This month’s featured photo capturing the spirit of innovation and collaboration.
Employment Recognitions
HECTOR GARCIA OERI
25 YEARS
BARRY EZELL
VMASC
17 YEARS
VMASC
12 YEARS
NELSON OERI
7 YEARS
ERIKA FRYDENLUND
MICHAEL
Monthly Awards & Proposals
Pre-Awards and Contract Awards
*NOTE: THESE AWARDS ARE AS OF 9/24/25 - PRE-AWARDS ARE SUBMITTED PROPOSALS
RIBBON CUTTING AT AEROSPACE ACADEMY OF THE EASTERN SHORE
AUGUST 29, 2025
VISA’s Dr. Yiannis Papelis and Dr. Thomas Alberts were at the NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility for the ribbon cutting for the creation of the Aerospace Academy of the Eastern Shore, a Lab School created in partnership with VISA, Accomack County Public Schools, Northhampton County Public Schools, and NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
Governor Glenn Youngkin was in attendance for the announcement, along with Senator Bill DeSteph, Delegates Bloxom, Otto Wachsmann, and Jen Kiggans. Senator DeSteph, Delegate Bloxom, and Congresswoman Kiggans all represent the Eastern Shore and have worked diligently with Governor Youngkin, Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller , and Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera
This Lab School will prepare students for careers in aviation, aerospace, and STEM fields.
Across OERI
ICAR Testifies on the Work of the CCRFR September 2, 2025
Carol Considine, ICAR’s Director of Applied Projects, testified on September 2, 2025, before a state legislative committee about the work of the Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding Resiliency (CCRFR), a collaboration between Old Dominion University, the College of William & Mary, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. She testified in support of building resilience to rising waters.
During Professor Considine's testimony to the Joint Subcommittee on Recurrent Flooding, Professor Considine shared information on CCRFR accomplishments to date including: launching a flood awareness messaging campaign, supporting the production of wetlands plants for nature-based resilience projects, developing the Storm Sense sensor technology to enable cities to better predict street flooding, and providing legal guidance to localities on flood risk management.
Professor Considine was joined at the hearing by CCRFR partners Mark Luckenbach, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Research and Advisory Services at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and Cameron Bruce, the Assistant Director of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative at the College of William & Mary.
CCRFR serves Virginia by conducting research and training and by providing technical services and policy guidance to state agencies, local governments, industries, and citizens. For more information about CCRFR, visit https://www.floodingresiliency.org/
Carol Considine
Across OERI
VDMC Attends Virginia Maritime Association Membership Briefing
September 3, 2025
The Briefing was an excellent opportunity to connect with industry leaders, exchange ideas, and explore how AI’s business value hinges on moving from potential to practical.
One key takeaway was that companies that adopt AI solutions early and thoughtfully will be positioned to lead in productivity and efficiency.
VDMC team members Jessica Galassie and Dr. Krzysztof Rechowicz attended the Virginia Maritime Association Membership Briefing at the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club on September 3rd.
This meeting highlighted how AI is shaping process automation, transportation logistics, and enterprise efficiency. Speakers shared insights on the evolution of machine learning and large language models, challenges of deployment, and emerging opportunities for agentic AI in industries such as legal, contracting, and freight mobility.
It was also great to meet Old Dominion University's new associate professor, Milton Soto-Ferrari, at the ODU Strome College of Business and ODU School of Supply Chain, Logistics, and Maritime Operations.
VDMC is looking forward to collaborating in the future!
Across OERI
ICAR Visits Hermitage Museum and Gardens
September 3, 2025
The ICAR Team, including Jessica Whitehead, Carol Considine, Andrew Larkin, Vincent Hodges, Laura Costadone, Wai Yan Siu, and Trang Le, visited the Hermitage Museum and Gardens in Norfolk to experience the Burden of the Beast. ICAR consulted with Hermitage staff on the development of this exhibit, which includes a 32-foot tall sculpture of a bison carrying a house on its back, symbolizing resilience, adaptation, and sea level rise.
