Spirit Magazine

Powered by AI

Colleen Rich — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:50:37 +0000

�� researchers are using all areas of artificial intelligence (AI) to create new and better solutions. They are using machine learning to predict social isolation among caregivers, detect bruising across a variety of skin tones, and improve the diagnosis and treatment of vision problems. Researchers are using natural language processing to develop a technology that can automatically translate lesser-known languages. They are working with augmented reality to improve workplace safety. And that’s just a glimpse of the work, powered by AI, being conducted by George Mason faculty and students.

As the largest and most diverse university in Virginia, George Mason is leading the future of inclusive AI and developing responsible models for AI research, education, workforce development, and community engagement within a modern university.

George Mason’s Approach

Led by Amarda Shehu, the university’s inaugural vice president and chief artificial intelligence officer (CAIO), and an AI Visioning Task Force, George Mason is working with partners throughout the region and across the state to build a nexus of collaboration and resources called AI2Nexus.

As a model for universities, AI2Nexus is based on four key principles: integrate AI to transform education, research, and operations; inspire AI to advance higher education and learning for the future work force; innovate AI to lead in responsible AI enabled discovery and advancements across disciplines; and impact AI to drive partnerships and community engagement for societal adoption and change.

“I knew when I started my research in this field over 20 years ago that AI would unleash enormous speed and power in innovation, which is at the heart of what drives George Mason. Power lies in our ability to harness this technology in sustainable and democratic deployment that improves society and the human condition.”

Amarda Shehu, CAIO

INTEGRATE AI

Advancing Operations with PatriotAI

George Mason is reimagining operational excellence, equipping all students, faculty, and staff with access to cutting-edge generative AI models through George Mason’s enterprise AI platform, PatriotAI, which is the first major outcome of our strategic partnership with Microsoft and Cloudforce.

PatriotAI is a suite of six specialized AI tools, called agents, offering secure, university-managed access to large language models (LLMs) that can aid academic work and student life. Co-developed with members of the campus community, these AI tools are designed to enhance learning, instruction, research, and administration across campus.

In addition, the university has established guiding principles for the use of AI. These resources provide framework and guidance for the responsible and ethical use of AI across the academic community to help faculty, staff, and students. These guidelines are expected to evolve as the tools, student expectations, and pedagogical approaches change.

“When we talk about ‘integrate' in the context of AI, we’re not just referring to adopting new tools—we’re talking about rethinking how we work, teach, and serve,” says Charmaine Madison, George Mason’s chief information officer. “AI is no longer optional; it’s a transformative force that’s already reshaping higher education. The challenge before us isn’t whether to use AI, but how to integrate it thoughtfully and effectively into the fabric of our university.”

Patriot Chat — A general-purpose conversational assistant
DocuMate — A large-scale document analysis assistant
PatriotPal — A virtual assistant for students, providing George Mason-specific information about administrative procedures, academic policies, and services
NourishNet — A resource connector for student food insecurity
CourseMate — A student learning assistant that helps students understand lecture content, analyze research articles, inter-pret textbook materials, and prepare for exams
SyllaBright — A course design assistant that helps faculty develop and refine educational materials

“Artificial intelligence is transforming industries, reshaping societal norms, and challenging long-standing ethical frameworks. This course [AI: Ethics, Policy, and Society] provides critical insights into the ethical, societal, and policy implications of AI at a time when these technologies are increasingly deployed in areas like health care, criminal justice, and national defense.”

Jesse Kirkpatrick, co-director of the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center

INSPIRE AI

Designing Curriculum for the Future Workforce

As a leader in preparing career-ready talent for the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region, George Mason is developing courses, curricula, and degree programs to better prepare our students for a rapidly changing world.

AI: Ethics, Policy, and Society, an interdisciplinary graduate course, debuted in spring 2025. Designed to prepare students to tackle the ethical, societal, and governance challenges presented by AI, this course draws expertise from the Schar School of Policy and Government, the College of Engineering and Computing, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
In fall 2025, a new undergraduate course open to all students, AI4All: Understanding and Building Artificial Intelligence, taught by Shehu, will be offered for the first time.
In addition to a master’s degree in computer science and machine learning, a 14-credit ethics and AI minor for undergraduates of all majors, and a responsible AI graduate certificate, George Mason is Virginia’s first public university to offer a stand-alone master’s degree in AI. The first students in this program begin this fall.
A new PhD in Robotics, recently approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, is the first of its kind in the commonwealth and is already drawing interest from students.

