Category: What’s New

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the New CIO Leadership Conference

From Generative AI Innovation to Policy and Economic Competitiveness with Industry Focus on Government, Medicine, Financial Services and Education

Monday, May 15th and Tuesday, May 16th, 2023
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (both days)
(Registration opens at 9:00 a.m.)

George Mason Arlington Campus, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia

Join us for the George Mason University AI and CIO Leadership Conference, where industry leaders and experts will come together to explore the latest developments and opportunities in the rapidly evolving fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Intelligence (CI).

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to learn from industry leaders and experts, network with peeps and gain valuable insights into the worlds of AI and CI. (Credit: ChatGPT)

In partnership with: George Mason Center for Assurance Research & Engineering and School of Business, International Academy of CIO, MS Program in Biomedical Science Policy and Advocacy and MS Program in Biohazardous Threat Agents & Emerging Infectious Diseases, Georgetown School of Medicine and the Emerging Technology Working Group.

Topics

Next Generation Technology – Generative AI and the Quantum Algorithms for AI
AI and Education
The Cybersecurity Challenge of AI
AI and Policy and Regulation
AI and Medicine
AI and Financial Services
Current Legal Cases, Intellectual Property, Ethics and AI
AI Governance
AI and Economic Competitiveness

Speakers

Shaukat Ali Khan, Global CIO, Aga Khan University and Hospitals in Asia, Africa and United Kingdom
Tom Anderson, Managing Partner, DataStrategi
Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph.D., Dean, College of Innovation, Thammasat University, Bangkok, THAILAND
J.P. Auffret, Ph.D., Director, Center for Assurance Research & Engineering, George Mason University
Andrew Beklemishev, Vice President, Commonwealth of Independent States Region, IDC, KAZAKHSTAN
Asif Kaba, Global Director Risk & Cyber Security Practice, TATA Consultancy Services (TCS)
Bob Ledig, Managing Director, Financial Technology & Cybersecurity Center
Ryan Leirvik, CEO, Neuvik Solutions
Eric Luellen, Ph.D. Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Stealth Mode Startup
Jeff Matsuura, Of Counsel, Author, Alliance Law Group
Larry Medsker, Ph.D., Research Professor, Human – Technology Collaboration, George Washington University
Bob Osgood, Director, Digital Forensics, George Mason University
Eric Osterweil, Ph.D., Associate Director, Center for Assurance Research & Engineering, George Mason University
Oleg Petrov, Senior Digital Development Specialist, World Bank
Mark Rasch, Of Counsel, Kohrman, Jackson and Krantz
Abhishek Ray, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Information Systems and Operations Management, School of Business, George Mason University
Anthony Rhem, Ph.D., CEO / Principal Consultant, A.J. Rehm and Associates
Gary Rinkerman, Partner, FisherBroyles LLP
Alexander Ryzhov, Ph.D., Professor, Head of Chair, Russia Presidential Academy of Public Administration (RANEPA)
Geoffrey Siwo, Ph.D. Research Assistant Professor, Department of Learning Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School
Angelos Stavrou, Ph.D., Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech
Tomoko Steen, Ph.D., Director, Biomedical Science Policy and Advocacy Program, Georgetown University
Frank Strickland, Partner, aiLeaders
Jim Sullivan, Partner, Healthcare – Consulting & Services Integration, TATA Consultancy Services (TCS)
Jirapon Sunkpho, Ph.D., Vice Rector, Information Technology, Thammasat University, Bangkok, THAILAND
Kennedy Ukelegharanya, M.S., J.D. 2023, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Tom Vartanian, Executive Director, Financial Technology & Cybersecurity Center
Lin Wells II, Executive Advisor, C4I and Cyber Center, George Mason University; fmr. CIO, U.S. Department of Defense
Kevin Yin, Founder and CEO, Sitscape

