InnovationFest 2025

AI for Nursing Care & End-of-Life Communication

Project 1: AI-based Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) for Nursing Home Nurses
Come meet Pepper Robot and explore the Nursing Care CDSS, specifically tailored for nurses in nursing homes. Participants are able to use the CDSS in two modes: laptop mode and robot mode. 

Project 2: Using Simulated Patient Chatbot to Build Nursing Student End-of-Life Communication Skills 
Learn how GW School of Nursing scholars are using AI chatbot simulation to provide a consistent, psychologically safe environment for practicing therapeutic, End of Life communication. Participants can experience how an AI chatbot simulation can support communication skill development for clinical practice.

About the Participant(s)

Project 1:
Name: Juh Hyun Shin
Title: Associate Professor
School: School of Nursing
---
Project 1:
Name: Chung Hyuk Park
Title: Associate Professor
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Project 2:
Name: Christine Thomas
Title: Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Simulation and Experiential Learning
School: School of Nursing
---
Project 2:
Name: Vivian Bowman
Title: Dedicated Simulation Educator
School: School of Nursing

AI for Security and Security for AI

GraphLab stands at the intersection of graph-centric AI and the future of cybersecurity. Its work pioneers the next generation of algorithms and systems designed to outpace sophisticated cyber threats. For InnovationFest 2026, we are proud to showcase our dual-track approach: AI for Security, leveraging graph intelligence to thwart AI-powered attacks, and Security for AI, engineering the safeguards necessary to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities within Large Language Models (LLMs).

About the Participant(s)

Name: Howie Huang
Title: Professor
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Isaiah King
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Rimon McLamed
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Yunsen Lei
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

AI in Medicine

GW Biomedical Informatics Center will showcase multiple AI in Medicine projects. Projects include ArtAI, fitness as a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, medication wide association studies for drug repurposing, community digital twins for violence and overdose prevention, AI disease phenotyping and outcome prediction, precision nutrition, machine learning of geno pheno data, integrative health research, and courses. Projects are funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DoD), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Linda Zanin
Title: Director of Strategic Partnerships
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Name: Senait Tekle
Title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Name: Stephen Chua
Title: Data Analyst
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Name: Qing Zeng
Title: Director and Professor
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

AI, Autonomous Weapons, and the Algorithmic Institutionalization of Militarized Masculinity: Patriarchy Without Body

Autonomous weapons systems, AI, and drones have transformed modern warfare by distancing soldiers from direct combat. Using an intersectional feminist framework, this paper argues that emerging AWS in military technologies produce new forms of gendered violence while reinforcing existing masculinist frameworks of war.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Emily Wolmetz
School: Elliott School of International Affairs

Air Pollution as a Proxy for Economic Activity

Reliable, high-frequency measures of economic activity are often unavailable at subnational levels in developing economies. Traditional proxies like Nighttime Lights capture aggregate trends but fail to distinguish sectoral activity. This study explores satellite-derived air pollution as an alternative proxy, linking pollutants such as NOx, SOx, CH4, and PM2.5 to specific economic processes, with application to sectoral data from Algeria and Myanmar.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Siddharth Saravanan
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

AAAS is one of the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting-edge research through its Science family of journals. Their mission is to advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all.

Analysis of Transshipment in Three-Sided Meal Delivery Services via Microhubs

This study explores a novel transshipment strategy for meal delivery using centrally located microhubs. By partitioning service areas and batching orders, the strategy aims to optimize delivery efficiency. Comparisons show that transshipment significantly reduces vehicle travel distance and customer wait times during high-demand peak hours or in large service areas. Findings are validated using empirical data from Meituan to provide practical insights for urban logistics.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Dinghao Zhou
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Art of Science Gallery: 2026 Winners

Each year, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences invites medical students, graduate students, and postdocs to submit their artistic research images to the Art of Science contest. These images showcase our work and passion for science while highlighting the beauty and breadth of research at the SMHS. The gallery features winners of the 2026 competition.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Sarah Kleb (Grand Prize)
Advisor: Brett Shook
Image: Adipocyte cells (red) with activated Cre (green)—and co-staining as yellow—in a transgenic model.
Department/School: Integrated Biomedical Sciences, GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
---
Name: Woudasie Admasu
Advisors: Jyoti K. Jaiswal and Gustavo Nino
Image: Airway epithelial cells express RSV fusion protein (green) at the cell surface (red).
Department/School: Integrated Biomedical Sciences, GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
---
Name: Gabriel Batzli
Advisor: Brett Shook
Image: A Hive plot showing positive-and negative-correlated gene pairs from highly variable genes in skin fibroblasts.
Department/School: Integrated Biomedical Sciences, GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
---
Name: Marcelina Goldstein
Advisor: Maho Shibata
Image: Collagen fibers (red) in human prostate tissue.
Department/School: Graduate Certificate in Anatomical & Translational Sciences (GCATS) Program, GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
---
Name: Lauren Smith
Advisor: Maho Shibata
Image: Macrophage immune cells (red) and tumor cells (green) in the prostate duct lumen.
Department/School: Integrated Biomedical Sciences, GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
---
Name: Noah Williams
Advisor: Lauren Woodie
Image: Neurons in the hypothalamus (colors) become active when food is consumed at the wrong time of day.
Department/School: Integrated Biomedical Sciences, GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Assistive Robotics and Tele-Medicine (ART-Med) Lab

Meet empathetic robotic dog Arty and a conversational Pepper robot for a demonstration of natural human-robot interaction paradigms. The Assistive Robotics and Tele-Medicine (ART-Med) lab explores how people and robots can work together in ways that improve everyday life, especially for neurodivergent individuals or persons with disabilities.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Chung Hyuk Park
Title: Associate Professor
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Attachment and the Social Construction of Regret: Revisiting High School Experiences

This study examined how adult attachment relates to regret and satisfaction with high school (HS). Among 81 adults, attachment anxiety, but not avoidance, was linked to greater regret, which predicted lower HS satisfaction. Regret fully mediated this relationship, suggesting that anxious attachment shapes negative retrospective evaluations through increased regret, consistent with attachment-based emotion regulation models.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Cheri Marmarosh
Title: Professor
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Full Name: Audrey Horwitz
School: Falls Church High School
---
Full Name: Kelly Gleischman
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

Augmenting the Reality of Microfabrication Equipment in Classroom Settings using NanoXR

Using Augmented Reality (AR), we are focusing on enhancing the training experience for a material deposition sputtering system. In our AR system, students can interact with the physical equipment while also simultaneously receiving digital assistance and educational prompts through AR headsets. By leveraging spoken instructions, segmented views of the tool, and real-time feedback on student performance, this system aims to facilitate a comprehensive and multifaceted educational experience.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Joshua Stoner
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Full Name: Zhuolin Yang
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
Affiliation: Student
---
Full Name: Vicky Lee
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development
Affiliation: Student
---
Full Name: Gina Adam
Title: Dr.
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
Affiliation: Faculty

Brāv Buddies: Real-Time Mobilization Intelligence for Emergency Response

Brāv Buddies is an Intelligence as a Service (IntaaS) platform that gives emergency response leaders answers when disaster strikes. The platform works through the text channels responders already use — no behavior change—to answer mission-critical questions in real time: Who is available? Who is qualified? What assets can deploy? Born from the firsthand frustrations of an Army Engineer Officer, Brāv Buddies is designed for organizations managing distributed personnel and resources, including the Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, Fire Departments, EMS, and Doctors Without Borders. 

