Community Partners

Preventing gun violence in Baltimore before it begins

Katarina Benson — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 20:35:55 +0000

Preventing gun violence in Baltimore before it begins Katarina Benson Wed, 08/20/2025 - 16:35

Maryland ranks among the top 10 states with the highest rates of gun-related killings. Although Baltimore accounts for just 9% of Maryland’s population, it has historically been responsible for a disproportionate share of the state’s gun violence (41% of all gun homicides). Yet across the city, community organizations, public agencies, and violence prevention initiatives are joining forces to reverse that trend. Their efforts are showing promising results: In 2024, Baltimore saw a 23% decrease in homicides and a 34% drop in nonfatal shootings.

One such project led by �鶹��Ƶ’s Arthur Romano is working to prevent gun violence in the city through proactive peacebuilding initiatives. The Baltimore Peace Education and Violence Prevention project is addressing the problem with a multipronged approach: Peace summits that bring together peacebuilding organizations in Baltimore, offering services to municipal governments to strengthen their strategic plans in that area, and an international exchange of violence prevention practitioners to share emerging practices.

Carter School professor Arthur Romano at a peace summit in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo provided

Romano, an associate professor at the at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and founder of the Carter School’s Program on Urban Peacebuilding, has more than 25 years of experience in research and practice in peace and conflict resolution and focuses primarily on conducting actionable research to prevent violence in U.S. cities.

This project received seed funding as part of a collaboration between the Carter School and Rotary International. With its peacebuilding mission and connections around the world, Rotary International and local Rotary clubs were a natural partnership for this work.

“Since community-based violence is a result of multiple compounding stressors and structural issues, then the interventions need to be multi-level,” said Romano. “We’re trying to be proactive and build infrastructure that accelerates learning and communication across organizations. This is a different approach than focusing on a single organization.”

First, the research team held a pilot peace summit in Baltimore in April 2025 that brought together practitioners and community organizations on the front lines of violence prevention to share knowledge, identify gaps, and identify areas for collaboration. During this event, they mapped the peacebuilding work in the city, much like urban crime is mapped, and paved the way for their long-term goal of fostering a sustainable community of practice through ongoing workshops, skill-sharing, peer-learning and targeted training from outside experts.

A key partner in the project is recent Carter School alumna Nawal Rajeh, who organized the peace summit and has been running a peace camp in Baltimore for the past 17 years for children most at-risk for gun violence. Rajeh founded the Baltimore-based nonprofit By Peaceful Means, which aims to reduce violence among youth through peace education, advocacy, and employment. Nawal leveraged her skills in community-building and conflict resolution to bring together leaders in peacebuilding from across the city.

A peace map created by Romano and summit participants. Photo provided

The research team is also conducting outreach to municipal governments on the second component of the project—seeking to develop or strengthen their strategic plans for violence prevention. When municipalities express interest, the team works with local agencies to assess current peacebuilding efforts, share insights from the peace summits, use the city-wide map to assist with coordination and collaboration and help create long-term systems for ongoing learning and collaboration.

The third component of the project is the Urban Peacebuilding Exchange (UPX), a professional learning exchange designed to support and connect community-based peacebuilders. The first pilot UPX program will launch in August, sending practitioners from Baltimore to engage with peers in Valparaiso, Chile, who are addressing issues like incarceration, prison reentry, and community violence.

Romano said they looked at what intervention points would have the highest impact for leveraging practitioners’ skills and the university’s role. “This came out of years of conversations with community organizations and recognition of these needs,” he said. “We create a bridge between the community and the university. I think this is where the Program on Urban Peacebuilding and George �鶹��Ƶ are at their best.”

As the project enters its next phase, the team is mapping peacebuilding efforts across Baltimore and looking to leverage university resources—like cloud computing—to support and scale the work. They are seeking faculty collaborators with expertise in digital and participatory mapping, data visualization, cross-organizational learning platform development, or gaming and simulation design.

The team aims to develop two key tools: a real-time digital map of local peacebuilding efforts that allows for public input and offers dynamic visualization of existing violence prevention efforts, and a citywide learning and communication platform to connect peacebuilders, share resources, and help coordinate community-driven violence prevention efforts in cities around the world.

“This work demonstrates the powerful role universities can play in aiding and accelerating knowledge production in spaces outside the university through research partnerships,” said Romano.

This work in a critical part of George �鶹��Ƶ’s Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) and the university’s commitment to strengthening peace, trust, and engagement in democracy. George �鶹��Ƶ also chairs the United Nations SDG 16 Hub—Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, a position it will hold for the next three years. As hub chair, the Carter School is responsible for education and training, research, community engagement, developing partnerships, and working with other SDG hubs to strengthen and further the United Nations’ mission of peace and justice.

