October 16, 2026

The Office of Research publishes this weekly media report to assist with keeping up with news relevant to research at George Mason. It includes news items about recent research of consequence by current George Mason faculty. Items and topics are identified using Google alerts, scientific email newsletters, the media tracker Talkwalker and by monitoring George Mason departmental social media accounts. Stories are sorted by academic unit and, if available, by topic. If stories about George Mason research are not captured by the report, email Elizabeth Grisham. 

Antonin Scalia Law School

Can States & Municipalities Sue Oil Companies Over Climate Change? 

THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY with JEFFREY ROSEN 

10/8/26 – Donald Kochan, Professor of Law and Executive Director of the Law & Economics Center (LEC), Antonin Scalia Law School, participated in this podcast. more 

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Urban Environment Peacebuilding: Improving Policy & Practice For Safer & More Resilient Cities 

Environmental Peacebuilding (via YouTube) 

7/27/26 – Silvia Danielak, Assistant Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, served as chair of this panel. more  

College of Education and Human Development

George Mason Helps Teachers Bring Quantum Science Into K-12 Classrooms

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

10/8/26 – The author of this piece writes, "Through a growing series of professional development opportunities, George Mason’s Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC) is partnering with K-12 educators to make quantum science approachable, relevant, and practical for students."

 

The author writes, further, "That work accelerated this summer, when educators participated in a three-day professional learning experience supported by the National Science Foundation-funded Quantum in the Middle initiative and the Booz Allen Foundation’s TechXplore initiative. Led by faculty from George Mason’s College of Science and College of Education and Human Development, the program helped teachers explore quantum concepts, consider age-appropriate approaches for their classrooms, and examine how quantum learning can build from elementary school through higher education." more

College of Engineering and Computing

How Can Government Move Beyond The AI Pilot Phase?  

government technology, Europe Says 

10/12/26 – Amarda Shehu, Vice President & Chief AI Officer; Associate Dean for Research, College of Engineering & Computing (CEC); Professor, Computer Science, CEC, comments in this story. more 

IST Professors Unveil Human-AI Collaboration Tool To Automate Cartoon Colorization 

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING 

10/10/26 – Read about a collaboration between Sungsoo Ray Hong, Assistant Professor, Information Sciences and Technology, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), and Yotam Gingold, Associate Professor, Computer Science, CEC. more 

George Mason Students Win Microsoft, CCI Innovation Challenge With AI-Powered Disaster Recovery Tool 

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING 

10/12/26 – The author of this piece writes, “Computer science major Iamen Ibrahim and information technology major Caleb Zerihun won the $10,000 grand prize in the Microsoft and Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) Innovation Challenge for Virginia for their project, Last Mile, an AI-powered platform that helps disaster survivors quickly find recovery resources tailored to their location and needs.” more 

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Across The US, People Don’t Want Data Centers Coming To Their Communities 

THE CONVERSATION 

10/13/26 – Neha Gour, doctoral candidate, science communication, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS); John Kotcher, Research Associate Professor, Communication, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), and Director, Center for Climate Change Communication (4C); and Teresa Myers, Research Associate Professor, 4C, CHSS, are the authors of this piece. more 

The Wrong Parties Are Paying For The Health Consequences Of Climate Change 

MEDPAGE TODAY 

10/12/26 – Lisa Patel, Executive Director, The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, Center for Climate Change Communication (4C), is the author of this piece. more 

Membership Spotlight: Barbara Burfeind, APR+M, Fellow PRSA 

PRSA National Capital Chapter 

No date – The author of this piece highlights Barbara Burfeind, Adjunct Instructor, Communication, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS). more  

Migration Research In Action Brings Mason Student Researchers Together 

INSTITUTE FOR IMMIGRATION RESEARCH (via LinkedIn) 

10/14/26 – The author of this post writes, "The Institute for Immigration Research (IIR) recently hosted 'Migration Research in Action,' that brought together George Mason students and staff engaged in diverse research areas, including psychology, sociology, political science, and biology. The event welcomed students at all academic levels, from those pursuing bachelor’s to doctoral degrees. It provided an opportunity for participants to learn about migration research, connect with fellow student researchers, and explore research resources available at George Mason University." more 

College of Public Health

Weinstein Mentors Winning Students 

COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH 

10/14/26 – Ali Weinstein, Professor, Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, mentored two groups of undergraduate students on breast cancer research and they worked with her BrCa (breast cancer gene) data. With Weinstein as their faculty advisor, they presented their findings at the College of Public Health’s Research Day and won second and third place in the undergraduate research category at the event. more 

Study Finds Diet & Culture Influence Hispanic Children’s Exposure To 'Forever Chemicals' 

COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH 

10/13/26 – The author of this piece writes, “Participation in school meal programs was linked to lower blood concentrations of certain PFAS, pollutants commonly known as ‘forever chemicals,’ in a new study of Hispanic children in Northern Virginia.” 

