A new study by George Mason University found that the flavored cigarette ban in 2009 significantly reduced smoking among youth (ages 12-17 years) by 43%. Young adults aged 18-25 years saw a reduction of 27%. The study suggests that comprehensive flavor bans on tobacco and nicotine products could be effective.
Zhao and Cheng are working on a project to develop new gradient-free methods for training various types of deep neural networks. They aim to create an algorithmic and theoretical framework for model parallelization based on gradient-free optimization, as well as efficient distributed workflow systems.
Zhi Tian will receive funding to develop communication-efficient approaches for collaborative learning from private data in big data computing. Her goal is to minimize overall runtime, communication costs and total samples used.
Kelly Schrum, Jessica Otis and Nate Sleeter will use the funding to support doctoral students and early-career researchers in world history scholarship. The grant aims to develop a high-quality, peer-reviewed Open Educational Resource (OER) for teachers, scholars and students.
Researchers developed a software tool to determine strategies that prevent surges in the virus without taking a huge toll on the economy. The tool factors in population density, demographics, climate, and transportation statistics to provide alternative scenarios to closing all shops and businesses.
A new hybrid prevention program aims to prevent prescription drug abuse among high school students by providing valuable life skills and resiliency training. The program, developed by Dr. Kenneth W. Griffin, uses a combination of online e-learning modules and interactive sessions to promote pro-health attitudes and behaviors.
Liang Zhao at George Mason University has been awarded a $102,873 NSF CAREER Award to develop transformative frameworks for spatial network generative modeling. The project aims to learn complex generation processes from massive datasets and create more interpretable models.
Michael E. Wolf-Branigin, a Professor of Social Work at George Mason University, has been awarded a Title IV-E Child Welfare Stipend Program grant valued at $267,675. The funding supports the development of social work students for long-lasting careers in child welfare.
The Stephen S. Fuller Institute is updating Arlington County's affordable housing master plan using the latest available data from the American Community Survey. The researchers will analyze housing needs, affordability, and population forecasts to provide a comprehensive set of statistics for county officials.
George Mason University Associate Professor Cristiana Stan will collaborate with the US Department of Energy on a climate modeling project. She will provide program expertise in E3SM, a state-of-the-science Earth system model addressing energy sector challenges.
A scalable connectivity-aware solution is being developed by George Mason University researcher Sai Manoj Pudukotai Dinakarrao to confine the spread of COVID-19 and future epidemics. The solution aims to address epidemic model uncertainties and provide a cognitive approach for diverse demographics.
A recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that cancer survivors tend to overestimate the quality of their diets. The researchers analyzed data from over 2,300 cancer survivors and compared it to a control group, revealing that those who overrated their diet quality had poorer overall health.
Robert Weigel is analyzing three-dimensional magnetosphere state using magnetohydrodynamic simulations to understand auroral boundary expansion during extreme events. His goal is to identify cause and quantify model uncertainty of extreme geomagnetic and geoelectric field enhancements.
Researchers develop a computational methodology to predict COVID-19 outbreak control mechanisms in airplane cabins. The project uses physics-informed deep learning techniques and may be applied to other public transport settings.
Chaowei Yang and collaborators are developing a comprehensive data repository of virus cases, social information, and other relevant data. The platform utilizes spatiotemporal computing infrastructure for analyzing case trajectories, identifying patterns, and predicting future trends.
A new George Mason University study reveals women commuters exposed to higher levels of pollutants during rush hour trips, with no correlation between trip length and exposure levels. The research aims to inform strategies for reducing air pollution's health effects, particularly for vulnerable populations.
George Mason University's Dieter Bilitza has been awarded funding to work with the Space Physics Data Facility and NASA on advancing strategic science goals through data acquisition and archival services. He will focus on ITM data sets, ensuring useful products are generated for independent community use.
The project aims to develop a computationally efficient model of viral spread to better understand the effectiveness of disease mitigation strategies. Funding from the CDC enabled the development of this model to support H-2A farm worker health and safety.
Igor Mazin creates a quantitative, material-dependent theory for exceptional resilience in Ising superconductors, inspiring new experimental studies and potential applications in quantum computing. Funding of $450,000 from the US Department of the Navy supports this research until April 2023.
Researchers are assessing the quality of a new satellite fire product using aircraft campaign data to support NOAA's next-generation wildfire forecasting system. The goal is to improve model-ready fire emission data for the CAM-CMAQ wildfire forecasting system.
Hemant Purohit is working on a project that examines the use of big data analytics in disaster response, particularly for social media monitoring. The goal is to understand how humans and AI systems collaborate and improve information processing.
Dr. Xiaoquan Zhao received funding from the Food and Drug Administration to support youth tobacco education campaigns. He will serve as a consultant to the FDA Center for Tobacco Products to evaluate evidence-based public health communication and marketing interventions.
Fatah Kashanchi and Lance Liotta investigate cannabidiol's impact on reducing HIV-1 transcription and extracellular vesicle release, which may lead to decreased virus production and neuroinflammation. The study aims to define the mechanisms behind cannabinoid-mediated EV production reduction.
Aarthi Narayanan is studying Brilacidin's direct virus-killing activity and its potential as a second dose to infected cells. The researchers aim to determine the optimal timing of treatment using this investigational antibiotic.