Brāv Buddies Website | Instagram: @bravbuddies | LinkedIn

About the Participant(s)

Name: Josephine B. Tientcheu
Title: Founder/CEO
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

CDK Inhibition Disrupts the CAMKV-CREB Signaling Axis in Neuroblastoma

High risk neuroblastoma requires novel therapeutic strategies to combat its aggressive and therapy-resistant nature. This project evaluates the investigational CDK 2/4/6 inhibitor Culmerciclib on neuroblastoma proliferation and signaling. We found promising anti-proliferative effects and downregulation of the CREB signaling pathway. These results show a strong rationale for targeting the CREB axis through CDK regulation.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Nimesh Rudra
Title: Research Technician
Organization: Children's National Hospital
---
Full Name: Amber Cecil
Title: Research Technician
Organization: Children's National Hospital

Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research

The Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research (CUFR) provides individualized and group mentorship to all GW students and alumni pursuing national awards, fellowships, and undergraduate research opportunities.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Jacob Alan English
Title: Director, Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research
Organization: Libraries & Academic Innovation
---
Name: Kevin Walden
Title: Program Associate, Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research
Organization: Libraries & Academic Innovation
---
Name: Ann Cautela
Title: CUFR Peer Ambassador
---
Name: Jaden DeGruy
Title: CUFR Peer Ambassador
---
Name: Josh Lipman
Title: CUFR Peer Ambassador
---
Name: Christian Maboko
Title: CUFR Peer Ambassador
---
Name: Olufemi Ogundimu
Title: CUFR Peer Ambassador
---
Name: Amya Payne
Title: CUFR Peer Ambassador
---
Name: Siyan Tekle-Habtegabir
Title: CUFR Peer Ambassador

Climate and Health Institute

The GW Climate and Health Institute (CHI) highlights two initiatives linking climate and health. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded REACH Center connects climate and health data with community solutions through a partnership among GW, Howard, George Mason, and the Environmental Defense Fund. FLIP the Script reframes climate action by emphasizing its Free, Local, Immediate, and Persuasive benefits. Together, these efforts show how research and communication can advance climate solutions that improve health today.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Catherine O'Donnell
Title: Program Manager
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health
---
Name: Jordan Fischbach
Title: Research Associate
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health
---
Name: Susan Anenberg
Title: Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health; Director, GW CHI and REACH Center
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health

Computer-Implemented Creativity Assessment for Open-Ended Constraint-Based Mathematical Expression Tasks

Objective math creativity assessment in open-ended, constraint-based expression tasks. Creativity = geometric mean of originality and utility: C = sqrt(O √ó U), not addition. Scalable and context-sensitive: supports local norming and both summative and formative use.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Minh Ngoc Kim
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development

CyBIS: A Low-Cost 3D-Printed Device for Point-Of-Care Infection Detection

CyBIS (Cytocapture of Biomarkers In Situ) is a low-cost, portable diagnostic device that rapidly measures immune activation from a small blood sample. Built from off-the-shelf components and 3D-printed hardware, it isolates whole neutrophils and quantifies their elastase activity, an infection biomarker, in ~45 minutes. This approach enables fast, accessible detection of infection at the point of care, with applications in emergency medicine and low-resource settings.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: John Perkins
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Destigmatizing Dialogue as Violence Prevention: How Bystander Intervention Trainers Incorporate Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Bystander training is nearly-universal in sexual misconduct prevention on US college campuses. This educational strategy, or pedagogy, treats harm as a communal issue, engaging everyone to intervene. Yet research is limited regarding if or how bystander intervention training impacts community members who are not White, cisgender, or US-domestic. This research sought to answer the following question: how do bystander trainers use a framework called culturally relevant pedagogy to create an effective learning environment. Findings focused on practitioner actions, including a new model for the connected implementation of bystander and culturally relevant pedagogies.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Christy Anthony
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development

Digital Science: Data and Connections That Advance Research [SPONSOR]

Discover how GW’s institutional access to Digital Science tools—Elements, Discovery, and Dimensions—can elevate your research. In partnership with GW’s Office for Faculty Affairs, Digital Science will demonstrate how their solutions leverage AI to help integrate our scholarly systems and make meaningful connections that showcase your scholarly output, analyze research impact, and uncover potential collaborators across disciplines and institutions.

Emerging Patterns of Allele-Specific RNA Variant Expression in Single-Cell Transcriptomes

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals allele-specific expression (ASE) by measuring differential transcription from maternal and paternal alleles. We analyzed 28 scRNA-seq datasets across tumor and normal tissues, quantifying SNVs using SCExecute, GATK, Strelka, and SCReadCounts. Multiple loci showed reproducible skewed or monoallelic expression, revealing emerging patterns of allele-biased RNA variant expression across heterogeneous cell populations.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Jewel Josephine Dias
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Full Name: Hovhannes Arestakesyan
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Enhancing Registered Nurse Handoff and Documentation Adherence with an Acute Stroke Care Handoff Tool: A Quality Improvement Project

Inconsistent RN stroke handoffs hinder quality metrics and patient care. This QI project implemented a structured handoff tool on a stroke unit using a pre/post design. Documentation adherence improved by 9.21% (not statistically significant), while RN satisfaction increased significantly, with better communication and consistency reported. Findings support the tool's value, with EHR integration recommended to improve efficiency, accuracy, and sustainability.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Grace Olson
School: School of Nursing

Food, Flow, and Photography

Student photo gallery from the Food, Flow, and Photography course, demonstrating innovative intersections of science, visual storytelling, and hands-on exploration of fluid dynamics in cooking. This project is a collaboration between the School of Engineering & Applied Science, the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design, and the GW Global Food Institute that fosters creativity and integrative thinking. Learn more: https://engineering.gwu.edu/caught-camera-science-you-can-see-and-art-y…

About the Participant(s)

Name: Azar Panah
Title: Associate Professor
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Meredith Rizzo
Title: Adjunct Professor
School: Corcoran School of the Arts & Design

