Engineering and... News: January 2026

Dear Engineering Colleagues, 

I’m excited to welcome you all to the Spring 2026 semester. I hope you all had a restorative, restful holiday season and are as energized and excited as I am for the months ahead at our school.

I am thrilled to share that our GW Online Engineering Programs have jumped to #5 in the U.S. News and

World Report 2026 Best Online Programs Rankings. Our programs are uniquely and thoughtfully designed to provide working professionals with exceptional student support, and I’m honored that they are rightfully recognized among the best in the world. 

I hope you enjoy reading about all of the excellent work happening across our departments, like how CEE graduate student and GW Presidential Fellow for Leadership, Jack Hatcher, helped build a database to connect graduate students across the university, and MAE doctoral student Paulina Rodriguez is using applied math to improve medical devices. 

You can read more about our student, faculty, alumni, department, and university news below, and stay up-to-date on our GW Engineering News & Events page.

As always, I remain deeply grateful to be surrounded by such a dedicated and hardworking GW Engineering community. I look forward to seeing all we accomplish together this spring! 

Raise High 

Jason Zara

Interim Dean, GW Engineering

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Tian Lan has been elevated to Fellow at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Lan joins an elite group nominated by their peers for advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.

February 2 from 3pm to 5pm: SUPER-WISE Info Session

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February 3 from 11am to 12pm: Inside the ATS: How to Get Your Resume Seen

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February 4, 11, 18, & 25 from 12:25pm to 1pm: Black History Month Booth

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February 9, 10, & 11 at 2pm: 3-Minute Thesis Showdown: Preliminary Rounds

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February 11 from 12pm to 1pm: 2026 Clearance Preparedness Program Kick-off & Info Session

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GW Researchers Partner on Robot Design for Autistic Adults in Manufacturing

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Presidential Fellow Jack Hatcher Helps Unite Graduate Student Research at GW

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Professor Robert Pless Named LAS Collaborator for Third Consecutive Year

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Eyes on Trust: Gaze Prediction Powers Safer Extended Reality

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How Waymo's Autonomous Taxis May Reshape Rideshare Employment

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Bridging Math and Medicine: A Spotlight on Doctoral Student Paulina Rodriguez

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GW Today highlights new research from GW showcasing the effects of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s withdrawal from key global operations on humanitarian aid. The study was led by Caitlin Grady, director of research and policy at the GW Global Food Institute and EMSE associate professor, in collaboration with Erica Gralla, EMSE associate professor, and Maryam Deloffre, associate professor of international affairs.

Okan Dale is a member of the Office of Graduate Admissions and Student Services at GW Engineering. He goes above and beyond to provide proactive, intentional support to our graduate student community, fostering academic, professional, and personal growth for all GW Engineering graduate students. 

Q: How long have you been working at GW, and what is your position?

A: I’ve been at GW for about a year now. I’m the Assistant Director of International Graduate Admissions at the School of Engineering & Applied Science.

Q: What led you to this career?

A: I really enjoy supporting students, especially international students. I also value the opportunity to use my linguistic and research skills, particularly when evaluating institutions and accreditation systems across different countries and languages.

Q: Why did you choose GW?

A: GW stood out to me because of its strong academic reputation, global outlook, and the vibrant, collaborative atmosphere across campus.

At the 2025 SaTC Aspiring PI Workshop, over 65 early-career faculty traveled to GW Engineering to learn how to submit a successful application to NSF's Security, Privacy, and Trust in Cyberspace program. This workshop, coordinated by Professor Adam Aviv, provided attendees with valuable insights into how to increase their chances of receiving funding for the first time.

From preparing Narcan kits to organizing clothing donations, 700-plus members of the GW community served at nearly 20 organizations across Washington, D.C., as part of the 31st annual MLK Day of Service on January 19. The day began with a panel discussion on faith, leadership, and the importance of community before volunteers headed out.

The GWU-PREP is a collaboration with GWU in Washington, DC and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland. GWU-PREP provides research opportunities at NIST to students, faculty, research staff, and postdoctoral researchers at GW as well as researchers at SURA-affiliated universities.

We support your ambitions by offering financial support to eligible GW community members, including a monthly stipend, hourly wage, or full tuition reimbursement for qualifying undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff.