina Benson — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:23:09 +0000

Chemistry PhD receives U.S. Department of Defense SMART Scholarship Katarina Benson Mon, 04/14/2025 - 12:23

A'Laura C. Hines, a physical chemistry PhD candidate at 海角社区, has been awarded the prestigious U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) SMART Scholarship. The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program provides full tuition, an annual stipend, and a summer internship at a DoD facility.

The program emphasizes hands-on learning and mentorship to prepare scholars for careers in defense technologies after graduation, supporting them with financial resources while they study and gain practical experience.

"It is incredibly humbling to be recognized for my hard work," said Hines, reflecting on the honor. 鈥淭he offer for full funding allows me to focus on accelerating my research progress.鈥�

For Hines, the comprehensive support offered by the DoD SMART Scholarship was a major draw. In addition to funding her graduate degree, the scholarship guarantees a government civil servant job upon graduation, providing both job security and an exciting career path in the defense sector.

Hines's journey in science began at George Mason, where she earned her BA in chemistry in 2013. As an undergraduate, Hines spent time researching synthesized cooking oils as an alternative to diesel fuel using mass spectroscopy. She also studied the mechanism of methanol ice formation using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to simulate ice formation in interstellar environments.

Hines in the lab. Photo provided

Currently, as a PhD candidate, Hines is actively involved in George Mason鈥檚 Clayborne Research Group where her graduate research initially focused on nanoscale aluminum clusters using density functional theory (DFT). Inspired by her participation in NASA鈥檚 Dragonfly Guest Investigator Program, her current work explores computational studies of molecular co-crystals in astrophysics and astrochemistry.

The Dragonfly Guest Investigator Program facilitated Hines's collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she participated in a Planetary Science Summer Internship. This program pairs students with NASA scientists to bolster early career opportunities in STEM fields. During her internship, Hines investigated the behavior of complex mixtures of organic and aqueous ices pertinent to Titan's conditions, directly contributing to NASA's exploration objectives.

"The program has been transformative, providing me with hands-on experience and expanding my scientific horizons," said Hines.

Hines said that her George Mason mentors, including Gerald Weatherspoon, College of Science鈥檚 associate dean for undergraduate and graduate student affairs, have been a source of encouragement and inspiration. Her research advisor, acting associate dean of faculty affairs in the college and chemistry professor Andre Clayborne, introduced her to computational chemistry and has been instrumental in helping her understand and explore new areas of research.

Hines offers this advice to aspiring STEM students: "Believe in yourself and follow your dreams. Build connections and seek research opportunities early." She encourages all eligible students to consider applying for the DoD SMART Scholarship.

Looking ahead, she envisions a career as a research scientist, leveraging her experience to continue making discoveries and collaborating with top scientists in her field.

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Announcing the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence

Lauren Reuscher — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 14:49:41 +0000

Announcing the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence Lauren Reuscher Mon, 04/14/2025 - 10:49

海角社区 President Gregory Washington has announced the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence, honoring 12 George Mason faculty members for their work on behalf of the university, students, and the broader community.

The awards honor faculty with up to six years of service, six to 12 years of service, and more than 12 years of service.

This is the ninth year for the Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence. Recipients are selected by a review committee that includes prior award recipients and senior leaders from relevant areas. They will be honored at a reception May 13.

鈥淔aculty excellence is an undeniable reason why George Mason is consistently ranked as one the country鈥檚 top 50 public universities,鈥� President Gregory Washington said. 鈥淲e honor these faculty members鈥� scholarship and dedication to help students achieve their highest potential with the university鈥檚 highest faculty recognition.鈥�

The John Toups Presidential Medal for Excellence in Teaching is presented to a faculty member whose teaching inspires and stimulates students in the finest tradition of higher education.

The Beck Family Presidential Medal for Excellence in Research recognizes extraordinary contributions by members of the Mason faculty to consequential research of high impact. The award is presented annually to a George Mason faculty member whose research represents groundbreaking advances in their field.

