By John Hollis

�鶹��Ƶ’s Sushil Jajodia named an ACM Fellow

John Hollis — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 18:55:08 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ’s Sushil Jajodia named an ACM Fellow John Hollis Wed, 01/19/2022 - 13:55

�鶹��Ƶ’s Sushil Jajodia. Photo by Creative Services

�鶹��Ƶ’s Sushil Jajodia is among the 70 researchers named as Fellows by the Association for Computing Machinery.

The ACM Fellows program recognizes the top 1% of ACM members for their outstanding accomplishments in computing and information technology and/or outstanding service to ACM and the larger computing community.

The association recognizes the contributions of professionals in the advancement of algorithms, computer science education, cryptography, data security and privacy, medical informatics, and mobile and networked systems other technological fields of use every day.

Jajodia, a University Professor and the director of Center for Secure Information Systems within the College of Engineering and Computing, was specifically cited for his contributions to cybersecurity, data protection and privacy.

Jajodia's research interests include security, privacy, databases, and distributed systems. He has authored or coauthored seven books, edited 53 books and conference proceedings, and published more than 500 technical papers in the refereed journals and conference proceedings. Five of his books have been translated in Chinese. 

He is also a holder of 25 patents. His current research sponsors are the Army Research Office, Office of Naval Research, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), National Security Agency (NSA), National Science Foundation (NSF), Knowledge Based Systems Inc., and Intelligent Automation Inc.

“I am honored to be named as an ACM Fellow,” Jajodia said. “Fellows are nominated by their peers, and nominations are reviewed by a distinguished committee. As an academician, it is extremely satisfying to have my work recognized in this way.”

“Computing professionals have brought about leapfrog advances in how we live, work, and play,” ACM President Gabriele Kotsis. “New technologies are the result of skillfully combining the individual contributions of numerous men and women, often building upon diverse contributions that have emerged over decades. But technological progress would not be possible without the essential building blocks of individual contributors."

The accolade is the latest for Jajodia, who was previously named a Fellow of the International Federation for Information Processing in December because of his “unparalleled technical contributions to cybersecurity.”

The 2021 ACM Fellows represent universities, corporations, and research centers in Belgium, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, and the United States. Additional information about the 2021 ACM Fellows on the ACM Fellows website.

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Campus News

College of Engineering and Computing

Allison Redlich sees the recognition of her efforts rolling in

John Hollis — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 19:09:43 +0000

Allison Redlich sees the recognition of her efforts rolling in John Hollis Mon, 11/08/2021 - 14:09

Professor Allison Redlich. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

�鶹��Ƶ’s Allison Redlich is being recognized by her peers for her scientific achievements as well as her mentoring efforts.

Redlich, a professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, found out last week that she had been elected a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA). The honor follows on the heels of word that she’s also going to be honored with the 2021 American Society of Criminology Mentor Award at the society’s upcoming national conference in Chicago.

“It feels wonderful,” Redlich said, “especially the mentoring one. I myself have benefitted so much from exemplary mentoring that it’s really important to me to pass it forward. So that one was especially nice to receive.”

James J. Willis, a professor and the chair of the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, called Redlich one of the department’s most outstanding faculty members.

“In the same month, to receive national recognition for her scientific contributions to psychology and law, and for mentoring future scholars, is quite remarkable,” Willis said of Redlich. “The fact that she manages to perform at such a high level while also serving as the department’s associate chair and director of graduate programs makes these achievements even more noteworthy. She is an invaluable asset to �鶹��Ƶ and her accomplishments elevate us all.”

Established in 1995, the Mentor Award is designed to recognize excellence in mentorship in the discipline of criminology and criminal justice. Redlich is the second �鶹��Ƶ professor to be honored with the award, after David Weisburd received it in 2016.

Robert J. Norris, an assistant professor within the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, credited Redlich for much of his own success.

“I would not have been nearly as successful if it were not for her,” he said. “She essentially taught me what it means to be a researcher and scholar.”

Fellowship status is bestowed upon APA members who have shown evidence of “unusual and outstanding” contributions or performances in the field of psychology, according to the organization’s website. Fellow status requires that a person’s work have a national impact on the field of psychology beyond a local, state or regional level.