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In This Story

Arthur Romano

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Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

GCI-Grand Challenge Initiative

Alumni

Research

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Erik Larson headlines this year’s Fall for the Book festival

Katarina Benson — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:21:28 +0000

Erik Larson headlines this year’s Fall for the Book festival Katarina Benson Tue, 08/19/2025 - 11:21

Updated September 5, 2025, to reflect changes in the schedule.

Fall for the Book, Northern Virginia’s oldest and largest festival of literature and the arts, returns for its 27th annual festival, October 7-11, with bestselling authors taking the headline stage.

On Friday, October 10, at 7:30 p.m. in Harris Theatre on �鶹��Ƶ's Fairfax Campus, Erik Larson will discuss his latest chart-topper, The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War, which tells the story of the five months between Lincoln’s election and the start of the Civil War. Larson is the author of six national bestsellers—The Splendid and the Vile, Dead Wake, In the Garden of Beasts, Thunderstruck, The Devil in the White City, and Isaac’s Storm—which have collectively sold more than 12 million copies in nearly 40 countries. Larson will appear thanks to the sponsorship of the George �鶹��Ƶ Friends.

Delivering this year’s Beck Environmental Lecture is Jeff Goodell. He will discuss his book The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet on Wednesday, October 8, at 6 p.m. He is the author of six previous books, including The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World, which was a New York Times Critics Top Book of 2017. This event, sponsored by Robert and Lucy Beck, will be in Grand Tier III of George �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for the Arts.

Vying for this year’s Institute for Immigration Research New American Voices Award are finalists Olufunke Grace Bankole’s The Edge of Water; Cristina Jiménez’s Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear into Pride, Power, and Real Change; and Shubha Sunder’s Optional Practical Training: A Novel. Celebrating its eighth anniversary, this award, sponsored by George �鶹��Ƶ’s Institute for Immigration Research, recognizes recently published works that illuminate the complexity of human experience as told by immigrants, whose work is historically underrepresented in writing and publishing. The winner will be announced at an award ceremony on Thursday, October 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Grand Tier III.

In addition, a variety of author events will be held across the Fairfax Campus during the run of the festival and will include a number of George �鶹��Ƶ faculty and alumni, such as Distinguished University Professor Jagadish Shukla discussing his memoir, A Billion Butterflies: A Life in Climate and Chaos Theory, in an online interview on Friday, October 10. See the full schedule.

All events are free and open to the public thanks to the generous support of sponsors including George �鶹��Ƶ, Fairfax County Public Library, the Fairfax Library Foundation, the City of Fairfax, ArtsFairfax, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts. However, free tickets are required for both the Larson events. Tickets will be available September 10 on Fall for the Book’s Eventbrite page.

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Campus News

Community Partners

Fall for the Book

Sentara leaders explore cutting-edge immersive technologies at George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health

Mary Cunningham — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 18:06:34 +0000

Sentara leaders explore cutting-edge immersive technologies at George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health Mary Cunningham Fri, 03/21/2025 - 14:06

�鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health (CPH) is setting the gold standard for immersive technologies in health care education. Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center President Jeff Joyner and Vice President of Operations—and two-time �鶹��Ƶ School of Nursing alumna—Heather Causseaux recently toured the Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation, led by Dean Melissa Perry and Chief Innovation Officer Bethany Cieslowski. Their visit underscored Sentara’s interest in strengthening its simulation capabilities and exploring the groundbreaking virtual reality advancements at CPH.

Chief Innovation Officer Bethany Cieslowski, Dean Melissa Perry, Divisional Dean of Nursing Terri Rebmann, and Associate Professor Andrea Landis share the Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation with Sentara Vice President of Operations Heather Causseaux, and Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center President Jeff Joyner. Photo by Rene Ayala/CPH

Perry shared her vision for leveraging these tools to enhance learning experiences, preparing students for the complexities of real-world health care scenarios. “As the first College of Public Health to be accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare in 2024, George �鶹��Ƶ is a trailblazer in integrating immersive technologies into interdisciplinary health education,” said Perry.

Cieslowski, Joyner, and Perry discussed the critical role of cross-generational communication skills in modern health care—particularly as virtual nursing becomes more prevalent.

“It’s very common for a nurse on an overnight shift to be early in their career, while a virtual nurse may have 30 years of experience,” said Cieslowski. “Scenarios that help these nurses communicate more effectively during a simulated medical emergency have immense value.”

The lab’s virtual reality (VR) simulations bridge this gap by offering real-world situational awareness in a safe, controlled environment. Students can repeatedly engage in high-pressure scenarios, refining their skills without real-world consequences.

