News Release

Wijesekera receives funding for operational technology digital twin & scanning support

Grant and Award Announcement

George Mason University

Duminda Wijesekera, Professor, Cyber Security Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for: “Operational Technology Digital Twin and Scanning Support.”

He will develop two simultaneous strands of work, that will be merged at the end:

  • Conduct LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) mapping of a Steel Plant and specifically high-temperate Infrared ovens used for powder-coating on steel sheets that pass through the mill at high speed; and
  • Develop a digital twin of the factory.

Additionally, he will coordinate with Datalytica’s modeling team to optimize camera placement and validate temporal/spatial synchronization of incoming data.

Wijesekera received $50,000 from Datalytica, LLC, for this project. Funding began in Aug. 2025 and will end in late Nov. 2025.

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ABOUT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.


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