Campus News

Public health meets the AI moment

Mary Cunningham — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:08:44 +0000

Public health meets the AI moment Mary Cunningham Fri, 06/05/2026 - 10:08

Key Takeaways

91��’s College of Public Health convened academics, practitioners, industry leaders, and students from across the country to examine how public health can adapt to AI while keeping equity, ethics, and human judgment at the center
The inaugural AI in Public Health Summit centered on what generative AI could mean for the future of research, education, and practice.
Five main themes emerged from the event: (1) We must lead or risk being left behind. (2) AI can assist, but humans still decide. (3) AI is a new social determinant of health. (4) Classrooms are adapting in real time. (5) Bridge-builders, translators, and critical thinkers are in demand.

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Artificial Intelligence

Public Health

College of Public Health

Machine Learning

Social Determinants of Health

Campus News

In This Story

Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS, MBA

Robert M. Weiler, PhD, MPH

91��’s AI in Public Health Summit examined what artificial intelligence (AI) could mean for health equity, education, and the future workforce.

The Future of Public Health in an AI-Enabled World with Dean Melissa Perry and Easan Selvan, National Director, Academic Medicine and Public Health, Microsoft. Photo by Heather Carroll/CPH

For a field built to prevent and respond to disruptions, public health now faces a defining new challenge: harnessing the rapidly evolving power of artificial intelligence.

“There are moments in every profession when it becomes clear that change is not simply coming, that it has already arrived,” said Robert Weiler, senior associate dean for academic affairs at the George Mason College of Public Health.

That urgency carried through George Mason’s inaugural AI in Public Health Summit, where conversations centered on what generative AI, machine learning, and large language models could mean for the future of research, education, and practice.

“Today’s meeting is not about AI,” said College of Public Health Dean Melissa Perry. “It’s about the future of public health.” The challenge, she argued, is not simply grasping AI, but preparing future public health professionals to leverage it in ways that benefit humanity.

To achieve that goal, the College of Public Health convened a brain trust of academics, practitioners, industry leaders, and students from across the country. Helping anchor the discussion was the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), whose AI task force is helping shape national conversations around responsible AI adoption in higher education and practice. According to ASPPH representatives, George Mason is “leading in this space” among its 150 member institutions.

Several themes emerged across the day:

We must lead or risk being left behind.

Keeping Public Health at the Center of AI: Reflections on the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health Task Force Report. Photo by Heather Carroll/CPH

At this point, the debate has shifted from whether AI belongs in public health to how to use it responsibly and effectively.

“There’s no escaping it,” said Eduardo Ruiz, chief information officer for ASPPH, pointing to rapid adoption across health care systems, public health agencies, and higher education.

Arman Latif, chief information officer at the Virginia Department of Health, framed AI as “less of a tool, and more of a shift in mindset” for public health. While ethical, environmental, equity, and philosophical concerns abound, he argued that the field can't ignore a technology with such potential to improve operations and strengthen how agencies serve the public. “To not do it, in itself, is unethical,” he suggested.

In a field focused on prevention and “upstream thinking,” speakers pointed to the promise of AI to anticipate problems instead of reacting to them: forecasting outbreaks, detecting overdose trends earlier, identifying food insecurity patterns, and uncovering insights buried in massive datasets.

AI can assist, but humans still decide.

AI in Public Health Summit hosted by the College of Public Health at FUSE at Mason Square. Photo by Mary Cunningham/CPH

The summit’s optimism around AI came with a consistent caveat: the technology may support public health work, but it will never replace the people making decisions and serving communities.

Jamie Atchison, senior director of innovation and strategy at ASPPH, pointed to one of her group’s core recommendations: keep AI human-centered, using it as a tool for decision-makers rather than a replacement for human judgment.

In disease surveillance, for example, AI may help detect patterns and flag emerging outbreaks, but people still need to interpret findings and take action. AI may also help tailor public health messaging to specific populations, but humans remain responsible for judgment, nuance, and building trust.

“AI is a non-moral technology,” said Easan Selvan, national director of academic medicine and public health at Microsoft. “Whether or not we decide to use it for good … is incumbent upon” people and institutions, he said.

AI is a new social determinant of health.

Preparing the Public Health Workforce for an AI-Enabled Future: Practitioners' Perspectives panel with representatives from ICF, Virginia Department of Health, Fairfax County Health Department, and Association of State and Territory Health Officials. Photo by Heather Carroll/CPH

If public health gets AI right, speakers argued, the technology could help narrow longstanding health inequities. Get it wrong, and those gaps could deepen.

“The risks [are] that AI can be an inequity multiplier if we’re not careful, but in fact that is up to us,” Perry said.

AI is already influencing many drivers of health, from information access to employment and health services. “We’re really thinking of AI as a determinant of health,” Ruiz said.

Speakers repeatedly returned to one concern: AI systems reflect the data behind them. So, if that data excludes or underrepresents specific populations, the resulting tools risk reinforcing existing disparities.

AI could also improve equity, from identifying vulnerable populations earlier to helping smaller health departments and community organizations access tools and data once limited to better-funded institutions.

Classrooms are adapting in real time.

Banning AI outright in the classroom has become unrealistic, George Mason faculty and students emphasized during the summit’s student panel.