One such example is a pediatric emergency simulation, where students practice managing a rapidly evolving situation—simultaneously calming a distressed parent, addressing the patient’s needs, ordering critical tests like chest X-rays and labs, and coordinating with providers. By merging didactic learning with immersive experiences, students build confidence and competence in handling complex medical events.

Vice President of Operations Heather Causseaux experiences a virtual reality nursing simulation in George �鶹��Ƶ's Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation. Photo by Rene Ayala/CPH

“The experience that students will gain in �鶹��Ƶ’s Lab for Immersive Technologies will help them effectively respond in real-time to the complex situations they will face in the field, and ultimately, lead to improved patient outcomes,” said Causseaux. “Students will have greater confidence based on these innovative tools that are transforming health care.”

As Sentara explores opportunities to further integrate immersive technologies, the partnership with the College of Public Health presents an exciting opportunity to elevate health care education across the industry. With cutting-edge technology, visionary leadership, and a commitment to innovation, George �鶹��Ƶ is shaping the future of interprofessional health education—one immersive experience at a time.

In This Story

Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS, MBA

Bethany Cieslowski, DNP

Topics

Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation

CPH

immersive technologies

Turning skeletal remains into hope as forensic art professor and students help to solve a 50-year-old cold case

Colleen Rich — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 18:54:15 +0000

Turning skeletal remains into hope as forensic art professor and students help to solve a 50-year-old cold case Colleen Rich Wed, 12/18/2024 - 13:54

�鶹��Ƶ’s Joe Mullins thinks he has the coolest job in the world, and calls what he does ‘art with a purpose.’

The field of forensic art is no longer limited to sketches—it has evolved into a powerful tool that helps bring closure to unsolved cases and missing persons investigations. Combining cutting-edge technology with artistic skill, forensic artists can reconstruct faces and features from skeletal remains, often providing vital clues law enforcement needs to solve cold cases.

Mullins (center) with Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Mullins, a forensic artist and adjunct professor, exemplifies this new era of forensic art. Most recently, detectives from nearby Loudoun County, Virginia, turned to him to help on one of their oldest cold cases. He collaborated with students in his AVT 496 Forensic Figure Sculpture class, in the School of Art within George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, to create a lifelike, three-dimensional clay reconstruction of a woman known only as “Jane Doe,” whose remains were discovered on May 28, 1973. Advancements in forensic science and technology reopened the case after decades without a lead.

Using a 3D scan of the victim’s skull and DNA data, revealing traits such as eye color, hair type, and body composition, Mullins and his students sculpted a bust that depicts the features of an African American woman believed to have been in her 20s or 30s. She had been shot, carried no identification, and local law enforcement had no reports of anyone missing who fit that description at the time. Loudoun County detectives hope that this lifelike construction will lead to someone finally recognizing her.

“Forensic artists are often the last hope for these cases,” he said. “So, with that comes a lot of responsibility to get it right. The only way these reconstructions work is if the right person sees it. With nearly 8 billion people on the planet, we just need one, and one person to say, ‘I think I know who that is.’”

That happened in 2015, when a clay bust he created helped identify a John Doe in New York City when a family member recognized the face. He hopes for a similar outcome with Jane Doe.

Mullins, who also serves as a senior forensic imaging specialist at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), incorporates real cases into his teaching.

“Watching a face come to life gives students a deeper connection to their work,” he said. “They became just as emotionally invested in this case as I did.”  

George �鶹��Ƶ’s Forensic Science Program within the College of Science played a critical role in reopening the investigation. Assistant professor Steven Burmeister used on ground-penetrating radar to guide Loudoun County investigators to locate Jane Doe’s remains in 2023, which were exhumed from an unmarked grave in Lincoln, Virginia. The remains were analyzed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where a DNA profile was created.

For students like senior communication major Marie Elizabeth Seagraves, the class was transformative.

“I originally took this class because it seemed fun and super-interesting, as I’ve never done sculpture work before,” Seagraves said. “But learning how this work can help so many people find closure made it so much more meaningful.”

The work has already garnered significant media attention, and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office hopes the renewed interest will lead to a breakthrough of this case and at long last bring some measure of peace to Jane Doe’s family.

According to Mullins, there are more than 2,000 unidentified sets of remains in offices of local medical examiners across the country. Having grown up in Loudoun County, he was moved by the opportunity to contribute to a case so close to home.

“I’ve never been able to fully articulate the feeling when one of these reconstructions is successful,” he said. “Helping these families get the answers they have been searching for is all the satisfaction I need.”

