Grand Challenge Initiative: Education for All

Padmanabhan Seshaiyer (Padhu) is a Professor and Director at George Mason University where he has served in multiple leadership positions including the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Director of the STEM Accelerator Program and Director of the Center for Outreach in Mathematics Professional Learning and Educational Technology. During the last decade, he initiated and directed a variety of research, educational and outreach programs including faculty development, post-graduate, graduate and undergraduate research, K-12 outreach, teacher professional development, and enrichment programs, to foster the interest of students and teachers in Mathematics education at all levels.

Kerin Hilker Balkissoon is an accomplished higher education leader with over 25 years of experience engaging PK-12, community colleges, universities, non-profits, and workforce partners to support college access, student success, and career attainment. Known for her innovative approach to post-secondary program design, Kerin integrates expertise in career counseling, career pathways, high-impact educational practices, lifecycle intervention frameworks, and developmental advising to create holistic service models that drive exceptional student outcomes.  With a proven track record in designing data-driven interventions, Kerin focuses on enhancing post-secondary enrollment and credential completion. Her expertise includes developing targeted service models to engage first-generation college students, student-parents, international students, and community college transfer students.

Kelly Knight is a professor with the George Mason University Forensic Science Program and a STEM Accelerator. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in forensic DNA and forensic chemistry and is also the principal investigator of the forensic DNA laboratory.  As a STEM Accelerator, she guides and mentors undergraduate students in the Forensic Science Program and coordinates K-12 STEM outreach including the FOCUS summer programs for middle and high school students. 

Jessica Rosenberg is a physics professor and Director of Education in the Quantum Science and Engineering Center. Her astrophysics research is focused on understanding the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time primarily by studying the baryonic content of galaxies and the intergalactic medium. Her work in STEM education research spans undergraduate education, graduate education, and faculty development. She is interested in how we expand the use of research-based teaching practices as a mechanism to improve student learning in the undergraduate classroom through graduate student and faculty development. With the Quantum Materials Center, Rosenberg is exploring how we can prepare students coming from a broad range of STEM backgrounds for the quantum information science workforce.

Tina Bell is an associate professor in the Department of Biology and a member of the College of Science STEM Accelerator Program. Bell teaches cell biology and genetics and co-coordinates several student success initiatives, including the STEM Accelerator Learning Assistants program, STEM Bridge, and Math Boot Camps. Her outreach and research efforts include leading a regional National Ocean Sciences Bowl competition, partnering with a rural Georgia school district to deliver experiential STEAM education, and serving as part of an NSF Noyce–funded team supporting future STEM educators. As a Dean’s Fellow, Bell is leads the College of Science’s Women’s Leadership in STEM Program, focused on building leadership skills, mentorship, and career preparation for the next generation of women leaders in STEM.

Rebecca M. Jones is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the STEM Accelerator, where she regularly teaches general and inorganic chemistry and works to improve outcomes for STEM students. Her research interests include improving STEM education, photographic chemistry, and faculty mentoring and student development related to undergraduate research experiences. She is an active member of the American Chemical Society, the president of Mason’s chapter of Sigma Xi, and an elected chemistry councilor on the Council on Undergraduate Research (since 2016). She has served the College of Science as a faculty senator (2016-2019), Secretary of the faculty (2017-2020), Chair of the faculty (2020-2023), and coordinator of the COS Undergraduate Research Colloquium (since 2015).