GCI-Digital

George �鶹��Ƶ secures $1.5M to launch cutting-edge AI data center research lab

Martha Bushong — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:02:47 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ secures $1.5M to launch cutting-edge AI data center research lab Martha Bushong Thu, 01/15/2026 - 07:02

�鶹��Ƶ is taking a major step toward advancing clean energy and digital infrastructure innovation with the launch of the Virginia AI Data Center Research Lab at �鶹��Ƶ Square in Arlington. This initiative is made possible through funding from the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank and Virginia Energy. The $1.5 million grant establishes a first-of-its-kind research and workforce development initiative and positions the commonwealth as the national leader in grid-interactive, AI-driven digital infrastructure.

Liling Huang, lab director (center) cuts ribbon of the Virginia AI Data Center research lab. Other guests (from left) Micah Till, Andre Marshall, Dean Ken Ball, Glenn Davis, and Jennifer Andos. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding.

Why Virginia

Virginia sits at the center of the world’s digital infrastructure, hosting the largest concentration of data centers globally and supporting mission-critical cloud, AI, and national security operations. The rapid emergence of AI-driven workloads has dramatically increased power demand, grid complexity, and the need for a highly skilled workforce.

As AI workloads surge, Virginia utilities face unprecedented interconnection requests and a shortage of engineers and technicians skilled in AI computation, power systems, cooling, and clean energy integration.

“We are on the frontlines to see how data centers, and in particular AI use, are changing the power grid and the information available to those who rely on it—both as the owners of underlying infrastructure and end users ourselves,” said Micah Till, manager, electric transmission system protection engineering, Dominion Energy Virginia. “George �鶹��Ƶ is an important partner for us in that. The work here will allow stakeholders across our nation to proactively and collaboratively work toward the smooth adoption and integration of clean energy and AI data center technologies.”

Workforce Development and Research Goals

The Virginia AI Data Center Research Lab will provide hands-on training for George �鶹��Ƶ students, K–12 and community college programs, industry-led workforce development and certification, and internship and apprenticeship pipelines. It will promote joint research and development projects with utilities, data centers, and leading institutions. It will enable real-world experimentation on critical infrastructure challenges, including grid-responsive AI workload management, power quality and harmonics optimization, thermal-electrical interactions, small modular reactor and renewable energy integration, and data center resilience and energy efficiency.

The facility will generate Virginia's first publicly available open-source dataset capturing real data center electrical and thermal telemetry—data that is not commercially available—enabling statewide research and innovation that will benefit universities, utilities, and industry partners.

George �鶹��Ƶ professor Liling Huang speaks with Glenn Davis, director of the Virginina Department of Energy (right) and Andre Marshall, George �鶹��Ƶ's vice president for research, innovation, and economic development. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding.

Voices from Partners and Leadership

“Virginia Energy’s investment in George �鶹��Ƶ’s Virginia AI Data Center Research Lab underscores our commitment to pairing world-class digital infrastructure with smart, sustainable energy systems,” said Glenn Davis, the director of the Virginia Department of Energy. “By combining AI, advanced data center technology, and grid-interactive research in an open, university-based platform, this project helps ensure that Virginia continues to advance our clean energy and workforce goals. Virginia didn’t become the data center capital of the world by accident. We earned it. And labs like this one are how we keep earning it.”

“We are honored to receive this support from the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank and Virginia Energy to launch the Virginia AI Data Center Research Lab,” said Ken Ball, dean of George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Engineering and Computing. “This lab will give our students, faculty, and partners access to state-of-the-art AI and data center infrastructure, enabling cutting-edge research, hands-on training, and open-source data resources that will help secure George �鶹��Ƶ’s and Virginia’s positions as global leaders in digital infrastructure and energy innovation.”

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Commonwealth Cyber Initiative helps launch new start-ups

Katarina Benson — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 16:06:56 +0000

Commonwealth Cyber Initiative helps launch new start-ups Katarina Benson Tue, 11/04/2025 - 11:06

The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Accelerator (CCI+A) program is a jam-packed, five-month innovation program that’s fueling cybersecurity entrepreneurship across Virginia. It’s teaching professors and start-ups what it takes to bring technology to market, including how to pitch to a panel of investors and industry leaders.

“Supporting cybersecurity start-ups and bringing ideas out of universities and into the marketplace are an essential part of the CCI’s mission,” said Luiz DaSilva, executive director of CCI. “We’re excited to help these start-ups reach their milestones and create new opportunities and jobs in the commonwealth.”

The program began at �鶹��Ƶ and has expanded statewide. It’s co-funded by the CCI Northern Virginia Node and the CCI Hub.