Join the �鶹��Ƶ Nation

Transforming emergency response training through AI and interactive games

Katarina Benson — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 20:42:18 +0000

Transforming emergency response training through AI and interactive games Katarina Benson Tue, 12/17/2024 - 15:42

Emergency management training doesn’t usually involve game controllers or artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, but at �鶹��Ƶ, faculty and students are redefining what it means to prepare for crises. Through cutting-edge, AI-augmented games, they’re transforming complex challenges into interactive learning experiences that build skills and resilience.

The project, led by Shima Mohebbi, an assistant professor in the Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research at George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Engineering and Computing, along with PhD student Pavithra Sripathanallur Murali and Nischal Newar, MS Computer Science ’24, began as part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative to develop simulation-based games for resilient infrastructure. Inspired by a webinar hosted by George �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities (C-RASC), where the Arlington County Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management (PSCEM) shared their training needs, Mohebbi and her team expanded the project’s focus to emergency preparedness.

This shift led to the creation of two interactive AI-powered games—Go-Repair and Go-Rescue —which were developed over the course of a year to train utility managers and volunteers to make critical decisions in scenarios like infrastructure repairs and hurricane disaster evacuations.

The games simulate emergency scenarios and provide participants with tailored insights into their decision-making process. By using advanced algorithms, the games create a dynamic learning environment where strategies can be tested and adapted in real time.

“Go-Repair and Go-Rescue aim to provide volunteers and utility managers with realistic emergency scenarios in a comfortable environment, free from the stress and panic of an actual crisis,” said Mohebbi. “Through AI optimization and reinforcement learning models, players can assess whether their decisions lead to better or worse outcomes compared to the AI-generated solutions, helping them improve their skills in making science-formed decisions.”

From left, Nischal Newar, Shima Mohebbi, and Pavithra Sripathanallur Murali. Photo provided

Traditional emergency training has relied on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines and in-person role-playing sessions known as “war gaming.” While valuable, these methods have limitations in scope, flexibility, and interactive feedback. The AI-powered games introduce a new dimension to address these gaps.

The project’s impact is already gaining recognition. Go-Repair: Resilient Infrastructure Learning Game to Evaluate Restoration Decisions was named as one of four finalists in the 2024 Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Data Analytics and Information Systems (DAIS) Student Mobile App Competition. Presenting the project at the conference in Montreal, Canada, this past May provided an invaluable opportunity to gather feedback and engage with other researchers tackling similar challenges. This exchange of ideas offered fresh perspectives and inspired new approaches to improve the game’s design and effectiveness.

“The feedback and engagement we’ve received, from Arlington County to the IISE community, are vital to advancing this project,” said Mohebbi. “The collaboration fosters innovation and ensures that our work aligns with the real needs of emergency responders and volunteers.”

“The gamified approach to emergency response training provides us with a unique tool to build the skills and confidence needed to serve our residents when they need us most,” said Hannah Winant, Arlington County deputy director, Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management. “We’re deeply grateful for George �鶹��Ƶ’s proactive, innovative work, and the opportunity to collaborate on this important effort. This project reflects our belief in the power of local partnerships to drive impactful, real-world solutions for the benefit of our community.”

Looking ahead, the team is incorporating feedback to introduce more complex resource allocation tasks and expand participation to include more George �鶹��Ƶ students and utility managers. By continuously refining the games with fresh input, the goal is to develop a versatile and effective training tool emergency response and preparedness. As the project evolves, the team aims to expand its reach, offering a smarter, more scalable solution for communities nationwide.

Research at George �鶹��Ƶ

In This Story

Shima Mohebbi

FedWriters strengthens ties with Costello College of Business by joining Corporate Partners Program

Greg Johnson — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 19:48:26 +0000

FedWriters strengthens ties with Costello College of Business by joining Corporate Partners Program Greg Johnson Fri, 10/25/2024 - 15:48

Though they have offices and staff members across the United States, FedWriters’ headquarters is conveniently located just down the road from �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus. FedWriters is a professional writing, research, and communications company serving more than 80 federal agencies across the scope of the federal government, including the Department of Transportation, every branch of the United States military, and science agencies such as NASA, NIST, and NOAA.

FedWriters team at headquarters with CEO Mitchell Cho (far right). Photo provided

CEO and George �鶹��Ƶ alum Mitchell Cho founded FedWriters at the �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise Center in 2010 as a one-person company, which today boasts $40 million in annual revenue with more than 375 employees.

The company was recently recognized as NOAA’s Small Business of the Year, Washington Post’s Best Places to Work, Inc. 5000's fastest growing companies in America, Washington Business Journal's Fast75, and more.

Cho sits on the board as chair for the Fairfax Economic Development Authority, where he first learned of the Costello Corporate Partners Program from Patrick Soleymani, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement at the Costello College of Business.