George Mason University's Mark D. Uhen has received funding to create a Paleobiology Database with machine learning tools for automating data entry, reducing expert time and cost. The project aims to improve the usability of the database through user workshops and online resources.
Avesta Sasan is exploring the design space of SAT-hard obfuscation solutions and building provable methods to tradeoff power, performance, and area versus security. The research has potential to introduce new metrics for evaluating obfuscation effectiveness.
The program aims to promote pro-health attitudes and behaviors, reduce prescription drug abuse and concurrent substance use, and enhance protective factors by building social and relationship skills. The large-scale randomized controlled trial will evaluate the program in 40 high schools across the US.
Nowzari's research uses network systems expertise to model how people's movement affects virus spread, providing a more nuanced approach than existing lumped population models. His goal is to help inform policy and business decisions by highlighting the impact of networking effects.
Researchers are developing numerical methods and mathematical models to support epidemiologists in understanding COVID-19 spread. They aim to answer key questions on the effectiveness of social distancing and quarantines, with funding from NSF.
Researchers at George Mason University received $6,200 from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to develop science and technical requirements for the ORCAS mission. As part of the project, an undergraduate student will assist in exoplanet science case development.
A new study by George Mason University found that primary care physicians report the highest rates of burnout at 31.6%, nearly twice that of other staff in primary care practices. Anxiety levels also significantly contribute to burnout across healthcare professionals, highlighting the need for prioritizing clinician well-being.
Researchers at George Mason University have collaborated with the World Bank to develop a web portal, MASH-Pandemics, which provides evidence-based decision-making tools for hospitals responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The models aid in optimizing hospital operations and resource allocation during surge demand.
Nathan Sleeter is directing a project to create classroom simulations on historical diplomacy events for secondary education. The simulations will include interactive tools and resources for instructors.
The college will continue to investigate the emergence and spread of coronaviruses using a multidisciplinary approach incorporating environmental, social, behavioral, and cultural factors. This research aims to better understand coronavirus epidemiology and develop public health responses to lower infection risk.
A recent study by George Mason University reveals the complexities faced by grandfamilies, including relationship, situational, and emotional complexity. The Theory of Compounding Complexity provides a framework for service providers to better support these families.
A joint laboratory is being developed by George Mason University and Dartmouth researchers to extract knowledge bases from technical documents. The U.S. Department of the Navy has allocated $529,194 for this project, which aims to create a distributed computing system to achieve large-scale document generation.
Giorgio Ascoli is working to enhance the NeuroMorpho.org repository by doubling its reconstructions and adding search functionality. He aims to link morphological, physiological, and molecular properties to create a spiking neural network model.
A George Mason study found that alternate light source detects bruises 5 times better than white light on diverse skin tones, addressing the disparity in bruise detection for people of color. The research aims to improve medical and legal outcomes for victims of violence.
T. Mills Kelly received funding from the Corporation for Digital Scholarship to support collaborative storage for Zotero. The project will cover server software development and user support for Omeka, a free, open-source content management system.
The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health will focus on health and climate equity with $247,858 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Funding began in May 2020 and concluded in April 2021.
George Mason University's National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases will provide expertise and resources to Emergex in developing CD8+ priming RNA virus vaccines. These vaccines offer advantages over traditional vaccines by providing a cell-mediated immune response, reducing allergic and autoimmune side effects.
The Rural Opioid Telehealth Project will connect underserved communities in Virginia and West Virginia to life-saving services through rapid response remote care. The project aims to address opioid dependency and provide other telehealth services to low-income residents.
Nathan Burtch is creating an open laboratory manual for quantitative methods courses in geography, addressing a long-standing need for resources. The manual will utilize statistics to solve real-world geographical problems and be available to instructors across Virginia and beyond.
Researchers are developing a universal virus enrichment tool that can enhance COVID-19 detection for various diagnostic assays, reducing false negatives and pandemic risks. The project aims to concentrate SARS-CoV-2 from low-viral-titer samples, improving asymptomatic patient detection.
The study assesses Iowa's data-driven patrol strategy, which aims to significantly reduce serious injury and fatal vehicle crashes. The researchers will follow the implementation of the program and evaluate its effects using quasi-experimental designs.
Cortney Hughes Rinker is developing an open education resource textbook for introductory-level courses in cultural anthropology. The textbook aims to support learning for all students with a focus on translation, application, and real-world engagement.
Researchers Joan Kang Shin and Jered Borup developed a three-webinar series and wrote three blogs to support English teachers worldwide in remote learning. The webinars, recorded and posted on National Geographic Learning's website, focused on engaging students and building a supportive classroom environment.
Researchers R. Christian Jones and Benoit Van Aken will collect samples at six sites to track pollutants such as sediment and E. coli during wet weather events. The study aims to provide city officials with data on pollutant levels within 30 days of sample collection.
George Mason University researchers Brenda Bannan and Julie Zobel are supporting two research teams to develop smart community IoT innovation projects at the Eagle Bank Arena Living Lab. The funding will cover experiments on chemical release monitoring and enhanced alert systems.
Girls with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit distinct brain activity patterns, including motor and striatal underactivation to social stimuli, and larger rare copy number variants affecting those regions. Typically developing girls show executive engagement when viewing social stimuli, suggesting resilience to autism.