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| Thursday, February 8, 2024 science.gmu.edu
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Lasting and future influence
by Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm
The theme of this year’s Black History Month is African Americans’ influence on the arts in the U.S. As the dean of George Mason University’s College of Science, I can’t help but think about African Americans’ influence among the sciences.
Over the past few years, we have shared illuminating documentaries and stories of such influence including Hidden Figures, the story of Katharine Johnson’s role in putting American astronauts into space, helping our country land on the moon. A few years ago, our Advanced Biomedical Science Program (GeorgeSquared) provided a screening of the film Black Men in White Coats, a documentary that explored why at that time, only two percent of American doctors are black men and what that means for society. We also offered the on-campus screening of a documentary called Coded Bias, a story released in 2020 inspired by Joy Buolamwini, a researcher whose MIT Media Lab project uncovered findings leading her to explore racial bias in artificial intelligence (AI), specifically within facial recognition algorithms and their use in day-to-day life. Buolamwini's efforts, including subsequent research and policy advocacy, inspire intellectual curiosity and action. Watch the trailer.
Our collaboration with Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) also offered a screening and discussion of the documentary film Woman In Motion, the story of Nichelle Nichols, an actress often recognized for her role as Lieutenant Uhura on the television series, Star Trek, and her contribution to broadening the workforce within America's space program.
Throughout the month of February and beyond, #MasonNation is hosting various events and sharing a collection of contemporary stories across the spectrum of Mason’s scholarly and artistic community.
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Welcome new chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy
College of Science dean Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm announced the appointment of Professor Ernest (Ernie) Barreto as the new chair for the Department of Physics and Astronomy. "The faculty and staff in the department continue to deliver in very significant ways: top-notch research, undergraduate and graduate programs, and stellar service. I am excited to work with Ernie in leading the department to new heights," Miralles-Wilhelm said.
Thank you to former chair Paul So for his last eight years of service and the accomplishments of the department under his leadership.
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Access the intranet for the latest Mason Science internal news and updates
Be sure to check the college's intranet for important information on college activities, deadlines, resources, and more. You can view the College's 2022-23 annual report, research information and resources, and college events.
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#FacultyFriday highlights biology associate professor
This past #FacultyFriday celebrated Geraldine Grant, associate professor and chair of the Department of Biology, for earning the Dean's Mentorship Award. Grant is incredibly supportive of all her department members, while continuing to maintain her own research program and teaching commitments. Read the original Instagram post.
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NSF rankings show Mason ahead of research funding goals
by Damian Cristodero
George Mason University’s $230 million in research funding in fiscal year 2022 was a seven percent increase from 2021, putting the university three years ahead of its goal of $225 million by 2025. Some of the long-term projects either funded or ongoing in FY 2022 that have positioned Mason as a leader in research of consequence include:
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Mason researcher part of team updating Voyager’s Golden Record
by Universe Today
Anamaria Berea, an associate professor in the Department of Computational and Data Sciences, has been working with a team of researchers from CalTech and the Interstellar Foundation to update Voyager’s Golden Record for the future NASA interstellar mission. Their paper “Message in a Bottle—An Update to the Golden Record” is only the first paper in a series that will lay out the types and content of messages to be sent into deep and interstellar space, from videos, images, audio, text and computer code, to digital and analogue encoding of information.
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At George Mason University, President Gregory Washington is building the future
by Jill S. Devine
Northern Virginia Magazine recently profiled President Gregory Washington and his impactful leadership at Mason. They write "When Gregory Washington accepted the offer to become the eighth president of George Mason University in February 2020, he immediately started doing what he knows best: building."
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Nominations for the Jack Wood Award for Town-Gown Relations open through March 15
The Office of Government and Community Relations is now accepting Jack Wood Award nominations. The Jack Wood Award highlights the outstanding contributions of faculty, staff, students, businesses/not-for-profits, community members, and elected officials/staff who demonstrate leadership in fostering mutually beneficial relationships between the university and the community. Awardees will be notified by March 29. The Board of Visitors will honor awardees on May 2.
Nominations are due by March 15. Community relations/outreach professionals are not eligible. Questions? Contact Traci Kendall at tkendal2@gmu.edu.
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Apply to the 2024 Patriot Pitch Competition
The competition supports idea and early-stage business ventures and is open to current Mason students and recent alumni. If you have an idea, desire to launch a new business, and want to be eligible for $40,000 in prizes, the Patriot Pitch Competition may be for you. The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship encourages interested students to apply now to connect with a mentor for help pitching their early-stage idea. Deadline to apply is February 16, 2024.
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Evening Under the Stars
February 13, 2024 | 7 p.m. | Mason Observatory
Join us for an astronomy talk by NASA's Joshua Pepper followed by a visit to Mason’s observatory. Weather permitting, tour guides will provide a viewing of the cosmos with a particular focus on the planets and moon. In the event of clouds, guides will give a tour of the facility detailing its telescope and the activities surrounding it.
College of Science Faculty Meeting
February 14, 2024 | 3 to 4:30 p.m. | Exploratory Hall 3301 or Virtual
Mason Science Faculty Lunch
February 15, 2024 | Noon to 1 p.m. | Exploratory Hall 3302
Bring your lunch and enjoy an hour away from your computer with fellow Mason Science faculty.
Cultivating Empathy Workshop
February 15, 2024 | 1 to 3 p.m. | Virtual
The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offers this workshop to encourage and support empathy as a skillful DEl practice: creating a sense of belonging and individuality for all, which is key to collective innovation. Register to attend.
Support Group for Working Mothers at Mason
February 20, 2024 | Noon to 1 p.m. | Johnson Center 240K
The Support Group for Working Mothers at Mason is one way faculty, staff, and students can come together, discuss the issues confronting working mothers, and perhaps motivate changes on campus.
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