Agenda

Day 1 – May 15th

9:30 a.m. Welcome and Introductions and Agenda Overview
9:40 a.m. Conference Opening
– Mark Rasch, Of Counsel, Kohrman, Jackson and Krantz
10:10 a.m. AI and the New CIO
– Frank Strickland, Partner, aiLeaders
10:40 a.m. BREAK
11:00 a.m. AI and Leadership Panel Discussion
– Frank Strickland, Partner, aiLeaders,
– Anthony Rhem, Ph.D., CEO, Rhem & Associates
11:30 a.m. Andrew Beklemishev, Vice, President, CIS, IDC
12:00 noon LUNCH
1:00 p.m. Current Legal Cases in AI
– Jeff Matsuura, Of Counsel, Alliance Law
1:30 p.m. AI and Data Analytics
– Kevin Yin, Founder and CEO, SitScape
1:55 p.m. BREAK
2:15 p.m. AI and Medicine
– Chair, Tomoko Steen, Ph.D., Director, Biomedical Science Policy and Advocacy program; professor Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center
– Eric Luellen, Ph.D. Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Stealth Mode Startup
– Geoffrey Siwo, Ph.D. Research Assistant Professor, Department of Learning Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School
– Kennedy Ukelegharanya, M.S., J.D. 2023, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
– J.P. Auffret, Ph.D., Director, Center for Assurance Research & Engineering, George Mason University
4:00 p.m. AI and Cybersecurity
– Eric Osterweil, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Computer Science, George Mason,
– Ryan Leirvik, Neuvik Solutions, Ph.D., George Mason
4:55 p.m. CLOSING

Day 2 – May 16th

9:30 a.m. WELCOME
9:30 a.m. Day 2 Opening Talk
– Shaukat Ali Khan, Global CIO, Aga Khan University and Hospitals in Asia, Africa and United Kingdom
9:55 a.m. AI and Medical Devices and Cybersecurity
– James Sullivan, Partner, Life Sciences / Healthcare – Consulting Services Integration, Tata Consultancy Services and Asif Kaba, Director, Risk & Cyber Strategy Consulting, Tata Consultancy Services
10:50 a.m. BREAK
11:00 a.m. AI and Law Enforcement
– Bob Osgood, Director, Digital Forensics, George Mason University
11:25 a.m. Oleg Petrov, Senior Digital Development Specialist, World Bank
11:50 a.m. AI and Financial Services
– Tom Vartanian, Executive Director, Financial Technology & Cybersecurity Center and Bob Ledig, Managing Director, Financial Technology & Cybersecurity Center
12:50 p.m. LUNCH
1:45 p.m. AI and Education
– Jirapon Sunkpho, Vice Rector for Information Technology, Thammasat University, THAILAND
– Alexander Ryzhov, Professor, Department Head, School of IT Management, RANEPA, RUSSIA
2:40 p.m. AI and Criminal Networks
– Abhishek Ray, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Information Systems and Operations Management, George Mason University
3:05 p.m. BREAK
3:10 p.m. AI and Ethics
– Larry Medsker, Ph.D., Research Professor, Human – Technology Collaboration Lab, George Washington University; Founding Co-editor AI and Ethics Journal (Springer); and Anthony Rhem, Ph.D., CEO, Rhem& Associates
4:00 p.m. AI and Intellectual Property
– Gary Rinkerman, Partner, FisherBroyles
4:25 p.m. AI and Quantum Computing
– J.P. Auffet, Ph.D., George Mason
4:45 p.m. CLOSING

For questions regarding the Conference, please contact Dr. J.P. Auffret

Please RSVP: https://AICIOMay16.eventbrite.com

featured image (at top) courtesy of Midjourney AI

Hosted by:
About the Center for Assurance Research & Engineering (CARE) at College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University

Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing hosts the Center for Assurance Research & Engineering Center (CARE). CARE’s multidisciplinary approach to cybersecurity encompasses the fields of technology, policy, business and leadership. Through partnerships with government and private industry, innovative research is translated into practices and policies used in real-world settings. Research includes security for distributed systems, mobile apps/devices, industrial control systems, and new technologies such as networked medical devices, as well as policies development for securing critical infrastructure and guidance for cybersecurity leadership/governance. For more information, please visit care.gmu.edu.

