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Northwest Federal Credit Union and 911�� Athletics expand partnership to advance student financial wellness on and off the court

Katarina Benson — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:07:58 +0000

Northwest Federal Credit Union and 911�� Athletics expand partnership to advance student financial wellness on and off the court Katarina Benson Thu, 06/18/2026 - 17:07

911�� Athletics and Northwest Federal Credit Union announced an expanded partnership that connects student-athletes with financial education, simple banking tools, and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities designed to support their success on campus, in the community, and after they graduate.

This collaboration was formally introduced at 911��'s inaugural Basketball Signing Day event. More than 200 fans, supporters, and community leaders gathered to celebrate the introduction of the 2026-27 men's and women's basketball teams.

Student-athletes at Basketball Signing Day. Photo by 911�� Athletics

As the Official Credit Union and Financial Wellness Partner for 911�� Athletics, Northwest is expanding its support beyond traditional sponsorship by helping student-athletes build financial confidence at a time when NIL earnings, personal branding, and early career decisions are becoming a big part of the college athletics experience. Participating student-athletes will open Northwest accounts, receive financial education and training, and serve as ambassadors promoting financial literacy across campus and throughout the Northern Virginia community.

"This expanded partnership marks an exciting step forward in how we support student-athletes during a pivotal moment in their journey," said Jeff Bentley, president and CEO at Northwest Federal Credit Union. "By combining these new NIL opportunities with financial education, we are helping equip them with the tools to make informed decisions today and build lasting success beyond the game. These student-athletes are inspiring the next generation, and Northwest is grateful to be part of making an impact in the community."

"Opportunities like this give our players experience in pursuing their sports career while also learning the practical skills to balance life," said Tony Skinn, BA Communication ’06, men's basketball head coach at 911��. "Having access to financial education, professional development, and community connections helps maximize their time here at 911�� and set them up for the next chapter. Northwest has been an excellent partner to make that a reality for our teams."

Women's basketball head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis added, "This is about developing the whole person. Even the term “student-athlete” represents our hope for each of these young people. We want their time with us to have been a season of life where they were fully supported to learn the most they can and be the best they can be. Financial education and life management resources are a critical part of that vision of helping our student-athletes build strong futures."

Basketball Signing Day is expected to become an annual tradition and serves as the first of several collaborative initiatives planned between 911�� Athletics and Northwest throughout the upcoming year.

Through this partnership, the credit union also became the first member of the "Starting 5" sponsors of 911�� Athletics' broader corporate partnership initiative, NOVA's Team. The platform connects organizations committed to building a stronger connection between student-athletes, businesses, and communities across Northern Virginia.

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Cora Sula awarded Fulbright to study AI in classrooms in Estonia

Martha Bushong — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:31:39 +0000

Cora Sula awarded Fulbright to study AI in classrooms in Estonia Martha Bushong Wed, 06/17/2026 - 12:31

Cora Sula, a third-year PhD student in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology at 911��, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to study artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms in Estonia this fall.

Sula works with Assistant Professor Nora McDonald at the intersection of digital agency, AI and identity. Her recent work examines healthcare privacy and the impact of AI chatbot use on teens’ self-concept and well-being—research she presented at CHI 2026 in Barcelona, the world’s leading conference in human-computer interaction.

“I am so thrilled at this opportunity to study the impact of AI on classrooms,” Sula said. “Estonia is one of the few countries with a national rollout of AI-assisted classrooms.”

While AI education initiatives in the United States are expanding, they remain fragmented and locally driven. In contrast, Estonia is pioneering a nationally coordinated approach through its AI Leap program, an initiative led by the Ministry of Education and Research in partnership with OpenAI. The program aims to systematically integrate AI-powered tools into high school teaching and learning.

Sula’s Fulbright project will investigate how this national initiative is shaping teachers’ professional practices and classroom pedagogy. Using a mixed-methods design—including ethnographic observation, semi-structured interviews, and pre/post surveys—her research will explore how educators navigate both the opportunities and challenges of AI integration.