“People are going to be using it either way,” said biology major Anika Tahsin Siddiqui, arguing that faculty should set clearer expectations and encourage open conversation around AI use to reduce stigma.

Students described using AI to learn coding languages, organize notes, create visualizations and presentations, and study for exams. But they pushed back against AI as a substitute for learning itself.

Bridge-builders, translators, and critical thinkers are in demand.

Student Panel: Teach Us What We Need to Know: Student Voices on AI Skills for Public Health Practice. Photo by Heather Carroll/CPH

While AI literacy is quickly becoming nonnegotiable in public health roles, panelists repeatedly argued that deep technical mastery is not the end goal. Instead, they described a growing demand for “bridge professionals” who can move between worlds: understanding community needs, public health practice, and data systems well enough to connect them.

“The translator is really key,” said Tabatha Offutt-Powell, vice president for public health data modernization and informatics at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

“Those who are early to understand, early to use, early to adapt will be the best prepared,” Ruiz said.

Stay tuned to the College of Public Health for deeper insights from specific panels, as well as recordings of the sessions.

Qatar’s role in building sustainable peace

ckearney — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:26:16 +0000

Qatar’s role in building sustainable peace ckearney Tue, 06/02/2026 - 10:26

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 91�� hosted the Minister of State of Qatar, His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, for a presentation on “The Role of Qatar in International Mediation and Peacemaking,” on May 6 at Mason Square.

His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi with Carter School dean Alpaslan Özerdem. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Students, alumni, faculty, and partners gathered to hear Al-Khulaifi talk about the critical considerations for effective mediation and sustainable peace, illustrated with examples of the successes and complexities Qatar has addressed as a neutral mediator.

“Hosting H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi at the Carter School was both timely and deeply valuable for our community,” said Carter School dean Alpaslan Özerdem. “At a moment when the international system is becoming increasingly fragmented and unpredictable, hearing directly from a practitioner and policymaker operating at the highest levels of international mediation offered a rare opportunity to reflect on how peacemaking itself is evolving.

“What particularly stood out was the emphasis on trust, persistence, and sustained engagement as the foundations of effective mediation—principles that are becoming ever more critical in today’s conflict environment.”

Al-Khulaifi focused on the critical importance of gaining the trust of all parties in the mediation process, based in part on the consent of both parties and respect for the cultures involved.

His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Neutrality, a thorough understanding of the root issues, location, and the sustainability of the agreement are all critical elements in modern mediation, he said, noting that sustainability is one of the most crucial parts yet also the most difficult to maintain, especially in a complex and politically volatile landscape. Terms must be clear, and not open to misinterpretation, and mutually agreed-upon mechanisms must be established to provide peaceful recourse when a dispute arises, he said, all of which depends on strong communication.

Al-Khulaifi shared several real-world mediation examples. For instance, at the World Cup, representatives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo approached him about a dispute with Rwanda. After encouraging the envoys to watch the remainder of the match, they met at the diplomatic club. A week later, the parties had an agreement in principle.

He also reflected on the difficulty in creating a sustainable solution to the presidential power vacuum in Lebanon, Qatar’s work to reunify more than 100 children with their families in the Ukraine–Russia War, as well as other disputes, including Libya, Afghanistan, Gaza, and Venezuela.

George Mason alumna Isabella Cuevas, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’25, said she was deeply impressed by the presentation. “Instead of it being a distant concept, [His Excellency] grounded the work of international mediation, bringing faces and actions to international peacebuilding,” she said. “The work being done by Qatar and the academic work being performed at the Carter School shouldn’t be separate; we’re working toward the same goals.”

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Global startups touch down in the Nexus234 Innovation District

Katarina Benson — Fri, 29 May 2026 15:08:10 +0000

Global startups touch down in the Nexus234 Innovation District Katarina Benson Fri, 05/29/2026 - 11:08

This May, startups from across the globe came to Manassas, Virginia. Along with their suitcases, they brought polished presentations, new technologies, and big plans.

Inbar Oz, CEO and cofounder of TrackiMed, pitches to investors during the Nexus234 Global Innovation Showcase at George Mason’s SciTech Campus. Photo provided

They spent two days in the Nexus234 Innovation District for the Global Innovation Showcase. Ten startups were selected from a competitive pool of 22 applicants representing the United States, Israel, Japan, and South Korea.

Offered through the Northern Virginia International Soft Landing Accelerator (NISA), the program combined networking, facility tours, and investor conversations. It also included a pitch competition. All these elements were designed to connect companies with the region’s growing innovation ecosystem.

“There’s only so much you can learn from a brochure or a website,” said Jaehan Park, founder and CEO of Naugen, one of the leading organizations of NISA. “Actually spending time here gives startups a much clearer picture of the opportunities and resources available in Nexus234."

Throughout the showcase, startups visited places such as 91��’s Science and Technology Campus, ATCC, and commercial wet lab facilities, including Endeavor, led by Prince William County’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism, and the Northern Virginia Bioscience Center located in Innovation Park. They also talked with George Mason faculty about potential research collaborations and spoke with students about startup culture and what career development looks like in emerging industries.

