Alumni

Mason researchers imagine improved imaging for health diagnostics

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 12:41:27 +0000

Mason researchers imagine improved imaging for health diagnostics Nathan Kahl Tue, 04/11/2023 - 08:41

In This Story

Peering into the body past skin and tissue to detect problems, spot disease, and make proper diagnoses challenges medical professionals, even with recent leaps in the technology. Ultrasound, for example, while reliable, may add or omit information, cannot see through bones, is not adapted for deep structures, and might show things to be of a size and shape—or in a location—that is not accurate.

Bioengineering professor Remi Veneziano and Shrishti Singh in the lab. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

George Mason University College of Engineering and Computing bioengineering team members, including recent Mason PhD Shrishti Singh, Assistant Professor Remi Veneziano, and Associate Professor Parag Chitnis, are clearing things up with advancements in what’s known as near-infrared photoacoustic imaging (NIR-PAI).

This technique combines the advantages of optical and ultrasound imaging to provide high-resolution anatomical and functional information about tissues. They are tackling the biggest hindrance to NIR-PAI—the limited availability of contrast agents—by using a novel contrast agent platform to improve imaging capabilities. It will result in improvements in everything from deep-tissue tumor imaging, lymph node imaging, and biopsies.

“This technology might give patients better diagnostics for colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and more, and can improve their prognosis,” said Singh, who also has a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut and an engineering degree from Ramaiah Institute of Technology in Bangalore, India.

The Mason team is making inroads with this important element of health diagnosis and treatment, and with funding from the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) Commonwealth Commercialization Fund, they are seeking to launch a startup to commercialize their developments.

The VIPC award totaled $75,000 and will largely be used to develop the technology further with Singh now working as a postdoctoral fellow. Along with Veneziano—her advisor—and Chitnis, Singh hopes to launch a company based on this technology.

In 2022 the three researchers participated in the Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP), which assists Virginia-based tech-focused start-ups to get off the ground by teaching them to interview potential customers, get an understanding of the marketplace, and validate their business model.

The nonprofit operations arm of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA), VIPC is the commercialization and seed stage economic development driver in the commonwealth that leads funding, infrastructure, and policy initiatives to support Virginia's innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, and market development strategies. VIPC collaborates with local, regional, state, and federal partners to support the expansion and diversification of Virginia’s economy.

Topics

imaging

Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation

Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program

Research

Alumni

doctoral students

China Brown's advice for building a strong future? Take your time.

Tama Moni — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 14:26:58 +0000

China Brown's advice for building a strong future? Take your time. Tama Moni Mon, 09/26/2022 - 10:26

Civil engineering student China Brown says being an engineer isn’t about knowing all the math and physics in the world.

“Being an engineer is coming together with men and women of all backgrounds, experiences, and diversities to share our ideas, to inspire each other as a team, to better our society,” says Brown.

With plans to graduate this semester and start full time at Shirley Construction in January, Brown has had a professional vocation since childhood, when her favorite TV show was Bob the Builder.

“I was always hands-on...I’d want to build stuff. I wore a little hard hat” she says. But even with a clear vision of what she wanted, Brown faced significant challenges on her way to becoming an engineer.

“I came from a single-parent household,” she explained. “We do not have the best financial circumstances, but I came to Mason to pursue my lifelong dream and finally can represent as a first-generation [college graduate], African American, woman civil engineer.”

Brown started at George Mason University in 2017 amidst a massive personal challenge that resulted in a sexual assault court case scheduled on her birthday, December 8—coinciding with her first spate of final exams. In addition, test anxiety led Brown to Mason’s disability services; after filing paperwork, she was able to find a testing environment that worked for her. She credits the support of her family, friends, coworkers, and professors for helping her reach her goals as a student, noting especially that her mother and sister’s support allowed her to study, travel, and participate in enriching extracurricular activities.

"Ms. Brown is one of the most dedicated students I have taught. She stands out because of her communication and organizational skills, mental toughness, and humble personality. China has all it takes to start her career as a successful civil engineer." –– Dr. Doaa Bondok, assistant professor of structural engineering in the Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering

“Shirley gave me a chance at an internship...even though I didn’t have the greatest GPA,” she says. “Being there in the field and … asking questions … helped [me] so much [to] understand what it is to be an engineer.”

