Preserving Virginia’s Forests

Photo of Mrinalini Ramanan and Rebecca Forkner

This fall, Mason student Mrinalini “Minu” Ramanan spent several weeks in the Shenandoah National Park analyzing the effects of gypsy moth damage on Virginia’s forests. As a participant in the university’s Undergraduate Student Apprenticeship Program, she has the opportunity to work alongside Mason insect biologist Rebecca Forkner on conservation research. Gypsy moths and the defoliation they cause alter fall leaf color and its duration, hurting not only the forests but tourism as well.

George Mason University—The One To Watch

Briefing Congress on Reducing Crime: As a graduate research assistant at Mason's Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, doctoral student Cody Telep has gathered national data on effective police strategies to reduce violence.
AIDS Research on the Cutting Edge: Biology student Anastasya Jabaly was so inspired after taking a virology class that she asked to work in her professor's lab.
Training for a Lifetime: Mason graduate student Stephanie Symons uses her sports medicine skills to help a student dancer improve her strength and flexibility.
Taking the Field: With the help of faculty such as former NFL executive Charley Casserly, Dan Washburn and Bridgette Rupe secured internships with the Washington Redskins.
Preserving Virginia's Forests: Mason student Mrinalini Ramanan spent several weeks in the Shenandoah National Park analyzing the effects of gypsy moth damage on Virginia's forests.
Representing the Last Frontier: When Mason freshman Andres Chovil came to campus this summer for orientation, the first thing he did was let his professors know he had to miss a few classesÑso he could attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
She's Only Just Begun: Mason junior Kate Ziegler is back in the classroom after traveling to Beijing this summer for her first Olympic appearance.
“I just want people to remember.“: When Mason graduate Jim Laychak lost his brother, David, in the September 11 attack on the Pentagon, he pledged to make something positive from the catastrophic loss.
Transforming Young Lives: J. Lee Hill Jr. puts his Mason experience to work every day as youth minister at the historic Riverside Church in Harlem.
Field of Dreams: Now widely regarded as one of the brightest minds in baseball, this Mason graduate leads the Kansas City Royals as a general manager and senior vice president of baseball operations.
Continuing a Legacy: Nicole Livas follows in the footsteps of her mother, a popular TV reporter in the 1970s and the first African American female newscaster in Hampton Roads.
Living Her Dream: Rita Donahue has been dancing since the age of five, but she never thought seriously about a career in dance. Fortunately her dance professors at Mason did.
Helping Women Reclaim their Lives: Mason graduate Zainab Salbi founded Women for Women International to help women suffering from postwar trauma.
Kevin Laub Never Planned To Be A Teacher: With the help of Mason's Career Switchers Program, Laub got his teaching certification, went on to earn a master's degree—and discovered his true calling.
Moving Research from Lab to Bedside: Mason graduate Zobair Younossi is using cutting-edge technologies to develop better diagnostic tools and treatments for potentially life-threatening diseases.
A Woman at the Forefront: Alumna Roshini Thinakaran has created a film project that looks at war and conflict through women's eyes.
Telling the Stories Behind History: Mason graduate Mark Jones developed a web site and discussion forum for The War, a new PBS documentary by Ken Burns.
Looking Inside the Working Brain: Layne Kalbfleisch's research is providing new insights into talent, intelligence, and how the brain works.
Predicting the Next Katrina: Guido Cervone and his students are using satelite microwave technology and buoy measurements to track potentially dangerous storms around the globe.
Diving into the Mysteries of Coral Disease: The coral reefs are dying and Mason researchers like Geoff Cook are trying to find out why.
Research on the Edge—Of the Solar System: Mason astrophysicist Merav Opher and her team of researchers have their eyes on the stars—and the matter in between.
These Guys Got Games(s): Mason seniors Steve Taylor and Mike Gagnon have been developing computer games for years. Now they are taking on the gaming world.
Ways to Help Pilots Perform Better and Make Air Travel Safer: Working on a grant from NASA, graduate student Melanie Diez LeGoullon is investigating interruptions in the cockpit and pilot errors.
How Does the Brain Work?: At George Mason University, Giorgio Ascoli and his team of student researchers are working at the frontier of brain science and computing.
Can Cancer Become a Manageable Disease?: Mason researchers Lance Liotta’s and Emanuel Petricoin’s research breakthroughs hold promise for new treatments.
Making Drinking Water Safer... One Village at a Time: Mason researcher Abul Hussam has developed an inexpensive, environmentally sound way to remove arsenic from ground water.
Decade of the Mind: World-renowned scientists convened at George Mason University to call for a 10-year intellectual revolution—the "decade of the mind"—aimed at reaching the next levels of understanding the human brain.

Preserving Virginia’s Forests

Related Links: