List of Announcements (details below):
* VSE in the News
* Photo of the Week
* Bioengineering Seminar (Thu Feb 12, 1:30pm)
* Graduate Networking & Etiquette Dinner (Fri Feb 27, 6pm)
* Academic Publishing Workshop (Tue Mar 3, 4pm)
* Natl. Defense Industrial Assoc. Annual Tech. Conference (Mar 24-26)
* New Tool to Stay Current with Journal Literature
* Funding Opportunity:Daniel H. Wagner Prize in Operations Research
* Funding Opportunity:Methodologies for Evaluation (NSF) [STEM education]
* Funding Opportunity:Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
(US Army)
* Student Competition:Doing Good with Good OR (INFORMS)
* Funding Opportunity:Serious STEM Games for Pre-College … Audiences (NIH)
* Funding Opportunity:Cyber-Physical Systems (NSF)
* William Roeting Receives Funding from Webworld Technologies & Air Force
* Robert Elder & Alex Levis Receive Funding from Exelis and Naval
Research Lab.
--------------------------------------------------------------
*VSE in the News*
Here is a list of news stories about VSE that have been posted:
At the Mason News Desk (http://newsdesk.gmu.edu):
* Pump Up the Bass To Douse a Blaze: Mason Students’ Invention Fights
Fires
<http://newsdesk.gmu.edu/2015/02/pump-bass-douse-blaze-new-mason-invention-fights-fires/>
At the Volgenau website (http://volgenau.gmu.edu/):
* Pump Up the Bass To Douse a Blaze: Mason Students’ Invention Fights
Fires
<http://volgenau.gmu.edu/home/-/asset_publisher/HNSOWRmBcc5U/content/pump-up-the-bass-to-douse-a-blaze-mason-students%E2%80%99-invention-fights-fires?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fvolgenau.gmu.edu%2Fhome%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_HNSOWRmBcc5U%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-3%26p_p_col_count%3D1>
* Shams Bahabib Is Mason’s February 2015 Employee of the Month
<http://volgenau.gmu.edu/home/-/asset_publisher/HNSOWRmBcc5U/content/shams-bahabib-is-mason%E2%80%99s-february-2015-employee-of-the-month?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fvolgenau.gmu.edu%2Fhome%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_HNSOWRmBcc5U%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-3%26p_p_col_count%3D1>
* Engineers Week Activities
<http://volgenau.gmu.edu/home/-/asset_publisher/HNSOWRmBcc5U/content/engineers-week-activities?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fvolgenau.gmu.edu%2Fhome%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_HNSOWRmBcc5U%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-3%26p_p_col_count%3D1>
* Around the Corner or In the Home: Improving Robot Navigation and
Localization
<http://volgenau.gmu.edu/home/-/asset_publisher/HNSOWRmBcc5U/content/around-the-corner-or-in-the-home-improving-robot-navigation-and-localization?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fvolgenau.gmu.edu%2Fhome%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_HNSOWRmBcc5U%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-3%26p_p_col_count%3D1>(featuring
Dr. Jana Košecká of the Computer Science Department)
If you have suggestions for other stories, please submit them to Martha
Bushong, [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>.
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Photo of the Week*
Seth Robertson (left) and Viet Tran, electrical and computer engineering
students, test their sound-blasting fire extinguisher prototype.
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Bioengineering Seminar (Thu Feb 12, 1:30pm)*
When: Thursday – February 12th, 2015, 1:30 -2:30 PM
Location: ENGR 3507
Speaker: Joonil Seog, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park
Title: Dynamic self-assembly of biomacromolecules at the single molecule
and nanoscale level
/Abstract/
One-dimensional nanostructures are ideal building blocks for functional
nanoscale assembly. Peptide based nanofibers have a high potential in
building smart hierarchical structures due to their tunable structures
at the single residue level and their ability to reconfigure themselves
dynamically in response to environmental stimuli. We observed that
silk-elastin-like peptide polymer (SELP) self-assembles into amyloid
nanofibers on a mica substrate when nanomechanical force was applied as
an external stimuli. Time lapse lateral force microscopy revealed that
mechanical stretching of a single or multiple SELP molecules is a key
molecular event for amyloid nucleation. The mechanically induced
nucleation allows for positional and directional control of amyloid
assembly in vitro, which we demonstrate by creating a single nanofiber
at a predetermined site. At the single molecule level, DNA condensation
by cationic peptides was investigated using optical tweezers.
