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GCI Catalyst Project aims to tackle human rights issues with help of AI

Katarina Benson — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 17:45:10 +0000

GCI Catalyst Project aims to tackle human rights issues with help of AI Katarina Benson Thu, 09/10/2026 - 13:45

Cher Weixia Chen hopes being mindful of human rights will one day be just as automatic as looking both ways before crossing the street.

The 91�� professor is spearheading an innovative project she hopes will give educators and students, along with NGOs, government, technological, and business leaders, the tools to better approach human rights issues.

Cher Weixia Chen. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Chen, a professor in the School of Integrative Studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, serves as the principal investigator of one of seven George Mason Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) catalyst research projects: “AI-Powered Human Rights Education for All: Toward a Better World.” Collaborating with faculty from the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) and the Costello College of Business, her team is creating an AI‑driven virtual human rights classroom prototype that will provide access to practical, personalized tools to learn and apply human rights principles in daily life.

“If someday this concept could be so with us, that whenever we make a decision that affects another person, our first instinct is to ask, ‘Is this respectful of their dignity and rights?’ Then we could at least inch closer to a better world,” said Chen, who is the founder of the George Mason Human Rights and Global Justice Initiative and was recently named the 2026 Faculty Member of the Year by the 91�� Alumni Association. “So that is the idea, and I feel like the emergence of AI makes this possible.”

The 18-month project began this summer with the team recruiting a graduate student and two undergraduate students through the Office of Creative Student Activities and Research (OSCAR).

Using a built-in Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) toolkit, users of the classroom will explore interactive scenarios and receive personalized guidance to help them navigate real‑world dilemmas and assess the impact of human rights decisions, policies, and technologies.

Helping with the project’s design is a trio of professors from CEC: Ziwei Zhu and Antonios Anastasopoulos from the Department of Computer Science and Sungsoo Ray Hong in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology. CEC faculty will provide expertise in artificial intelligence, natural language processing, trustworthy AI, and human-AI interaction.

“Together, we will help develop a platform that is technically robust, reliable, culturally responsive, and easy for both students and educators to use,” Zhu said. “The project could make high-quality human rights education more accessible, personalized, and engaging for learners well beyond a traditional classroom. Over time, it can help people better understand how decisions in technology, business, government, and other sectors affect human rights, supporting more informed and responsible decision-making.”

Lei Gao, an associate professor of finance in Costello, believes human rights are impacted just as much by the decisions made in boardrooms and financial markets—through supply chains, investment choices, labor practices, and the design of new technologies.

Gao will pilot the HRIA toolkit prototype with students in his finance courses, FNAN 444 Socially Responsible Finance and FNAN 483/MSF 683 Ethical and Professional Standards in Finance. He said targeting students is key as they represent “future analysts, managers, and entrepreneurs who will actually be making these decisions.

“Some of the most consequential decisions affecting human rights are made in boardrooms and financial markets,” Gao said. “This project helps the next generation of business leaders treat human rights as part of sound decision-making, not an afterthought—and gives them a practical tool to do it.”

Also contributing input in a consulting role will be renowned human rights educator Felisa Tibbitts, who served as co-editor with Chen on the book, Disciplinary Frontier of Human Rights in Higher Education. Tibbitts is currently the UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Higher Education at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and will serve as consultant on the project.

In addition to reaching higher education audiences, the toolkit can also apply to educators and students at the K-12 school levels. Chen said she aspires to work with the Department of Modern and Classical Languages in CHSS to translate the toolkit for other languages. The team is looking beyond the business and technological industries, hoping to later reach international organizations, NGOs, nonprofits, and government and private sectors.

“Using human rights education as a tool, and now with the help of this, new technology—AI—it seems possible and plausible to make human rights reach as wide an audience as possible around the world,” Chen said. “This project essentially highlights the transformative power of these three factors: human rights, education, and AI. For all of us, this is something new and I think it’s worth trying. And for me, the most exciting part of this is it’s doable, it’s scalable, and it’s adaptable.”

This initiative supports the Advancing 21st-Century Education for All solution of George Mason's Grand Challenge Initiative

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George Mason partners with Oxford-based TreQ to bring the first open-architecture quantum computing system to Virginia

ckearney — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 22:03:14 +0000

George Mason partners with Oxford-based TreQ to bring the first open-architecture quantum computing system to Virginia ckearney Tue, 09/01/2026 - 18:03

91�� and Oxford-based frontier computing company TreQ announced a groundbreaking partnership this week to bring open-architecture quantum infrastructure to the Commonwealth of Virginia beginning with the first open-architecture quantum computing system in the state and National Capital Region.

“The opportunity for the Commonwealth of Virginia is significant. Experts project that quantum will create a multi-trillion-dollar economy within the decade, and the states that build workforce and infrastructure now will lead in the future,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “George Mason has spent nearly a decade boldly building the foundation for this moment. Bringing an open-architecture quantum computing system to our university and making it available to our students and faculty, our partners, the region, and state is the kind of collaborative innovation that will advance Virginia’s continued successes.”

Dean Cody Edwards, President Gregory Washington, TreQ CEO Mandy Birch, QSEC Director Patrick Vora, and George Mason Rector Sumeet Shrivastava. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Located on one of George Mason’s Northern Virginia campuses, the system will be the first U.S. deployment of a computing system based on TreQ’s proprietary Open Architecture Quantum (OAQ) framework. With strategic support from Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and TreQ, George Mason is investing in the new $7.7 million system planned for delivery and installation in early 2027, with commissioning expected by late summer 2027. The university commercialization and researcher recruitment grant from VIPC is helping to catalyze and attract strategic industry investment and additional philanthropy support for Virginia’s ecosystem.

“Open architecture widens the path for innovation, allowing for different quantum processors, software, networking, and other technologies as they mature, rather than a single integration approach,” said TreQ CEO and Founder Mandy Birch. “That gives established companies, startups, and researchers a place to build, test, and integrate, and move the field forward faster. This first deployment creates a foundation Virginia can keep building on, and we’re glad to be part of George Mason’s vision for what comes next.”