Her Fulbright will be hosted at Tallinn University of Technology, where she will collaborate with Janika Leoste head of the Creativity Matters Lab and local scholars who bring expertise in digital education and policy.

“This is an amazing opportunity to systematically study how AI will transform classrooms for generations to come,” Sula said. “I’m excited to bring what I learn back to my work on AI and teens.”

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Mason Korea students tackle real-world business challenges with Hyundai Premium Outlets

Katarina Benson — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:04:44 +0000

Mason Korea students tackle real-world business challenges with Hyundai Premium Outlets Katarina Benson Tue, 06/16/2026 - 14:04

Students at Mason Korea recently stepped into the role of marketing consultants for a day by tackling an ongoing business challenge presented by Hyundai Premium Outlets Songdo.

On June 2, 10 finalist teams gathered for the Mason Korea x Hyundai Premium Outlets Global Marketing Challenge Final Pitch, presenting innovative strategies aimed to enhance the outlets’ appeal to international visitors and younger consumers.

The grand prize team received the highest overall score for innovation and strategic alignment. Photo provided

Participants were encouraged to cover two themes: “Global Expansion Strategy” and “MZ Hotspot Activation Strategy.” All finalists demonstrated strong problem-solving skills by incorporating global consumer trends and local community characteristics of Songdo/Incheon while showcasing their knowledge of digital marketing. Teams were evaluated based on their understanding of target audiences, strategic relevance, and execution potential.

The Grand Prize was awarded to the team led by conflict analysis and resolution major Taeeun Kim, whose proposal received the highest overall score for innovation and strategic alignment. Their project was marketed toward the city’s immigrant population.

“By interviewing foreign residents in Songdo, we were able to understand the needs and challenges faced by people from diverse cultural backgrounds,” said Kim.

The Insight Prize was presented to business major Jiyoon Jeong for exceptional consumer and market analysis, while the Challenge Prize was awarded to the team led by business major Dongkyo Oh for introducing bold and creative ideas with strong future potential.

The Challenge Award team. Photo provided

“This project demonstrated the value of hands-on learning by allowing students to analyze global market trends and develop strategies for real-world business challenges,” said Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea.

As Mason Korea continues to expand opportunities for experiential learning, programs like the Global Marketing Challenge play an important role in connecting students with industry partners and preparing them to become the next generation of global leaders.

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Student research advances phishing detection and cybersecurity innovation

Katelynn C Hipolito — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:52:13 +0000

Student research advances phishing detection and cybersecurity innovation Katelynn C Hipolito Mon, 06/15/2026 - 09:52

Taylor Le, BS Information Technology ‘26, was participating in the Professional Readiness Experiential Program (PREP) internship at Mobius when he was put in contact with Brian Ngac, the assistant dean for centers and FedWriters, Inc., Corporate Partner Faculty Fellow at the Costello College of Business at 911��, who was helping to fund the program.

(left to right) Tien Nguyen, Taylor Le, Richard Nguyen, and Brian Ngac at the 2026 Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Symposium. Photo provided by Brian Ngac.

During weekly check-ins throughout the internship, Ngac provided Le with a more in-depth understanding of PREP, an experiential learning program he launched at Costello. Le expressed interest in conducting research on phishing detection to which Ngac encouraged him to develop a proposal so he could help secure funding. The PREP internship was sponsored by the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, which also supported the research conducted by Le and his team.

To conduct formal research on a multi-signal phishing detection and continuous user training platform, Le recruited two Virginia Tech computer science students—Tien Nguyen and Richard Nguyen—whom he met through networking. The industry participant Ngac paired them with was Parsons Corporation, a digitally enabled solutions provider at which he also works. Nathan Dykas, senior computational intelligence officer, and Daniel Boyce, AI (artificial intelligence)/ML (machine learning) engineer, mentored the student team during weekly meetings, providing recommendations and guidance on the direction of their research.

