Use the links below to navigate the 2025 Mason Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference website.
Panel Discussion
Finding Common Ground:
Dismantling Division Through Research
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM | Merten Hall, Room 1201
Reverend Howard Thurman was a 20th century theologian, civil rights activist, and author, also serving as Chapel Dean at Boston University and mentor to then-student Martin Luther King, Jr. In his The Search for Common Ground, he wrote, “…he who shuts himself away diminishes himself, and he who shuts another away from him destroys himself.” In our society, research can bridge together diverse forms of thought, creating positive change and forming long-lasting relationships. This year’s Mason Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference celebrates the various ways in which faculty and student research projects seek to “find common group” in their respective fields. The panel will feature one college dean, one faculty member, one doctoral student, and one masters student in discussing the vital role research plays in bringing us together rather than apart.
Moderator
Carolyn Faith Hoffman, MPH (Doctoral Candidate, Health Services Research)
Carolyn Faith Hoffman, MPH is a doctoral candidate in the Health Services Research PhD program in the College of Public Health (CPH) at George Mason University. Originally from Buffalo, NY, she completed her undergraduate and Master of Public Health degrees at Boston University. She has served as a graduate research assistant in the Department of Health Administration and Policy since May 2021, and her research interests include disabilities and reproductive health. Carolyn served as her program’s GAPSA representative for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years, now serving as GAPSA President for the 2024-2025 academic year. She is passionate about increasing GAPSA awareness amongst graduate students across all campuses, as well as ensuring graduate students have their voices heard in the university’s decision making.
Panelists
Ingrid Guerra-López, PhD (Dean, College of Education and Human Development)
Dr. Ingrid Guerra-López is the Dean of the College of Education and Human Development and Professor of Learning Design and Technology at George Mason University. An internationally recognized expert in human performance systems, she specializes in needs assessment and planning, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and aligning talent development and performance improvement innovations to achieve strategic goals. Her work is characterized by a systems approach, multistakeholder engagement, and transdisciplinary collaboration that bridges education, workforce development, and evidenced-based approaches. Dr. Guerra-López has authored nearly 100 publications, including eight books, and has successfully secured nearly $18 million in external funding from organizations spanning STEM, education, health sciences, and workforce development. Among her most notable achievements, she secured funding to launch George Mason University’s first lab school, the Accelerated College and Employability Skills (ACCESS) Academy, in collaboration with NOVA Community College, Loudoun County Public Schools, and industry partners across the region. This interdisciplinary initiative creates pathways from high school to college and high-demand careers through problem-based learning, an innovative information technology and future-ready curriculum, and comprehensive wrap-around student supports, including learn-and-earn opportunities. Her leadership extends to transformative interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary initiatives that integrate education, research, and workforce development to address complex societal challenges. She was Co-PI the Transformative Research in Urban Sustainability Training (T-RUST), an NSF-funded program that prepares graduate students to apply transdisciplinary approaches to tackle urban sustainability issues through collaboration across engineering, social sciences, public policy, and environmental studies. As part of the leadership team for the NIEHS-funded Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR), she co-directs the Research Experience and Training Coordination Core, which trains transdisciplinary scientists through a systems approach to experiential learning, interdisciplinary training, and cross-sector collaboration. Dr. Guerra-López has extensive experience working across disciplines, sectors, and global education systems to design and evaluate large-scale educational and workforce development initiatives. She has led strategic planning, needs assessments, and the development of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems for organizations such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank, and the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (formerly DFID). Her work has bridged academia, industry, and government, and she has mentored interdisciplinary teams and leaders across more than 40 countries. In addition to her academic leadership at Wayne State University, where she served as Interim Dean of both the College of Education, and the Graduate School, Dr. Guerra-López has shaped global education and research standards through leadership roles in accreditation, research, and professional organizations. She has served on the Board of the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the Board of Directors of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), and as Editor-in-Chief of its research journal, Performance Improvement Quarterly. In 2017, she was honored with the ISPI Distinguished Service Award for her exceptional contributions to the field.
Amarda Shehu, PhD (Vice President and Chief AI Officer; Associate Dean for Research, College of Engineering and Computing; Professor of Computer Science)
Dr. Amarda Shehu is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University, where she is also Vice President and Chief AI Officer. Amarda is an IEEE Senior Member, a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and a Member of the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Her research bridges foundational AI and AI-enabled scientific discovery. Amarda served as 2019-2022 NSF Program Director in the Information and Intelligent Systems Division of the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering. At Mason she has led several transdisciplinary centers, centers of excellence, and the Institute for Digital InnovAtion in her previous role as Associate Vice President for Research.
Julia Mandeville, MPH (Doctoral Candidate, Public Health)
Julia Mandeville, MPH is a doctoral candidate focusing on social and behavioral science. She holds a Master of Public Health in global health from the University of Manchester and a Bachelor of Science in Biology with Microbiology from the University of the West Indies. Julia is the co-founder of the Barbados Association of Endometriosis and PCOS, born out of her personal experience with severe endometriosis. Diagnosed at 25, after nearly 15 years of debilitating pain, her research interest in women’s health and understanding health disparities is driven by her journey and passion for improving the lives of others affected by structural and systemic barriers that obstruct access to quality, affordable care. As a Graduate Research Assistant, she contributed to studies on women’s health, including endometriosis and PCOS, managing data analysis and research activities. She believes in centering the voices and experiences of historically marginalized communities in her work through the use of community engaged research. Her commitment to raising awareness and advocating for better healthcare services underscores her dedication to advancing health and gender equity.
Zayd Hamid (Student, Master of Public Policy; Graduate Professional Assistant for Student Civic Engagement, Research and Programs)
Zayd Hamid is an award-winning Master of Public Policy candidate at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government and graduate professional assistant with University Life, specializing in higher education policy advocacy and development. His advocacy at Mason Lobbies, George Mason’s annual state legislative fly-in, has helped secure multimillion dollars appropriations increases to student financial aid, critical infrastructure maintenance funding, and more with bipartisan support. As co-chair of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)’s student advisory committee, Zayd leads a team of student representatives working to advance college affordability, mental health, and other student policy priorities across Virginia’s public higher education institutions. He is passionate about building a bipartisan consensus on policies supporting students and institutions of higher educations and looks forward to continuing his career in higher education policy advocacy after graduating in May 2026.