Mechanical Engineering Faculty

George Mason researcher receives NSF CAREER award to study how autonomous systems communicate

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:42:06 +0000

George Mason researcher receives NSF CAREER award to study how autonomous systems communicate Nathan Kahl Tue, 04/28/2026 - 08:42

For Daigo Shishika, robots are not just machines that move…they can also be experts at communication of various types. With a new CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF), he is advancing a line of research that asks a deceptively simple question: what if robots could “talk” to each other—and to humans—without ever sending a signal?

Daigo Shishika. Photo provided

Shishika, an assistant professor in 91��'s Department of Mechanical Engineering, will lead a five-year, $549,000 award focused on how autonomous systems can signal intent through motion alone. The idea draws from everyday human experience, Shishika said, giving the example of how drivers read each other’s behavior on the road not just through turn signals, but also through speed, positioning, and subtle cues. Pedestrians do the same when navigating crowded sidewalks. The research aims to give robots that same intuitive layer of interaction.

“There's a lot of information that comes from pure observation of movement. So how can robots take that into account? If I move in this way, how would that be perceived?” he said. Citing the ubiquitous Starship food-delivery robots around campus, he added, “When you walk near one, you kind of have to guess what it's trying to do based on what you see it doing.”

The project builds on years of research at the intersection of robotics, control systems, and game theory. Shishika’s path to this point has been shaped by a longstanding fascination with motion. As an undergraduate at the University of Tokyo, he studied aerospace engineering, initially drawn to flight systems and small aerial vehicles. That interest led to research on bumblebee flight dynamics. Over time, his focus expanded from how individual systems move to how multiple systems interact. His graduate work at the University of Maryland involved drone swarms inspired by insect behavior.

As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, he worked on multi-agent systems in defense-related contexts, where coordination played a critical role. That experience laid the foundation for his current work, examining both cooperative and adversarial interactions among autonomous agents.

Professor Daigo Shishika working with students on blimps in the MARC aviary. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

A central concept in the project is what Shishika described as the spectrum between transparency and deception. In some cases, robots need to clearly signal their intent to build trust and operate safely alongside humans. In others, such as security or defense applications, limiting the information revealed through motion can be just as important.

“If a system moves in a certain way, it may unintentionally reveal what it’s trying to do,” he said. “So the question becomes, how much information are you giving away through your actions, and can you control that?”

The implications span a range of applications. Delivery robots, for example, could plan routes that make their destinations less predictable, improving security for sensitive shipments. In public spaces, robots that better communicate intent through motion could navigate more smoothly around people, reducing confusion and improving safety. On a larger scale, the work could inform how infrastructure and policies are designed.

The project will also integrate theoretical and experimental work through Shishika’s RoboGame Arena, a platform combining mathematical modeling with physical robot experiments. By testing how real systems behave and how humans interpret those behaviors, he aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

The NSF CAREER award is reserved for the nation’s most talented up-and-coming researchers. From the NSF website: “The Faculty Early Career Development Program offers NSF’s most prestigious award in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.”

For Shishika, the award represents both recognition and opportunity. It is his first project developed as a full lab effort, bringing together students working across theory, machine learning, and hands-on robotics.

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Daigo Shishika

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National Science Foundation

Mechanical Engineering Faculty

mechanical engineering

George Hazelrigg

khanse2 — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 17:07:43 +0000

George Hazelrigg khanse2 Fri, 09/09/2022 - 13:07

Adjunct Professor and Affiliate Faculty, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Contact Information

Phone: 703-207-1539
Email: ghazelri@gmu.edu

Personal Websites

Publications

Biography

George Hazelrigg is an adjunct professor and affiliate faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at 91��. Hazelrigg obtained BS and MS degrees in mechanical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), and his MA, MSE, and PhD degrees in aerospace engineering from Princeton University. He worked for six years in the aerospace industry at Curtiss-Wright, General Dynamics, and the Jet Propulsion Lab, and taught engineering at NJIT, Princeton University, University of California at San Diego, Polytechnic University, Ajou University in Korea, and École de Technologie Supérieure in Montreal.