“It was awesome to see all the different professors and other students who are going down the same path as us and to see what they were doing with their research, as well as to get additional feedback that we could use to improve our own research.”

— Taylor Le, BS Information Technology ‘26

In collaboration with Parsons Corporation, the team developed Orion, a platform designed for phishing detection and user training. Orion was developed to address the issue of detecting modern phishing pages by combining machine learning with contextual guidance. It turns detection into an immediate teaching moment by mapping findings for the user, showing which parts of the page triggered concern.

Orion was selected for demonstration at the 2026 Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Symposium in Richmond, Virginia, where the team forged valuable connections and gained insights to further strengthen the platform.

“It was awesome to see all the different professors and other students who are going down the same path as us and to see what they were doing with their research, as well as to get additional feedback that we could use to improve our own research,” says Le. The entire team made the trip for the symposium, where they had a booth playing their demo video and where they conducted a live demo as well.

“Being an information technology major, I always thought that I was kind of looped into only being able to do IT-based jobs,” says Le. “But doing a technical project like this gave me more confidence to strive higher and chase those cyber engineering jobs, which I feel like, without the program, I wouldn’t be in the same spot.”

The team’s successful showcase at the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Symposium underscores how experiential learning, research, and industry partnerships can come together to prepare students to develop innovative solutions in the fields of AI and cybersecurity. Because of PREP and its invaluable industry connections, Le graduated with greater clarity, confidence, and direction, ready to make his mark in these evolving fields.

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Honoring achievement, generosity, and impact at the 2026 Scholarship Celebration

Katarina Benson — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:00:51 +0000

Honoring achievement, generosity, and impact at the 2026 Scholarship Celebration Katarina Benson Fri, 06/12/2026 - 17:00

For many university students, scholarships are more than financial support. They represent a bridge to opportunity, enabling students to pursue their dreams and aspirations. At 911��, scholarship donors help pave the way for education that will shape students’ futures and prepare them to serve their communities.

President Washington with scholarship recipients. Photo by John Boal Photography.

“As president, I have the privilege of seeing that long arc of what you all are a part of. A single act of generosity becomes a chain of impact for generations,” said Gregory Washington. “When you sow into 911�� soil, the outgrowth is tremendous.”

The 2026 Scholarship Celebration, hosted on April 23 by the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations, brought together scholarship donors and extraordinary students who are the recipients of those scholarships, giving all attendees the chance to connect and hear firsthand how scholarships have made a difference in students’ lives. These students showcased how scholarship support can open doors, remove barriers, and create pathways to experiences that empower both personal growth and future impact.

“Being a scholarship recipient has shaped my college experience and who I am,” said Avery Shippen, BA Art and Visual Technology, BS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’26, a University Scholar who has also received the Oxford Consortium Scholarship, the Peraton Scholarship, and the Noah J. Seidenberg Endowed Scholarship.

Avery Shippen graduated with dual degrees in Art and Visual Technology and Conflict Analysis and Resolution. Photo by John Boal Photography.

In May, Shippen completed two degrees with a concentration in building peace in divided societies. Her story illustrated how scholarships can connect academic ambition with life-changing opportunities beyond the classroom. Citing her study-abroad experience at Oxford University, Shippen said that her scholarships allowed her to pursue her undergraduate degrees and provided her with opportunities that otherwise would not have been available.

That same sense of opportunity through support was echoed in the arts. Honors College student Lena Rice, who is pursuing dual bachelor of music degrees in classical piano performance and jazz studies in steel pan, is a recipient of the Dr. Linda Apple Monson Scholarship. She performed piano and steel pan selections as part of the Scholarship Celebration.

“As a Monson Scholarship recipient, I have been given something incredibly meaningful…the ability to fully invest in my music, which has really helped me grow as an artist,” Rice said.

Katey Funderburgh, MFA Creative Writing ’26. Photo by John Boal Photography.

