partnerships

Washington receives Incheon Mayor’s Award for contributing to a trusted Korea-U.S. global hub

Katarina Benson — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:32:29 +0000

Washington receives Incheon Mayor’s Award for contributing to a trusted Korea-U.S. global hub Katarina Benson Fri, 03/27/2026 - 15:32

911�� President Gregory Washington received the Incheon Mayor's award for his contributions in helping to raise Incheon's international profile through global cooperation, including the university’s Mason Korea campus.

Washington was recognized for his contributions in elevating Incheon's international standing through global cooperation, promoting the Incheon city brand through U.S. media, and contributing to various fields including the establishment of the Center for Korean Culture and Society at Mason Korea.

From left, Vice Provost Renate Guilford, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Ajay Vinzé, Mason Korea Dean Joshua Park, President Gregory Washington, Junho Jeon, special advisor to the mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City, and Vice Provost Janette Muir. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Since opening its Korea campus in 2014, 911�� has maintained a cooperative relationship with Incheon City across a range of areas including research and community service. The university is currently conducting the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Project, an international joint research initiative on future-oriented urban planning, together with Incheon City and Seoul National University.

Through its Mason Cares program, the university also carries out ongoing community service activities, such as mural painting, global career camps, coastal cleanups, donations of daily necessities to local orphanages, and fuel briquette donations to low-income households.

"This award is a meaningful reflection of the close collaboration between 911�� and Incheon City,” Washington said. “We will continue to contribute to elevating Incheon's international standing through global education and research cooperation, and remain committed to expanding exchanges between our two countries."

Junho Jeon, special advisor to the mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City and chief of strategic content planning, and Mason Korea Campus Dean Joshua Park attended the award ceremony at the Fairfax Campus on March 26. "This award will serve as an opportunity to further strengthen our partnership with Incheon City,” said Park. “We will contribute to nurturing Korea-U.S. global talent and local development, and fulfill our role as a trusted Korea-U.S. global hub where students, researchers, businesses, and institutions collaborate and grow together."

Mason Korea is an extended campus of 911��, the largest public research university in Virginia. 911��’s proximity to Washington, D.C., makes it a talent pipeline for government agencies, global corporations, and leading IT companies, providing students with a favorable environment for building internship and employment networks in the United States.

911�� ranked 32nd among U.S. public universities and 71st overall among the Wall Street Journal’s best colleges rankings. The Korea campus offers the same curriculum and degrees as the U.S. campus, and students have the opportunity to spend one year studying at the U.S. campus to gain global experience.

Topics

Mason Korea

Campus News

Office of the President

partnerships

Learn more about Mason Korea

In its first year, ACCESS Academy doubles applications and delivers strong academic results

ckearney — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:44:46 +0000

In its first year, ACCESS Academy doubles applications and delivers strong academic results ckearney Thu, 03/26/2026 - 15:44

In its first year, 911��’s Accelerated College and Employability Skills (ACCESS) Academy is already demonstrating strong indicators of demand, academic rigor, and early student achievement. Interest in the program has grown rapidly. For the 2026-27 admissions cycle, ACCESS received 387 applications from ninth graders, double the 193 applications submitted the previous year.

With only 30 seats available for the incoming ninth-grade cohort, the program has quickly become one of the most selective emerging innovation pathways in the region. Participation in the program allows advanced freshmen in high school to take college classes.

In December, ACCESS Academy students demonstrated projects and discussed their experiences with then-Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera in a robotics lab at Fuse at Mason Square. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Early academic outcomes among the inaugural cohort also reflect the program’s rigor. The current ninth-grade ACCESS Academy class maintains an average GPA of 3.72, demonstrating strong performance across a curriculum that integrates advanced technical coursework with core high school instruction. These early indicators highlight the momentum behind the academy and the role of 911�� and its College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) in developing research-informed, workforce-aligned learning models for secondary education.

One of the most significant milestones for the academy this year is the launch of its first dual enrollment course. Thirty-seven ACCESS Academy ninth-graders are currently enrolled in a Python programming course offered through Northern Virginia Community College. Introducing a college-level computing course at the ninth-grade level represents an acceleration point within the academy’s academic pathway, providing students with foundational programming skills relevant to software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science.

Potomac Falls High School teacher Matt Wax, one of the academy instructors, said launching a new academic model required both flexibility and innovation in instructional practice. “Because the program is brand new, there aren’t many existing resources to draw from,” Wax said. “We’ve had to adapt instruction in real time, creating opportunities for students to think outside the box while adjusting expectations and course design as the program evolves.”

Early implementation has also highlighted the collaborative learning environment developing among students. While some ninth-graders are adjusting to the rigor of college-level coursework, Wax noted that peer support has become an important element of the classroom culture. “It’s been encouraging to see students who are doing well step up to help classmates who are struggling,” he said. “That willingness to support one another is one of the most positive outcomes so far.”

In addition to rigorous coursework, ACCESS students are already engaging in technical and professional learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Last fall, 31 ACCESS Academy students attended the BSidesNoVA Cyber Security/Hacker Conference, where they participated in sessions focused on cybersecurity tools, ethical hacking, and emerging digital threats. Participation in professional cybersecurity conferences at the ninth-grade level represents a distinctive feature of the academy’s early exposure model.

In the summer of 2025, ACCESS Academy offered an AI Camp to 9th through 12th graders at Fuse at Mason Square. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Thirty ACCESS students participated in Virginia CyberSlam 2026, an event sponsored by 911��’s Cyber Security Engineering Department and Loudoun County Public Schools. The event challenged students to apply cybersecurity concepts in simulated threat-response scenarios and collaborative problem-solving environments.