Constructed by artist Walker Babington from lumber salvaged from Hurricane Ida, the sculpture resembles a New Orleans-style frame house. Its porch is 14 feet above the ground, the required base elevation for new construction in some flood zones in the bayou. Exhibit signage draws parallels between New Orleans and Norfolk’s shared sea level rise and adaptation challenges.
Thirsty Thursday September 4, 2025
Star Sherry, the Testing & Operations Manager for the Spectrum Advanced Training Technology Laboratory (SATTL), spoke at September’s Thirsty Thursday on SATTL’s capabilities, DOD spectrum initiatives, and plans for the future of the Lab.
If you or your team is interested in presenting at Thirsty Thursday, contact Michael Nelson at mln@cs.odu.edu.
OERI Fall Lunch
September 23, 2025
OERI held a team lunch to come together and celebrate the incredible progress the entire team has made over the spring and summer. A special congratulations to the entire OERI team for your outstanding work on the Monarchs Give Back campaign. Your dedication and teamwork continue to make a powerful impact!
Across OERI
DivRED Fall 2025 Kick-Off Luncheon September 29, 2025
The ODU Division of Research and Economic Development (DivRED) held a Fall 2025 Kick-Off Luncheon in the SEALab. Vice President Kenneth Fridley provided a review of reent updates, upcoming initiatives, and expressed his gratitude for the contributions made by DivRED during the Monarchs Give Back Campaign.
Across OERI
CME‘s Dr. Deri Draper-Amason Earns Department of War Award to Integrate
Decision
Readiness Tool
September, 2025
The Center for Mission Engineering's focus on achieving mission readiness via AIdriven tools has earned CME's Dr. DeriDraper Amason a high-profile Dept. of War award, in the wake of a recent DoW decision to create a critical Mission Engineering Integration Activity . CME’s strategy is to integrate its digital Decision Readiness tool with Dr. Draper's Integrated Digital Maturity Pathway (IDMP) tool and User Story Framework, creating a scalable, data-informed, and human-centered platform for complex defense workflow decision-making. Current approaches feature static lifecycle depictions of operational, acquisition, and sustainment factors especially in joint force contexts and contested environments.
CME will adopt IDMP’s five-level maturity model and User Story framework, enabling organizations to:
With these outcomes:
mission outcomes to digital maturity key domains such as workforce, tech modeling & simulation, and supply chain ate mission threads into actionable User , allowing stakeholder-driven scenario ng and readiness assessment ize readiness, risks, and trade-offs h dynamic dashboards and quantitative s
ate Courses of Action using decision e, mission assurance logic, and maturitythresholds
Accelerate time-to-decision through streamlined digital scenario planning
Improve alignment between operations, acquisition, and sustainment across the Lifecycle
Enable risk-informed, user-driven transformation of mission planning systems
Support emerging acquisition reform and DoW digital engineering objectives By fusing digital engineering with maturity models and operational narratives, CME plans to empower decision-makers with the clarity, agility, and trust needed to execute complex missions with confidence Its expanded toolbox reinforces ODU’s applied research leadership in mission engineering, performance improvement, and national defense digital transformation.
Across OERI
CSICS Presents Poster at UVA Research Symposia September 17, 2025
CSICS’ Dr. Ross Gore (Research Associate Professor) and Eranga Herath (Senior Project Scientist) attended the University of Virginia’s Research Symposia: Frontiers in Clinical AI: Advancing Medical Innovation Through Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The event aimed to foster collaboration between clinicians and scientists, highlight innovative research, and begin collaborations on future advancements in clinical AI.
In collaboration with colleagues from UVA, ODU’s Ellmer College of Health Sciences, and CSICS, Dr. Gore presented a poster highlighting their paper, “Standardization of Psychiatric Diagnoses: Role of Fine-tuned LLM Consortium & OpenAI-o3 Reasoning LLM Enabled Decision Support System,” which proposes a Fine-Tuned LLM Consortium and OpenAI-o3 Reasoning LLM-based decision support system that enhances psychiatric diagnosis through AI-driven analysis of conversational data.