For graduate students, scholarship support can also provide the freedom to deepen their craft and expand their impact. Katey Funderburgh, MFA Creative Writing ’26, pursued poetry while teaching creative writing, serving as lead teacher in the Poetry Alive! program, and co-coordinating the Incarcerated Writer’s Project.

She said that receiving the Mary Roberts Rinehart Award allowed her “to breathe and focus on [her] passions.” Funderburgh read her own award-winning poem and spoke of how scholarship support enhanced her education.

“As a recipient, I was able to attend a literary conference to learn about art, community through art, and how to make my own art better,” she said.

911�� Foundation trustee Jason Howell, BS ’97, hosted the event. “Scholarships,” Howell said, “create the conditions for students to discover who they are, pursue what they love, and ultimately make an impact far beyond even their own expectations.”

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911�� anthropology students test ancient tools — and earn points for spear throwing

Katarina Benson — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 22:31:49 +0000

911�� anthropology students test ancient tools — and earn points for spear throwing Katarina Benson Thu, 06/11/2026 - 18:31

To Kimberly Foecke, studying the past doesn’t need to be a passive experience.

The 911�� assistant professor of anthropology believes in the importance of hands-on learning so much that she created the ANTH 399 Experimental Archaeology course on experimental archaeology to help bridge theory and practice.

This past spring, undergraduate and graduate students got their hands dirty with a variety of experiments in the field that tested theory discussed in the classroom.

Students created new versions of old tech in their archaeology labs. Photo by Haagen D. Klaus.

Foecke’s course pushes critical thinking and experimental design while focusing on the themes of innovation of technology, exploiting and processing food resources, and cultural and social transmission of knowledge--all subjects she says are applicable and transferrable to other areas of study.

“I think active learning is so important,” Foecke said. “All of these experiments we do have information we can then project back into the archaeological record. This is interspersed with lecture where we talk about how to design experiments for different types of material that we find in the record. This helps students to understand how to test the capabilities of ancient technology and other archaeological items we find and create testable predictions for the artifacts.”

Labs included flint knapping, the art of creating tools out of stone. Students struck obsidian sent from one of Foecke’s peers in Kenya into a sharp flake and used their new tool to cut chicken feet. They also created scale buildings to test the load-bearing capacity of different roof types through experimental architecture, and they cooked ancient recipes for adhesives to test strength, longevity, and flexibility to use for hunting tools.

“I’ve done things in this class I’ve never done before,” anthropology junior Sophia Taylor said. “I got to process oats with a big slab of slate and a grinding stone. I never thought my wrists would be sore from something like that, but I’m finding out new knowledge every day.”

The class culminated with experimental spear throwing on the lawn next to the Mason Pond parking garage at the end of April. Wielding replicated ancient spears that Foecke constructed at her father’s woodshop in Maryland, her students conducted accuracy and penetration tests.

Foecke created a hands-on spear workshop for students. Photo by Haagen D. Klaus.

“It is a nice break, a nice change having the hands-on,” anthropology graduate student Chuck Tjersland said. “It’s different and really does play a role. You read enough about experimental archaeology filling in some of the gaps.”

Added Tjersland’s class partner, anthropology undergraduate student David Rubalacaba: “How often do you throw spears for a grade?”

Foecke set up targets—featuring a drawing of a wooly mammoth—and hoops for students to throw wooden spears through. Each student attempted five throws, recording points for each target struck.

Foecke said the experiment displays what ancient civilizations encountered when having to use sticks that aren’t the most aerodynamic and while facing tough weather conditions. “They’re learning how difficult it is to throw a non-ideal spear and hit a target first time, every time,” Foecke said. “It is almost impossible, even for professional javelin throwers.”

Another station featured stabbing blocks made from insulated foam. Students tested the differences in cut size using two types of spears: one just whittled on one end and the other with an arrowhead stone attached to the end. The experiment showed that the spear with the arrowhead always made a wider and more jagged cut.