Force-extension curves showed characteristic force plateaus and
hysteresis during stretching and relaxation cycles. Upon environmental
changes such as concentrations, pH, and divalent cations, force profiles
changed very dynamically indicating that mechanical properties of
DNA:cationic peptide complex are regulated at multiple force levels. The
fundamental knowledge from this study can be applied to design a
mechanically tailored DNA complex which may enhance transfection
efficiency by controlling the stability of the complex temporally and
spatially.
/Biosketch/
Joonil Seog is an Assistant Professor of Materials Science and
Engineering at the University of Maryland in College Park. His research
interests include single molecule mechanics and nanomechanics of
biological materials using high resolution force spectroscopy. He
received a B.S. and M.S. degree in Chemical Technology from Seoul
National University. He came to the United States in 1997, and received
a Sc.D. degree in polymer science and technology from Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (with Professor Alan J. Grodzinsky and Christine
Ortiz) in 2003. He continued his work at Immune Disease Institute in
Harvard Medical School as a postdoctoral fellow with Timothy A.
Springer. Dr. Seog joined the UMD faculty as an Assistant Professor in
2007. His current research focuses on understanding gene delivery
mechanisms by cationic carriers, surface facilitated self-assembly of
biopolymers, and dynamic folding behaviors of peptide based biomaterials.
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Graduate Networking & Etiquette Dinner (Fri Feb 27, 6pm)*
URL: bit.ly/1yARWbD [registration required]
More info:703-993-8984
Location:Founders Hall Multipurpose Room, Mason’s Arlington Campus
Date & time:February 27, 6-9pm
Mason graduate and professional students are invited to attend a fun and
instructional networking and etiquette event taking place at the
Arlington Campus. You will have the opportunity to connect with other
students as well as with Mason alumni and employers. A professional
networking and etiquette expert will lead the evening, which will
conclude with an entertaining presentation by Mason's own Robert L.
Deitz, author of “Congratulations -- You Just Got Hired: Don't Screw It Up.”
The event will feature hors d’oeuvres, a plated dinner, and dessert bar.
A cash bar will be available. Cost is $15.
Free professional head shots will be available during check in on a
first come first serve basis.
By attending this event you will learn how to:
* Read a room for social cues
* Create and exchange business cards
* Politely join or excuse yourself from conversations
* Use email and social media as effective networking tools
* Leverage your professional contacts to aid in your job search
* Project an image of professionalism and credibility so others will
take you seriously in the workplace
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Academic Publishing Workshop (Tue Mar 3, 4pm)*
URL:http://gmu.libcal.com/workshops[registration required; limited to 50
attendees]
Title:Academic Publishing for Graduate Students
Who:Presenters will include a journal publisher, and two journal editors
Format:The publisher is the main speaker, and the editors are invited to
share their own experiences as well as offer insights about publishing,
the peer review process, etc. during the Q&A session.
When:Tuesday, March 3, 2015, 4 – 6 PM
Where:Instruction room in the Gateway Library (in the Johnson
Center)—Must be entered through the library entrance.
Sponsors:Elsevier Publishing and the Mason Libraries
Snapshot of topics to be covered:
* Finding the right publication for your article
* Expectations for the peer review process (speed, feedback, etc.)
* Why you were rejected and how to deal with it
* What you need to know about open access publishing
* Ethics
Light refreshments will be served.
