This is the College of Science biweekly newsletter. For the most up-to-date information, visit science.gmu.edu or the college intranet. 

By Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm

I have been fascinated by our Forensic Science Program at George Mason since the first day I became dean nearly four years ago. As a “kid of the 1970s” with parents who relied on television to entertain (or calm down) their children, I grew up watching most police shows of the time (Starsky & Hutch, Kojak, Baretta, Policewoman, and many others). This taste for TV shows never went away for me and it remains today. Perhaps the CSI series is my favorite of all time. I have been thrilled to be part of a science community that includes forensic science, particularly with all that we have to offer.

Having said this, it has taken significant time and energy to implement our Forensic Science Program’s vision (this is not TV!)—to bring in the right people, cultivate the right partnerships, build innovative curriculum that encompasses all phases of the discipline, establish and execute an unparalleled facilities plan to provide an unmatched learning environment for our forensic science students at Mason.

And this past week, the team reached a major program milestone. Congratulations to our forensic science experts, led by illustrious former FBI profiler, Mary Ellen O’Toole who, after years of careful planning and coordination, accepted our first two donors to Mason's outdoor Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory (FSRTL). One of only a few similar facilities in the United States, this immersive laboratory allows our students, multidisciplinary faculty, and community collaborators to better examine and understand crime scene attributes in an outdoor environment. To put this in perspective, what follows is Mary Ellen's speech from that morning shared with a group of observers just before the implementation team incorporated the two brave donors into the FSRTL learning environment.

“I want to take a few minutes to thank our donors and their families for their remarkable and selfless gifts of their bodies to our Forensic Science Training and Research Laboratory. A gift like this is priceless and will impact and influence the science of locating and identifying human remains and solving homicides for years to come." - Mary Ellen O'Toole

By Seihoon Lee

Traveling abroad has been part of Jimin Jeon’s life for as long as she can remember. She traveled with her mom during every school vacation, which allowed her to visit 23 countries by the time she was a college student. Being exposed to different cultures from a young age helped her develop a desire to pursue her college education abroad. That brought her to Mason Korea after 12 years of Korean public school education. Photo provided. 

Congratulations to Kelly Knight, associate professor in forensic science, for earning the Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion. Throughout Knight’s time at Mason she has played key roles in a number of initiatives to advance the cause of diversity and inclusivity in STEM education. Read the original Instagram post highlighting her specific efforts to eliminate the gender and racial/ethnic gaps in STEM degree achievement.

by Laura Powers

Emily Poindexter, who is pursuing a master’s in environmental science and policy, received funding from the Virginia Native Plant Society to support her study of Ozark Milkvetch, a small, perennial plant native to south-central United States as well as parts of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. While it is widely distributed in the south-central region, this species only grows on shale barrens in the mid-Atlantic, particularly in Virginia where it is currently classified as critically imperiled, meaning at risk of extinction. Photo provided. 

By Jonathan O'Callaghan

The BBC reports that the discovery of planets in a nearby nebula brings into questions our understanding of the way planets and stars form. However, George Mason associate professor Peter Plavchan from the Department of Physics and Astronomy says it may actually be a discovery of stars masquerading as planets. Photo credit: Nasa/Esa/CSA/Mark McCaughrean/Sam Pearson

Do you have an interesting hobby or know a colleague who volunteers with a cause close to their heart? We want to share these stories about our talented faculty and staff, because life is much more than time spent on the clock. 

Hosted by the Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust of the National Academies, explore how U.S. science and innovation are positioned to respond to rising global competition and shifting priorities for the nation’s economy, security, public health, and well-being. The address will take place June 26, 2024 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. and virtually. 

Sign up to present at FOCUS
Deadline June 7, 2024
FOCUS (Females of Color Underrepresented in STEM) is a one-week STEM camp for middle school girls, while FOCUS Academy is a program for high school girls held at George Mason's Fairfax Campus. Participants attend several hands-on and interactive workshops throughout the week as they are introduced to the disciplines of STEM. Both programs will be held in-person July 29 to August 2, 2024. Monday is science day, Tuesday- technology, Wednesday - engineering, and Thursday- Math. You're invited to lead an interactive workshop one day during that week. The day workshops will be one hour and 15 minutes and repeated twice so that both groups of 25 students can participate (one middle school and one high school). There is also an option to lead an afternoon session from 4 to 5 p.m. Workshops should be mostly interactive with limited lecture time. If you are interested in presenting a workshop, please complete this form by June 7, 2024. Interested students can also propose a workshop and can be paid a stipend. If you would like to help with FOCUS in other ways such as participating on a panel, leading a talk or discussion, or giving a tour of your laboratory/facility, contact Kelly Knight.

Faculty/ PI Workshop: How NSF’s New Mentoring Requirements Can Improve Your Research Agenda
June 18, 2024 | 2 to 3 p.m.
In this 90-minute virtual workshop, participants will learn about NSF’s new graduate student mentoring requirements for grants submitted on or after May 20, 2024. NSF leaders will begin the event with information about the new requirements, which apply to any grant that provides support to graduate students. Next, disciplinary society leaders and faculty with distinguished records as researchers and mentors will provide strategies and examples for improving both mentoring and research outcomes. Participants will receive more detailed information about the requirement and resources for mentoring graduate students. Participants will also receive an FAQ document that provides answers to questions raised in the first workshop and a curated list of resources on mentoring. The workshop is free of charge. Register to attend. 

Juneteenth
June 19, 2024
George Mason University will be closed.

The Health of Our Waterways
June 28, 2024 | 6:30 to 9 p.m. | Potomac Science Center
This benefit event supports the mission, research, and outreach of the Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center (PEREC). The event will kick off with a cocktail hour reception with views of the Belmont Bay, followed by a discussion led by R. Chris Jones on George Mason's work to collect data monitoring sea grasses, fish populations, and pollution, as well as employ much-needed improvements in the health of our waterways in Northern Virginia. The evening culminates with a sunset champagne toast to the center and the creation of a healthy waterway in the bay at sunset.