Brown’s enthusiasm for her work affirms her pursuit of engineering. When it comes to the job hunt, Brown advises fellow engineering students, “Don’t only focus on the amount of money you want to receive from a company but choose a place that will respect you and what you bring to the company. Go somewhere that you are comfortable and that will allow you to grow and enhance your educational opportunities.”

When asked what advice she had for prospective Mason engineering students, Brown emphasized the importance of patience and balance: “You don't have to be perfect, and your timing is your own. I started in 2017, and I'm graduating now, about five years [later].”

Brown also stresses the importance of persevering through difficult schoolwork: “Don’t be hard on yourself. Sometimes things may not come to you as easily as to others, but that doesn’t mean you are not capable of being successful.”

Dr. Doaa Bondok, an assistant professor of structural engineering who has taught Brown in several classes, says, "Ms. Brown is one of the most dedicated students I have taught. She stands out because of her communication and organizational skills, mental toughness, and humble personality. China has all it takes to start her career as a successful civil engineer."

In a few years, Brown plans to return to Mason for a business degree and ultimately open her own residential building company. Someday she may be hiring Mason interns of her own!

Topics

Civil Engineering

internships

Alumni

Mason alum is making a difference in the community college classroom

Colleen Rich — Tue, 10 May 2022 21:23:14 +0000

Mason alum is making a difference in the community college classroom Colleen Rich Tue, 05/10/2022 - 17:23

Kwabena Konadu. Photo provided

His own rise against long odds is what fuels Kwabena Konadu, BS Electrical Engineering ’00, MS Telecommunications ’02, every day, and it is what has makes him such an effective educator.

Konadu is a professor of computer science at Northern Virginia Community College’s Woodbridge Campus and the college-wide program head of cybersecurity.

In March, he was recognized for his work by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia with one of the its 2022 Outstanding Faculty Awards, one of the most prestigious teaching awards in the state.

“I come from very humble beginnings,” said Konadu of the award. “So that does mean a lot to me because I’ve been spending a significant amount of time helping the next generation of cyber professionals who will help protect our infrastructure.”

Arriving in the United States from his native Ghana at 14, Konadu could barely speak English and had never laid eyes on a computer. But his persistence in learning the language and fully immersing himself in education has transformed his life and spurred him to pay it forward.

Initially Konadu struggled academically, and he credits his teachers for encouraging him to press on. In addition to earning two degrees from Mason, he also holds a degree in physics from Washington College in Maryland.

“Mason really challenged me,” he said, “but it prepared me for what I’m experiencing right now.”

After completing college, Konadu initially worked as an engineer in a number of different capacities before opting to follow his passion for cybersecurity. In 2008, he began teaching noncredit workforce courses for NOVA, eventually becoming an adjunct professor for the school in 2014 and a full-time faculty member in 2018.

His passion for his students knows no limits, as Konadu also coaches the NOVA Cyber Sports Team, which was the only community college squad to make it to the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition’s regional qualifying round finals.

He sees himself remaining at NOVA for the long haul because he feels it’s where he can make the most positive impact each day.

“This is where you see the kids most in need,” said Konadu. “I’m excited about being able to help guide those kinds of students, prepare them [for the workforce], and help them put food on the table.”

For added motivation, his own stirring personal story is among the first things he offers students at the start of each year.

“If I can do it, they can do it,” he said.

Topics

Students

Alumni

Northern Virginia Community College

SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award

Spirit Fall 22

Civil Engineering Institute chair living her dream as an engineer and mentor to students

Nanci Hellmich — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 13:07:35 +0000

Civil Engineering Institute chair living her dream as an engineer and mentor to students Nanci Hellmich Fri, 06/12/2020 - 09:07

“The best civil engineering students are the ones who take ownership of their projects, who learn the scope of the project, the standards that apply, and who constantly ask questions about how to do things better.”

— Cerasela Cristei, chair of the Civil Engineering Institute, civil engineering adjunct professor, and senior project manager for T3 Design in Fairfax

Civil engineer Cerasela Cristei, MS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ‘05, PhD Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ‘10, says what she loves most about her career in civil engineering is that she serves others. “The most important projects to me are those that make traffic and transportation better in my community.”

When civil engineering alumna Cerasela Cristei was growing up in Romania, she considered becoming a professional ballet dancer like her mother, father, and sister—or a teacher because she thought she would love to instruct and mentor younger people.