Across OERI
SATTL Initial Operational capability Event
September 18, 2025
The Spectrum Advanced Training Technology Lab (SATTL) recently held their Initial Operational Capability (IOC) event in front of sponsors, partners, and other esteemed industry and research guests. This event was designed to officially open and showcase SATTL in terms of function and capability. The sponsors and guests were excited at the opportunity to tour the lab live on-site, immediately making plans for future use cases and collaboration opportunities.
The SATTL IOC event was also an opportunity to invite much anticipated discussion from fellow OERI team members and guests, and the event was followed by a successful reception in the VMASC SEALab, recognizing everyone for their hard work and contributions to SATTL’s first year. Together the SATTL team will continue to 'Empower Spectrum Superiority through Innovation" as they start the next phase of their project strong. Be on the lookout for social media from SATTL as well!
Across OERI
VDMC at FMMS in San Diego
September 24, 2025
The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE)’s Fleet Maintenance & Modernization Symposium (FMMS) was held in San Diego this year.
VDMC’s Executive Director Mark Whitney moderated a panel on Accelerating Warfighting & Readiness with Non-Traditional Solutions.
The panel was insightful and brought a number of outstanding questions!
FMMS is a great place to network, collaborate, and move maritime forward, together!
Across OERI
VASBA Aerospace Gala
September 25, 2025
VISA team members attended the 2025 VASBA Aerospace Gala. Proceeds from this event go to STEM scholarships. It’s also a great opportunity to network with colleagues, industry leaders, and policy makers in all manner of aerospace, research labs, academic institutions and professional service firms.
Zack Ware, PE, MSCE Graduate of ODU and past scholarship recipient, spoke at the event, where he shared his story on how VASBA affected his life in a positive way when they gave him schlarships back in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Two new scholarship recipients were awarded to:
Brittany Ballard, Old Dominion University; and Gabrielle Lang, Averett University.
VISA was also a Silver Sponsor for the Gala.
Across OERI
Dr. Philippe J. Giabbanelli joins the Editorial Board of BMC
Personalized Medicine
September, 2025
VMASC’s Dr. Philippe J. Giabbanelli has joined the Editorial Board of BMC Personalized Medicine, a newly launched journal advancing cutting-edge research in patient-centered healthcare.
The journal covers a wide spectrum of topics, including digital twins and computational simulation, digital health and remote monitoring, AI and machine learning for clinical decision support, health services research, and equity in personalized medicine.
Dr. Giabbanelli brings over a decade of editorial experience, having previously served on the boards of BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, BMC Digital Health (as an inaugural member), Simulation, and Intelligence-Based Medicine. His expertise in AI, modeling & simulation, and health applications will help shape the future of this exciting new journal.
Congratulations to Dr. Giabbanelli on this new leadership role in advancing personalized medicine research!
Across OERI
Dr. Philippe J. Giabbanelli, research professor at Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center (VMASC), has been named in Stanford’s new list of the Top 2% of Scientists in the World. Dr. Giabbanelli appears in both categories of the ranking: single-year impact and career-long impact.
The annual list, developed by Stanford scholar John P. A. Ioannidis and colleagues and published by Elsevier, identifies the world’s leading researchers across all disciplines using a standardized set of citation indicators. Inclusion is based on a composite score that accounts for citations, authorship positions, and co-authorship adjustments, ensuring recognition of both recent contributions and sustained scholarly excellence.
Being listed for both single-year and career-long impact underscores the dual significance of Dr. Giabbanelli’s work: his recent research is making immediate advances in the field, while his career contributions have built a lasting foundation of influence in modeling & simulation, artificial intelligence, and their applications to health and society.
