4-VA at Mason / en 性视界传媒 team identifies technology to enhance artificial photosynthesis /news/2024-09/george-mason-team-identifies-technology-enhance-artificial-photosynthesis <span>性视界传媒 team identifies technology to enhance artificial photosynthesis</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/231" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Colleen Rich</span></span> <span>Tue, 09/17/2024 - 14:12</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span><span><span><span class="intro-text">When a <a href="https://4va.gmu.edu/">4-VA Collaborative Research Grant</a> results in the production of a novel concept for technology solutions to support energy and climate issues, while also sharing resources and data between higher education institutions in Virginia and providing faculty and student research opportunities, it is a win for all involved.</span>聽</span></span></span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2024-09/yun-yu.jpeg" width="320" height="320" alt="Yun Yu headshot" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Yun Yu. Photo provided</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span>This was achieved following 4-VA鈥檚 approval of a proposal by 性视界传媒鈥檚 <a href="https://science.gmu.edu/directory/yun-yu">Yun Yu</a>, an assistant professor in the <a href="https://science.gmu.edu/academics/departments-units/chemistry-biochemistry">Chemistry and Biochemistry Department</a>, for a grant titled 鈥淣anoscale Visualization of Electrocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction Activity at Cu Nanocatalysts.鈥澛 </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Yu鈥檚 goal was to investigate options in catalytic electrode materials to improve and enhance electrocatalysis, a process essential for harnessing sustainable energy sources for artificial photosynthesis. While nanostructures are currently recognized as the most successful catalyst for many chemical reactions, there is more to understand about tailoring their crystalline planes to improve activity and selectivity.聽</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Yu wanted to gain deeper insights into various nanocatalysts used in carbon removal technologies. The conventional approach to conducting this study often involves measuring the entire catalyst, composed of numerous small particles with varying sizes and shapes. However, critical information, such as the impact of heterogeneities on performance, is often lost in such ensemble measurements.聽 </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Yu saw the potential for leveraging the nanoscale scanning electrochemical microscopy at 性视界传媒 to obtain detailed surface reactivity maps of nanocatalysts. However, to do so, Yu needed to acquire shape-controlled nanostructures, including copper nanowires, copper nanocubes, and nickel鈥搃ron layered nanosheets.聽 He did so through a partnership with Sen Zhang, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Virginia.聽</span></span></span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/medium/public/2024-09/graduate-student-dan-tran-operating-the-scanning-electrochemical-microscope_0.jpeg?itok=lzdpT32O" width="560" height="518" alt="Dan Tran using the electron microscope" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Graduate student Dan Tran operating the scanning electrochemical microscope. Photo provided</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span>Yu鈥檚 team鈥攇raduate student Dan Tran and undergraduate students Solyip Kim, Melissa Nguyen, and Mackenzie Dickinson鈥攑layed a key role in the project, receiving funding and real-world research experience. Together, they identified furfural reduction, an important reaction for sustainable biofuel generation, and they noted a distinct contrast in activity between copper and graphite support. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>鈥淭hese preliminary experiments have demonstrated the viability of our scanning electrochemical technique in spatially resolving catalytic activity across nanoscopic structures,鈥 said Yu. They further expanded the application to the study of nickel鈥搃ron catalysts. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>鈥淥ur data suggested that adding trace amount of cerium oxide to the catalysts significantly enhances water oxidation activity. We would not have these insights without this powerful electroanalytical technique,鈥 said Yu.聽聽</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The initial results have provided Yu with a springboard to develop external grant proposals to systematically study the role of cerium oxide and quantify the effects of its loading on the apparent catalytic activity of the developed catalysts.聽 </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>鈥淭his 4-VA opportunity allowed us to create a partnership with UVA, create a team to implement further investigation via 性视界传媒鈥檚 nanoscale scanning electrochemical microscopy, and now apply for further funding to move this project forward,鈥 Yu said.聽</span></span></span></p> <p>聽</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="0c3ea81c-9c91-40d0-91e9-02333ef0b90d"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://science.gmu.edu/academics/departments-units/chemistry-biochemistry"> <h4 class="cta__title">Discover the chemisty programs at 性视界传媒 <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="7efb9eb3-8a9f-4495-b9fd-926a1403799c" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="ac10ea2b-9f22-434d-9585-1bb20c7c4fba" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocknews-list"> <h2>Related News</h2> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="view view-news view-id-news view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-0cd62ed09cca44c7118caf74a1231030262dcb2b747cc7e7db82e26257fdafb3"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="news-list-wrapper"> <ul class="news-list"><li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/george-mason-team-identifies-technology-enhance-artificial-photosynthesis" hreflang="en">性视界传媒 team identifies technology to enhance artificial photosynthesis</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 17, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-08/satellite-imagery-could-aid-seeking-justice-human-rights-violations-sudan" hreflang="en">Satellite imagery could aid in seeking justice for human rights violations in Sudan</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">August 21, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-08/george-mason-physicist-receives-nsf-career-award-topological-quantum-computing" hreflang="en">性视界传媒 physicist receives NSF CAREER award for topological quantum computing research</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">August 20, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-08/focus-summer-program-marks-decade-engaging-middle-school-girls-stem" hreflang="en">FOCUS