About the International Academy of CIO (IAC)

The IAC or International Academy of CIO was founded in 2006 in Japan by co-founders including Japan, USA, Indonesia, Philippines, Switzerland and Thailand. The IAC members, partnerships and alliances now span all regions with economies such as China, Cambodia, Netherlands, India, Korea, Laos, Hong Kong, Macao, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Nigeria, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The IAC has active participation from more than 50 countries and partners with NGOs and multilateral organizations including APEC, OECD and ITU. For more information, please go to: www.iacio.org.

JP Auffret to Co-Lead First-of-its-Kind Mason Center for Excellence in Government Cybersecurity Risk Management and Resilience

January 17, 2023 / By John Hollis

George Mason University will expand its research and real-world impact in Northern Virginia with a pair of projects that were made possible by the efforts of U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) to address cybersecurity and mental health care needs.

Mason will receive $1 million in federal funding to support the creation a first-of-its-kind Mason Center for Excellence in Government Cybersecurity Risk Management and Resilience, and nearly $1 million for the Saving Lives and Decreasing Health Disparities project. Funding for both efforts came as part of the federal omnibus appropriations bill that President Biden recently signed into law to fund the government through Fiscal Year 2023.

Connolly, whose 11th District includes Fairfax, is a senior member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and his party’s lead on the Subcommittee on Government Operations.

“George Mason University is a pillar of our community, but the effects of its world-class education and world-changing research can be felt throughout the country,” said Connolly.

The future Center for Excellence in Government Cybersecurity Risk Management and Resilience will act as a strategic partner in federal government cybersecurity and IT modernization efforts, translate state-of-the-art research on technology modernization and cybersecurity in federal practice, collate and disseminate best practices on federal government agency cybersecurity, and foster U.S. government cybersecurity organizational capacity.

The center will bring together experts in IT modernization, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure systems to develop and provide in-person, hybrid, live virtual, and online executive education, tabletop exercises and workshops for federal government IT and cybersecurity executives and middle managers. In addition, the center will leverage Mason’s Institute for Digital Innovation, which integrates transdisciplinary centers and labs with deep interdisciplinary expertise across all facets of cybersecurity research, governance, policy, and education.

Amarda Shehu, associate vice president of research at the Institute for Digital Innovation, and professor of computer science with Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing, will operate the center along with J.P. Auffret, the director of research partnerships and grants initiatives in the School of Business and the director of the Center for Assurance Research and Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computing.

“This is further evidence of the value and depth of Mason’s research, programs, and outreach in cybersecurity,” said Ken Ball, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. “This funding will help us strengthen our programs and generate new discoveries that will make our nation more secure.”

“We are exceptionally grateful to Congressman Connolly for championing the central importance of cybersecurity for the federal government,” added Shehu and Auffret. “We are excited to engage with federal IT and cyber executives to modernize and secure systems, and advance excellence.”

Mason has a 25-year history in government IT leadership and governance education, including as a founding partner in the U.S. Federal CIO University and as a founding partner in the International Academy of CIO. Mason’s partners include the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, the Commonwealth of Virginia state government, the West Virginia state government, Connected DMV, and others.

Andre Marshall, Mason’s vice president for research, innovation and economic impact, praised Connolly for his continued leadership in the areas of federal cybersecurity and IT modernization.

“I am so proud to have secured funding for the Mason Center for Excellence in Government Cybersecurity Risk Management and Resilience, the first of its kind, and I can’t wait to see the results in action,” he said.

Steve Meckl Managing Director at Accenture Security Speaking at Next Mason Cybersecurity Innovation Forum April 20

Please join us for the George Mason University Cybersecurity Innovation Forum on April 20, 2022 from 7-9pm at the Country Club of Fairfax. The Forum will consist of a series of 15-20 minute case study presentations by cybersecurity experts and technology innovators followed by a Q&A. The focus of the events is on cybersecurity innovation including innovation rationale and motivation, technology, metrics, and lessons learned.