“My path to civil engineering was sinuous because I was born in a family of artists and imagined I would follow that path,” says Cristei, MS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ‘05, PhD Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ‘10.

But her grand jeté landed her in a different career. “I was good at math and physics so engineering was the right field for me.”

Cristei immigrated to the United States in 1996 at age 31 with a five-year degree in civil engineering. She enrolled at Mason to earn a MS degree and later a PhD in civil and infrastructure engineering from the Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering (CEIE). Her dissertation, “Optimization Modeling for Urban Street Design,” focused on the perception of the level of service from the perspective of bicycle, pedestrian, and auto users of urban streets.

In her job as a senior project manager for T3 Design Corporation in Fairfax, Cristei works on local transportation improvements. She’s the new chair of the Civil Engineering Institute (CEI) board and a CEIE adjunct professor in charge of the senior design class.

Her goal with the board is to engage members in activities that promote the civil engineering department as well as attract new members. And she wants to work with the department’s faculty to make sure graduates possess the skills and knowledge they will need to launch into their jobs.

What she loves most about her career in civil engineering is that she serves others. “The most important projects to me are those that make traffic and transportation better in my community,” she says.

When she was a project manager at Dewberry, she worked on the Metro’s Silver Line, developing the erosion and sediment control plans and assisting in obtaining more than 200 permits.

"No construction can even start without the erosion and sediment control plans, which is how the adjoining properties are protected from sediment-laden runoff from construction sites and more,” she says. “If the perimeter of a construction site is not protected with the correct measures there are consequences for the public as well as for the contractor.”

At T3 Design, she works on various types of traffic projects including intersection upgrades, traffic signals, signage, and pavement markings. “We do not design major roadways, yet, but we make existing ones better,” she says. She also mentors junior engineers.

After a full work week, Cristei teaches a three-hour senior design class for CEIE every week. She guides teams of students as they develop solutions for a transportation problem in the area. This year, the students proposed options to replace a one-lane bridge in an increasingly congested area.

She wants students to be successful and stretch their skills. “With some, I encourage them saying, ‘Can you do better?’ That’s going to help them because that’s what we do in industry. The first solution you come up with is not always the best.

“The best civil engineering students are the ones who take ownership of their projects, who learn the scope of the project, the standards that apply, and who constantly ask questions about how to do things better,” she says.

Laura Kosoglu, CEIE associate chair and director of the department’s graduate program, says Cristei has a special relationship with her students. “At the end of the senior design presentations, Cerasela always gathers the groups together for parting advice, just her and the students,” Kosoglu says. “I have always loved this tradition of hers. The students gathered in a circle listening intently. When she speaks, people listen.”

As she suspected long ago, Cristei loves teaching. “It’s unbelievable how happy I am and how much energy I have after I teach the classes. My husband said to me, ‘You enjoy teaching’ and I do.”

Civil and infrastructure engineering alumna finds creative ways to give back

Nanci Hellmich — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 18:58:20 +0000

Civil and infrastructure engineering alumna finds creative ways to give back Nanci Hellmich Wed, 06/03/2020 - 14:58

“The engineering program is amazing. They have exactly the right mix of full-time professors and adjunct professors who tell you what it’s like in the real world.”

— Ingrid Davis-Colato, BS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ’16, MS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ’19.

Water resource engineer Ingrid Davis-Colato, who earned both a BS and MS in civil and infrastructure engineering from Mason Engineering, says the faculty at the school helped her find a fulfilling career path.

The way alumna Ingrid Davis-Colato sees it, Mason Engineering’s faculty helped her build a rewarding career as a water resource engineer. She’s determined to do the same for others.

“I want to pay back a little of what Mason gave me,” says Davis-Colato, BS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ’16, MS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ’19.

Her career journey began when she moved to the United States from El Salvador at age 19, learned to speak English, and earned associate degrees in engineering and business administration from Northern Virginia Community College.

She came to Mason unsure of the next steps on her path. “My father has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, but he told me his dream was to become an engineer because engineers are experts at problem-solving,” she says.

That motivated her to explore engineering opportunities. When she took several water resource classes in the Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering (CEIE), she found her passion.

“The engineering program is amazing,” she says. “They have exactly the right mix of full-time professors and adjunct professors who tell you what it’s like in the real world.”

