Hi! My name is Ashish!

Pronounced "uh-sheesh"

I am a PhD student in Information Technology in the College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University (Go Patriots!). My pronouns are he/him/his.

My research interests include education in higher education, engineering education, and student-self efficacy. My interests are influenced by my experiences as a first-generation college student navigating through academia.

I am part of the Technocritical Research on AI, Learning & Society Lab (trailsLAB) at GMU. Currently, I am working on the Mason Tech Ethics Project, an NSF-funded grant exploring student's understanding of ethical thinking in our high-tech world. We use role-play activities as a medium for students to explore different perspectives in everyday actions that have ethical considerations.

In conducting my doctoral work, I have received several merit fellowships and scholarships. I am a Summer Institute for Technology Ethics Fellow (Santa Clara University), ICICLE Educational Fellow working with the ICICLE National AI Institute (Ohio State University), a MARIE Program Scholar (George Mason University), and an AI and Tech Policy Summer Fellow (George Mason University).

During the 2022-23 Academic Year, I am serving as Director of Communication for Mason's Graduate & Professional Student Assn. (GAPSA), and Co-Diversity Chair for the Student Division of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).

I hold a M.S. in Business Administration (emphasis in Information Security and Assurance) and B.S. in Business Administration (emphasis in Computer Information Systems) from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Go Broncos!). I also hold Associates degrees from Pasadena City College (Go Lancers!).



Publications, Proceedings, and Projects Updates


Date Activity
01-24 Received Best Paper nomination (Computing Education Minitrack) for a conference paper at the 57th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences in Waikiki, HI. Paper Link

Date Activity
10-23 Presented two conference papers at the 2022 Frontiers in Education Annual Conference in College Station, TX.
10-23 Presented a conference paper at the 24th Annual Conference on Ethics Across the Curriculum in Harrisonburg, VA.
09-23 Presented a conference paper at the 2023 European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) Conference in Dublin, Ireland.
08-23 Gave the Invited Keynote Talk at the 9th Annual Creative Activities and Research Symposium in Pomona, CA.
07-23 Elected as 2023-24 Executive Vice President for the Graduate & Professional Student Association (GAPSA). Link
07-23 Elected as 2023-24 Best Paper Chair for the American Society for Engineering Education Student Division (ASEE-SD). Link
07-23 Presented a conference paper at the 2023 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD.
06-23 Selected as a Grant Recipient for the GMU Mentoring for Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence (MARIE) Program. Link
06-23 Selected as a Fellow for the ICICLE National AI Institute Educational Fellows Program. Link
05-23 Received Honorable Mention for a poster at the 2023 IEEE International Symposium on Ethics in Engineering, Science, and Technology, West Lafayette, IN.
03-23 Presented a conference paper at the 2023 American Society for Engineering Education Southeastern Section at George Mason University.
01-23 Published an Open-access journal paper in the Journal of Engineering Education (JEE). Link

Date Activity
10-22 Presented two conference papers at the 2022 Frontiers in Education Annual Conference in Uppsala, Sweden.
10-22 Selected to serve as a Member of the Mason Recreation Advisory Board, 2022-23.
09-22 Presented an interactive poster at the 14th Annual Innovations in Teaching & Learning Conference at George Mason University.
09-22 Selected as a Scholar for the Summer Institute for Technology Ethics, 2022. Link
07-22 Elected as the 2022-23 Director of Communication for the Graduate & Professional Student Association (GAPSA). Link
06-22 Elected as the 2022-23 Co-Diversity Chair for the Student Division of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Link
06-22 Presented two conference papers, and a poster at the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference, 2022!
03-22 Presented a conference poster at 2022 Mason Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference.

Date Activity
10-21 Presented a conference paper at Frontiers in Education, 2021 (virtual conference)!
09-21 Presented two interactive sessions at the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning Annual Conference ITL 2021 (virtual conference)!
08-21 Selected as the 2021-2022 General Assembly Representative for the PhD in Information Technology Program! Link
07-21 Presented a conference paper at American Society for Engineering Education, 2021 (virtual conference)!

Date Activity
09-20 Selected as 2020-2021 General Assembly Representative for the PhD in Information Technology Program! Link
08-20 Started working on the Mason Tech Ethics Project! Link