summer program marks a decade of engaging middle-school girls in STEM</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">August 15, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-08/ian-candys-first-year-combining-politics-neuroscience-and-forensics-help-others" hreflang="en">Ian Candy鈥檚 First Year: Combining Politics, Neuroscience, and Forensics鈥攖o Help Others</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">August 14, 2024</div></div></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/271" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/9201" hreflang="en">4-VA at Mason</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/291" hreflang="en">College of Science</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 17 Sep 2024 18:12:52 +0000 Colleen Rich 113896 at 4-VA supports childhood working memory research collaboration /news/2024-08/4-va-supports-childhood-working-memory-research-collaboration <span>4-VA supports childhood working memory research collaboration</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/231" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Colleen Rich</span></span> <span>Thu, 08/08/2024 - 09:06</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">As an undergraduate, Sabine Doebel became fascinated by children鈥檚 thinking and how it changes with age. Now, as an assistant professor in the <a href="https://psychology.gmu.edu/">Department of Psychology</a> at 性视界传媒, she spends much of her time in the Developing Minds<em> </em>Lab designing studies to understand how young children learn to think.</span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-08/doebel_0011.jpg?itok=oCrAFspt" width="254" height="350" alt="Sabine Doebel" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Photo provided</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span><span>Although these executive function skills are vital to children鈥檚 success in school and beyond, much remains unknown about their development. Particularly important for academic success is working memory鈥攖he capacity to maintain and manipulate information in mind, such as words, numbers, and other symbols. Working memory is often measured using tests including the Backward Digit Span, in which children repeat increasingly long sequences of digits in backwards order. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>鈥淚 have always been interested in how experience may shape working memory skills,鈥 said Doebel. She was particularly curious about how early learning experiences at home鈥 specifically in the domains of literacy and numeracy鈥攃ould foster growth in working memory span.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>With the support of a 4-VA award, Doebel had the opportunity to share this new project idea with her colleague and mentor Angeline Lillard, a widely respected developmental psychologist and researcher in the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia (UVA). </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>鈥淥ur collaboration would not have taken off the way it did if it hadn鈥檛 been for Angeline, because she was the one who sent me an email about 4-VA,鈥 said Doebel. 鈥淪he said, 鈥楬ave you heard of 4-VA? We should consider this option.鈥欌</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The core purpose of 4-VA is to improve efficiencies in higher education and research and promote collaborations among the Virginia public universities. So Doebel鈥檚 project, How Does Experience Support Working Memory Development?, was a perfect fit. 聽</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Doebel鈥檚 lab recruited and tested more than 100 children on four different variations of the backward span tasks. Parents also completed a detailed survey reporting frequency and variety in various home learning practices. At UVA, Lillard leveraged her own participant pool and school connections to recruit an additional sample of conventionally schooled and Montessori-educated children.</span></span></span></span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/medium/public/2024-08/student-researcher-with-subject.png?itok=WNLAyVRT" width="560" height="330" alt="Doctoral student working with child" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Doctoral student Nicole Stucke working with a student in the lab. Photo provided</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span><span>Doebel enlisted 性视界传媒 students Jordan Hassani, BA Psychology 鈥23, 聽and Nicole Stucke, PhD Psychology 鈥24, to collect the data. Hassani created the survey, tested the children, and coded the data. Stucke, who has functioned as the Developing Minds Lab manager, helped with testing. Other team members, including 性视界传媒 undergraduate Scarlett Bird-Guerra, BS Psychology 鈥23, were involved in community-based recruitment efforts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>UVA undergraduate Maksud Juraev and graduate student Abigail Kissinger led the UVA data collection efforts.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The team noted that the results were both as predicted and surprising. As expected, they found that children show larger backward spans for items that are relatively familiar鈥攆or example, performance on trials that involved the digits 1, 2, 3 was better than on trials involving 7, 8, 9. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>However, while Doebel expected that children who engaged in more numeracy practices at home might show better performance on a backward span task involving digits, support was not found for this hypothesis. Instead, it was observed that children鈥檚 backward digit span was related to home literacy practices, and that this was true even after accounting for other home learning practices and age.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Doebel presented the findings at meetings of the American Psychological Association and at the Society for Research on Child Development. She and Lillard are also preparing manuscripts for publication in academic journals in the field.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Next up for the team is to dive deeper into Lillard鈥檚 connections in Charlottesville with Montessori schools to test whether children who are Montessori-educated show larger backward digit spans than children who are educated in conventional schools, as expected given the emphasis Montessori schools place on literacy and numeracy.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Doebel said the 4-VA support not only helped the project be successful but made a difference for the student researchers as well. 鈥淎s a result of this funding, my students have progressed in their career trajectories鈥擩ordan is now at the University of Maryland as a research coordinator in a National Institutes of Health-funded lab, and he鈥檚 hoping to gain admittance to a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology. He got that opportunity in part because he participated in this project where he engaged real research experience.