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Natl. Defense Industrial Assoc. Annual Tech. Conference (Mar 24-26)*
The National Defense Industrial Association 16th Annual Science and
Engineering Technology Conference will be held March 24 to March 26 in
Springfield, Virginia. This year’s conference focus will be the
Department of Defense (DoD) Communities of Interest vision for science
and engineering technologies within the DoD.
URL: http://www.ndia.org/meetings/5720/Pages/default.aspx
--------------------------------------------------------------
*New Tool to Stay Current with Journal Literature*
[This message was sent to me by Theresa Calcagno of the Mason Library.]
I am writing to let you know about a new tool from the Mason Libraries
that will help you, and your graduate students, stay up-to-date.The
JournalTOCs service allows users to select the journals that interest
them most and then have the table of contents (TOC) delivered directly
to their email when a new issue is published online.If the Mason
Libraries subscribe to a journal, the TOC will be linked and researchers
can then move from the email to the article.JournalTOCs covers more than
25,000 journals from over 2400 publishers in a wide range of subjects
including over 2000 engineering journals and 1900 computer science
journals.In addition, JournalTOCs includes Open Access and Hybrid
(partially open access) journals.
To use JournalTOCs, you will need to register (free) at:
http://www.journaltocs.hw.ac.uk/
Once your account is set-up, browse journal lists by subject or search
specific journal names to find the ones you want to monitor.Check off
the journals you want and indicate how frequently you would like to
receive updates, and you are good to go!I have been using JournalTOCs
since the fall semester and I really like it.The content is pushed to me
and it is very easy to accessarticles when it is convenient for me!
JournalTOCs joins Browzine, another tool you can use with your smart
phone or tablet to do your scholarly reading.For more information about
both of these tools, please visit
http://library.gmu.edu/journaltools
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Theresa Calcagno
Asst. Head, Fenwick Research Dept.
Engineering Librarian
George Mason University
703-993-3712
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Funding Opportunity:Daniel H. Wagner Prize in Operations Research*
Daniel H. Wagner Prize for Excellence in Operations Research Practice
Sponsor: INFORMS Online
This prize emphasizes the quality and coherence of the analysis used in
practice. Dr. Wagner strove for strong mathematics applied to practical
problems, supported by clear and intelligible writing. This prize
recognizes those principles by emphasizing good writing, strong
analytical content, and verifiable practice successes.
Deadline(s):05/01/2015
Program URL:
https://www.informs.org/Recognize-Excellence/INFORMS-Prizes-Awards/Daniel-H.-Wagner-Prize-for-Excellence-in-Operations-Research-Practice
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Funding Opportunity:Methodologies for Evaluation (NSF) [STEM education]*
Promoting Research and Innovation in Methodologies for Evaluation
Sponsor:Directorate for Education and Human Resources/NSF
The Promoting Research and Innovation in Methodologies for Evaluation
(PRIME) program seeks to support research on evaluation with special
emphasis on: exploring innovative approaches for determining the impacts
and usefulness of STEM education projects and programs; building on and
expanding the theoretical foundations for evaluating STEM education and
workforce development initiatives, including translating and adapting
approaches from other fields; and growing the capacity and
infrastructure of the evaluation field. Three types of proposals will be
supported by the program: Exploratory Projects that include
proof-of-concept and feasibility studies; more extensive Full-Scale
Projects; and conferences.
Deadline(s): 04/30/2015
Program URL: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15540/nsf15540.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Funding Opportunity:Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (US
Army)*
Sponsor:U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Department of Defense
The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) seeks
proposals under authority of the National Defense Education Act (1959)
and under the Pre-Engineering Program (PEP) to stimulate young pupils in
the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Program URL: http://www.grants.gov/custom/viewOppDetails.jsp?oppId=272250
The target students attend primary, middle, and high schools in the
following locations; … Arlington County, Virginia; Fairfax County,
Virginia; and Prince William County, Virginia, Alexandria City Public
Schools, and Loudon County, Virginia. The target students may attend
public or private schools.