Integrating RAG, HCD, and PD in MBSE for Mission Problem Framing
Rafi Soule – PhD Candidate Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering; Old Dominion University; Norfolk, VA
Abstract:
The initial phase of Mission Engineering (ME) is critical for defining mission problems or opportunities, but traditional methods in defense and space contexts rely on manual processes that are time-intensive and prone to knowledge gaps. This article introduces a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approach that integrates Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Participatory Design (PD) methodologies to enhance problem definition in ME contexts. We present an MBSE-driven framework that integrates RAG with HCD/PD methods to improve early mission problem framing. Our approach embeds stakeholder workshops and surveys into a structured modeling workflow, where RAG dynamically retrieves relevant technical and operational knowledge to augment human insights (NVIDIA, 2025). This unified process yields demonstrable practitioner benefits: it produces more accurate mission problem definitions, fosters stakeholder consensus on objectives, and shortens the time required to reach alignment. We illustrate applications in defense and aerospace mission scenarios (INCOSE, 2007), showing how a single MBSE model can unify diverse information sources and drive clearer, faster decision-making.
Recent CSICS Publications
A. Parsa, N. Moghim and S. Shetty, "QoS-Aware Link Adaptation for Beyond 5G Networks: A Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach," in IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society, vol. 6, pp. 6368-6382, 2025, doi: 10.1109/OJCOMS.2025.3593836. (IF: 6.1)
A. Alzuweini, N. Moghim, and S. Shetty, “Energy-Efficient User Association and Sub-Channel Allocation in Ultra-Dense Networks: A Clustering-Based Approach with LSTM-Driven Channel Prediction”, in IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, 2025, doi: 10.1109/TCE.2025.3572785 (IF:10.9).
S. Taheri, N. Moghim, N. Movahhedinia, S. Shetty, “A framework for task offloading in heterogeneous computing applications within the fog RAN architecture”, Telecommunication Systems 88, 105 (2025), doi: 10.1007/s11235-025-01332-9 (IF: 1.7)
ICAR’s latest publication “Integrated valuation of the ecological, social and economic benefits provided by a multifunctional nature-based solution”, coauthored by ICAR faculty member Laura Costadone, Ph.D., is now out in NatureBased Solutions.
This study demonstrates how converting a city-owned golf course into the Bow Creek Stormwater Park in Virginia Beach goes far beyond flood mitigation. Using advanced modeling tools, we quantified multiple ecosystem services including flood protection, pollination, microclimatic cooling, and recreational benefits and showed how they substantially increase the project’s benefit–cost ratio.
Key findings:
-Nearly 50% reduction in structural flood damages
-5.6°C reduction in local air temperature in tree shaded areas
-55% increase in pollinator abundance
-2.4% rise in nearby property values
-Long-term benefit–cost ratio rising to 2.1:1 when ecosystem services are included
This case study highlights the true value of Nature-based Solutions for resilient and sustainable urban planning. By integrating ecological, social, and economic benefits into decision-making, we can better prepare communities for climate risks while enhancing quality of life.
You can read the open access article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbsj.2025.100256
The paper “Rethinking Learning: The Role of Unlearning in Generative AI-Based Conceptual Modeling” has been accepted for presentation at the 44th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER 2025). This conference is ranked A in the CORE ranking, highlighting its excellent reputation and research rigor within the field.
This work represents a nationwide collaboration across four institutions, led by Dr. Philippe Giabbanelli (Old Dominion University, VMASC). Co-authors include Dr. Shahnewaz Sakib (University of Tennessee), Dr. Stephen Liddle (Brigham Young University), Dr. Christopher Lynch (Old Dominion University, VMASC), and Dr. Ameeta Agrawal (Portland State University).
The paper challenges the prevailing “do more” approach to improving generative AI in conceptual modeling, where performance is typically enhanced by adding more data or refining prompts. Instead, the authors explore the concept of unlearning—selectively removing or canceling knowledge that leads to underperformance. Two critical research questions guide their vision: What should be unlearned to improve conceptual modeling outcomes (e.g., problematic data affecting causal representation or terminological consistency)? How should unlearning be achieved approximately or fully, and with what degree of access to the AI model?