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criminology law and society

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Faculty News

Campus News

�鶹��Ƶ, FARO announce partnership to advance forensic science research

John Hollis — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 20:24:15 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ, FARO announce partnership to advance forensic science research John Hollis Fri, 09/24/2021 - 16:24

Anthony Falsetti, an associate professor in the Forensics Science Program, explains the significance of the program's partnership with FARO Technologies, Inc. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

The �鶹��Ƶ Forensic Science Program has further established its place as one of the nation’s premier programs in its field with a partnership with FARO Technologies, Inc. that will result in the world’s first FARO-certified forensic science laboratory.

An industry leader in the kind of high-tech 3D measurement and imaging that leading law enforcement agencies and others use for crime scene investigation, FARO will lend �鶹��Ƶ $300,000 of equipment for use by students training in state-of-the-art forensic science technology. Students will also have the opportunity to work alongside law enforcement partners such the �鶹��Ƶ Police, Fairfax County Police, Fairfax City Police and others, including the U.S. Army.

Kimberly Rule, an assistant professor in the Forensics Science Program, discusses the program's partnership with FARO Technologies, Inc. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

Much of the research will be done at �鶹��Ƶ’s new five-acre Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory in Manassas that is one of just eight in the world capable of transformative outdoor research in forensic science using human remains. �鶹��Ƶ is the first university to do so and offer FARO equipment certification.

“Whether a student is learning how to process an outdoor scene at the university’s ‘body farm,’ measuring a murder scene inside the Forensic Science Crime Scene House or testifying in court as an expert witness, they will walk in the shoes of real forensic scientists and learn how to apply their science and skills to get answers about how crimes are committed and how to solve them with the accuracy and precision of 21st-century technology,” said Mary Ellen O’Toole, the former FBI profiler who heads the Forensic Science Program within �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Science. “This exciting FARO-�鶹��Ƶ Forensic Science partnership is the first of its kind in the world, and the opportunities we can now give to our students and develop with our external partners can only be imagined.”

As a direct result of the partnership, �鶹��Ƶ’s Forensic Science Program will soon become the first in the nation to offer a 3D course in crime scene documentation.

Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, the dean of �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Science, lauded the partnership for taking forensic science research, education and training to the highest standards of achievement.

“This first-of-its-kind merger of FARO forensic technology and the expertise in �鶹��Ƶ’s Forensic Science program positions it as one of the most complete and diverse programs of its kind in the country, offering unique, hands-on training and certification for students and law enforcement officials in 3D crime scene processing, forensic anthropology, and even forensic artistry,” Miralles-Wilhelm said.

Forensic science has changed considerably over the years, with technology such as 3D scanning and reality capture now playing a critical role in the preserving of crime scenes so that investigators may continue to return to the virtual crime scene to evaluate evidence. By storing that information digitally, forensic investigators can review even the most minute details and share that information before returning to the crime as many times as needed.

�鶹��Ƶ and FARO Technologies, Inc. will use 3D technology to advance forensic science research. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

�鶹��Ƶ forensic science students will immediately benefit from that real-world taste and hands-on experience with the latest technology.

“I feel well prepared for whatever I’m going to see,” said forensic science graduate student Samantha Hadley.

Alina Burroughs, FARO’s senior business development manager for public safety, said her company was thrilled to team with the �鶹��Ƶ Forensic Science Program because of a shared commitment to innovation.

“FARO and GMU have a unique partnership based on the common goal of advancing the field of forensic science through innovative technology,” Burroughs said. “Our powerful, non-invasive laser scanning solutions allow investigators to document scenes, supplying more comprehensive data faster, resulting in more accurate analysis, identification of victims, and resolution of cases. We are proud to work together with George �鶹��Ƶ to build the next generation of forensic investigators through this shared vision.”

The Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory expects to receive its first donations of human remains next month.

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�鶹��Ƶ Momentum

Two �鶹��Ƶ climate experts share a conversation about the fight against global climate change and the loss of biodiversity

John Hollis — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 19:38:35 +0000

Two �鶹��Ƶ climate experts share a conversation about the fight against global climate change and the loss of biodiversity John Hollis Thu, 09/23/2021 - 15:38

Distinguished University Professor Ed Maibach. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

�鶹��Ƶ’s Ed Maibach likened the intricate challenges facing the planet in stemming global climate change and the loss of biodiversity to a Gordian knot, but both he and fellow Distinguished University Professor Tom Lovejoy remain optimistic that both goals can be accomplished.