Davis-Colato says five faculty members “helped me become the engineer that I am, and I will always be grateful to them”—Laura Kosoglu, Viviana Maggioni, Celso Ferreira, David Binning, and Matthew Doyle.

During her senior year, she decided to pursue an accelerated master’s degree with a concentration in environmental and water resource engineering, which trains students in water and wastewater treatment, groundwater fate and transport of contaminants, flood mitigation, and water supply and distribution.

Davis-Colato, who has two daughters, 4 and 2, and a stepson, 16, says she couldn’t have accomplished all this without the help of her husband, Todd Davis.

Ingrid Davis-Colato, front right, served as a technical advisor to the Engineers for International Development on their trip to Ecuador in January. The group built a new clean water system for people in a small, agricultural community

She also received support and encouragement from her bosses at Michael Baker International, where she works with construction companies, municipalities, and government agencies to avoid flooding when they build roads, parking lots, or buildings. “I make sure the water that is leaving the developing site is clean so it won’t pollute streams, rivers, or bays,” she says.

“I am one of the fortunate people who wake up and want to go to work every day. I feel I am making a difference in my work.”

To give back to Mason, she returns every semester to do guest lectures for civil engineering classes. She also serves as a technical advisor for Mason's Engineers for International Development.

In January of 2020, she accompanied the group to Ecuador, where they built a new clean water system for a small, poverty-stricken community. “The students designed the whole system. I was able to be in the trenches with these students, laying pipes with them, translating between the students and the people in the community,” she says. “We provided water for a dozen houses that have never had potable water in their lives.”

Mason Engineering's faculty members appreciate Davis-Colato's dedication. Laura Kosoglu, CEIE associate chair and director of the department’s graduate program, says, "I first taught Ingrid when she was starting to take undergraduate civil engineering classes. She was always warm and welcoming to talk with, and it was clear she was dedicated to making the most of her education.

“Now, that Ingrid has graduated from our program with two degrees, she continues to give back generously with her time and experience to benefit our students and global communities through EfID,” Kosoglu says. “Our program continues to strengthen thanks to alumni like Ingrid.”

One day, Davis-Colato would like to earn a doctorate from Mason and return as an adjunct professor. “I like teaching, but I don’t see myself leaving industry to become a full-time professor. I want to help students in the same ways that my professors helped me”

That said, the faculty members at CEIE are “like a true family, beyond what I ever expected,” she says.

“Our program continues to strengthen thanks to alumni like Ingrid.”

— Laura Kosoglu, associate chair and graduate program director for the Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering

Mason Engineering alum transforms craft distillery to make hand sanitizer

Nanci Hellmich — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 11:50:05 +0000

Mason Engineering alum transforms craft distillery to make hand sanitizer Nanci Hellmich Thu, 04/23/2020 - 07:50

“By producing hand sanitizer, it is gratifying to know that we are doing something that actually might help another human being from getting infected by the virus.”

— Mason alum Bill Karlson, co-founder and CEO of KO Distilling in Manassas, Virginia

Mason Engineering alum Bill Karlson, co-founder and CEO of KO Distilling, is making Bare Knuckle Hand Sanitizer during the coronavirus crisis. He's pictured here at his craft distillery before the pandemic.

Bill Karlson, MS Software Systems Engineering ’94, is distilling a new solution to fight the coronavirus.

In late March, when he heard that other craft distilleries across the country had begun making much-needed hand sanitizer during the coronavirus pandemic, Karlson and his team decided to join the sanitizing army with their business, KO Distilling in Manassas, Virginia. Its original products are Bare Knuckle whiskeys and Battle Standard 142 gins.

“Hand sanitizer requires 80 percent ethanol, of which we can produce a lot,” says Karlson, the company’s co-founder and CEO. “Last year, we produced about 65,000 proof gallons of distilled spirits using approximately 350 tons of Virginia grains. So, we gladly and quickly made the pivot.”

Karlson initially plans to donate Bare Knuckle Hand Sanitizer to Manassas-area first responders, hospitals, charitable organizations, and nursing homes. Additional quantities are being sold through government channels or to essential businesses to help cover production costs and support the continued employment of the distillery’s 15 employees.

