Governor's Technology Awards

Fairfax County, Arlington County, Alexander County, Loudon County, Prince William County
Northern Virginia Regional Routable Centerline Project

Finalist
Category: Cross-boundary Collaboration on IT Initiatives

Executive Summary:

The Northern Virginia Regional Routable Centerline project was undertaken by five jurisdictions in the Northern Virginia area that serve as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), the Virginia Information Technology Agency (VITA), and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The goal of the project was to develop a standard routable centerline data model and dataset usable by computer aided dispatch (CAD) systems throughout the region and ultimately the state. Additionally, the new data model was incorporated into the Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN) state road centerline file format as a means of exchanging street centerline data in the future. By leveraging an existing business process, the team ensured that this was not a one-time project but a repeatable process which will benefit 911 systems for years to come. The project also helped to facilitate better communication between the groups responsible for managing the critical geographic data on which CAD systems are built.

Contact for more information:
Helen Walla
GIS Supervisor, DoIT
hwalla@pwcgov.org

 

Virginia Department of Health
Virginia Vital Events and Screening Tracking System

Finalist
Category: Cross-boundary Collaboration on IT Initiatives

Executive Summary:

The Virginia Vital Events Screening Tracking System (VVESTS) is a suite of products consisting of the Electronic Birth Certificate (EBC), the Virginia Infants Screening and Infants Tracking System (VISITS) and the newly developed Audiology module in one tightly integrated system. Birthing facilities and hospitals in Virginia are currently using VVESTS to record birth information for children born in Virginia. Additionally, this Web-based system allows providers to complete mandated screenings for hearing and congenital anomalies in a paperless environment, saving thousands of dollars and expediting implementation of care through targeted follow-up. Further savings were utilized by significantly reducing the data entry efforts for the providers and VDH. This integrated system was able to improve functionality, data quality, reporting capabilities and reduce IT expenses. VVESTS is an example of cost reductions while providing significantly improved data quality and functionality and the ability to analyze data over time and across programs.

Contact for more information:
Debbie Condrey
CIO, Virginia Department of Health
debbie.condrey@vdh.virginia.gov

 

Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Department of Social Services, Department of Medical Assistance Services, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of General Services, Department of Health
Virginia Electronic Health and Human Resources (eHHR) program

Winner
Category: Cross-boundary Collaboration on IT Initiatives

Executive Summary:

The eHHR program’s vision is to collectively improve healthcare and human services for Virginians by providing access to the right services for the right people at the right time and for the right cost. While the initial focus is on interoperability within the HHR Secretariat, later phases will enable far broader use of the technology to promote increased interoperability throughout the Commonwealth. The eHHR program relies on a close collaboration across four Secretariats, including HHR, Technology, Transportation, and General Services. Multiple agencies are involved to break down individual silos and align with Federal direction, including Medicaid Information Technology Architecture. CMS has pointed to Virginia as an example for other states planning their future IT landscapes. The move toward Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and a reusable technology foundation will help improve the quality, efficiency, accuracy, and sustainability of government services at a time when demand is at an all time high.

Contact for more information:
Mike Wirth
Special Advisor on eHHR Integration, Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
Mike.Wirth@governor.virginia.gov

 

Department of Transportation (VDOT), Department of Accounts
Cardinal Project

Finalist
Category: Cross-boundary Collaboration on IT Initiatives

Executive Summary:

The Cardinal Project is a unique partnership between VDOT, the Department of Accounts (DOA), and VITA to begin the replacement of the commonwealth’s financial management system. The Cardinal project implementation began in 2009 to address VDOT’s immediate operational risk related to the agency’s aging financial system, FMSII. The project also served as the launching point for a commonwealth enterprise financial management system. Part 1, implemented in December 2011, delivered a robust financials solution for VDOT. Part 2 allows DOA to serve as a pilot agency for the upcoming statewide rollout of the General Ledger, Accounts Payable, and specific Accounts Receivable functionality. Part 3, which is currently in the planning phase, will be the statewide rollout of the base (General Ledger, Accounts Payable, and Accounts Receivable/Funds Receipt) functionality and will result in the decommissioning of CARS.