George Mason also partners with tech leaders like Google and Amazon Web Services to offer certifications in data analytics, cybersecurity, and cloud computing, enhancing student expertise.

Using AI in the Classroom

At University Career Services, career counselors are already seeing the impact of AI on graduates’ job searches. Many companies are expecting grads to arrive well versed and prepared to handle AI in the workplace. Faculty members are preparing these students by introducing AI in the classroom.

In the Costello College of Business, students are introduced to AI and LLMs in ACCT 661 Advanced Accounting Analytics I, and in later courses, the students are asked to think creatively about how they can use AI to change the future of accounting and auditing, says Professor Steven Maex.
The capstone project in Maex’s ACCT 771 Audit Analytics class asks students to develop a new tool or use case for AI or analytics that can improve the efficiency or effectiveness of traditional ways of working.
In her MGMT 421 Advanced Human Resource Management course, Cindy Parker, BS Psychology ’92, MA ’94, PhD ’98, has students use generative AI to help them develop a structured interview guide, after they do some initial work on their own. “I teach them some prompt engineering best practices, and they are asked to critique the output generated by AI,” says Parker.
Professor Tyler Cowen, BS Economics ’83, is using his book GOAT: Who Is the Greatest Economist of All Time and Why Does It Matter? as the primary text for his ECON 895 History of Economic Thought course. Published in GPT 4 and Claude 2, the book comes with a chat bot, allowing students to ask questions and receive responses.

INNOVATE AI

Building a Responsible Ecosystem

George Mason researchers are focused on tackling the world’s most urgent challenges with a vision for societal change. The university’s ecosystem of cutting-edge research, incubators and other resources for entrepreneurs, a robust tech transfer program, and industry partners helps foster interdisciplinary collaborations and substantiate a cycle between foundational and user-inspired AI research within ethical frameworks.

The university hosts workshops, conferences, and public forums to shape the discourse on AI ethics and governance while forging deep and meaningful partnerships with industry, government, and community organizations to develop impactful AI technologies for a richly diverse global society.

Schar School of Policy and Government researcher J. P. Singh has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Minerva Research Initiative to study the economic and cultural determinants for global AI infrastructures and their implications for international security.
College of Public Health researchers Farrokh Alemi and Kevin Lybarger have received George Mason’s first Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute award for developing an AI system, using LLMs, that helps patients find the right depression medication.
College of Engineering and Computing researchers Abolfazl Safikhani and Tianshu Feng are using machine learning to develop a tool to improve transparency and assist government decision-makers and urban planners with land use and development.
Costello College of Business researchers Yi Cao and Long Chen are exploring how individual investors can use LLMs, like Gemini, to glean market insights from publicly available data about companies.

IMPACT AI

Driving Community Engagement and Adoption

The university’s AI-in-Government Council is a partnership between academia, public-sector tech providers, and government. It is a trusted resource for advancing AI approaches, governance frameworks, and guardrails to guide the development and deployment of responsible AI in government.

Leading experts and faculty also participate in statewide efforts. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Jamil Jaffer, the founder and executive director of the National Security Institute (NSI) at George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School, to his AI Task Force, which is working with legislators to regulate rapidly advancing AI technology. Jaffer and NSI Fellow Zach Graves are two of the 10 appointees to the task force.

Shehu and Padhu Seshaiyer, a professor of mathematical sciences in the College of Science, were appointed by Youngkin to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s EO30 task force. EO30 refers to Youngkin’s Executive Order 30, which calls for the “Implementation of Standards for the Safe Use of AI Across the Commonwealth.”

Even the summer camps are getting involved. The Accelerated College and Employability Skills (ACCESS) Academy lab school brought high school students to Fuse at Mason Square for an AI Summer Camp where students explored the basics of machine learning through hands-on projects. Students in the monthlong AI4Defense summer program not only gained technical and communication skills but also engaged in customer discovery—working directly with mission partners to define problems and tailor AI solutions accordingly.