To manufacture hand sanitizer, KO Distilling incorporated some changes in their facility. “Thankfully, we didn’t have to completely retool the distillery,” Karlson says. “What we did have to do is modify our mashing, fermenting, and distilling processes to be able to produce 170 proof ethanol, which we had never done before. That proof is needed because compounding with other sanitizer ingredients dilutes the ethanol down to 160 proof.”

They bought a few thousand pounds of hydrogen peroxide, glycerol, and a denaturant, which makes the alcohol undrinkable. They also needed to stock up on thousands of five-gallon pails, lids, and many other supplies, he says.

Karlson and his team set up a 4,000-square-foot area, which is about the size of a basketball court, in the distillery for employees to safely and efficiently compound, label, fill, seal, palletize, and ship hand-sanitizer pails.

They switched to a 10-hour, seven-day production schedule to make about 1,600 gallons of hand sanitizer a week. “We opted to go with five-gallon pails, each of which has a secured lid with an extractable spout, which will allow for easy and safe pouring and refilling,” he says.

The company is limiting its sales to the Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland-area. “We already have a substantial pipeline of large orders from local customers.”

KO Distilling is still making and selling its other products.

Karlson, who is retired from a career as an executive with a government contracting company, says his education at Mason helped in the business world. “What I learned at Mason was how to apply the knowledge you learn in a classroom to solving real-world problems.”

He’s not sure how long they’ll be making Bare Knuckle Hand Sanitizer. “Like everyone else, we are hoping the pandemic subsides quickly, but we are prepared to make hand sanitizer not only during the remainder of the pandemic but for weeks and even months after the pandemic is over because sanitizer product supply chains will take a while to rebound.”

In the meantime, he’s thankful that he and his team can help. “When you make and sell spirits, you get satisfaction from knowing you are making a quality product that people will like,” Karlson says. “By producing hand sanitizer, it is gratifying to know that we are doing something that actually might help another human being from getting infected by the virus.”

Four siblings earn civil and infrastructure engineering degrees at Mason

Nanci Hellmich — Tue, 14 May 2019 16:59:13 +0000

Four siblings earn civil and infrastructure engineering degrees at Mason Nanci Hellmich Tue, 05/14/2019 - 12:59

“We have engineering in our DNA.”

— Nicole Nmair, BS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ‘16, MS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ’18

When Michael Nmair receives his bachelor’s degree in civil and infrastructure engineering on Thursday, he’ll be following in the footsteps of his older brother and sisters.

All three of his siblings—Sammy, Renee, Nicole—earned undergraduate degrees in civil and infrastructure engineering from Mason’s Volgenau School of Engineering in the past three years.

They’ve also either earned or are working on accelerated master’s degrees from the Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering (CEIE).

A love of engineering runs in the family. Their father, Nael, is an electrical engineer, and their mother, Rana, is a civil engineer. Both work for the federal government.

“We have engineering in our DNA,” says Nicole, 23, BS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ‘16, MS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ’18. She currently works as a bridge engineer for the Federal Highway Administration.

The tradition of attending Volgenau started with Renee, BS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ’16, MS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering ’18. She came to Mason after her parents completed their diplomatic posting with the American Embassy in Cairo.

“I had been researching George Mason for a long time. I liked the university because it offered civil and infrastructure engineering in the same program,” says Renee, 25, a construction manager for Arlington County.

Among the other reasons she and her siblings chose CEIE:

The accelerated master’s option.
The engineering school has an excellent reputation.
Civil engineering professors have real-world experience.
Mason has an internationally diverse community.
The university is in the Washington, D.C.-area, which has many internships and job opportunities.

Nicole, Renee, and Sammy sometimes had classes together, but they often studied independently. “If I didn’t understand something, I could ask a sibling,” Nicole says.

Sammy, 26, BS Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, is receiving his master’s degree on Thursday. He says being at the same university as his siblings makes him dream that one day, all of us will be able to open an engineering firm. He currently works as a senior project engineer with Balfour Beatty, a construction firm.

While all pursued or are pursuing the same MS program, each concentrated in different areas. Sammy specialized in construction project management, Renee, in geotechnical engineering, Nicole, in structural engineering. Michael plans to focus on transportation engineering.

Their family is a tight-knit unit, often discussing work-related engineering challenges while sitting around the dinner table. “It’s awesome to hear how each person’s day went and what issues they faced in the field,” Nicole says.