The two global icons in their field spoke frankly during Wednesday’s �鶹��Ƶ Science Series appearance at the Country Club of Fairfax called “Sustaining the Planet for Our Children and Grandchildren.” Their unscripted 40-minute conversation included their views of what must happen globally if the world is to prevent a “cascading series of public health catastrophes that will be a pox on humanity for generations to come.”

The two �鶹��Ƶ scientists, who spoke before roughly 40 people before opening the floor up for questions, were lauded by Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, the event’s moderator and the dean of the College of Science, as “two of the highest caliber individuals any university could have.”

Both Maibach and Lovejoy acknowledged the inherent challenges ahead, but said they remain confident that humanity would meet those challenges when presented with indisputable facts.

“Layer on top of layer on top of layer of human decisions went into creating those problems,” said Maibach, a communication scientist who is a University Professor of Communication and the director of �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Climate Change Communication within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “We’re looking for opportunities to slice through the Gordian knot, or at least start to unwind it. It’s hard because the problems have so many levels, and they’re so intertwined, but that’s the work that must be done to start to create a different path.”

Distinguished University Professor Tom Lovejoy. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

Lovejoy, a renowned conservation biologist who is a University Professor of Environmental Science and Policy within the College of Science and the science director of �鶹��Ƶ’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth, is often referred to as the “godfather of biodiversity” and first coined the phrase biological diversity in 1980.

He said it was imperative that everybody do what they can in moving forward and not obsess over the past.

“When you look at the mix at what we’ve done to the planet, you could spend a lot of time getting really down and really gloomy,” said Lovejoy, who received science’s top honor earlier this year when he was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences. “There’s no point in spending a lot of time wallowing and despairing about that. The really important thing to do is find ways to make it come out better.”

Both Maibach and Lovejoy agreed that scientists must do a better job of explaining without scientific jargon what dangers lie ahead and the roles all people can potentially play in help to avert future climate disasters.

“The reality is that all life is built on carbon,” Lovejoy said, “and when it’s destroyed, that carbon goes up into the atmosphere and raises the level of greenhouse gases. It’s really very, very simple.”

Change has historically begun one person at a time, and both scientists still believe it can happen again. But that change must start now, they added.

The College of Science hosted the event in partnership with the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

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College of Humanities and Social Sciences

College of Science

Climate Research

Climate Change

Center for Climate Change Communication

Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE)

�鶹��Ƶ’s Dacheka Kolcum has a special place in her heart for her native Haiti

John Hollis — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 17:33:02 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ’s Dacheka Kolcum has a special place in her heart for her native Haiti John Hollis Thu, 09/16/2021 - 13:33

Dacheka Kolcum’s heart remains in her native Haiti, even if she hasn’t set foot in the Caribbean island nation since she was a little girl.

When the �鶹��Ƶ women’s soccer standout heard about the Aug. 14 earthquake that devastated Haiti, she immediately jumped into action to help.

The senior sport management major from Leesburg, Virginia, was born and raised in Haiti until being adopted by an American family at age 6. She’s since reconnected with her biological family and has wasted no time in lending a helping hand.

“It was really hard [hearing the news],” Kolcum said. “The first thing I wanted to do was call my family. When I knew they were OK, then I knew how to do something. I knew this was a calling for me to step forward and take some action.”

A GoFundMe page she set up has raised nearly $5,000 to help provide basic necessities for those most adversely impacted by quake.

One of the most impoverished nations in the world, Haiti immediately found itself in dire need of help, even as it was still recovering from a previous massive earthquake in 2010. The most recent quake killed more than 2,000 people and injured more than 12,000 others. More than 136,000 of the nation’s buildings were either damaged or destroyed.

Dacheka Kolcum earned the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honor earlier this year. Photo by �鶹��Ƶ Athletics.

The money raised on the GoFundMe page will be distributed through a local organization in Haiti run by Kolcum’s biological father. The group is working on bringing materials and aid, such as clean water, clothes, food, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, to the areas in Haiti most affected by the earthquake.

“Haiti is my roots, Haiti is my family, Haiti is what I wake up every day to work towards,” Kolcum said. “I think I’ve been put on this Earth to give back to my home country. Haiti is my motivator.”

First-year Patriots coach Manya Puppione said she was happy to help when Kolcum first approached her about contributing to people in need.

“I am just in awe of Dacheka's leadership, empathy, and her willingness to take action,” Puppione said. “I know that she wants to be there to help out with her feet on the Haitian ground, and I know she will get there when she can.”