TreQ will design, deploy, and operate the new built-to-evolve quantum computing infrastructure at George Mason, collaborate on research and curriculum, and connect Virginia and the region with companies and innovators across the global quantum technology ecosystem.

Photo by Jackie Cross/TreQ

“VIPC’s mission is to grow Virginia’s innovation ecosystems through public–private partnership. This unique collaboration with George Mason, TreQ, and other partners will help attract industry investment, accelerate research commercialization, develop next-generation talent, and empower entrepreneurs and startups to advance cutting-edge quantum technology in the commonwealth,” said VIPC President and CEO Joe Benevento. “VIPC is proud to provide catalytic funding to help unlock these exciting opportunities for Virginia’s future.”

Quantum computing is expected to reshape fields including public health and medicine, emergency response, logistics, national security, and infrastructure. Quantum computing is predicted to generate up to $2.7 trillion in economic value internationally by 2035, limited only by two barriers: a shortage of trained talent and the high cost of specialized infrastructure. Alongside ambitious research and interdisciplinary quantum curriculum, the investments at George Mason will help expand access and accelerate discovery, building toward a quantum-enabled future that overcomes both those obstacles.

“The open architecture system provides needed infrastructure to work across the full quantum stack, and fuels rapid innovation that no single organization could tackle alone, advancing the region as a magnet for the quantum supply chain,” said College of Science Dean Cody Edwards. “Open architecture isn’t about being vendor-neutral. It changes what’s possible by opening the system to more technologies and innovators. With the infrastructure and curriculum to train the workforce, George Mason can help drive the advanced computing economy forward.”

This partnership builds on George Mason’s Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC), where 24 faculty across seven departments and several colleges have developed the university’s foundation in quantum. QSEC also recently signed an MOU with two of Korea’s leading quantum organizations, the Future Quantum Convergence Forum and the QCI Quantum-AI Convergence Center (QCI), establishing an international relationship with a key U.S. ally in technology and workforce.

Quantum is a priority area within George Mason’s Grand Challenge Initiative — a university-wide effort to focus talent and resources on problems of regional and national consequence — and the university is backing it with a $2.4 million catalyst investment, six new postdoctoral positions, and three new faculty positions. The university also launched Virginia’s first interdisciplinary master’s degree in quantum science and engineering. With 80-85% of George Mason graduates working in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the region, the university is creating a talent pipeline to meet the region’s workforce needs.

“George Mason engineering is advancing the frontiers of quantum computing through pioneering research, transformative student experiences, and strategic partnerships with innovators such as TreQ,” added College of Engineering and Computing Dean Ken Ball. “We are preparing the next generation of engineers to turn quantum breakthroughs into practical solutions that will shape the future of technology and society.”

As a top-ranked university, George Mason is already working with regional and industry partners across the state to formalize a broader quantum coalition that is shaping quantum research and workforce development. The new system will also serve as foundational infrastructure for international companies exploring expansion into Northern Virginia.

“Our partnership with TreQ gives QSEC faculty and students access to true quantum computing hardware for the first time,” said QSEC Director Patrick Vora. “We can now launch ambitious new research initiatives, build globally unique workforce training programs, and team with our industry colleagues to grow the Virginia quantum ecosystem. This will truly let Virginia take a quantum leap and drive the future.”

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GCI-Digital

The Invisible Frontlines

Katarina Benson — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:15:40 +0000

The Invisible Frontlines Katarina Benson Wed, 08/26/2026 - 12:15

Nearly 12 million Americans provide unpaid dementia care for loved ones. Researchers at George Mason are building new models of support to help them cope, connect, and carry on.

For 12 years, Lily Liu cared for her mother, who had Parkinson's disease, in her Washington, D.C., apartment. She handled every meal, every bath, and every sleepless night as her mother’s Parkinson’s-related dementia advanced.

Photo by Getty Images

“I was doing it all by myself,” she says. 

Relief arrived through Mason Caregivers Aiming for Resilience, Empowerment, and Support (CARES), an evidence-based virtual support program developed by 91�� researchers to help family caregivers manage stress and burnout. Over nine weeks, caregivers participated in guided breathing exercises, journaling, and group discussions designed to build resilience and connection.

For Liu, the greatest benefit was the realization that other people understood what she was going through.

Researcher Megumi Inoue, a professor in the Department of Social Work who served as a co-investigator on the project, says that was the goal.

“They learn they’re not alone. There are people wearing the same shoes, so they can exchange information and experiences,” she says.

That support translated into measurable results. Using a standardized caregiver burden score that measures exhaustion and emotional strain, researchers found a 15 percent reduction in stress levels among participants.

“That’s a pretty big deal,” says Gilbert Gimm, associate professor of health administration and policy, who led the data analysis. “Even modest reductions mean relief.”

Across the country, nearly 12 million people provide unpaid care for relatives or friends living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. Roughly 80 percent of that care takes place at home, a reality that has created mounting pressure on family members as the population ages. Researchers estimate that by 2040, 110 million people worldwide will be living with dementia.

College of Public Health researchers see this growing burden as both a caregiving crisis and a public health priority. George Mason is actively approaching improvements in health systems that advance science, develop talent, and strengthen communities. It’s all part of the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative and its Improving Human Health, Well-Being, and Preparedness solution.

Across disciplines, faculty are developing interventions designed to support caregivers through technology, community-building, and new models of training and care. Their work includes virtual support groups, music-based interventions, artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, and virtual reality (VR) simulations designed to deepen empathy and improve caregiving experiences.

The Invisible Backbone of Dementia Care

Catherine Tompkins. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“Caregiving is one of the most stressful roles imaginable,” says Catherine Tompkins, principal investigator of Mason CARES.

The toll caregiving takes on families is profound. Participants in the Mason CARES study entered the program with stress levels well above the threshold associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and worsening physical health. In a separate analysis led by Inoue, nearly three-quarters of Alzheimer’s caregivers reported living with at least one chronic condition themselves.

Gimm believes the strain reflects a broader policy problem in the United States, where “aging in place” has become the preferred model for dementia care without a corresponding investment in caregiver support.