鈥</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The original project has also led to a further study that will investigate the role of language in working memory by exploring how bilingual children with varying degrees of exposure to numerical language perform on the backward digit span task. This project is led by Victoria Rabii, a PhD student in 性视界传媒鈥檚 Applied Developmental Psychology Program. Funded by a聽Presidential Scholarship, Rabii is being mentored by Doebel and psychology professor Adam Winsler. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The goal of this project is to better understand how young children鈥檚 working memory performance may be affected by their proficiency with relative linguistic concepts. 鈥淧reviously, when children scored low on the task, it was pretty common for this to be interpreted as indicating low working memory ability,鈥 said Doebel. 鈥淏ut now things are changing a bit, and we are asking whether children may show better performance if they are more fluent with the specific content that is integral to the task.鈥</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Personally and professionally, Doebel is grateful for the collaboration with Lillard. 鈥淎ngeline has been a major mentor for me. 聽We have published together previously, and we are always thinking about new project ideas that could lead to external funding. This likely never would have happened if not for 4-VA,鈥 said Doebel.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>聽</span></span></span></p> <p>聽</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="ae450561-3481-4179-8ebd-e839fc2bc09e"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://psychology.gmu.edu/"> <h4 class="cta__title">Dig into Psychology at 性视界传媒 <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="09941387-a860-4dda-8d20-2944a42cc85f" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="12cd84a7-c7d9-4bfc-b245-30fe35b3c656" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocknews-list"> <h2>Related News</h2> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="view view-news view-id-news view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-4a2f3bfc3a14db9d06fea17f7217ac75d081bb6571d4655127d659ce8e33a7d1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="news-list-wrapper"> <ul class="news-list"><li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/george-mason-team-identifies-technology-enhance-artificial-photosynthesis" hreflang="en">性视界传媒 team identifies technology to enhance artificial photosynthesis</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 17, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/folklore-professor-traveled-around-world-90-days-research-project" hreflang="en">Folklore professor traveled around the world in 90 days for research project </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 16, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/how-nano-roughness-could-smooth-out-clotting-risks" hreflang="en">How nano roughness could smooth out clotting risks </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 5, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/university-professor-faye-s-taxman-earns-additional-165-million-grant" hreflang="en">University Professor Faye S. Taxman Earns Additional $16.5 Million Grant</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 4, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/schar-school-welcomes-thema-monroe-white" hreflang="en">Schar School Welcomes Thema Monroe-White</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 4, 2024</div></div></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/9201" hreflang="en">4-VA at Mason</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/271" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/391" hreflang="en">College of Humanities and Social Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/451" hreflang="en">Psychology Department</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17356" hreflang="en">Strategic Direction</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 08 Aug 2024 13:06:22 +0000 Colleen Rich 113306 at Seventeen 性视界传媒 faculty awarded 4-VA grants /news/2024-07/seventeen-george-mason-faculty-awarded-4-va-grants <span>Seventeen 性视界传媒 faculty awarded 4-VA grants</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/231" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Colleen Rich</span></span> <span>Tue, 07/30/2024 - 15:35</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span><span><span><span class="intro-text">Through <a href="https://4va.gmu.edu/">4-VA@Mason</a></span><span><span class="intro-text">, 性视界传媒 faculty members have embarked on new pilot research projects in collaboration with higher education institutions throughout Virginia.聽</span> </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The 4-VA Collaborative Research Grants, first launched in the 2013-14 academic year, are designed to forge relationships in Virginia higher education to leverage the strengths of each school, decrease working in silos, and launch novel research projects that can provide a springboard for future external funding.聽 </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Other schools in the 4-VA system are the College of William and Mary, James Madison University, Old Dominion University (ODU), University of Virginia (UVA), Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Virginia Military Institute, and Virginia Tech (VT).聽Christopher Newport University is also participating in Collaborative Research Grants.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>During the 2024-25 year, nine of the Collaborative Research Grants are being led at 性视界传媒 and 11 faculty members will serve as co-principal investigators (co-PIs) for research spearheaded at partner institutions.聽</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span class="intro-text">鈥淓ach year, we are more and more impressed with the breadth and depth of the proposals,鈥 said Janette Kenner Muir, vice provost, academic affairs, and campus coordinator of 4-VA at Mason, adding that this year鈥檚 25 proposals were especially strong.