Rui Ning of DeepScan presenting their pitch. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

"Since its launch at �鶹��Ƶ in 2022, CCI+A has accelerated 34 technologies from across Virginia," said Liza Wilson Durant, CCI Northern Virginia Node director, associate dean of strategic initiatives and community engagement at George �鶹��Ƶ, and College of Engineering and Computer professor. "Each year we've seen the teams increase their customer engagement and elevate their competitive pitch performance. It's exciting to see several entities undergo acquisition and see the impact of the program on Virginia economic development."

The CCI+A program works on two tracks—the CATAPULT Fund supports teams emerging from Virginia public research universities and the ASCEND Fund focuses on start-up teams collaborating with faculty subject matter experts. The teams receive up to $75,000 to help them commercialize their technology.

CCI funded 10 projects this year. On October 16, teams from both tracks competed to pitch their start-ups to a panel of investors and industry leaders. The winning team from each category received an additional $5,000 in funding.

The CATAPULT winning team is DeepScan, led by Rui Ning, an assistant professor in computer science at Old Dominion University (ODU). The team also includes Maia Lin and Yao Wang from ODU.
The ASCEND winning team is Glacier21, a start-up led by CEO Ren McEachern, a former FBI agent. Team members include Robert Appleton, Mike Borowski, Neil Alexander, along with George �鶹��Ƶ professor Foteini Baldimsti.

The CCI+A program is coordinated by Gisele Stolz, senior director of entrepreneurship and innovation at George �鶹��Ƶ.

Meet the Winners

DeepScan

While artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a requirement on our smartphones and other devices, security is lagging, said Ning, DeepScan team lead. Hidden triggers can hijack behavior, and many apps ship models that are easy to tamper with. DeepScan promises to protect on-device AI without slowing down performance. First-time winner Ning is a veteran of CCI+A and put what he learned from a past program to good use.

“The program taught me how to communicate technical ideas in a way that connects with broader audiences,” Ning said. “I’ve always been curious about entrepreneurship because it feels like a natural way to translate research into something that can make a difference. It’s another path to extend our impact beyond papers and grants.”

Glacier21

Glacier21 is focusing on combating illicit cryptocurrency activities. The platform integrates data from such sources as social media, data leaks, and the deep/dark web to uncover complex connections between crypto wallets, businesses, and individuals.

Glacier21 presented their platform focused on combating illicit cryptocurrency activities. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

CCI+A helped the team with the execution, McEachern said. “When we were lucky enough to be selected into the CCI+A program, it didn't just open up some resources; it opened up access to people and vast networks that totally changed our strategy and our thinking.”

Foteini Baldimsti, an associate professor of computer science at �鶹��Ƶ, worked with Glacier21 to provide technical expertise. “It's very nice to see how your academic work can help a start-up and give technical knowledge,” Baldimsti said. “But I think it's also very interesting as an academic to learn from this project and from the CCI+A program about how you can bring your own ideas and how you can participate in one of the next cohorts and be on the other side as the founder of the company. I think this experience has been very, very valuable.”

In This Story

Liza Wilson Durant

Foteini Baldimtsi

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Taiwan Security Monitor: Research Project Turns into a Vital Communication Platform for a Threatened Part of the World

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:44:27 +0000

Taiwan Security Monitor: Research Project Turns into a Vital Communication Platform for a Threatened Part of the World Andrew J Schappert Mon, 10/27/2025 - 11:44

A recent map created by Schar School students for the Taiwan Security Monitor: The research platform ‘has evolved exponentially in ways I could not have possibly envisioned when I set off down this path,’ said Michael Hunzeker.

Taiwan lacks its own cable repair vessels, meaning damage to underwater cables crucial to the island nation’s international communications and internet connectivity can take six to eight weeks or more to repair. The lack of repair capabilities is a serious resilience risk and a dire national security concern for a county that is in the crosshairs of China.

That unsettling discovery was made by student researchers at the Taiwan Security Monitor (TSM), a student-driven online research initiative housed at the Schar School of Policy and Government at �鶹��Ƶ.

Directed by founder Michael Hunzeker, a Schar School associate professor and associate director of the Center for Security Policy Studies, TSM functions with a staff of 18 undergraduate and graduate students who learn to use sophisticated mapping and analytic tools to produce research highlighting Taiwan’s vulnerabilities and strengths.

Hunzeker said the web platform began in 2021 as “an informal research project to create an open-source intelligence map of the Indo-Pacific.” The first iteration was created with the help of then-Master of International Security student Sophia Lutz and several volunteer undergraduates.

The project “has evolved exponentially in ways I could not have possibly envisioned when I set off down this path," Hunzeker said.

Last year, with the help of the newly recruited researchers—including PhD, masters, and undergraduate students working collaboratively—TSM relaunched with a higher profile and a social media presence boasting some 20,000 followers on X alone.

“We have had at least two tweets with over a million views,” Hunzeker said, an indication that the platform is being recognized—and taken seriously.

