Program

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
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Name: Patrick Hall
Title: Chief AI Officer and Teaching Assistant Professor of Decision Sciences
School: GW School of Business
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Name: Alexa Alice Joubin
Title: Director, Digital Humanities Institute
School: Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
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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
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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
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Name: Kamen Bliznashki
Title: Senior Director, Data Science & AI
Organization: Evinova
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Name: Raja Mazumder
Title: Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
Organization: GW School of Medicine & Life Sciences

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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Name: Jingwen Zheng
Award: Second Place, Humanities and Social Sciences
Department: Public Policy & Public Administration
Dissertation Title: Essays in Urban and Real Estate Economics
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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
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Name: Yashan Wang
Award: Second Place, 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
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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
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Name: Huizheng (Ali) Guo
Award: Second Place, Physical and Mathematical Sciences & Engineering
Department: Mathematics
Dissertation Title: From Branched Covers to 4-Manifolds: Alexander Modules, Skein Modules and Mapping Class Groups
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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