</span></p> <p><strong><span><span><span><span>The 4-VA@Mason 2024-25 Collaborative Research Grant awardees, proposal title, and partner schools (in parentheses) are the following:</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <ul><li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://science.gmu.edu/directory/rosalina-christova">Rosalina Christova</a>, College of Science, Department of Environmental Science and Policy and Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center, 鈥淚ntegrative Characterization of the Anatoxin-a-Producing Benthic Cyanobacterial Genus Microcoleus in the Shenandoah River鈥 (UVA/Wise)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://science.gmu.edu/directory/arie-croitoru">Arie Croitoru</a>, College of Science, Department of Computational and Data Sciences and Center for Social Complexity, 鈥淨uantum-Inspired Modeling for Understanding Social Complexity鈥 (ODU)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://science.gmu.edu/directory/nadine-kabbani">Nadine Kabbani</a>, College of Science, School of Systems Biology, 鈥淧roteomic profiling of molecular changes associated with chemotherapy induced neuropathy鈥 (VCU)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="/profiles/mlee89">Myeong Lee</a>, College of Engineering and Computing, Department of Information Sciences and Technology, 鈥淯nderstanding Multidimensional Measures of Social Capital: Impacts of Ethnic Heterogeneity, Social Classes, and Historical Legacies of Urban Policy鈥 (VCU)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://science.gmu.edu/directory/rayanne-luke">Rayanne Luke</a>, College of Science, Department of Mathematical Sciences, 鈥淒ata-Driven Modeling of the Time-Dependent Immune Response to Infection and Vaccination鈥 (UVA)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://historyarthistory.gmu.edu/people/amadden8">Amanda Madden</a>, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History and Art History, 鈥淗istorical Mapathons: Team-Based GIS Training and Transformation of Seventeenth Century Maps鈥 (VT)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="/profiles/snam5">Sang Nam</a>, College of Visual and Performing Arts, Computer Game Design Program, 鈥淒eveloping A Multimodal LLM AI Agent for the XR, Extended Reality Platform for Personalized and Highly Immersive Trauma Training鈥 (UVA)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://cs.gmu.edu/directory/detail/131/">Xiaokuan Zhang</a>, College of Engineering and Computing, Department of Computer Science, 鈥淯ncovering Secrets from Virtual Reality Headsets via Electromagnetic Side Channels鈥 (VT)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://civil.gmu.edu/profiles/xzhang50">Xijin (Emma) Zhang</a>, College of Engineering and Computing, </span>Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering<span>, 鈥淢ultifunctional Fungi-Based Biosurfactants for Durable Concrete Structures鈥 (UVA)</span></span></span></span></span></li> </ul><p><span><span><span><span>The following 性视界传媒 faculty received funding as co-PIs for the 2024-25 academic year collaborating with other 4-VA institutions:</span></span></span></span></p> <ul><li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://volgenau.gmu.edu/profiles/sbagheri">Shaghayegh Bagheri</a>, College of Engineering and Computing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 鈥淢OMENTUM: Assessing the Merits of Personalized Feedback with Generative AI for Foundational Engineering Mechanics Courses<em>鈥</em> (VT)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://publichealth.gmu.edu/profiles/mbloom22">Michael S. Bloom</a>, College of Public Health, Department of Global and Community Health, 鈥淎 new green space exposure index utilizing AI methods and an eye-tracking device鈥 (VT)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://science.gmu.edu/directory/harrison-bray">Harrison Bray</a> and <a href="https://science.gmu.edu/directory/anton-lukyanenko">Anton Lukyanenko</a>, College of Science, Department of Mathematical Sciences, 鈥淐ollaborative workshops in topology鈥<em> </em>(UVA)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://volgenau.gmu.edu/profiles/pdong3">Pei Dong</a>, College of Engineering and Computing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 鈥淧rinting of Ultrathin Conductive Films on Liquid for 3D Wearable Electronic鈥 (UVA)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://historyarthistory.gmu.edu/people/jotis2">Jessica Otis</a>, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History and Art History, and Heidi Lawrence, Department of English, 鈥淗uman Dimensions of Infectious Diseases鈥 (VT)</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><a href="https://business.gmu.edu/profiles/jyang53">Jingyuan Yang</a>, Costello College of Business, 鈥淏uilding Machine Learning Resilience During Disasters鈥<em> </em>(UVA)</span></span></span></span></span></li> </ul><p>聽</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/snam5" hreflang="und">Sang Nam</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="f089e1d3-8a67-4673-90dd-8bcf58f73498" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="8d252675-8f88-4651-a1f9-6cd3f8e8ce8d"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="/research"> <h4 class="cta__title">Research at Mason <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="06a4ee6a-03ec-4bcb-8733-8b0b1d9fc7ff" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="bd93de62-3f01-44ad-8336-a80077701286" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="89a9ae2f-78ae-4cba-97d5-1f352eea3622" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocknews-list"> <h2>Related Stories</h2> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="view view-news view-id-news view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-d00b934a0bdfc0cc92279ed89eae90be52ccd0c0f291343128a01fb17e944445"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="news-list-wrapper"> <ul class="news-list"><li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/george-mason-team-identifies-technology-enhance-artificial-photosynthesis" hreflang="en">性视界传媒 team identifies technology to enhance artificial photosynthesis</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 17, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-08/4-va-supports-childhood-working-memory-research-collaboration" hreflang="en">4-VA supports childhood working memory research collaboration</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">August 8, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-07/seventeen-george-mason-faculty-awarded-4-va-grants" hreflang="en">Seventeen 性视界传媒 faculty awarded 4-VA grants</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">July 30, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-07/george-mason-team-creates-augmented-reality-campus-tour-transfer-students" hreflang="en">性视界传媒 team creates augmented reality campus tour for transfer students </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">July 18, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2023-09/4-vamason-awards-funding-twelve-promising-investigations" hreflang="en">4-VA@Mason awards funding for twelve promising investigations</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">October 3, 2023</div></div></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/271" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/9201" hreflang="en">4-VA at Mason</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17356" hreflang="en">Strategic Direction</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 30 Jul 2024 19:35:18 +0000 Colleen Rich 113141 at 性视界传媒 team creates augmented reality campus tour for transfer students /news/2024-07/george-mason-team-creates-augmented-reality-campus-tour-transfer-students <span>性视界传媒 team creates augmented reality campus tour for transfer students </span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/1456" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Shayla Brown</span></span> <span>Thu, 07/18/2024 - 14:03</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">A team from 性视界传媒 is using augmented reality (AR) to create a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTNjn7ztKU0">smartphone app</a> that will provide first-generation <a href="https://provost.gmu.edu/initiatives/advance" target="_blank">ADVANCE</a> students with a virtual tour of the Fairfax Campus as they prepare to transfer from Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).