“The U.S. saves money by keeping more people at home,” he says, “but it’s on the backs of family caregivers. That’s not sustainable.”

According to Tompkins, for aging in place to succeed long term, caregivers need far more support than they currently receive. Family caregivers urgently need access to training, resources, programs, and respite, she says.

Turning Research into Relief

The pandemic reshaped how researchers approached that support. Mason CARES launched during the pandemic and was delivered entirely over Zoom, ultimately reaching 97 caregivers across the country—an unusually large sample for dementia research.

Historically, Tompkins explains, many caregivers struggled to attend in-person programming because they could not leave their loved ones alone. Virtual delivery unexpectedly removed that barrier.

“We ended up with people from all over—Texas, Louisiana, Northern Virginia,” she says.

Some of the most meaningful interventions are also among the simplest. Within Mason CARES, researchers incorporated elements of Music and Memory, a national program that uses personalized music playlists to help people with dementia reconnect with memories.

Research has long shown that familiar music can prompt moments of recognition, speech, movement, and joy in people living with dementia. George Mason researchers wanted to understand how those moments also affect caregivers.

“The idea is that if the person living with dementia is happy, it can reduce resistance, and caregiving becomes more positive,” Inoue says.

Researchers found that caregivers used the technology in very different ways. Some never found time to use the MP3 players they received, while others discovered deeply meaningful moments of connection. One caregiver told researchers that listening to a song from her wedding helped briefly restore a sense of partnership with her husband after dementia had left him emotionally distant.

In a follow-up study, Inoue and Tompkins are now examining those types of nuances to understand what made the program effective and where it fell short. 

For some Mason CARES participants, the relationships built through the program outlasted the research itself. Liu’s support group continued meeting even after the program ended.

“Five of us kept it going,” says Liu, whose mother passed away two years ago. “We’ve seen each other through loss and grief. This program built a sense of community, and that meant a lot for our little group.”

Technology Designed for Human Connection

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

As caregiving demands increase nationwide, George Mason researchers are exploring how technology can create more accessible, culturally responsive, and personalized support.

With a $3 million grant from the National Institute on Aging, health administration and policy researcher Y. Alicia Hong is refining Wellness Enhancement for Caregivers (WECARE), an AI-enhanced digital intervention for dementia caregivers.

The seven-week platform combines multimedia education, quiz games, social networking, personalized feedback, and tailored caregiving resources. The goal is to create technology that feels responsive to caregivers’ daily realities.

“WECARE is one of the first personalized digital interventions for dementia caregivers,” says Hong. "Though it is designed for Chinese American dementia caregivers, it can be adapted for other groups and serve the growing demand for digital support for dementia caregivers in an aging society.”

Another George Mason researcher, School of Nursing Professor Kyeung Mi Oh, is using AI to help families reconnect through storytelling and memory.

Oh is serving as co-principal investigator on a $2.9 million National Institute on Aging grant to refine the LifeBio Memory app, an AI-powered storytelling platform that helps older adults capture memories and share them with caregivers and family members.

The project builds on reminiscence therapy, an approach that uses personal memories to strengthen mood, cognition, and social connection for people experiencing memory loss.

“We want to see how storytelling technology can improve quality of life and relationships for both the older adult and the caregiver,” says Oh. “When people talk about their past, they often smile. It strengthens social support and emotional closeness.” 

Over the next three years, Oh’s team—including co-principal investigator Lisbeth Sanders, founder and CEO of LifeBio—is conducting usability testing followed by a randomized controlled trial with 84 caregiver–care recipient pairs.

Earlier versions of the app used in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities showed greater engagement and fewer symptoms of depression among residents. The new phase of research brings the technology into homes and community settings while expanding it into English, Spanish, and Korean.

Researchers hope the platform can eventually become a scalable and affordable support tool for families caring for loved ones at home. “We’re working to make LifeBio Memory accessible for people of different languages and cultural backgrounds, so older adults can tell their life stories in their own voices,” says Oh.

Building Empathy Through Virtual Reality

For George Mason researcher Li-Mei Chen, the potential of virtual reality (VR) became clear the moment she experienced a dementia simulation developed in Japan. At a conference on aging, Chen put on a VR headset and suddenly found herself inside the perspective of a person living with dementia.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The simulation cast her as an older adult experiencing confusion and delusion, frozen in fear at the end of a hallway as the floor appeared to disappear beneath rising floodwaters. “There was no actual flooding,” Chen recalls, “but I could feel the panic.”

Chen, who teaches in the Department of Social Work, immediately saw how the technology could transform dementia training for professional caregivers.

Working with Japanese company Jolly Good, and with support from the Virginia Center on Aging, Chen launched a pilot program for certified nursing assistants at a Northern Virginia nursing home. The training combined immersive VR experiences with online lessons and group discussion.

The VR scenarios, adapted for English-speaking audiences using AI-generated voiceovers, allowed participants to experience the confusion, fear, and sensory disorientation often associated with dementia. For many participants, it was their first dementia-specific training.

Beyond improving patient care, the researchers hope the project can also support workers in a field marked by high turnover, low wages, and emotional exhaustion.

Both Inoue and Chen bring a global perspective to their work, shaped by their years of studying aging and dementia care in Japan, where nearly one in three citizens is over 65. 

“In Japan, dementia is seen as a community issue, not just a family one,” says Chen. She points to dementia-friendly neighborhood cafés, school-based dementia education, and trained community volunteers as examples of a more collective approach to care.

Chen emphasizes that VR is not as a replacement for human caregiving; it’s a tool for building empathy and strengthening relationships between caregivers and the people they support.

“It’s about understanding the person and building a connection that’s beyond client and provider,” Chen says.

Mary Cunningham, Katie Pearce, and Taylor Thomas contributed to this feature.

This research supports the Grand Challenge Initiative's goal of improving human health, well-being, and preparedness.

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Air pollution simulation reinforces public health data on the dangers of airborne toxins

sholla4 — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:55:43 +0000

Air pollution simulation reinforces public health data on the dangers of airborne toxins sholla4 Fri, 07/17/2026 - 09:55

Hot summer days often lead to poor air quality. High temperatures and high air pressure systems cause pollutant buildups, creating ground-level ozone that can lead to a variety of health issues. And as climate change increases summer temperatures around the globe, being able to track and predict air quality is becoming a public health priority.