“Northern Virginia is a rare blend that’s often very difficult for startups to find in one place: research institutions, industry collaborations, skilled talent, and proximity to major markets,” said Sarah Brooks, director of business and financial services at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. “This area is especially supportive for companies wanting to expand in the U.S."

For many attendees, the pitch competition was the highlight of the showcase. Startups stepped in front of judges to present technologies ranging from wearable medical devices and regenerative medicine to AI platforms. The judges brought experience from venture capital, startup acceleration, health care innovation, business development, and entrepreneurship support organizations across the region and beyond. Lucina Biotherapeutics won first place, while TrackiMed came in second, and MedicosBiotech took third.

Executives from international companies competing to soft land in Nexus234, investors from across the United States, and representatives from 91��, Prince William County, the City of Manassas gathered during the Global Innovation Showcase in Manassas, Virginia. Photo provided

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Daniel B. Kelly appointed as dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School

ckearney — Thu, 28 May 2026 20:50:15 +0000

Daniel B. Kelly appointed as dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School ckearney Thu, 05/28/2026 - 16:50

91�� has named Daniel B. Kelly the next dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School, effective June 25, 2026. Kelly is a nationally recognized legal scholar and academic leader with expertise in property law, real estate, and law and economics.

Daniel B. Kelly. Photo provided

Kelly succeeds Ken Randall, who has served as dean since 2020 and led the law school to its highest-ever ranking. Randall will remain on the faculty.

Kelly currently serves as dean of the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to that role, he spent 15 years on the faculty at the University of Notre Dame, where he served as director of the Law School’s Program on Law and Economics and founding director of the university’s Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate. Through his leadership, Kelly helped expand interdisciplinary collaboration across the university by launching new academic programs and strengthening engagement with alumni and industry leaders.

“Dan Kelly has the right mix of experience to lead the Scalia Law School, as it finds itself on the threshold of moving from excellence to eminence,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington.

An interdisciplinary scholar, Kelly is widely recognized for his research on property rights and real estate transactions. His scholarship has appeared in leading publications including the Cornell Law Review, Columbia Law Review, and Emory Law Journal. He has also held visiting appointments at the University of Chicago Law School and Harvard Law School and is a member of the American Law Institute and the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.

"I am thrilled to be joining 91�� as the next dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School,” said Kelly. “The law school has a stellar faculty, exceptional students, influential alumni, and a well-deserved reputation for academic, interdisciplinary, and scholarly excellence. It is an honor to be able to help lead and serve Scalia Law and George Mason.”

In his new role, Kelly will oversee the academic and strategic direction of the Antonin Scalia Law School, support faculty and student success, and help further strengthen the school’s national reputation for excellence in legal education and scholarship.

“In a highly competitive national search, Kelly distinguished himself as a thoughtful and accomplished leader with a strong record of academic excellence, innovation, and institutional leadership,” said Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Ajay Vinzé.

Prior to his academic career, Kelly served as a judicial clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, worked as an attorney at Cravath, Swaine and Moore in New York, and held research fellowships at Yale and Harvard. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame.

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Meet George Mason’s new Provost and Executive Vice President, Marion Underwood

ckearney — Wed, 27 May 2026 16:45:27 +0000

Meet George Mason’s new Provost and Executive Vice President, Marion Underwood ckearney Wed, 05/27/2026 - 12:45

Marion Underwood most recently served as provost and executive vice president at Colorado State University. She previously held senior leadership roles as dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences at Purdue University and dean of graduate studies and associate provost at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Marion Underwood. Photo provided

What attracted you to George Mason? Was there a particular aspect of the university that made you say “I want to lead here”?

I am strongly attracted by the opportunity to lead the academic enterprise at such an innovative university on a steep upward trajectory. I am impressed by George Mason’s rare distinction of earning Carnegie designations as both an R1 and an Opportunity University, by the ambition of being an opportunity research university. I am compelled by the university’s core values of inclusivity over exclusivity, willingness to take risks, embracing diversity, viewing education as opportunity’s great equalizer, and examining our full truths no matter how messy. I am excited to collaborate with President Washington, other leaders, and the university community to help create a national model of a large-scale, high-impact public university.

What are you most excited about or cautious about when it comes to higher education and AI?

I am excited by the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to force us all to focus on what is most uniquely human: our voices, our ability to communicate with particular audiences, our judgement and discernment, our intuition, and our creativity. AI can detect patterns and make predictions from large amounts of data that could save time and help us focus on what only humans can do. I am excited to work with faculty and staff on preparing students to lead in a world fueled by AI and to use AI ethically and responsibly. My greatest fear about AI is that we will not move fast enough to put ethical guardrails in place, that it will make our work more homogenous if we are not careful, that it will perpetuate harmful stereotypes, and that the burden of the tremendous resources it consumes will be borne by already marginalized groups and communities.

During your presentation you mentioned the importance of the university building public trust as a modern anchor institution. Can you explain what that means and why it’s important?

I learned about this idea from EAB, an educational consulting firm. Modern anchor institutions build trust because they make lives better for the people in their communities and their regions. Modern anchor institutions are outward looking, connected, inclusive, engaged in the community, and proud to do applied research that solves real-world challenges. More traditional ivory tower universities are inwardly focused, set apart from the community, take pride in being exclusive, and do research that is more pure than applied.