Global Food Institute

Discover the GW Global Food Institute (GFI) at Innovation Fest! The GFI booth will showcase the Institute's dynamic research, teaching, and public engagement across food systems, policy, and creativity. Explore highlights from our Food Leadership Minor, innovative courses like Food, Flow, and Photography, and new research on strengthening school meal systems in Haiti through food systems analysis and anticipatory data. Plus, see additional projects shaping the future of food.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Caitlin Grady
Title: Director of Research
Organization: Global Food Institute
---
Name: Rebecca Shaw-Rossignol
Organization: Global Food Institute/Office of Communications
---
Name: Stacy Dean
Title: Executive Director
Organization: Global Food Institute
---
Name: Sydney Pryor
Title: Research Scientist
Organization: Global Food Institute

GPR84 Signaling Regulates Adipocyte Function During Acute Skin Wound Healing

Inflammation is an essential component of the wound healing process, as dysregulation of early inflammation impacts the subsequent healing phases. G protein-coupled receptor 84 (GPR84) has been shown to contribute to myeloid cell function during tissue inflammation. Our data implicates GPR84 as a potential therapeutic target for acute wound healing, capable of modulating inflammation to improve healing outcomes.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Sarah Kleb
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

GuideGuard

A presentation of new innovations from the Department of Emergency Medicine at the George Washington University, highlighting GuideGuard, the 2025 winner of the GW New Venture Competition (NVC) Health and Life Sciences track. GuideGuard prevents a dangerous but avoidable complication during central line placement, where a thin medical wire can accidentally be left inside a patient. The device adds a built-in safety feature that stops the wire from sliding completely into the body.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Aditya Loganathan
Title: Research Coordinator
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Name: Andrew Meltzer
Title: Professor of Emergency Medicine
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Name: Daniel Shpigel
Title: Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

GW Biorepository Core

The George Washington University Biorepository is a centralized, CAP-accredited, state-of-the-art biospecimen resource. The Biorepository provides compliant biospecimen processing, long-term storage, and data-integrated inventory management infrastructure to support clinical trials, translational research, and multi-institutional collaborations in the United States and internationally.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Jeffrey Bethony, PhD
Title: Director, GW Biorepository; Professor, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Full Name: Larissa Scholte, PhD
Title: Research Scientist
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

GW Campus Store

The official campus store of the George Washington University. Purchase books written by GW authors and pick up Buff & Blue gear at this pop-up market.

GW Histopathology Core

The Histopathology Core Lab provides researchers with comprehensive high-quality histopathology services and expert guidance, and is committed to excellence in tissue processing, staining, and specialized histochemical and immunological processes that ensure consistent and reliable outcomes to support the scholarly and research mission of the George Washington University community. The Core provides all services at competitive rates with a quick turn-around time.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Youraline Joseph, MS HTL (ASCP)
Title: Director, Lab Operations, Histopathology Core Lab
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

GW Innovation Center

Funded by GW Engineering and open to all students, the GW Innovation Center (Tompkins M06) is GW's makerspace where problem-solvers have room to explore challenges creatively. Our exhibit features two "Made in M06" projects: a student-built, solar powered digital portrait machine and TRACE UAV, by MAE student Jared Kusner, designed to monitor airborne pollutants over watershed areas and critical habitats. These projects showcase the potential of an open, accessible makerspace to support student creativity and innovation.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Erica C. Wortham
Title: Director, Co-Curricular Engagement and Interdisciplinary Programs; Director, GW Innovation Center
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Jared Kusner
Title: Project Lead, TRACE UAV & MAE Student
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Natalie Carr
Title: M06 Staff & Computer Engineering Student, SEAS
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Ava Stewart
Title: M06 Staff & Interaction Design Student, Corcoran
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

GW McCormick Bioinformatics Core

The McCormick Bioinformatics Core (MBC), which is supported by the McCormick Endowment Fund, offers bioinformatics services to researchers within the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The Core emphasizes the use of cutting-edge bioinformatics tools and methodologies to help unlock the full potential of complex multidimensional genomic data.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Anelia Horvath, PhD
Title: Director, McCormick Bioinformatics Core; Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

GW Nanofabrication & Imaging Center

The George Washington University (GW) Nanofabrication and Imaging Center (GWNIC) features state-of-the-art microscopy instrumentation and a Class 100 cleanroom. GWNIC provides university-wide core infrastructure for research in engineering, chemistry, physics, biology, public health, medicine and biomedical sciences. Located at the heart of GW's Foggy Bottom Campus, the GWNIC is a catalyst for cross-disciplinary collaboration.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Anastas Popratiloff, MD, PhD
Title: Director and Lead Research Scientist, GW Nanofabrication and Imaging Center
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

GW Open Source Program Office

The Open Source Program Office (OSPO) coordinates and supports open-source software across the university, helping researchers and educators embrace open-source tools and practices. It aims to create a culture of open collaboration and knowledge sharing aligned with GW’s research and educational mission. We promote open-source software development, open data, and open access in research and education. We support our community in adopting open practices to grow our impact on a local and global scale. The OSPO also provides consultations, training, tools, and resources in support of open-source software, open science, and open education.

About the Participant(s)

Name: David Lippert
Title: OSPO Director
Organization: Libraries and Academic Innovation
---
Name: Mia Diewald
Title: OSPO Student Ambassador
Organization: Libraries and Academic Innovation
---
Name: Nouha Elyazidi
Title: OSPO Student Ambassador
Organization: Libraries and Academic Innovation
---
Name: Jood Alfadhel
Title: OSPO Student Ambassador
Organization: Libraries and Academic Innovation
---
Name: Sunil Shah
Title: OSPO Student Ambassadr
Organization: Libraries and Academic Innovation

GW SMHS Shared Resources

GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences offers free-to-use shared resources for SMHS investigators with easy scheduling and usage tracking. Resources are available in Science and Engineering Hall and Ross Hall on GW's Foggy Bottom Campus.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Molly Karl
Title: Laboratory Manager
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

GW Technology Commercialization Office

Test your skills identifying unusual inventions and meet tech transfer experts! GW's Technology Commercialization Office helps our researchers move their inventions and ideas from the lab or classroom to the marketplace by supporting them throughout the commercialization journey. We also help companies and entrepreneurs find and access the GW technologies they need to grow their business and be successful. In this way, GW research can have an even greater impact on the world.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Brian Coblitz
Title: Executive Director
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office
---
Name: Michael Harpen
Title: Sr. Licensing Manager
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office
---
Name: Sarwat Naz
Title: Licensing Manager
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office
---
Name: Tanya Wadhwa
Title: Student Research Assistant
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office
---
Name: Nikhil Arethiya
Title: Student Research Assistant
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office

GWCC Flow Cytometry Core Facility

The GWCC Flow Cytometry Core Facility provides cutting edge instrumentation to both users at GW and the surrounding area. The flow core provides access and training on both flow analyzers and live cell sorters, as well as, consultation on experimental design, data analysis, and access to FlowJo software. In late 2025, the core purchased a BD S8 live cell sorter equipped with high parameter analysis, live cell isolation, and cell imaging. Please reach out to [email protected] to get started!

