Artificial Intelligence

Tech Expert, George �鶹��Ƶ alumna, and Costello Dean’s Advisory Council Member Kinsey Fabrizio talks about the AI Revolution and its positive disruption

Katelynn C Hipolito — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:23:17 +0000

Tech Expert, George �鶹��Ƶ alumna, and Costello Dean’s Advisory Council Member Kinsey Fabrizio talks about the AI Revolution and its positive disruption Katelynn C Hipolito Fri, 11/21/2025 - 12:23

As president of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, which represents more than 1,200 technology companies and owns and produces CES®—the most powerful tech event in the world, Kinsey Fabrizio, BA Government and International Politics; Spanish ’04, is a force in the tech world.

Kinsey Fabrizio, BA Government and International Politics; Spanish ’04. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

Since joining the association in 2008, Fabrizio has played a pivotal role in transforming CTA and CES. Fabrizio was awarded the Women in CT Legacy Award in 2023, recognizing her longtime leadership and contributions to the consumer technology industry. Most recently, Fabrizio was named one of Washingtonian’s 2025 Most Powerful Woman. She served on the Costello College of Business Management Advisory Council from 2023-2025, and is serving as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council.

�鶹��Ƶ George �鶹��Ƶ

What made you choose �鶹��Ƶ for your degree?

I grew up in Winchester, Virginia, and what I loved most about George �鶹��Ƶ was its capacity to really challenge me and expose me to diverse people, opinions, thoughts, and different ideas.

What was the most rewarding experience for you at George �鶹��Ƶ?

I remember a class my senior year that centered on conflict resolution and international politics, and I loved it! That class connected me to an internship that led to my first job. I got trained in conflict resolution and as a mediator, and it was just this amazing door that opened. That was definitely a moment that I'll never forget, and I think about that class often.

You have served on Costello’s Management Advisory Council in the past, and have recently joined our Dean’s Advisory Council. What do you think is special about Costello?

Costello is special because of its unique focus on the intersection of innovation and business. It’s tech-forward, dynamic, and truly one-of-a-kind. The more I’ve learned about Costello, the more impressed I’ve become. I’ve been able to learn from the really brilliant people that are part of this group and get exposed to a different part of the university while being able to give back and volunteer my time.

Kinsey Fabrizio, BA Government and International Politics; Spanish ’04. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

�鶹��Ƶ AI

Where do you see AI going?

AI is a foundational leap. It's as big a new technology and tool as the Internet. We're just at the very beginning of this AI revolution, but we're already seeing it improve lives. We're seeing it solve some of society's toughest challenges, from energy production to climate resilience to chronic disease management to efficiency for enterprises and businesses. AI is an amazing and powerful tool. Businesses are going to be able to optimize their strategy and their operations through AI by boosting efficiency and productivity. I don't think AI is going to completely replace a workforce, I think it's going to add value to the existing workforce. People using AI will make the workforce more efficient and more effective. You've probably heard it before, the saying that AI won't replace people, but people who use AI will replace people who don't. I think that's really important to keep in mind as we move forward. AI is something that we are going to integrate into our daily lives, helping us turn all kinds of data into action.

CTA supports establishing clear, effective guardrails for AI to encourage innovation while protecting consumers. What are your thoughts on the best approach to AI regulation moving forward?

We feel strongly about a light touch, risk-based approach to regulation that protects consumers, but also gives businesses clear rules of the road and doesn’t hinder innovation. One of the ways we think you achieve that is with a federal AI framework, rather than 50 different states with different sets of AI regulations. That is nearly impossible for companies, especially startups, to keep up with, and it would inhibit innovation. The AI Action Plan released by the White House this summer is a good blueprint. It looks at AI innovation in terms of acceleration and ensuring that the U.S. stays a leader. It focuses on streamlining outdated regulations and strengthening public/private partnerships, which is going to be great for AI advancement. It also rightly focuses on infrastructure and the need to modernize the energy grid.

Do you have any advice for higher ed when it comes to AI and technology?

AI is here to stay and it’s important to train students on how to effectively, efficiently, and ethically leverage AI because it is a powerful tool. AI could really accelerate research. It's important that higher ed leans into AI adoption and creates opportunities for students to learn and use these tools. Building AI into the curriculum is really important. So is training students on real world uses of AI , because when students graduate today and go into the workforce, AI is going to be a part of it. Preparing them in the best way possible is a responsibility of higher education.

The Costello College of Business is on the eve of its 50th Anniversary. Technology has grown immensely in the last 50 years. In what ways do you see AI and new technology having an impact on business for the next half century?