What’s your approach to input and collaboration with faculty and staff?

Shared governance begins with respecting each other’s expertise and roles at the university. I believe in communicating early, often, and transparently, and being open to feedback. I strive to create an atmosphere of psychological safety in conversations, where proposals are made stronger by people voicing different perspectives, where it is safe to disagree and voice fears as well as hopes. We need to be open to innovation, which means we have to end what is not thriving. I always hope that we can think together creatively and strategically about new ways of working, but consider carefully what to do first and what investments will have the greatest impact. I try to encourage being university minded, focusing on the larger missions of student success, research excellence, access, and community engagement, but realize that is hard when people care about their own work so passionately and are such outstanding champions for the parts of the university they lead.

Where do you see immediate opportunities to impact the student experience and ensure our graduates are prepared for the future?

As a clinical psychologist who studies the pain of social exclusion, I know that human beings have a fundamental need to belong. I am excited to collaborate with the faculty and with University Life to make George Mason an even more inclusive, welcoming community where all students can learn and experience the joy of feeling part of the community in close relationships with their peers, staff, and the faculty. A huge opportunity to make sure our graduates are prepared for the future is to always be strengthening and modernizing the academic curriculum, to make it even more challenging, inspiring, and future-oriented. We also need to consider the co-curriculum, students’ opportunities to participate in organizations on campus but also to be at the forefront of creating knowledge in a research lab or an artist’s studio, learning about the world of work in an internship or a practicum setting, or studying abroad.

What are you most looking forward to in your first year at George Mason?

I am most excited to get to know the people of George Mason, the faculty and staff and students and academic leaders, to start to understand what you all have done to enable this young university to grow and thrive and excel, and to work with you all to envision new ways to advance the excellence of the university.

What’s one thing people might not know about you?

I was born in Beirut, Lebanon, when my Texan parents were living in Baghdad, Iraq, and went to kindergarten and first grade in Tripoli, Libya, where my father had some of his first jobs teaching geology at U.S. universities. I spent my elementary school years in Canyon, Texas, and my junior high and high school years in Manhattan, Kansas. Looking back on it, my family lived in locations others might find unappealing, but I thought we were so lucky because my parents always did a great job of helping us form relationships and appreciate what each place had to offer. They taught me that you can create a rich and interesting life in all kinds of places.

91�� selects Marion Underwood as provost and executive vice president

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91�� selects Marion Underwood as provost and executive vice president

ckearney — Wed, 27 May 2026 16:34:34 +0000

91�� selects Marion Underwood as provost and executive vice president ckearney Wed, 05/27/2026 - 12:34

After a nationwide search, Marion Underwood has been named Provost and Executive Vice President at 91��, effective July 27. Underwood, former provost and executive vice president at Colorado State University (CSU), brings 35 years of academic, research and leadership experience to the role.

Marion Underwood. Photo provided

“Dr. Underwood’s career path has taken her to other institutions very compatible with George Mason, and she brings the right attitude and aptitude to thrive as our next provost,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “This is an important partnership as we forge George Mason into a university that is purpose-built to lead in the 21st century and beyond."

Her accomplishments at CSU included the creation of the university’s Strategic Roadmap 2025: A National Model for the Modern Land Grant University; formulating the CSU System Vision for Student Mental Health 2023; playing a critical role in fine-tuning CSU’s new hybrid RCM budget model; and the ongoing hiring and developing multiple outstanding academic leaders, including three deans.

“I look forward to working with faculty, staff, and University Life to strengthen a holistic student success model: expanding advising and basic needs supports, fostering belonging, advancing experiential learning and career-connected pathways, advancing research and scholarship based on societal needs, and building employer partnerships that help more graduates thrive,” Underwood said.

At Purdue University, Underwood served as dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences and distinguished professor of psychological sciences. She led the college through a period of strong enrollment growth and increased student success, oversaw a research portfolio of $32 million during the 2021-22 academic year, collaborated with the University Senate to create a new winter term, and led a university-wide cluster hire in Public Health, Health Equity, and Health Policy to attract faculty members to enhance expertise in diversity.

She also spent 20 years at University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas), culminating in three years as dean of graduate studies and associate provost. During her time as graduate dean, the number of doctoral degrees awarded annually increased by 29%. She earned tenure as an associate professor of psychology at Reed College in Portland, Oregon.

She has more than 20 years of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health, more than 100 publications and an h-index of 51, recognition as an Ashbel Smith Professor at UT Dallas, and a distinguished professor at Purdue University. Her research on social aggression includes the 2003 book Social Aggression Among Girls and the upcoming second printing of her co-authored book Social Development: Relationships in Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence.

She is a strong advocate for student success, having collaborated with Enrollment and Access and Student Affairs to launch a transfer program at CSU in collaboration with Front Range Community College, and worked with the enrollment team there to recruit more rural students, while developing online offerings to meet unique needs of rural communities. She also developed a Student Mental Health Initiative for the CSU System.

Underwood has a BA in Psychology from Wellesley College where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and a master’s and PhD from Duke University in Clinical Psychology.

President Washington expressed his gratitude to Interim Provost Ajay Vinzé for his work; Vinzé will return to his role as dean of the Costello College of Business.

Washington also thanked the 21-member provost search committee, co-chaired by Melissa Broeckelman-Post, professor of communication and assistant provost for academic affairs; and Solon Simmons, faculty senate president, director of The Narrative Transformation Lab, and Vernon M. and Minnie I. Lynch professor in the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, for their work the past six months.

“Dr. Underwood’s career reflects broad leadership experience across major public research universities, grounded in a longstanding commitment to academic excellence, student success, and institutional innovation,” said Broeckelman-Post. “She is known for energetic, collaborative, and people-centered leadership, as well as for her commitment to mentoring, academic freedom, and inclusive excellence.

“Dr. Underwood’s work has consistently focused on strengthening the conditions that enable faculty, staff, and students to thrive,” added Simmons. “Her career reflects a strong belief that public research universities are at their best when they pair academic distinction with broad opportunity and sustained public purpose.”

Meet George Mason’s new Provost and Executive Vice President, Marion Underwood

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Visit from Chef Jet Tila supports students facing food insecurity

lclarkg — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:55:14 +0000

Visit from Chef Jet Tila supports students facing food insecurity lclarkg Thu, 05/21/2026 - 10:55

The scent of garlic and citrus filled Southside Dining Hall as students lined up to meet celebrity chef Jet Tila, who visited 91��’s Fairfax Campus on April 29.

Hosted by Mason Dining, the event brought Tila—chef, television personality, and bestselling author—to campus for a day of food, conversation, and connections with students.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Tila is known for his appearances on The Food Network’s Iron Chef America, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay. Students had three opportunities to meet and chat with Tila: at Southside Dining Hall, the Johnson Center, and Ike’s Dining Hall.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Tila’s visit also supported students facing food insecurity at George Mason. While Tila prepared meals at Southside for lunch, every meal swipe was matched by Mason Dining with a donation to the Student Support and Advocacy Center. As a result, more than 1,500 meal swipes were donated to benefit George Mason students facing food insecurity.

1,500 meal swipes were donated to benefit George Mason students facing food insecurity. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Mason Dining

Later, Tila hosted a live cooking demonstration and Q&A in the Johnson Center, where he talked with students and shared stories from his upbringing immersed in his family’s restaurants.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The day concluded at Ike’s, where the first 50 students received signed copies of Tila’s cookbooks.

Tila’s signature style of food fit in remarkably well at George Mason: bold flavors rooted in tradition, with a modern edge.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

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Mason Square flexed its neighborhood spirit at Clarendon FitFest

lclarkg — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:32:53 +0000

Mason Square flexed its neighborhood spirit at Clarendon FitFest lclarkg Thu, 05/21/2026 - 10:32

Mason Square hosted Clarendon FitFest on April 18, a community wellness event full of resources to promote active lifestyles, well-being, and meaningful connections between 91�� and the local Arlington community.

Photo by Romulfo Sison/Office of University Branding

The event brought together more than 400 attendees including students, faculty, staff, community members, and local businesses for physical activity, wellness education, and accessible health resources.

The sun was shining as more than 150 runners and walkers participated in the Pacers 5K run and two-mile walk to kick off the event. Live fitness demonstrations occurred every hour on the plaza, including Zumba, barre, Pilates, yoga, and more. Local fitness and wellness businesses hosted booths with interactive wellness activities.

Photo by Romulfo Sison/Office of University Branding

The event was a collaboration between 91��, Clarendon Alliance, and Pacers Running.

“Events like Clarendon FitFest are a great example of what becomes possible when a university is genuinely embedded in its surrounding community,” said Melissa Thierry, director of University Life Regional Campuses. “Mason Square is an urban campus, and that means the energy and vibrancy of the space depends on what we build together with our neighbors. The connection between campus life and the broader Clarendon neighborhood is a real asset to the student experience here.”

Photo by Romulfo Sison/Office of University Branding

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George Mason and U.S. Air Force partner to rapidly field emerging capabilities

Katarina Benson — Mon, 18 May 2026 16:49:02 +0000

George Mason and U.S. Air Force partner to rapidly field emerging capabilities Katarina Benson Mon, 05/18/2026 - 12:49

A partnership between 91�� and the United States Air Force is accelerating the development and real-world deployment of technologies designed to support Air Force personnel operating around the globe.

Through a collaboration with U.S. Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT), George Mason faculty and students are working alongside military personnel to test emerging technologies, train the workforce that will use them, and move promising innovations from the laboratory into operational environments.

The effort builds on an educational partnership agreement established in 2023 and has since grown into a broader research and workforce development collaboration. Since 2023, AFCENT has invested nearly $10 million at George Mason to support experimentation, prototyping, and operational validation of new capabilities.

Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink addressed senior civilian and military leaders from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force financial management community, George Mason leadership and faculty, and AFCENT Futures Lab leaders at Fuse. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“A priority of AFCENT was becoming a more data-driven headquarters, upskilling the workforce and building capabilities in areas like artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy, drones, advanced sensors, and data analytics,” said Brett Josephson, who leads the university’s work with AFCENT. “They looked for a partner who could bring together both technology development and the education needed to actually field those capabilities.”