Contact for more information:
Murali Rao
Director, Information Technology Department, VDOT
murali.rao@vdot.virginia.gov

 

Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Outreach to Virginia’s Military

Winner
Category: Cross-boundary Collaboration on IT Initiatives

Executive Summary:

Through technology, innovative business programs and partnerships, the Department of Motor Vehicles is advancing Governor Bob McDonnell’s vision of Virginia as the most veteran-friendly state in the nation. Three new initiatives are providing Virginia’s military with greater access to DMV services, unique products, and training and potential job prospects after military service. The initiatives are Virginia veterans ID cards, DMV 2 Go mobile service, and the Troops to Trucks program. These outreach activities are collaborations between DMV, Virginia military installations, the Department of Veterans Services (DVS), and private transportation industry groups including the Virginia Trucking Association (VTA), Virginia Motorcoach Association (VMA), and the Virginia Pupil Transportation Association (VPTA). DMV’s ongoing partnership with the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) supports the technology. Our disciplined, dedicated military members who have given so much for Virginia and our nation deserve every effort we can make to provide opportunities for their futures.

Contact for more information:
Lana Shelley
Deputy CIO, Assistant Commissioner, DMV
Lana.Shelley@dmv.virginia.gov

 

State Board of Elections
COMET

Finalist
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Citizen

Executive Summary:

The Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) replaced its Campaign Finance Disclosure Application Client-based systems with a Web-based solution. The new solution has streamlined the registration and reporting process for committees and significantly improved the internal review and compliance processes for the SBE and automated communications and documentation of such with outside regulatory agencies.

Contact for more information:
Matthew Davis
Information Services Manager, Virginia State Board of Elections
matthew.davis@sbe.virginia.gov

 

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
VCU Mobile

Finalist
Category: IT as Efficiency Drive r— Government to Citizen

Executive Summary:

VCU Mobile provides dynamic, on-demand mobile access to campus information and systems. Fast, free, easy to load and use. VCU is committed to providing access to all University services and resources via mobile applications and websites. A growing number of University departments and schools have developed mobile website versions of their services to allow for anytime access by students, faculty, and staff. This includes a central VCU website - m.vcu.edu. The list of these mobile sites can be found at Mobile VCU A to Z Index page (http://www.atoz.vcu.edu/mobile/). The focal point of the University’s mobile offering is VCU Mobile, a collection of campus services that extends and enriches the learning experience via mobile devices. VCU Mobile fosters student engagement beyond the classroom, providing on demand access to vital campus information. Students, faculty and staff can connect instantly with anyone on campus; stay up to date with the latest news, sports, courses and campus services. VCU Mobile is anywhere, anytime.

Contact for more information:
Robert Davis
Director, Application Services
rsdavis@vcu.edu

 

Library of Virginia
Your Local Library Now Goes Where You Go

Winner
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Citizen

Executive Summary:

The Library of Virginia partnered with Boopsie, Inc., to develop a free mobile application for Find It Virginia that directs users to their local public library resources. Boopsie for Libraries is a mobile library application designed for public and academic libraries. From any mobile phone or tablet connected to the Internet, you can instantly tap into library resources, anytime, anywhere on any SMA. You can search the library catalog, check your account, ask a question, find events and more. Searching the catalog with the mobile app is especially easy. Once you find the title you're looking for, you can place it on hold right from your phone. The app brings the library to users, allowing them to place holds and renew materials as well as learn about locations, hours, directions, programs and events. It works on any smartphone. You can download the app for free from your local library's website. Forty-four public libraries have already received the Boopsie mobile app through this project and the remainder of the eligible Virginia public libraries should have the app by the end of the summer. The mobile app is made possible by the Library of Virginia through funding provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.

Contact for more information:
Rose Schooff
Technology Consultant, The Library of Virginia
rose.schooff@lva.virginia.gov

 

Virginia Department of Transportation
511 Virginia Traffic Information System

Winner
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Citizen

Executive Summary:

On May 18, 2012 the Virginia Department of Transportation launched the next generation of 511 traffic information! Citizens and motorists now can download a free mobile app that will give them real-time traffic information, visit the new 511 website with live streaming video of traffic conditions or call the improved 511 phone system. VDOT is the leader among states to provide a full suite of real-time traffic information and live streaming traffic images to help citizens travel safely and efficiently throughout the Commonwealth. The new system includes several features and enhancements such as:

• Free mobile apps for Android and iPhone

• New and improved 511 phone service

• Website showing incidents, construction zones, electronic message signs, travel times and traffic cameras

• Reach the Beach information that shows the fastest routes to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and the Outer Banks Expressway.