Kolcum said she’s been struck by the overwhelming generosity of the �鶹��Ƶ community and others. Even the smallest donations can go a long way in a third-world nation like Haiti, she added.

“Helping as many people as I can in Haiti and opening as many eyes as I can in America is the end goal,” Kolcum said.

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athletes

Athletics

College of Education and Human Development

sport management

Students

�鶹��Ƶ partners with COMSovereign and Widelity to advance 5G innovation

John Hollis — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 16:14:32 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ partners with COMSovereign and Widelity to advance 5G innovation John Hollis Wed, 09/15/2021 - 12:14

In June 2021, officials from COMSovereign and Widelity visited �鶹��Ƶ’s Cyber Living Innovation Lab following their major equipment donations to increase the lab capabilities.(Editor's note: Masks were not required indoors on �鶹��Ƶ campuses at this point in time.) Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

For Duminda Wijesekera, �鶹��Ƶ’s work in cybersecurity of 5G is critical to helping create the 5G-enabling applications that are already propelling businesses, communities and higher education.

“Wireless networking technology has become an important underpinning of the modern world, without which commerce and nearly every other facet of day-to-day life as we know it would be disrupted and even halted,” said Wijesekera, a professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s Department of Computer Science and the acting chair of the Department of Cyber Security Engineering.

That is why the �鶹��Ƶ’s partnership with COMSovereign Holding Corp. and Widelity Inc. is so significant.

The joint collaboration aims to research and build 5G-enabling applications and technologies to create new business, community, and higher education engagements and builds on �鶹��Ƶ’s work in 5G and the ecosystem of university, industry and government partners collaborating through the Northern Virginia Node of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI).

The cybersecurity of 5G has been a focus area for CCI since its inception in 2019.

“CCI has been a catalyst for connecting industry and government cybersecurity challenges with university faculty with expertise, innovative technologies, and solutions,” said Liza Wilson Durant, �鶹��Ƶ’s associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement and the director of the Northern Virginia Node of CCI. “University-industry partnerships such as this one accelerate delivery of new solutions to the innovation ecosystem.”

Through the partnership, �鶹��Ƶ will provide research and development and concept development of 5G applications, such as connected transport and smart infrastructure.

COMSovereign will support the research by providing stand-alone 5G wireless network hardware and related support services that include a complete, turnkey 5G network featuring a 3GPP standardized, 5G Core (5GCN), and 5G gNodeB base station.

Widelity will contribute business and engineering services in technology strategy, research and development, network design, lab testing and integration, and network deployment. The collaboration is expected to accelerate advances in cybersecurity of 5G and implementation of 5G in smart communities, which will support the growing innovation ecosystem in the region.

Dustin McIntire, the chief technology officer of COMSovereign, said his company was pleased to partner with �鶹��Ƶ and Widelity on the cutting-edge 5G smart-campus program.

“Our mission remains focused on unlocking the true potential of 5G through the development and commercialization of advanced, American-made wireless infrastructure,” McIntire said. “By leveraging the proven integration capabilities of Widelity with the research capabilities of the �鶹��Ƶ team, we believe that not only will we be able to advance 5G technology, but we will greatly expand the potential use cases of this technology for customers across both government and commercial sectors.”

Parag Singh, the managing director at Widelity, called the joint effort “an organized digital innovation partnership bringing technology, academia, and integration components to solve complex problems together.”

“We believe that 5G/Cyber accelerator program with �鶹��Ƶ and COMSovereign will create an organic entrepreneurial ecosystem and serve the regional economy via next-gen research expansion and growth in STEM talent,” Singh said.

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Campus News

5G/6G Wireless Communications

College of Engineering and Computing

Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI)

Cyber Living Innovation Lab

Research

�鶹��Ƶ Nation masks up to fight COVID-19

John Hollis — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 19:29:56 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ Nation masks up to fight COVID-19 John Hollis Mon, 09/13/2021 - 15:29

The Patriot helped encourage the use of masks to fight the spread of COVID-19. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

Some �鶹��Ƶ students got an unexpected visit from the Patriot last week to remind them of the university’s mask policy.

The Patriot visited students in common areas of Horizon, Innovation, Planetary and Enterprise halls on the Fairfax Campus, offering masks to those who were without and giving �鶹��Ƶ swag as a “thank you” to those who were in compliance with the mask policy.