The United Bank Presidential Medal for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion recognizes extraordinary contributions in teaching, research, scholarship, creative works, or service that directly advances diversity and inclusion inside and outside the George Mason community.

The Earle C. Williams Presidential Medal for Excellence in Social Impact is presented to a faculty member in any discipline who makes extraordinary efforts to use their scholarship to solve real-world problems.

The complete list of 2025 honorees is below. See prior recipients for 2017 to 2024.

Bethany Cieslowski

Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient

Bethany Cieslowski

Chief Innovation Officer for Immersive Technologies and Instructional Associate Professor, School of Nursing

Bethany Cieslowski joined the faculty of the School of Nursing as an instructional faculty member in 2021. She serves as the chief innovation officer for immersive technologies and the bachelor of science in nursing director in the College of Public Health. Since 2017, when she received the Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) certification, she has devoted herself to educating the nursing workforce of the future using simulation and technology. Cieslowski has been a pioneer at George Mason in the use of virtual reality (VR) simulations that immerse students in clinical nursing scenarios. To aid this effort she established the College of Public Health鈥檚 VR SIM lab, which is the first lab in the country to receive accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare for the use of immersive technologies in medical scenarios.

Angela Miller

John Toups Presidential Medal for Excellence in Teaching Recipient

Angela Miller

Associate Professor, College of Education and Human Development

Angela Miller is an associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development. Her primary teaching focus is on quantitative research methods. She has taught 13 different courses in her time at George Mason, and she took the lead in redesigning the research methods curriculum for PhD students and developed three new courses to that end. While her own teaching has been focused on the graduate level, she took a lead role in developing, teaching, and now mentoring graduate students and other faculty in an undergraduate statistics course that is part of the Mason Core for Quantitative Reasoning. Miller makes deliberate efforts to tailor her instruction to the unique needs of her students and she consistently receives outstanding evaluations. She has made significant contributions to graduate mentoring, having chaired six dissertation committees, served as the methodologist on an additional 18 dissertation committees, and chaired six MA thesis committees, as well as an additional 16 MA capstone projects. She was also a recipient of the 2017 海角社区 Teaching Excellence Award.

Weiwen Jiang

Faculty Excellence in Research Award Recipient

Weiwen Jiang

Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

Weiwen Jiang, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computing, received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2019 and spent two years at the University of Notre Dame as a postdoctoral researcher. Jiang鈥檚 research is in the relatively new field of quantum computing, which uses quantum mechanics to enable computers to solve more complicated problems. Jiang鈥檚 research has important applications. For example, one of his recent papers combines quantum computational techniques with machine learning to solve problems relating to the discovery of new medicines. Jiang has an impressive research record of top-tier conference presentations and publications, some of which are in the most selective journals in his field (Nature Communications, Nature Electronics, Scientific Reports).

Xuesu Xiao

Faculty Excellence in Research Award Recipient

Xuesu Xiao

Assistant Professor, Computer Science Department

Xuesu Xiao received his PhD in Computer Science in 2019 from Texas A&M University, and after three years in industry as a roboticist with Everyday Robots, an Alphabet/Google company, he joined the Computer Science Department in the College of Engineering and Computing. His research aims to develop intelligent mobile robots that can navigate in challenging terrain with minimal human oversight. His cutting-edge work in the field of social robot navigation seeks to develop robots that can navigate human-occupied public spaces safely while respecting social norms. At George Mason, he established the RobotiXX Lab, in which he works with postdocs, graduate students, and high school students to develop deployable robots. An outstanding researcher, he was awarded the New Generation Star recognition at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

Aarthi Narayanan

Faculty Excellence in Research Award Recipient

Aarthi Narayanan

Professor, Biology Department

Aarthi Narayanan joined the George Mason faculty as a tenure-line faculty in 2013 after spending six years at the National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease. She is currently a professor in the Biology Department in the College of Science. Her research focuses on the impact of viruses鈥搃ncluding SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, Dengue, and HIV鈥搊n disease progression at the tissue and cell level. Her work has led to important discoveries in vaccine development, drug discovery, and biomarker identification for infectious diseases. Narayanan has an exceptional record of publications and external funding for her research. Moreover, she has been an exemplary citizen of the university and her profession. She has been a dedicated mentor to emerging scientists in academic and industry settings; a leader in mentoring junior faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students; a vital contributor to curriculum development for undergraduate and graduate programs; and dedicated to outreach to the local community, participating in STEM programs for girls.