We’re just at the beginning of this AI revolution. As AI disrupts entire industries, businesses are trying to figure out how to embrace these new tools to advance and accelerate. A couple areas where we’ll see the biggest leaps forward are blockchain and quantum. AI is going to make blockchain technology more efficiently scalable. Think about financial transactions that can be more traceable and transparent, and health care data transactions that’ll be more secure. We’re years away from quantum technology being an everyday reality, but AI will offer testing platforms to develop quantum technologies in areas like cybersecurity, transportation, and biotech, and make it more scalable.

You work with some of the top leaders in technology, what are you hearing about the latest trends in AI and technology?

Across the business world, you’re seeing companies use AI to boost productivity. We’re also seeing AI used to enhance the customer experience, including as a frontline customer service tool. AI in health care is advancing lifesaving innovations and medical research. There’s also digital twin technology applied to manufacturing to create smart factories and even create models of entire cities. AI is really quick at solving complex problems that humans alone can't solve. AI chips are more advanced than ever, and agentic AI that can manage tasks semi autonomously with a little bit of human oversight expedites basic but necessary back office functions that every business needs. We'll see a lot of these—and some new and exciting applications of AI technology—at CES 2026!

Kinsey Fabrizio, BA Government and International Politics; Spanish ’04. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

Our dean likes to say, “Everything is business and that we are all in the business of some thing.” Please tell us about the business of technology and how you think the business college needs to be preparing our students for successful careers in the business of technology.

I think the business of technology is the most exciting business! I love tech and innovation. Think about the benefits of the Internet—everything from streaming content, to digital advertising, toplatforms that allow you to connect with anyone, anywhere. And these days, everything is tech! From entertainment, to health care, to enterprise, they’re all solving real world issues.

The business college needs to prepare students to embrace technology and to adapt. The job opportunities available to kids coming out of college today are going to look different than they do in a few years, and different again in the next 10 years. Making sure today’s business school students are ready to embrace tech and adopt new ways of doing things is critical. Ensuring that curriculums highlight new technologies and advancements is really important. It’s also important to find opportunities for tech leaders to connect with students through tech challenges, startup competitions, and hackathons, which I know George �鶹��Ƶ does already.

One more thing: we can’t forget the importance of being in person and engaging in the physical world, not just the digital world. You learn so much from observing a leader's body language, watching how they present themselves in a meeting, when they speak up, who they make eye contact with, and looking at how they bring different people into the conversation. CES is all about bringing people together to connect, discover, learn, and solve, so we see the value in those things every year at the show. In our world today, real-life, in-person connections give you a competitive edge. That includes CES, which is open to students! We love when people come to CES and get inspired by how technology is transforming the world, see new ideas, meet people, and network.

What advice would you give to George �鶹��Ƶ students who are about to graduate or fellow alumni who are already in the workforce?

First, align your work with something that you care about because that passion will carry you through challenges that you encounter in your professional career. Second, raise your hand for new opportunities in school or at your first job, even if they are outside of your comfort zone. When you are willing to say yes and try something that you wouldn’t naturally do, doors open. Third, seek out a mentor and don't be afraid to ask for constructive feedback. We all need it! It’s so important to get real feedback, because then you can identify what you're great at and where you have opportunities to improve and be the best version of yourself. Seeking out a good mentor is a great way to do that in the professional space.

In This Story

Kinsey Fabrizio, '04

Topics

Impact Fall 2025

Dean’s Advisory Council

Artificial Intelligence

Costello College of Business News

Costello College of Business Alumni

Costello College of Business Management Advisory Council

Alumni

Costello hosts first AI Symposium

Katelynn C Hipolito — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:30:55 +0000

Costello hosts first AI Symposium Katelynn C Hipolito Tue, 10/28/2025 - 12:30

On Wednesday, October 22, the Costello College of Business at �鶹��Ƶ welcomed students and members of the local business community to its first-ever Artificial Intelligence Symposium, held on the Fairfax Campus. Sponsored by NABA and Deloitte, the event featured two dynamic panel discussions focused on the evolving role of artificial intelligence in the workforce.

(Left to Right) Dean Ajay Vinzé, Patrick Soleymani, BS ’07, MBA ’09, Cheryl Druehl, Tasha Austin-Williams, James Suh, Amarda Shehu, Rajiv Shenoy, Guylaine Sainte Juste, BA ’94. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

As the lights dimmed, attendees were greeted by an AI-generated voice, setting the tone for the evening: “The future isn’t written by algorithms. It’s co-authored by people bold enough to lead them.”