“I thought it was an ideal opportunity for us to expand our profile and really market the company to the student body as an exceptional place to start their careers,” says Cho. “We really see George �鶹��Ƶ as the perfect kind of platform to hire people and help them grow because that’s what we’re all about.”

The FedWriters team was already an engaged partner with George �鶹��Ƶ, conducting mock interview sessions, reviewing resumes, and participating in career day events. “When this opportunity popped up to be a corporate partner, we jumped on it,” says Cho.

Moreover, much of their engagement focused specifically on the Costello College of Business, including supporting a student team in the Patriot Pitch Competition and speaking with business students about career opportunities in government contracting. In addition, they worked with a few different groups of students from the Professional Readiness Experiential Program (PREP) taught by Brian Ngac, instructor in information systems and operations management at the Costello College of Business. “I think I've personally done two letters of recommendation and validated work experience for three of those students out of PREP,” says Marc Fain, chief revenue officer.

Becoming an official corporate partner has strengthened FedWriters’ ties with the business college, as they support recruitment, internship opportunities, scholarships, student activities, faculty awards, and the Dean’s Excellence Fund as part of the program. In return, FedWriters receives high visibility, increased student recruitment, special invitations, and named scholarships, among other benefits.

Having graduated from George �鶹��Ƶ with a BA in political science in 1999, Cho estimates that he has close to 60 George �鶹��Ƶ alumni employed in their Fairfax office. “We love having that kind of network and pool of really great candidates that we can pull from, and we also love to hire people directly who are early in their careers and help them grow,” he says.

As FedWriters continues to grow rapidly—hiring about 100 new employees so far this year—they typically first look at George �鶹��Ƶ via career fairs and Handshake, George �鶹��Ƶ’s platform for students seeking jobs and employers.

A few of the publications from FedWriters. Photo provided

Since its inception, FedWriters has only gathered more steam growing both their staffing and client list and earning remarkable accolades along the way. “The employee’s experience matters to us, making sure that they know that we support them when things happen in their lives,” says Susan Parr, chief operations officer. “When you take care of people, they perform. Our customers are happy, and the company grows.”

With the constant growth and acquisition of new contracts, and because government contracts are finite, employees are provided with new opportunities to work for causes that they are passionate about.

Housing the Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting, the first-in-the-nation university center to address the business, policy, and regulatory issues in government contracting, the Costello College of Business continues to build connections with the top minds in government contracting, many of whom directly share their expertise with students in the classroom. These well-prepared Costello students can look forward to entering into a stable industry.

Student Alejandra Villanueva sits down for

one-on-one coaching during FedWriters

Takeover Day. Photo by Greg Johnson

“Government services are always needed, and they play a big role in keeping our society running," says Cho. "Government contracting helps make sure these services are provided, and there will always be opportunities for people to work in various fields, such as defense, science, environmental, and finance.”

With their mission of “communicating the business of government,” FedWriters has embraced the innovative business collaboration at the top business school in the region by joining the Corporate Partners Program, and they look forward to preparing and recruiting many George �鶹��Ƶ students.

Learn more about the Costello Corporate Partners Program

In This Story

Patrick Soleymani

Brian Ngac

Topics

Costello College of Business News

Community Partners

experiential learning

Alumni

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise

Strategic Direction

George �鶹��Ƶ College of Public Health Professor Rebecca Sutter awarded $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program grant

Taylor Thomas — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 14:41:04 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ College of Public Health Professor Rebecca Sutter awarded $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program grant Taylor Thomas Fri, 09/13/2024 - 10:41

Afghan victims of combat arrive in the United States as refugees with unique health care needs. Rebecca Sutter, professor in the School of Nursing at �鶹��Ƶ, has been awarded a $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat (SASIC) grant to develop health service delivery infrastructure for Afghan survivors, refugees, and immigrants impacted by combat trauma and violence. The program, titled Healing and Educating Afghans for Resiliency-Virginia (HEAR-VA), will serve Afghan refugees residing in Northern and Central Virginia, where an estimated 95% of Afghans resettled in 2022.

HEAR-VA seeks to screen 500 individuals for eligibility and enroll 305 participants in care services.

Photo provided

“We are implementing a care coordination model where individuals, regardless of which HEAR-VA partner they interact with first, will receive screenings, and be connected with services that address their individualized care needs,” Sutter said. "What’s especially important is this program will be built not just for, but in partnership with actual Afghan survivors of combat and other refugees who are impacted by trauma and violence."

The SASIC grant was awarded from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The mission of ORR is to provide newly arrived refugees from Afghanistan with resources to begin healing combat-related trauma and facilitate sustainable physical, emotional, social, and economic well-being.