�鶹��Ƶ Nation is being asked help reduce the spread of the coronavirus by wearing masks indoors, unless actively eating or drinking, and outdoors when physical distancing is not possible. Unvaccinated members of the community are expected to wear masks at all times while on campus.

“Masks continue to be a very effective way to control the spread of COVID, especially in indoor environments,” said Julie Zobel, �鶹��Ƶ’s associate vice president for safety, emergency, and enterprise risk management. “It’s important for all members of the �鶹��Ƶ community to wear a mask when indoors with very few exceptions.”

The use of masks is just one element in �鶹��Ƶ’s efforts to slow the spread the virus. Others include mandatory vaccinations for all students, faculty and staff unless granted an exemption, testing, physical distancing and completing the �鶹��Ƶ COVID Health Check each day. �鶹��Ƶ’s strategy is detailed in the COVID Safety Plan.

“Although most of our campus community is vaccinated, masks coupled with vaccine help to prevent the spread of COVID,” said David Farris, �鶹��Ƶ’s executive director of safety and emergency management. “However, they only work if we are diligent about wearing masks whenever and wherever we are able to, on or off campus, particularly when we are around others—whether they are vaccinated or not.”

Farris also urged �鶹��Ƶ Nation to consider their behavior while off campus, as that can also impact the spread of COVID among the �鶹��Ƶ community.

“We need everyone’s assistance to keep the �鶹��Ƶ Nation safe, and this responsibility does not end at the borders of our campuses,” he said.

COVID vaccines are available at the Fenwick A Wing (formerly the MIX) on the Fairfax Campus.

Zobel also noted that masks will provide additional help in keeping community members healthy as flu season is now upon us. �鶹��Ƶ will offer flu shots at its Fairfax and SciTech Campuses in October by appointment; sign up links will be shared soon.

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Campus News

College Students

coronavirus; COVID-19; Editorial

Service to others has long been a part of Muhammad Farhan Babar’s life

John Hollis — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 17:27:25 +0000

Service to others has long been a part of Muhammad Farhan Babar’s life John Hollis Wed, 09/08/2021 - 13:27

Muhammad Farhan Babar speaks at the EIP graduation ceremony. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

It’s less a hobby as much as it is just something that is an integral part of who Muhammad Farhan Babar is deep down.

Volunteering his time to help others has helped shape the �鶹��Ƶ freshman and Honors College member into the selfless young man he’s become.

And Farhan, as he’s known to those closest to him, says he’d have it no other way.

“Volunteering has always been a big thing for me,” said the 18-year-old Early Identification Program (EIP) graduate and aspiring computer science major from Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Virginia. “It’s just something I do and it’s really shaped my personality. It’s changed me a lot. It’s shaped how I think, who I am and how I view life.”

Those who know Babar are hardly surprised. Khaseem Davis, the director of EIP, recalled Babar as a great student who had immediately made a positive impression on him.

Photo provided

“He was always pleasant, respectful and super inquisitive,” Davis said. “I’ve learned you can tell the quality of a student by the types of questions they ask. Farhan didn’t waste words, was always direct and asked questions of substance. I am happy he chose �鶹��Ƶ, and I only see him excelling in his studies.”

Babar, who grew up in nearby Prince William County, is one of four boys and had originally dreamed of being a doctor. He credited one of his brothers for getting him started volunteering at a local medical center during his junior year of high school. His duties there often included signing patients in at the front desk, visiting patients in their rooms to see if they needed anything, and fixing beds, among other chores.

Babar has a history giving of himself to help others. He was just a freshman in high school when he first began tutoring middle school students in math, including his younger brother.

“It’s incredibly satisfying when you see them start to get it,” he said.

Babar hopes to do more of the same as he gets his bearings and becomes more acclimated to his new surrounding on �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus. His volunteer experiences have prepared him well, giving him more patience and a broader world view.

“I believe that everybody should have that opportunity,” he said.

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Students (14101)

Honors College

Early Identification Program (EIP)

�鶹��Ƶ offers new incentives to campus community to meet Aug. 1 deadline to declare vaccination status

John Hollis — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 16:51:04 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ offers new incentives to campus community to meet Aug. 1 deadline to declare vaccination status John Hollis Wed, 07/28/2021 - 12:51

Student Justin Barnes receives the COVID-19 vaccine at EagleBank Arena. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

Everybody who plans to come to campus needs to be vaccinated for the fall semester, and �鶹��Ƶ officials are making it worth your while to confirm your vaccination status.