Following the introduction, Patrick Soleymani, BS Management ’07, MBA ’09, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement and emcee for the evening, framed the significance of the event. “Artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging concept—it's a transformative force shaping every industry, discipline, and leadership decision,” he said. “Tonight’s program brings together leading voices from academia and industry to discuss how AI is changing the way we work, learn, and lead.”

“Artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging concept—it's a transformative force shaping every industry, discipline, and leadership decision.”

— Patrick Soleymani, BS Management ‘07, MBA ‘09, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement

The first panel focused on the technological implications of AI. Moderated by Cheryl Druehl, senior associate dean for faculty affairs and research, the discussion featured Rajiv Shenoy, partner and associate director at Boston Consulting Group; and James Suh, CTO/CIO of NABA, Inc. and CEO and co-founder of Nashville Analytics, LLC. Both Shenoy and Suh emphasized the importance of analyzing threats, challenges, and opportunities within the organization that AI would be addressing. “AI can’t compete with human creativity,” said Shenoy. However, he said, using AI is critical to upskilling, and those unwilling to embrace the technology will eventually be replaced. Suh shared that at NABA they strive to hire hyper curious employees.

“Now we turn our focus to the people, policy, and leadership implications of AI adoption,” said Ajay Vinzé, dean of the Costello College of Business, who moderated the second panel that featured Tasha Austin-Williams, principal at Deloitte; Guylaine Sainte Juste, BA International Relations ’94, president and CEO, NABA Inc.; and Amarda Shehu, inaugural vice president and chief AI officer, �鶹��Ƶ. Acknowledging that one person cannot be an expert at everything, Sainte Juste noted, “This technology will move us from a world of expertise to a world of adaptability.” Shehu shared that George �鶹��Ƶ has worked closely with students, faculty, and staff to provide access to AI tools in a secure and user-friendly environment, with a strong emphasis on innovative curriculum development.

The message of the evening was clear: The era of AI is here. Now is the time to embrace this transformative technology and integrate it into skillsets, leadership strategies, and educational frameworks. “Whether you’re in academia, business, or government, the future of AI requires bold thinking, inclusive design, and ongoing collaboration,” Soleymani said in closing. The Costello College of Business is committed to convening thought leaders and equipping students and faculty with the tools to not only keep pace with AI—but to lead with it.

(Left to Right) Rajiv Shenoy, Amarda Shehu, Dean Ajay Vinzé, Tasha Austin-Williams, Julia Coulter, Patrick Soleymani, Guylaine Sainte Juste, Cheryl Druehl, James Suh. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

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Patrick Soleymani

Cheryl Druehl

Ajay Vinzé, PhD

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Artificial Intelligence

Costello College of Business News

George �鶹��Ƶ and King’s College London win Google Award to fight AI-driven romance scams targeting older adults

Nathan Kahl — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 23:23:41 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ and King’s College London win Google Award to fight AI-driven romance scams targeting older adults Nathan Kahl Sun, 10/26/2025 - 19:23

The term “catfishing” entered mainstream use with the release of the eponymous 2010 documentary investigating the practice of creating fake online personas, frequently to scam someone. Today, AI is pushing this practice to a frightening new level, with the prospect of older adults falling for what are called “romance scams.”

Sanchari Das, an assistant professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s Department of Information Sciences and Technology, and Ruba Abu-Salma, an associate professor in the department of computer science at King’s College London, received a $100,000 Google Academic Research Award to help keep older adults safe online. Their project, Scammed by Love: Toward Mitigating AI-Facilitated Romance Scams Against Older Adults Through Empirical and Cross-National Studies, will investigate the prevalence of such scams targeting older adults and will create educational tools to help them safely navigate dating apps.

The researchers will conduct a multi-national study spanning 13 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Das, who has published research on older adults and their online dating habits, said, “We think about older adults in terms of health care needs, but we don't think about dating and romance. I learned that a majority of older-adult scams come from scam dating, and the victims cannot even share that it happened with their support networks, like their children, because it would be such a taboo and embarrassing thing to share.” Das added that an estimated $3 billion is lost each year in the United States to romance scams across all age groups, based on reported figures. “And that’s only what’s being reported.” Das is concerned that while romance scams are among the most prevalent forms of fraud affecting older adults, this population remains understudied in this context.

AI is making romance scams even harder to detect. iStock photo.

With roughly 12 percent of Americans over 70 having used a dating app or site, there is significant exposure for financial harm. Given the rapid advances in AI-generated images, video, audio, and simulated emotional expression, these attacks are increasing. One news story (of many) tells of a UK resident who scammed at least 10 female victims over 11 years out of 100,000 British pounds.