“Over the last few years, we’ve grown from a small team with limited scope to something that compares to think tanks in terms of insight and contributions to discourse on Taiwan,” said Schar School senior Noah Reed, a government and international politics major.

Reed, who is TSM’s research director, has been with the project since coming to George �鶹��Ƶ as a freshman. He was intrigued not only by the research but by the tools that the TSM employs.

TSM uses open-source intelligence (OSINT) to generate data, visualizations, maps, thematic case studies, and other resources for scholars and policy communities. Its updates on arms sales and deliveries, military movements, and maritime and air activity provide accessible information that supports public discourse and informs decision-makers charged with protecting the country from adversaries.

“We also provide tailored data and imagery analysis for private sector companies,” Hunzeker added. “Our work and our researchers have been cited by the Wall Street Journal, Taiwan Plus, CNA/Focus Taiwan, Le Monde, Newsweek, and Taiwan News.”

“We’ve attracted some attention,” said TSM research team lead Joe O’Connor. As a freshman, the international security and law senior discovered the opportunity to work with Hunzeker on the then-incipient TSM project through the Schar School’s Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP). URAP places students interested in learning research methods with faculty mentors who share the same interests.

Monitoring destroyers as they move through the Taiwan Strait and tracking arms sales backlogs for four to six hours a week has inspired O’Connor to pursue intelligence as a post-graduate career, perhaps, “in the public service, in the Pentagon, auditing, something in the policy-making field,” he said.

Reed said TSM teaches its researchers a very unique set of skills not found elsewhere at George �鶹��Ƶ.

“Not only do we learn and teach how to bridge the language barrier while doing research,” he said, “but also we get hands-on experience with things like satellite imagery, geolocation, data visualization, and more.

“That helps in pretty much all your research outside of the project but also gives you experience to do anything, from open-source human rights and arms control verification to supply chain risk management.”

Most of the TSM team is made up of volunteers, he said, while other receive a course credit as they acquire research skills.

“We do it because we enjoy the work and think we’re positively contributing to the research environment on Taiwan’s security,” he added.

If any of this sounds interesting, said Reed, “and you have prior experience researching OSINT or Taiwan, you should consider applying to the project for the spring semester.”

Noah Reed: ‘Not only do we learn and teach how to bridge the language barrier while doing research, but also we get hands-on experience with things like satellite imagery, geolocation, data visualization, and more.’

In This Story

Michael Hunzeker

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GCI-Digital

Resilient robots in rough terrain

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 01:01:54 +0000

Resilient robots in rough terrain Nathan Kahl Mon, 10/13/2025 - 21:01

Xuesu Xiao oozes enthusiasm when he talks about his off-road robotics testbed in �鶹��Ƶ’s new Fuse building at �鶹��Ƶ Square.

The Robotixx team provided demonstrations to visitors during the Fuse grand celebration in September. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“I'm extremely excited about this because it’s an only-of-its-kind thing on the planet. Nowhere else has such abilities. Off-road mobility and autonomy is a very difficult area to study and investigate because you need to have supporting facilities, you need to have off-road terrain, and you need to have the vehicles. We have all of that,” said the computer science assistant professor.

Xiao is a roboticist who develops algorithms to make robots not only capable, but also intelligent. His goal is that robots will someday work in the real world; humans will stand aside while robots go places that humans don't want to—or simply cannot—go.

“We want them to go to a forest to search for a victim who is lost in the woods,” he said. “We have a proposal in review right now to build robot firefighters. We want them in the field, doing things like scientific exploration in the South Pole.”

Presently, autonomous driving generally involves road networks with traffic lights and lane markings. Xiao’s research focuses on motion planning: using machine learning to determine a series of movements to get a robot from a starting point to a goal while avoiding obstacles.

“That is where AI comes into place,” said Xiao. “We want robots not only to be programmed to do things, but also to learn from themselves, from the humans around them, and from each other.”

Xiao hosted visitors from the RoSys Group of the University of Catania, Italy. Pictured: assistant professor Giuseppe Sutera, Xiao, PhD student Francesco Cancelliere, and assistant professor Dario Calogero Guastella in the test bed. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The testbed where Xiao and students put their robots through their paces is about 700 square feet of rocks and faux vegetation. Xiao is intimately familiar with the space, having placed most of the rocks himself. “I'm very, very proud of this testbed, which has more than seven tons of rocks. I took five of our students of seven or eight trips to the landscaping store. It was an exhausting week!”

The terrain is rugged, designed to represent a real-life situation. “Off-road environments may get the robot stuck because the terrain may be deformable—changing shape under weight,” Xiao said. “Off-road terrain may make the robot roll over because, if there are a lot of rocks, they may need to crawl over them. You don't want the vehicle to roll over on top of those things. Successfully maneuvering this terrain is a very, very big thrust of our lab.”