This interdisciplinary HEAR-VA initiative will be managed by the �鶹��Ƶ and Partners Clinic in partnership with Virginia Department of Social Services Office of New Americans (DSS-ONA), the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Office of Behavioral Health Wellness (DBHDS-OBHW), Health Brigade, Northern Virginia Family Services, and additional community partners. The program went into effect July 2024 and will extend through February 2026.

“This collection of partners is dedicated to creating an innovative program that will be community-based, community-driven, and community-led. We are building local capacity to serve vulnerable populations, not just for the duration of the grant, but long after we as the implementers have departed,” Sutter said.

In addition to her role as a professor in the School of Nursing, Sutter is the director of the �鶹��Ƶ and Partners (MAP) Clinics. She is a credentialed Family Nurse Practitioner with expertise in community health care access and navigation to improve care and promote collaboration between public health, public safety, and health to ensure that evidence-based treatment is available for at-risk and marginalized individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Discover the nursing program at George �鶹��Ƶ

In This Story

Rebecca Sutter, DNP, APRN, BC-FNP

Topics

Refugees

immigrants and refugee communities

Access to Health Services

Community Partners

�鶹��Ƶ and Partners Clinic

�鶹��Ƶ researcher prepares vulnerable communities for wildfire impact

Colleen Rich — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 19:18:20 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ researcher prepares vulnerable communities for wildfire impact Colleen Rich Tue, 03/05/2024 - 14:18

�鶹��Ƶ scientist Alireza Ermagun is leading collaboration to establish disaster resilience prototype using an interactive map to protect vulnerable regions in California.

Alireza Ermagun. Photo by Robert Ritchie

Ermagun, assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science in �鶹��Ƶ's College of Science, leads a National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported project titled “Snuff It Out: Extinguishing the Disparity of Access to Shelters for Disadvantaged Communities in Wildfire-Prone Areas” to optimize response to the growing menace of wildfires.

The project will address shelter access when wildfires occur and has the potential to revolutionize disaster preparedness and response strategies, serving as a blueprint for fostering resilience in communities facing the escalating threat.

This collaboration, supported by a $397,365 NSF grant, focuses on disaster resilience in Lake County, California, which grapples with persistent wildfires. The comprehensive examination of shelter access differences, in a broader sense, also seeks to better comprehend the challenges faced by marginalized communities in California.

“Access to shelters is indispensable in transforming wildfires from potential tragedies into manageable emergencies,” said Ermagun. "The project involves the development of an interactive map, serving as a platform for both public officials and community members to plan and implement disaster resilience strategies.”

Since 2015, wildfires have consumed more than 60% of the county, disproportionately impacting its disadvantaged residents. With wildfires increasing in severity and frequency, Ermagun stresses the urgency of this research, which unfolds in three phases: assessing disparities of access, optimizing equity through preparedness strategies, and developing an interactive model to reduce the vulnerability of marginalized communities to wildfires and the cascading hazards such as debris flows and flooding.

The “Snuff It Out” project employs an interdisciplinary approach, collaborating with Farshid Vahedifard from Tufts University, Chief of Police Kathy Lester of the Sacramento Police Department, Leah Sautelet from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and Nick Widmer and Gabriela Perez Albarracin from the American Red Cross.

Vahedifard emphasized the importance of community collaboration in addressing natural hazards, stating, “Having been fortunate to have very supportive community partners in the study area, we aim to work closely with the community to co-develop and implement a methodological framework to improve access to shelters during natural hazards and extreme events for all communities while prioritizing marginalized communities to account for their lower risk threshold and adaptive capacity.”

Echoing the commitment to community collaboration, Sautelet, serving as the emergency services manager for Lake County, articulated the synergy between the project’s aims and local emergency management objectives. “Utilizing this innovative interdisciplinary approach, the project has the potential to strengthen both public welfare and emergency management endeavors," she said. "Rooted in Lake County’s steadfast dedication to protecting public safety, the project seamlessly aligns with our overarching objective of enhancing community resilience as a whole. By providing crucial data for comprehensive planning and preparation, it seeks to reinforce our ability to respond effectively during times of crisis.”

Lester, expressing support for the initiative, highlighted its potential to make a significant societal impact. “This research project has potential widespread benefits to society by improving the resilience of disadvantaged communities and helping first responders with science-based tools to improve outcomes.” Lester’s enthusiasm underscores the project’s aim to empower both communities and first responders through evidence-based strategies.

Adding to the collective vision, Ermagun focused on the project’s commitment to addressing social inequalities, “We aim to address equity discrepancies and enhance community resilience faced by the residents during these ongoing challenges,” underscoring the project’s community-centered methodology.