The partnership leverages expertise from multiple George Mason schools and colleges, including the College of Engineering and Computing and the Costello College of Business. Other units, such as the Schar School for Policy and Government and the College of Science, contribute when additional expertise is needed.

Josephson, associate provost of learning initiatives at George Mason and associate professor of marketing in the Costello College of Business, said the collaboration works in two directions. George Mason researchers share insights on emerging technologies they are studying, while AFCENT leaders bring operational challenges that require new solutions.

That approach helps address a persistent challenge in defense innovation often referred to as the “valley of death”—the gap between research and real-world use.

“Too often, technologies are developed but never make it into the hands of the people who need them,” Josephson said. “By working directly with an operational command, we’re helping bridge the technology transition gap between the lab and the field.”

Research projects focus on areas such as robotics, sensor integration, AI, data analytics, and computer vision. New technologies and emerging capabilities are tested in George Mason labs before moving into field experimentation and, ultimately, operational validation overseas.

The collaboration has also created significant opportunities for George Mason students. More than 25 faculty members and nearly 50 undergraduate and graduate students have participated in AFCENT-supported projects so far, funded through fellowships, assistantships, and student wage positions.

Students are able to test technologies in real-world environments, working alongside faculty teams at Air Force bases in exercises to identify vulnerabilities in defense systems.

“These experiences give students the chance to work on real problems with real operational implications,” Josephson said.

The collaboration also includes training initiatives for military personnel. George Mason faculty have helped develop specialized courses, including a mechatronics program that combines robotics with computer and software engineering to support AFCENT teams working with emerging technologies such as drones and advanced sensor systems.

Participants in the U.S. Air Force and George Mason collaboration. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of Unversity Branding

In 2025, AFCENT designated George Mason as a duty station—AFCENT Bravo—where Air Force personnel can work alongside PhD and graduate students to ensure research innovations are operationally relevant and that personnel are prepared to use them.

This partnership is unique in that it directly connects a university with an operational combat command, enabling researchers to work closely with those responsible for executing missions. That direct connection allows George Mason researchers to better understand operational needs and rapidly develop technologies that can be deployed in the field.

It also reflects George Mason’s broader strengths as a university located in the National Capital Region, where proximity to federal agencies, defense organizations, and industry partners creates opportunities for collaboration.

George Mason facilities, such as Fuse at Mason Square, which was designed to promote collaboration, have also played a role in bringing together government, academic, and industry partners to tackle emerging challenges. In one example, the partnership helped support a 72-hour Department of War hackathon hosted at Fuse that brought together hundreds of participants across four continents to rapidly develop and deploy defense assets.

“Innovation in today’s security environment has to move faster than ever,” Josephson said. “Partnerships like this allow us to bring together researchers, students, and operational experts to rapidly field emerging capabilities that help protect our service members and keep Americans safe.”

As the collaboration grows, George Mason leaders hope it will serve as a model for future partnerships between universities and national security organizations, demonstrating how research, education, and operational experience can combine to meet rapidly evolving global challenges.

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Costello College of Business

Commencement Speaker Gen. David W. Allvin’s remarks to George Mason’s spring 2026 graduates

ckearney — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:51:00 +0000

Commencement Speaker Gen. David W. Allvin’s remarks to George Mason’s spring 2026 graduates ckearney Thu, 05/14/2026 - 16:51

Rector Meese – Mike. Members of the Board of Visitors. President Washington. Provost Vinzé. Faculty, specifically Star Muir—marshal, thank you so very much.

Distinguished guests, friends and family, and most importantly, graduates of 91��. Welcome. And I'm so honored to be with you here this morning.

So I know this is going to be a day that you long remember, and a speech that you likely quickly forget. Because I was there 40 years ago this month.

Gen. David W. Allvin, the 23rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force and a recently retired four-star general, was this year's Commencement speaker. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

I was sitting in an audience in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the United States Air Force Academy, ready to get my bachelor's degree from the Air Force Academy. And while I don't remember what our commencement speaker said—and by the way, that commencement speaker was then-vice president of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush. That’s a good get.

I have no idea what he said. But I remember the day. I remember the emotion. I remember that feeling of collective accomplishment, of individual accomplishment, of climbing a mountain that sometimes seemed pretty doggone steep. It was particularly special for me because that day almost didn't happen for me.

You see, my challenge at the academy was not so much academic. I was able to muddle through the courses okay. Mine was what they referred to as a “conduct and aptitude challenge.” So much so—now think about this, graduates—that the Commandant of Cadets wrote a letter to my parents saying he was gravely concerned and was sort of bracing them because he wasn't sure that I had what it took to be an officer in the United States Air Force.

Forty years later, at my retirement ceremony, I read that letter to some amusement. But the fact of the matter was, I almost didn't make it. Now, a year later, pursuing my dreams of becoming a pilot, I was at pilot training, and I was doing pretty well. But there was one particular phase of that program that I stumbled, and team, I stumbled hard.

And in that program, when you fall behind, it is difficult to catch up. So much so that one day I was making my way out to the jet with my helmet in one hand, wearing my G-suit and saying to myself, if I do not pass this ride, I will never don this again. I will not be a pilot, and I'm gonna have to figure out what else to do with my career.

