Rena Malai

Mason ASCE teams hosted, competed in 2023

Teresa Donnellan — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:00:16 +0000

Mason ASCE teams hosted, competed in 2023 Teresa Donnellan Mon, 01/08/2024 - 12:00

In This Story

Every year, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) allows its college chapters to participate in competitions that showcase the engineering knowledge and finesse of civil engineering students across the country.

Two of George Mason University's ASCE teams—Team Surveying and Team Sustainable Solutions—participated and won in the annual competition, which was held in early spring of 2023. Led by Doaa Bondok, assistant professor of structural engineering and Mason ASCE faculty advisor, the Mason teams competed in challenges like the Steel Bridge Competition, Surveying Competition, and Sustainable Solutions.

“These competitions present fun challenges where students extend their engineering knowledge, think through concepts, create innovative solutions, and consider sustainability practices in their final designs,” said Bondok.

Mason's student team competes in the Steel Bridge Competition at the annual ASCE Virginias' Conference, hosted by the student chapter of Mason’s American Society of Civil Engineers. Photo by Bethany Camp/Office of University Branding

Several Mason civil engineering students also won ASCE National Capital Section scholarships: Amber Brown, previous ASCE student vice president, received $2,500; Phillip Hunt, current ASCE student vice president, received $1500; and Kyler Resnick, ASCE recruiting and membership officer and the captain of the Steel Bridge Competition, received $1,500.

“My role as faculty advisor is to support the teams to achieve their goals,” said Bondok. “Personally, I see the most significant aspect of my role is to encourage and motivate them to overcome challenges along the way, help them grow professionally, uplift their spirit, and just being there for them.”

According to Bondok, being an ASCE student member is a rewarding experience that offers the chance to participate in and work on projects that may not be taught within a classroom and work closely with professional mentors in the industry.

Nicholo Gadiana, a Mason ASCE alum, was the project lead of the Sustainable Solutions Competition in 2022.

“One thing I would advise to anyone interested is don't be afraid to let your ideas be heard,” said Gadiana, who underscored the value of being a member of Mason's ASCE chapter. “Students should start having the mentality of networking and interacting with students, professors, and industry professionals when joining ASCE. After graduation, this attribute significantly improved how I approach other professionals in the industry.”

“Students have the ability to significantly improve their critical thinking abilities, gain management skills, and have a strong role on their resume that helps them be well-rounded and competitive as job candidates,” said Bondok.

The Mason ASCE chapter also received an honorable mention for their outstanding activities in 2022.

Topics

Civil Engineering

competitions

student organizations

Students

College of Engineering and Computing

Mushrooming feats of engineering success

Rena Malai — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 13:12:44 +0000

Mushrooming feats of engineering success Rena Malai Tue, 10/24/2023 - 09:12

In This Story

Emma (Xijin) Zhang

It’s important not to crowd mushrooms in a pan, otherwise they won’t cook properly, according to well-known American chef Julia Child. But Child likely didn’t realize that those mushrooms crowded together can accomplish impressive feats of engineering within concrete structures.

Xijin “Emma” Zhang, assistant professor in civil engineering at George Mason University, is working on exploring the use of fungi spores within infrastructures. The practice is relatively new, and Zhang is the first professor within Mason’s Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering to work on incorporating fungi materials for sustainable building purposes.

“The research I’m very passionate about is exploring how to utilize natural resources to solve challenges within civil engineering,” Zhang said. “Although I am not a biologist, studying these natural solutions to engineering can help make complex solutions to infrastructure challenges simple.”

In Zhang’s research, the fungal fibers that make up the "stem" part of the mushroom get mixed into the concrete mixture before the building process starts. If cracks later generate within the concrete structure, the air and moisture seeping through the cracks activate the fungi spores. The fungi fibers ‘bloom’ and produce chemical minerals. The strong fungal fibers and the chemical minerals help heal the cracks.

“The healing of the cracks is facilitated by the growth of the fungal fibers and the fungi’s productions of chemical minerals,” Zhang said. “This self-healing technology saves expensive and timely repairs to the structures.”

The fungi’s hydrophobic surface means just that—it repels water. This additional benefit prevents water from infiltrating concrete, deterring water-related distresses and improving the durability of the infrastructure.

Zhang is working on cultivating different fungi spores and testing what works best, as not all classes of fungi would necessarily work for cracks. She has discovered the fungi spores within oyster mushrooms have resilient fibers and can be developed to provide excellent properties in thermal insulation, while being safe for human beings to come in contact with.

She sees Mason as a hub of rich resources in research, collaboration, and connections. Being fairly new to the College of Engineering and Computing, Zhang is excited to partner with fellow colleagues in various fields, who are also interested in exploring the uses of fungi as a solution, beyond civil engineering.

“Fungi have many unknown properties, and I’m looking forward to exploring these types of green technology solutions,” she said. “If anyone is interested in joining me to collaborate, I hope they will reach out.”

Zhang can be reached at xzhang50@gmu.edu.