B.H. Baek. Photo provided

B.H. Baek, research associate professor in 91��’s Center for Satellite and Earth Science Research in the College of Science, is developing air quality and emissions modeling systems to help track and predict local and regional air pollutants and their adverse human health impacts.

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes—collectively known as BTEX—are common air pollutants, originating from various industrial and manufacturing processes, vehicle emissions, and natural sources such as forest fires. This suite of toxic air contaminants is particularly prevalent in urban environments, as well as near industrial facilities such as power plants and factories. Short- and long-term exposure to BTEX compounds can cause a variety of health issues, including elevated risks of cancer, respiratory diseases, neurological effects, and adverse birth outcomes.

Baek is developing high-resolution, year-long ambient concentration fields for the Louisville, Kentucky, region. This project expands on his previous work developing an air pollution simulation model for the U.S. Gulf Region, home to more than 120 petroleum refineries and subsequently elevated BTEX and styrene emissions.

“We know where the power plants and refineries that produce these emissions are located. We have a map of where the people are driving and living. And with that data, we generate this map of our concentration throughout the region based on the observation data, the estimated emission sources that we have, and the meteorologist data,” Baek explained.

Cross-referenced with hospitalization data and blood samples from residents of the Gulf region from 2011 to 2016, the model provided a more complete picture of both exposure to and the impacts of styrene and BTEX on public health outcomes.

Unlike other highly contaminated areas Baek has worked in, historic monitoring of BTEX in Louisville is much more limited. “It’s a smaller city surrounded by trees, so despite the BTEX contamination, public health has not been a major issue,” said Baek. “It has not been monitored to the same extent.”

Baek and his team will use their toxic simulation data to help fill in the gaps. Called “data fusion,” the model will combine observational data from real-time measurements via a novel mobile app—developed by Professor Yue Cheng from Texas A&M University—with emissions data collected from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"The main benefit is public health,” said Baek. “Epidemiologists need more accurate data for them to link to their studies of the health effects of air toxin exposure. Now, the model can be expanded for the future to come.”

Baek also notes how this model could support air-quality tracking and predictions as climate change progresses. “We’ll be able to see how climate change will impact the regional scale,” he said.

Baek is already using the simulation to help fill the gaps in the EPA’s National Emissions Inventory; this data will be publicly available once published.

“We developed this model to support the EPA’s work in regulating manufacturers,” said Baek. As the model continues to expand and develop over time with projects like these, it will help state and federal leaders make evidence-based decisions and inform advocacy around emissions regulations.

“George Mason is at the forefront of toxic air pollution work,” said Baek.

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91�� authorized to host State Climate Office

ckearney — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 19:40:01 +0000

91�� authorized to host State Climate Office ckearney Wed, 07/08/2026 - 15:40

91�� is authorized to host the Virginia State Climate Office, thanks to a provision in the new state budget effective July 1, 2026. The office is charged with developing and delivering data, analyses, assessments, and expertise about Virginia’s weather- and climate-related impacts, risks, and risk management options to state and local government agencies, businesses, and communities across the commonwealth. The office will also represent Virginia in national meteorological, climatological, and hydrological associations, strengthening federal partnerships and interstate collaboration on real-time weather and environmental challenges.

James Kinter. Photo provided

George Mason is home to one of the largest communities of faculty in the country who are dedicated to climate research. The new office will be anchored in the university’s Virginia Climate Center (VCC), based in the College of Science and directed by James Kinter, professor of climate dynamics, who also leads the university's Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies.

“Every Virginian deserves access to reliable, localized climate information, whether they’re a farmer on the Eastern Shore, an emergency manager in Southwest Virginia, or a family deciding where to buy a home. The State Climate Office makes that possible,” said Kinter. “George Mason is the ideal home for this work. We’ve spent the past three years building the scientific capacity, the community partnerships, and the trust across the commonwealth that a state climate office needs from day one.”

VCC launched in 2023 with funding through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a congressionally directed project championed by the late U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly. Since then, the center has built exactly the kind of university-based, community-engaged model a state climate office requires with scientists, municipalities, and business leaders working together on practical solutions.

In November 2025, VCC delivered the inaugural Virginia Climate Assessment, the commonwealth's first comprehensive, peer-reviewed evaluation of how changing climate conditions affect Virginia and its people. The assessment, which organized findings across six climate divisions from Tidewater to the Southwestern Mountains, called directly for the creation of a state climate office. Less than a year later, the General Assembly answered.

“Virginia was one of only two states in the nation without an operational state climate office. That gap left localities, farmers, and businesses without a central, no-cost source of climate information that most other states take for granted,” said Delegate David Reid of Loudoun County, who sponsored the budget amendment in the House establishing the State Climate Office at George Mason. “Hosting this office at George Mason puts proven scientists to work for every corner of the commonwealth, and we are committed to collaborating to ensure improved strategic planning, data collection and analysis, and avoided losses.”

Graduate students in CEIE 445/645 Flood Hazard Engineering and Adaptation course develop flood risk maps and conduct analyses to help real clients in local communities improve their flood resilience. Photo provided

The Virginia Climate Assessment identified three hazards of particular concern for the commonwealth this century: extreme heat and rising temperatures, which threaten public health, labor productivity, and agriculture; extreme precipitation and shifting seasons, with wetter falls and springs increasing flood risks while drier summers heighten drought and wildfire danger; and accelerated sea level rise, compounded by land subsidence, which puts Tidewater communities and coastal infrastructure at growing risk.

“The office will ensure that Virginia has a seat at the national table to collaborate with groups like American Association of State Climatologists and play a vital role working with localities to ensure a brighter future for the next generation of families across the commonwealth and the nation,” added Senator Stella Pekarsky, a George Mason alumna who shepherded the budget amendment.