Abu-Salma, who has also published research on older adults and other at-risk groups, noted that according to a recent 2025 study by Lloyds Bank, “Individuals aged 55 to 64 are the most targeted age group, accounting for 20 percent of romance scam victims, followed by those aged 65 to 74, who represent18 percent of cases.”

In response to these risks, Das and Abu-Salma’s project will proceed in three phases. First, they will analyze data from focus groups and surveys of older adults in countries with high dating-app adoption. Second, they will develop educational safety materials. Third, they will hold in-person community workshops in the United States and the UK, partnering with older adult communities to refine and disseminate these materials. The team will work with organizations worldwide to share their findings online.

Das said she is excited about this collaboration and grateful to receive such highly competitive Google Academic Research Award in the Trust, Safety, Security, and Privacy research domain, noting, “We all know about deepfakes, but the bigger issue is that scammers are no longer just swapping faces. They are creating entirely new personas that feel real, so you may not even question whether the person you are talking to exists.” She added, “Our goal is to equip older adults with simple tools and support so they can connect online with confidence.”

In This Story

Sanchari Das

Topics

Cyber Security

Information Sciences and Technology Departmenat

Older Adults

Research

Google

Artificial Intelligence

$3 million National Institute on Aging grant will provide much-needed support to underserved dementia caregivers

Taylor Thomas — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:11:07 +0000

$3 million National Institute on Aging grant will provide much-needed support to underserved dementia caregivers Taylor Thomas Wed, 10/15/2025 - 09:11

More than 7 million Americans live with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), supported by 12 million unpaid family caregivers whose contributions are valued at $413 billion annually. As the U.S. population continues to age, the number of people with dementia and their caregivers will nearly triple by 2050. Innovative solutions to support family caregivers are urgently needed.

Y. Alicia Hong. Photo provided.

Now, with a $3 million grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), �鶹��Ƶ digital health intervention researcher Y. Alicia Hong is poised to change that. Hong led an interdisciplinary team to develop the Wellness Enhancement for Caregivers (WECARE) as a culturally tailored, digital health intervention to enhance caregiving skills and improve the well-being of dementia caregivers. The new grant will allow her team to further refine WECARE using artificial intelligence (AI) and evaluate it with a randomized controlled trial.

“WECARE is one of the first personalized digital interventions for dementia caregivers,” said Hong, a professor in the College of Public Health's Department of Health Administration and Policy. "Though it is designed for Chinese American dementia caregivers, it can be adapted for other groups and serve the growing demand for digital support for dementia caregivers in an aging society

The seven-week program will provide participants with informational ADRD multimedia content, quiz games, social networking with other caregivers, personalized feedback, and additional individualized resources. WECARE’s success will be evaluated by measuring the depressive symptoms reported by participants. The project also intends to identify barriers to and facilitators of WECARE’s adoption and long-term use.

This resource comes at a critical time as the aging population grows, and more people with ADRD require caregivers. Additionally, most family caregivers have chronic conditions due to prolonged and intensive dementia caregiving, causing an increased need for resources that sustain the health of family caregivers.

Hong’s grant titled “WECARE: A Personalized Intervention for Underserved Chinese American Dementia Caregivers” will take place from September 2025 to August 2030, for a total of $3,088,427. WECARE is directly responsive to NIA’s priority of effective interventions for ADRD-affected populations.

Hong studies the intersection of health services delivery and consumer informatics. Her work explores chronic care and self-care solutions through innovative digital technologies to improve patient-centered outcomes and enhance health care accessibility. Hong’s research focuses on implementation and dissemination science and leveraging digital technologies to enhance health services delivery.

In This Story

Y. Alicia Hong, PhD

Grand Challenge Initiative

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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.

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Xuesu Xiao

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Autonomous Systems

Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square

robotics

Artificial Intelligence

Research

�鶹��Ƶ Autonomy and Robotics Center

IST professors unveil human-AI collaboration tool to automate cartoon colorization

Teresa Donnellan — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 18:37:16 +0000

IST professors unveil human-AI collaboration tool to automate cartoon colorization Teresa Donnellan Fri, 10/10/2025 - 14:37

In This Story

Sungsoo Ray Hong

Yotam Gingold

�鶹��Ƶ Information and Sciences (IST) Assistant Professor Sungsoo Ray Hong has always loved cartoons. Now he’s helping the artists who make them.

Drawing on his expertise in human-computer interaction (HCI) and artificial intelligence (AI), Hong and colleague Yotam Gingold, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science (CS) created ShadowMagic, a new human-AI collaboration tool designed to make one of the most time-consuming parts of comic creation faster and easier.