Both the spear throwing and spear stabbing experiments tried to answer the “why.” Why spend all this time throwing a spear with a high miss rate? Why take so much time flint knapping or carving stones to attach to sticks when whittling would only take five minutes?

“That animal bleeds out more quickly and therefore you eat dinner sooner,” Foecke said. “It is these kinds of questions around something weird in the record that we have to explain. We have to explain why and what the process is that causes us to see that pattern in the archaeological record. Experimental archaeology is all about creating predictions and hypotheses for why we see the patterns that we do and the processes that we do.

“This is the favorite part of my job. I love to teach, and I love to create cool experiences in the classroom.”

Students throwing spears. Photo by Haagen D. Klaus.

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Graduate student credits campus community for helping her find her course

Katarina Benson — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 22:26:19 +0000

Graduate student credits campus community for helping her find her course Katarina Benson Thu, 06/11/2026 - 18:26

Xia Parkes did not arrive at 911�� University certain she wanted to be a scientist. Originally, she envisioned a future in dermatology after shadowing a physician in her hometown of Chesapeake, Virginia. But once she began college-level coursework, lab experiences opened new interests for her.

Parkes at graduation. Photo provided

When Parkes graduated from 911�� in May, she had earned two degrees in just four years—a BS in Biology and an MS in Systems Biology through 911��’s Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s Program. For Parkes, success was not just about discipline; she also credits the support she received throughout her years as a Patriot.

One of her most meaningful moments came during the Commencement ceremony after Parkes earned her bachelor’s degree. Although her family was unable to attend, she decided to participate after encouragement from friends. When she looked into the stands and saw her friends there, cheering her on, the significance of her support system became clear. “That was when I realized how much showing up matters,” she said.

That sense of community is what she said she will miss most after graduation. Through her involvement on campus, she built a strong network of mentors and peers who helped her see possibilities beyond what she thought she was capable of.

One of the more unexpected influences came through the Honors College. As a University Scholar, she entered 911�� as part of a close-knit cohort that provided an early sense of belonging. Later, she joined the Honors College communications team as a lead intern.

“I never saw myself as a writer or communicator,” Parkes said. “But learning how to tell stories, interview people, and explain complex ideas has been one of the most valuable skills I’ve gained.”

That perspective now shapes how she approaches science.

“Communication is everything,” she said. “If you can’t explain what you’re doing, you can’t bridge the gap between science and the public.”

Parkes with the Patriot. Photo provided

In her classes, she explored genetics, biochemistry, and skincare research, including work related to hyperpigmentation, before landing on biochemistry through an internship at the University of Mississippi.

Parkes worked in Associate Professor Lee Solomon’s lab, where she contributed to research on protein synthesis and drug delivery. Her work involved developing and aerosolizing peptide-based treatments designed to track and inhibit tumor growth, with a focus on lung tumors.

She also had a 12-week internship at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis.

“Seeing drug discovery from the ground up has been transformative,” she said. “You don’t just learn about medicine. You see how it’s made, tested, and refined.”

Her academic achievements at 911�� are matched by deep campus involvement. She has served as a resident assistant, participated in Student Government, and worked as a biology peer mentor, learning assistant, and research assistant. She is also president of the 911�� chapter of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), which sponsored her to travel to and present at conferences and helped her connect fellow students to research and internship opportunities.

“My involvement came from being pushed by professors, friends, and mentors,” she said. “They helped push me to try things even when I felt out of place.”

From a nervous first-year student navigating unfamiliar spaces to a confident leader encouraging others to step beyond self-doubt, Parkes sees her college experience as transformational.

“I came here unsure of myself,” she said. “Now, I leave knowing that what I thought were my limits weren’t limits at all.”

As she prepares for the next chapter in pharmacy school, Parkes hopes future students take one lesson from her journey: Perfection is not the goal.