In May, George Mason hosted the AI in Education Summit with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, bringing K-12 educators together with thought leaders from academia and industry. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

A Brief History of George Mason Robots

Katarina Benson — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 15:59:40 +0000

A Brief History of George Mason Robots Katarina Benson Fri, 09/12/2025 - 11:59

From the pioneering RB5X that graced our alumni magazine's cover in 1986 to today's cutting-edge rescue robots that can navigate through smoke and fog, our students and faculty have consistently pushed the boundaries of what's possible. This journey through George Mason's robotics history showcases more than just technological achievements—it reveals how our community approaches complex challenges with creativity, determination, and purpose.

Click any image to view a larger version.

Cover Photo by Carl Zitzmann

1986

George Mason’s first robot named R B5 X graces the cover of an early alumni magazine.

Photo by Office of University Branding

2010–2014

RoboPatriots take on the world in international competitions. Read more about them.

Photo by Alexis Glenn

2015

Erica Cohen, MEd ’15, uses a VGo robot to attend the College of Education and Human Development’s degree celebration while she is at her child’s graduation 250 miles away.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

2018

Mechanical engineering students build a robot called Thunder Rat to inspect campus storm drains. Read more about Thunder Rat.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

2019

Computer engineering students design and build a robotic fish called Bumblebee for their capstone design project. Here Bumblebee goes for a test swim in Mason Pond. Pictured from left, George Mason students Sergio Cruz and Morteza Eskandari, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering professor Feitian Zhang, and student Blazej Horyza.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

2019

Starship robots begin rolling out for food delivery on Fairfax ��.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

2023

Patriot Pilots showcase their autonomous lighter-than-air robotic vehicles.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

2023

George Mason student Ze Li (right) built this autonomous surface water robot from scratch using CAD modeling and 3D printed materials. The robot is seen here in the pond at the Potomac Science Center. Learn more about this project.

Photo provided

2024

From left, computer science PhD student Rezoan Ahmed Nazib, computer science professor Parth Pathak, and computer science PhD student Ahmad Kamari with a rescue robot that can "see" through smoke and fog. Learn more about their work.

Code, Compassion, and Competition: George Mason's Robots Are on a Mission

Colleen Rich — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 14:44:22 +0000

Code, Compassion, and Competition: George Mason's Robots Are on a Mission Colleen Rich Fri, 09/12/2025 - 10:44

At ��, we love our robots. You can’t visit the Fairfax �� without seeing a robot roll by. We even made the national news by being the first U.S. university to use Starship robots for food delivery.

But George Mason’s affinity for robots and robotics goes far beyond having a pizza or a latte delivered to a dorm room. Our students and faculty are building and training autonomous robots for a variety of purposes and studying how humans and machines interact to better understand what it means to use and even depend on these technologies.

Cross-disciplinary research centers, such the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center, the Center for Advancing Human-Machine Partnerships, and the Applied Psychology and Autonomous Systems (ALPHAS) Lab, are just a few of the units across the university tackling this work and including students in the research.

These stories provide a snapshot of some of the work currently taking place.

Drones and Rovers to the Rescue

As the saying goes, if you love something, set it free. If it maps an area, finds a target, delivers a package, and comes back, the trophy is yours forever. Or something like that.

George Mason's team competed in the Raytheon Autonomous Vehicle Competition for the second year. As the reigning champs, they had a lot to prove.

Read the full story >>

Deception and Human-Robot Interactions

How likely are humans to trust a robot, especially if that robot has the capacity to lie? This is the question �� psychology doctoral candidate Andres Rosero is exploring in his research.

“This study is one of two that examine moral norms in robots and how in breaking these moral norms, humans accept and justify the robot's behaviors,” explains Rosero.

Read the full story >>

Take a photographic journey through the history of robots at �� >>

Retro Mason: RoboCup in Mexico City, 2012

Colleen Rich — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 19:00:01 +0000

Retro Mason: RoboCup in Mexico City, 2012 Colleen Rich Mon, 08/11/2025 - 15:00

Photo by Alexis Glenn/Office of University Branding

In the summer of 2012, the RoboPatriots, led by then-PhD student Keith Sullivan, MS Computer Science ’05, PhD ’15, traveled to Mexico City, Mexico, as one of two U.S. teams (the other was from Virginia Tech) to compete in the weeklong 2012 RoboCup. The RoboPatriots competed in the kid-size humanoid league with robots measuring 12 to 24 inches tall.