VCC already partners with localities across the commonwealth, and the State Climate Office will extend that reach. Current projects include flood modeling for the City of Fairfax, urban flood resilience work in Arlington County, nature-based flood protection in Belle Haven on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, climate planning in the West Piedmont region, and a Northern Virginia heat data collection campaign launching this summer. George Mason student engineers are also supporting flood hazard mitigation projects, gaining hands-on experience while serving Virginia communities.

“Weather patterns impact key sectors of the Virginia economy,” said Terry Clower, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government. “Consistent, dependable, and localized weather data will give Virginia farmers, businesses, and government entities the ability to better compete and succeed.”

The university’s strength in climate resilience is part of George Mason's Grand Challenge Initiative, which draws on expertise across the university, including the Institute for a Sustainable Earth; the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences; the Center for Climate Change Communication in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences; and the Schar School's Center for Regional Analysis.

“Building a climate-resilient society is one of six research priorities in George Mason’s Grand Challenge Initiative, and it’s one where our faculty are collaborating across colleges to deliver solutions communities can actually use,” said Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact. “The State Climate Office turns that research strength into a public service for all Virginians. This is what a public R1 university is for.”

For more information, visit gmu.edu/grandchallenge or vaclimate.gmu.edu.

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George Mason funds seven GCI catalyst research projects driving bold solutions for a prosperous future

ckearney — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:53:09 +0000

George Mason funds seven GCI catalyst research projects driving bold solutions for a prosperous future ckearney Tue, 05/05/2026 - 20:53

As the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) enters its second year, 91�� today announced funding for seven catalyst research projects and the launch of the Grand Challenge Research Exchange—quarterly convenings for all GCI-related research to accelerate solutions to the grand challenge of our time.

“We have placed our first bets on building a better future for humanity,” said President Gregory Washington. “These awards represent the very best of George Mason faculty research. They sit at a crossroads where the world’s greatest problems meet our faculty’s greatest research strengths to solve them. At a time when the world’s greatest challenges can appear to be winning, today the smart money is on George Mason professors.”

Washington launched the Grand Challenge Initiative in 2025 to focus faculty expertise on tackling world’s most pressing interdisciplinary threats to solve the ultimate grand challenge of sustaining humanity’s ability to forge a peaceful and prosperous future, rather than merely a life endured.

Spanning artificial and aerial intelligence to quantum and space infrastructure development, the seven catalyst projects will also strengthen talent and workforce development across interconnected industries. The catalyst projects are:

George Mason’s Quantum Leap

Photo provided

This project will expand position George Mason as a leader in the next generation of computing. Quantum computers can tackle problems beyond the reach of today’s technology, opening new possibilities in health, climate research, and national security. This initiative will grow the university’s expertise in quantum hardware and algorithms, expand degree and training programs, and bring industry partners into the classroom and lab. By building talent, research capacity, and real‑world collaborations, Quantum Leap will help drive Virginia’s emerging quantum economy and prepare students for high‑demand careers.

Leadership Team: Patrick Vora, COS (PI); Harbir Antil, COS; Andre Clayborne, COS; John Cressman, COS; Maria Emelianenko, COS; Nadine Kabbani, COS; Jessica Rosenberg, COS; Ming Tian, COS; Giorgio Ascoli, COS/College of Engineering and Computing (CEC); Michael Jarret, COS/CEC; Ethan Ahn, CEC; Kris Gaj, CEC; Weiwen Jiang, CEC; Fei Li, CEC; Jill Nelson, CEC; Marc Sasseville, Patriot Labs/CEC; Nancy Holincheck, College of Education and Human Development (CEHD); Laurence Bray, Graduate Division; Terry Clower, Schar School of Policy and Government; and Jiasun Li, Costello College of Business.

Grand Solutions: Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Improving Human Health, Well-being, and Preparedness

Participating Colleges: College of Science, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Education and Human Development, Schar School of Policy and Government, and Costello College of Business

91�� Space Center

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

This project will position the university as a leader in using space technology to solve real‑world problems. By designing and launching small satellites, the project will generate data that improve climate forecasting, disaster preparation, infrastructure protection, and scientific discovery. The new center will also expand degree programs, train students through hands‑on missions, and build partnerships with industry and government. Together, these efforts will strengthen Virginia’s space economy and prepare a diverse workforce for a rapidly growing sector.

Leadership Team: Anamaria Berea, COS (PI); Ferah Munshi, COS (PI); JK Aier, Costello; Gabriele Belle, COS; Zafer Boybeyi, COS; Phillip Cunio, CEC; Jules Goldspiel, COS; Hina Kazmi, Schar; Tracy Mason, COS; Leigh McCue, CEC; Jeffrey Moran, CEC; Piotr Pachowicz, CEC; Rob Parks, COS; Peter Plavchan, COS; Ali K. Raz, CEC; Laura Aileen Sauls, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS); Michael Summers, COS; Kun Sun, CEC; Daniel Tong, COS; Chaowei Phil Yang, COS; and Jie Zhang, COS.

Grand Solution: Pioneering Space Exploration, Research, and Collaboration

Participating Colleges: College of Science, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Schar School of Policy and Government, and Costello College of Business

Teaching Initiative for Digital Education through AI (Teaching IDE-AI)

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

This project creates a model for responsible and ethical AI integration in the classroom to help prepare teachers who will then shape AI‑ready PK–12 students across Virginia and the nation. By bringing together experts in education and technology, the initiative will create practical tools, develop training for faculty, and design easy‑to‑use AI literacy resources that help educators guide students in a rapidly changing world.

Leadership Team: Jennifer Suh, CEHD (PI); Thema Monroe‑White, Schar/CEC; Ziyu Yao, CEC; Jered Borup, CEHD; Audra Parker, CEHD; and Seth Hunter, CEHD.

Grand Solutions: Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure

Participating Colleges: College of Education and Human Development, College of Engineering and Computing, and Schar School of Policy and Government

Toward a Center for Aerial Intelligence and Digital Earth Histories

Photo courtesy of 91�� Libraries

With partners like the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, this project will digitize and analyze unclassified historical aerial archives into usable digital data resources for research, education, and societal impact. The project will demonstrate how this work can reveal environmental change, urban growth, and infrastructure shifts while laying the groundwork for a future full‑scale center.

Leadership Team: Dieter Pfoser, COS (PI); Jana Kosecka, CEC; Sarah Campbell, Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact; and Allan Williams, National Collection of Aerial Photography/COS.

Grand Solutions: Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy, Building a Climate-Resilient Society, Advancing 21st-Century Education for All

Participating Colleges: College of Science and College of Engineering and Computing

Industry-University Working Group on Climate Change and Physical Risks

Photo by Getty Images

This project brings together industry leaders and university researchers to advance understanding of shifting climate hazards and develop practical tools that strengthen physical‑risk assessment and decision-making in the insurance, reinsurance, and finance sectors of the economy. By identifying urgent research needs and developing practical tools for insurers and financial institutions, the project will improve how physical risks are assessed and managed, strengthen climate‑risk science, support decision‑making, and help communities and industries adapt.

Leadership Team: Luis E. Ortiz, COS (PI); Natalie Burls, COS; Edward Oughton, COS; Fengxiu Zhang, Schar; and James Kinter, COS.

Grand Solutions: Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Building a Climate-Resilient Society

Participating Colleges: College of Science and Schar School of Policy and Government

Humanitarian Forensics and Peacebuilding

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

This project will build a multidisciplinary program that improves how human remains are located, identified, and reunified with families after war, disaster, or violence. Bringing together experts in forensic science, public health, peacebuilding, and international law, the project will launch a needs assessment and summer training program in the South Caucasus, along with a new course at George Mason. By integrating scientific precision with community‑centered practices, the initiative will strengthen global capacity for recovery and identification work that supports families and communities.

Leadership Team: Joseph DiZinno, COS (PI); Margarita Tadevosyan, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution (PI); Katherine Scafide, College of Public Health; and Arthur R. Traldi, Scalia Law School/Lexpat Global Services.

Grand Solutions: Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy, Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Improving Human Health, Well-being, and Preparedness

Participating Colleges: College of Science, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, College of Public Health, and Scalia Law School.

AI-Powered Human Rights Education for All

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

This project will create an AI‑driven virtual human rights classroom prototype that gives people everywhere access to practical, personalized tools to learn and apply human rights principles in daily life. Using the built‑in toolkit, users will explore interactive scenarios and receive personalized guidance to help them navigate real‑world dilemmas and assess the human rights impact of policies and technologies.

Leadership Team: Cher Weixia Chen, CHSS (PI); Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron, CHSS; Lei Gao, Costello; Ziwei Zhu, CEC; Antonios Anastasopoulos, CEC; and Sungsoo Ray Hong, CEC.

Grand Solutions: Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy

Participating Colleges: College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing, and Costello College of Business

“Spanning multiple disciplines, colleges, campuses, and the region, GCI is designed to launch new research efforts, scale promising programs, enhance faculty expertise, and build the shared infrastructure required for sustained collaboration,” said Ajay Vinzé, interim provost and executive vice president.

With $5 million supporting this first round of funding, the seven catalyst projects were selected from 41 proposals, with more than 75 PIs, submitted across every college and school at George Mason, including Mason Korea. More than 35 external partner organizations were represented across submissions; 38 were transdisciplinary, and six involved five or more colleges working together.

“George Mason's institutional investment underscores our commitment to high-impact, interdisciplinary mission-driven research,” said Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact. “GCI positions research to build our enterprise and engage additional funders to deliver real-world change.”

To support all GCI-related research, including the 41-proposal cohort, through stages of development, George Mason is launching new quarterly convenings called the Grand Challenge Research Exchange. The first convening will launch this fall. Designed in partnership with the three Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact (ORIEI) Institutes and Mason Now team, these exchanges will feature industry keynotes, expert guest lecturers, and professional development workshops about leadership development, strategic planning, financial and program management, funding support, proposal and partnership development, and community engagements models.

What Our Industry Partners Are Saying

“Northern Virginia’s long-term economic strength, environmental resilience, and quality of life depend on meaningful collaboration with its research and educational institutions. For more than 30 years, the partnership between the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) and 91�� has demonstrated how place-based, applied research can address complex regional challenges. Through work that aligns closely with George Mason’s Grand Challenge Initiative, our collaboration has delivered tangible outcomes—from mapping solar energy potential to advancing stormwater management models, promoting purposeful cross-national transfer of policy and technical innovations, and revitalizing stressed watersheds. These efforts have produced measurable benefits for communities throughout Northern Virginia, and NVRC looks forward to sustaining and expanding this impactful partnership.”

—Dale Medearis, Senior Environmental Planner, Northern Virginia Regional Commission

“Partnering with George Mason’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth has enabled our team to expand our conservation work in innovative ways. By collaborating with George Mason faculty whose interdisciplinary expertise complements our own, we are addressing complex environmental challenges with both scientific rigor and practical application. This partnership aligns closely with the Grand Challenge Initiative, translating research into actionable insights that advance effective conservation, community resilience, and sustainable decision-making.”

—Philip Loring, Global Director of Human Dimensions Science, The Nature Conservancy

“Cybersecurity and critical infrastructure risks have reached the scale of true grand challenges, particularly in an era shaped by artificial intelligence. What distinguishes George Mason’s Grand Challenge Initiative is its broad, interdisciplinary approach and its top‑down investment in bold, unconventional ideas that span academic disciplines and engage industry and policymakers. These problems cannot be solved in isolation, and the initiative is built for the kind of collaboration our economic and security future depends on.”

—Jeremy Epstein, Co-Director, Institute for Cybersecurity and Resilient Infrastructure Studies Center; Adjunct professor, Georgia Tech School of Cybersecurity and Privacy; Member of George Mason's Institute for Digital Innovation Industry Advisory Board

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$1 million U.S. Department of Justice grant will support virtual reality training for domestic violence response

Taylor Thomas — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:05:16 +0000

$1 million U.S. Department of Justice grant will support virtual reality training for domestic violence response Taylor Thomas Mon, 04/13/2026 - 10:05

Domestic violence 911 calls often place first responders in the midst of crisis and confusion. The scene may involve conflicting stories, visible injuries, frightened children, and little clarity about what just happened.