There is also a little engineering rivalry, adds Michael, 21, who’ll be working at T3 Design Corporation in Fairfax as a highway designer while earning his master’s degree in civil and infrastructure engineering at Mason.

When the family was designing a new deck for their home, “everybody had their own opinion and was trying to outdo each other with their engineering ideas,” he says.

Four Nmair siblings earned undergraduate degrees in civil and infrastructure engineering from Mason’s Volgenau School of Engineering in the past three years. Pictured here left to right: Sammy, Nicole, Nael (dad), Rana (mom), Renee, and Michael.

Electrical Engineering PhD graduate is on a mission to invent the fastest wireless technologies

Nanci Hellmich — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 16:41:44 +0000

Electrical Engineering PhD graduate is on a mission to invent the fastest wireless technologies Nanci Hellmich Wed, 10/03/2018 - 12:41

Since earning a PhD in 2001, Esmael Dinan has worked for several large wireless technology companies, and he founded Ofinno Technologies in Herndon, Virginia.

Esmael Dinan, PhD Electrical and Computer Engineering ’01, wants to be a major player in the wireless technology world.

Since earning a PhD in 2001, he has made considerable headway toward that goal. A prolific inventor, Dinan has worked for several large wireless technology companies, and he founded Ofinno Technologies in Herndon, Virginia.

He talked about his work in the fall issue of ECE News, the Newsletter of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Dinan will be a guest speaker at 2 p.m. October 23 in room 163 of Research Hall, as part of ECE’s Distinguished Seminar Series.

Why did you decide to come to Mason for your PhD?

I was a PhD student in École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications in Paris in 1997 when I met Bijan Jabbari, a professor of electrical and computer engineering from Mason. He was in Paris for a research project involving the two universities, and we clicked. I was fascinated by many of his research ideas. I moved to the United States to work with him and get my PhD at Mason Engineering.

What did you like most about your academic experience here?

I had a lot of choices on which courses I wanted to take, and the professors were very dedicated and friendly. I spent a lot of time in the Communications and Networking Lab, founded by Dr. Jabbari. We were a group of graduate students working as a team. I always had funding for research projects. WorldCom (now bought by Verizon) was one of the companies that funded my research, and they hired me right before I graduated.

How did your career unfold?

I was always passionate about research and innovation. My dissertation was about advanced wireless systems, and Mason filed six patents for my inventions. After graduating with my PhD, I worked in the research and development departments of technology firms. I led research and development projects in various areas of wireless and wireline networking technologies.

In 2011, I was laid off by Sprint, which motivated me to fulfill my dream to start my own company. [My wife and I] called it Ofinno Technologies. It was my wife’s idea. It comes from “of innovations.” I love inventing and teaching other people how to invent.

We are a technology research lab and develop some of the most amazing wireless technologies implemented in LTE-advanced and 5G wireless networks. 5G wireless technology brings ultrafast wireless speeds and intelligence to people and machines.

I want to have a company with the greatest number of prolific inventors from all over the world.

I want to create the same sense of community in Ofinno that Mason created for me. We are a proud winner of the Corporate Culture Award from CEO Report, which honors “companies that foster a creative, collaborative workplace culture to enhance performance and sustain a competitive advantage.”

I am an inventor in more than 700 patents or patent applications. However, Ofinno was by far my most important invention.

How do you know when something you’ve invented is worth patenting?

The challenge is in identifying great ideas from the ones that are not so great. Even some of the large enterprises don’t know how to figure it out. Unlike what most people think, innovative solutions are not formed in a flash of insight. Most inventions come from lots of research and the clash between different ideas.

First, we spend a lot of time to research existing technologies and their deficiencies. Second, we work in teams that criticize each other’s work in a trusting environment. Then, we identify the inventions that are worth filing as a provisional patent.

How did you make the transition from engineer/employee to owning your own company?

I read a lot of books about research, leadership, and business. I had to re-invent myself a few times. For two years, I worked in my basement. I provided consulting services to cover the cost of operations and spent almost all my savings on a few research projects. The risks were dramatically higher at that time.

Now, my challenges are about scaling the business model, maintaining an innovative corporate culture, collaborating with other companies, and supporting everyone on my team. We had an unconventional approach about growing the company. We have achieved so much without a penny of loan or investment money and plan to continue growing with this approach. That is very challenging.