The robots played—or tried to play—soccer. For the competition, the robots had to be autonomous to compete. They would get a signal from the referee to “kick off,” and the game began. “It’s like watching five-year-olds play soccer,” said Sullivan of his robotic team. “All the adults are yelling, ‘Run! Kick!’ and the robots do whatever they want, just like five-year-olds.”

All the robots on the team were named for characters in the 1980s movie Short Circuit. “When we put the first one together, we realized he looked like Johnny 5 [the movie robot] with feet,” Sullivan said. In the photo above, the robot Newton is demonstrating his soccer skills at Engineers Day 2012.

Powering Progress

Katarina Benson — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 16:57:12 +0000

Powering Progress Katarina Benson Mon, 08/11/2025 - 12:57

When �� opened the doors to its highly anticipated Life Sciences and Engineering Building in Manassas, Virginia, it was more than the unveiling of a new academic space—it was the beginning of a new transformative era for the university and the region.

Situated at the heart of the university’s Science and Technology ��, this state-of-the-art facility will empower students across a wide range of disciplines to explore, innovate, and push the boundaries of science and engineering.

Designed to meet the growing demand for highly specialized instructional labs, smart classrooms, and support spaces, the building is already enabling greater hands-on learning in disciplines like athletic training and kinesiology, microbiology, chemistry, engineering, forensic science, robotics and autonomous vehicles, and more.

“The Life Sciences and Engineering Building marks a major state investment in our outstanding George Mason faculty to educate and inspire our students—Virginia’s next generation of inspirational leaders, researchers, innovators, and problem solvers,” says George Mason President Gregory Washington.

This addition also provides increased university access for students in Prince William and Fauquier Counties, the western part of Fairfax County, the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, and beyond, which is why the General Assembly and the Prince William County delegation, led by Delegate Luke Torian, were eager to help make this building a reality. Torian, who is chair of the Virginia House Appropriations Committee, and the delegation were instrumental in helping to secure strategic support and state funding for the building.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Mechanical engineering major Andrea Dortch is working with Narly, a lighter-than-air vehicle, in the multistory aviary. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Encompassing 132,000 square feet of space, the building is designed to promote collaboration and engagement among students and faculty. The ground-level engineering labs and student design competition bays open directly onto the campus’s exterior pathways, allowing visibility for the work happening inside.

One of the first groups to take up residence was Patriot Motorsports, a club for students who want to explore the inner workings of automotive vehicles. Over the course of the spring semester, seniors in mechanical engineering revved it up a notch with their capstone project—designing a control system for the club’s Formula SAE race car.

And race cars aren’t the only vehicles in the building. This new space boasts a multistory aviary lab where students can test blimps, drones, and anything else that needs extra airspace to move around. One capstone project taking advantage of the lab is an autonomous flapping wing lighter-than-air vehicle, developed by mechanical engineering Professor Daigo Shishika’s students.

This spring, engineering capstone teams were also using the prototyping space on the second floor to collaborate on projects. “Once the first-floor machine shop is complete, this space will also be used for staging and constructing physical prototypes,” says George Mason mechanical engineering professor Charles White.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

One of the building’s special features is the blending of laboratory and teaching spaces. All the mechanical engineering labs, including the first-floor advanced manufacturing and wind tunnel labs, contain student desks and IT lecture setups so that seminars can turn into hands-on demonstrations where students can practice in real time.

And these areas barely scratch the surface of what the building has to offer. For mechanical engineers, in addition to the wind tunnel and advanced manufacturing labs, machine shop, robotics lab, and prototype studio, there is a 3D print studio, a materials characterization lab, a sustainable energy and photonics area, and a thermofluids lab.

For civil engineers, there is a dedicated space for the American Society of Civil Engineers concrete canoe competitions. Bioengineers have access to cutting-edge studios as well, including a tissue engineering lab.

Anchoring Prince William’s Innovation District

As an epicenter of innovation, creativity, and opportunity, the Science and Technology �� plays a critical role in helping George Mason generate solutions for the world’s most pressing issues. Strategically located in the technology and innovation corridor that runs from Washington, D.C., to Richmond and encompasses the George Mason ecosystem of campuses, Small Business Development Centers, and community college partnerships, the SciTech �� is also an anchor for Prince William’s growing Innovation District, which includes the development of two residential and commercial town centers directly connected to campus.

