Christine Julien joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the Internet of Things (IOT), exploring its definition, potential vulnerabilities, and the implications of using smart devices, especially for children. Julien stressed the importance of security and privacy when using IOT devices, particularly during the gift-giving season and shared insights on navigating these complexities with an aim of balancing the enjoyment and security.

About Julien

Julien is head of the Department of Computer Science in Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering. Her research has focused on engineering software that supports a range of smart devices and environments. This includes the use of advanced networking technologies to provide opportunities for children to move independently around their neighborhoods while staying safe through remote connections to parents and guardians and improved sensing and networking for the Internet of Things.

Lavinia Uscatescu and Hunter Tufarelli joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the importance of understanding and accommodating neurodivergent individuals in various environments, particularly social gatherings during the holiday season. The pair shared the impact environmental factors can have on neurodivergent individuals, as well as the significance of predictability and communication in social settings. As a person with autism, Tufarelli also shared her first-hand experiences and the importance of embracing self-care.

About Uscatescu

Uscatescu is research assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and oversees the Personalized Prediction Lab. Her research interests include using neuroimaging and eye tracking data to better understand autism, psychosis, and related conditions with a focus on developing more inclusive, neurodiversity-friendly environmental settings and psychological testing strategies.

Tufarelli is a sophomore studying psychology and a research assistant in Uscatescu’s lab.

Yan Chen joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance teaching and peer instruction in classrooms. Chen believes one potential use for AI, specifically large language models, is to monitor and analyze peer interactions in real-time. He shared the platform he and colleagues have created to do this, called VizPI, which aims to provide instructors with insights and recommendations to create a more engaging and personalized learning environment for students.

About Chen

Chen is an assistant professor of computer science and directs the Programming with Intelligent Machines and Environments Lab. He is active in the Human-Computer Interaction research community, with projects spanning support tools, learning at scale, real-time data analysis, and computer science education.

Carrie Fearer joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about forest health in the wake of natural disasters. She explained how storms and disturbances affect forest ecosystems, the importance of human interaction in promoting healthy forests, and the opportunities for restoration following catastrophic events. She also emphasized the significance of native species and the role of decomposition in maintaining forest health.

About Fearer

Carrie Fearer is an assistant professor of forest health in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment. Her research focuses on forest pathology, early disease detection, and microbes in tree health. Fearer gained international recognition for identifying the cause agent of beech leaf disease, a new threat to the global nursery trade and native beech species across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Tina Dura joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about subduction zones, particularly the Cascadia Subduction Zone, earthquakes and tsunamis. She explained the mechanics of earthquakes, and how the geological record and fossilized algae are helping researchers better understand past occurrences and predict future ones. Dura emphasized the importance of translating scientific research into actionable information for the public, especially regarding tsunami preparedness and community resilience.

About Dura

Dura is an assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences and an affiliate of the Global Change Center where she leads Virginia Tech’s Coastal Hazards Lab. Her research specializes in subduction zone paleogeodesy, which combines a variety of scientific methods to reconstruct long-term histories of coseismic vertical deformation and tsunami inundation along subduction zone coastlines.

Guoliang “Greg” Liu joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about his journey in sustainability, focusing on the innovative process of converting plastic waste into soap. He shared insights on the challenges of controlling the chemical processes involved, the types of plastics used, and the potential for creating both liquid and solid soap products. He emphasized the importance of sustainability in the detergent industry and expressed hope for future commercialization of his work.

About Liu

Liu is a professor of chemistry in the College of Science, as well as an affiliated faculty member of the nanoscience program in the Academy of Integrated Science, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering, the Macromolecules Innovation Institute, and the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology. His research focuses on novel ways to integrate materials in order to solve energy and environmental problems.

James Harder joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, specially highlighting the Department of Computer Science’s initiative, CS/root. Harder shared his belief that the entrepreneurship process can be learned and applied to various novel ideas and the ways the program hopes to teach and support it, as well as the role it will play in putting emerging technology in more people’s hands.

About Harder

Harder is the external engagement manager for Virginia Tech's Department of Computer Science and the executive director of CS/root. The department’s program to support and encourage computer science-focused entrepreneurship. His research interests include agricultural applications of blockchain, as well as other emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence, internet of things, and cybersecurity.

Shalini Misra joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about how artificial intelligence (AI) might be used in the field of emergency management. She shared some of the different ways AI is currently being used and the concerns she’s heard from emergency managers. Misra also talks about the steps she believes will be necessary for the technology to reach its full potential in this field.

About Misra

Shalini Misra is an associate professor of urban affairs and planning in the School of Public and International Affairs, which is located in the Virginia Tech Research Center — Arlington. She is also an administrative fellow in the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment. Misra’s research interests include the social, psychological, and health implications of the Internet and digital communication technologies, as well as public interest technology, its design and deployment, and the governance of digital technologies.