At 91��, researchers have secured more than $1 million in federal funding to help frontline professionals prepare for these complex moments. The grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will help fund a novel virtual reality (VR) training program to strengthen interprofessional responses to domestic violence.

Social work professors Denise Hines and Holly Matto will co-lead the one-year project in the College of Public Health, partnering with local law enforcement, domestic violence organizations, and health care providers in Northern Virginia to design and pilot the training. The team also includes social work assistant professors Michelle Hand and Anna Parisi as co-investigators, and Bethany Cieslowski, chief innovation officer for immersive technologies.

The faculty members, as well as College of Public Health Dean Melissa J. Perry, expressed gratitude to U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia for their support of the congressional funding, and to the Department of Justice for administering the $1,026,029 award through its Byrne Justice Assistance Grants program.

VR headsets in the college's Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation.

“We’re thankful for the leadership and support to bring the power of virtual reality to improve health and safety,” Perry said. “Virginia will lead the way in coordinated, prevention-focused responses to domestic violence. Looking ahead, the model developed here can one day help communities across the country.”

Using technology and resources in the College of Public Health’s Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation, the project team will build VR case scenarios that reflect the complexities of domestic violence calls. The simulations will allow frontline professionals to practice coordinated responses and experiment with different approaches before facing similar situations in real life.

“The innovation here is bringing together professionals like law enforcement, social workers, and health care providers to co-design new VR cases that are relevant to challenges on the ground,” Matto said.

Domestic violence remains a public health and safety crisis. In Virginia alone, the statewide domestic and sexual violence hotline received more than 70,000 calls in 2023. Family and intimate partner violence accounts for roughly one-third of all homicides in the state annually. And for first responders, these calls can also be among the most volatile and unpredictable situations they encounter.

“Domestic violence calls are some of the toughest calls, but also some of the most common calls that law enforcement will come across,” said Hines, the Elisabeth Shirley Enochs Endowed Professor of Social Work. “They're often coming in at a precarious and dangerous moment.”

Thumbnail photo via Pexels.

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Department of Justice

Intimate Partner Violence

Domestic Violence

CPH Faculty

Lab for Immersive Technologies and Simulation

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Learn more about George Mason's Grand Challenge Initiative

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In the George

Key Takeaways:

Domestic violence calls can be complex and dangerous situations for first responders.
George Mason researchers secured more than $1 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to develop a virtual reality training program to improve domestic violence response.
The VR simulations will allow law enforcement, health care providers, and social workers to practice coordinated responses to difficult domestic violence scenarios in a safe training environment.

In This Story

Denise Hines, PhD

Holly Matto, PhD, LCSW-C

Michelle D. Hand, PhD, MSW, LSW

Bethany Cieslowski, DNP

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

In its first year, ACCESS Academy doubles applications and delivers strong academic results

ckearney — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:44:46 +0000

In its first year, ACCESS Academy doubles applications and delivers strong academic results ckearney Thu, 03/26/2026 - 15:44

In its first year, 91��’s Accelerated College and Employability Skills (ACCESS) Academy is already demonstrating strong indicators of demand, academic rigor, and early student achievement. Interest in the program has grown rapidly. For the 2026-27 admissions cycle, ACCESS received 387 applications from ninth graders, double the 193 applications submitted the previous year.

With only 30 seats available for the incoming ninth-grade cohort, the program has quickly become one of the most selective emerging innovation pathways in the region. Participation in the program allows advanced freshmen in high school to take college classes.

In December, ACCESS Academy students demonstrated projects and discussed their experiences with then-Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera in a robotics lab at Fuse at Mason Square. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Early academic outcomes among the inaugural cohort also reflect the program’s rigor. The current ninth-grade ACCESS Academy class maintains an average GPA of 3.72, demonstrating strong performance across a curriculum that integrates advanced technical coursework with core high school instruction. These early indicators highlight the momentum behind the academy and the role of George Mason and its College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) in developing research-informed, workforce-aligned learning models for secondary education.

One of the most significant milestones for the academy this year is the launch of its first dual enrollment course. Thirty-seven ACCESS Academy ninth-graders are currently enrolled in a Python programming course offered through Northern Virginia Community College. Introducing a college-level computing course at the ninth-grade level represents an acceleration point within the academy’s academic pathway, providing students with foundational programming skills relevant to software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science.

Potomac Falls High School teacher Matt Wax, one of the academy instructors, said launching a new academic model required both flexibility and innovation in instructional practice. “Because the program is brand new, there aren’t many existing resources to draw from,” Wax said. “We’ve had to adapt instruction in real time, creating opportunities for students to think outside the box while adjusting expectations and course design as the program evolves.”

Early implementation has also highlighted the collaborative learning environment developing among students. While some ninth-graders are adjusting to the rigor of college-level coursework, Wax noted that peer support has become an important element of the classroom culture. “It’s been encouraging to see students who are doing well step up to help classmates who are struggling,” he said. “That willingness to support one another is one of the most positive outcomes so far.”

In addition to rigorous coursework, ACCESS students are already engaging in technical and professional learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Last fall, 31 ACCESS Academy students attended the BSidesNoVA Cyber Security/Hacker Conference, where they participated in sessions focused on cybersecurity tools, ethical hacking, and emerging digital threats. Participation in professional cybersecurity conferences at the ninth-grade level represents a distinctive feature of the academy’s early exposure model.

In the summer of 2025, ACCESS Academy offered an AI Camp to 9th through 12th graders at Fuse at Mason Square. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Thirty ACCESS students participated in Virginia CyberSlam 2026, an event sponsored by George Mason’s Cyber Security Engineering Department and Loudoun County Public Schools. The event challenged students to apply cybersecurity concepts in simulated threat-response scenarios and collaborative problem-solving environments.

ACCESS students have also had opportunities to present their learning to state-level education leaders. During a recent visit to Fuse at Mason Square, students demonstrated projects and discussed their experiences with former Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera, providing visibility for the academy’s instructional model and student work.