“This facility, and the advancements it will produce, further establishes the Science and Technology ��, and this Innovation District, as an anchor of the economic corridor that runs from Mason Square in Arlington to the Fairfax �� to here in Manassas, further entrenching George Mason as a major driver of the prosperity of our region and state,” says President Washington.

The SciTech �� opened in 1997 thanks to a university partnership with the City of Manassas and Prince William County, and it has far exceeded its initial goal of fostering groundbreaking research across disciplines. The campus is also home to the Virginia Serious Game Institute; the Biomedical Research Laboratory, one of 13 regional biocontainment laboratories established through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and the Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory, one of only eight human donor forensic science labs in the United States.

In June, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that the commonwealth will invest $2.6 million in the Innovation District, which is jointly led by George Mason, Prince William County, and the City of Manassas and anchored by the Science and Technology ��.

“The planned town centers will create a stronger link between the campus and the surrounding community,” says Colby Grant, BS Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources ’05, director of administration and operations for the SciTech ��. “Combined with the new Life Sciences and Engineering Building, these developments further establish the campus as a dynamic hub for science, technology, the arts, entertainment, and recreation.”

Support ��

Bioinformatician maps her own path to NIH fellowship

Katarina Benson — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 16:25:44 +0000

Bioinformatician maps her own path to NIH fellowship Katarina Benson Tue, 08/05/2025 - 12:25

“It's funny, you know, the connection between the events,” said Soukaina Amniouel, MS Bioinformatics and Computational Biology ’20, PhD ’24. Amniouel is referring to how she completed her very first genome assembly at �� for a research project, and now she does this same task nearly every day as part of her postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It’s clear, however, these connections aren’t coincidence—Amniouel overcame numerous obstacles to make them happen.

Amniouel credits her mother with the push to apply to George Mason to pursue her interest in bioinformatics, since there were no strong programs in her native Morocco. Despite the worries about diving into something so new, she saw that international students were happy at George Mason and decided to take a chance on a university that rewards determination like hers.

“I am grateful that I did not give up…because I learned so much and I found that it is exactly what I want to study,” she said.

Amniouel’s doctoral research focused on using biomarkers and machine learning—which is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI)—to improve the rate of efficacy for chemotherapy. While many areas of health care involve targeted therapies, that’s often not the first option for cancer patients.

Amniouel at the NIH. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Amniouel worked alongside Professor M. Saleet Jafri, director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, to develop a patented machine learning model that they hope will one day allow doctors to match a patient’s genetic profile to the most effective chemotherapy. This would reduce both the patient’s physical burden and overall cost of treatment.

While bioinformatics research involving AI was rare when Amniouel started her PhD, her decision to pursue it anyway meant that she was exactly the kind of forward-thinking candidate the NIH wanted.

For a self-described quiet person, her excitement is palpable when she talks about her research. This enthusiasm for bioinformatics helped her step outside her comfort zone and serve as a graduate teaching assistant, which she said allowed her to hone her communication and presentation skills.

“Today I really love teaching,” she said. “And this just shows how putting yourself in awkward positions can sometimes really make you grow.”

Amniouel still teaches a class on George Mason’s Science and Technology ��.

Amniouel’s current NIH research supports the discovery or improvement of drug therapies for both cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s. She meets with scientists every day to discuss their projects and what her data analyses mean for their work. These conversations are one reason she finds the position so fulfilling.

“You remind yourself, we're doing this for people, for patients,” she said. “And that connection—those meetings—are very useful because honestly it just makes me love my field more. Because even if it's a small task, it's helpful to someone.”

Start your George Mason journey

“Patriots United. Together We Thrive.” is Athletics’ vision to strengthen George Mason’s competitive future

Katarina Benson — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:31:48 +0000

“Patriots United. Together We Thrive.” is Athletics’ vision to strengthen George Mason’s competitive future Katarina Benson Wed, 06/18/2025 - 15:31

It’s less about wins and losses for Marvin Lewis, and more about building enduring bridges for the long term.

