Center for Assurance Research and Engineering

Group: CARE STEP

Sumit Virmani

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Title: AI Practitioner-Researcher, Human Performance Systems, Inc.

Groups: CARE STEP

Sumit Virmani is an AI practitioner-researcher at Human Performance Systems, Inc. (HPSI). He builds and evaluates agentic AI systems, and writes on the ethics and impactful use case related questions that follow from deploying them. His recent work includes chapters in Springer’s Handbook of AI and Ethics, edited by Dr. Larry Medsker, an open project repository for agentic AI development, and automated grading solutions. He guest edits a topical collection for Springer Nature’s AI and Ethics, and has  hands-on experience across leading frontier model platforms and agentic frameworks. Following enterprise software roles at big tech, he co-founded an integrated broadband, IoT, and software solutions company, leading it as CEO until its 2024 acquisition.

Amarda Shehu

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Title: Inaugural VP and Chief AI Officer, Associate Dean for AI Innovation in the CEC, Professor, Department of Computer Science, George Mason University

Groups: CARE STEP

 

Shehu is an accomplished administrator, teacher, and scholar. She currently serves as George Mason’s Inaugural VP and Chief AI Officer in which capacity she also continues to provide leadership for the Institute of Digital InnovAtion (IDIA) for which she served as Associate Vice President for Research during 2022 and 2024. Shehu also serves as an Associate Dean for AI Innovation in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), where she is also a tenured Professor in the Department of Computer Science.

She is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and a member of the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (VASEM). Shehu has received numerous awards, including the 2022 Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the 2021 Beck Family Presidential Medal for Faculty Excellence in Research and Scholarship, the 2018 Mason University Teaching Excellence Award, the 2014 Mason Emerging Researcher/Scholar/Creator Award, the 2013 Mason OSCAR Undergraduate Mentor Excellence Award, and the 2012 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award.

Her research is regularly supported by various NSF programs, the Department of Defense, as well as state and private research awards.

Anthony J Rhem

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Title: CEO/Principal Consultant, A.J. Rhem & Associates

Groups: CARE STEP

Dr. Anthony J Rhem, PhD
Advisor | Author | Speaker | Early-Stage Tech Investor | Knowledge Management | Artificial Intelligence
CEO/Principal Consultant
A.J. Rhem & Associates, Inc.

Dr. Anthony J. Rhem is a recognized thought leader, author and consultant in Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge Management, Big Data, Information Architecture, and Innovation. Since 1990 has served as CEO/Principal Consultant of A.J. Rhem & Associates Inc. (AJRA), a system integration consulting, training & research firm specializing in Knowledge Management (KM) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) with offices in Chicago, Il, and Charlotte NC. Anthony consults with Fortune 1000 companies, Federal and State agencies, delivering technology solutions, strategies, governance, and architectures in the areas of AI and KM. In addition, Anthony works with corporate boards, venture capitalist and investment firms providing thought leadership in the areas of emerging technology innovations, best practices, and trends in AI and KM.

As a board member and advisor Dr Rhem’s current work includes Corporate Advisory Board (focus on AI) of Halen Technologies, Corporate Advisory Board ABAN Innovations, Inc., Technology Council of Advisors Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG) on Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge Management; and Member of the National Science Foundation SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) Review Panel in the areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Knowledge Management (KM) and Education Solutions.

Anthony speaks internationally at Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Knowledge Management (KM) conferences and at leading organizations. Anthony has written several books and dozens of articles for trade journals in AI Ethics and Governance, KM, healthcare, management, and law. Anthony is a founding editorial board member of AI and Ethics Journal by Springer, which he has contribute articles on AI Ethics.

As a professor and corporate Instructor, Dr Rhem has had the pleasure of training hundreds of personnel across many corporations, government and military agencies in the principles, practice and application of strategic management, software engineering, knowledge management, information architecture and artificial intelligence. Anthony’s educational background includes IEEE Certified AI Assessor; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), AI Leadership; Walden University, PhD Knowledge Management; Dartmouth University Tuck School of Business, Advance Executive Management Training; Clark Atlanta University, Executive Management Training; DePaul University, MS Computer Science/AI; Purdue University, BS Management (Additional Concentration in Computer Science).

Farhana Faruqe

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Title: Assistant Professor, University of Virginia (UVA) School of Data Science

Groups: CARE STEP

Farhana Faruqe is a data scientist, researcher, and entrepreneur; her research focuses on trustworthy AI, human-centered design, and AI acceptance. She is active in the Trustworthy AI community. Farhana is a founding editorial board member for the AI and Ethics Journal (Springer), actively shaping ethical discourse within the AI domain. Recognizing the need for equity within the tech realm, she has founded AI4Equity, a non-profit initiative that empowers young women to elevate their AI knowledge and skills. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Data Science. Before joining UVA, Farhana had a diverse career in industry and academia, including as a data scientist at the Children’s National Health System. Farhana also served as an adjunct lecturer at GWU and as a Research Programmer in Bangladesh.

Samer Meshreki

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Title: IT Project Manager, George Mason University

Groups: CARE Staff, CARE STEP

Samer Meshreki, PMP® and IT Project Manager, brings a wealth of problem-solving experience from diverse backgrounds in IT and Engineering, teaching and serving on the boards of nonprofits, to consulting for various Fortune 200 corporations. Balancing a love of food with giving back to the community, he shares content with millions as an influencer.

Dr. Jean-Pierre Auffret

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Title: Director of CARE, co-director of CRC, and director of Research Partnerships, George Mason University

Phone: 703-993-5641

Groups: CARE Researchers, CARE STEP

J.P. Auffret is director, Center for Assurance Research and Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computing, co-director, Center of Excellence in Government Cybersecurity Risk Management and Resilience and director, Research Partnerships in the Costello School of Business at George Mason University, USA. Auffret is also co-founder and current president of the International Academy of CIO (IAC), an NGO headquartered in Tokyo.

Auffret’s work and research span a range of applied technology fields including CIO and ICT governance; cybersecurity; and innovation and application of emerging technologies and with APEC, U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of State, World Bank, ITU and IBM. His experience includes executive positions with MCI and its joint venture with British Telecom, Concert and academic positions with George Mason, Duke University’s Center for International Development, Georgetown University Biomedical Graduate Education, UNU-eGOV (United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance) and as physicist-in-residence at American University.  Auffret earned a B.S. from Duke University where he was an A.B. Duke Scholar, M.B.A. from the University of Virginia and Ph.D. in Physics from American University.