By rethinking how AI systems are refined, this paper opens new directions for both conceptual modeling research and the responsible use of generative AI.
Congratulations to the team on this strong academic accomplishment!
Philippe Giabbanelli, Ph.D.
Christopher Lynch, Ph.D.
The article, “Promoting Empathy in Decision-Making by Turning Agent-Based Models into Stories Using Large-Language Models,” has been published in the Journal of Simulation, a well-known journal from the Operational Research Society.
The paper is led by Dr. Philippe J. Giabbanelli (Old Dominion University, VMASC), with co-authors Cédric Daumas and Noé Flandre (VMASC / IMT Mines Alès, France), and Ashutosh Pitkar and Jessica Vazquez-Estrada (formerly at Miami University).
The study explores how large-language models (LLMs) such as GPT-4 can transform the journeys of individual agents in simulations (traditionally expressed as numbers and statistics) into empathetic narratives. By humanizing the experiences of simulated agents in scenarios such as evacuations or migration, these narratives provide decision-makers with a new way to appreciate the lived experiences behind abstract data.
Key contributions include:
Developing direct and indirect approaches to generate agent narratives, including style transfer to empathetic voices.
Evaluating readability, fluency, and empathy through both automated metrics and human studies.
Providing open-source tools so that other simulation researchers can convert their own models into stories.
This work highlights how bridging simulation science and AI-driven storytelling can foster more empathetic, informed, and responsible decision-making.
International Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics Conference, Hawaii USA December 8-10, 2025
Jessica Johnson, Ph.D.
Title: Teaming with Technology: Adaptive Automation in Joint Cognitive Systems for Industry 5.0
ABSTRACT:
Adaptive automation enables dynamic reallocation of functions between humans and autonomous agents to optimize performance in complex work environments. This paper presents a meta-analysis of experimental and quasi-experimental studies on joint cognitive systems (JCS), quantifying the effects of adaptive automation on task performance, safety, workload, trust, and learning. From this synthesis, we develop a taxonomy that categorizes adaptive automation along key dimensions: allocation policy, trigger logic, timing and granularity, transparency and explainability, authority and override, multimodal sensing, mutual learning, and safety constraints. We then map this taxonomy to Industry 5.0 design principles and propose an infrastructure for adaptive decision simulations that integrates digital work twins, human-state sensing, explainable agents, and governance mechanisms to support human-centered, resilient, and sustainable operations. Results highlight conditions where adaptive automation demonstrates the greatest benefits, such as state-based triggers with calibrated transparency and rapid human override, while also revealing potential risks including over-trust, cognitive tunneling, and negative transfer. The paper concludes with design guidelines and an evaluation checklist to operationalize the taxonomy in real-world training and work systems, using maritime and skilled-trades simulations as illustrative testbeds for Industry 5.0 applications.
VMASC, in collaboration with colleagues at George Mason University, Montana State University, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has published in IEEE Access:
“AI-Generated Messaging for Life Events Using Structured Prompts: A Comparative Study of GPT with Human Experts and Machine Learning” DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3600146
What we found:
• Generated 24,000 GPT-4 life-event messages (births, deaths, hiring, firing)
• 87% alignment with human intent using structured prompts
• 90% match between human reviewers and ensemble ML validation
Why it matters: This research demonstrates that structured prompts + ML validation pipelines can improve the trustworthiness of AI-generated communication — with implications for healthcare, crisis comms, education, and policy.
Authors: Christopher Lynch, Ph.D.; Erik Jensen; Ross Gore, Ph.D.; Virginia Zamponi; Kevin O’Brien; Brandon Feldhaus; Katherine Smith, Ph.D.; Joseph Martinez; Madison Munro; Timur Ozkose; Tugce Gundogdu; Ann Marie Reinhold; Hamdi Kavak, Ph.D.; and Barry Ezell, Ph.D.