“You don’t have to have everything figured out,” she said. “You just have to keep going and let yourself grow along the way.”

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911�� engineering team uses robotics to rethink accessibility

Katarina Benson — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:58:00 +0000

911�� engineering team uses robotics to rethink accessibility Katarina Benson Tue, 06/09/2026 - 09:58

Many accessibility surveys depend on manual measurements, handwritten notes, and extensive walkthroughs with compliance checklists. A team of 911�� engineering students wondered if a robot could do it faster. Nine months later, they created one.

The project, called Salus, combines robotics, LiDAR technology, object detection, GPS mapping, cloud-based analytics, and a custom-built website to help survey public spaces for potential ADA accessibility barriers. Developed as part of a College of Engineering and Computing senior capstone project by mechanical engineering majors Lexi Chivers, Connie Lam, Mariah Tammera, Noemi Umanzor, and Tyler Yared, the system is designed to automate portions of the accessibility surveying process while allowing engineers and designers to better understand how people with disabilities experience physical spaces.

The Salus team with the robotic accessibility surveying system they developed as part of their senior capstone project at 911��. Photo provided

Salus was one of several 911�� capstone projects supported through a GO Virginia-funded initiative led by the Nexus234 Innovation District, which pairs students with industry-informed challenges and mentors.

“We saw a system that was operating poorly, and we wanted to optimize it,” said Chivers, the team lead.

The idea originated when one of Chivers’ teammates attended a conference and discussed the difficulties of collecting large volumes of survey data in the field with industry professionals.

“They basically said, ‘We wish we had something we could send out to collect data and not have to constantly manage,’” said Chivers. “That conversation sparked everything.”

The project consumed most of the team’s weekends as they worked through testing, software integration, fabrication, and constant iteration.

“A lot of people told us we weren’t going to be able to do this in nine months,” said Chivers. “At one point, someone told us it would take two years and eight NASA engineers.”

Instead, the students delivered a working proof of concept before graduation.

As the robot moves through a space, it uses LiDAR sensors, GPS mapping, and onboard cameras to identify and document potential accessibility issues. The data is processed through cloud-based systems and displayed through an interactive website. Rather than sorting through raw data, users can explore flagged locations through an interactive visual map built by the team.

For Chivers, the project also had a personal connection. She said her mother’s job teaching students with disabilities influenced the team’s conversations around accessibility and inclusion. “Just because something legally meets ADA standards doesn’t always mean it’s truly accessible for those with disabilities,” she said.

Kenan Aden, COO of Didlake and the team’s industry mentor, was introduced to the student team through Nexus234. He said the project impressed him both from its technical complexity and for the problem it set out to tackle.

“The entire team approached this project with an incredible level of determination and systems thinking,” said Aden. “What makes it especially meaningful is that they never lost sight of the people this technology is intended to help.”

"This team’s focus and dedication have been extremely impressive," said Leigh McCue, professor and chair of 911��’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. "Any time I popped my head into the senior design space, or walked visitors through for a tour, the team was hard at work and eager to showcase their technology."

One of the most rewarding parts of the experience for Chivers was discovering the kind of engineer she wants to become.

“I thought I wanted to stay in the background,” said Chivers. “But this project made me realize I really love being a leader, solving problems, and doing things that actually matter to people.”

Currently, the students are working with 911��’s Office of Technology Transfer to explore patent protection for the project’s intellectual property. Although the team is still deciding what comes next, Chivers said the technology has potential beyond the capstone project itself, including with construction firms, municipalities, designers, and accessibility planners.

In her advice to other entrepreneurs, Chivers said, “Your dreams are never too big. You just haven’t found all the tools you need to make them happen yet.”