Alumni reception features whiskey, widgets, and wonks

Martha Bushong — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 19:02:26 +0000

Alumni reception features whiskey, widgets, and wonks Martha Bushong Fri, 09/28/2018 - 15:02

Bill Karlson a software engineering alum and part owner of KO Distilleries will be offering a whiskey tasting as part of the whiskey and widgets and wonks event.

The Volgenau School of Engineering’s Office of Advancement will host the Whiskey, Widgets & Wonks Reception on Friday, October 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. This event is part of Alumni Weekend and will include a showcase of Mason engineering students’ latest projects and research.

We're bringing back alumnus Bill Karlson, co-founder and owner of KO Distilling for an encore of last year's popular whiskey tasting. This year the Schar School of Policy and Government has partnered with us add will add their wonks for this event.

The evening will include heavy hors d'oeuvres, beer, and wine, as well as whiskey, widgets wonks, robots, and more.

Cost is $10. Register here.
For more information contact Kira Woitek

Alumna gives back by mentoring others

Martha Bushong — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 20:04:23 +0000

Alumna gives back by mentoring others Martha Bushong Wed, 06/13/2018 - 16:04

Mariana Cruz (BS '11) received full scholarship and now gives back by mentoring Civil Engineering students.

Mariana Cruz (BS CEIE ‘11) says she came to GMU because it was too good a deal to pass up. The scholarship she received for four years not only paid her tuition it gave her unprecedented access.

“Within a week of arriving on campus I was speaking at a scholarship luncheon telling my story to faculty, students, and alumni.” Cruz says she was encouraged to take advantage of all that Mason had to offer and she did. She traveled to Peru (her native country) with Engineers for International Development, served as a peer mentor, became active in the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP), and student research.

As an alumna, she stays involved with the school formally by serving on the alumni board and informally by mentoring students.

“I realize not all students have the kind of access and encouragement that I had, so I wanted to do something to support and guide them. Mentoring is a great way to do that,” says Cruz.

Mentoring one student can be a daunting task for some, but Cruz finds so it so energizing that she now has three mentees. Each came to her by a different path, but all share their respect and admiration for their mentor.

Jackeline Gastelo, a first-year master’s student connected to Cruz through professor Girum Urguessa who asked her if she knew anyone at Mason from her country (Peru). When she said no, he put her in touch with Cruz. She has been working with her since February 2018 and says it’s been great. Cruz encouraged her to pursue student research, and helped her improve her resume.

“Mariana is willing to listen, and always give good pieces of advice and recommendations. I maintain the contact with her and let her knows my situation at university and if I have problems, I know she always is there to help me,” says Gastelo.

Alumnus Rafael Reynoso met Kirsten Horn met at a Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers event and introduced her to Cruz.

“The best advice she has given me was in regards to applying for internships,” says Horn. “She gave a lot of tips to help me, and reassurance that I would find something. Her guidance and support was extremely helpful during that time. She is a great listener, and also seems to always know exactly what to say.”

Edson Contrina, who was born in Lima, Peru met Mariana when he was in 7th. Their families knew each other, so when he was looking for a mentor, Mariana was top of mind.

Contrina remembers playing soccer with Cruz and talking about school. “She asked me questions and gave me advice,” he says. The families lost touch for a while but Cotrina’s mother reconnected with Cruz’s mother who said her daughter went to Mason for her bachelor’s degree.

“I reached out to her because I had so many questions about the career path I was taking and how it was like to be a first-generation student,” says Contrina. “I didn't intend to ask her to be my mentor at first. I never thought I could have a mentor but after talking to her over coffee she just seemed to be the perfect person for me to talk to if I ever needed advice or help.”

Their friendship continues on the soccer field as the two Peruvians now play in the same adult soccer league.

One of the aspects about mentoring that Cruz emphasizes is the two-way partnership. “Lots of mentors think that the mentee should initiate contact,” she says. “I believe the mentor needs to be just as actively involved as the mentee. If I don’t hear anything for several weeks, I will reach out.”

“Mariana is willing to listen, and always give good pieces of advice and recommendations. I maintain the contact with her and let her knows my situation at university and if I have problems, I know she always is there to help me,”

Jackeline Gastelo