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The Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE) and its partners – the Patriot Green Fund and OSCAR – are back with the spring 2026 call for proposals for the Living Labs grants program.
Mason’s Living Lab program continues to support the development of new research and scholarship initiatives. Mason faculty are invited to submit proposals for funding to support research projects that utilize Mason’s campuses and socio-environmental systems to develop innovative solutions to advance a novel sustainability-focused research agenda. Proposals will be considered from individuals or teams with a total budget not to exceed $25,000.
Proposal Due Date: March 4, 2026.
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DC Climate Week (DCCW) is a community-organized week of events, exhibitions, tours, screenings, and gatherings across Washington, DC. Together, we will explore the challenges of the climate crisis and discover the solutions that give us hope. Learn more about DCCW at https://www.dcclimateweek.com/.
The Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE) is leading the coordination efforts for GMU contributions to and engagement in DCCW. If you are interested in or have plans to get involved in DCCW in some way, we would like to hear from you. Please reach out to ISE Associate Director, Julianna Gwiszcz (jgwiszcz@gmu.edu), by February 9th.
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The leadership team will present webinars every week to help you become a better climate educator. These webinars will take place Tuesdays at 4pm and 7pm eastern (NY time) and Wednesdays at 9 am eastern (NY time).
Register for the upcoming webinars: "How to Participate in Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Month" with David Blockstein (Note: Same registration link for both)
Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Month is a project of the Center for Environmental Policy and the Graduate Programs in Sustainability at Bard College in New York in collaboration with the Center for Climate Literacy at the University of Minnesota and other partners.
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Two-day working symposium hosted by the Institute for Immigration Research, GMU
Location: George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
Dates: April 17-18, 2026
The Institute for Immigration Research (IIR) is delighted to invite proposals for a two-day working symposium dedicated to immigration, displacement, and belonging, with a particular focus on how arts, culture, and storytelling can be effectively used to build community, shift public attitudes, and inform immigration-related policy in the United States.
IIR welcomes contributions from a wide range of disciplines, fields, and methodological approaches from within and outside academia. We strongly encourage formats that move beyond traditional paper presentation such as workshops, roundtables, listening/viewing sessions, poster or visual presentations, multimedia projects, creative works, and other innovative formats. The focus is on immigration and immigrants living in the United States, though we welcome submissions from those working on immigration topics in other countries. Presentations should engage some aspect(s) of the questions below as they relate to various dimensions of human migration:
- How are people under the broad umbrella of migrants using arts, culture, and storytelling in relationship to belonging, advocacy, and policy?
- Could arts, culture, and storytelling be galvanized to have a greater impact?
- Could research on arts (and research centers) better contribute to advocacy and policymaking?
Abstract Deadline: February 12, 2026 ; Notification: By March 5, 2026
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February 11, 2026 (International Day of Women and Girls in Science)
9AM – 11 AM Eastern | Virtual
The International Science Council, the InterAcademy Partnership and the Standing Committee for Gender Equality in Science will present the findings of their new global study on gender equality in scientific organizations.
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February 21, 2026 | 12-5pm
Charles Drew Community Center
EcoAction Arlington is a locally-run non-profit organization that provides hands-on support and guidance for living sustainably together. Through education, advocacy, and collective action, EcoAction Arlington inspires residents to protect the environment, strengthen neighborhoods, and build a greener Arlington for all.
The Feel the Heritage Festival brings this mission to life, weaving together culture, history, music, food, and environmental stewardship in a vibrant, family-friendly celebration. Together, EcoAction Arlington and the Feel the Heritage Festival create a space where tradition and sustainability meet. Everyone is invited to learn, connect, and take meaningful steps towards climate resilience while honoring the diverse heritage that makes the community thrive.
EcoAction is in need of volunteers to help support its table and outreach efforts at Feel the Heritage Festival on February 21, 2026! There are two volunteer time slots available:
Shift 1: 12-2:30 pm
Shift 2: 2:30-5 pm
EcoAction is also looking for volunteers to help with set-up and later driving items to Goodwill for a clothing swap at Washington and Liberty High School on February 21, 2026.
Set-up-Shift 1 11:30-12:30
Driving-Shift 2 3:30-4:30
Learn more and sign up to volunteer here.
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February 28, 2026
George Mason University - Mason Square (Arlington Campus)
3351 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22201, USA (and livestream)
Medical Students for a Sustainable Future will be holding its annual conference, Climate Health Equity Day, on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in collaboration with the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. We hope you will join us at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia or tune in virtually on Zoom
Our goal is to create a space for students in the health professions (not just medical students!) to build community and connect with leaders in the climate and health space. The conference will feature research sessions where students will present projects related to the health impacts of climate change, climate-smart health care, curricular development, quality improvement, educating decision makers, and creative works.
In-person registration will close on Thursday, February 12th. Virtual registration will remain open until Friday, February 27th.
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February 28 - March 3, 2026 | Arlington, VA
Led by the Medical Society Consoritum on Climate and Health
We are just over three weeks away from the start of the 2026 Our Planet, Our Health Convention! Hosted by the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, the 2026 Our Planet, Our Health Convention will convene health professionals, researchers, community leaders, and policy experts to tackle one of the most urgent issues of our time: the growing impact of climate change on health.
Climate change is already reshaping health, and this event is where the people ready to respond come together. Join us to build the skills, relationships, and momentum needed to make real change when it matters most.
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FY2026 Changes to NIH NOFO Postings
NIH notice of funding opportunities (NOFOs) are now posted only on Grants.gov. Researchers can use the NIH-specific filters in the “Explore NIH Grant Opportunities” search tool to quickly find relevant opportunities, and sign up for Grants.gov Subscriptions. Learn more here.
Current funding opportunities related to climate and health at NIH (curated by the REACH Center):
1. Secondary Analysis and Integration of Existing Data to Elucidate Cancer Risk and Related Outcomes
This initiative seeks proposals that conduct secondary analyses and integration of existing datasets to address key questions in cancer research, including risk prediction, prevention, treatment response, survival, and related outcomes.
Learn more here.
2. Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (Clinical Trail Not Allowed)
The NIH R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant is designed to support innovative, high-risk, and exploratory research that has the potential to substantially advance biomedical, behavioral, or clinical science. R21 projects are intended to introduce new scientific ideas, experimental systems, tools, agents, targets, or methodologies, or to apply existing approaches in novel ways. These projects may not require substantial preliminary data and are specifically meant to break new ground rather than extend well-established research programs.
Learn more here.
3. Interventions to Address Disparities in Liver Diseases and Liver Cancer
This initiative seeks proposals that develop and test multidisciplinary, multi-level, and/or multi-domain interventions aimed at reducing disparities in liver disease and liver cancer among U.S. populations experiencing health disparities.
Learn more here.
The REACH Center is a new multi-institutional partnership that leverages world-class strengths in public health, medicine, and public policy at George Washington University; Earth and atmospheric sciences at George Mason University and Howard University; and research translation at Environmental Defense Fund. The Center’s ground-breaking partnership cultivates a diverse, multi-disciplinary, collaborative research enterprise that generates new knowledge and accelerates research translation into health-protective actions.
If you are interested in learning more about GMU's work with the REACH Center and how to get involved, please contact Daniel Tong (qtong@gmu.edu).
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Student Opportunities
(Faculty, please share with your students!)
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This unique 16-week internship, scheduled to begin April 20, 2026, is a collaborative effort between the Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS), Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), and Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study. The intern will work collaboratively with a Climate Science Research Intern while receiving mentorship from science communicators at each organization. The communications intern’s role will be to write and organize climate research findings, communicating these in an effective way to a general audience in the second edition of The White Mountains Almanac, supported by original data visualizations and artistic ilustrations. With the Almanac project, we are building a model for other communities to improve access to regional data and climate trends.
Learn more and apply to the internship here. Application Deadline: February 16th, 2026
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REpowering Schools is excited to share a new, high-impact summer opportunity for college students interested in sustainability and energy policy: The Google Solar Scholars Program, powered by Google and led by REpowering Schools.
This five-week program (May 18 – June 19) is designed to empower rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors currently enrolled in college and residing in Virginia to become leaders in the clean energy transition.
Program Highlights:
- Virtual Learning: Interactive 90-minute webinars every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 p.m. EST.
- Field Experiences: Three in-person, hands-on field visits to solar facilities on Saturdays (May 30, June 6, and June 13).
- Career Development: Direct connection with industry professionals to explore solar siting, development, and community engagement.
- No prior experience is required—just an interest in energy, policy, and active engagement.
Additionally, outstanding participants may have the opportunity to serve as counselors for a high school summer camp.
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Applications are now open for the Washington, DC 2026-2027 Reducetarian Fellowship cohort. The Reducetarian Fellowship is designed to foster a more diverse, sustainable, and impactful movement by empowering bright, passionate, and ambitious young advocates and innovators to transform our food system.
Features include:
- 30+ in-person seminars and workshops
- One-on-one mentorship from Fellowship staff
- Introductions to impactful organizations in our network
- $5,000 stipend (contingent upon internship placement at a partner organization)
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The Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE) aims to connect members of the Mason community with others across the Mason community–and with other communities, policy-makers, businesses and organizations–so that, together, we can more effectively address the world’s pressing sustainability and resilience challenges.
The ISE Newsletter provides up-to-date information on conferences, funding opportunities, and research pertaining to environmental science and sustainability. The biweekly newsletter aims to facilitate information sharing among researchers, practitioners, and relevant local, national, and international organization.
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