Allison Redlich

The Beck Family Presidential Medal for Faculty Excellence in Research Recipient

Allison Redlich

Professor, Criminology, Law and Society Department

Founder and Director, Modeling Decision-Making in the Legal System (MoDiLS) Lab

Allison Redlich is a professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and is the founder and director of George Mason鈥檚 Modeling Decision-Making in the Legal System (MoDiLS) Lab. Her research is deeply interdisciplinary. Trained in psychology, she brings insights from that field to address critical issues facing the legal system. For example, she has published influential research about interrogations and confessions in police and military contexts. This scholarship has been widely cited in amicus briefs to states and the Supreme Court, and Redlich herself has provided expert testimony in important cases involving contested confessions. She has produced similarly influential research on topics such as guilty pleas and mental health courts. Her work is credited with transforming scholarly thinking on these topics, and by all accounts is having a significant impact on current practices within the legal system. A prolific scholar and researcher, she has been elected a Fellow to the three most influential organizations in her academic fields: the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Academy of Experimental Criminology. Redlich has also distinguished herself as a mentor and has received mentoring awards from George Mason and from the American Society of Criminology and the American Psychology-Law Society.

Daphne King

Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award Recipient

Daphne King

Assistant Professor, Social Work Department

Daphne King joined the faculty at George Mason鈥檚 Department of Social Work in the College of Public Health in 2020 as an assistant professor and also serves as the MSW Online Program director. Prior to arriving at George Mason, she had an impactful career as a social worker working with individuals experiencing mental health challenges, with homeless and incarcerated populations, and in school social work settings. King鈥檚 scholarship and national contributions focus on the intersection of social work practice, clinician identity, and pedagogical strategies. Within the Social Work Department at George Mason, she has been proactive in providing leadership in course development, course refresh processes, and faculty training, particularly around online teaching to ensure that there is adequate support for diverse learners in digital and hybrid learning environments.

Janani Umamaheswar

Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award Recipient

Janani Umamaheswar

Associate Professor, Criminology, Law and Society

Janani Umamaheswar joined the Department of Criminology, Law and Society in 2021 as an assistant professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She is also an affiliate faculty member in the Women and Gender Studies Program. She is an accomplished scholar whose research addresses issues relating to social inequality, punishment and incarceration, and qualitative research methods. In her teaching she makes a point to include a broad range of perspectives on whatever subject matter she is teaching, and in her course design she creates assessment methods that give students of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints the opportunity to share their learning in different modalities. She has also created experiential co-curricular activities designed to help students grasp issues relating to inequality. For example, she worked with the Douglass Project, the country鈥檚 foremost prison visitation program, to take George Mason graduate students for a guided dialogue session in the Washington, D.C., jail. She has been an active member of the mentoring programs run by multiple divisions of the American Society of Criminology.

Jacqueline McDowell

United Bank Presidential Medal for Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Recipient

Jacqueline McDowell

Associate Professor, School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management

Assistant Dean for Faculty Success

Jacqueline McDowell is assistant dean for faculty success and associate professor in the School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management in the College of Education and Human Development. A well-respected scholar, her work focuses primarily on diversity and inclusion in organized sports and recreation organizations. She has published widely in this field, particularly on the experiences of women and sport, such as athletic administrators and coaches. One of her articles was awarded the 2017 President鈥檚 Award for Article of Distinction at the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association. In McDowell鈥檚 teaching, issues of inclusion are central. She has also been active in advancing inclusion in her professional service, both here at George Mason and in external professional organizations. For example, she serves on the American Kinesiology Association鈥檚 Membership Committee, where she has led efforts to bring more Historically Black Colleges and Universities into the field by developing outreach strategies. Due to the effectiveness of these efforts, she was asked to chair this committee for the American Kinesiology Association.

