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George Mason engineering team uses robotics to rethink accessibility

Katarina Benson — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:58:00 +0000

George Mason engineering team uses robotics to rethink accessibility Katarina Benson Tue, 06/09/2026 - 09:58

Many accessibility surveys depend on manual measurements, handwritten notes, and extensive walkthroughs with compliance checklists. A team of 91�� engineering students wondered if a robot could do it faster. Nine months later, they created one.

The project, called Salus, combines robotics, LiDAR technology, object detection, GPS mapping, cloud-based analytics, and a custom-built website to help survey public spaces for potential ADA accessibility barriers. Developed as part of a College of Engineering and Computing senior capstone project by mechanical engineering majors Lexi Chivers, Connie Lam, Mariah Tammera, Noemi Umanzor, and Tyler Yared, the system is designed to automate portions of the accessibility surveying process while allowing engineers and designers to better understand how people with disabilities experience physical spaces.

The Salus team with the robotic accessibility surveying system they developed as part of their senior capstone project at 91��. Photo provided

Salus was one of several George Mason capstone projects supported through a GO Virginia-funded initiative led by the Nexus234 Innovation District, which pairs students with industry-informed challenges and mentors.

“We saw a system that was operating poorly, and we wanted to optimize it,” said Chivers, the team lead.

The idea originated when one of Chivers’ teammates attended a conference and discussed the difficulties of collecting large volumes of survey data in the field with industry professionals.

“They basically said, ‘We wish we had something we could send out to collect data and not have to constantly manage,’” said Chivers. “That conversation sparked everything.”

The project consumed most of the team’s weekends as they worked through testing, software integration, fabrication, and constant iteration.

“A lot of people told us we weren’t going to be able to do this in nine months,” said Chivers. “At one point, someone told us it would take two years and eight NASA engineers.”

Instead, the students delivered a working proof of concept before graduation.

As the robot moves through a space, it uses LiDAR sensors, GPS mapping, and onboard cameras to identify and document potential accessibility issues. The data is processed through cloud-based systems and displayed through an interactive website. Rather than sorting through raw data, users can explore flagged locations through an interactive visual map built by the team.

For Chivers, the project also had a personal connection. She said her mother’s job teaching students with disabilities influenced the team’s conversations around accessibility and inclusion. “Just because something legally meets ADA standards doesn’t always mean it’s truly accessible for those with disabilities,” she said.

Kenan Aden, COO of Didlake and the team’s industry mentor, was introduced to the student team through Nexus234. He said the project impressed him both from its technical complexity and for the problem it set out to tackle.

“The entire team approached this project with an incredible level of determination and systems thinking,” said Aden. “What makes it especially meaningful is that they never lost sight of the people this technology is intended to help.”

"This team’s focus and dedication have been extremely impressive," said Leigh McCue, professor and chair of George Mason’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. "Any time I popped my head into the senior design space, or walked visitors through for a tour, the team was hard at work and eager to showcase their technology."

One of the most rewarding parts of the experience for Chivers was discovering the kind of engineer she wants to become.

“I thought I wanted to stay in the background,” said Chivers. “But this project made me realize I really love being a leader, solving problems, and doing things that actually matter to people.”

Currently, the students are working with George Mason’s Office of Technology Transfer to explore patent protection for the project’s intellectual property. Although the team is still deciding what comes next, Chivers said the technology has potential beyond the capstone project itself, including with construction firms, municipalities, designers, and accessibility planners.

In her advice to other entrepreneurs, Chivers said, “Your dreams are never too big. You just haven’t found all the tools you need to make them happen yet.”

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George Mason engineering students turn personal experience into accessibility innovation

ckearney — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:58:30 +0000

George Mason engineering students turn personal experience into accessibility innovation ckearney Tue, 06/02/2026 - 16:58

For Owais Yousuf, inspiration began at home. His father, who contracted polio as a child, relied on crutches to move through daily life. Growing up, Yousuf watched him navigate airports and crowded spaces with difficulty. Three of his fellow 91�� mechanical engineering students had similar experiences with relatives who struggled with mobility. The four of them began wondering: How do you make airport travel more independent and less stressful for people with mobility challenges?