Speakers:

Dr. Steve Meckl, Managing Director at Accenture Security will present Deep Dive on Security Posture. In this talk, Steve Meckl will provide an overview of how Accenture Managed Extended Detection and Response (MxDR), leverages emerging cybersecurity threat intelligence, data analytics, the MITRE ATT&CK framework, and their unique global view of live attacks to drive a strategic approach to defending global computer networks.

Steve Meckl is the global delivery lead for Accenture Managed Extended Detection and Response (MxDR), responsible for monitoring some of the world’s largest and most complex networks for sophisticated cybersecurity threats.

Before joining Accenture, Dr. Meckl was Unit Chief of the FBI Cyber Division’s Technical Operations Unit. In that role, he led the Cyber Action Team (CAT), FBI’s elite cyber incident response team. He also created and led the Cyber Denial & Deception program, a team of engineers and Agents responsible for developing cutting-edge tools and technologies aimed at disrupting Advanced Persistent Threat groups targeting critical US networks. As a Unit Chief in FBI Cyber Division, Dr. Meckl received the 2014 Director’s Award for Outstanding Technical Advancement, the most prestigious award given to FBI Agents. He also received the 2015 High Impact Leader Award, recognizing excellence in leadership within the FBI.

Prior to his US Government experience, Dr. Meckl was a security software engineer, designing secure systems and protocols for high-availability web services and Windows desktop environments. Dr. Meckl received his PhD in Computer Science at George Mason University and his MS in Information Security and Assurance from George Mason University and BSE Computer Engineering from University of Michigan.

George Mason University’s (GMU) Volgenau School of Engineering’s CARE Center and School of Business sponsor the events.

The Cybersecurity Innovation Forum Series is generously supported by Accenture.

Please RSVP here https://aprilmasoncyberforum.eventbrite.com

CAR Technology Entrepreneurship & ICT Leadership Accelerator Lecture Series

Mason Center for Assurance Research & Engineering (CARE) announces Tom Anderson as a Senior Fellow

The George Mason Center for Assurance Research & Engineering (CARE) today announced the appointment of Tom Anderson as a Senior Fellow. Anderson joins to advance CARE’s mission of fostering IT leadership and developing and applying emerging technologies including in cybersecurity. CARE Senior Fellows are distinguished professionals from government, business and academia who contribute to CARE’s multidisciplinary efforts and research initiatives by providing expertise and a professional foundation to provide the essential connection between theory and practice.

“Mr. Anderson’s experience and deep expertise align well with CARE’s initiatives and we’re very appreciative of his continuing partnership with George Mason,” said J.P. Auffret, Ph.D, director of CARE. “The addition of Mr. Anderson as a CARE Senior Fellow will help us in refining our strategy and furthering our U.S. and worldwide engagement,” continued Auffret. “With the rapid development, evolution and adoption of new technologies in combination with many current economic and pandemic challenges, Mr. Anderson will provide insights on promising initiatives and technology adoption and leadership. I am looking forward to working with Mr. Anderson in the coming years.”

Tom Anderson brings to CARE expertise in technology innovation and executive leadership. He is the Managing Partner at DataStrategi, LLC, a management consulting company that delivers data-driven solutions and strategic planning to the Public Sector and GovCon companies. DataStrategi’s core focus is delivering solutions that relate to strategic planning, growth/development initiatives and the realization of corporate initiatives. DataStrategi utilizes the rapidly increasing volume and variety of data, “Big Data,” generated by people, machines, and systems to harness quantitative, actionable, and data driven insights and develop opportunities for organizations and governments to optimize how they deliver goods and services.

Mr. Anderson has previously held executive roles in major Fortune 500 technology companies including as President, Civil and Health Services Group, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC); President, Science, Technology and Engineering Group, Wyle; Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Raytheon Information Solutions; and Vice President, Strategic Programs, Northrop Grumman Information Systems.

“It is an honor to join CARE as a Senior Fellow,” said Anderson. “I look forward to contributing to their initiatives and efforts in cybersecurity and the application of emerging technologies.”

The Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE) is a research center in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at George Mason University. CARE is a multidisciplinary research to practice center focusing on technology, policy and leadership and management of cybersecurity and application of emerging technologies. CARE has projects and partnerships with governments, companies and universities in the U.S., Asia, Europe, Africa and South America. For more information, please go to: www.care.gmu.edu.

16th Waseda University – International Academy of CIO World Digital Government Ranking 2021 Survey Results Announced

The Institute of Digital Government at Waseda University in Japan, in cooperation with the International Academy of CIO (IAC) has released the 16th Waseda IAC World Digital Government Rankings Survey 2021, which marks digital transformation in 64 countries/economies.

The Institute was established in 2002, and the ranking survey model was created in 2005 by Prof. Dr. Toshio Obi, a Founder of the Institute and President of IAC at the time of the First Ranking Survey. Dr. Obi was awarded a spot on “The World’s Most Influential 100 People in Digital Government in 2018” by “Apolitical,” a UK based Think tank. In 2021, both the Institute and the ranking survey are mainly managed by Prof. Dr. Naoko Iwasaki of Waseda University.

For more information and the full rankings report, please go to: https://iacio.org/the-16th-waseda-iac-international-digital-government-rankings-2021-report/.

About the International Academy of CIO (IAC):
The IAC or International Academy of CIO was founded in 2006 in Japan by co-founders including Japan, USA, Indonesia, Philippines, Switzerland and Thailand. The IAC members, partnerships and alliances now span all regions with economies such as China, Cambodia, Netherlands, India, Korea, Laos, Hong Kong, Macao, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Nigeria, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The IAC has active participation from more than 50 countries and partners with NGOs and multilateral organizations including APEC, OECD and ITU.

Dr. J.P. Auffret is the co-founder and president of the International Academy of CIO (IAC), the director of the Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE) in the Volgenau School of Engineering and the director of the Research Partnerships and Grants Initiatives in the School of Business at George Mason University.

George Mason University Cybersecurity Innovation Forum 2021-22 Season Dates

International Academy of CIO (IAC) 2021 Mini Conference Announces Speakers

IAC 2021 Mini Conference “COVID-19, Digital Resilience and Economic Recovery in the Age of AI, Robotics and 5G” Announces Speakers

DATE: December 7th & 8th, 2021 (Virtual)

TIMES:
December 7, 2021 AT 7:30 AM – 1030 AM – Eastern Time (US and Canada)
8:30 PM – 11:30 PM

TOKYO TIME
December 8, 2021 AT 7:30 AM – 10:30 AM – Eastern Time (US and Canada) 8:30 PM – 11:30 PM TOKYO TIME

The International Academy of CIO (IAC) 2021 Mini Conference is set for December 7th & 8th, 2021 with timely topics featuring COVID-19, Digital Resilience and Economic Recovery in the Age of AI, Robotics and 5G.

The mini conference will explore technology and country responses to COVID-19, the subsequent and ongoing economic recovery and current industry and supply chain challenges.

The mini conference will also consider new opportunities arising from the development of AI, Robotics and 5G in light of COVID-19 and the economic recovery.

The IAC 2021 Mini Conference brings together government, private sector and academia speakers and participants.

Please RSVP here: https://iac2021miniconference.eventbrite.com

Speakers include:
-Hong-Wei Jyan, Director General, Department of Cyber Security, Executive Yuan (Cabinet), Taiwan (ROC)
-Hiroko Kudo, Ph.D., Professor Public Policy and Management, Chuo University, Japan
-Alexander Ryzhov, Ph.D., Professor, Head of Chair, Russia Presidential Academy of Public Administration (RANEPA)
-Naoko Iwasaki, Ph.D., Professor, Institute of eGovernment, Waseda University, Japan
-Luca Buccoliero, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Marketing, Bocconi University, Italy
-Elena Bellio, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Marketing, Bocconi University, Italy
-Suhono Supangkat, Ph.D., Director of Smart Cities and Communities Innovation Centre, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia
-Andrew Beklemishev, Vice President – Central Asia, IDC, Kazakhstan
-Jirapon Sunkpho, Ph.D., Vice Rector and CIO, Thammasat University, Thailand