The idea for ShadowMagic emerged from interviews with professional cartoonists. Hong, Gingold and their PhD students wanted to reduce the burden of shadowing, a task many artists find repetitive and time-consuming.

“Professional cartoonists are sometimes producing content every other day,” said Hong, who is also director of George �鶹��Ƶ’s Alignment Lab. “You cannot commit to these kinds of deadlines doing everything by yourself. That's why the colorization industry is so helpful to professional cartoonists.”

Colorization is a multi-step process of line drawing, flatting, base colorization, adding shadows and lighting, backgrounds, and other special effects. It is “fairly standardized, especially in South Korea and growing throughout the United States,” said Hong, who is from South Korea. ShadowMagic builds on an earlier project, FlatMagic, another AI-driven colorization tool designed to support digital comic professionals.

While there are existing AI tools that help with colorization, Hong and Gingold found that these tools require more work than doing it manually. They wanted to design a system that better augments cartoonists’ work and cuts down on shadowing, a labor intensive and, according to cartoonists, decidedly uncreative part of the process.

“We looked at artistic challenges, usually tedious things that aren’t so fun for the artists and break down those problems, so that they can focus more on the creative parts of it,” said Gingold, who directs George �鶹��Ƶ’s Computational Reality, Creativity, and Graphics Lab.

Gringold explained that there are millions of pixels in an image, and if an artist wants to move or change the color of an object, they currently have to point at one pixel among the millions.

Yotam Gingold (left) and Ray Hong in Research Hall, presenting their colorization tool. Photo by Cristian Torres/Office of University Branding.

Gingold’s research applies computer science to visual, geometric, and design problems. He has “always been interested in sketching and how computers can help us express ourselves.” Many of his algorithms automate filling in pixels and handling visual constraints.

“The computers will do the math where we can write formulas to update all the other millions of pixels. Another example would be keeping lines parallel and corners perpendicular, and that’s where a lot of my research comes in,” he said.

Chuan Yan, PhD ’24, was recruited by Gingold for this project and conducted research on sketching and painting. Yan, now a postdoctoral research at Stanford University, brought expertise in computer graphics and sketch-related computer vision techniques, which he had studied extensively with Gingold.

The team built ShadowMagic as an Adobe Photoshop plug-in, and since its release, it has attracted a lot of interest from professional artists.

“Artists have expressed a strong desire for a tool that could free them from the labor-intensive flatting process,” said Yan. “This response is both exciting and humbling. It confirms that our research is addressing a real need in the industry yet also highlights the remaining challenges in making [the tool] ready for widespread adoption.”

Yan believes ShadowMagic is just the beginning of a broader shift in creative industries towards tools that amplify creativity rather than replace it.

“I am excited to witness and contribute to this transformation, helping to shape a future where AI acts as a powerful tool that amplifies human creativity rather than replacing it,” he said.

Read the full paper: ShadowMagic: Designing Human-AI Collaborative Support for Comic Professionals’ Shadowing by Amrita Ganguly, Chuan Yan, John Joon Young Chung, Tong Steven Sun, Yoon Kiheon, Yotam Gingold, and Sungsoo Ray Hong. It was presented at UIST 2024.

Topics

College of Engineering and Computing

comics

Tech Transfer

Artificial Intelligence

A one-woman team puts many eyes in the skies

Nathan Kahl — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:37:27 +0000

A one-woman team puts many eyes in the skies Nathan Kahl Wed, 10/01/2025 - 15:37

Fatima Majid, a �鶹��Ƶ senior majoring in cyber security engineering, was not just the only one-person team in the top 10 award winners at a recent National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) cyber competition, she was the only student team. Majid placed ninth out of 51 teams, most of them comprising industry experts.

“I went in, and they were all professional teams, like from Lockheed Martin. I thought, ‘I want to go home,’” said Majid with a laugh, describing her initial cold feet. “But I told myself I could do it. It helped that it was hosted at George �鶹��Ƶ, and I had professors there giving me support.”

Her project focused on how the Department of Defense (DoD) can protect critical U.S. infrastructure against low-cost drone attacks at scale, informed by Ukraine’s “Operation Spiderweb,” which used 117 drones to attack Russian air bases in June 2025.

Majid spent the summer in Richmond during a public policy internship. Photo provided

Majid’s lightbulb moment came with a flash as bright as a Virginia speed camera catching a lead-footed driver. Considering the significant network of traffic cameras in the commonwealth, she conceived SkyEyes. This applies an artificial intelligence (AI) model to the live feed of the Virginia 511 camera network, which provides real-time traffic information to citizens and transportation officials. SkyEyes demonstrated how a low-cost, AI-enabled surveillance layer could differentiate threats from non-threats, employing geofencing logic to define safe versus threat zones around sensitive sites.