Contact for more information:
Murali Rao
Director, ITD
murali.rao@vdot.virginia.gov

 

State Corporation Commission
Business Entity Filing and Payment Websit

Finalist
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Business

Executive Summary:

SCC eFile is the State Corporation Commission’s business entity filing website that accepts filings and payments electronically, encourages customer self-service, and promotes efficiency and an improved level of customer service. SCC eFile provides 24/7 access and features over 11 online services for corporations and limited liability companies (LLC), which make up nearly 98% of all business entities on record in the SCC’s Office of the Clerk, and for Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filers. Among the services is a unique feature named “eFile Express,” which provides the ability to form a Virginia stock corporation or LLC within minutes. Virginia is one of a few states to offer this real-time service. With eFile Express, customers can start doing business in Virginia much sooner than in the past. The SCC eFile project has transformed the Commission’s technology, business processes, approach to customer service and culture.

Contact for more information:
Janet LaFleur
Chief Technology Officer
Janet.LaFleur@scc.virginia.gov

 

Department of General Services
eVA Mobile 4 Business

Winner
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Business

Executive Summary:

The eVA Mobile 4 Business app allows anyone with an internet-enabled mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, etc.) to have real-time access to Virginia government business opportunities anywhere, anytime. Virginia is one of the first states to launch a mobile app that brings bid opportunities and solicitations literally to the fingertips of its suppliers and the general public, giving them immediate access to thousands of business opportunities published every year and providing increased visibility into how state government spends taxpayers’ dollars. Whether in the office or on the move, the eVA Mobile 4 Business app gives businesses immediate access to all bid opportunities and solicitations published on eVA’s public Virginia Business Opportunities page. The free app also includes personalized features allowing businesses to follow specific opportunities by adding them to a Watch List. With a variety of other exciting features this app brings real business value to the world of mobile computing.

Contact for more information:
Ron Bell
Director
ron.bell@dgs.virginia.gov

 

Department of Taxation
eForms System

Finalist
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Business

Executive Summary:

Virginia’s eForms system is a free and secure electronic system that allows taxpayers to quickly and easily file and pay employer withholding taxes, sales and use taxes and motor vehicle rental taxes. The new eForms system is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and does not require taxpayer’s to sign-up for a log-in or password before allowing filing and payment. eForms provides the taxpayer with a template similar to the paper return and performs several calculations in order to increase return accuracy and taxpayer ease-of-use. Upon completion of the return and payment, eForms provides the taxpayer with a confirmation number and opportunity to print their return immediately following the transaction submittal. The eForms system also gives the taxpayer the opportunity to save their demographic information; making it even faster for the taxpayer to enter their return information for future filings.

Contact for more information:
Sharon Kitchens
CIO
sharon.kitchens@tax.virginia.gov

 

City of Virginia Beach
Automated Computer Management System

Winner
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Government

Executive Summary:

The City of Virginia Beach Department of Communications and Information Technology (ComIT) has built a web based tool to automate many of the processes and activities associated with lifecycle management and replacement of computers that are typically performed by IT staff. The resulting system is nothing short of remarkable. This system has dramatically reduced the amount of time and the number of staff necessary to carry out common life cycle support activities. It has allowed us to reduce the administrative staff on this team by 2/3s and we're now able to replace dozens or even hundreds of uniquely configured computers over the course of hours where we used to devote days. This system allowed us to replace ~400 computers for Virginia Beach Division of Social Services over the course of one weekend.

Contact for more information:
Mick Vollmer
Chief Technology Officer, City of Virginia Beach
mvollmer@vbgov.com

 

Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, DMV
One-stop Shopping Partnership

Finalist
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Government

Executive Summary:

The Department of Motor Vehicles and Department of Game and Inland Fisheries are partners in providing shared services for better citizen access and more efficient government. DMV is now an agent for DGIF and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, issuing licenses for hunting and fishing, as well as 30-day temporary registrations for boats. These services are available at all of DMV's 74 customer service centers and five mobile offices. DGIF has access to the DMV systems to register boat trailers and issue trailer tags. Finally, DMV serves as a conduit for customers needing permanent boat registrations. DMV accepts DGIF applications and payments, and forwards them to DGIF for processing. Customers needing these related services can be successful in one trip to either DMV or DGIF, rather than making two separate visits.