Topics

Research

College of Science

Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE)

National Science Foundation

Community Partners

@DCSpot recommends off-campus eats for Patriots in Downtown Fairfax—a short walk or quick bus ride

Shayla Brown — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 16:21:14 +0000

@DCSpot recommends off-campus eats for Patriots in Downtown Fairfax—a short walk or quick bus ride Shayla Brown Thu, 10/26/2023 - 12:21

�鶹��Ƶ alum Alex Hussein, BS Information Systems and Operations Management ’21, who is also known as @DC Spot, shares his recommendations for a few must-go-restaurants in local Fairfax. Alex is a food influencer with more than 215,000 Instagram followers. His videos feature eateries throughout the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area. Read more about Alex in the recent news feature: Eating with an Entrepreneur, and watch his reviews here: @dcspot.

Downtown Fairfax is just a few miles from the Fairfax Campus for walking or jump on one of the bus systems around town—the �鶹��Ƶ Shuttles, Fairfax CUE Bus, and Fairfax Connector.

First Watch

Location: 9600 Main St Suite S

Distance from the Fairfax Campus: 8 minutes, 2.4 miles

Breakfast/brunch dishes from First Watch in Fairfax, Virginia. Photo by Office of University Branding.

First up, First Watch! First Watch serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch with options of sweet or savory, and coffee served iced or hot (an entire pot’s worth for the table is made fresh every morning), Fall is upon us, and it’s a great time to check out First Watch’s seasonal menu which includes flavorful juices and pancakes. They also have a “Healthier Side” section that includes avocado toast, egg white omelets, and more. First Watch doesn’t take reservations, but customers can order online for pickup until 2:30 p.m. or delivery until 2:15pm.

Don’t Miss Out Item: Bacado Omelet and Chocolate Chip Pancakes     

Taco Bamba

Location: University Mall, 10629 Braddock Rd, Suite B-8 

Distance from the Fairfax Campus: 4 minutes, 1 mile 

Taco Bamba was founded by Chef Victor Albisu, a �鶹��Ƶ alum with more than 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry. He brings his Latin heritage and culinary education to the table, making for a delicious dining experience! Taco Bamba is a local chain with properties across the East Coast including 10 locations in Virginia. Taco Bamba has a colorful chalk wall menu, and carafes of water available to customers seated inside or outside. The best part about Taco Bamba? You and your family can enjoy some awesome Patriot Perks!

Don’t Miss Out Item: El Diablo 

De Clieu Coffee and Sandwiches 

Location: 10389 Main St B

Distance from the Fairfax Campus: 5 minutes, 1.3 miles

Baked goods from De Clieu Coffee and Sandwich shop. Photo by Office of University Branding.

De Clieu is a sandwich and coffee shop located in Old Town Fairfax just off University Drive. Breakfast and lunch sandwiches galore are topped only by the eclectic iced coffee options including gelatoccino, a gelato drink made with “award-winning flavor.” De Clieu partners with Intelligentsia Roasters to serve customers the best quality coffee beans from across the world. Their menu currently features seasonal specialty drinks and baked goods, some of which blend sweet and savory flavors! The restaurant offers upper and lower deck seating and has free parking and Wi-Fi.     

Don’t Miss Out Item: Spicy Swine Breakfast Sandwich 

Sisters Thai 

Location: 4004 University Drive 

Distance from the Fairfax Campus: 4 minutes, 1.3 miles

Sisters Thai in Fairfax, Virginia. Photo by Office of University Branding.

Sisters Thai offers an array of Asian dishes and desserts to customers. Nicknamed “The Living Room Café," Sisters Thai puts an emphasis on relaxing while you enjoy their cuisine and a drink or two. Be sure to check out the “Thai Street Food” and “Chef’s Recommendation” menu sections for some colorful dishes and unique flavors. The inside is picturesque with a decorative bookshelf lining a cozy booth area, and flowers hanging from above. If you don’t have time to dine-in, Sisters Thai offers online ordering for delivery or pickup. The local chain has three other locations throughout the region. 

Don’t Miss Out Item: Kana Moo Grob 

Fats Fairfax 

Location: 10673 Braddock Rd 

Distance from the Fairfax Campus: 4 minutes, 0.7 miles 

Fats describes themselves as a “N’awlins saloon offering great food” that gives off the vibe of Bourbon Street. Fats offers delicious seafood specials that include spiced shrimp, steamed mussels, and raw oysters. While customers enjoy their meals, they are serenaded with live entertainment. With Open Mic Night, Trivia Night, and Karaoke, Fats is more than just a restaurant, but the perfect place for a fun night out with friends.  