“I understand how drones work because of what I’ve done at George �鶹��Ƶ’s MIX lab—and since I know how to build it, I also know how to jam it. I trained the AI model on a data set provided from a contest sponsor, and that data set had drone imaging and drone prototyping,” she said. “The camera feeds can find objects flying, but what if it’s an Amazon drone, for example? Then I added geofencing and threat analysis to observe the behavior of the drone—if it's a drone at 2 a.m., for example, maybe that's sketchy. So, the model gets smarter.”

Majid said that to access the cameras, all she had to do was make a phone call to the right person and explain her project. She cited time spent this summer at the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine in the Undergraduate Policy Program (VASEM UPP) in Richmond as giving her confidence and exposure to how government works.

K. L. Akerlof, an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at George �鶹��Ƶ, said, “The VASEM UPP is a unique opportunity for undergraduates to learn about opportunities in science policy at the state level. The immersive experience of spending a week in Richmond visiting the General Assembly and state agencies, while getting a crash course in how research evidence relates to public policy, can open new doors and career pathways.”

Majid said the strong showing gave her tremendous exposure to influential professional contacts. She fielded several questions about her simulation and future professional plans from a man she only later realized was Retired Brigadier General and NDIA Executive Vice President Guy Walsh.

“Because he showed interest, after he walked away, a crowd of people gathered around to ask me questions. It was very validating.”

She also had a long conversation about her project with Harley Stout, acting chief digital and AI officer at the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Majid is still pleasantly shocked by her top-10 finish. She is working with Mohamed Gebril, an associate professor in Cyber Security Engineering, on expanding the research. She is confident that such a cost-efficient solution for critical infrastructure protection against drone attacks will attract more funding opportunities.

She credited the supportive culture at �鶹��Ƶ—and her family—for keeping her grounded and encouraging her throughout, saying their support made the accomplishment even more meaningful.

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Mohamed Gebril

Topics

Cyber Security Research

Department of Cyber Security Engineering

competitions

Drones

Students

Artificial Intelligence

The MIX

Defense and Security

CEC students

George �鶹��Ƶ researcher is using AI to identify human trafficking hot spots

Katelynn C Hipolito — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 18:20:46 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ researcher is using AI to identify human trafficking hot spots Katelynn C Hipolito Mon, 09/29/2025 - 14:20

Illicit massage businesses (IMBs) run by human trafficking rings are rampant in the United States. A �鶹��Ƶ professor has helped build what may be the best artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tool to root them out.

Human trafficking rings are at their most dangerous when they masquerade as legitimate commercial activity. IMBs are one of the most common ways in which exploitive networks operate in plain sight.

The Network, an anti-trafficking nonprofit, estimates that there are more than 13,000 IMBs active in the United States, raking in annual total revenue of more than $5 billion.

Abhishek Ray

“You are stuck in a massage business. You’re not allowed to go out,” says Abhishek Ray, assistant professor of information systems and operations management at the Donald G. Costello College of Business at George �鶹��Ƶ, describing the plight of IMB workers. “Your passports are taken away, and you’re supposed to do a certain amount of business every day and give the money to the trafficker. It’s a really abhorrent form of abuse.”

Ray is one of a growing group of researchers exploring how various forms of AI could help resource-constrained law enforcement agencies differentiate between IMBs and the legitimate enterprises they try to mimic. His ongoing research using graph neural networks has yielded more promising results than rival approaches, when put to the test in a recent experiment.

His co-researchers on the IMB project are Lumina Albert and Swetha Varadarajan of Colorado State University.

According to Ray, “Graph neural networks are just a fancy way of saying that if I get a graph of a city or locality at one point in time, and I add data to it, can I predict future patterns on this graph if I know the past?”

This approach made sense for detecting IMBs, because try as they might to appear above board, they have geographical needs that conventional businesses don’t. “IMBs don’t allow their trafficked employees to go out of the parlor,” Ray says. “But since they’re humans, they need sustenance. They have to be near groceries, gas stations, where they can get stuff and come back.”

The researchers combined several graph neural networks into a framework called IMBWatch. The training data-set for IMBWatch comprised publicly available information such as online customer reviews, arrest and raid data for known IMBs, and advertisements from websites promoting illicit activities (e.g., the infamous Backpage). The result, in essence, was a series of snapshots mapping the evolution of the IMB network in a given city or county over a period of time. This could then be overlaid on geographical maps to tease out hidden patterns.

