Engineering and... News: October 2023

Dear GW Engineering Community,

Given the many challenges we are facing as a global society, I am reminded of and heartened by our GW Engineering Community – the way we support each other, the way we work together to make the world a better place, and even the way we disagree with each other.

As President Granberg eloquently wrote today, “You can take a stance for what you believe in while recognizing other perspectives and experiences. You can stand up for your beliefs without intimidating, insulting, or attacking those who disagree.” I believe in that. And I believe that our GW Engineering Community embodies that. But if anyone in our community is feeling marginalized or disconnected, please know that you are not alone. Our faculty, staff, and peer mentors are here to provide support and resources to help you through challenging times, and I am working with the University Leadership to help our entire GW Community come together, support each other, and be leaders in civil discourse. So please continue to take care of yourselves and each other.

As we pursue our vision to be a preeminent engineering school through excellence in our core mission, we continue to produce innovative research that increases our societal impact and expands our engagement with diverse communities and to offer engaging academic programming that empowers our students to discover their strengths and passions and have one-of-a-kind learning experiences. This excellence extends beyond the walls of our school and is illustrated in the work of our alumni.During GW’s Alumni & Families weekend, we welcomed alumni and current student families to Science & Engineering Hall to engage in conversations with our leadership team, tour our state-of-the-art building, and experience research presentations given by GW Engineering faculty. I also had the honor of moderating a multidisciplinary discussion on the powers and perils of artificial intelligence (AI). Panelists included Rebecca Hwa, Professor and Chair of Computer Science; Zoe Szajnfarber, Professor of Engineering Management & Systems Engineering; Susan Aaronson, Research Professor of International Affairs at the Elliott School; and Ryan Watkins, Professor of Education Technology at the GW Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Together, we explored how AI is exploding all around us, with innovations and technology releases that are impacting not just every sector of industry but every part of our society. We also discussed the holistic approach GW is taking to tackle not just the technical challenges and opportunities of AI but also the societal dimensions of AI.

Recently, Michael Keidar, a pioneer in cold plasma research and the A. James Clark Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, demonstrated the benefits of cold atmospheric plasma devices in reducing the toxicity of cancer treatments. Through a pre-clinical model of various cancer types tested in both in-vitro and in-vivo studies, it was revealed that cold plasma kills cancer cells highly selectively. In his upcoming project for cancer treatment supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, Prof. Keidar aims to solve the challenge of optimizing plasma chemistry for specific targets.

Fostering opportunities for our students to grow and learn beyond the campus borders is a high priority for our school and the entire university. Recently, Amarachi Elekeokwuri, a third-year biomedical engineering major with a minor in electrical engineering, studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea, this past spring semester through the GW Undergraduate Exchange program. GW Engineering has a partnership with Korea University (KU) to support a unique exchange opportunity for undergraduate students studying engineering or computer science. GW Engineering exchange students are eligible to receive a $1,500 stipend from the Simon and Anna Lee Foundation. Elekeokwuri said this covered the cost of her housing in Seoul for the entire semester and allowed her to have many more experiences in and outside of the city.

Like many GW Engineering alumni, Dr. Aashis Luitel, Ph.D. '22, has been having a major impact on the world since graduation. Dr. Luitel, who was recently featured in The Hudson Weekly, is a highly accomplished cybersecurity expert who advocates for integrating AI into cybersecurity systems. He works for Microsoft’s Cloud and AI Security team and is a Professorial Lecturer, teaching cybersecurity courses at various universities.

This is a just glimpse into the exciting work being done by our students, faculty, alumni and staff to extend our impact and grow the reach of GW Engineering. We will continue to push the needle and expand the reputation of our amazing school, while ensuring that we remain – first and foremost – a community.

Raise High, Revolutionaries!

John Lach, Dean

GW Engineering

Reducing the toxicity of existing cancer treatments continues to be a high-priority healthcare objective. A pioneer in cold plasma research and the A. James Clark Professor in Engineering, Michael Keidar has demonstrated the benefits of cold atmospheric plasma devices in achieving this goal. Through a pre-clinical model of various cancer types tested in both in-vitro and in-vivo studies, it was revealed that cold plasma kills cancer cells highly selectively. 