Contact for more information:
Lana Shelley
Deputy CIO, Assistant Commissioner, DMV
Lana.Shelley@dmv.virginia.gov

 

Fairfax County
Court and County Collaborative Partnership Model

Winner
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Government

Executive Summary:

The Courtroom Technology Office is a division of Fairfax County's Department of Information Technology established under a collaborative partnership model between the County Executive Branch and Judicial Branch to support the three Fairfax County Courts, Circuit Court & Records, the General District Court, and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court and affiliated agencies. The strategic solution created a unique, centralized "Coordinated Court" business model within a "hybridized" organizational structure to research, develop, coordinate, implement and maintain courtroom technology. The centralized model strives to automate and improve information systems by collaborating and sharing resources. This dynamic management structure has resulted in improved and streamlined operations supporting technology for 40 operational courtrooms and other courthouse technology initiatives. The centralized model allows for a unified approach by encouraging collaboration with multiple courts, facilitating conflicting needs and schedules, and maintaining a consistent, standardized and scalable technical foundation.

Contact for more information:
David Bartee
Director, Court Technology
David.Bartee@fairfaxcounty.gov

 

Department of Corrections
Integrated Offender Drug Testing

Finalist
Category: IT as Efficiency Driver — Government to Government

Executive Summary:

The Virginia Department of Corrections (DOC) partnered with the Department of General Services /Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DGS/DCLS) to replace legacy drug testing processes with standardized and automated processes, which promote interoperability across agencies, leverage existing technology, enhance services, and expand information sharing capabilities. Previous processes relied on 23 DOC sites across the Commonwealth to test offenders for drug use. The data entered into these disparate systems was inconsistent, not easily shared across DOC, could not be used for trend analysis. DOC/DCLS collaborated to identify areas of efficiency. Today, samples are collected by DOC and delivered to DCLS for analysis and lab orders are electronically submitted through VirginiaCORIS, DOC's offender management system, to the laboratory system at DCLS. Results are returned electronically to DOC's offender management system. DOC is able to analyze data for patterns and trends and share this information within the organization.

Contact for more information:
Rick Davis
Chief Technology Officer, Virginia Department of Corrections
rick.davis@vadoc.virginia.gov

 

University of Virginia (UVA)
Lodging Reservation Widget

Finalist
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Economic Development

Executive Summary:

The University of Virginia has identified a best known method for revenue generation and customer service within the Destination Management industry and applied it to the University’s website: Placing a Lodging reservation Widget on the University’s “Traveling to UVA” Web page. The University of Virginia is the first university in the country that has done this. This has resulted in an increased level of satisfaction amongst website visitors and generates thousands of dollars in revenue annually.

Contact for more information:
Kevin Crabtree
Senior Buyer, University of Virginia
kc5yc@virginia.edu

 

City of Richmond
Efforts to Outcome

Finalist
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Economic Development

Executive Summary:

Effective and efficient workforce development services to Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) residents is the number one objective and business need of Richmond’s workforce development division. To address this business need, Richmond has procured a hosted or cloud-based solution called Efforts to Outcomes Fundamentals from Social Solutions to enable regional collaboration with RRHA and offer improved customer service to RRHA residents.

Contact for more information:
Subhashini Narra
Systems Developer Lead, WEBBI Team
Subhashini.Narra@richmondgov.com

 

Tazewell County
Virtual Marketing Partnership

Winner
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Economic Development

Executive Summary:

Tazewell County’s Virtual Marketing Assistance Partnership Program is a new program that couples Tazewell County staff with business representatives to produce free video introductions (marketing material) for the business. The videos are taken by county staff utilizing existing, high definition, commercial quality video equipment, and the business develops the script and provides the spokesperson for the video. Once the video is captured it is edited into a 45 to 90 second video by county staff and approved by the business. Once complete the video is placed on website www.vmap.tazewellcounty.org as an entry into Tazewell County’s new Virtual Business Directory. Access and a copy are also given to the business to utilize in its own marketing efforts through social media, direct internet marketing and conventional television outlets. Tazewell County will use the videos to educate local workforce to career opportunities, and to market the County to outside industries encouraging economic development and diversification.

Contact for more information:
Sam Wolford
Director of Public Safety, Technology, & Workforce Development, Tazewell County
swolford@tazewellcounty.org

 

City of Roanoke
Budget for Outcomes

Winner
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Local Government

Executive Summary:

During FY 2011-12 the City first implemented a budgeting process known as Budgeting For Outcomes; in FY12-13 the City of Roanoke completed the transformation to the Budget Development process. This model operates with funding allocations based on priorities as focus areas as set by City Council and with collaboration with citizens, local business partners as well as City employees from all levels of the organization. A software application needed to be written and adopted by the organization in order to support this budgeting process. Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) is a comprehensive enterprise system focused on using outcome-driven results for developing and prioritizing funding requests. The BFO system is a custom app, designed and developed by the City of Roanoke’s Department of Technology E-gov team. The .NET system provides business intelligence capability for analyzing budgetary data and overall organizational performance metrics.

