Dr. Amarda Shehu is Professor of Computer Science, Associate Dean for Research, and the inaugural Vice President and Chief AI Officer at George Mason University. She leads the university’s AI strategy across research, education, workforce development, and public engagement. She formerly served as Associate Vice President for Research, providing leadership for the Institute for Digital InnovAtion. She has launched multiple transdisciplinary centers, including the Center for AI Innovation and Economic Competitiveness, the Center for Infrastructure Security in the Era of AI, the Center for Cybersecurity Research, and the Provost Transdisciplinary Center for Advancing Human-Machine Partnerships. She is also the architect of Mason’s new M.S. in Artificial Intelligence degree program and chairs the university’s AI-in-Government Council, advancing AI collaboration across academia, industry, and public agencies. An active AI researcher, Dr. Shehu has published over 190 papers with students and collaborators. She is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, a member of the Virginia Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and a recipient of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Award from SCHEV, the NSF CAREER Award, and multiple university honors for research, teaching, and mentoring. Her research is supported