In the early 1970s, he helped form a consulting company where he worked for seven years. In 1982, he joined the National Science Foundation. For the next 35 years, he ran seven research programs in four different divisions, and served as deputy division director and acting division director for the Division of Electrical, Communications, and Systems Engineering (ECSE) and the Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI), and oversaw annual research budgets of up to $210 million. In January 1996, he was the station science leader of the U.S. South Pole Station.

Hazelrigg's area of research is systems engineering and engineering design decision-making. He also offers courses on engineering decision-making and research proposal writing.

Degrees

PhD, Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
MSE, Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
MA, Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
MS, Mechanical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology
BS, Mechanical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Current Projects

“Toward a Theory of Systems Engineering,” supported by the National Science Foundation. The focus of this work is to provide a rigorous mathematical underpinning of systems engineering. The research examines the requirements for design optimization and the implication of these requirements on systems engineering methods, analyses, processes, and procedures, and it provides a validity test on these activities.

Missy Cummings

Tama Moni — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:29:20 +0000

Missy Cummings Tama Moni Thu, 08/11/2022 - 11:29

Professor and Director of Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC); First American Bank Chair

Contact Information

Office: Engineering 2705
Phone: 703-993-6969
Email: cummings@gmu.edu

Personal Websites

Publications

In the News

Mason's new MARC focuses on autonomy, robotics, and responsible AI
April 16, 2024
New certificate program in responsible AI starting fall 2024
March 1, 2024
College of Engineering and Computing launches graduate certificate programs in AI, microfabriction, smart grid technology, and machine learning
February 29, 2024
Associated Press: Missy Cummings (CEC) quoted in story about Pentagon AI initiatives
November 27, 2023
AI's future discussed at roundtable
June 13, 2023

Biography

As one of the U.S. Navy’s first female fighter pilots and an engineer, Mary “Missy” Cummings is accustomed to breaking barriers and solving problems.

A naval officer and military pilot from 1988-1999, Cummings was one of the U.S. Navy's first female fighter pilots. She is now the director of Mason's Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC) and a professor at 91��. She holds faculty appointments in the Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science departments. She is an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Fellow and recently served as the senior safety advisor to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Cummings received her BS in Mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1988, her MS in Space Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1994, and her PhD in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2004.

ORCID: 0000-0003-2557-6930

Degrees

BS, Mathematics, U.S. Naval Academy
MS, Space Systems Engineering, Naval Post Graduate School
PhD, Systems Engineering, University of Virginia

Research Interests

Human-unmanned Vehicle Interaction
Human-autonomous System Collaboration
Human-systems Engineering
Public Policy Implications of Unmanned Vehicles
Ethical and Social Impact of Technology

Zelalem Eshete

Tama Moni — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 20:29:07 +0000

Zelalem Eshete Tama Moni Wed, 08/10/2022 - 16:29

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Contact Information

Email: zeshete@gmu.edu

Biography

Zelalem Eshete has taught at various colleges and universities. He began his career at 91�� as an adjunct professor since the inception of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2015. Now he is passionately devoted to teaching and service in full capacity.

Degrees

PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland College Park

Charles White

Tama Moni — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 19:53:57 +0000

Charles White Tama Moni Wed, 08/10/2022 - 15:53

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Contact Information

Email: cwhite47@gmu.edu

Biography

Charles White's experience includes four years of active duty in the US Army, nine years as a researcher at a Department Of Defense (DOD) lab, 19 years in engineering and R&D management at P&G, three years as faculty at Northeastern University, and four years faculty at Norwich University. His research is in mechanics and materials behavior.