Contact for more information:
Kathy Cox
Assistant Director, Department of Technology
kathy.cox@roanokeva.gov

 

Frederick County
Mobile Map Book

Finalist
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Local Government

Executive Summary:

The Frederick County IT Department/GIS Division has completed its first mobile application. The County has leveraged its existing GIS software to create a mobile map book to assist emergency responders. Staff from GIS, Web development, and Fire & Rescue disciplines worked together to develop a map book application that would meet the needs of emergency responders while in the field. The application is also cost effective to build, deploy, and maintain in the current economic conditions. The mobile map book application is intended to replace the existing paper map book that many fire companies keep in their trucks. Once installed, the application is completely self contained and will function without a network or wireless connection, allowing it to be used in even the most rural parts of Frederick County.

Contact for more information:
Patrick Fly
GIS Manager, Frederick County
pfly@co.frederick.va.us

 

Prince William County
Customized Mobile Field Data Management System

Winner
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Local Government

Executive Summary:

The Gypsy Moth and Mosquito Control Branch of Prince William County has implemented a field inspection and data collection mobile application utilizing iPad2 tablets to streamline its daily inspection workflows. Inspection sites needing recurring inspection are available via a GPS-enabled map interface. The application is user-friendly and allows the field user to complete an inspection, set a recurring site visit date, and generate a reminder for the site visit on their personalized dashboard. The application allows citizen requests to be assigned to specific field users in real-time. It also allows users to work in an occasionally-connected or disconnected scenario where an internet connection is not available or limited. The application also has an in-office web based desktop component that allows us to produce executive reports, graphs, charts, and real-time field summary data. The field mobile solution is built using HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS3 and is hosted in the cloud.

Contact for more information:
Tim McGonegal
Branch Chief , Prince William County Virginia
tmcgonegal@pwcgov.org

 

Fairfax County
Shared Services Cloud

Finalist
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Local Government

Executive Summary:

Under the direction of the Chief Technology Officer, the Fairfax County Government Department of Information Technology (DIT) is responsible for IT Infrastructure management and services. In addition to providing day-to-day operations and support of services and products, DIT is engaged in scores of internal projects to expand and improve infrastructure support and agility. DIT?s internal projects are centered around the following strategies for its cloud computing solutions/services: (i) Automation; (ii) Standardization; (iii) Consolidation and; (iv) Integration. In line with these strategies, DIT deployed virtualized cloud-based technologies and services which are supporting over 15,000 employees, contractors, and volunteers distributed among 400 County facilities. The Fairfax County Portal is among the notable solutions based on these virtualized and cloud-based technologies. The County Portal is a web-based portal that provides a full range of IT services to County end users that can be accessed through most web-browsers from anywhere.

Contact for more information:
Jeff Porter
IT Program Director II, Fairfax County Government
jeff.porter@fairfaxcounty.gov

 

City of Norfolk
STORM

Winner
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Local Government

Executive Summary:

STORM (System to Track, Organize, Record, and Map)is a web based system used to collect information and map incidents during severe weather events. The system was designed to help centralize and standardize data collection during and after a storm, while also providing live mapping updates to the public. The system is designed for easy data entry, to eliminate duplication, to provide reporting on both current and historical events, and to be able to export data in different formats.

Contact for more information:
Fraser Picard
Manager, Geographic Information Systems
fraser.picard@norfolk.govg

 

Chesterfield County
Mug Shot Line Up App

Winner
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Local Government

Executive Summary:

The Mug Shot Lineup Application provides the ability for the Police Department to produce automated suspect lineups that can be used by crime victims or witnesses to identify offenders. The application uses mug shot photos and demographic information already collected during the booking process. Line-ups are created by selecting attributes such as date of birth, race, gender, eye color, and hair color. A search is made on the mug shot database and an automated lineup of suspects that meet the criteria is created. Specific mug shots in the produced lineup may be rejected by Police personnel if they do not appear suitable for a particular lineup. A replacement photo is selected from the database and inserted into the lineup. Additional photos of possible suspects that are not in the database can be imported into the lineup. Lineups can be saved by case number for future use and viewed on-line or printed.