OERI In The News
Buncombe County hoping to add sirens, stream gauges almost a year after Helene
wcnc.com
September 3, 2025
“Joshua Behr's Book of Rules"
Old Dominion University professor and Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center researcher
Joshua Behr is an expert on evacuation behavior. He knows first-hand what's at stake. His father-in-law died during Hurricane Katrina after refusing to evacuate.
"(Helene) really came up and surprised a lot of people, and I'm certainly not blaming the people in those situations, but in general, as populations, we tend to underestimate that risk,
and the underestimation of that risk is conditioned, in part, by the messaging that we receive," Behr said. "Messaging that's broad and general, 'Hey, you gotta get out,' doesn't have the impact of tailored, specific messaging."
Behr said it's critical we learn from every disaster. He said number one in "Joshua Behr's Book of Rules" is ensuring emergency managers always communicate the true risk and make sure those warnings are received. Because technology is finicky, he said sirens are a key part of the solution.
"The number two rule in the Joshua Behr's Book of Rules, when it comes to messaging and warnings, is simply, redundancy is preferred," Behr added. "Embracing tech while at the same time investing in the audio siren warning on poles is a wise pathway to reduce risk and save lives."
OERI In The News
Marty Irvine Jr., Ph.D., Named ODU's Inaugural Associate Vice President for National Security Initiatives
odu.edu
September 10, 2025
Old Dominion University named Marty Irvine Jr., Ph.D., as its inaugural associate vice president for National Security Initiatives, effective on June 6, 2025.
In this new role, Dr. Irvine oversees ODU’s national security strategic research, part of the University’s goal to drive national and global impact in areas like artificial intelligence and machine learning, autonomous and networked systems, computational and data science, cybersecurity and networking security, and modeling and simulation.
“ODU has a long-standing tradition of supporting the military and national security through its education and research programs. Earlier this year, ODU designated national security as one of four strategic research focus areas,” said Kenneth Fridley, Ph.D., vice president for Research and Economic Development.
“Our first major step forward is the hiring of Dr. Marty Irvine, whose unique experience and proven leadership make him the perfect choice to lead ODU’s national security initiative.”
His goal is to leverage the University's capabilities in national security, cybersecurity and applied research to produce a comprehensive program. He will promote collaboration between the University’s established centers of research and development including the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center, the Virginia Institute for Spaceflight & Autonomy, the Institute for Coastal Adaption and Resilience, the Virginia Digital Maritime Center and the Institute for Autonomous and Connected Systems. Dr. Irvine added that the integration of Eastern Virginia Medical School into ODU also provides significant opportunities in applied research and sciences.
OERI In The News
Virginian-Pilot Business Notes
pilotonline.com
September 15, 2025
Old Dominion University’s Office of Enterprise Research and Innovation appointed B. Danette Allen as executive director of the Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center. Allen is a pioneering senior leader in autonomous systems, with 30 years of experience working at NASA managing the agency’s strategic direction for such systems to meet current and future mission needs across aeronautics, space, robotics and human exploration.
Upcoming Events
Date: October 24, 2025
Location: Student Recreation & Wellbeing Center
Get ready to roar, Monarch Nation! We’re wrapping up Monarchs Give Back with an unforgettable celebration at the Student Recreation & Well-being Center. Starting at 2 p.m., enjoy the electrifying sounds of the Marching Band, cheer alongside ODU studentathletes, and take-home exciting giveaways. We’ll spotlight the incredible departments, student groups, and community partners who helped lead the charge toward our goal to Feed the Lion. Bring your Monarch pride, your friends, and your energy as we celebrate the power of giving back.
Upcoming Events
VDMC is hosting the 2026 Digital Ship Challenge in April 2026.
They are looking for industry members to be team mentors, attend the Maritime Connect, and to sponsor a team!
If you know anyone in the maritime industry, have them sign up today!
https://digitalmaritime.org/digital-ship-challenge/
