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FIRST CENTER FOR SMALL BUSINESS AI INNOVATION LAUNCHES WITH $1M GRANT I n a groundbreaking move set to bolster the economic competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Virginia, George Mason University has been awarded a $1 million grant to establish the nation’s first Center for AI Innovation for Economic Competitiveness (CAIIEC) . Schar School Distinguished University Professor J.P. Singh is principal investigator. The $1 million grant was sponsored by U.S. Senators from Virginia, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and is directed through the U.S. Small Business Administration. The center will draw expertise from several colleges across George Mason’s campuses, including the Schar School, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the College of Engineering and Computing. “I’m excited George Mason University’s Center for AI Innovation for Economic Competitiveness is receiving $1 million in federal funding, which I was proud to have helped secure in the recent government funding bill,” said Senator Kaine. “This will help prepare small businesses and Virginians to harness AI and lead to new opportunities for economic growth and jobs in the commonwealth.” The new center promises to provide much-needed leadership, support, and training to these enterprises, ensuring they do not get left behind in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. George Mason’s interdisciplinary team, comprising computer scientists, public policy experts, economists, environmental and medical scientists, and ethicists, is uniquely positioned to drive this initiative.

FROM LITHUANIAN BASKETBALL TO NATO AND CAPITOL HILL F ormer point guard for Lithuania’s professional basketball team Kauno Aistės-LSMU (go Komandos!), Livija Kaktaite , arrived in the U.S. as a high school senior with a single bag in her hand. She came to George Mason as an undergraduate to fulfill her dream of playing NCAA Division 1 basketball, along the way earning a Schar School Master of International Security degree and interning at NATO, a Capitol Hill congressional office, and the Lithuanian Embassy. “I always say George Mason is my golden lottery ticket,” she said. “I got to study what I love and play D1 basketball. This place means so much to me.” The varied internships reflect her wide-ranging academic curiosity. “I’m interested in different things,” she said. “But mainly I’m interested in the European region, the Asia-Pacific region, aerospace, and also energy security.” As it happens, one of her professors, Schar School adjunct Arnold C. Dupuy, is the chairman of the energy security program at the NATO. When Kaktaite asked if there was anything she could do, Dupuy put her to work. “She’s been helping out with my work for the NATO Science and Technology Organization,” said Dupuy, himself a George Mason and Schar School graduate (BA, History, ’88, MA, International Transactions, ’94). “She’s highly motivated and isn’t afraid to take on

challenging research projects…I have no doubt she’ll succeed in whatever field she chooses.” “Having professionals who truly care about you and sharing their own experience in their field is important, and they want you to be successful,” Kaktaite said. “It’s not just a job for them; they want you to become the next analyst, the next advisor to the president. “It’s an amazing school.” —Buzz McClain

“I am proud to have helped secure funding for the Center for AI Innovation for Economic Competitiveness at George Mason University,” said Senator Warner in a statement. “This investment will help position Virginia as a leader in AI development by creating programs to help small businesses and communities thrive in the digital market, marking a huge win for Virginians across the commonwealth.”

“ I’m interested in different things. But mainly I’m interested in the European region, the Asia-Pacific region, aerospace, and also energy security.”

“Here is another great example of how George Mason continues to deliver on our commitment to access and community engaged technology diffusion, partnering with diverse communities in new and innovated ways,” said Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact Andre Marshall. Co-principal investigator Amarda Shehu, a professor in the Department of Computer Science and a longtime AI researcher, emphasized the practical benefits the center will offer. “As an AI researcher, I see firsthand how fast AI is moving,” she said. “I also get to see through my various interactions with industry that such a pace can be challenging, particularly for small businesses. We thought about how Research 1 universities, such as George Mason, can unlock the power of AI for small and medium enterprises.” This center will do that, she said . —Buzz McClain

16 | The Pulse Winter 2024

The Pulse Winter 2024 | 17