Contact for more information:
Barry S. Condrey
CIO
condreyba@chesterfield.gov

 

James Madison University (JMU)
CyberCity 2012

Finalist
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Education

Executive Summary:

CyberCity is an award-winning, hands-on laboratory-based computer technology program catering to students and teachers seeking to explore today's world of cutting edge technology. The camp will include separate and joint sessions for teachers and students. CyberCity's topics and hands-on activities for 2012 will be presented by JMU professors, alumni, students and business leaders and will include: Business etiquette, facial recognition technology, gaming in the classroom, wireless network security, team-building, smartboard classroom activities, and using an iPad in the 21st century classroom

Contact for more information:
Patricia May
Director of Communications, James Madison University College of Business
maypl@jmu.edu

 

Department of Education (DOE)
Economics and Personal Finance

Finalist
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Education

Executive Summary:

Beginning with students who entered ninth grade in 2011, one standard unit credit of Economics and Personal Finance is required for graduation. To assist schools in meeting this requirement, the Virginia Department of Education with support from the Virginia College Savings Plan and the Virginia Bankers Association Education Foundation developed a comprehensive, cutting-edge, online course designed to ensure the economic and financial literacy of our students. The course structure comprises 160 modules of rich instructional content. Contained within this structure are 2,600 pages of content, graphic novel scenarios, interactive activities, auto-graded assessments, and an interactive graphing engine that enables users to manipulate variables and analyze information in graph and chart form. In addition, students practice their newly acquired skills through EconLab, an embedded simulation in which they guide their character through a series of scenarios as they apply their understandings of economics and personal finance. The course was developed using standard SCORM modules to allow its deployment through any SCORM-2004 compliant learning management system. A two-volume Multi-Touch iBook textbook, available on the Apple iBookstore, was developed to complement the course.

Contact for more information:
Dr. Tammy McGraw
Director of Educational Technology
tammy.mcgraw@doe.virginia.gov

 

George Mason University (GMU)
Innovative Asynchronous/Intl/Multi-U Course

Finalist
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Education

Executive Summary:

SWE 763, Software Engineering Experimentation, was taught in Spring 2012 as a unique and innovative international collaborative learning opportunity. The course includes lectures, interactive discussions of research papers, and a semester project and paper. The course made innovative use of an online course support web application to deliver asynchronous lectures and provide discussions. The technology allowed the course to merge students from US and Swedish universities into a single virtual class. The synergism from the diverse student body and the online format had several advantages when compared with a previous offering in a traditional synchronous classroom setting, including better quality papers, almost half of which represent publishable work, and significantly more discussion.

Contact for more information:
Jeff Offutt
Professor of Software Engineering, George Mason University
offutt@gmu.edu

 

Atlee High School
Scratch and LEGO WeDo for High School

Winner
Category: Innovative Use of Technology in Education

Executive Summary:

The LEGO® Education WeDo robotics kit is normally ear-marked as an elementary school product, and Scratch was developed by MIT for young children to be able to program, but the combination of the two can tap the interest of Computer Science students at the high school level. The new Science Standards of Learning in Virginia indicate students must have an understanding of probe ware, sensor, and accumulate data. Computer Science is also changing where it emerges as the foundation of STEM. IB Computer Science is changing from group 5 math to group 4 experimental science in August 2012 and AP computer science is piloting a new course called AP Computer Science: Principles. The combination of LEGO WeDo and Scratch will not only meet these new curricular requirements, but also provide authentic experiments for our 21st Century Workforce.

Contact for more information:
Eileen Malick
Teacher, Atlee High School
emalick@hanover.k12.va.us

 

Eastern Virginia Medical School and SimlS
Enhancing Medical Training/Automated Intelligent Mentoring System

Finalist
Category: Innovative Commercialization of Technology Research

Executive Summary:

Eastern Virginia Medical School and SimIS® have developed an Automated Intelligent Mentoring System for teaching and assessing procedural clinical skills. Unlike current simulation training models, our technology provides audio-based procedural instruction and active visual cues coupled with structured feedback on the results of each session. This system greatly enhances the ability to support direct, standardized expert mentorship for health professional as they learn and acquire new procedural clinical skills or are assessed in their proficiency in performing these skills. EVMS and SimIS® launched this product development with a three-part aim: satisfy the growing needs of the medical community, provide a product to attain procedural mastery and effectively improve skills, and increase interest in simplified methods of training by providing a smart return on investment. The partnership leverages patent pending technology to create an automated intelligent mentoring system, primarily a software package that addresses procedural training needs within health care.