To gauge IMBWatch’s relative performance, the researchers let it loose on a testing data-set alongside four other AI models, which were not as sensitive to the nuanced interplay of spatial and temporal factors. Of the five models, IMBWatch provided the most accurate, precise and informative predictions. In other words, it outperformed the others at spotting IMBs among a larger mass of local businesses.

“Graph neural networks are just a fancy way of saying that if I get a graph of a city or locality at one point in time, and I add data to it, can I predict future patterns on this graph if I know the past?”
— Abhishek Ray, assistant professor of information systems and operations management

While encouraging, these outcomes require further confirmation with a larger data-set. “IMBWatch was trained on data from Georgia and Louisiana, not the entire United States,” Ray says. “These were small, manageable data-sets, but we will now scale up to major states such as New York and California.”

The researchers are also looking at enhancing IMBWatch with data related to how workers end up wandering into trafficking webs. These might include “proximity to hospitals, religious places, etc. because a lot of times people are coerced by religious compulsions, or because they’re pregnant and need some care,” Ray says.

This is not Ray’s first foray into the field of AI-fueled anti-trafficking. Previously, Ray co-developed a model for improving machine learning-based detection of human trafficking activity at transit stations and on fishing vessels.

However, law enforcement agencies and other pertinent stakeholders (e.g., business owners) are often wary of adopting AI-based solutions, due to a lack of trust in the technology. Ray and his co-researchers are currently devising a framework that will clarify how these stakeholders can work together with tech experts and, perhaps most importantly, human trafficking survivors to make the best possible use of AI.

“This qualitative piece is required to make sure that people who are on the sidelines, on the fences about using this actually start using it, because that’s the need right now,” Ray says.

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Helping older adults embrace AI and emerging technologies with a National Science Foundation grant

Taylor Thomas — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:08:43 +0000

Helping older adults embrace AI and emerging technologies with a National Science Foundation grant Taylor Thomas Fri, 09/26/2025 - 12:08

In a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more integrated into our lives, older adults are being left behind. Poor digital literacy is more than being unable to use social media. It increases the risk of poor health outcomes as it may exclude anyone, especially older adults, from finding and using information that sustains and promotes health. With a highly competitive grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), digital technologies researcher, Y. Alicia Hong, is helping older adults keep pace with evolving technology and setting them up for success in the future.

Y. Alicia Hong. Photo provided

“Our project equips older adults to adapt to emerging technologies, such as AI, and become more resilient in a rapidly changing digital landscape,” said Hong, professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s Department of Health Administration and Policy.

From online banking to electronic health records like MyChart, people need to interact with digital technology on a daily basis. Hong’s project will incorporate youth, who are more adept with technology, to aid older adults’ skill-building. At senior centers, a youth and an older adult will walk through scenes where they may encounter AI technology. A web platform will guide them to collaboratively develop a digital life story with realistic scenarios with support from AI tools.

"The project seeks to strengthen AI literacy, social connectedness, and resilience among older adults while cultivating responsible AI awareness in youth," Hong said.

Hong will co-design the web-based platform that facilitates intergenerational engagement between youth and older adults in narrative-style storytelling to improve their understanding of digital technologies and AI. They will use multiple AI-based tools, including ChatGPT for script generation, Runway ML for image creation, Eleven Labs for audio, and Descript for editing.

Hong will work alongside the project’s PI, Dr. Yixuan (Janice) Zhang, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at College of William & Mary. Collaboration with a computer scientist will ensure refined evaluations of usability, accessibility, and participants’ ability to use the web-based platform independently, while also taking into consideration cultural sensitivity. Their interprofessional, intercollegiate partnership will optimize resource allocation and program performance.

“We aim to deliver a community-based model for AI literacy that helps older adults confidently and safely use AI, strengthens intergenerational bonds by positioning youth as tech partners, and gives community-based organizations a practical toolkit they can sustain after the grant,” said Zhang, co-PI with Hong. “The award converts a co-designed concept into a tested, transferable, and sustainable platform and program to enhance AI literacy among older adults.”

“The project will inform future programs aimed at underserved groups and foster more inclusive, accessible, and meaningful engagement with emerging technologies,” said Hong.

NSF grants are awarded to researchers whose projects have demonstrated the capacity for advancing research and education across science and engineering. The project entitled “Enhancing AI Literacy and Resilience through Intergenerational Digital Storytelling among Older Adults” is a three-year, $661,478 grant.

As a digital health behavioral interventionist, Hong studies the intersection of health services delivery and consumer informatics. Her work explores chronic care and self-care solutions through innovative digital technologies to improve patient-centered outcomes and enhance health care accessibility. Hong’s research focuses on implementation and dissemination science and leveraging digital technologies to enhance health services delivery.