-Fengchun Yang, Ph.D., Director, Academy of eGovernment, Peking University, China
-Sundar Balakrishna, Ph.D., Special Secretary, Department of Information Technology, Electronics, and Communications, Government of Andhra Pradesh, India
-Voahangy Rakotonirina, Ph.D., Professor, Economics, Professor, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar
-Kenneth Wang, Director, National Development Council, Taiwan
-Serge Adouaka, Director, Technology and ICT Leadership Accelerator, Central African Republic
-Naoko Mizukoshio, Founder and President, Leftright Law and IP
-Shaukat Ali Khan, CIO, Aga Khan University and Hospitals, Pakistan
-Tomi Dahlberg, Professor, Information Technology, University of Turku, Finland
-Pierre El Haddad, Professor, Management, St. Joseph University, Lebanon
-J.P. Auffret, Ph.D., George Mason University, President, International Academy of CIO, USA

For more information, please go to: https://iacio.org/iac-2021-mini-conference-december-virtual-international-academy-of-cio. Or please contact J.P. Auffret at [email protected].

For more information, please go to: www.iacio.org.

Collaborating Globally by Jennifer Anzaldi

Dr. J.P. Auffret is the director of the Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE) in the College of Engineering & Computing and director of the Research Partnerships and Grants Initiatives in the School of Business at George Mason University

Dr. J.P. Auffret is the director of the Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE) in the College of Engineering & Computing, director of the Research Partnerships and Grants Initiatives in the School of Business at George Mason University and is the co-founder and current president of the International Academy of CIO (IAC).

The IAC was founded in 2006 in Japan by co-founders from Japan, the United States, Indonesia, Philippines, Switzerland and Thailand. The IAC members, partnerships and alliances now span all regions with economies including China, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Netherlands, Nigeria, Peru, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

“We have active participation from more than 50 countries and foster and facilitate CIO and IT leadership education programs, development of CIO institutions including government CIO Councils and associated IT policies, and application of technology to major societal challenges,” says Auffret.

Key initiatives are the annual publication of the Waseda – IAC Digital Government Rankings, a book series with IOS Press, a CIO accreditation program for CIO master’s degree programs and an IAC annual conference which has been hosted in twelve different countries.

The IAC partners with NGOs and multilateral organizations including Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

What began as a meeting between Auffret and Professor Toshio Obi from Waseda University in the spring of 2004 in Arlington, Virginia has blossomed into a collaborative partnership.

During the last year, the IAC activities have included hosting a series of “Technology and Country Experiences in COVID-19 Response” webinars highlighting innovations from Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and other countries.

The IAC 2021 Mini Conference will be virtual and is planned for December 7th and 8th focusing on COVID-19, Digital Resilience and Economic Recovery in the Age of AI, Robotics and 5G.

For more information, please go to: https://iac2021miniconference.eventbrite.com

Research Spotlight on J.P. Auffret

Faculty Spotlight: J.P. Auffret

J.P. Auffret, Ph.D. is the director of the Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE) in the College of Engineering and Computing and the director of the Research Partnerships and Grants Initiatives in the School of Business at George Mason University.

The Institute for Digital InnovAtion talked with Auffret about CARE. Responses have been edited.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Tell us about the Center.

The Center for Assurance Research and Engineering (CARE) in the College of Computing and Engineering is a multidisciplinary, research-to-practice center. The Center is about 10 years old and was started by Dr. Angelos Stavrou. We have a range of technical, policy, leadership and management projects/initiatives and have partnerships with governments, private sector companies and NGOs in the U.S.

The strength of the Center is its faculty, affiliates and partners and its multidisciplinary and international scope. For example, Dr. Eric Osterweil is doing fascinating work on the DNS-based Authentication of Named Entities (DANE) and its potential applications to medical devices (and other) security; Dr. Daniel Barbara has great expertise in data mining and machine learning and has, for example, played integral roles in a DARPA project and also on a Commonwealth Cyber Initiative project both having a focus on ascertaining device compromise from changes in electromagnetic fields; Dr. Duminda Wijeskera is a world leader in train security and is currently researching the potential of 5G for autonomous vehicles and our traffic signaling system, and Dr. Ita Lochard is utilizing her cyber policy expertise and partnering with Dr. Lin Wells II in leading a NATO project on information environment assessment. The Center also has senior fellows and research affiliates.