Topics

civil and infrastructure engineering

CEIE Success Stories

Research

CEC faculty research

Civil engineering student builds career from the ground up

Rena Malai — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:04:36 +0000

Civil engineering student builds career from the ground up Rena Malai Thu, 09/21/2023 - 13:04

There are too many good reasons to choose George Mason University, according to civil engineering student David Prester. One of which – the rockstar civil engineering professors that helped him grow his education and career.

David Prester. Photo provided.

“They’re above and beyond,” said Prester.

Rockstar civil engineering Professor Matt Doyle recommended Prester for an internship at CDM Smith, an engineering firm that focuses on providing smart solutions within water, environment, transportation, and energy.

Prester’s previous experience with Mason’s Engineers for International Development (EfID) water restoration project in Ecuador lined up perfectly for his work at CDM Smith, where he spent time outside analyzing and monitoring soil, traveling to excavation sites, and overseeing subsurface drilling

“The work I was involved in looked at determining soil conditions for a variety of public works projects, and making sure field exploration work was regularly logged,” said Prester. “It was a mix of field and office work within the geotechnical engineering field.”

Mason’s DNA is in Prester’s family, as his mother and grandfather are both alums with Prester as the engineer of the group.

“I’ve always loved working outdoors and as I continued with school, discovered I love math as well,” he said. “Although I originally thought about a geology degree, geotechnical engineering opens up a lot more doors for me.”

He says it’s important to love what you do, but to not be afraid of doing things that are challenging and difficult.

“You can learn to enjoy something you think you may not be good at, or that seems difficult,” he said. “It’s worth it to give it a shot.”

Topics

internships

Engineers for International Development (EfID)

Curiosity inspires great things – and a nearly $1M grant

Rena Malai — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 14:36:45 +0000

Curiosity inspires great things – and a nearly $1M grant Rena Malai Fri, 02/03/2023 - 09:36

In This Story

David Lattanzi

Katherine Scafide, PhD, RN, FAAN

Janusz Wojtusiak, PhD

Achyuthan Jootoo Ramesh Bapu had a $1M idea. Photo provided.

Through creative freedom and curiosity, Achyuthan Jootoo Ramesh Bapu had an idea during his time as a PhD civil engineering student at George Mason University.

That idea eventually led to Mason’s College of Public Health and College of Engineering and Computing receiving a $988,599 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for a three-year study on bruise analysis. The study is led by College of Public Health Associate Professor Kat Scafide and CEC Associate Professor David Lattanzi. Janusz Wojtusiak, professor of Health Informatics in the College of Public Health, also serves as co-PI on the study.

“By being able to determine the age of bruises regardless of skin tone, through image processing and AI, it’s a step towards helping domestic violence victims as they go through the medical and legal processes,” says Jootoo.

Now working at LinkedIn, Jootoo connected a few dots while studying at Mason. He saw that the work of Lattanzi and Scafide had many parallels.

“Achyuthan is the only reason this project happened,” says Lattanzi. “He exemplifies how doctoral students make research happen at the university because they see the bigger picture.”

Jootoo began participating as a volunteer in Scafide’s work in injury analysis. Through sheer curiosity he asked questions, did some research on his own, and thought about Lattanzi’s work in image analysis and machine learning. He suggested Lattanzi and Scafide talk, and a collaboration was born.

“The goal of the project is to identify how bruises age over time,” says Jootoo. He participated as a volunteer at the beginning of the bruise imaging study, where small, non-harmful bruises were inflicted on participants and then analyzed in the following weeks to look at color, skin pigments, and how bruises appear and change on darker skin tones.

He says applying sophisticated image analysis to bruising could help curb any bias or subjectivity from medical practitioners and law enforcement examining a potential domestic violence victim, particularly if the person has darker skin. Having concrete data of bruising could help victims get the treatment and support they need.

“During my time at Mason, I felt encouraged to think creatively and explore anything that caught my interest, even if it wasn’t within my specific degree concentration,” Jootoo said.

Lattanzi says it’s important for professors to give students the freedom to explore, because great things can happen.

“When you advise graduate students, it’s the easy thing to tell them to focus on one project,” he says. “But it’s good to support students like Achyuthan, that demonstrate curiosity and interest, to let them explore. It can come back tenfold.”

Topics

Bruise Visibility

grants

doctoral students

Engineering for International Development (EfID) Ecuadorian water distribution project enters phase 3

Rena Malai — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 19:18:37 +0000

Engineering for International Development (EfID) Ecuadorian water distribution project enters phase 3 Rena Malai Wed, 01/11/2023 - 14:18

The San Pablo de Amali Phase III Team prepare for chlorine study at the first lab.
From left to right, Shannon Teri, David Prester, Kadmiel Afusei, and Professor Kirin Furst.

In the remote hamlet of San Pablo de Amali in Ecuador, access to clean water is a challenge due to various political and environmental issues. Without this vital access, the rural community’s farming and everyday life is under threat of drying up.

But with the help of Engineers for International Development at George Mason (EfID-GMU), a water distribution project is in place for San Pablo de Amali residents to get the water they need.

“With COVD-19, it was difficult to travel to Ecuador during 2020 and 2021,” says civil engineering student Camille Fulton, President of EfID-GMU. “In 2023 we have plans to return to San Pablo de Amali for phase three of the water distribution project.”