From left, Calvin Nguyen, Javier Carpio Jota, Turner Applegate, and Owais Yousuf, creators of the B-Drive, with their prototype. Photo provided

The answer to that question became B-Drive, a senior capstone project developed by Yousuf, Turner Applegate, Javier Carpio Jota, and Calvin Nguyen that combines autonomous navigation, computer vision, and adaptive mobility technology to help wheelchair users move through transportation hubs on their own terms.

B-Drive was one of several George Mason capstone projects supported through a GO Virginia-funded initiative, led by the Nexus234 Innovation District, which pairs students with industry mentors and opportunities to address pressing needs.

"The people we love aren't just statistics," said Yousuf, the team's lead. "They're people we care about. We've seen the frustrations they face firsthand. That experience gave us the context to build something that could provide them some relief."

As the team dug deeper, they found that navigating a large airport can present obstacles at nearly every step. Long walks, unfamiliar layouts, limited assistance, and confusing signs can make traveling on their own difficult for many passengers.

To better understand those barriers, the team participated in the National Science Foundation's I-Corps program, which helps entrepreneurs move a business idea or discovery toward licensing or commercialization. Program participants assess the commercial viability of their idea by conducting customer interviews and working closely with a mentor. Yousuf and his team spoke with travelers, transportation professionals, accessibility advocates, and industry experts.

"We consistently heard that people wanted the freedom to move through an airport with greater dignity and confidence," said Yousuf.

Those conversations led to B-Drive. The team decided early on that B-Drive needed to fit into existing airport operations, so they designed it to work with wheelchairs already found in many airports.

Bringing B-Drive to life required more than technical expertise. After delays in obtaining testing equipment, the team drove to New Jersey to buy a wheelchair themselves rather than wait.

Members of the B-Drive team demonstrate their prototype. Photo provided

Their persistence impressed Robert "Bob" Schneider, executive director of OmniRide and the team's industry mentor, who was introduced to the students through Nexus234.

"They didn't let anything stop them. They went out and got it done," said Schneider.

Schneider guided the students as they narrowed the project's scope and found a realistic way to put their ideas into action. He suggested the team pick one clear, manageable use case. They decided to focus on a journey that’s familiar to many travelers at Washington Dulles International Airport: getting from the Silver Line Metro station to their destination inside the airport.

As the project progressed, the students began thinking beyond the classroom. The team is currently exploring intellectual property protection and potential avenues for commercialization through George Mason's Office of Technology Transfer.

Leigh McCue, professor and chair of George Mason’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, believes that moving from classroom projects to real-world applications is among the most valuable lessons for students.

"One of the hardest parts of engineering is defining the right problem to solve," said McCue. "This team resisted the temptation to build technology for its own sake and grounded their approach in the experiences of the people they aimed to empower.”

The project also prompted Yousuf to rethink what it means to be an engineer. "Engineering is ultimately about people," said Yousuf. "Technology is only valuable if it improves someone's life. That's what motivated us from the beginning, and it's what continues to motivate us now."

Graduation marked the end of the capstone project, but the team hopes B-Drive's story is only beginning. The goal remains the same for Yousuf as when the project first started on a whiteboard.

"We're not going to stop until we bring a smile to people's faces," said Yousuf. "That's what this has always been about."

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Leigh McCue-Weil

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George Mason PhD student recognized for blockchain privacy research

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:51:19 +0000

George Mason PhD student recognized for blockchain privacy research Nathan Kahl Tue, 06/02/2026 - 06:51

91�� computer science doctoral student Aayush Yadav co-authored a paper that received a Distinguished Paper Award from the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, one of the industry’s premier conferences in the security field. The conference typically accepts around 13 percent of submissions.

Aayush Yadav. Photo provided

The paper addresses a growing challenge in blockchain technology—how to protect sensitive transaction information before it becomes public, focusing on improving privacy protections within blockchain systems while maintaining the transparency and decentralized structure that define the technology.