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Gregory Cresswell
Title: Flow Cytometry Core Facility Director
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

GWupstart: Service and Social Innovation

Learn about GWupstart's social innovation grants, training, mentoring, and funding opportunities. The program builds on GW's strength as an institution that fosters the next generation of citizen leaders. Projects must be aimed at solving an issue, need gap or disadvantage in the community beyond GW through innovative social solutions. The Nashman Center currently has six social innovation grant programs through GWupstart that students can apply for. Ask our team about them or email [email protected].

About the Participant(s)

Name: Ayman Rahman
Title: Program Manager, Service and Social Innovation
Organization: Honey W. Nashman Center of Civic Engagement and Public Service

How Does Dducation Regarding Stress Reduction Technique Activities Affect PHQ9 and GAP7

The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) evidence-based project was to evaluate whether a structured educational intervention on stress reduction techniques would significantly reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms among adult patients receiving home health services.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Olu Akande
Title: MSN, RN Student
School: School of Nursing

Innovations in Mental Health: Using Play to Drive Discovery

Play, often designated as frivolous, is actually a driving force of learning, social engagement, wellness, and mental health. Play is also not only for children—everyone thrives when engaging in play. Come speak with Drs. Mary DeRaedt and Maggie Parker to learn about the neurobiological and mental health benefits of play.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Maggie Parker
Title: Associate Professor, Chair Department of Counseling and Human Development
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development
---
Name: Mary DeRaedt
Title: Director, School Counseling Program, Department of Counseling and Human Development
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development

Innovative Training in Affirming & Supportive Care

Project 1: Teaching Affirming Care with Video-based Standardized Patient Simulation
This showcase will demonstrate a video-based standardized patient simulation focused on affirming care for transgender and gender diverse people.

Project 2: Transforming Kidney Supportive Care through Interdisciplinary Research and Workforce Training
This showcase highlights critical questions providers must consider in the care of their kidney patients. Handouts provide key skills and best practices that help guide providers in conducting shared decision making and advanced care planning.

About the Participant(s)

Project 1: 
Name: Laurie Posey
Title: Associate Professor
School: School of Nursing
---
Project 2:
Name: Joshua Mannix
Title: Research Scientist
School: School of Nursing
---
Project 2:
Name: Dale Lupu
Title: Research Professor
School: School of Nursing

Institute for Innovation in Health Computing

The objective of the institute is to bring together researchers and educators from a diverse set of disciplines to apply innovative digital solutions to a wide set of problems in healthcare. We will have two demonstrations from recent NIH R01 funded projects: 1) Neonatal Endotracheal Intubation, demonstrating a training system using AI and VR. 2) Optical body surface scan technology for body composition using a 3D digitizer to create virtual avatars for use in an AI based system.

About the Participant(s)

Name: James Hahn
Title: Professor
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Yijiang Zheng
Title: Research Assistant
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Ruting Cheng
Title: Research Assistant
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Boyuan Feng
Title: Research Assistant
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Chuhui Qiu
Title: Teaching Assistant
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Alexander Aiersilan
Title: Teaching Assistant
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Interdisciplinary Biophysics: How Worms and Machines Think

Explore interdisciplinary research projects. The first measures learned response of c elegans to thermal stimulation, and the second uses machine learning to identify tool marks made by early hominoids in wood that has been subsequently fossilized. These research projects are collaborations with the Biology and Anthropology Departments, respectively. Participants will be able to observe and trigger thermal stimulation in one case and test their abilities to identify tool-modified wood against the trained AI network.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Mark Reeves
Title: Professor
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Chen Zeng
Title: Professor
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Damien O'Halloran
Title: Professor
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: David Braun
Title: Professor
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Logan Dempsey
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Nick Rothwein
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Serena Kahn
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

IsoScope: An Interactive Platform for Isoform-Level Expression Analysis Across Cancer Cell Lines

IsoScope is an open-source R/Shiny application for exploring transcript-level expression across 668 cancer cell lines and patient tumor biopsies. It integrates RNA-seq quantification (STAR/Salmon), drug sensitivity data (GDSC1/GDSC2), differential expression, and pathway enrichment into interactive modules. Users can investigate isoform switching, tissue-specific expression, and drug response patterns. External datasets can be projected onto the reference landscape for cross-dataset exploration.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Azka Sajjad
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

JivaJet: Innovation Possible with Plasma

JivaJet is a GW-affiliated and Virginia-based venture that leverages the fourth state of matter to open new orbital frontiers of sustainable propulsion and transformative medicine.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Anmol Taploo
Title: CTO
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Vikas Soni
Title: CSO
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Jake Spinelli
Title: Aerospace Design Engineer
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Guru Sankar Duppada
Title: Propulsion Scientist
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Shashank Kaul
Title: CEO
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Landscape of Allele-Specific Expression of Single-Cell SNVs in Human Tumor and Normal Tissues

Single-cell RNA-seq reveals not only gene expression differences but also cell-specific expressed single-nucleotide variants (sceSNVs). We developed an integrated pipeline (SCExecute, SCReadCounts, scSNViz) to identify and analyze sceSNVs across 28datasets (~230,000 cells), uncovering over 7million variants, including 2.5million novel events. Our findings show that RNA-origin variants represent a significant and underappreciated contributor to cellular heterogeneity and transcriptomic diversity.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Hovhannes Arestakesyan
Title: Bioinformatics Specialist
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Full Name: Anelia Horvath
Title: Professor
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Lucid Ledger: An Open-Source Platform for Preventing Wage Theft in Global Supply Chains

Lucid Ledger is an open-source web app designed to prevent wage theft in global supply chains. Employers fund contracts upfront, and workers verify tasks via NFC or QR scans to trigger payment release. The system creates a tamper-resistant record of work and payment. We will demonstrate the full workflow from contract setup to payment, with applications in agriculture, fisheries, and manufacturing.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Emmanuel Teitelbaum
Title: Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs
School: Elliott School of International Affairs
---
Name: Chloe Kim
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Xuechun Jiang
Affiliation: GW Alumnus
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Machine-Learning Enabled Computational Materials Investigation for Neuromorphic Device Development

The large-scale adoption of neuromorphic devices is currently limited by performance instability and practical nanofabrication challenges. We hope to address these issues through the use of novel materials. In this work, we investigate new complex oxides by leveraging the high-performance computing resources at GW to integrate machine-learning techniques with traditional physics simulation to inform our nanofabrication processes and materials exploration for improved neuromorphic performance.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Michael Mitchell
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

microCafe.ai: AI-Powered Genomics Analysis with Genomic Language Models

seqSight company presents microCafe.ai, a cloud-based SaaS platform for AI-powered genomics analysis using genomic language models (gLMs) and a guided tokenizer. Presenters will demonstrate real-time analysis of sequencing data, highlighting improvements in speed, scalability, and accuracy compared to traditional pipelines. Attendees can explore live results, benchmarking outputs, and applications in microbiome research, public health, and precision medicine.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Ali Rahnavard
Title: Associate Professor, Founder & CSTO
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health
---
Name: Keith A Crandall
Title: Professor, CEO & Co-Founder
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health
---
Name: Ajinkya Patil
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health
---
Name: Udbhav Kush
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health
---
Name: Vedant Mahangade
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health
---
Name: Dezhao Fu
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health
---
Name: Ali Reza Taheriyoun
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health

Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning for Carbon-Aware Global Logistics

Most GPS-based logistics systems optimize for a single objective i.e, speed. This approach overlooks a critical factor in freight transport: fuel consumption varies considerably based on traffic congestion, road grade, and vehicle load, making speed-only routing a significant contributor to unnecessary carbon emissions. This project presents a carbon-centric routing engine that jointly optimizes for delivery time and CO2 emissions. The road network is modeled as a dynamic graph in which each roa

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Alekya Sai Laxmi Kowta
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Full Name: Kritika Berry
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Full Name: Kushi Khandoji
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Full Name: Jasmine Sciarillo
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Nova: Building the Infrastructure for Regenerative Travel

Nova is a curated travel platform connecting conscious travelers with independently owned, community-aligned hospitality operators. By verifying local ownership and reinvesting a portion of each booking into host communities, Nova ensures tourism dollars stay local. The platform empowers small operators with visibility and fairer economics while giving travelers meaningful, transparent ways to support the places they visit.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Chelsea Acheampong
School: School of Business

NVIDIA / Dell Technologies / Cambridge Computer [SPONSOR]

NVIDIA engineers the most advanced chips, systems, and software for the AI factories of the future. The company's work in AI and digital twins is transforming the world's largest industries and profoundly impacting society.

Dell Technologies is a global team united under a single purpose: to drive human progress through the power of technology. The company helps organizations and individuals build their digital future and transform how they work, live and play.

Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (OIE) is the university’s central resource for turning ideas into impact. They support students, faculty, alumni, and partners from all schools and disciplines - providing the programs, mentorship, and opportunities to build ventures, commercialize research, and shape the future of innovation at GW and beyond.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Jessica Vodilka
Title: Associate Director, Education Programs
Organization: GW Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
---
Name: Sarah Leary
Title: Supervisor of Operations
Organization: GW Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
---
Name: Bob Smith
Title: Executive Director
Organization: GW Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Open-World Agentic Drone for Human-AI Teaming

This program introduces an LLM-driven agentic drone planning system designed for open-world environments. The system processes arbitrary natural-language instructions, decomposing them into sequential steps, and finally planning the path for physical deployment. Additionally, it features an active uncertainty resolution mechanism; upon encountering ambiguities, the agent initiates targeted, bidirectional dialogue to acquire necessary information with minimal interaction cost.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Tian Lan
Title: Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Zeyu Fang
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Patient‑Specific Tumor‑on‑Chip Platform

A patient-specific microfluidic "tumor-on-chip" platform is a miniaturized device that uses precisely controlled microchannels to perfuse living patient-derived tumor material (e.g., dissociated biopsy cells, tumor spheroids/organoids, or liquid-biopsy-derived tumor cells) together with key components of the tumor microenvironment (stromal cells, endothelial barriers/vasculature, and sometimes immune cells).

About the Participant(s)

Name: Aiste Gulla
Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Name: Tian Lan
Title: Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Zhenyu Li
Title: Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Daniel Carrera
Title: Resident
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

PredictMod

PredictMod (https://hivelab.biochemistry.gwu.edu/predictmod) is an application designed to provide clinicians with a powerful decision making tool that enhances clinical understanding of patient-level data. Through the use of the open-source PredictMod platform, clinicians, patients, and researchers will access predictive ML models based on real-world data. The agnostic nature of the platform allows for widespread use and relevance to all fields within the scope of medicine.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Lori Krammer
Title: Research Associate
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Name: Pat McNeely
Title: Asst. Research Professor
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Name: Raja Mazumder
Title: Professor
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Research Technology Services

Learn more about Research Technology Services (RTS) within GW's Division of IT and the services this team provides to researchers at GW. The RTS team will showcase a dashboard of Live Statistics for Pegasus, GW's flagship High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Rubeel M Iqbal
Title: Manager, Research Computing
Organization: GWIT

Rinse-Free mLbL Reverse Osmosis Membranes

Learn more about a new class of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes designed for cost-efficient water purification. A rinse-free molecular-layer-by-layer (mLbL) fabrication process creates ultra-smooth, highly cross-linked polyamide membranes that maintain up to 99.9% salt rejection while reducing cleaning frequency by 90%, energy use by 40%, and extending membrane life up to 4x. The platform enables tunable surface chemistry for improved fouling and scaling resistance, with potential applications in seawater desalination and ultrapure water production for the semiconductor industry.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Xitong Liu
Title: Associate Professor
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Sustainability Research Institute

Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) is a cornerstone of the GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future, amplifying and conducting interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and innovation. SRI's mission is to catalyze transformative sustainability research, foster new partnerships, and secure funding for groundbreaking initiatives that address the world’s most pressing environmental and societal challenges.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Robert W. Orttung
Title: Professor of Sustainability and International Affairs
School: GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future

Teach Anything: Open-Access AI

Teach Anything is a multimodal, multilingual platform that enables professors to use open-source LLMs to build custom open-access AI applications that are permanently free. Students do not have to login to use these applications. This free platform has been featured in the New York Times. Learn more about the tool at https://www.teachanything.ai

About the Participant(s)

Name: Alexa Alice Joubin
Title: Director, Digital Humanities Institute
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Basile Joubin
Title: Technical Support
Organization: American University

The Art and Science of Managing Stress

In 2019, the World Health Organization concluded that the arts positively impact health for prevention and treatment. GW Art therapy leverages these attributes while integrating research from mental health. In relation to stress, people working with art therapists have: enhanced coping strategies and meaning-making (Tripp et. al, 2019), creative ways to endure challenges (Potash, et. al, 2025), and lowered professional burnout (Srolovitz et. al, 2022).