The entire �鶹��Ƶ community of more than 50,000 students, faculty and staff is being asked to help the university gain a more complete holistic picture of the community’s overall health by uploading their COVID-19 vaccination status in the Health Services Patient Portal by Aug. 1. The information will be critical in finalizing plans for diagnostic and surveillance testing, symptom screening, capacity at in-person events and dining facilities, transportation and use of common spaces.

The university announced in late July that all students, faculty and staff will be required to be vaccinated for the coming semester. Employees seeking a medical or religious exemption must do so by Aug. 15.

“�鶹��Ƶ has worked hard to put safety first, and it has shown in our case counts and overall management of COVID during the past year,” said Julie Zobel, �鶹��Ƶ’s associate vice president for safety, emergency, and enterprise risk management. “The next step in keeping the �鶹��Ƶ community safe depends on knowing the rate of vaccination on campus. This will help us put the right safeguards in place this fall.”

As an added incentive, those who meet the deadline will automatically be placed in a raffle with the chance to win parking permits, professional development funding, bookstore gift cards, tickets to athletic events, performances at the Center for the Arts and the Hylton Performing Arts Center, and �鶹��ƵMoney. Campus community members do not have to be vaccinated to be eligible for the giveaways, but must upload or declare their vaccination status.

Alvaro Muniz, a project manager and business analyst in the Office of the Provost, was among the early winners, receiving a $500 gift card from Barnes & Noble for having uploaded his vaccination status in June.

“I didn’t expect it at all,” he said. “I would have put it up whether there were added incentives or not. If the incentives get people to participate in the program, then all the better.”

Individual vaccination records will be confidentially maintained by Safety, Emergency, & Enterprise Risk Management, Student Health Services, and Human Resources. The information submitted will not be shared with supervisors or course instructors.

The vaccination status of each �鶹��Ƶ student, faculty member and staff person will determine which testing category they are in this semester. Those who are vaccinated will not be tested unless they are in a high-contact role, such as a dance class, police officer or residential student, while non-vaccinated community members will be tested at least once a week.

Knowing the vaccination status of the �鶹��Ƶ community will also help �鶹��Ƶ properly staff collection sites for both diagnostic and surveillance testing, as well as the COVID testing laboratory, Zobel said. That knowledge will also help university officials more accurately estimate space needs for unvaccinated individuals at indoor events, on �鶹��Ƶ shuttles, in dining halls and other common areas as unvaccinated individuals will be required to both wear a mask and maintain proper physical distance.

Each person’s individual vaccine status will also help determine the long-term need for continuing the daily �鶹��Ƶ COVID Health Check, protocols for notifications and course suspension in the event of another outbreak and any breakthrough cases of COVID that involve a vaccinated individual.

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vaccinations

Vaccines

coronavirus; COVID-19; Editorial

Campus News

�鶹��Ƶ is now entirely COVID-free

John Hollis — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 21:20:08 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ is now entirely COVID-free John Hollis Thu, 06/24/2021 - 17:20

Student Luis Nino Walder receives the COVID-19 vaccine at EagleBank Arena. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

�鶹��Ƶ is entirely free of COVID-19 for the first time since the global pandemic began.

University officials announced on Thursday afternoon that there are no cases whatsoever among its more than 50,000 students, faculty and staff for the first time since it began daily tracking of the coronavirus.

“This could change tomorrow,” said Paul Allvin, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice president of strategic communications and marketing, “but, for today, �鶹��Ƶ is COVID-free. Life is good.”

�鶹��Ƶ has long ranked among the nation’s shining examples of COVID management with a daily �鶹��Ƶ COVID Health√® system that helps the school closely monitor the virus’ spread to avoid any large outbreaks. The online screening tool that began last fall must be completed seven days a week by students, faculty, staff and contractors.

University researchers led by Lance Liotta, the co-founder and co-director of �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine within the College of Science, led the charge this spring to expand COVID testing to roughly 10,000 campus community members per week. �鶹��Ƶ students began receiving vaccination shots in late April.

�鶹��Ƶ began its vaccination clinics in early February, partnering with Fairfax and Prince William Counties. The clinics are now responsible for putting nearly 90,000 shots in people’s arms in the university and surrounding communities, said Julie Zobel, �鶹��Ƶ’s associate vice president for safety, emergency and enterprise risk management.

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coronavirus; COVID-19; Editorial

vaccinations

Vaccines