His research grew out of an internship last summer with Category Labs, a company developing blockchain tools and infrastructure. The work addresses a vulnerability tied to how blockchain transactions are processed before they are officially added to the chain. Traditionally, blockchain transactions are publicly visible before they are finalized. That visibility allows entities responsible for processing transactions to potentially manipulate their order for financial gain.

“These entities can act maliciously in some way,” Yadav said. “Because this information is public, these actors know the direction of the order of the transactions before the rest of the public. And they can take advantage of that.” Consider that if an actor sees that someone is about to make a major purchase or sale, they can quickly place their own trade first, causing the market price to change. The original user then receives a worse price than expected, while the actor profits from the price movement, effectively creating a hidden cost for the user.

The team’s research focuses on encrypting transactions while they are waiting to be processed, helping prevent that kind of exploitation. The goal is to encrypt or hide transactions as they are sent, revealing them later.

The paper introduces new approaches to what researchers call “mempool privacy,” referring to the protection of transaction data before it becomes part of the public blockchain ledger. The work also explores “threshold encryption,” which requires multiple parties to work together to decrypt transaction data, helping eliminate single points of trust or failure.

Yadav, who is completing his PhD in computer science this year, said his interest in theoretical computer science and algorithms started early in his academic career. “I enjoyed the process of solving problems that were algorithmic in nature,” he said. “Thinking about these abstract things, but then also being able to solve them concretely using an algorithm, is very satisfying.”

He chose George Mason in part because of the university’s large computer science faculty and breadth of expertise. After arriving at George Mason in 2021, Yadav took his first cryptography course with Foteini Baldimtsi, an experience that shaped the direction of his research. “It had the right mix of theory and practice. The problems are very theoretical in some sense, and the way you solve them is theoretical, but at the same time they are grounded in real applications.”

“I am very proud of Aayush,” said Baldimtsi. “Throughout his PhD, he has worked on some of the most important challenges in modern cryptography, including signature protocols and privacy-preserving authentication for digital identities, while also focusing on post-quantum security. The award is a well-deserved recognition of his talent, dedication, and impact on the field.”

Later this year he will start a tenured-track faculty position at his alma mater, Rutgers University–Camden.

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Foteini Baldimtsi

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University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges

Paul Snodgrass — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:37:17 +0000

University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges Paul Snodgrass Mon, 06/01/2026 - 14:37

In May, Honors College student Avery Shippen graduated from 91�� with a two degrees: A BS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and a BA in Art and Visual Technology from the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

To Shippen, the fusion of the two majors, graphic design and conflict resolution, was a natural pairing. “I think both fields work to connect communities. People see conflict resolution as a scientific process, but it’s deeply rooted in people,” she explained. “Graphic design creates a ‘language’ that anyone can understand, which can be effective in the peacebuilding process.”

While managing the workload of a two degrees is impressive, even more impressive is the number of awards and fellowships the University Scholar received during her time at George Mason, including a Peraton Scholarship in National Security, Carter School’s Oxford Scholarship, the Noah J. Seidenberg Award, and the Peacebuilding Fellowship.

Shippen said that these scholarships and fellowships provided a financial “safety net,” giving her the ability to gain valuable life experience, such as being the first Carter School student to attend the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference or to study-abroad in Bosnia and Croatia.

The awards also provided Shippen with the financial freedom to undertake several internships, which allowed her to explore the real-world applications of the skills she learned in both academic programs.

During her time at George Mason, Shippen held three internships. One was with the World Affairs Councils of America, where she was employed at a global education Intern and helped coordinate the logistics of an annual event that brings high school students from across the country to Washington, D.C., to learn about global engagement and public diplomacy. Shippen also interned with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency under the Department of War. “I saw each side of government and federal contracting,” she said. “Each had a very different approach to resolving conflict.”

“I sought out opportunities that aligned with my personal values,” Shippen said. “The awards put me in a position to give back and inform other students about the opportunities that exist at Mason.”

The desire to give back also drives her career goals. She said her interest in curriculum development stems in part, from the work she performed as part of the Peacebuilding Fellowship. After researching the Appalachian educational curriculum, Shippen wrote a proposal to the school district that recommended a systemic curriculum change that placed greater emphasis on practical and sustainable life skills and de-emphasized rote memorization.