The EfID-GMU group has a great connection with the San Pablo de Amali community, which has about 200 people, according to Fulton. In preparation for travels, the group will work to buy and secure the equipment they need as well astake stock of any vaccines, travel documents, and travel restrictions they may encounter while in Ecuador.

During their week-long stay, the group will primarily focus on meeting with the community and local water board, doing water pressure checks within homes, conducting safe water information sessions for the community, and gathering general data to see what needs to be done for their next trip during the summer.

“The community understandably does not have a positive view of their water system and we hope to change and fix that,” says Fulton.

Her interest in EfID-GMU started back when she first joined Mason. She was immediately interested in the work EfID does and likened it to Doctors Without Borders, except with engineers.

“I am immensely proud of the club’s involvement,” she says. “Although we haven’t been able to provide students with international development work in the past couple years due to COVID-19, I’m happy everyone is coming back and ready to go this year.”

The water sustainability project is overseen by Mason engineering professor Mathew Doyle. EfID-GMU exists for students to participate in community-driven development programs worldwide through the design and implementation of sustainable engineering projects, while fostering responsible leadership.

Topics

Engineers for International Development (EfID)

clean water

Ecuador

CEC Global Engagement

PhD students get their feet wet in SMAPVEX 2022 field campaign

Rena Malai — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 18:09:07 +0000

PhD students get their feet wet in SMAPVEX 2022 field campaign Rena Malai Wed, 09/21/2022 - 14:09

Most folks with indoor plants may simply touch the soil to see how dry or wet it is. But measuring soil moisture on a larger scale is a crucial process that can play a role in detecting drought, unlikely weather patterns, ideal planting times, and forest fires.

NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission is an orbiting observatory (including several satellites) measuring the amount of water on soil surfaces. George Mason PhD students Soelem Bhuiyan and Ishrat Dollan participated in the SMAPVEX 2022 summer field campaign to measure soil moisture under forest canopies.

“SMAPVEX22 was designed to collect validation samples of soil moisture,” says Dollan. “The samples will help us better understand SMAP's soil moisture retrieval capability.”

The field campaign took place in Millbrook, New York, and Harvard Forest, Massachusetts. Bhuiyam and Dollan were part of the Millbrook team and spent most of their time on the forest floor collecting soil samples for data analysis.

Previously a water resources engineering undergraduate, Dollan is curious about the changing hydrological cycle.

“It is critical to accurately estimate each cycle element and comprehend the uncertainties,” she says. “I am grateful to have been assigned to a team of dedicated and energetic individuals to collect massive amounts of data that will help in answering science questions in the coming years.”

A typical day started around 5 a.m., as the field campaign group prepared to foray into the forest. Armed with testing supplies, water, food, and backpacks, the group collected the first sample around 6 a.m. before moving on to other selected locations in the forest, collecting samples along the way.

It was challenging physical work, according to Bhuiyan, but a fulfilling experience both professionally and personally.

“It was great to see the measure of intricate detail that goes into satellite measurement and meet students from across the U.S.,” he says. “We had a chance to do happy hours and explore the Millbrook area on our own, after the day’s work.”

He advises students to grab any kind of field campaign experience they can. Even if it’s not directly related to their field of study, the effort and participation will pay off.

“Whatever experiences like this you can get will help you professionally, especially with getting to know new people, networking, and building relationships,” he says. “Get out there and get going!”

Topics

internships

water resource engineering; civil and infrastructure engineering

Environment

Benjamin Atsem wins second prestigious fellowship award

Rena Malai — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 15:54:01 +0000

Benjamin Atsem wins second prestigious fellowship award Rena Malai Mon, 01/03/2022 - 10:54

In This Story

Mohan Venigalla

George Mason University PhD candidate Benjamin Atsem says it’s his passion to make an impact in the field of transportation engineering. His focus has led him to win the U.S. department of Transportation Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program award not once, but twice.

“When you have a passion to do something, you put in all your best to reflect in your work quality and commitment,” says Atsem, who won the fellowship award for the first time in 2018. “I feel humbled by the award, which challenges me to work harder than before." 

Through this 2021 fellowship award, Atsem will receive a grant of $35,500 towards completing his dissertation work. His research will focus on environmental justice and economic equity issues of emerging modes of transportation, such as micromobility. The micromobility area of transportation includes lightweight, smaller vehicles, like bicycles and scooters.

Atsem will work closely under professor Mohan Venigalla in Mason’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Infrastructure Engineering.

“I feel proud working under professor Venigalla through my research to make sure bikeshare and scooter share systems have equal spread and access in all major urbanized communities, especially in underserved communities,” says Atsem. “Receiving this has given me the launch pad to succeed in my educational and professional career.”

The Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program awards students pursuing degrees in transportation-related disciplines. This program advances the transportation workforce by helping to attract the nation's brightest minds to the field of transportation, encouraging future transportation professionals to seek advanced degrees, and helping to retain top talent in the U.S. transportation industry. 

Topics

grant program

Department of Civil Environmental and Infrastructure Engineering (CEIE)

transportation engineering