Contact for more information:
Dr. Johnny Garcia
President and CEO of SimIS Inc.
johnny.garcia@simisinc.com

 

City of Virginia Beach
Augmented Reality and GIS Layers for Public Safety and Field Workers

Finalist
Category: Innovative Commercialization of Technology Research

Executive Summary:

In February 2011, I submitted a technology idea to our GIS Division that would combine Virginia Beach Municipal GIS Public Utilities and Public Works mapping layers and Augmented Reality in a mobile application form factor on an iPad type device. The resulting mash-up of these technologies would deliver the capability to use an iPad type device to "see" hidden or buried infrastructure such as water and sewer piping, fire hydrants, optical fiber and even 3 dimensional building details. This technology would revolutionize the tools available to field workers and public safety first responders by allowing them to quickly locate assets that may be hidden by snow or sand, been paved over or buried or even see the floor layout, cabling or piping infrastructure by simply pointing the device camera at a given building.

Contact for more information:
Mick Vollmer
Chief Technology Officer, City of Virginia Beach
mvollmer@vbgov.com

 

George Mason University and Invincea
Tech Transfer to Tech Start-up

Winner
Category: Innovative Commercialization of Technology Research

Executive Summary:

Invincea’s desktop security protection suite provides advanced malware threat protection against spear phishing and web-based threats. Invincea provides enterprise networks with coverage against the largest attack surface for cyber-breach: attacks aimed at end-users in the form of spear phishing, drive-by download exploits, poisoned search results, and user-initiated infections. The technology is based on patent-pending R&D from GMU under a SBIR contract to Invincea and GMU from DARPA. Invincea has successfully raised Series A and B rounds of venture capital investment from Mid-Atlantic Venture firms including Virginia’s CIT to create what is today the market’s leading breach prevention platform. Invincea has created more than 50 jobs and growing as a result of this successful transition and GMU continues to earn royalty payments on sold software licenses. Invincea was named Most Innovative Company at RSA Conference in 2011. Invincea was named for Hottest Buzz in NVTC’s Hot Ticket Awards in 2012.

Contact for more information:
Stephen Ward
Vice President, Invincea, Inc.
steve.ward@invincea.com

 

Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center
Continuously Running Simulation Environment for Sea Level Rise

Finalist
Category: Innovative Application of Modeling and Simulation Techniques

Executive Summary:

The Modeling and Simulation Interoperability (MSI) research lab at VMASC has designed and implemented a Continuously Running Simulation Environment (CoRSE) to study the dynamics of individuals within social, economical, political and cultural dimensions. The objective is to build a prototype tool that will help decision makers plan, analyze and consider multiple courses of action and their respective impact in the context of emergency and urban planning at the federal, state and/or local level. CoRSE is currently used to study the impact of decisions made to mitigate the effects of sea level rise (CoRSE/SLR) in the next five to fifty years on people, services, goods and infrastructure in the Hampton Roads area. The proposed model would not only capture each decision maker’s perspective of the problem, but also model how those decisions affect other stakeholders’ areas of interest providing a common perspective that facilitates the evaluation of tradeoffs between mitigation decisions.

Contact for more information:
Saikou Diallo
Virginia Modeling Analysis and Simulation Center
sdiallo@odu.edu

 

Joint and Coalition Warfighting Environmental Development
Low Overhead Training System

Winner
Category: Innovative Application of Modeling and Simulation Techniques

Executive Summary:

Today’s combat experienced soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines demand a high degree of realism in training. While live training is the ideal mechanism to achieve realism, modeling and simulation offers a lower cost approach while keeping the training believable. Despite being considerably less expensive than live training, historically, modeling and simulation support consumes up to 40% of the cost to conduct a joint exercise. The Low Overhead Training System (LOTS) is a software application that reduces the hardware, software, and personnel required to provide the training audience a common operational picture when adjudication of major combat operations is not required. LOTS supported U.S. European Command’s Austere Challenge 12 crisis action planning instead of the full Joint Live Virtual and Constructive (JLVC) capability. The JLVC is a proven state-of-the-art capability, but it requires significant resources of time, expertise, and infrastructure to plan, configure, and operate. The multiple training events it supports create data requirements, availability challenges, and distribution requirements unparalleled in the training arena. Employment of LOTS in Austere Challenge 12, based on an analysis of U.S. European Command training objectives, resulted in an order of magnitude reduction of simulation operators required to support the exercise. While LOTS will not meet all training objectives for all joint exercises, when it can, substantial savings can be realized without sacrificing realism.