Shippen’s experience in Bosnia and Croatia also contributed to her interest in educational systems development. While studying ethnic narratives in conflict, Shippen found that each of the three major ethnic groups had their own, independent school system and curriculum. Essentially, how and what students learned in any given subject, depended on the ethnic group to which they belonged.

“After speaking with students there, I realized that the conflict analysis skills I learned can be a valuable tool in engaging youth and educational systems,” she explained.

This fall, Shippen will be continuing her studies at Stanford University where she is entering a master's program in global and comparative education/international education policy analysis.

Carter School News

University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026
The making of a Carter School conflict coach
May 29, 2026
What’s happening at the Center for Peacemaking Practice?
April 30, 2026
Meet the Two Carter Undergraduates Who Presented at the 2026 Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference
April 27, 2026
Honors College student brews connections with tea talks
March 31, 2026

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From George Mason to Capitol Hill: How environmental policy training shaped one graduate’s path

sbrown79 — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:49:45 +0000

From George Mason to Capitol Hill: How environmental policy training shaped one graduate’s path sbrown79 Fri, 05/29/2026 - 13:49

During her final semester at 91��, Sophia Colby put her environmental policy training into action.

Colby traveled to Capitol Hill as part of the Rachel Carson Council's National Environmental Advocacy Day, where she met with federal lawmakers to discuss climate legislation and community resilience. For Colby, BA Environmental and Sustainability Studies '26, the experience was a direct extension of the analytical and communication skills she developed at George Mason.

"When I first came to George Mason, I was interested in studying law, but I decided to concentrate specifically on environmental law and policy," Colby said. "My coursework helped me understand how policy decisions affect both ecosystems and communities, and that gave me the confidence to speak about real legislation with lawmakers."

Sophia Colby on Capitol Hill. Photo provided.

From case studies to Congress

Colby credits courses such as EVPP 361 Introduction to Environmental Policy, EVPP 362 Intermediate Environmental Policy, and EVPP 432 Energy Policy with preparing her to evaluate and discuss complex legislation. Through case-study assignments and applied policy analysis, she examined existing laws, identified gaps, and proposed solutions to environmental challenges.

"My professors showed us how to examine real legislation and policy initiatives related to climate change and other environmental topics," Colby said. "The case study format made me much more comfortable articulating what policy changes are needed and explaining both the human and environmental stakes involved."

On Capitol Hill, she discussed the Opportunities in Organic Act, the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act, and concerns about the wood pellet industry with Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC).

"It was a great [opportunity] to discuss how issues like pesticides, wood pelletization, and deforestation impact human health as well as the environment," Colby said.

Building experience beyond the classroom

Colby's preparation also included hands-on research. During an internship with the U.S. Geological Survey, she analyzed species range shifts, conducted literature reviews, and navigated scientific databases to support climate research.

"At USGS, I learned how to conduct scientific research that can be used to inform the policy decisions that shape our responses to environmental change," she said.

The interdisciplinary structure of George Mason's Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program, jointly offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Science, emphasizes cross-sector collaboration—an approach Colby said mirrors the real-world complexity of environmental work.

Colby also presented her research at the 2026 Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, held in Chicago in April.

Sophia Colby with her mentor Younsung Kim. Photo provided.

Her faculty research mentor Younsung Kim, professor of environmental science and policy, talked about the skills Colby acquired during her time at George Mason. "[These skills] will help her become an environmental advocate who does not create conflicts, but instead brings peaceful and constructive resolutions to them," she said. "I believe she will be a strong force for environmental policy and sustainability, as well as a future leader in the field."

Colby, who was in the Honors College, said she found community during her time at George Mason through Alpha Kappa Chi, a fraternity focused on professional development and environmental stewardship, where she connected with peers committed to sustainability and advocacy.

Preparing for what's next

The Rachel Carson Council's Advocacy Day included policy briefings, advocacy workshops, and direct engagement with members of Congress. For Colby, the experience reinforced that the tools she developed at George Mason translate directly into public impact.