The �� assistant vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics recently unveiled his vision with an ambitious five-year strategic plan called “Patriots United. Together We Thrive.” The plan aims to enhance student-athlete experiences, strengthen resources, raise competitiveness, curate storytelling and engagement opportunities, and cultivate a championship culture.

The plan is designed to keep George Mason competitive in the fast-changing college sports landscape with improved facilities, expanded resources, and robust support for student-athletes.

“I believe athletics is the front porch of this university, but our job is to unite the community,” Lewis said. “In this evolving landscape, our university needs athletics at the forefront, with our basketball programs gaining strong visibility—locally, regionally, and nationally. These pillars will guide our efforts as we continue to elevate George Mason Athletics and deliver on our mission to inspire and transform lives through the power of sports.”

Marvin Lewis. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Lewis presented his plan, as well as the fundraising priorities, to the university’s Board of Visitors (BOV) in February, where his call for support in building a winning program to unite the Northern Virginia community resonated.

“If we look around the country at the elite universities, I think you’ll find the combination of great athletics and great academics,” BOV board member Jon M. Peterson said at the meeting. “I think we’ve got the academics; I just think we need to bring the other side up to match.”

Key Highlights of the Plan

There is a $35 million fundraising goal within the Mason Now: Power the Possible comprehensive campaign, to elevate George Mason Athletics, enhance student-athlete experiences, and strengthen the university’s competitive position.

Basketball Greatness:

The university’s signature men’s and women’s basketball programs are central to the plan, with $22.5 million allocated to position George Mason as the unofficial college team of Northern Virginia.
Focused on attracting, recruiting, and retaining top-tier talent, providing championship-level support, and developing student-athletes to their full potential.
A significant portion will fund the construction of a new Basketball and Academic Performance Center, a 30,000-square-foot facility with practice courts, coaches’ offices, locker rooms, a weight room, and an academic support center for all student-athletes.

Sports Performance Ecosystem:

$8 million will be allocated to enhance mental health and wellness services, as well as nutrition and fueling programs, based on student-athlete feedback identifying these as the top requested resources.

Patriot Pathways: Champion to Career:

$3 million will go toward this program, which provides holistic development opportunities for student-athletes beyond sports, including financial education, career readiness, leadership development, and civic engagement.

Athletic Director Opportunity Fund:

Aimed at supporting emerging opportunities, this $1.5 million fund will invest in innovative technology pilots, one-time campus and local business collaborations, and special projects to strengthen recruitment and retention efforts.

Lewis predicts the addition of the Basketball and Academic Performance Center would be a “game-changer” for George Mason. This plan also highlights the need to upgrade the 40-year-old, 10,000-seat EagleBank Arena, which will require spending up to $10 million.

“Men’s and women’s basketball are our flagship programs,” said Lewis, a former four-year starting shooting guard and team captain at Georgia Tech, who led the Yellow Jackets to the 2004 national championship game. “They’re the most visible programs for our university, so making sure they have the resources they need is imperative.”

Lewis emphasized the broader benefits of a successful, high-profile comprehensive athletics program, noting the increased visibility can lead to increased student enrollment and attract more academically talented students who might not have otherwise considered George Mason.

While most current George Mason students weren’t around for the Patriots’ Cinderella run to the 2006 Final Four, Lewis believes winning can revive that same spirit. Signs of renewed excitement are already evident after both the men’s and women’s basketball teams had successful seasons this winter.

This season marked a historic year for George Mason Athletics, as the Patriots added to their proud legacy by capturing a combined five regular season titles and conference championships—marking the most successful year in the university’s Atlantic 10 era and the highest single-season total since 1994–95.

“Everybody loves winners,” Peterson said. “We need more winners, and we’ll attract more students.”

The magic starting to take hold at George Mason hasn’t gone unnoticed in the sports world, as Lewis was named to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee in May.

But building a championship culture doesn’t come easily, and it will require an all-hands-on-deck approach from the entire campus and local community.

The university’s BOV recognized its role in this effort, using the May meeting to formally approve a name, image, likeness (NIL) policy that compensates student-athletes through personal branding opportunities. Lewis said the policy aligns George Mason with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s legal framework, pending NCAA legislation, and peer institutions.