Margarita Tadevosyan

Faculty Excellence in Social Impact Award Recipient

Margarita Tadevosyan

Research Assistant Professor and Executive Director, Center for Peacemaking Practice, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Margarita Tadevosyan received her PhD in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from 海角社区 in 2019 and is a research assistant professor and executive director of the Center for Peacemaking Practice at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. She is a scholar-practitioner of conflict resolution and local peacebuilding, with a focus on South Caucasus and other post-Soviet areas. Specifically, she focuses on long-term peacebuilding, local conceptions of peace, local practices to build peace, and ways that international and local peacebuilders can work together respectfully. Tadevosyan鈥檚 social impact involves fostering dialogue and cooperation between communities that have experienced long-standing conflicts. She has also brought Carter School students into her work as co-planners, co-facilitators, and co-evaluators of conflict resolution and media literacy programs.

Susan Howard

Faculty Excellence in Social Impact Award Recipient

Susan Howard

Instructional Associate Professor, School of Integrative Studies

Susan Howard joined George Mason as a full-time faculty member in the School of Integrative Studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2016. Howard is an educator, behavioral scientist, and entrepreneur-innovator who leverages and humanizes technology for social impact. Her teaching, research, and entrepreneurial focus is broad, ranging from global health to environmental science and design thinking. Her impact beyond the university has come primarily through the free digital gaming platform that her company has produced for an audience of marginalized youth in India and Nepal. The games, which are free to play, are designed to educate youth about the social and public health decisions they face in their own lives. To extend the impact of her work, Howard has formed partnerships with stakeholders in the adolescent health sector, including NGOs, women entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. Howard鈥檚 gaming platform, 鈥淕ames of Choice, Not of Chance,鈥� has received multiple accolades for its work, including the 2024 Innovation Award at the Global Digital Health Summit.

Rebecca Goldin

Earle C. Williams Presidential Medal for Faculty Excellence in Social Impact

Rebecca Goldin

Professor, Mathematical Sciences

Rebecca Goldin is Professor of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences in the College of Science. For many years she has served as a driving force behind a global effort aimed at promoting statistical literacy among journalists and connecting the scientific community to the media. In that capacity she has written more than 100 articles, appeared in dozens of high-profile news shows and podcasts (CNN, NPR, ABC News, and PBS), and given a great number of public talks and interviews to audiences at major conferences and mathematics festivals. In addition to her far-reaching communication and outreach efforts, Goldin has done extensive volunteer work locally. Her efforts have been widely recognized by professional organizations in her field. In 2013, she was given the Association for Women in Mathematics Service Award for her contributions to the cause of educating women and girls in mathematics. In 2019, she was named a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, an extraordinary honor that goes to only a few mathematics scholars per year, for both her scholarly contributions to the field of differential geometry and for her efforts to promote mathematical and statistical thinking to a wide audience.

About the Presidential Awards for Faculty Excellence

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Cody W. Edwards appointed as dean of the College of Science

Colleen Rich — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 19:40:17 +0000

Cody W. Edwards appointed as dean of the College of Science Colleen Rich Mon, 03/31/2025 - 15:40

海角社区 is pleased to announce Cody W. Edwards as the new dean of the College of Science (COS), effective immediately. Edwards has served as interim dean for COS since July 2024.

Cody W. Edwards. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

In addition to his role as interim dean, Edwards has held numerous leadership positions at George Mason, including executive director of the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation and as COS senior associate dean of academic and faculty affairs. Edwards also serves as associate provost for George Mason鈥檚 Institute for Sustainable Earth and is a faculty member in the Department of Biology.