"Communication is a big part of advocacy and climate resilience," she said.

Colby hopes to pursue a career focused on how environmental policies disproportionately affect marginalized communities. "Getting involved in this kind of work is powerful and eye-opening," she said. "Knowing how environmental policy impacts communities really motivates people."

For Colby, meeting with lawmakers was more than a culminating moment of her senior year—it was a preview of how her George Mason education has prepared her to contribute to building a future in which communities are better prepared to face environmental change.

In This Story

Younsung Kim

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This Honors College student-athlete excels on and off the field

Katarina Benson — Fri, 29 May 2026 15:00:34 +0000

This Honors College student-athlete excels on and off the field Katarina Benson Fri, 05/29/2026 - 11:00

As a freshman, 91�� Honors College student Marley Oare chose the Global Affairs Program because she pictured herself working for the CIA or the United Nations.

That quickly changed when she took a natural science course in her first semester.

She recalls wondering how she could incorporate her new interest in the environment into her major. Fortunately, global affairs is an interdisciplinary major offering several concentrations. Oare chose to add the environment concentration to her degree program, which allows global affairs majors to take 12 credits in environmental science and/or policy classes or take a semester at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation (SMSC).

Oare recently achieved her personal best of 12 feet 6 inches. Photo by George Mason Athletics

“The biggest thing I learned from that class was how interdisciplinary environmental science is,” she said. “Learning how I can contribute to conservation was cool to me because we do need more than just scientists. That’s what I have really loved about the Global Affairs Program—it provided me so much flexibility that I was able to focus on what I enjoy while still working toward my degree.”

That flexibility also helped Oare as a student-athlete. During the past four years, Oare was a pole vaulter for George Mason’s indoor and outdoor women’s track and field teams. This past winter, she landed on the podium at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Conference Championships, finishing third in the pole vault. It was the culmination of hard work for Oare, who didn’t begin pole vaulting until high school and walked on to the George Mason team.

Her freshman year in 2023, she cleared the bar at 10 feet, 6 inches. This past January, she set a personal best with a jump of 12 feet, 6 inches—a two-foot improvement over three years.

“Those kinds of margins are pretty remarkable,” George Mason track and field head coach Andrew Gerard said. “We knew that, if Oare performed at her capabilities, she'd be a very strong contender for a podium finish and that came to fruition.”

An Honors College student, Oare has balanced the heavy workload of classes, internships, and jobs, with practices, track meets, and the travel that comes with it. The hard work has come with recognition. This past spring, she was named a Peter N. Stearns Provost Scholar Athlete for the third time. The Provost Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes student athletes who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher with at least 38 credit hours.

“She’s always been good at planning her classes and her work ahead of time and charting out a plan to take high-level courses,” said Oare’s advisor Matthew West, an associate professor in the Global Affairs Program. “Her success in the classroom has made the work she’s done juggling her training and competitions as a student-athlete all the more impressive.”

Marley Oare. Photo by George Mason Athletics

Looking forward, Oare wants to work for an environmental nonprofit after graduate school. Her preferred field is marine biology, but she is also interested in wildlife conservation, grasslands, and forestry.

Her passion for nonprofits has been spurred by past internship experiences in both high school and college. She worked with the PATH Foundation, which provides grants and programs for organizations in Fauquier, Rappahannock, and Culpeper counties.

Through the PATH Foundation, she was placed in an internship with Just Neighbors, a nonprofit that supports low-income immigrants in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties with free or reduced legal services. Oare said those relationships, along with learning in the Global Affairs Program about the importance of indigenous communities to environmental sustainability, have showed her how local progress can influence global issues.

She’s working her way toward that goal. After completing her bachelor’s degree in global affairs with a minor in Spanish in May, Oare is headed to the University of Rhode Island to work on a master of environmental science and management with a specialization in conservation biology. She will use her fifth year of NCAA eligibility to compete on the women’s track and field team at Rhode Island.

“I think community-driven solutions are the best way to solve community problems,” she said. “That’s why I really want to get into environmental nonprofit work. I think the smaller organizations, because they understand so well what the community needs, are the best way to solve those problems. Local representation is so important.”