Degrees

PhD, Mechanical Engineering, M.I.T. (1988)

Janis Terpenny

Tama Moni — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 16:03:57 +0000

Janis Terpenny Tama Moni Wed, 04/06/2022 - 12:03

Professor, Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research and Department of Mechanical Engineering

Contact Information

Building: Nguyen Engineering,

Room 2223

Campus: Fairfax

MSN 4A6

Phone: 703-993-6207

Email: terpenny@gmu.edu

In the News

Two SEOR faculty named Fellows in their fields
April 28, 2026
ASEE SE conference focuses on a diversely educated workforce
March 17, 2023
Janis Terpenny appointed to NSF CMMI division
July 28, 2022

Biography

Janis Terpenny is a professor with joint appointments in the Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Her research focuses on smart integrated systems and processes for design and manufacturing and on design education. Previously, she served as dean of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, department head of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Penn State, department chair of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at Iowa State, technology thrust lead for the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII), director of the NSF Center for e-Design, program director at NSF, and professor at Virginia Tech and the University of Massachusetts. She has industry work experience with GE. She is a fellow and member of ASME and IISE, and a member of AAAS, Alpha Pi Mu, ASEE, SME, and Tau Beta Pi. She is an area editor for the Engineering Economist, an editorial board member for Computers in Industry, and an Academic Senior VP on the IISE Board of Trustees. Dr. Terpenny holds a PhD and MS in industrial and systems engineering from Virginia Tech and a BS in Applied Mathematics from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Degrees

BS, Applied Mathematics, Virginia Commonwealth University
MS, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech
PhD, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech

Research Interests

Smart integrated systems and processes for design and manufacturing
On design education.

Publications

Google Scholar

Quentin Sanders

Tama Moni — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 20:17:55 +0000

Quentin Sanders Tama Moni Mon, 01/31/2022 - 15:17

Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering

Contact Information

Campus: Fairfax
Building: Peterson Hall
Room 3107
Mailbox: MSN 1J7
Email: qsanders@gmu.edu
Phone number: 703-993-6774

In the News

Printing play: A path forward for children with prosthetics
January 15, 2026
Engineering better vision: George Mason professors lead $1.17M NIH project
July 30, 2025
George Mason launches Virginia’s first robotics PhD
July 22, 2025
Bioengineering student went from Patriot to Pilgrim for summer internship 
September 6, 2024
Meet Quentin Sanders: An Expert in Exoskeletons and Prosthetics
July 13, 2022

Biography

Quentin Sanders holds a joint appointment in the Department of Bioengineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering at 91��'s College of Engineering and Computing. He received his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2015, and his master’s and PhD in Mechanical engineering from the University of California, Irvine in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Prior to joining the Department of Bioengineering Sanders spent a year working at X, the moonshot factory (formerly Google X) in addition to conducting research as a post-doctoral scholar in the joint biomedical engineering program between the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University.

Degrees

BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County (2015)
MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of California Irvine (2018)
PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of California Irvine (2020)

Research Interests

Bio-medical robots
Soft robotics

Publications

Google Scholar

Colleen Berg

Rena Malai — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 17:03:34 +0000

Colleen Berg Rena Malai Wed, 09/15/2021 - 13:03

Instructor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Contact Information

Email: cberg8@gmu.edu

Biography

Colleen Berg has been an instructor in Mechanical Engineering since 2006. With her combination of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science degrees, she tends to teach more computational classes but also teaches hands-on labs as well. She enjoys helping newer students in the intro-level classes.

Degrees

MS, Computer Science, Texas Tech (2006)

Daigo Shishika

Martha Bushong — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 18:42:17 +0000

Daigo Shishika Martha Bushong Mon, 08/10/2020 - 14:42

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Contact Information

Campus: Fairfax
Building: Nguyen Engineering Building,

Room 3911
Phone: 240-374-2541
Email: dshishik@gmu.edu

Personal Websites

Personal Web Page

Publications

In the News

George Mason researcher receives NSF CAREER award to study how autonomous systems communicate
April 28, 2026
George Mason launches Virginia’s first robotics PhD
July 22, 2025
Sea life defended the republic
April 29, 2025
New Life Sciences and Engineering Building offers the tools needed to excel
April 3, 2025
Blimps and business collide at the Mason Innovation Exchange
May 24, 2024

Biography

Daigo Shishika is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at 91��. He obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of Tokyo, Japan, and his master's and PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park, all in Aerospace Engineering. Before joining George Mason, Shishika was a postdoctoral researcher in the GRASP Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. His research interest is in the general area of autonomy, dynamics and controls, and robotics. More specifically, his past work has focused on multi-agent systems including animal groups and swarms of autonomous vehicles. He is currently studying how to cooperatively control large teams of robots in various adversarial environments.

Degrees

PhD, Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park
Master of Science, Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park
Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, University of Tokyo, Japan

Research Interests

Multi-robot systems
Multi-agent games

Current Projects

Distributed Control for Dynamic Resource Allocation in Adversarial Environments
Tactical Team Behaviors in Partial-information Differential Games
Information Locality and Uncertainty in Distributed Adversarial Engagement

*Funded by DCIST

Research Spotlight:

Daigo Shishika's work centers around autonomous robots and vehicles. He designs robots that work together in teams to solve complex problems. At Mason, he works with faculty and students to create lighter-than-air autonomous balloons – "blimps" – that operate with remote control. Learn more about how these blimps work in the video below.

Shaghayegh Bagheri

Martha Bushong — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 16:32:19 +0000

Shaghayegh Bagheri Martha Bushong Mon, 09/23/2019 - 12:32

Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Contact Information

Phone: (703) 993-5920
Campus: Fairfax
Building: Nguyen Engineering Building
Room 3912
Mail Stop: MSN: 6E9
Email: sbagheri@gmu.edu

Personal Websites

Publications

Lab

Biography

Shaghayegh Bagheri is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at 91�� and an Affiliate Scientist at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (Toronto, Canada). Before, she was an assistant professor in the Department of Automotive, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

Her research interests encompass advanced manufacturing technology of multi-functional materials capable of sensing and responding to different stimuli. Her primary research objective is to apply her knowledge and experience in biomechanics, material science, and advanced manufacturing techniques toward providing solutions for applications in the healthcare sector for rehabilitation, injury prevention, and treatment. She completed her PhD with a specific focus on solid mechanics as applied to composite biomaterials and orthopedic implants. Following her PhD, she continued to work on the design and development of advanced structure materials for healthcare-related applications. She worked as a postdoctoral fellow at McGill University (Montreal, Canada) and as a “Canadian Frailty Network Interdisciplinary” fellow at the iDAPT Centre of Rehabilitation Research at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (Toronto, Canada), the largest academic adult rehab hospital in Canada and one of the world’s most advanced rehab research centers affiliated with the University of Toronto.

Bagheri received numerous honors and awards such as the Ontario Centres of Excellence, the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, and Mitacs Accelerate. She was previously the guest editor of Bone and Tissue Regeneration Insights and a reviewer for several materials and biomedical engineering journals.

Degrees

PhD, Mechanical Engineering, Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University)
MSc, Materials Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
BSc, Materials Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Current Projects

Surface-textured composites for anti-slip applications (Funded by NEC).
Additively manufactured polymer-based bone scaffold for desired biomechanical properties and osteogenesis.
Resistance exercise device to enhance blood circulation.
Biomechanical determination of the best surgical fixation method for different acetabular fractures.

Mechanical Engineering Faculty

George Mason researcher receives NSF CAREER award to study how autonomous systems communicate

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In This Story

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George Hazelrigg

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Personal Websites

Biography

Degrees

Current Projects

Missy Cummings

Contact Information

Personal Websites

In the News

Biography

Degrees

Research Interests

Zelalem Eshete

Contact Information

Biography

Degrees

Charles White

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Biography

Degrees

Janis Terpenny

Contact Information

In the News

Biography

Degrees

Research Interests

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Quentin Sanders

Contact Information

In the News

Biography

Degrees

Research Interests

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Colleen Berg

Contact Information

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Daigo Shishika

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Personal Websites

In the News

Biography

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Research Interests

Current Projects

Research Spotlight:

Shaghayegh Bagheri

Contact Information

Personal Websites

Biography

Degrees

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