Throughout his career at George Mason, Edwards has demonstrated expertise in developing partnerships and promoting innovative program development to ensure student and faculty success. His strategic vision has led to the creation of new PhD programs, enhanced graduate recruitment pathways, and strengthened relationships with global partners such as Amazon Web Services, the World Wildlife Fund, and National Geographic.

鈥淚n a competitive national search, Edwards distinguished himself with an impressive track record of vision, collaboration, and resourcefulness. His demonstrated success leading crossdisciplinary teams, securing funding, and building sustainable models have already benefited the College of Science,鈥� said George Mason Provost and Executive Vice President James Antony. 鈥淎s we continue to grow George Mason鈥檚 research and academic enterprise, his leadership will be key to making critical decisions, implementing impactful initiatives, and fostering collaboration across units and colleges.鈥�

Edwards received his doctoral degree in zoology from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where he also served as a post-doctoral research associate. He was awarded his BS and MS in biology from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. His research has been well-funded by both federal agencies and foundations, and he is a frequent speaker at professional conferences. He has published more than 40 manuscripts and technical reports and has led field research activities in the United States, Mexico, Central America, Ecuador (mainland), and in the Galapagos Islands.

"I鈥檓 honored to continue serving the College of Science in this new capacity,鈥� said Edwards. 鈥淥ur faculty, staff, and students are driving incredible work, and I look forward to deepening partnerships across the university and beyond to elevate our academic and research mission."

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In a muddy turtle rescue at the Potomac Science Center, slow and steady wins the race

Lauren Reuscher — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:38:49 +0000

In a muddy turtle rescue at the Potomac Science Center, slow and steady wins the race Lauren Reuscher Wed, 03/26/2025 - 10:38

海角社区鈥檚 Potomac Science Center on Belmont Bay is a destination for environmental science research within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Wildlife abounds on the waterfront habitat.

Slightly inland from shore, on a recent day in early March, the retention pond next to the center needed to be emptied to make changes to the drainage system. As the water was slowly pumped out, the pond became mucky, muddy, and messy during the process.

Though draining a pond can be important for maintenance, the process may inadvertently harm the wildlife that make their homes in these human-made water features. The Mason Nation was ready to rescue some of the creatures affected.

Undergraduate student Rylee Ledoux helped rescue turtles from the pond at the Potomac Science Center. Photo by Cindy Smith/College of Science

Tanya Finch, who works with the nonprofit Animal Education and Rescue Organization (AERO), led the turtle rescue with help from nearly 20 George Mason student, faculty, and staff volunteers. AERO helps rescue and rehabilitate native Virginia wildlife, and the volunteers caught and rehomed turtles and fish into the Occoquan River.

Photo by Cindy Smith/College of Science

Finch and George Mason volunteers conducted a similar turtle rescue early last fall, when another pond near the Potomac Science Center was drained for maintenance. Many turtle species need to be near water for survival, and they sometimes need help getting there.

During the recent turtle rescue event, volunteers spent the day collecting nearly 60 turtles from the pond. The species rescued included painted turtles, musk, red-eared sliders, cooters, and a large snapping turtle.

The rescue efforts continued as more turtles emerged.

The next day, graduate student Rachel Kelmartin saw a contractor in the pond area, struggling to remove more turtles from the mud. Kelmartin is studying environmental science and policy and works in the Fisheries Ecology Lab鈥攕o she is accustomed to going into the water and getting to work. Kelmartin put on waders, helped net another 25 turtles, and released them into the Occoquan River.

鈥淚 once counted over 250 turtles on the banks of the drainage pond in a single day,鈥� Kelmartin said. 鈥淭his little pond has the capacity to support a lot of life.鈥�

鈥淚 once counted over 250 turtles on the banks of the drainage pond in a single day,鈥� Kelmartin said. 鈥淭his little pond has the capacity to support a lot of life.鈥� Photo by Cindy Smith/College of Science

During winter, turtles burrow into the mud for brumation, which is similar to hibernation in mammals, Kelmartin said. After the pond was drained and the sun warmed the mud, the turtles started to emerge.