Other interesting current projects include a National Science Foundation project to strengthen the cybersecurity of local governments through local and state government partnering. The idea behind the project is that many local governments have small budgets and limited IT expertise, but they face the same cyber risks as larger, local governments. Partnering has great potential but there are often institutional barriers that preclude local government cybersecurity partnering; the project is examining the potential for local government cyber security partnering in the governance, staffing and policy areas, amongst others. For the project, we’re quite engaged with state and local governments, primarily in West Virginia and Virginia, but also in Kentucky and Ohio, and we are expanding beyond those locations.

Another interesting current project is through the State Department for a Technology Entrepreneurship and ICT Leadership Accelerator pilot in the Central African Republic. We are working with Serge Adouaka, a 2019 Humphrey Fellow who spent his Humphrey Fellowship Professional Affiliation with us and developed the concept. We have a wonderful initial cohort of about 20 companies including from Agriculture Tech and FinTech.

The research done in CARE has led to a spin out company, Angelos Stavrou’s Kryptowire, which is doing really well.

What kinds of projects are funded?

Technical, cybersecurity and technology leadership and management, and policy. The main funding agencies are/have been the National Science Foundation, DARPA, Department of State, NATO and the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative. We have had projects with the NSA and NIST too, and we have some from the private sector as well.

How do your projects impact other disciplines?    

Many of our projects have elements of technology, but also business, leadership, and public policy. Many current cyber challenges are multidisciplinary including, for example, in the medical field and for critical infrastructure, such as electric and water companies.

What projects would you like to be reached out to for potential collaborations?

We are very oriented to partnerships and collaborations, whether it be cyber security or IT leadership and governance or applications of emerging technologies, and we continue to try to expand our partnerships internationally. We are planning to do more with the cybersecurity of medical devices and on digital currencies.

We’re very appreciative to the Institute for Digital InnovAtion and executive director Dr. Kamaljeet Sanghera’s vision for innovation in the region and beyond, the role of George Mason, and initiatives to foster research and academia – private sector – government partnerships.

What keywords describe your research?   

Multidisciplinary, research-to-practice, applications of emerging technologies, cyber security policy

How does your Center help bring the Mason community together?

As I am in both the School of Business and in CARE in the College of Engineering and Computing, many initiatives are joint.

For example, in conjunction with the School of Business, we have a Cybersecurity Innovation Forum speaker series that is in its 10th year with five evening events per year. Usually, the events are in person at the Fairfax Country Club, and we have about 125 industry and government attendees. We have had some wonderful speakers over the years and just went back to in-person events in September.

Also, in conjunction with the School of Business, we usually have a quite large annual conference (not in the last year-and-a-half to two years though) related to the topic of cybersecurity leadership and management that draws between 200 to 300 people, mostly from the region, but also from across the U.S. and abroad.

We collaborate with quite a few other universities and have international connections that foster partnering with the Mason community. We have collaborations with universities across the Asia Pacific in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Korea; in India; in Africa in the Central African Republic, Nigeria and a new partnership in Madagascar; as well as partnerships in Europe, South America and the Mid-East.

How can you be reached?

You can reach me via email at [email protected] and by office phone: x5641.

Article was published here: https://idia.gmu.edu/research-spotlight-on-j-p-auffret/

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Research Spotlight on J.P. Auffret

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From Generative AI Innovation to Policy and Economic Competitiveness with Industry Focus on Government, Medicine, Financial Services and Education

Monday, May 15th and Tuesday, May 16th, 2023 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (both days) (Registration opens at 9:00 a.m.)

George Mason Arlington Campus, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia

Topics

Speakers

Agenda

Day 1 – May 15th

Day 2 – May 16th

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Monday, May 15th and Tuesday, May 16th, 2023
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (both days)
(Registration opens at 9:00 a.m.)