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Timing the perfect hardware hack

tdonnel — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:35:43 +0000

Timing the perfect hardware hack tdonnel Tue, 06/09/2026 - 09:35

Roombas have become a familiar part of everyday life, quietly navigating living rooms and kitchens. But behind that convenience is a complex system of sensors, algorithms, and data processing—and, as a group of 911�� cyber security engineering (CYSE) students—Finn Schaefer, Ryan Lam, Sidarth Kumar, Jimmy Tram, and Neil Sharma—discovered, a surprising vulnerability. Their capstone project research was accepted for presentation at one of the most prestigious venues for hardware-based security research, the IEEE International Symposium on Hardware Oriented Security and Trust (HOST).

“It just scans the room, goes around, and starts mapping," said Finn Schaefer, comparing the vacuum cleaner to the robot at the center of his team's project.

These autonomous systems rely on technologies like LiDAR and SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) to build a virtual map of their environment and navigate safely. However, that same reliance on sensor data also opens the door to cyberattacks that can alter a robot’s perception, sometimes with dramatic consequences.

From left to right: Finn Schaefer, Neil Sharma, Ryan Lam, Sidarth Kumar, and Jimmy Tram. Photo provided.

The capstone project, advised by Assistant Professor Tanvir Arafin, challenged students to explore exactly that risk. From the outset, Arafin encouraged an open-ended, research-driven approach.

“Professor Arafin basically told us to try to break ROS, a robot operating system,” Schaefer said.

The assignment functioned as a “red-team” exercise, pushing students to think like attackers to understand vulnerabilities in autonomous systems.

The team’s early ideas focused on overwhelming the robot with false data, effectively flooding it with noise. But this proved too obvious. That initial concept “was really simple and easy to detect,” said Ryan Lam. A more subtle approach would be needed to create a meaningful, realistic attack.

Their breakthrough came in the form of a timing-based method that mimicked the robot’s normal operating patterns. Instead of bombarding the system, they carefully injected altered sensor data at precisely the right intervals.

“We eventually got to our more elegant solution, where we’re able to match the timing pattern that the robot actually expects,” Schaefer said. Because the manipulated data looked plausible and arrived in the expected cadence, the robot accepted it as real.

A judge examines the team's robot at the CYSE senior design event. Photo by Teresa Donnellan/CEC

The effect was striking: the robot’s internal map gradually diverged from reality. Even small manipulations could cause significant errors.

“With 2- to 5-percent drift, it would crash into walls,” Schaefer said.

In some cases, the system could be tricked into perceiving obstacles that didn’t exist. “It would see a wall that’s not actually there,” he added.

The team also demonstrated the ability to shrink or expand the robot’s perceived environment, causing navigation failures.

To prove the effectiveness of their approach, the students combined simulated analysis with real-world testing. They compared baseline maps to manipulated ones over time and observed the robot attempting to navigate using corrupted data.

“These comparisons served as the proof that we used to say that this works,” said team member Sidarth Kumar.

Additional testing showed that the attack remained effective even under network congestion.

This capstone project reflects Arafin’s broader work to secure the next generation of mobility systems, from connected vehicles to robotics. Moreover, the students came away with a deeper understanding of the emerging field of hardware security.

Tanvir Arafin (center) with the 2026 senior capstone teams he advised. Photo provided.

“This is an exceptional accomplishment and a testament to the curriculum rigor of the Cyber Security Engineering Department, reinforcing a tradition of excellence in undergraduate research at CYSE,” said Arafin. “Over the last few years, CYSE undergraduate students from our group have earned recognition at multiple national and international venues in transportation and autonomous systems security, notably the best demo award in the 18th Association for Computing Machinery Conference on Security and Privacy in Wireless and Mobile Networks and the first, second, and third places at the National Transportation Cybersecurity Competition. All of these accomplishments highlights both the students’ dedication and the strength of undergraduate research within our CYSE Department.”

In an era where autonomous systems are becoming increasingly common, from household robots to self-driving cars, the team’s work underscores a critical lesson: If a machine’s understanding of the world can be manipulated, so can its behavior. What seems like a harmless household device may, under the hood, share the same vulnerabilities as far more complex systems. And as these students demonstrated, understanding those vulnerabilities is the first step toward securing the future of autonomous technology.