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The making of a Carter School conflict coach

Paul Snodgrass — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:58:50 +0000

The making of a Carter School conflict coach Paul Snodgrass Fri, 05/29/2026 - 09:58

When the time came to apply to graduate school, Oakley Hill applied to a single program: the master’s in conflict analysis and resolution at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at 91��.

Born and raised in Utah, Hill attended Utah Valley University (UVU) where he majored in integrated studies, focusing on peace and justice and moral philosophy, supplemented with research and critical thinking courses. “From my studies in peace and justice, I knew I wanted to study peace and conflict resolution, and I wanted to be in the D.C. area," said Hill. "I wanted a program that taught practical skills and would help me find a career where I could have a positive, social impact. And the multidisciplinary nature of the program was very appealing.”

Oakley Hill. Photo by Katelyn Smoot.

Hill went on to apply for his PhD at the Carter School after discovering Solon Simmon’s Root Narrative Theory (RNT) during his graduate studies. He knew he wanted to build his career as a researcher around this theory.

"[RNT] helps us understand how people perceive political situations… the specific story they believe themselves to be experiencing,” he said.

For Hill, RNT was more than an abstract, academic tool. “[RNT] helped me understand my own paradigm shifts, such as moving from Mormon to ex-Mormon and from the political right to the left,” he explained.

“I used to think I have ideas, but now I know the ideas have me,” he joked.

In 2024, Hill partnered with Carter School professor Solon Simmons and the Narrative Transformation Lab at the Carter School to employ the first national Justice Languages of America Survey (JLAS). Distributed a week before the presidential election, the survey captured how Americans were thinking about politics just before they voted.

The survey found that, on average, liberals, moderates, and conservatives tended to perceive a distinct political situation. Conservatives tended to perceive a situation where criminals and foreigners threatened the innocent, and the masses coerced citizens, while the state cheated the people. Liberals tended to perceive a situation where the elite divided society, cheated the people, and excluded minorities while the state coerced citizens. Moderates appeared to be self-aware—they scored between conservatives and liberals on almost all JLAS measurements.

Hill also paired the survey with a root narrative analysis of campaign speeches from both presidential candidates. He found that who the candidates are and what they communicated were strongly correlated with how Americans perceive the political situation, and that how they perceived the political situation was strongly correlated with their preferred candidate.

Simmons appreciated Oakley's insights. “His systematic survey of the moral commitments of the great ideologists over the course of modern history is both pathbreaking and eye-opening,” Simmons said. “It has been a pleasure to work with Oakley in the development and application of root narrative theory, an approach that allows us to measure commitments to elementary antagonisms, the philosophical foundations of disagreement.”

While working toward his degree, Hill has been a lab manager for the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation and the facilitation coordinator at the Carter School’s Point of View International Retreat and Conference Center (POV), where he has worked since 2021.

Point of View offers many services, including mediation. As the facilitation coordinator, Hill assesses the needs of every client who reaches out to the center in need of mediation. A mediator himself, Hill conducts informal intake interviews to identify the client’s goals and issues, before matching them with an appropriate, experienced mediator.

“Some clients are looking for conflict resolution in a general sense, such as inter- or intra-departmental issues, interpersonal conflict training or restorative justice practices," said Hill. "Other clients are more interested in strategic planning and require a mediator with a relevant background to engage critical thinking.

"[Hill] has proven to be an invaluable asset to Point of View throughout his time at the Carter School. His ability to match clients with the right mediator ensures that each engagement is tailored to the client's unique goals and objectives—and that meaningful resolutions are achieved,” said Jessica Avila-Franco, event and operations manager at Point of View. “Through his work with the facilitation and mediation program here at POV, we have been able to help numerous public- and private-sector clients reach amicable resolutions to their most pressing challenges."

In the past, Hill coordinated with Point of View to provide services to organizations such as Bowie State University, Loudoun County, and Northern Virginia Community College with their facilitation needs. Privately, Hill has worked as a conflict coach for Latter-day Saint and ex-Mormon families, and mediated dialogues for the Washington, D.C., Police.