聽</span></p> <p><a href="https://provost.gmu.edu/initiatives/advance" target="_blank">ADVANCE</a> is a collaborative effort between 性视界传媒 and Virginia鈥檚 community colleges to create a seamless pathway for students鈥 transfer to a four-year institution.</p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-07/kellyschrumportrait.jpg?itok=99ogFe3r" width="233" height="350" alt="Kelly Schrum. Photo provided." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Kelly Schrum. Photo provided.</figcaption></figure><p>The AR project is co-directed by <a href="https://historyarthistory.gmu.edu/people/kschrum" target="_blank">Kelly Schrum</a>, a professor in 性视界传媒鈥檚 <a href="https://highered.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">Higher Education Program</a> in the <a href="https://chss.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">College of Humanities and Social Sciences</a>, and <a href="https://integrative.gmu.edu/people/gmccarro">Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron</a>, an associate professor in the <a href="https://integrative.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">School of Integrative Studies</a>.</p> <p>The app, created using ARway, will provide students with interactive GPS tracking and indoor visual positioning through a geolocation feature, directing students to their location as they travel from point A to point B.聽聽</p> <p>鈥淥ne of the things this tool does really well is, if you say, 鈥業鈥檇 like to find the gender-neutral bathroom,鈥 or 鈥業 would like to take the elevator,鈥 or 鈥業 would like to find disability services,鈥 you can select it from the directory, and it鈥檒l basically hold your hand and guide you the whole way there,鈥 said Schrum.聽</p> <p>The team is focusing on the four floors in Student Union Building (SUB) I, which houses on-campus student support services including the Mason Student Services Center, Student Health Services, Student Success Coaching, and many more. Each floor gets a separate AR map, Pagliarulo McCarron said. After they map SUB I, Pagliarulo McCarron said they will start work on Fenwick Library and then the Johnson Center.聽</p> <p>The app is funded by grants from 性视界传媒鈥檚 <a href="https://provost.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">Office of the Provost</a> and <a href="https://4va.gmu.edu/4-vamason-funding-smartphone-app-to-support-transfer-students/" target="_blank">4-VA@Mason</a>, which receives funding from the state to build collaborations across institutions as well as create new technologies that promote first-generation student transfer pathways to higher education. 聽聽</p> <figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-07/pagliarulo_mccarron_headshot.jpg?itok=4zBksRNW" width="332" height="350" alt="Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron. Photo Provided." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron. Photo provided.</figcaption></figure><p>Representatives from the <a href="https://firstgen.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">First-Gen+ Center</a> and undergrad, graduate, and PhD students are researching the common challenges transfer students face, including the need to find community, to incorporate those aspects into the app. 聽</p> <p>鈥淜elly and I talked a lot about possible tangible resources that would help create a stronger connection to 性视界传媒 for our students,鈥 said Janette Muir, vice provost for academic affairs.聽聽聽聽</p> <p>The team conducting the technology and digital humanities-based research includes many who are first in their family to go to college.聽</p> <p>鈥淭hroughout this process, we learned that students felt disconnected and disoriented when they didn鈥檛 know how the campus was laid out,鈥 said Muir, who is also director of the 4-VA@Mason program. 鈥淲ith the work that this team is doing, we could decrease that anxiety and help students access the services that are available to them.鈥 聽</p> <p>ADVANCE students currently attending NOVA are testing the app and providing feedback to the team.聽聽</p> <p>In addition to student testers, ADVANCE has provided the team with aggregate data of qualitative and quantitative feedback received directly from students through an Ask an ADVANCE Student Ambassador forum on the program鈥檚 Canvas course. This information helps the program identify what students are most focused on throughout through transfer journey and time in ADVANCE.聽聽聽聽</p> <p>鈥淢y hope with providing that additional data is to help narrow down what should be covered in the tours and what could be helpful to incorporate into the app,鈥 said Jason Dodge, the executive director of community college partnerships at 性视界传媒.聽</p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-07/mariyahkhanportrait_0.jpg?itok=c2qOnlcj" width="350" height="329" alt="Mary Khan. Photo provided." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Mariya Khan. Photo provided.</figcaption></figure><p>鈥淭he AR campus tour and ADVANCE both highlight that transfer is not the responsibility of a single office, but that it takes a collective of folks across the university in order to pull something like that off,鈥 said Dodge.</p> <p>Schrum said several students from the graduate course HE 703 Higher Education in the Digital Age are working on the project. Team instructional designer Mariya Khan gave an in-person interactive presentation on AR and gamification to the class. 聽聽聽</p> <p>鈥淜elly saw how the AR I used in my presentation could be infused into what she envisioned for this project,鈥 said Khan, who works in the <a href="https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning</a>.</p> <p>鈥淚鈥檓 a first-generation American, so I understand why projects like this are important,鈥 Khan added. 鈥淚t would be super helpful to students who want to feel more engaged and like they鈥檙e part of something.