Walking trails meander around the Potomac Science Center and are frequently used by local residents. 鈥淢any of the turtles are habituated to humans, and during warmer months, they watch walkers ambling along the trail,鈥� said Cindy Smith, professor of environmental science and policy. 鈥淏elmont Bay residents were pleased to see that so many turtles were rescued and relocated.鈥�

Volunteers rescued at least 85 turtles after the pond was drained, rehoming them in the Occoquan River. Photo by Cindy Smith/College of Science

Rylee Ledoux, an undergraduate student majoring in environmental science, also joined the rescue effort. She said the hands-on experience made her reflect on the ways that habitat disruption affects wildlife.

鈥淓xperiences like this not only reinforce what I鈥檝e learned in my studies, but also highlight the importance of staying engaged and advocating for thoughtful environmental practices,鈥� Ledoux said.

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George Mason鈥檚 new Life Sciences and Engineering Building is stocked with potential energy for students and the region

Lauren Reuscher — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:48:01 +0000

George Mason鈥檚 new Life Sciences and Engineering Building is stocked with potential energy for students and the region Lauren Reuscher Wed, 03/26/2025 - 09:48

海角社区's new Life Sciences and Engineering Building at the Science and Technology 海角社区 (SciTech 海角社区) in Manassas, Virginia, supports the university's growing need for highly specialized instructional labs, classrooms, and support spaces.

The Life Sciences and Engineering Building at the Science and Technology 海角社区 includes more than 30 different laboratories for teaching, design, and fabrication. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

To meet the needs of the university and the commonwealth, in particular providing university access for students in Prince William, Fauquier, western Fairfax County, the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, and beyond, the General Assembly and the Prince William delegation led by Delegate Luke Torian, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, was instrumental in strategic support and state funding for the new building.

With university classrooms and more than 30 different laboratory spaces for teaching, design, and fabrication, the building offers state-of-the-art facilities for training in disciplines like athletic training and kinesiology, microbiology, chemistry, engineering, forensic science, robotics and autonomous vehicles, and more. The building opened for classes for the spring 2025 semester.

The building offers interdisciplinary spaces for hands-on learning and collaboration. Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

鈥淒esigned for rigorous hands-on learning, the Life Sciences and Engineering Building marks a major state investment in our outstanding George Mason faculty to educate and inspire our students鈥擵irginia鈥檚 next generation of leaders, researchers, innovators, and problem solvers,鈥� George Mason President Gregory Washington said. 鈥淭his facility, and the advancements it will produce, further establishes the Science and Technology 海角社区, and this Innovation District, as an anchor of the economic corridor that runs from Mason Square in Arlington to the Fairfax 海角社区 to here in Manassas, further entrenching George Mason as a major driver of the prosperity of our region and state.鈥�

The building will foster interdisciplinary connections across many academic units, including the College of Education and Human Development, College of Engineering and Computing, and the College of Science.

Laboratories in the Life Sciences and Engineering Building offer experiential learning in microbiology, kinesiology, forensic science, engineering, and more. Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

Encompassing 132,000 square feet of space, the building is designed to promote collaboration and engagement among students and faculty. The ground-level engineering labs and student design competition bays open directly onto the campus鈥� exterior pathways, allowing visibility into the work happening inside.

The project was originally planned as an expansion to Katherine G. Johnson Hall, an academic building at the SciTech 海角社区. When the university identified the need for additional labs, classrooms, and workspaces, the scope of the project changed to a four-story, free-standing building.

The SciTech 海角社区, which was established in 1997, will anchor a new Innovation District, which includes the development of two residential and commercial town centers directly connected to campus.

鈥淭he planned town centers will create a stronger link between the campus and the surrounding community,鈥� said Colby Grant, director of administration and operations for the SciTech 海角社区. 鈥淐ombined with the new Life Sciences and Engineering Building, these developments further establish the campus as a dynamic hub for science, technology, the arts, entertainment, and recreation.鈥�

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