At the curricular level, ACCESS Academy is emerging as a leader within Virginia’s expanding lab school network through its use of problem-based learning as core instructional framework. Rather than relying on traditional lecture-based instruction, students engage with complex, real-world problems that require research, collaboration, and iterative design. This curriculum model, developed with support from CEHD faculty, is attracting statewide attention.

Faculty affiliated with the program will present the ACCESS Academy curriculum framework at the upcoming Innovation Summit hosted by Old Dominion University, highlighting how the academy integrates computing education, interdisciplinary learning, and research-based instructional design.

For instructors, one of the most notable aspects of the program has been the diversity of students who have chosen to participate. Wax observed that the inaugural cohort includes a wide range of ability levels, interests, and backgrounds, creating opportunities for varied perspectives within collaborative learning environments. The program’s rapid growth in applications reflects the special opportunities it provides, he added.

“ACCESS offers opportunities free of charge that many students might not otherwise have access to,” he said. “For students who are looking for something different from a traditional model of schooling, it offers an accelerated and more professionally oriented pathway.”

“What we’re seeing with ACCESS Academy is early evidence of what becomes possible when we design learning as a connected pathway rather than a series of disconnected experiences,” explained Ingrid Guerra-Lopez, dean of CEHD, who led the vision and design of ACCESS Academy. “ACCESS is giving us a living platform to study and continuously improve how teaching and learning can better prepare students for the complexity of the future. This model invites us to rethink readiness not as something that begins after high school, but as something we intentionally build across the entire educational ecosystem.”

This initiative supports the Advancing 21st-Century Education for All solution of George Mason's Grand Challenge Initiative

Topics

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ACCESS Academy

Lab School

partnerships

GCI-Education

Higher education institutions must evolve and secure mergers and partnerships to thrive, industry leaders agree

Katarina Benson — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:36:29 +0000

Higher education institutions must evolve and secure mergers and partnerships to thrive, industry leaders agree Katarina Benson Wed, 03/25/2026 - 14:36

Colleges and universities face significant demographic, financial, technological, and political changes that affect enrollment, tuition and financial aid, athletics programs, and career outcomes. The institutions that will succeed in the future are the ones today transforming their operational models and establishing robust alliances across sectors.

That was the prevailing sentiment March 17 when higher education leaders from across the country convened at Fuse at Mason Square for the inaugural P3•EDU MAP Summit. (P3 is short for public–private partnerships, and MAP stands for mergers, affiliations, and partnerships.)

“Depending on how you count them, we have 6,000 institutions of higher education in this country, and not all of them are going to make it out of the next decade,” said U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent. “And quite honestly, not all of them need to make it out of the next decade or should. And the ones that do are going to be the ones that adapt in a variety of ways.”

The Colleges and Universities at an Inflection Point panel at the P3•EDU MAP Summit. From left, moderator Ted Eismeier, Senior Vice President, Head of Postsecondary Communications, Whiteboard Advisors; Robert Kelchen, Professor and Department Head, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Brad Wolverton, Editor, The Chronicle of Higher Education; Mike Gavin, President and CEO, Alliance for Higher Education; and Sara Custer, Editor-in-Chief, Inside Higher Ed. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine referenced the state’s many successful public–private partnerships, including Fuse at Mason Square itself, noting different kinds of P3s he’s brokered in his many elected offices in Virginia, including urban infrastructure, Metrorail extension, and student housing near college campuses. Higher education needs to "change course and change direction while still meeting the needs of the workforce and families,” he said.

“There's this sort of false narrative about higher ed institutions needing to do everything themselves,” said James Sparkman, the P3•EDU producer whose organization is a catalyst for higher ed alliances. “I think this is unsustainable for a lot of institutions, and it's definitely not the model for the dynamic colleges and universities that I know that thrive on partnerships.”

91�� President Gregory Washington acknowledged the importance of colleges finding “a new set of solutions” by collaborating with industry, non-governmental organizations, and the public K-12 sector.

“If you have these conversations with members of government, and with many of our well-placed corporates, they will tell you there are too many universities,” Washington said. “And that the value proposition is in question. So what that means is that the calvary probably isn't coming. We’re going to have to find ways to survive, which means looking more toward partnerships and frameworks working together. Those institutions that don't do that do so at their own peril. And part of that peril is their own survival.”

Washington mentioned his “co-opetition” model in which institutions find more ways to align resources while continuing to compete against each other. But those alliances can be elusive because colleges and universities and reluctant to relinquish their autonomy.

Marjorie Hass, president of the Council of Independent Colleges, found in a previous role that it was difficult to convince neighboring colleges to sync academic calendars or library loan agreements, let alone establish the cross-institutional partnerships that higher ed survival increasingly demands.

“Our blessing is that we are not a federal higher education system,” Hass said. “Our curse is that we are individual institutions and organizations with individual histories, individual mascots, individual sports teams…. We have this radical independence, and it is, in many ways, our strength. And it does make the system more complex, more flexible, and more redundant in a way that probably increases the overall resiliency of the system. But that doesn't mean individual institutions have that resiliency.”

“We have been at inflection points before in the history of higher ed,” Inside Higher Ed editor-in-chief Sara Custer said during one of the summit panels. “This one feels completely different. One thing that is a blanket cause of where we are right now is the overcompliance and fear we’re seeing on college campuses from leadership right down to junior staff.”

Kent, who was deputy education secretary in Virginia before joining the U.S. Department of Education, said that more intentional conversations are taking place now between potential partners in and around higher ed and that the role of his department is to facilitate those partnerships through “cutting regulatory burden.”

“We are all about breaking down silos,” Kent said. “We are all about doing things in a different way. We are all about questioning the status quo in this administration. We are breaking a lot of molds in the way that we do things, and we think for the betterment of students and taxpayers, and quite honestly, for the betterment of higher education as a whole.”

“P3s are something that Virginia embraces, and we're very excited about it, being able to put all stakeholders around the table,” Kaine said. “Because without that, it's really hard to do projects. And it's just a tribute to the fact that good things in life now hardly happen by the say-so of a dynamic president or the say-so of a dynamic governor. It takes a lot of people around the table.”

This initiative supports the Advancing 21st-Century Education for All solution of George Mason's Grand Challenge Initiative

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