Visit the Patriots United website

Patriot Profile: Midori Galligan

Katarina Benson — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:05:18 +0000

Patriot Profile: Midori Galligan Katarina Benson Mon, 06/02/2025 - 10:05

Back in 2023 on the day before she moved into her residence hall at ��, Midori Galligan received a bit of advice from her dad as she embarked on her college journey. “He kind of gave the normal talk of ‘You need to do new things, meet new people, and just say yes.’”

In her two years on campus, Galligan has taken that guidance to incredible heights. In the process, she’s discovered new passions while pursuing the degree that prompted her to come to George Mason.

Midori Galligan. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Rowing on a Whim: A former soccer player, Galligan decided to focus on academics when she came to George Mason. But during an activities fair on campus, a George Mason rower encouraged her to try out for the squad. “I was like, you know what? I’m just going to try it. I was looking for things to do, trying to meet new people.”

Despite having no prior awareness of the sport, Galligan cleared tryouts and embarked on a journey that’s still going strong three years later. “The program takes in a lot of novices, and they will teach you how to row. It ended up being the best decision I feel like I’ve made so far.”

Competing on the World's Stage: This summer, Galligan was selected to compete with Team USA at the prestigious FISU World University Games in Germany. The World Games are second in importance to the Olympic Games and bring 10,000+ global student-athletes together across 15 sports.

Keep to the Beat: Galligan is also an active member of Noteworthy, George Mason’s a cappella group. Like with rowing, she joined on a whim. “I decided [to try out] 30 minutes before the audition.” She got in, and by her third year the group named her music director, which had her selecting the music and leading rehearsals. Her favorite song to perform is “Somebody That I Used to Know.” “I have a solo in this one! Plus the group has enjoyed learning this one, and it was our concert finisher, so energy was always high!” 

She’s Got Rhythm: Galligan has found some surprising similarities between her two passions. “Rowing is a very rhythmic sport. In a boat of people, you have to be moving together. Constantly being on a beat has helped me pick up rowing technique.”

Honors College student Midori Galligan was recently recognized as one of this year's Stearns Scholar Athletes. Photo provided

The teamwork and collaboration she has experienced come with their own rewards. “It’s a really cool feeling, having a collective goal, working hard for it, wearing a uniform of the school, and going out and competing or performing. I take a lot of pride in it.”

Best Laid Plans: While Galligan, who is also an Honors College student, seemingly left the social part of her life as a Patriot to chance, her academic path shows strong intention. “I knew I wanted to be a physical therapist,” she says, “and a big part of preparing for PT school is experience.” She cites the university’s proximity to Washington, D.C., and its rich pool of internship opportunities as major factors in her decision to come to George Mason. “The kinesiology curriculum has set aside credits and time for you to get internships as well. I thought I would be really set up to create a strong PT application.”

Advice for New Patriots: In her journey of “saying yes,” Galligan says she’s discovered something far more important. “I think the point of going to school and having all the opportunities is just to kind of get out of your comfort zone and see what’s there. You learn something about yourself and what you want…it helps you figure out who you can be.”

Learn more about the Rowing Team

Support George Mason Athletics

Mason Vision Day 2025 noted for record support from the George Mason community

Colleen Rich — Wed, 28 May 2025 18:18:12 +0000

Mason Vision Day 2025 noted for record support from the George Mason community Colleen Rich Wed, 05/28/2025 - 14:18

Each year, Mason Nation unites for 24 hours to support the mission and vision of ��. Mason Vision Day 2025 encouraged donors to support what means the most to them. They came forward in record numbers—with record-breaking results.

More than 1,900 donors participated in this year’s Mason Vision Day, breaking last year’s record and raising $1.38 million.

By the Numbers

1,924 donors

322 new donors

43.5% alumni donors

26.1% community partner donors

17.5% faculty/staff donors

$1.38 million raised

207 funds supported

"It’s a wonderful showing from our community of alumni, faculty, staff, families, and friends, and I could not be more proud of that support,” said Trishana E. Bowden, president of the �� Foundation and George Mason’s vice president for advancement and alumni relations.

Donors made more than 2,300 gifts during the 24-hour period from noon April 3 to noon April 4, supporting 207 distinct funds across the university. These included campus-wide programs like the Military, Veterans, and Families Initiative, the Center for Community Mental Health, and the Patriot Pantry—programs that strongly impact the experience of hundreds of George Mason students as well as members of our local community.

