James Brian Colchao

Instructor

Data Visualization, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics, Big Data

Professor Brian Colchao has been a member of the George Mason University Computational and Data Sciences faculty since 2019. In the Fall of 2021, he moved to the Korea campus to establish the Bachelor of Science program at the Korea campus. Since then, the program has seen great success, growing over 500% since it’s inception and adding a complimentary minor and Master of Science program.

Professor Colchao is the Program Coordinator for the College of Science—in which he is responsible for strategizing and organizing the Mason Korea curriculum across all scientific disciplines,—as well as the Program Coordinator for the Learning Assistants Program, which pairs gifted and talented students with faculty mentors to facilitate pedagogical innovation.

Professor Colchao is, himself, a double-alumnus of George Mason University. He earned both his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Master of Science degree in Data Engineering. His research interests include data mining and visualization, machine learning, and the internet of things (IoT). Other professional interests include increasing representation of underrepresented communities in Tech, Data Science, STEM and academia. He has presented his work at several international conferences, his research has been clinically published, and he has won several teaching awards.

Selected Publications

"Safety of consecutive same-day bilateral intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex)." Retinal Cases and Brief Reports. Volume 14, Issue 2, Spring 2020, pp 200-202.

Grants and Fellowships

Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence FLC grant, Summer 2022 - present

Courses Taught

CDS 101: Introduction to Computational and Data Science
CDS 102: Introduction to Computational and Data Science Lab
CDS 130: Computing for Scientists
CDS 151: Data Ethics in an Informational Society
CDS 230: Modeling and Simulation I
INTS 294: Experiential Learning
UNIV 391: Learning Assistants seminar
CDS 411: Modeling and Simulation II
CDS 491: Computational and Data Sciences Internship

Education

Master of Science, Data Analytics and Engineering

Volgenau School of Engineering

George Mason University

Bachelor of Science in Biology, Concentration in Micriobiology

College of Science

George Mason University

Recent Presentations

“The Power of Undergraduate Learning Assistants in the Classroom: A Case Study of George Mason University Korea’s Learning Assistants Program” Center for International Education Exchange. Seoul, Korea. Nov 2022.