But I became a pilot and eventually became a test pilot and had a lot of successes, but I almost wasn't. My first operational assignment was in Germany, and in the winter of 1988, I decided that I was going to surprise my parents and fly home for Christmas. So I went and I bought a ticket, and that ticket was for Pan Am Flight 103.

Some of you remember, many of you don't. That was the flight that was blown up over the skies of Lockerbie, Scotland, in December of 1988. Now, luckily for me, a few days ahead of that, I looked at my ticket, and I saw that I would have a pretty tight turn to be able to clear customs in New York. So I thought maybe I should just go ahead and change my ticket. I contemplated. I went back and forth. In the end, I changed the ticket, obviously. But I almost didn't.

Years later, as a test pilot, I was pursuing my dream and I applied to the astronaut program, and I made it through the Air Force Board, and I was moved on to the NASA Board. And I made it through the first couple of steps. But you know, team, obviously I didn't. I wasn't an astronaut. I could say I almost was an astronaut, but I wasn't. And that changed the arc of my career.

My point in all of these is that your futures will be littered with crises averted. Things that almost happened. Things that didn't happen. I almost got that internship. This almost happened to me. I almost didn't make it. I didn't get into that school. I don’t have the job that I thought I was going to have.

All of those things that are almost and could have been and would have been, pick them up, look at them, take the lessons from them, set them aside, and move on.

The world doesn't revolve around what almost happens. It revolves around what is happening. That's why we're here today, team. What is happening is we're celebrating what you have done. You now have a 91�� education. You. Yes.

Because of the work that you've done, because of the help of your friends, because of the support of your family, because of the wisdom of the faculty and your hard work, you have accomplished this. And some of you, as Dr. Washington pointed out, are first-generation college graduates like myself. And for that now, you will forever be the torchbearer for the rest of the family that follows you, that torchbearer of progress through advanced education. And we're all exceptionally proud of you.

So, now you've done it. Now what do you do? What does that journey look like for you? Where do you go now? I know I could look and I could talk to several of you. And you already have it mapped out. You already know. I know what's next. I know the next 17 steps that I'm going to take. I know where I'm going to go on. I know what I'm going to do. And to you, I would say congratulations on the planning. But don't be so sure. Be flexible. Be flexible.

And there are others of you who maybe, maybe it hasn't come together like you thought it was going to. Maybe the picture is a little bit more opaque than you imagined. Maybe there's a little angst because you don't really have it all figured out. And to you, as Dr. Washington said, don't sweat it would be my advice. Because at this time, when we have unprecedented change and a world that is multiplying in its complexity, frankly, we're all still figuring it out. We all still have this uncertainty.

Now, that collective uncertainty can also be collective opportunity that can unite us in this quest for a better future. And on that quest, I would offer that you have a little bit of an advantage. You see, many of us who have been on this planet quite a long time have a lot of lived experience, and therefore some of us suffer from the malady of the paradox of the present.

Try as we might, it's very difficult to imagine a future that isn't some departure, but a recognizable departure from what we already know. And we measure in how much that departure might be from what we're used to. And in doing so, sometimes we limit ourselves in our imagination of just how far we can go, just how deep we can look.

And I believe with the tools that you've gained and the lack of what I will call the baggage of experience. Now there's good baggage. Don't get me wrong. There's a lot to be learned from wisdom and experience. But where we used to say, like Ronald Reagan said, maybe rather than trust your gut, maybe trust but verify because things are changing fast and you are not as encumbered by that. So you have the opportunity to look farther, to see a broader universe of possibilities than maybe others who have gone before you.

But in order to do that, you've got to be curious. You've got to stay curious. There's a great phrase that was attributed to the poet, author, and essayist Walt Whitman. And there's some controversy as to whether he actually wrote it or he actually said it. But I love this phrase. It says “Be curious, not judgmental.” Now, before those of you in the humanities and social sciences department, you know, develop some misplaced admiration of my literary chops, I actually did not get that from divining the readings of Walt Whitman. I actually heard it from Ted Lasso. I see a lot of you did too. But it doesn't matter if the phrase works, it works.

I love it because think of the contrast: Being judgmental. That's the ultimate act of laziness. Sitting back without giving the grace or the respect of understanding the context and judging. Putting you in a box. Putting a label on you. Quickly assessing something. That doesn't get anywhere. There's enough of that going around.

Curiosity, though. Curiosity is the engine for growth. Curiosity about what don't I know? What if? Can I do this? And sometimes if you need guardrails, should I do this? But it's always looking around that next corner and understanding the art of the possible and pursuing it with energy. That's where the discovery happens, and that's where progress happens.

That's where the innovations or real changes happen, when people who are curious and act on that curiosity. So stay curious. And as you take the next steps of your journey, I have one great hope for you, and that hope is whatever path you pursue, you pursue it in service of something good, in service of something consequential, in service of something great.

I've been lucky, absolutely fortunate. I've spent my entire adult life in the service of our nation through the United States Air Force. And while that hasn't made me millions of dollars, it has enriched me in ways I could have never imagined.

