Engineering and... News: April 2024

Greetings GW Engineering Community!

During the month of April, the GW Engineering community found itself at the center of conversations about the future of engineering and computing, and the impact technology will have on communities around the world. Thanks to our notable alumni, exceptional faculty, and innovative students, our reputation as a community 

of critical thinkers and pioneers continues to grow and expand beyond the borders of our university. We don’t just rest on our academic laurels to propel us to the next level, we ask the tough questions, provide insight, and develop solutions that positively impact the global community.

We announced our new GW Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (GW TAI) initiative, a pan-university effort that brings together researchers, academic experts, and practitioners from diverse disciplines across the entire campus. This new initiative will take a socio-technical approach to thinking about the future of AI and its impact on society. GW Engineering will play a pivotal role in producing research outcomes, providing academic programming, and securing cross-industry partnerships. SAIC, a global technology corporation, signed on as the inaugural partner of GW TAI as part of the initiative’s corporate partnership program.

For the second year in a row, we co-hosted GW’s Global Business and Policy Forum. We welcomed policy makers, AI practitioners, corporate executives, and government leaders to discuss the future of AI in the real-world. The forum included keynotes and panelists from organizations like IBM, Bright MLS, SAIC, American Bankers Association, NIST, NSF, Google, Zillow, GDIT, and other well-known entities. At the conclusion of the forum, GW Engineering hosted a student poster session, where our amazing students dazzled attendees with their research that addresses the trustworthiness of AI.

Professor Tian Lan, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was appointed a member of the Technological Advisory Council (TAC) by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The TAC mission is to bring together experts from diverse disciplines to provide the FCC with expert insight and important developments in the telecommunications space. This appointment reflects Prof. Lan’s reputation as a leading scholar in the communications research community.

As the lead Principal Investigator (PI) of a multi-institutional research team addressing the security of aircraft autonomy and airspace safety, Professor Peng Wei, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, received a $6 million University Leadership Initiative (ULI) research award from NASA. This award is part of NASA’s initiative to help make the future of urban airspace more safe and secure. Prof. Wei’s leadership of this major effort further enhances GW Engineering’s reputation in the field of autonomy.

April is known as the time of the year when the work done in the past is seen in the present, and that is exactly what April brought for the GW Engineering community. From the annual student Research & Design Showcase to alumnus Andre Douglas graduating from NASA’s Artemis astronaut program, our community continues to reap the benefits of its past efforts, thereby expanding our reputation, influence, and impact.

Raise High!
John Lach

In the age of rapidly developing technology, maintaining the United States’ leadership in high-priority emerging technologies will require careful planning and execution. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the U.S.’ primary authority for communications law, regulation, and technological innovation, making it vital they keep abreast of important developments in the telecommunications industry. In 1998, the FCC established the Technological Advisory Council (TAC) to bring together a diverse array of leading experts to aid them in this effort.

GW Engineering is excited to announce Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Tian Lan was appointed a member of the TAC by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel! As a special government employee, Lan will provide technical advice and recommendations to help the FCC identify important areas of innovation and develop informed technology policies throughout the term of the current TAC charter, which expires on September 5, 2025.

May 1 from 2-4pm: GW Engineering Drop-In Academic Advising
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May 2 from 12-1pm: Book Talk | Guardrails: Guiding Human Decisions in the Age of AI
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May 6 at 6pm: How do I combine other interests with computing?
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May 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 12:25-1pm: Asian American and Pacific Islander History Month Celebration
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May 8 from 2-4pm: GW Engineering Drop-In Academic Advising
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May 11 from 1-5:30pm: LEED Green Associate Training Webinar
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May 14 from 12-12:30pm: GW Benefits New Vacation Policy Info Session
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May 16 from 4-5pm: School of Engineering and Applied Science Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
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May 17 from 7-9pm: School of Engineering and Applied Science Graduation Celebration
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May 18 at 10:30am: GW Commencement
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May 24 from 10-11am: GW Engineering Online Information Session
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May 28 from 12-1:30pm: TRAILS Community of Practice
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In the article "GW Engineering Professor Works to Secure Autonomous Aircraft from Bad Actors," GW Today announced Peng Wei, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, is the lead PI of a three-year, multi-institutional project to research secure aircraft autonomy and train the next generation of aerospace engineers. His team will receive $6 million in University Leadership Initiative (ULI) funding from NASA. 