As he looks ahead, Hill remains grounded in the same motivation that first drew him to the Carter School: a desire to better understand people and help bridge divides. Whether through advancing RNT research or continuing his hands-on work in mediation and conflict coaching, Hill is committed to applying both theory and practice to real-world challenges. By uncovering the stories people believe they are living, he hopes to contribute to more meaningful dialogue—and ultimately, more constructive paths toward resolution.

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Carter School News

University Scholar combines art and conflict resolution to build bridges
June 1, 2026
The making of a Carter School conflict coach
May 29, 2026
What’s happening at the Center for Peacemaking Practice?
April 30, 2026
Meet the Two Carter Undergraduates Who Presented at the 2026 Oxford Consortium for Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency Conference
April 27, 2026
Honors College student brews connections with tea talks
March 31, 2026

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George Mason sends record number of students to National Conference on Undergraduate Research

Katarina Benson — Tue, 26 May 2026 14:23:23 +0000

George Mason sends record number of students to National Conference on Undergraduate Research Katarina Benson Tue, 05/26/2026 - 10:23

This April, 63 91�� students presented their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Richmond. NCUR is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research across disciplines. This year marked George Mason’s highest attendance to date, and many students were able to attend due to support from the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR).

Students listen to a speaker at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Photo provided

For Karen T. Lee, associate director of OSCAR, accompanying the students to NCUR each year is one of her favorite parts of the job. “Sharing results is the ultimate step in completing a research or creative project, and sharing them at a national conference like NCUR allows students to contribute to the body of knowledge in their field, and to meet students and faculty working on similar projects and learn to network as professionals,” she said. “Having this experience as an undergraduate, early in their career, is a real boost in their confidence.”

Both Michael Kaleem, a junior majoring in community health with a concentration in clinical science, and Auj Atteeq, a senior majoring in computational and data science, were supported by OSCAR grants this year.

Kaleem with his research poster. Photo provided

For Kaleem, NCUR was the first time he has presented his research outside of George Mason. With his project, “Rest and Results: The Relationship Between Sleep, Stress, and Grade Point Average (GPA) in Undergraduates,” Kaleem found that while sleep didn’t necessarily affect students’ GPA, students’ stress levels influenced both their sleep quality and their academic performance.

A member of the Honors College and OSCAR's Undergraduate Research Scholars program, Kaleem credits Lee and his mentor Ali A. Weinstein, a professor of global and community health, for helping him hone his research skills. He hopes to work in the health care field in the future and plans to continue his studies at George Mason and pursue an accelerated master's in public health with a concentration in health policy.

In her project, “Thermal Stress Impact on Global Bleaching Events,” Atteeq found a positive correlation between sea surface temperature and coral reef bleaching across the globe. Essentially, rising temperatures disrupt the homeostasis of coral reef systems, causing them to turn white and become vulnerable to starvation and disease. Coral reefs support at least a quarter of all marine life, making Atteeq’s research incredibly important.

Atteeq with her research. Photo provided

Atteeq originally began her research as a final project for one of her computational and data sciences classes. OSCAR staff member Kim Seligman encouraged her to continue the work and apply to attend NCUR. She received a travel grant from OSCAR to attend the conference. In the future, Atteeq wants to continue her research on climate science and plans to pursue a career in academia.

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Global affairs student finishes second in Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics essay contest

Katarina Benson — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:31:10 +0000

Global affairs student finishes second in Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics essay contest Katarina Benson Wed, 05/20/2026 - 09:31

91�� global affairs major Noella Mongony has received second prize in the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics essay contest, the Elie Wiesel Foundation has announced.

Mongony was recognized for her essay, “Stones That Remember.” The foundation invites students to write essays that engage deeply with complex moral questions, often drawing from personal experience to illuminate broader societal and ethical issues.

Mongony's essay centered on language and colonialization. Photo provided

After visiting the Zanzibar Slave Museum in Africa and reflecting on her identity as an immigrant, Mongony chose to write about “when silence protects dignity and when it betrays it.” She focuses on language, assimilation, colonialism, and how silence can be wielded to conform but also can serve as a valuable tool to “preserve memory, reverence, and survival.”