ELIGIBILITY
ERDC solicits basic research proposals in the general DoD STEM Education
and Outreach Program from colleges, universities, and non-profit
organizations.
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Student Competition:Doing Good with Good OR (INFORMS)*
Sponsor:INFORMS Online
The Doing Good with Good OR-Student Competition is held each year to
identify and honor outstanding projects in the field of operations
research and the management sciences conducted by a student or student
group that have a significant societal impact.
Deadline(s):05/15/2015
Program URL:
http://www.informs.org/Recognize-Excellence/INFORMS-Prizes-Awards/Doing-Good-with-Good-OR/Doing-Good-with-Good-OR-Application-Process
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Funding Opportunity:Serious STEM Games for Pre-College … Audiences (NIH)*
Serious STEM Games for Pre-College and Informal Science Education
Audiences (SBIR, STTR)
Sponsor:Office of Research Infrastructure Programs/NIH/DHHS
Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) invites applications
for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) from small business
concerns (SBCs) to develop serious Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) games with a focus on biology that addresses health
and medicine questions for: (1) pre-kindergarten to grade 12 (P-12)
students and pre- and in-service teachers ("Teachers") or (2) Informal
Science Education (ISE) audiences.Serious games are defined as the use
of gaming technology to train, educate, and encourage behavioral changes
in a virtual world format where progressive learning, feedback on
success and user control are combined into an interactive and engaging
experience. It is anticipated that this SBIR FOA will facilitate the
translation of new or existing health and medicine-based, P-12 STEM
curricula and museum exhibits into educational games that will provide a
hands-on, inquiry-based and learning-by-doing experience for students,
Teachers and the community.
Deadline(s):05/12/2015
Program URL:
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-14-325.html[SBIR]
Program URL:
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-14-326.html[STTR]
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Funding Opportunity:Cyber-Physical Systems (NSF)*
Sponsor:Directorate for Computer and Information Sciences and
Engineering/NSF
The goal of the CPS program is to develop the core system science needed
to engineer complex cyber-physical systems which people can use or
interact with and depend upon. Some of these may require high-confidence
or provable behaviors. The program aims to foster a research community
committed to advancing research and education in CPS and to
transitioning CPS science and technology into engineering practice. By
abstracting from the particulars of specific systems and application
domains, the CPS program seeks to reveal cross-cutting fundamental
scientific and engineering principles that underpin the integration of
cyber and physical elements across all application sectors. To expedite
and accelerate the realization of cyber-physical systems in a wide range
of applications, the CPS program also supports the development of
methods, tools, and hardware and software components based upon these
cross-cutting principles, along with validation of the principles via
prototypes and testbeds.
Deadline(s):05/04/2015
Program URL: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15541/nsf15541.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------
*William Roeting Receives Funding from Webworld Technologies & Air Force*
William Roeting of the C4I Center received $278K from Webworld
Technologies, Inc. and the U.S. Air Force for his project, “Smart Node
Pod Initiative.”
--------------------------------------------------------------
*Robert Elder & Alex Levis Receive Funding from Exelis and Naval
Research Lab.*
Robert Elder & Alex Levis of the Electrical & Computer Engineering
Department received $30K from Exelis Inc. and the Naval Research
Laboratory for their project, “Kinetic/Non-Kinetic Integrated Force
Effects (KNIFE) JCTD Transition Activities.”
--
===============================================================
Stephen G. Nash
Senior Associate Dean
Volgenau School of Engineering
George Mason University
Nguyen Engineering Building, Room 2500
Mailstop 5C8
Fairfax, VA 22030
[log in to unmask]
Phone: (703) 993-1505
Fax: (703) 993-1633
http://volgenau.gmu.edu/web/volgenau/senior-associate-dean