However, the challenge of optimizing plasma chemistry for specific targets remains. Keidar aims to solve this issue for cancer treatment in his upcoming project. This project is supported by a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, he will work to optimize plasma for aiming at a specific type of cancer cell to maximize the ratio of normal cell viability over the cancer cell ones using machine learning.

October 31 from 1-2:30pm: SMART 101: Application Questions, Answered 

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November 1 from 12-1:30pm: Biweekly I+E Lab Lunches

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November 1 from 5:45-7pm: Fall Career Series: Networking & Elevator Pitch

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November 1 from 6-7:30pm: Breaking Bread Week 4: Climate Justice

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November 2 from 11:30am-12:30pm: Social Innovation Workshop

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November 3 from 1:30-2:30pm: Well-Paying & Exciting Cybersecurity Careers for All Students

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November 4 from 10am-1pm: Pitch George Competition

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November 6 from 4-5pm: Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Workshop

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November 7 from 12:25-1pm: Native American Heritage Month/American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month Celebration

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November 8 from 10am-5pm: George Hacks: Kogan Makerspace
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Interdisciplinarity is critical to the work the SEAS-based GW Environmental and Energy Management Institute (EEMI) performs around solving complex and nuanced environmental and energy challenges. In September 2023, four faculty members of EEMI were awarded a research grant from GW’s Cross-Disciplinary Research Fund for the project “Establishing a GW Research Platform for Promoting an Equitable and Sustainable Green Economy.” The project is designed to integrate and enhance GW’s expertise in energy technologies and engage with public and private stakeholders to produce community-based research opportunities that will address issues defined by society and stakeholder groups focusing on promoting a green economy.

Biomedical Engineering Department Contributes to Growing the Field at BMES Annual Meeting

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Professor Manzari Shares Latest Achievements of Liquefaction Experiments and Analysis Projects

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GW Serves: Computer Science Major Gives D.C. Schools Students His Undivided Attention

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 Advancing the Field of Networking Research

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EEMI Conducts Supply Chain Seminar with CEO of Europe’s Second-largest Port

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Corbella Plays Key Role in 49th and 50th ICMCTF

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Senior Career Counselor Jessica Palermo provides GW Engineering students, alumni, and faculty with counseling and professional development opportunities to set them on the path to success.

Q: How long have you been working at GW, and what is your position? 
A: I am the Senior Career Counselor at the School of Engineering and Applied Science W. Scott Amey Career Services Center. I will be with GW for almost two years.

 
Q: What led you to this career?
A: I enjoy helping people navigate their career paths and professional goals. Working within the field of career services is very rewarding. 

Q: Why did you choose GW?  
A: I was impressed with all of the opportunities GW provides. GW is involved in so many exciting initiatives.  

Q: What is your favorite part about working at GW Engineering? 
A: I enjoy my department and having the opportunity to collaborate frequently. 

Barely a day goes by that we don’t hear something about artificial intelligence (AI), either as an exciting new frontier or a serious ethical conundrum. Faculty of the George Washington University are taking a holistic approach to AI research and education to address both sides, as demonstrated by the panel “The Multifaceted Landscape of AI” during the 2023 GW Alumni & Families Weekend. The panel was moderated by School of Engineering & Applied Science Dean John Lach but featured a multidisciplinary set of panelists to address the societal implications of AI in addition to its technical design. 

Alumni of the George Washington University hail from all around the globe, but they can’t wait to return to GW every year for its annual Alumni & Families Weekend. Hundreds of GW alumni came home in September to participate in activities that show off the best the university has to offer alongside current students, friends, & families of GW. The School of Engineering & Applied Science welcomed them back to Science & Engineering Hall to engage in conversations with the visionary leader of GW Engineering, Dr. John Lach, tour our state-of-the-art building, & stay for brief lectures by select GW Engineering faculty.

As artificial intelligence is embedded into more  systems, it becomes critical to ensure that they reflect the values of their users. Experts in AI from academia, industry, & government came together in Science & Engineering Hall to discuss how to enable  safe, functional AI systems. The workshop was held by the GW co-led Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society, Northwestern University’s Center for Advancing Safety of Machine Intelligence, & the Federation of American Scientists. Together, They tested & evaluated sociotechnical approaches for AI systems.

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.