About the Participant(s)

Name: Jordan Potash
Title: Associate Professor, Art Therapy
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Jiawei "Roxanne" Cen
Title: MA Student, Art Therapy
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Sarah Ort
Title: MA Student, Art Therapy
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

The Opportunity Dashboard

The Opportunity Dashboard is an adaptive digital intelligence (ADI) tool that helps policymakers, investors and community leaders model the impact of community investments before they are made. Through interactive scenarios, users can explore how targeted funding across sectors like housing, health and employment can influence outcomes and close wealth gaps. The tool demonstrates how data and ADI can support smarter policy and investment decisions for more just and resilient communities.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Amber Holland
Title: Senior Communications Associate
School: GW Institute for Socioeconomic Opportunity
---
Name: Fatima Wasaeem
Title: Senior Research Associate
School: GW Institute for Socioeconomic Opportunity
---
Name: Purva Trivedi
Title: Policy Analyst
School: GW Institute for Socioeconomic Opportunity
---
Name: Jagannath Narayanaswamy
Title: Student Research Associate
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health

Tipping-Proof AI

Our physics-based research on 'Physics of AI' has solved AI's elephant-in-the-room problem: the 'silent risk' that AI output on a smartphone, etc. will tip from desirable to dangerous without the user knowing. This is now a massive concern for everyone as we move toward Edge AI (i.e., AI companions running locally on smartphones and other devices around us)—including doctors, financial traders, lawyers, medics, emergency workers, warfighters . . . and any parent.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Neil Johnson
Title: Professor
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Frank Yingjie Huo
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

Training on Non-Medical Risk Factor Research

Advancing Non-Medical Risk Factor Research through A Community-Based Lens: An NIH/NINR R25 Short Course 

This short course provides interdisciplinary training to advance research on non-medical risk factors and equips investigators from nursing and other aligned health professions to improve health outcomes and reduce persistent disparities.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Sherrie Wallington
Title: Professor and Associate Center Director of Outreach and Community Engagement at the GW Cancer Center
School: School of Nursing
---
Name: Christine Pintz
Title: Professor and Interim Associate Dean of Research
School: School of Nursing

Unmasking Health Disparities in Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities in Greater Washington DC: A Community-Based Participatory Needs Assessment

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) populations are among the fastest growing racial/ethnic groups in the U.S., yet remain underrepresented in health data due to racial aggregation and the Model Minority Myth. This study aims to identify unmet health needs and barriers to care within local AAPI communities in the Greater Washington DC area through a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Jingyi (Jeni) Zhang
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
---
Full Name: Adrienne N Poon
Title: Associate Professor of Medicine
School: GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences

VR Healthcare Agent

Explore an AI-driven system that automatically generates interactive virtual reality (VR) training environments for medical education. The system uses an intelligent agent to dynamically construct simulated clinical scenarios within an immersive VR space. When medical students enter the environment, they encounter a predefined training context, and the AI agent generates relevant virtual objects, patient cases, and interactive elements in real time.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Tian Lan
Title: Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Rongqian Chen
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Name: Allison Andreyev
School: Wootton High School

The Many Faces of Trust: Innovating in AI When Everyone Sees it Differently

While "Trustworthy AI" is a global policy goal, there is no widespread agreement on its definition. This panel argues that the failure to define the term is not a technical gap, but a consequence of different epistemologies associated with distinct worldviews. By treating trust as a "boundary object"—something interpreted differently by various groups yet serving as a common point of reference—this session explores how to move AI governance forward through a pluralistic approach that acknowledges inherent contradictions.

About the Participant(s)

Name: David Broniatowski
Title: Professor of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering; Deputy Director of NIST-NSF Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law and Society (TRAILS); Research Director of GW Trustworthy AI Initiative, Program Coordinator of GWU-PREP
School: School of Engineering and Applied Science
---
Name: Patrick Hall
Title: Chief AI Officer and Teaching Assistant Professor of Decision Sciences
School: GW School of Business
---
Name: Alexa Alice Joubin
Title: Director, Digital Humanities Institute
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Zoe Szajnfarber
Title: Professor of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, International Affairs, and Computer Science; Senior Advisor to the President on AI Strategy; and Faculty Director of the GW Trustworthy AI Initiative
School: School of Engineering and Applied Science
---
Name: Aya Zirikly
Title: Assistant Professor of Computer Science
School: School of Engineering and Applied Science

AI‑Accelerated Life Sciences Research: Closing Gaps From Drug Discovery to Clinical Trials

Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving from hype to real‑world impact across the life sciences, accelerating the discovery and delivery of potential new medicines. In this conversation, scientists from AstraZeneca and Evinova will share how data science and AI tools are breaking down traditional research silos, speeding the identification of promising drug targets, and enabling the design of smarter clinical trials. They will also explore why AI systems must be built with safety‑by‑design principles and why the models themselves must be transparent, reliable, and trustworthy when these tools are used to inform high‑risk decisions in clinical research. Finally, the conversation will highlight how collaboration among academia, industry, and regulators can drive the next wave of responsible, evidence‑driven innovation.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Gayathri Mohankumar
Title: Director, Head of Multi-Modal & Multi-Omic Foundation Models
Organization: AstraZeneca
---
Name: Kamen Bliznashki
Title: Senior Director, Data Science & AI
Organization: Evinova
---
Name: Raja Mazumder
Title: Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
Organization: GW School of Medicine & Life Sciences

4D Printing of Thermo-responsive Hydrogel with Reversible Transformation for Neural Tissue Engineering

In this study, we present a thermo-responsive hydrogel for 4D bioprinting of reversible, shape-transformable constructs. The system integrates GelMA with PNIPAAm, enabling programmable swelling below and shrinking above its LCST (~32 °C). Bilayer designs enable controlled bending and twisting. Moreover, a 4D-printed proof-of-concept nerve guidance conduit supports NSC-laden matrices and autonomously contracts under physiological conditions, enabling sutureless tissue integration.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Shengbo Guo
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

A Dual 3D Bioprinting Platform for Engineering an Anisotropic 4D Cardiac Patch with Perfusable Vasculature

Repair of infarcted myocardium remains difficult. Current therapies cannot simultaneously reproduce myocardial anisotropy, build perfusable vascular structures, and adapt to the beating cardiac environment. This study developed a dual 3D bioprinting platform combining SLA and coaxial printing to fabricate anisotropic cardiac patches with vascular structures and 4D shape-morphing capability for myocardial repair.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Shuaiqi Song
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

A Queueing-Theoretic Approximation of Truck-Drone Collaborative Delivery

In last-mile delivery operations, drones are emerging as a transformative complement to traditional truck-based delivery systems because of their advantages in speed, flexibility, and low emissions. However, their practical deployment is constrained by limited battery endurance and payload capacity. These limitations motivate the integration of drones with trucks, whereby the truck serves as a mobile launch and recovery platform that transports drones closer to customers.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Xi Feng
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

A Wellness Initiative: Mindfulness Training for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel to Promote Self-care and Well-being

This study's wellness initiative aimed to promote self-care and improve well-being for the Unlicensed Assistive Personnel through Mindfulness Training. Findings from the self-paced, web-based Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program demonstrated statistically significant improvements in participants' self-care behaviors, supporting the intervention's value.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Julia Aurora Clarke
Title: Assistant Professor of Nursing
School: School of Nursing

Beyond School Phone Bans: How Home Rules Shape Adolescent Social Media Use

This study of 638 U.S. adolescents (ages 15-17) examines how home and school rules around mobile phone use relate to adolescent social media and online use. Results show that stricter home rules were significantly associated with lower social media and online use, including general and school-day use. Conversely, school rules showed no significant associations. While school policies on mobile phones may be insufficient alone, supporting parents through evidence-based guidance could be promising.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Emily C. Zhang
Title: PhD Candidate in Social and Behavioral Sciences
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health