Don’t Miss Out Item: Hot Crab Dip 

Woody’s Ice Cream

Location: 10435 North St

Distance from the Fairfax Campus: 5 minutes, 1.4 miles

Woody's vanilla ice cream cone with sprinkles. Photo by Office of University Branding.

Another one for Patriot Perks! Woody’s is in the heart of downtown Fairfax and offers treats like waffle cones, milkshakes and everything in between, with 34 flavor options to choose from, four of which are only offered seasonally, so don’t miss out! The shop offers delicious non-dairy alternatives as well as weekly specials Monday through Thursday. Woody’s offers indoor seating and expanded patio space for customers to sit and enjoy their treats. And speaking of treats, Woody’s is dog-friendly, so bring your pup along for the ride. If you’re lucky, Woody and his granddaughter Danielle will be in-house. They love meeting new customers!

Don’t Miss Out Item: 2 Scoops of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough with Reese's Pieces Toppings (and Gummy Bears for a little razzle dazzle!)

Looking for more options? Remember to check out �鶹��Ƶ’s Patriot Perks program, which provides students and alumni with exclusive deals at local establishments and supports small business and alumni-owned businesses. Many of these locations also accept �鶹��Ƶ Money. 

Eating with an Entrepreneur

October 23, 2023

Topics

Costello College of Business

Dining and meal options

Around �鶹��Ƶ (E-Files)

Joint postdoc program develops from partnership between Statistics Department, Inova Health

Teresa Donnellan — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 18:42:25 +0000

Joint postdoc program develops from partnership between Statistics Department, Inova Health Teresa Donnellan Thu, 09/28/2023 - 14:42

In This Story

Jiayang Sun

A partnership between �鶹��Ƶ’s Statistics Department and Inova Health Care Services has entered its fifth year and continues to grow. The partnership has motivated a new initiative: a postdoc program for Inova researchers interested in developing skills in statistics and data science, run jointly by George �鶹��Ƶ’s statistics and global and community health departments. Mohamad Bahij Moumneh, MD, and Jason F. Goldberg, MD, are the program’s standing inaugural members.

“As a fresh Lebanese medical graduate interested in expanding his acquired skills in the field of research, especially cardiology, and academia, the joint program provided me with this golden opportunity,” said Moumneh. He added, “By maximizing the resources of each institute, enhancements in the overall picture and quality of research and healthcare education occur, and allow both institutions to keep, if not exceed, pace with novel technologies and healthcare advancements and institutions.”

The partnership between �鶹��Ƶ Statistics and Inova Health was supported by a contract between the university and the healthcare system via a parent award from NIH to the iTHRIV partnership. It supported the experts in George �鶹��Ƶ’s Statistics Collaboration Core (SCC) to work with colleagues from Inova Health Care Services on research projects involving statistics or data science. To initialize each new project, INOVA researchers visit statinova.gmu.edu.

“The Statistics Collaboration Core (SCC) is a collaboration platform that supports and facilitates statistical collaborations with internal and external investigators or seekers for evidenced-based research, or statistical, biostatistical, or data science support to decision-making,” explained Jiayang Sun of �鶹��Ƶ’s statistics department. Sun is a Principal Investigator on the new grant establishing the postdoc program, alongside co-PI Carolyn Drews-Botsch, the chair of the department of global and community health in �鶹��Ƶ’s School of Public Health.

“The partnership between Inova and �鶹��Ƶ will help with our research efforts aimed at prolonging life after heart transplantation,” said Goldberg. He noted that, for his case, SCC has provided advanced analysis of mircoRNA clinical rejection scores and has used machine learning to evaluate risk modeling of adverse outcomes within the first year of heart transplantation.

“These collaborations will continue to produce meaningful cardiovascular research,” he said.

Of the five-year partnership between �鶹��Ƶ Statistics and Inova Health, Sun noted the relationship has been fruitful, producing additional grants, publications in the health and medical sector, and new grant proposals. She added that it serves as a welcome opportunity for both tenure track and term faculty to perform original research and collaborate with colleagues dealing with real-world problems. Research projects from the partnership have covered such important topics as opioid use, sepsis, heart failure, and—before there were reliable tests—the spread of COVID-19 among children in northern Virginia.

Sun, Moumneh, and Goldberg are likewise optimistic about the new joint postdoc program.

“Researchers can collaborate on various projects that eventually might lead to medical breakthroughs. One could say that the joint program fosters an environment of innovation and growth. The joint program also allows the addressing of pressing healthcare dilemmas, an event that might encourage students to think of possible solutions and managements,” said Moumneh.