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AI plus mathematical modeling equals a new tool for teaching

Sarah Holland — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:36:49 +0000

AI plus mathematical modeling equals a new tool for teaching Sarah Holland Tue, 09/23/2025 - 12:36

“Where am I going to use that?” is, according to Jennifer Suh, a common complaint in math classrooms. The real-world applications of algebra, geometry, and probability are often lost in the shuffle of textbook questions and equations. But this professor of mathematics leadership education is hoping to change the narrative.

Ziyu Yao, PI, assistant professor in the Computer Science Department in the College of Engineering and Computing; Suh, co-PI, professor of mathematics specialist leadership in the College of Education and Human Development; and collaborative site-PI Janice Zhang of William and Mary received a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Research on Innovative Technologies for Enhanced Learning (RITEL) program to develop MathVC: a virtual classroom where middle school students can work through mathematical modeling problems with AI-powered chatbot students. A preliminary version of this project was sponsored by Microsoft’s Accelerating Foundation Models award, also led by Yao.

“We're trying to build these 21st-century skills in collaborative problem-solving while preparing students to solve global challenges, all while making math modeling a more inclusive practice,” said Suh.

Mathematical modeling creates a mathematical representation of a real-world scenario to help teach students math concepts in context. These can be small scale scenarios—calculate costs for a party—or global challenges—supplying clean water to a city after a major flooding event.

A demo of MathVC with Yao communicating with the virtual students. Photo provided.

These types of math problems combine computational skills and soft skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and communication: identifying the problem, defining the variables, analyzing solutions, iterating on the model, and reporting findings.

“These are problems with real-world applications,” explained Suh. “It helps students understand the value.”

While mathematical modeling is an incredibly effective tool for math education, it comes with its own set of challenges. “Schools vary greatly in their access to classroom resources, teacher resources, education research...and as a result not all students are given the opportunity to engage with this type of learning,” Suh said. “And on an individual level, some students find the communication aspect of this more challenging than others.”

MathVC is one way to bridge those gaps of accessibility.

Within the virtual classroom, the human student can collaborate with generative AI students to work through these mathematical models.

“We see the benefits for multilingual students, as well as for students who want to develop their communication skills for math reasoning and justification through math talk,” said Suh. And for teachers, MathVC allows students to ask questions and be prompted through the problem without their intervention: a benefit for teachers with large classroom sizes who are otherwise unable to monitor every group.

Once the program is deployed, access will be as simple as logging into a website. “Our system is developed using state-of-the-art Large Language Models (LLMs). The cost of these tools is reducing, the programming required is reducing, so it’s an incredibly practical solution,” said Yao.

From the student perspective, MathVC’s success is dependent on how accurate the generative AI student voices are. Part of the grant supports the development of Math EdVentures Camp, a week-long program for students to build their skills in mathematical modeling, as well as an opportunity for Suh and Yao to collect valuable data on student problem-solving and communication techniques.

“AI safety is paramount,” explained Yao. “Authentic simulation prevents the students from losing the social skills of communicating with real-life peers, as well as makes the human-AI interaction more engaging.”

Students in Math EdVentures Camp explore how many water drops could fit on a coin. Photo provided.

This past summer, students in the Math EdVentures Camp explored STEM problems both large and small—from bridge engineering to calculating the number of water drops that could fit on a coin—in three-person teams with guest professors Theresa Wills and Andy Gilbert. Teachers provided feedback as they worked through the modeling problems. On the last day, Yao led the students through a demonstration of the MathVC and asked for their feedback.

All of this is helping mold the generative AI.

“We found that students don’t want to be told the answer,” said Yao. “They prefer the interactive learning, where they get thought-provoking questions that help them find the solution.”

Math EdVentures Camp leadership. Photo provided.

“Watching our fantastic team of Math EdVentures instructors and George �鶹��Ƶ student researchers work with the middle schoolers was also a rich source of data to improve how the AI will support student problem-solving and critical thinking,” said Suh.

Yao and Suh discovered some surprises, too.

“They were actually really interested in how we developed the program,” said Yao. “Students were asking me what classes they needed to take in high school or college in order to develop a platform like this themselves. And we had good discussions about keeping a critical mind while using AI.”

MathVC represents one way that George �鶹��Ƶ researchers are leveraging transdisciplinary collaboration to advance 21st education for all, a part of the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative. And there’s another goal as well—changing the narrative of math education.

“When we talk to middle schoolers, a lot of them have math phobia. But these more collaborative learning models get them excited and interested,” Suh said. “We want all kids to see that they are math people.”

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