鈥澛犅犅</p> <figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-07/vvisser_bio_photo.jpg?itok=vKlgggdY" width="350" height="233" alt="Veronica Visser. Photo provided." loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Veronica Visser. Photo provided.</figcaption></figure><p>Veronica Visser, a master鈥檚 student in higher education and leadership, has been a part of the project since its inception. 聽聽</p> <p>鈥淎s a first-gen international student, sometimes it can feel like you just go to campus, go to your lecture, and then you go back home,鈥 said Visser, who is from Paraguay. 鈥淏ut with resources like the AR app, you learn that there are people available to help you with your resume, to help you with time management, getting your Mason [ID] card, or other resources that will make you a better student and person.鈥澛犅</p> <p>The team will conduct a second round of user testing on the app this summer.聽聽聽聽</p> <p>鈥淎lthough we are focusing on first-gen transfer students for now, the project has a lot of potential to expand to other underrepresented minorities, and we鈥檙e excited to explore that,鈥 said Schrum.聽</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:feature_image" data-inline-block-uuid="9d298048-e67a-4575-9e6f-4b72f799f8e5" class="block block-feature-image block-layout-builder block-inline-blockfeature-image caption-below"> <div class="feature-image"> <div class="narrow-overlaid-image"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/feature_image_medium/public/2024-07/AR%20SUB1%20nav%20example.png?itok=IigBFEMP" srcset="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/feature_image_small/public/2024-07/AR%20SUB1%20nav%20example.png?itok=V7kqwwW- 768w, /sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/feature_image_medium/public/2024-07/AR%20SUB1%20nav%20example.png?itok=IigBFEMP 1024w, /sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/feature_image_large/public/2024-07/AR%20SUB1%20nav%20example.png?itok=9FMB2-0t 1280w, " sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 80vw,100vw" alt="Two students look at a phone before them, which displays an augmented reality view of directions through the hallway before them." /></div> <div class="headline-text"> <div class="feature-image-link"> <div class="field field--name-field-feature-image-link field--type-link field--label-hidden field__item"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTNjn7ztKU0">Take a look at the app in action</a></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="feature-image-caption"> <div class="field field--name-field-feature-image-caption field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Currently this augmented reality experience is only mapped for Student Union Building I. The Johnson Center and Fenwick Library are both on the list to receive a similar AR map.</p></div> </div> </div><div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="5d9eebb8-7387-473c-bfed-1596d6f6ccbf" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="12562e29-cac2-4ce4-8dbd-0f9383edf126" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocknews-list"> <h2>Related News</h2> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="view view-news view-id-news view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-c42ae47d1c80d3d18cb856952a0df5a0321e195992ae20e7917e9f970a616bee"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="news-list-wrapper"> <ul class="news-list"><li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/george-mason-team-identifies-technology-enhance-artificial-photosynthesis" hreflang="en">性视界传媒 team identifies technology to enhance artificial photosynthesis</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 17, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/rubiera-becomes-first-advance-mvp-student-matriculate-george-mason" hreflang="en">Rubiera becomes the first ADVANCE MVP student to matriculate to 性视界传媒</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 9, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-08/4-va-supports-childhood-working-memory-research-collaboration" hreflang="en">4-VA supports childhood working memory research collaboration</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">August 8, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-07/seventeen-george-mason-faculty-awarded-4-va-grants" hreflang="en">Seventeen 性视界传媒 faculty awarded 4-VA grants</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">July 30, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-07/george-mason-team-creates-augmented-reality-campus-tour-transfer-students" hreflang="en">性视界传媒 team creates augmented reality campus tour for transfer students </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">July 18, 2024</div></div></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6901" hreflang="en">augmented reality</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6756" hreflang="en">first-generation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1926" hreflang="en">ADVANCE</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/11341" hreflang="en">app</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17366" hreflang="en">Higher Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/9201" hreflang="en">4-VA at Mason</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/336" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17356" hreflang="en">Strategic Direction</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 18 Jul 2024 18:03:10 +0000 Shayla Brown 113006 at 4-VA@Mason awards funding for twelve promising investigations /news/2023-09/4-vamason-awards-funding-twelve-promising-investigations <span>4-VA@Mason awards funding for twelve promising investigations</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/1226" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Pam Shepherd</span></span> <span>Thu, 09/28/2023 - 12:35</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/jmuir" hreflang="en">Janette Muir, PhD</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">4-VA@Mason, part of a statewide collective of higher education institutions, recently announced the Collaborative Research Awards for the 2023-2024 academic year with 12 projects spearheaded by Mason faculty and eight with Mason faculty acting as co-PIs.</span></p> <p>In addition to Mason, the 4-VA collective includes the College of William and Mary, James Madison University (JMU), Old Dominion University (ODU), University of Virginia (UVA), Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Virginia Military Institute (VMI), and Virginia Tech (VT).聽</p> <p><span><span><span>鈥淭hese 4-VA@Mason Collaborative Research Grants are the core of what our state program is all about鈥攑roviding seed funding to encourage faculty from our eight partner schools to launch novel research efforts and build critical relationships among the institutions,鈥 said Janette Kenner Muir, vice provost of academic affairs and campus coordinator of 4-VA@Mason. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The 4-VA@Mason 2023-24 Collaborative Research Grant winners, with partner schools in parentheses, include:</span></span></span></p> <ul><li><span><span><strong><span>Akerlof, Karen</span></strong><span> (College of Science) 鈥 <em>Bridging Science and Policy in the States: A Study of Emerging Mechanisms to Train Scientists and Engineers </em>(VT)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Enfield, Jacob</span></strong><span> (College of Visual and Performing Arts) 鈥 <em>MySQL Murder Mystery</em> (VMI)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Furst, Kirin Emlet</span></strong><span> (College of Engineering and Computing) 鈥 <em>The role of the air-water interface in breakthrough of PFAS and phthalate esters during wastewater treatment</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Jones, R Christian</span></strong><span> (College of Science) 鈥 <em>Using Taxonomic, Pigment and Molecular Analysis to Characterize Algal Blooms in the Shenandoah River</em> (ODU)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong>Kang, Pilgyu </strong>(College of Engineering and Computing) 鈥 <em>Machine learning assisted laser manufacturing of alloy nanoparticle graphene hybrid materials for high performance hydrogen sensing</em> (UVA)</span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>LaFrance, Michelle</span></strong><span> (College of Humanities and Social Sciences) 鈥 <em>The Virginia Community and Public Writing Collaborative </em>(JMU, VCU, VT, UVA)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Lawrence, Heidi</span></strong><span> (College of Humanities and Social Sciences) 鈥 <em>A Rhetorical Approach to Challenges in Blood Donation</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><strong>Raffegeau, Tiphanie</strong> (College of Education and Human Development) 鈥 <em>Using Virtual Reality to Study Cognitive and Affective Risk Factors for Falls in Older Adults </em>(ODU)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Straus, David</span></strong><span> (College of Science) 鈥 <em>The Role of Diabatic Heating in Determining Atlantic Storm Paths</em> (UVA)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Van Aken, Benoit</span></strong><span> (College of Science) 鈥 <em>Protection of RNA by Association with Macromolecules Implications for Wastewater Based Epidemiology</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Yu, Yun </span></strong><strong><span><span>(College of Science) </span></span></strong>鈥 <em><span><span>Nanoscale Visualization of Electrocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction Activity at Cu Nanocatalysts </span></span></em><span><span>(UVA)</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Zhu, Ziwei</span></strong><span> (College of Engineering and Computing) 鈥 <em>Towards Consolidated and Dynamic Debiasing for Online Search and Recommendation</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> </ul><p><span><span><span>The following Mason faculty received funding as Co-PIs collaborating with other 4-VA institutions in parentheses:</span></span></span></p> <ul><li><span><span><strong><span>Chowdhury, Ahsan</span></strong><span> (College of Science) 鈥 <em>The Commonwealth Proofs Project Collaborative: Promoting Students' Understanding of Logical Implications and their Transformations</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Dromgold-Sermen, Michelle</span></strong><span> (College of Humanities and Social Sciences) 鈥 <em>New American Resources: Partnerships and Initiatives at Virginia Higher Education Institutions to Strengthen Virginia's Migration Support</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Jing, Hao</span></strong><span> (College of Science) 鈥 <em>Acoustics-enabled Noncontact Manipulation, Patterning, and Assembly of Complex-shaped Micro/nanoparticles for Advance Manufacturing</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>LaToza, Thomas</span></strong><span> (College of Engineering and Computing) 鈥 <em>Visualizing Code Changes to Understand Students鈥 Mental Models in Programming Education at Scale</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Stone, Victoria</span></strong><span> (College of Education and Human Development) 鈥 <em>Increasing Mental Health Services in K-12 Settings by Helping Provisionally Licensed School Counselors Meet the Requirements for Full Licensure as Professional School Counselors in Virginia </em>(JMU)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Stone, Victoria</span></strong><span> (College of Education and Human Development) 鈥 <em>Supporting K-12 Students after Psychiatric Hospitalizations: Piloting Mixed Reality Simulation Training for School Mental Health Professionals</em> (UVA)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Van Aken, Benoit</span></strong><span> (College of Science) 鈥 <em>Hyperspectral imaging for the real-time detection of microplastic particles in seafoods</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><strong><span>Zhu, Ziwei</span></strong><span> (College of Engineering and Computing) 鈥 <em>Break the Dilemmas between Model Performance and Fairness: A Holistic Solution for Fairness Learning on Graphs</em> (VT)</span></span></span></li> </ul><p><span><span><span>鈥淲e are looking forward to the new discoveries we will find with these 4-VA collaborative projects,鈥 Muir said. 鈥淥ur faculty, students, and the Commonwealth of Virginia will benefit from these partnerships as the schools approach the work from their own perspectives and strengths, building solid partnerships for future initiatives.鈥</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>For more information, visit <a href="//C:/Users/eliza/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/YXCX2PRT/4va.gmu.edu">4va.gmu.edu</a> or <a href="//C:/Users/eliza/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/YXCX2PRT/www.facebook.com/4VAMason">www.facebook.com/4VAMason</a>.</span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/216" hreflang="en">Office of the Provost</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/18436" hreflang="en">Provost Newsletter</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/271" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/9201" hreflang="en">4-VA at Mason</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Thu, 28 Sep 2023 16:35:28 +0000 Pam Shepherd 108906 at Mason and UVA collaborate to create energy-efficient desalination technique /news/2023-04/mason-and-uva-collaborate-create-energy-efficient-desalination-technique <span>Mason and UVA collaborate to create energy-efficient desalination technique</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/231" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Colleen Rich</span></span> <span>Tue, 04/04/2023 - 10:36</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--30-70"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_associated_people" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-associated-people"> <h2>In This Story</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-associated-people field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">People Mentioned in This Story</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/profiles/pdong3" hreflang="und">Pei Dong</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">With 97% of the world鈥檚 water held by oceans, the effort to develop effective saltwater desalination is a high priority amongst the world鈥檚 scientists. Capacitive deionization (CDI), where ions and chemicals are removed from water by applying a low electrical charge, is the most prevalent process. However, there is much more to understand about the kinetics of the process, which could improve the salt absorption capacity of CDI.