“Winning this award means a great deal to me as an immigrant because Elie Wiesel’s story of resilience and speaking out against injustice deeply resonates with my own journey of finding my voice in unfamiliar spaces,” Mongony said. “Being recognized through an award connected to his legacy reminds me that my experiences and perspective can contribute meaningfully to conversations about ethics, justice, and humanity. Ultimately, the essay argues that dignity comes from having the freedom to choose when to speak and when to remain silent, rather than having silence imposed upon you.”

Mongony heard about the contest after taking English 202 Texts and Contexts with George Mason instructor Leeya Mehta, the director of the Alan Cheuse International Writers Center. The class was connected to the Cheuse Center's yearlong Baldwin100 project, which celebrated author James Baldwin’s 100 birthday. The essay comes from an assignment to write about “something personal,” drawing inspiration from Baldwin’s book with Richard Avedon, Nothing Personal.

"Noella's prize-winning essay is a meditation on silence and questioning, as she grapples with her own place in contemporary America and the world after witnessing the Zanzibar Slave Museum," Mehta said. "Noella has added a dimension and clarity all her own in owning her story and examining the complex ethics of silence."

In addition to receiving scholarships, Mongony and the other winners will participate in curated professional development training, including expert writing and speaking seminars, learning modules, and networking opportunities. The winners will be celebrated on October 6, at the annual Elie Wiesel Ethics Prize Dinner in New York City.

Founded by Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, the late author, journalist, and activist, and his wife Marion, the Elie Wiesel Foundation advocates for global human rights, ethical reflection and cross-cultural understanding through programs that engage students, artists, educators, and communities in meaningful dialogue and action.

“This year’s essays were outstanding and presented the jury with an exciting opportunity to engage with a range of ethical issues and deepen their own thinking,” said Elisha Wiesel, son of Elie Wiesel and chairman of the Elie Wiesel Foundation.

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McMeans named Atlantic 10 Golfer of the Year

Katarina Benson — Tue, 19 May 2026 20:34:56 +0000

McMeans named Atlantic 10 Golfer of the Year Katarina Benson Tue, 05/19/2026 - 16:34

91�� golfer Vaughn McMeans has been named the 2026 Atlantic 10 Men's Golf Player of the Year, becoming the first Patriot in the program’s history to earn the conference's top individual honor.

McMeans holds several George Mason records. Photo by Rafael Suanes/George Mason Athletics

A native of Leesburg, Virginia, McMeans anchored the Patriots throughout the 2025-26 campaign with a program-record 70.8 stroke average and a scoring average versus par of -1.04, beating the prior best of 0.31. Both are the best marks in George Mason annuls.

The sophomore sport management major led the Patriots to a historic runner-up finish at the Atlantic 10 Championship and helped position the program among the conference's elite.

Individually, McMeans delivered a strong showing with a 3-under-par score on the par-72, 7,085-yard Evermore Resort's Cypress Course, while finishing seventh overall. His finish improved on last season's 15th-place showing at the 2025 A-10 Championship.

McMeans recorded eight top-25 finishes and five top-10 outings during the season. He also earned medalist honors twice, tying the school record for most tournament victories in a single season. Among his standout performances, McMeans captured co-medalist honors at the Nemacolin Collegiate Invitational after finishing 11-under-par. He followed with another co-medalist finish at The Island at West Bay Collegiate Invitational with a 15-under-par performance.

The sophomore finished 7th at the 2025 A-10 men's golf championship. Photo provided

His fall season included back-to-back Atlantic 10 Golfer of the Week honors and multiple entries into the George Mason record book. Last season, McMeans earned Atlantic 10 All-Conference honors as a freshman after posting seven top-25 finishes and three Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week awards.

"Vaughn's season has been nothing short of remarkable," said George Mason head golf coach Greg Pieczynski. "He has elevated our entire program with his leadership. To become the first conference Golfer of the Year in school history is an incredible accomplishment and a reflection of the hard work he puts in every day."

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