Several of George Mason’s individual units saw exceptional support throughout the day, spurred by challenge gifts and matching opportunities that allowed individual gifts to work to create more meaningful impact. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Public Health, and the Honors College were among the areas that benefited from the enthusiastic generosity of donors.

Zofia Burr, dean of the Honors College, was very pleased with the generosity of donors to the college. “The Honors College walks in step with the important mission of ��: to offer exceptional access to an exceptional education,” she said. “Our students are leaders—in academics and everywhere on campus. We are proud of our program that brings such highly motivated students to the university community, and it means a great deal to know that our alumni recognize the value of the Honors College education and experience.”

The Mason Nation of alumni, now 250,000 strong, was responsible for the bulk of the gifts made on Mason Vision Day. “The generosity of our alumni community is particularly inspirational,” said Bowden. “They give to George Mason in so many ways, through their time, talents, and in this case, their treasure. They are a living tribute to what this university experience means, and what it means to be a Patriot.”

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Trial by virtual fire: Augmented reality project tailors training for firefighters

Sarah Holland — Thu, 22 May 2025 17:18:32 +0000

Trial by virtual fire: Augmented reality project tailors training for firefighters Sarah Holland Thu, 05/22/2025 - 13:18

For firefighters, even training is a risk. According to the United States Fire Administration, 16.6% of all firefighter fatalities in 2024 took place during training exercises. �� researcher Craig Yu is hoping to change that statistic.

Yu, associate professor of computer science, has been developing augmented and virtual reality training for most of his career, and he has a particular interest in exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies could help research on human development and sports science. Through National Science Foundation’s EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) program, Yu and Joel Martin, associate professor of kinesiology, are developing just that: an augmented reality program that could help train firefighters while minimizing risk.

“Firefighters have high rates of injuries and many injuries happen during training. There is a need for training technology that can replicate aspects of emergencies while minimizing the injury risk and physical burn,” said Martin. Martin has spent the past few years working with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue to determine how they can reduce physical strain to firefighters during training exercises. “I think that technology such as immersive reality training can help to meet training needs while minimizing the physical risks of performing certain drills."

A prototype of the virtual training space from their proposal. Image provided.

Augmented—or mixed—reality uses devices such as phones or a headset to overlay 3D computer-generated content onto the real world. An increasingly accessible tool, you can find augmented reality in applications like Ikea furniture previews in your house, dinosaur encounters in the Smithsonian, and catching Pokémon in your neighborhood.

As described in their project proposal, “Adapting Mixed Reality Training Programs to Real-World Scenes to Enhance Human-AI Teaming in Emergency Responses,” the new training would utilize augmented reality to create realistic training scenarios for firefighters.

Based on a 3D digital twin of the room, the program will use AI to analyze what's in the room and create a realistic outbreak of fire: where it is most likely to start and spread, and where civilians are most likely to be.

“The program understands the environment, and it will be refined with additional input from professional firefighters,” said Yu.

Yu also notes that the scenario can be adapted for different experience levels. Simpler scenarios can be developed for new firefighters, which can then be adjusted for increasing sophistication and complexity as the trainees learn and improve. It also allows them to practice scenarios that would be difficult or impossible to replicate in a live burn, such as how to best evacuate and rescue civilians.

Most importantly, it prevents firefighters from being exposed to hazardous conditions while in training.

“I don’t ever see us replacing real fire training,” said Yu, “but this is a means to augment the training to improve the health and safety of the firefighters, as well as make training easier to deploy in a variety of buildings and circumstances. AI allows us to rapidly analyze human performance and then adaptively synthesize training programs to address weakness we observe.”

Martin and Yu are in the early phases of development but hope to deploy their initial training designs with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue soon. They both have hopes for further incorporation of AI and augmented reality technology in firefighting tools, such as headsets that can scan the environment and offer real-time feedback about potential dangers, exit strategies, and health metrics as firefighters enter hazardous zones.

“More and more virtual and immersive reality training is being used [in kinesiology],” said Martin. “I think this project demonstrates the importance of collaboration and interdisciplinary teams to solve challenges in the field.”

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