 

The author writes, further, “The George Mason University-led study also found that eating more animal-based foods was associated with higher levels of some PFAS. Stronger English skills, being born in the United States, and having mothers who had lived in the country longer were associated with lower exposure to certain PFAS.”  

 

Read the story here. 

Read the study here. 

Virginia Hands Out $1.3 Million To Nearly 350 Future Nurses Amid Shortage 
hoodline 

10/12/26 – The author of this piece cites research from George Mason’s Center for Health Workforce. more 

College of Science

Quantum In Your Classroom | George Mason University 

George Mason University (via YouTube) 

10/9/26 – Quantum technologies are poised to transform computing, communications, and national security. At George Mason University, faculty are working to ensure students do not have to wait until college to begin imagining themselves as part of that future. more 

Patrick Vora & Mandy Birch | Access To Excellence Podcast | George Mason University 

George Mason University (via YouTube) 

10/13/26 – Patrick Vora, Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, College of Science; Executive Director, Quantum Science and Engineering Center, and Mandy Birch, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TreQ, discuss the Virginia Quantum Hub with George Mason President Gregory Washington. more 

New CAPMM Study Explores Link Between Long COVID & Lyme Disease 

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE 

10/7/26 – The author of this piece writes, “A project led by George Mason University School of Systems Biology Professor Alessandra Luchini aims to shed light on this question by investigating whether long COVID and chronic Lyme disease share underlying biological mechanisms. Supported by the PolyBio Research Foundation and conducted in collaboration with Mount Sinai, the one-year study will examine a key question in infection-associated chronic illness research: Can pathogens that remained dormant after a previous tick-borne or vector-borne infection become reactivated following COVID-19 infection, contributing to symptoms currently diagnosed as Long COVID?” more 

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Mason Arts Draw Crowds & Support At 2026 ARTS By GEORGE! 
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY 

10/12/26 – The author of this piece writes, "George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) celebrated the 21st annual ARTS by George! benefit event on October 3, raising $400,000 to support student scholarships and Mason Arts programs." more 

Leap Into Leeds: Building An International Dance Exchange 

COLLEGE OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS 

9/17/26 – Read about a partnership between George Mason University's School of Dance and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, England. more 

Costello College of Business

George Mason University Professor Helps Companies Stay Ahead Of Viral Trends 

COSTELLO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS 
10/2/26 – The author of this piece writes, “Zhechao Yang, assistant professor of information systems and operations management at Costello College of Business at George Mason University, has helped develop an AI framework designed to put companies ahead of the social media-driven demand curve. Yang’s paper in Production and Operations Management describes how this framework was built and put to the test with a real-life kitchenware company.” 

 

Yang writes with Qili Wang of The Ohio State University, and Liangfei Qiu and Hsing Kenneth Cheng of the University of Florida. 

 

Read the story here. 

Read the research here. 

Amazon Has Over 1 Million Robot Workers. What’s Next For Human Employees? 

ars technica, Free Internet Press 

10/12/26 – Brad N. Greenwood, Costello Distinguished Professor, Information Systems and Operations Management, Costello College of Business, comments in this story. more  

Schar School of Policy and Government

How Worried Should You Be About The Plague? 

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation  

10/6/26 – Gregory Koblentz, Associate Professor and Director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, Schar School of Policy and Government, discusses the plague case in Russia. more 

The Nuclear Paradox: Why The World Wants Both Deterrence & Disarmament 
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 

10/6/26 – J. Luis Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of International Security and Law, Schar School of Policy and Government, is one of the authors of this piece. more 

New Data: Voter Registrations Have Slowed Following April Spike 

WVTF 

10/13/26 – Jennifer Victor, Associate Professor, Political Science, Schar School of Policy and Government, comments in this story. more 

DC Council’s Next Chapter May Be Defined By Constraints, Not Change 

WTOP 

10/13/26 – Michael K. Fauntroy, Associate Professor of Policy and Government, Schar School of Policy and Government, comments in this story. more 

Growth & Grand Challenge Initiative

See How Virginia’s Public Universities Stack Up In The 2027 Rankings 

NorthernVirginia 

10/12/26 – George Mason is highlighted in this story. more 

RESEARCH.GMU.EDU