Engineering and... News: March 2025

Dear GW Engineering Community,

In this month’s newsletter, we celebrate the accomplishments of our amazing faculty, students, staff, and alumni and recognize their continued efforts to positively shape and transform our world. We also reaffirm the value of every member of our community and the individual perspectives, talents, and experiences that collectively make GW Engineering stronger.

Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Zhengtian Xu has been awarded an NSF CAREER Award to support his research innovating solutions for the “final 50 feet” in our shipping and delivery systems in urban environments. The outcomes of this research project will have real-world implications for everyday individuals and businesses of all sizes that engage in online transactions and delivery. Congratulations to Professor Xu for receiving this award and for the amazing acknowledgment of his work.

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Professor David Broniatowski is leading a research team that is offering a new science-driven and practical approach to combat misinformation online by investigating the way people process information. This new research was published in the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied in July 2024 and was recently selected as an APA’s Editor’s Choice article. This recognition is set aside for research papers that translate scientific research to the broader community in an impactful way. Kudos to Professor Broniatowski and his entire research team.

Alumna Christina Liaghati, Ph.D. ’21, was named a 2025 Fed100 honoree. An AI expert, Liaghati is a department manager at MITRE where she leads a team that addresses the opportunities, risks, and vulnerabilities organizations face as they integrate AI into their systems to enhance efficiency. Liaghati is not only a technical expert in her field, she is an active advocate for women in AI and cybersecurity and a mentor who inspires many emerging professionals in IT and STEM.

We’re past the halfway point of the spring semester, and I want to acknowledge that this has been a challenging time for many in our community and for higher education in general. So my other message this month is to take care of yourselves and each other and to remain focused on the core mission of our university. I'm recalling the early days of the pandemic, when I saw our community come together (virtually if not physically) to support each other through some very difficult times. The care and resilience GW Engineering demonstrated then are also how we'll remain a strong community and pursue our mission with excellence in the days ahead. So if you see someone in our community looking anxious or down, check-in with them and let them know that you and others around the school are available to provide support. And if you are having difficulty yourself, lean on a peer, colleague, or mentor and feel the support of our GW Engineering community.

Raise High Revolutionaries!

John lach

Dean

What if understanding how we think could help stop misinformation in its tracks? The study “The role of mental representation in sharing misinformation online" takes a closer look at this crucial issue, investigating how the way people process information affects their likelihood of sharing misinformation. The research team, led by associate professor David Broniatowski, discovered that while simple yet insightful messages in a gist-based format can promote the spread of misinformation, they can also be leveraged to counteract it—offering a new, science-driven, practical approach to combat misinformation online.

April 2 from 12pm-12am: GW Giving Day 2025

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April 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30 from 12:25pm-1pm: Earth Month Booth

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April 3 from 1pm-2:30pm: Street Sense Theatre: Art as Social Action

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April 7 from 3:30pm-4:30pm: GW Engineering Career Chat: Spring 2025

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April 9 from 1pm-2pm: Clearance Preparedness Program 2025

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April 16 from 7pm-8pm: Engineers' Council Monthly General Body Meeting

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April 25 from 12:30-2:30: R&D Senior Design Showcase

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April 26 from 1pm-4pm: Fountain Day

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Professor Lu Develops Ground-Breaking Heart-Mapping Technology

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Professor Emerita Kim Roddis Weighs in on Maryland’s New Key Bridge Design

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Professor Mohan Explores Vulnerabilities to Build Stronger Defenses

 

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Elevating Sustainable Computing: Professor Louri Named Editor-in-Chief of IEEE TSUSC

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Used EV Resale Trends and Affordability: Professor Helveston Provides Insight

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Professor Rau Supporting Development of Ground-Breaking Microbial Fuel Cells

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CEE Professor Xu has been awarded an NSF CAREER Award to support his research innovating system design involved in the “final 50 feet.” The project will conduct economic and system-level analyses to characterize the “final 50 feet” problem in urban environments, identify the key drivers of critical issues, and evaluate the effectiveness of new policies, designs, and operations to address these challenges. 

The Office of Graduate Admissions and Student Services at GW Engineering fosters academic, professional, and personal growth for all our graduate students. Program Manager, Dawn Ginnetti, is a key part of this process. 

Q: How long have you been working at GW, and what is your position?

A: I’ve been at GW and GW Engineering since April 2018—almost seven years. I am a Program Manager in Graduate Student Enrollment and Advising. I advise Ph.D. students and work with GW Engineering’s Center for Women in Engineering.

Q: What led you to this career?

A: I was the first in my family to go to college, and there was so much that I didn’t know. I was lucky enough to have some really wonderful faculty and staff mentors along the way. It made me want to pay it forward and help other students like me.

Q: Why did you choose GW?

A: I love the location and size of the university. It’s large enough to have all kinds of great resources but small enough that it’s easier to navigate and people are very friendly.

Sporting a new name, the Innovation Hackathon, George Hacks hosted another successful hackathon on March 1 and 2. This year, the event more than doubled in size, attracting over 150 students from 13 universities across the country, compared to just 62 students from four universities last year.

At GW’s 2025 Three Minute Thesis competition, GW Engineering made a strong showing, with participants from four of our six academic departments–biomedical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, engineering management and systems engineering, and mechanical and aerospace engineering. 

GW Engineering’s Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department has long been committed to developing technology-oriented solutions for real-world challenges. Last week, the ECE Department hosted an “ECE Blitz” event to highlight a selection of this exemplary, impact-driven student research. 

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.