Seventeen George Mason faculty awarded 4-VA grants

Through 4-VA@Mason, George Mason University faculty members have embarked on new pilot research projects in collaboration with higher education institutions throughout Virginia. 

The 4-VA Collaborative Research Grants, first launched in the 2013-14 academic year, are designed to forge relationships in Virginia higher education to leverage the strengths of each school, decrease working in silos, and launch novel research projects that can provide a springboard for future external funding. 

Other schools in the 4-VA system are the College of William and Mary, James Madison University, Old Dominion University (ODU), University of Virginia (UVA), Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Virginia Military Institute, and Virginia Tech (VT). Christopher Newport University is also participating in Collaborative Research Grants.

During the 2024-25 year, nine of the Collaborative Research Grants are being led at George Mason and 11 faculty members will serve as co-principal investigators (co-PIs) for research spearheaded at partner institutions. 

“Each year, we are more and more impressed with the breadth and depth of the proposals,” said Janette Kenner Muir, vice provost, academic affairs, and campus coordinator of 4-VA at Mason, adding that this year’s 25 proposals were especially strong.

The 4-VA@Mason 2024-25 Collaborative Research Grant awardees, proposal title, and partner schools (in parentheses) are the following:

• Rosalina Christova, College of Science, Department of Environmental Science and Policy and Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center, “Integrative Characterization of the Anatoxin-a-Producing Benthic Cyanobacterial Genus Microcoleus in the Shenandoah River” (UVA/Wise)
• Arie Croitoru, College of Science, Department of Computational and Data Sciences and Center for Social Complexity, “Quantum-Inspired Modeling for Understanding Social Complexity” (ODU)
• Nadine Kabbani, College of Science, School of Systems Biology, “Proteomic profiling of molecular changes associated with chemotherapy induced neuropathy” (VCU)
• Myeong Lee, College of Engineering and Computing, Department of Information Sciences and Technology, “Understanding Multidimensional Measures of Social Capital: Impacts of Ethnic Heterogeneity, Social Classes, and Historical Legacies of Urban Policy” (VCU)
• Rayanne Luke, College of Science, Department of Mathematical Sciences, “Data-Driven Modeling of the Time-Dependent Immune Response to Infection and Vaccination” (UVA)
• Amanda Madden, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History and Art History, “Historical Mapathons: Team-Based GIS Training and Transformation of Seventeenth Century Maps” (VT)
• Sang Nam, College of Visual and Performing Arts, Computer Game Design Program, “Developing A Multimodal LLM AI Agent for the XR, Extended Reality Platform for Personalized and Highly Immersive Trauma Training” (UVA)
• Xiaokuan Zhang, College of Engineering and Computing, Department of Computer Science, “Uncovering Secrets from Virtual Reality Headsets via Electromagnetic Side Channels” (VT)
• Xijin (Emma) Zhang, College of Engineering and Computing, Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering, “Multifunctional Fungi-Based Biosurfactants for Durable Concrete Structures” (UVA)

The following George Mason faculty received funding as co-PIs for the 2024-25 academic year collaborating with other 4-VA institutions:

• Shaghayegh Bagheri, College of Engineering and Computing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, “MOMENTUM: Assessing the Merits of Personalized Feedback with Generative AI for Foundational Engineering Mechanics Courses” (VT)
• Michael S. Bloom, College of Public Health, Department of Global and Community Health, “A new green space exposure index utilizing AI methods and an eye-tracking device” (VT)
• Harrison Bray and Anton Lukyanenko, College of Science, Department of Mathematical Sciences, “Collaborative workshops in topology” (UVA)
• Pei Dong, College of Engineering and Computing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, “Printing of Ultrathin Conductive Films on Liquid for 3D Wearable Electronic” (UVA)
• Jessica Otis, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History and Art History, and Heidi Lawrence, Department of English, “Human Dimensions of Infectious Diseases” (VT)
• Jingyuan Yang, Costello College of Business, “Building Machine Learning Resilience During Disasters” (UVA)