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911�� engineering students turn personal experience into accessibility innovation

ckearney — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:58:30 +0000

911�� engineering students turn personal experience into accessibility innovation ckearney Tue, 06/02/2026 - 16:58

For Owais Yousuf, inspiration began at home. His father, who contracted polio as a child, relied on crutches to move through daily life. Growing up, Yousuf watched him navigate airports and crowded spaces with difficulty. Three of his fellow 911�� mechanical engineering students had similar experiences with relatives who struggled with mobility. The four of them began wondering: How do you make airport travel more independent and less stressful for people with mobility challenges?

From left, Calvin Nguyen, Javier Carpio Jota, Turner Applegate, and Owais Yousuf, creators of the B-Drive, with their prototype. Photo provided

The answer to that question became B-Drive, a senior capstone project developed by Yousuf, Turner Applegate, Javier Carpio Jota, and Calvin Nguyen that combines autonomous navigation, computer vision, and adaptive mobility technology to help wheelchair users move through transportation hubs on their own terms.

B-Drive was one of several 911�� capstone projects supported through a GO Virginia-funded initiative, led by the Nexus234 Innovation District, which pairs students with industry mentors and opportunities to address pressing needs.

"The people we love aren't just statistics," said Yousuf, the team's lead. "They're people we care about. We've seen the frustrations they face firsthand. That experience gave us the context to build something that could provide them some relief."

As the team dug deeper, they found that navigating a large airport can present obstacles at nearly every step. Long walks, unfamiliar layouts, limited assistance, and confusing signs can make traveling on their own difficult for many passengers.

To better understand those barriers, the team participated in the National Science Foundation's I-Corps program, which helps entrepreneurs move a business idea or discovery toward licensing or commercialization. Program participants assess the commercial viability of their idea by conducting customer interviews and working closely with a mentor. Yousuf and his team spoke with travelers, transportation professionals, accessibility advocates, and industry experts.

"We consistently heard that people wanted the freedom to move through an airport with greater dignity and confidence," said Yousuf.

Those conversations led to B-Drive. The team decided early on that B-Drive needed to fit into existing airport operations, so they designed it to work with wheelchairs already found in many airports.

Bringing B-Drive to life required more than technical expertise. After delays in obtaining testing equipment, the team drove to New Jersey to buy a wheelchair themselves rather than wait.

Members of the B-Drive team demonstrate their prototype. Photo provided

Their persistence impressed Robert "Bob" Schneider, executive director of OmniRide and the team's industry mentor, who was introduced to the students through Nexus234.

"They didn't let anything stop them. They went out and got it done," said Schneider.

Schneider guided the students as they narrowed the project's scope and found a realistic way to put their ideas into action. He suggested the team pick one clear, manageable use case. They decided to focus on a journey that’s familiar to many travelers at Washington Dulles International Airport: getting from the Silver Line Metro station to their destination inside the airport.

As the project progressed, the students began thinking beyond the classroom. The team is currently exploring intellectual property protection and potential avenues for commercialization through 911��'s Office of Technology Transfer.

Leigh McCue, professor and chair of 911��’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, believes that moving from classroom projects to real-world applications is among the most valuable lessons for students.

"One of the hardest parts of engineering is defining the right problem to solve," said McCue. "This team resisted the temptation to build technology for its own sake and grounded their approach in the experiences of the people they aimed to empower.”

The project also prompted Yousuf to rethink what it means to be an engineer. "Engineering is ultimately about people," said Yousuf. "Technology is only valuable if it improves someone's life. That's what motivated us from the beginning, and it's what continues to motivate us now."

Graduation marked the end of the capstone project, but the team hopes B-Drive's story is only beginning. The goal remains the same for Yousuf as when the project first started on a whiteboard.

"We're not going to stop until we bring a smile to people's faces," said Yousuf. "That's what this has always been about."

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