Exploring the Cutting Edge of Ultrasound Technology: Biomedical Engineering Students Attend UltraCon 2024

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CEE Team Wins $10,000 for Lithium Extraction Innovation

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Using Lived Experience to Study Security and Privacy Concerns Among US Immigrants

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Novel Code Generation Technique Improves Machine Learning Speed

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New Study Introduces Novel Approach for Cost-effective Life Testing

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Science Friday Talks with Professor Megan Leftwich About Sea Lion Research

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Take a deep dive into the A. James Clark Professor of Engineering Michael Keidar's career journey studying the physics of plasma in the GW Research Magazine's feature article, "Plasma Promise"! In the article, Keidar reflects on how he launched his research career and branched out into new disciplines such as biology which led him to become a pioneer in cold plasma.

The Office of Undergraduate Student Services, Advising, and Records is home of GW Engineering's professional advising team. Advisors, such as Senior Academic Advisor Lisa Redman, work hard to empower all undergraduate students to achieve academic success and to ensure they are connected to the countless resources available to them at GW Engineering.

Q: How long have you been working at GW and what is your position?
A: I’ve been at GW since July 2021. I originally started in Milken as an Academic Advisor and then transitioned to GW Engineering in May 2023 as a Senior Academic Advisor, which is my current position.

Q: What led you to this career?
A: My interest in working in higher education started when I was in college and had just returned from my study abroad experience in Rome, Italy. I was really passionate about helping other students have a similar experience because I felt as though I had grown so much as a person during that semester abroad and knew the benefits of the experience could similarly impact others, so I decided that I wanted to work in a study abroad office to help promote abroad opportunities to students. My first job out of graduate school was at my alma mater, West Chester University, in their study abroad office. After three years in that office, I wanted to explore more of the academic affairs side of higher education and turned to academic advising.

As organizations across all sectors work to capitalize on the transformational benefits provided by artificial intelligence (AI), pressing questions about its accompanying risks and public skepticism toward this emerging technology need to be addressed. Corporate executives, business leaders, government workers, policymakers, and GW faculty, students, and alumni convened to discuss these questions at GW’s second annual Business & Policy Forum titled, “Imagining the Future with AI.”

During this day-long event, expert panelists explored issues surrounding AI across various industries including healthcare, real estate, financial services, cybersecurity, and the public sector. Each panelist highlighted public distrust of AI as a barrier to realizing its full potential.

Donations that help GW Engineering continue to expand opportunities that support the success of our students, both in and out of the classroom, are raised on GW’s Giving Day, which took place this year from noon on April 3 until noon on April 4. On Giving Day 2024, over 170 champions of our school helped us raise approximately $74,000 to support the critical needs of GW Engineering students. 

The research conducted by GW Engineering students represents the potential of engineering to address society's pressing challenges. On April 26, 117 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, postdoctoral scholars, and research scientists from GW Engineering gathered in the Science & Engineering Hall to display their research at this year's Research & Design and Senior Design Showcase.

The American Society for Engineering Education Middle Atlantic Section's Spring 2024 Conference, "Engineering Education for a Better World," was brought to the Science & Engineering Hall by EMSE professors and conference co-chairs, Eric Dano and Joost Santos. Held on April 19 and 20, the conference featured workshops, panel discussions, technical sessions, award ceremonies, and a keynote address.

The GWU-PREP is a collaboration with GWU in Washington, DC and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland. GWU-PREP provides research opportunities at NIST to students, faculty, research staff, and postdoctoral researchers at GW as well as researchers at SURA-affiliated universities.

We support your ambitions by offering financial support to eligible GW community members, including a monthly stipend, hourly wage, or full tuition reimbursement for qualifying undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff.