November 13, 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. 

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Can Kazakhstan Become The Center Of Artificial Intelligence Management In Central Asia?

ADYRNA, BAQ KZ, INFORM, THE ASTANA TIMES 

11/5/26 – Alpaslan Ozerdem Dean,  Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University and a Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies. He recently spoke via video at a conference located in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Translation might be needed. more

College of Education and Human Development

Sound Study On Theodore Roosevelt Island Brings Students Out Of The Lab & Into The Field 

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 

11/9/26 – Read about research by Maggie Daniels, Professor, Tourism and Events Management, College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). more 

College of Engineering and Computing

Unlocking Value From Silicon-Rich Waste With Help From Biology 

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING 

10/5/26 – The author of this piece writes, “Silicon is the second most abundant element in Earth’s crust and is a major component of minerals in rocks, mine tailings, concrete, and many industrial materials. Yet breaking down these stable silicate structures can require high temperatures, substantial energy, or highly corrosive chemicals. [Emma] Zhang and her collaborators are investigating whether biological processes can accomplish some of these transformations under much milder conditions.”  

Zhang is an Assistant Professor of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering in George Mason’s College of Engineering and Computing (CEC). more 

Taghizadeh Wins First Place In Poster Competition 

Bioengineering at Mason (via LinkedIn) 

11/11/26 – Zahra Taghizadeh, doctoral candidate, bioengineering, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), placed first in a recent poster competition. more  

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Local News & Climate Views: What Americans Want To Know About Climate Change In Their Communities 

CENTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION 

11/6/26 – The authors of this report write, “This report presents findings from a July 2026 survey of 1,015 U.S. adults (age 18+) about local news and climate change conducted by the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. It examines the role of local news in community life, the news sources people use and trust, and the climate stories they are interested in hearing about. The report also describes differences among Global Warming’s Six Americas, a framework that categorizes Americans into six groups – the Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive – based on their beliefs, attitudes, and engagement with climate change.” more 

College of Public Health

Positive Views Of Caregiving Nearly Double For Dementia Caregivers After Support Program 
COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH 

11/4/26 – George Mason researchers found Chinese-American family caregivers of people with dementia reported a greater sense of control and competence in their caregiving roles and more positive views of caregiving after taking part in a seven-week digital support program. more 

College of Science

Incivility In Public Health Policy Discussions Spills Over To Public Engagement With Climate Issues: Evidence From English-Language Social Media 

ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS 

11/3/26 – Ted Hsuan Yun Chen, Assistant Professor, Environmental Science and Policy, College of Science, is among the authors of this piece. more 

SSB Graduate Nicholas Hoo-Fatt is People's Choice Winner In Poster Competition 
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE 

11/10/26 – Nicholas Hoo-Fatt, a graduate of George Mason’s School of Systems Biology, College of Science, was one of four winners out of 182 entries in the graduate research competition on Friday, November 5. more 

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Creating Understanding Through Art: George Mason’s Veteran Artist Research Fellowship 

COLLEGE OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS 
11/11/26 – Donald H, Russell, Assistant Professor and University Curator, College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), created the Veteran Artist Research Fellowship. more 

Costello College of Business

Abratt On List Of World’s Top Two Percent Of Researchers In Marketing 

COSTELLO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS (via LinkedIn) 

11/10/26 – Stanford University placed Russell Abratt, Instructional Professor of Marketing, Costello College of Business, on its list of the top two percent of researchers in marketing. more 

Your House VS. The Stock Market: Which Has Been A Better Investment? 

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

11/5/26 – Derek Horstmeyer, Professor, Finance, Costello College of Business, is the author of this piece. more 

Schar School of Policy and Government

Schar Donates $30 Million To George Mason To Create Two Institutes 

INSIDENOVA, Northern Virginia, Virginia Business, Patch, FAIRFAX COUNTY TIMES 

11/11/26 – Dwight Schar donated $30 million to George Mason to create research institutes focused on national security and economic statecraft. more 

After Virginia Votes: November 10, 2026 

Virginia Public Access Project (via YouTube) 

11/10/26 – Officials with George Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government hosted this discussion about Virginia’s 2026 elections. more   

Rozell: After The Blue Tsunami, Democrats Should Avoid Misinterpreting Their Mandate 

Loudoun Times-Mirror 

11/9/26 – Mark J. Rozell, Dean, Schar School of Policy and Government, is the author of this piece. more 

Making The Invisible Visible: Researchers Explore New Ways To Track Illicit Labor Markets 

SCHAR SCHOOL OF POLICY AND GOVERNMENT 

11/11/26 – Leaders of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Emerging Economies spoke to 20  students and faculty in George Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government, with another 25 viewing via livestream on Monday, November 9, to present developments in their research regarding hidden illicit labor markets around the world. more 

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