C8-ISR Framework in Emergency Response

A search and rescue operation is a race against time, complicated by fractured information often in remote areas with intermittent communication. This presentation introduces C8-ISR, a novel AI framework that fuses these disparate data streams into a single, coherent intelligence picture for first responders. Demonstrate how this distributed system dynamically manages thousands of data points per second to pinpoint a target's location faster under DDIL. Featured at SPIE Defense & Security 2026

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Jason Teske
Title: AI/ML Doctoral Candidate
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Detection of Human and Parasite-Specific Immunoglobulin in Archived Dried Blood Spots

Dried blood spots (DBS) collected on filter paper are a low-cost method for field-based blood collection and long-term storage. This study investigated whether long-term refrigerated DBS (n=35, up to 20+ years) could serve as a reliable matrix for IgG detection and malaria sero-surveillance, using hemoglobin quantification, sandwich ELISA, Western blot, and Plasmodium-specific antibody detection.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Alice Tchangoum
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

Epimene: A Collaborative Hub for Youth Voice in Research

Youth voices are frequently overlooked in research studies. This oversight can exclude the perspectives of 1.2 billion individuals. Young people are confronted with dual challenges as competition in the workforce requires them to have more skills and experiences than ever before. Epimene, an online collaborative platform, provides young intellectuals aged 15 to 24 with tools, connections, and a platform to create and publish research on their own terms.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Lily Diaz
Title: MA in International Education and Human Development
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development

Exploring Epistemic Trust, Therapeutic Alliance, and Flourishing in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Epistemic trust (ET), trust in interpersonally communicated information, plays a key role in psychotherapy. Impairments in ET may disrupt processing of social information, while its restoration through the working alliance (bond, tasks, goals) supports treatment outcomes. This study examines ET, interpersonal problems, and flourishing in a psychodynamic clinical sample. Higher mistrust linked to poorer goal agreement; trust trended with task. Trust predicted flourishing, but mistrust did not.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Kelly Gleischman
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Full Name: Cheri Marmarosh
Title: Professor
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

Feminist Theory, Feminist Pedagogy, and the Ethics of Care in Online Higher Education Teaching and Learning: A Systematic Review

This literature review of empirical research investigated the intersection of feminist theory, feminist pedagogy, the ethics of care, and online higher education in formal educational settings between 2005 and 2025. This systematic review emphasizes the importance of these frameworks in fostering relational, student-centered approaches essential to inclusive online learning environments and underscores the need to co-design justice-oriented learning environments between educators and learners.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Vicky W. Lee
Title: PhD Student and Graduate Research Assistant
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development
---
Full Name: Natalie B. Milman, PhD
Title: Associate Dean, Office of Student Life; Professor, Educational Technology Leadership
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development

Governing Crisis: International Frameworks and Structural Inequality in Health Emergencies

This study examines the interplay between international legislation frameworks and crisis coordination mechanisms and how they can be agents in perpetuating structural inequalities during health emergencies, specifically within the context of chronic crises.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Sabrin Ahmed
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

Mobile DNA Activity in Parkinson’s Disease: A Locus-Specific View of Endogenous Retroviruses

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are mobile DNA sequences that become integrated in the host genome during evolution. HERV reactivation is associated with gene dysregulation and has been implicated in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. The connection between Parkinson’s disease (PD) and HERV reactivation remains poorly understood. This study investigates locus-specific HERV expression in PD compared to healthy controls, and examines how these changes contribute to systemic inflammation.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Elizabeth Banda-Arnold
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health

 

Nanoparticle Photothermal Therapy Generates Polyclonal, Multiantigen-Specific T cells that Persist in Immunocompetent Models of Ovarian Cancer

We present a novel application of an ex vivo expansion platform that engineers multiantigen-specific T cells for ovarian cancer. This approach uses nanoparticle photothermal therapy to generate polyclonal, tumor-specific T cells without the need for genetic modification. Further, we developed a fully autologous, immunocompetent murine model that demonstrates our product synergizes with FDA-approved epigenetic therapy to increase immunogenicity in the tumor microenvironment and improve survival.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Abigail Lee
Title: Ph.D. Candidate in Immunology
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Nef-Containing Extracellular Vesicles Potentiate Neuroinflammation through Epigenetic Modification

HIV-associated dementia (HAD) is a comorbidity of HIV characterized by neuroinflammation of an unknown cause. Our research proposes that the HIV-1 protein Nef is a potential causative agent, traveling in extracellular vesicles to interact with brain support cells, priming these cells for increased inflammatory responses. We show that these interactions result in changes in cell shape and signaling spurred by epigenetic modification. This work aims to support targeted effective treatment options.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Ashley Bastin
Title: Doctoral Candidate
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

Physics-Based Noise Simulation in Silicon Devices

This project develops a physics-based Monte Carlo framework to simulate electrical noise in silicon devices from microscopic carrier motion. Using self-consistent Poisson coupling and Ramo-Shockley current extraction, the work validates thermal, shot, and generation-recombination noise in resistors and PN diodes across 1D and 2D device structures, including temperature and bias sweeps.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Sri Satya Maram
Title: MS Thesis Student
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Predicting Demonstration Size on Salience and Demographic Characteristics

This study predicts US demonstration sizes from 2017–2018 using data from the Crowd Counting Consortium Phase 1 (2017-2020), the American Community Survey 1-year estimates, and the Most Important Problem Dataset (MIPD), Second Release (2024). The findings reveal that issue importance is more useful than demographics in predicting crowd sizes, though factors like age, unemployment, and education also play key roles. Implications include resource allocation for social movements and public safety.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Alexander D. Silberman
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

Public Knowledge of Data Centers, Public Health Impacts and the Effects of Education

This study surveyed 114 Metro Atlanta residents aged 13 and older to assess their understanding of data centers and the effects of educational interventions. Results highlight the importance of proactive education and transparent engagement for fair public health policy. Data centers generate heat and use significant energy, worsening air quality and health risks. The study suggests that a lack of educational outreach before construction can worsen health disparities.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Paul Gael Gomez
School: Milken Institute School of Public Health

Silenced by Design: Confucianism, Colonialism, and Gender Inequality in South Korea

This research examines how Confucianist values, reinforced by Japanese colonial rule, entrenched gender inequality in South Korea and continue to hinder progress toward SDG 5. By tracing the historical mistreatment of Korean women through the comfort women system to present-day wage gaps and workplace discrimination, this project argues that genuine gender equality requires confronting the colonial and patriarchal roots that bilateral diplomacy alone has failed to address.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Madison Ayala
School: School of Business

Simulation of Distributed Low-Energy Arrhythmia Therapy towards Hardware-Mappable High-Definition Processing

Traditional cardiac implants use low-resolution sensing and high-energy shocks to stop arrhythmias, which can be traumatic for patients. This work proposes a distributed, closed-loop system using high-resolution data and trianed cellular neural network to detect cardiac patterns and guide precise, low-energy therapy. Simulations show over 96% accuracy and successful arrhythmia termination within 1 second using much lower energy, enabling more efficient, targeted, and patient-specific treatments.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Zhuolin Yang
Title: Phd Candidate
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Full Name: Gina Adam
Title: Associate Professor
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
---
Full Name: Alexandra Yaen
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Skewed Allele Expression of Single-cell SNVs Correlates with Predicted Functional Impact

We present a single-cell framework that uses allele-specific expression (ASE) skew as a quantitative readout of variant impact, integrating long-read and short-read single-cell RNA sequencing across multiple biological systems. Across classes of expressed single-nucleotide variants, variants predicted to be damaging consistently exhibit stronger ASE skew than those predicted to be tolerated; supported by categorical imbalance testing, continuous effect metrics, and permutation-validation.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Vania Ballesteros Prieto
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Teal in Action: How Community Independents Advocate for Climate Action in Australia's Parliament

This project analyzes the effects that community independents have had on climate legislation and debate within Australia using speeches and amendments to four climate laws. It analyzes themes related to SDG 13 to understand how the teal independents used their offices to bring attention to climate change, specifically through parliamentary procedures such as speeches and questions. Teal independents can provide a model to combat climate change using official actions.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Josh Lipman
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

Understanding How Patient Engagement is Enacted through Telehealth: A Grounded Theory Study

This qualitative study explored how patient engagement occurs in ambulatory telehealth following COVID-19. Using grounded theory methods, participants described engagement through information exchange, active involvement, and mutual understanding. Findings emphasize trust as central to engagement, built through appropriate telehealth use, mindful communication, reciprocal relationships, and frequent interaction, with implications for telehealth practice and policy.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Patricia Deyo
Title: Assistant Dean for Assessment, Evaluation, and Accreditation
School: GW School of Nursing

When Top-Down Messaging and the Bottom-Up Narratives Collide: Exploring Human Readiness for AI Adoption in Organizations

This study makes sense of the societal hype and fear associated with the rapid rise of AI. It uses sentiment analysis of social media posts and interviews with professionals across diverse industries to explore human readiness for AI. The data reveal five distinct attitudes towards AI representing competing narratives, that conflict with one another, resulting in inconsistent and uneven AI adoption. Based on these findings, the study provides practical recommendations.

About the Participant(s)

Full Name: Shaista E. Khilji
Title: Professor
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development
---
Full Name: David Timis
Title: Senior Fellow in AI Governance
Organization: Global Governance Institute, Brussels, Belgium
---
Full Name: Kevin Knudsen
Title: Director of Academic Commons
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development
---
Full Name: Mengyin Cao
Title: PhD Candidate
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development
---
Full Name: Ivy Clem
Title: PhD Student
School: Graduate School of Education & Human Development

Publishing for Impact: Authors’ Stories from Concept to Conversation

How do bold ideas become books that shape conversations beyond the academy? Join accomplished GW authors from diverse disciplines as they share what it took to bring their recent books into the world, from proposal to publication. In conversation with the director of GW’s Graduate Publishing Program, the panel will explore how book‑length works can integrate cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creativity, transforming ideas into impactful public contributions.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Eric H. Cline
Title: Professor of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies and of Anthropology
School: GW Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
Latest Book: Love, War, and Diplomacy: The Discovery of the Amarna Letters and the Bronze Age World They Revealed
---
Name: Andrew Ferguson
Title: Professor of Law
School: GW Law School
Latest Book: Your Data Will Be Used Against You: Policing in the Age of Self-Surveillance
---
Name: Cheryl W. Thompson
Title: Associate Professor of Journalism
School: GW School of Media and Public Affairs
Latest Book: Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen
---
Name: Gayle Wald
Title: Professor of American Studies
School: GW Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
Latest book: This Is Rhythm: Ella Jenkins, Children’s Music, and the Long Civil Rights Movement
---
Name: John Warren (Moderator)
Title: Professor and Director, GW Graduate Publishing Program
School: GW College of Professional Studies

GW 3 Minute Thesis Showcase

3-Minute Thesis (3MT) challenges graduate students to present their research clearly and concisely to a non-specialist audience—in just three minutes and with one static PowerPoint slide. This fast-paced competition cultivates skills in public speaking, knowledge translation, and engaging storytelling. Hear from GW’s top 3MT winners as they demonstrate how complex ideas can be made accessible across disciplines through the power of concise communication.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Ashley Bastin (First Place & People’s Choice Winner)
Title: “Trained to Destroy: Uncovering the Causes of HIV-Associated Dementias”
Department/School: Biological Sciences, GW Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
---
Name: Elton VanNoy (Second Place)
Title: “Epigenetic Modulation During CAR T Cell Manufacturing: Advancing Immunotherapeutic Strategies for Pediatric Glioma”
Department/School: Pharmacology & Physiology, GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
---
Name: Nick Foreman (Third Place)
Title: "Exercise Prevents the Negative Effects of High-Fat Foods"
Department/School: Exercise Physiology & Applied Nutrition, GW Milken Institute School of Public Health
---
Name: Autumn Anthony (Presenter)
Title: Assistant Director
Organization: Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs

GW Dissertation Awards

The Outstanding Dissertation Awards (ODA) celebrate exceptional doctoral research at GW.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Stephen C. Rangazas
Award: First Place, Humanities and Social Sciences
Department: Political Science
Dissertation Title: Breaking Insurgent Economies: State Indiscriminate Violence during Civil War
---
Name: Jingwen Zheng
Award: Runner-Up, Humanities and Social Sciences
Department: Public Policy & Public Administration
Dissertation Title: Essays in Urban and Real Estate Economics
---
Name: Xin (Tracy) Li
Award: First Place, Biological and Health Sciences
Department: Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Dissertation Title: Dietary quality, metabolomics, and changes in physical function and frailty in older adults
---
Name: Yashan Wang
Award: Runner-Up, Biological and Health Sciences
Department: Environmental Health
Dissertation Title: Agriculture-driven Human Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance: A One Health Analysis of Bacterial and Fungal Threats
---
Name: Xiaochen Jin
Award: First Place, Physical and Mathematical Sciences & Engineering
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dissertation Title: Short-range Order in Group IV Alloys
---
Name: Huizheng (Ali) Guo
Award: Runner-Up, Physical and Mathematical Sciences & Engineering
Department: Mathematics
Dissertation Title: From Branched Covers to 4-Manifolds: Alexander Modules, Skein Modules and Mapping Class Groups
---
Name: Suresh Subramaniam (Presenter)
Title: Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs; Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Organization: Office of the Provost

GW Student Inventor of the Year Award

This award recognizes a student’s outstanding achievement through inventing technology with potential to transition from academia to the commercial sector.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Brian Coblitz (Presenter)
Title: Executive Director
Organization: GW Technology Commercialization Office