Contact for more information:
Randy Kubik
M&S Federation Manager
Randall.l.kubik.ctr@mail.mil

 

Department of Forestry
Modeling Ecosystem Services with MEASURES and InFOREST

Finalist
Category: Cross Boundary Collaboration on Modeling and Simulation Initiatives

Executive Summary:

As forestland is lost to conversion to more intensive land uses, the many environmental benefits and services that forests provide are also lost. The loss of those benefits and services is an economic externality. Loss of forestland also directly impacts forestry operations and Virginia’s forest products industry. Properly considering the conservation of forest cover as the Commonwealth’s landscape is developed buffers the water quality (nutrients and sediment) and air quality impacts. Conservation of forest cover also positively influences biodiversity and cultural values. To better assist land managers in evaluating the impacts of forestland conversion to nutrient and sediment loads and air quality, MEASURES models and InFOREST have been developed.

Contact for more information:
Melanie Seigler
Director of Information Systems, Virginia Dept of Forestry
melanie.seigler@dof.virginia.gov

 

Virginia Modeling Analysis and Simulation Center, Old Dominion University, Englewood Hospital
Advancing Patient Safety via Medical Simulation Training For Physicians

Winner
Category: Cross Boundary Collaboration on Modeling and Simulation Initiatives

Executive Summary:

Collaboration between modeling and simulation engineers and practicing physicians has resulted in a technically sophisticated medical simulation training tool to advance patient safety via the clinical application of Patient Blood Management (PBM). Patient Blood Management is the timely application of evidence-based medical and surgical concepts designed to maintain hemoglobin concentration, optimize hemostasis, and minimize blood loss to improve patient outcome. In layman’s terms, PBM minimizes and/or eliminates the use of allogeneic blood transfusion, which is often associated with increased adverse effects to the patient. Additionally, the administering of blood transfusions has proven to be very expensive. This training tool facilitates immersive learning for medical professionals involved with transfusion decision-making throughout peri-operative patient care (pre-, intra-, and post-surgery). Real-time simulation of patient data, vital signs, and treatment responses are presented in exercises extracted from actual patient cases, rendering this tool unique. No other medical simulation training of its kind exists.

Contact for more information:
Catherine Banks
Associate Professor, Old Dominion University
cmbanks@odu.edu

 

Virginia Department of Education
Virginia Longitudinal Data System

Finalist
Category: Cross Boundary Collaboration on Modeling and Simulation Initiatives

Executive Summary:

The Virginia Longitudinal Data System (VLDS) is designed to provide Virginia citizens, researchers, and policymakers with a single point of access to educational and workforce training data from multiple, independent sources. The VLDS public portal will provide data and reports released by participating agencies for public use. The My VLDS (non-public) portal provides secure, authorized access to non-public, record level data that is de-identified and linked (on request) across multiple sources to create longitudinal data sets. The My VLDS provides qualified researchers, agencies and policymakers the ability to formulate and submit requests for data, in query format. Approved queries (via a sophisticated case management tool used by multiple data owners) will be processed by the VLDS "Shaker," and the results returned to the user via secure online mechanisms. The VLDS is comprised of six components and is a classic web services based SOA (Services Oriented Architecture) solution.

Contact for more information:
Matthew Bryant
SLDS Program Manager, Virginia Department of Education
matthew.bryant@doe.virginia.gov

 

NASA Langley Education Office
Modeling and Simulation FlexBook

Category: Special Recognition

Executive Summary:

A recent report by the World Technology Evaluation Center on SBES (Simulation-Based Engineering and Science) concludes that “Our continued capability as a nation to lead in simulation-based discovery and innovation is key to our ability to compete in the 21st century”. Modeling and simulation has long played a key role at NASA in the development of aircraft, spacecraft, planetary missions, and air traffic control designs. Thus NASA has a strong interest in assuring that the next generation of employees is literate in this key technology area. Modeling and simulation has just begun to appear in state K-12 content standards (e.g. Virginia science grades 6 – 12). In an effort to connect practicing scientists and engineers with K-12 classroom needs and jumpstart the availability of K-12 resource material in modeling and simulation, NASA has partnered with the CK-12 Foundation (CK12.org) to develop a FlexBook on modeling and simulation for high school use. A FlexBook, as developed by the CK-12 Foundation, is a flexible textbook – a freely available, open content, creative commons licensed, web-based book that can be customized to the readers needs by employing the CK-12 technology platform.