The testbed is built to a one-tenth scale. A motion-capture system of eight cameras (soon to be upgraded to 16) surveils the entire terrain. Xiao says that his team knows exactly how the vehicles are moving with six-degrees-of-freedom tracking.

The year has been busy for Xiao, who in 2025 won the university-wide Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence and the College of Engineering and Computing’s Excellence in Research Award. He is also George �鶹��Ƶ’s sole nominee for the Rising Star Outstanding Faculty Award by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

While he appreciates that recognition, Xiao isn’t one to rest on his laurels. He is particularly excited about what’s next in the lab: He just ordered an autonomous Polaris “side-by-side”—a $300,000 autonomous off-road vehicle that can hold two people. He also talked about a capability that allows the testbed to be used far from George �鶹��Ƶ.

“I was at a conference in Korea, and we opened our testbed to the entire world by using a web interface. So, the attendees of the Conference on Robot Learning in Korea could drive our robots in Fuse in Arlington, Virginia.”

With robots at George �鶹��Ƶ taking commands from the other side of the globe, Xiao is showing that in robotics, there are no borders—only new frontiers to explore.

Explore AI at George �鶹��Ƶ

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NuScale Energy Exploration Center at Fuse offers students a state-of-the-art simulated reactor control room

Katarina Benson — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:59:12 +0000

NuScale Energy Exploration Center at Fuse offers students a state-of-the-art simulated reactor control room Katarina Benson Wed, 06/04/2025 - 13:59

�鶹��Ƶ's College of Engineering and Computing announces the opening of the Energy Exploration (E2) Center in partnership with NuScale Power Corporation at Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square.

The E2 Center, the largest of its kind in the United States, engages students in hands-on nuclear science and engineering educational activities. The center was funded by a grant from the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank, powered by the Virginia Department of Energy, a strategic investment in Virginia’s nuclear energy workforce development.

NuScale E2 Centers, including the one at George �鶹��Ƶ, feature a state-of-the-art simulator that replicates a NuScale small modular reactor (SMR) control room. Students at George �鶹��Ƶ will have the unique opportunity to assume the role of a control room operator, engaging with real-life scenarios that bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application.

NuScale control room. Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

“This cutting-edge SMR control room simulator will ensure that our students have access to emerging technologies that will drive innovation,” said Ken Ball, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing at George �鶹��Ƶ. “Partnerships such as this give our students the tools and education they will need to prepare for the future and become part of Virginia’s dynamic workforce.”

George �鶹��Ƶ is invested in solving humanity’s ultimate grand challenge: securing a peaceful, healthy, and prosperous future. As a part of the Grand Challenge Initiative, the simulator is part of George �鶹��Ƶ’s commitment to advancing a 21st-century education for all as well as building a climate-resilient society.

The establishment of NuScale’s E2 Center at George �鶹��Ƶ also marks a significant advancement for Virginia's educational landscape, preparing the next generation of nuclear professionals to engage with the evolving energy industry.

"A reliable and increasingly clean energy future is what the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank is all about," said Glenn Davis, director of the Virginia Department of Energy. "With this investment alongside world-class higher-education partners at George �鶹��Ƶ and cutting-edge industry leaders at NuScale, we're ensuring Virginia has the energy to power our thriving economy and the expertise to continue leading the nation in innovation, education, and opportunity."

“The opening of NuScale’s E2 Center at George �鶹��Ƶ reinforces our mission to drive innovation in nuclear energy and inspire the next generation of leaders,” said NuScale President and Chief Executive Officer John Hopkins. “Together, we are shaping a skilled nuclear-ready workforce and fostering a more informed public, providing a strong foundation for the future of clean, reliable energy in Virginia and around the world.”

User in the lab. Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square is a 345,000-square-foot facility designed to promote technology, partnerships, and community engagement. The E2 Center, which opened at the end of May, offers opportunities outside the college curriculum, including practical demonstrations and interactive tours for local leaders and K-12 students, to deepen their understanding of nuclear power and the role it plays in providing reliable, clean energy.

In addition to the E2 Center at George �鶹��Ƶ, NuScale has centers at Idaho State University, Ohio State University, Oregon State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Texas A&M, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, South Carolina State University, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, and Seoul National University. Learn more about NuScale E2 Centers here.

GCI-Digital

George �鶹��Ƶ secures $1.5M to launch cutting-edge AI data center research lab

Why Virginia

Workforce Development and Research Goals

Voices from Partners and Leadership

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Commonwealth Cyber Initiative helps launch new start-ups

Meet the Winners

DeepScan

Glacier21

In This Story

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Taiwan Security Monitor: Research Project Turns into a Vital Communication Platform for a Threatened Part of the World

In This Story

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Resilient robots in rough terrain

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In This Story

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NuScale Energy Exploration Center at Fuse offers students a state-of-the-art simulated reactor control room

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