In short, rather than just living in historic times, I've been able to participate in history. I mentioned that I was in Germany in my first assignment. Well, that happened to be during the time when the Cold War was ending. I was there on 9 November 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell. I was there in Germany, and it was a palpable feeling that there was a seismic shift happening that we didn't totally understand. But it was big. It was good. T

here was this overwhelming feel of positivity, of confidence, of knowing that the days ahead were going to be better. I will remember that for the rest of my life. Some of these images stay with me. One in particular I'll share with you. And believe it or not, it has to do with the German highway system.

You see, the German roads and highways are very, very well taken care of by the German government. And they have to be when you're driving around 120 miles an hour. But they are always very well kept. In the days that followed the fall of the wall, I had noticed occasionally that there were abandoned vehicles on the side of the road going west, and these vehicles were very distinctive that they were small, not very well built. You could tell they were from the Warsaw Pact manufacturing. Those who manufacture in East Germany or some of the other Warsaw Pact countries.

But that was unusual because you didn't really see that. And so I asked a German friend of mine, what's the deal with this? And he said, you know what? When some of the people found out that the borders were opening, that there was this openness and this ability to move freely, they took everything they had, took all the money they had, they jumped in their cars, they started driving west. Fill up with gas. And when the gas ran out and the money went out, they put the cars on the side of the road and they started walking and they started hitchhiking because they weren't sure if this decision was going to be reversed. Is this a fleeting opportunity for us to get out from this yoke of oppression?

And as a young man that struck me. I woke up here every day not even thinking of that as a possibility, that I wouldn't be able to pursue my dreams, that I wouldn't have the freedoms and liberties that I have. It was at that moment I really understood my why, why I was doing what I was going to do in the service of others, in the service of the country.

And in the years that followed, I had opportunities to fly around the world and deliver humanitarian aid and disaster relief to people who are having their worst circumstances you could imagine. And to show them there is a hand to reach out and help you. There is an opportunity for better days ahead.

And when the planes hit the towers on 9-11, I was in command and I saw a squadron, a community, a nation find unsteady footing, totally shocked, and I had the honor to be able to be part of teams who would lead us out of this, who would bring back reassurance to our airmen, to their families, to the communities, to the country that we would find a way out.

And in the years that followed in the deployments overseas, I always knew I was serving with those who had a common cause. I could look to my left and look to my right and know the airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines, Coast Guard were all pursuing the same thing. They could trust me and I could trust them.

And yes, when I was in command and some of the airmen under me pay the ultimate sacrifice to recognition that while that was their last day of service, their families were about to embark on another chapter that they hadn't anticipated and they didn't raise their right hand for. And that was one of sacrifice, of heartache, of scars that never really heal.

And recognizing that and knowing that that is something to be honored and to renew your commitment to service, to honor that. Team, that's what a purpose-filled life is. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows provided me a richness of texture and a sharpness of contrast that no money, no money could ever give me, no other material wealth could ever provide for me. That was the act of service.

Now, don't get me wrong. Military service isn't the only service. You hear it a lot, though, right? You hear it. Thank you for your service. And when you hear “thank you for your service,” you often think about maybe someone saying it to a man or woman in uniform.

But there are so many ways to serve. You can serve your country as a diplomat. You can serve your country protecting the airports. You can serve your community in many ways. You can serve humanity. You can serve, you know, for better life span, health span. You can solve the engineering problems to look at not only what's on the globe, but in outer space and where we're going in the future.

All of these things, it doesn't matter the specific thing you serve, but make sure it's your aim point. It's your North Star. The accolades, the accomplishments, the riches—they’ll come along as they will. But if you do that and you pursue that purpose-filled life, you'll be enriched beyond your wildest dreams.

Now, that purpose-filled life is not going to come knocking on your door. You got to go get it. You got to go out there and get it. And now we have too many people who are influencers without credentials, who are experts without expertise, who are judges who haven't developed judgment, and who are critics without accountability.

And at this time, what we need is less of that. And we need people of action. Team, we got critics. We need doers.

There's a great quote by Teddy Roosevelt that I was thinking about maybe peeling a sentence out of, but I think I got to give you the whole quote. And it was a speech that he gave in Paris on the 23rd of April, 1910, called Citizens in a Republic. And this particular excerpt is known as The Man in the Arena.

And he says, it's not the critic that counts, not the man who points out how the stronger man stumbles, or how the doer of each could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who strives valiantly, whose face is marred with dust and sweat and blood, who errs, who comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.

But he does actually strive to do the deeds. Who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions. Who spends himself in a worthy cause, who in the end knows at best the triumph of high achievement, and at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

Acts of achievement. Moving forward. Real progress. The things you aspire to. They only happen if you step into the arena. As I said, I've been fortunate to watch history change and watch that arena evolve over the past 40 years. But I will tell you, I believe those past 40 years will pale in comparison to the next 40 years.

The world will come rushing at us.

The world will come rushing at you faster than ever. The consequences will be longer-lasting. The stakes will be higher. The challenges will be things that perhaps you can't even conceive of right now. But you've got the tools. You have the tools. And I'll repeat Dr. Washington: You are ready. So as you go forward from this day, I'm a little bit envious, but I would ask that you focus on the things that are, not the things that might have been.

Stay curious. That's where the growth is. Pursue something of service, of something great. That's where your purpose can be found. And above all, have the courage to step into the arena. The world needs you.

So, graduates 2026 for 91��. Congratulations, and go get ’em.

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