</span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2023-04/190723602.jpg" width="400" height="387" alt="Pei Dong in her lab" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>Mason researcher Pei Dong in her lab. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span>It was this challenge that caught the interest of Pei Dong, an assistant professor in the <a href="https://catalog.gmu.edu/colleges-schools/engineering-computing/engineering/mechanical/">Department of Mechanical Engineering</a> at 性视界传媒鈥檚 <a href="https://cec.gmu.edu/">College of Engineering and Computing</a>. She recognized that tackling this topic would be substantially boosted by incorporating research underway in the lab of Baoxing Xu of University of Virginia鈥檚 Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Their project, 鈥淎 study on the ultrahigh salt adsorption capacity of an energy-efficiency water desalination technology,鈥<em> </em>was supported by a </span>4-VA@Mason Collaborative Research Grant<span> with </span>the goal of designing next-generation electrode materials to advance the energy-efficient CDI technology.</span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Xu鈥檚 group investigates multiscale/multiphysics modeling and simulations of solid-liquid interactions, especially systems in response to external stimuli such as temperature, electrical, and mechanical fields. Together, Dong鈥檚 group and Xu鈥檚 group could investigate the adsorption process to further identify, design, and synthesize more effective carbon materials for use in the CDI process.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Fast forward through the research鈥攃omplete with a pandemic and the resulting lab closures鈥擠ong and her team report that they have indeed synthesized different carbon materials that show a much higher salt absorption capacity. Dong anticipates that this technique could dramatically lower desalination costs and contribute to the sustainable development goals in Virginia, the United States, and beyond.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Along with this successful research outcome, the project also produced several other beneficial consequences, especially a new collaboration among Mason and UVA faculty and students. Dong also noted the journey provided a rich educational experience for students鈥攚ith a combination of experimental and computational skills allowing them to contribute to future engineering innovation in this emerging field.</span></span></span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-left"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2023-04/Dong-lab.png" width="400" height="297" alt="students working in Dong's lab" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>From left, students Rui He, Crystal Bowers and Xiaozhou Huang working on the project in Pei Dong's lab. Photo provided</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span>That experience was especially true for PhD candidate Rui He. He oversaw the project in Dong鈥檚 lab and administered the tests, including those for surface area, water contact angle, electrical property, and water desalination.聽He also prepared the wood-converted carbon and the potassium hydroxide activation. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>鈥淚 learned a lot about teamwork,鈥 He said. 鈥淚 needed to teach the undergraduates how to run the lab experiments and data analysis as a team, and make sure every step is what we wanted.鈥 </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>In addition, the team worked together to print a 3D CDI cell and assembled the experimental setup, installing the wood-converted carbon into the cell. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>鈥淪ometimes we didn鈥檛 get the results we expected, and we needed to find out where things went wrong and fix the problem,鈥 He said. 鈥淔or example, the 3D-printed CDI cell was a challenge at the beginning because it can鈥檛 prevent the leakage of water.聽We tried a lot of different designs, and finally got one to work.鈥</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Several of the other Mason students involved in the research were undergraduate Crystal Bowers and PhD candidate Xiaozhou Huang. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Thanks to the project鈥檚 success, the research has received wide recognition. Their work 鈥淏inder-Free Wood Converted Carbon for Enhanced Water Desalination Performance鈥 has been published in the journal <em>Advanced Functional Materials</em>. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>He won the Excellent Student Presentation Award in the 242nd Electrochemical Society Meeting for both his oral presentation and poster about the project. This work has also been presented at Virginia Clean Energy and Catalysis Club 2022 Summit (poster) and the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition 2022 (oral presentation).</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>4-VA is a partnership among eight Virginia universities, created to foster collaborations that leverage the strengths of each university and improve efficiencies in education across the commonwealth. Thanks to 4-VA, unprecedented alliances between schools, departments, faculty, and students generate significant, innovative solutions to educational and real-world challenges.</span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/9201" hreflang="en">4-VA at Mason</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17781" hreflang="en">research partnerships</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/561" hreflang="en">Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE)</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17761" hreflang="en">0423 Mason Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/271" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/19146" hreflang="en">CEC faculty research</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Tue, 04 Apr 2023 14:36:27 +0000 Colleen Rich 104836 at