ACCESS students have also had opportunities to present their learning to state-level education leaders. During a recent visit to Fuse at Mason Square, students demonstrated projects and discussed their experiences with former Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera, providing visibility for the academy’s instructional model and student work.

At the curricular level, ACCESS Academy is emerging as a leader within Virginia’s expanding lab school network through its use of problem-based learning as core instructional framework. Rather than relying on traditional lecture-based instruction, students engage with complex, real-world problems that require research, collaboration, and iterative design. This curriculum model, developed with support from CEHD faculty, is attracting statewide attention.

Faculty affiliated with the program will present the ACCESS Academy curriculum framework at the upcoming Innovation Summit hosted by Old Dominion University, highlighting how the academy integrates computing education, interdisciplinary learning, and research-based instructional design.

For instructors, one of the most notable aspects of the program has been the diversity of students who have chosen to participate. Wax observed that the inaugural cohort includes a wide range of ability levels, interests, and backgrounds, creating opportunities for varied perspectives within collaborative learning environments. The program’s rapid growth in applications reflects the special opportunities it provides, he added.

“ACCESS offers opportunities free of charge that many students might not otherwise have access to,” he said. “For students who are looking for something different from a traditional model of schooling, it offers an accelerated and more professionally oriented pathway.”

“What we’re seeing with ACCESS Academy is early evidence of what becomes possible when we design learning as a connected pathway rather than a series of disconnected experiences,” explained Ingrid Guerra-Lopez, dean of CEHD, who led the vision and design of ACCESS Academy. “ACCESS is giving us a living platform to study and continuously improve how teaching and learning can better prepare students for the complexity of the future. This model invites us to rethink readiness not as something that begins after high school, but as something we intentionally build across the entire educational ecosystem.”

This initiative supports the Advancing 21st-Century Education for All solution of 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative

Topics

Campus News

ACCESS Academy

Lab School

College of Education and Human Development

partnerships

GCI-Education

GCI-Grand Challenge Initiative

Higher education institutions must evolve and secure mergers and partnerships to thrive, industry leaders agree

Katarina Benson — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:36:29 +0000

Higher education institutions must evolve and secure mergers and partnerships to thrive, industry leaders agree Katarina Benson Wed, 03/25/2026 - 14:36

Colleges and universities face significant demographic, financial, technological, and political changes that affect enrollment, tuition and financial aid, athletics programs, and career outcomes. The institutions that will succeed in the future are the ones today transforming their operational models and establishing robust alliances across sectors.

That was the prevailing sentiment March 17 when higher education leaders from across the country convened at Fuse at Mason Square for the inaugural P3•EDU MAP Summit. (P3 is short for public–private partnerships, and MAP stands for mergers, affiliations, and partnerships.)

“Depending on how you count them, we have 6,000 institutions of higher education in this country, and not all of them are going to make it out of the next decade,” said U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent. “And quite honestly, not all of them need to make it out of the next decade or should. And the ones that do are going to be the ones that adapt in a variety of ways.”

The Colleges and Universities at an Inflection Point panel at the P3•EDU MAP Summit. From left, moderator Ted Eismeier, Senior Vice President, Head of Postsecondary Communications, Whiteboard Advisors; Robert Kelchen, Professor and Department Head, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Brad Wolverton, Editor, The Chronicle of Higher Education; Mike Gavin, President and CEO, Alliance for Higher Education; and Sara Custer, Editor-in-Chief, Inside Higher Ed. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine referenced the state’s many successful public–private partnerships, including Fuse at Mason Square itself, noting different kinds of P3s he’s brokered in his many elected offices in Virginia, including urban infrastructure, Metrorail extension, and student housing near college campuses. Higher education needs to "change course and change direction while still meeting the needs of the workforce and families,” he said.

“There's this sort of false narrative about higher ed institutions needing to do everything themselves,” said James Sparkman, the P3•EDU producer whose organization is a catalyst for higher ed alliances. “I think this is unsustainable for a lot of institutions, and it's definitely not the model for the dynamic colleges and universities that I know that thrive on partnerships.”

911�� President Gregory Washington acknowledged the importance of colleges finding “a new set of solutions” by collaborating with industry, non-governmental organizations, and the public K-12 sector.

“If you have these conversations with members of government, and with many of our well-placed corporates, they will tell you there are too many universities,” Washington said. “And that the value proposition is in question. So what that means is that the calvary probably isn't coming. We’re going to have to find ways to survive, which means looking more toward partnerships and frameworks working together. Those institutions that don't do that do so at their own peril. And part of that peril is their own survival.”

Washington mentioned his “co-opetition” model in which institutions find more ways to align resources while continuing to compete against each other. But those alliances can be elusive because colleges and universities and reluctant to relinquish their autonomy.

Marjorie Hass, president of the Council of Independent Colleges, found in a previous role that it was difficult to convince neighboring colleges to sync academic calendars or library loan agreements, let alone establish the cross-institutional partnerships that higher ed survival increasingly demands.

“Our blessing is that we are not a federal higher education system,” Hass said. “Our curse is that we are individual institutions and organizations with individual histories, individual mascots, individual sports teams…. We have this radical independence, and it is, in many ways, our strength. And it does make the system more complex, more flexible, and more redundant in a way that probably increases the overall resiliency of the system. But that doesn't mean individual institutions have that resiliency.”

“We have been at inflection points before in the history of higher ed,” Inside Higher Ed editor-in-chief Sara Custer said during one of the summit panels. “This one feels completely different. One thing that is a blanket cause of where we are right now is the overcompliance and fear we’re seeing on college campuses from leadership right down to junior staff.”

Kent, who was deputy education secretary in Virginia before joining the U.S. Department of Education, said that more intentional conversations are taking place now between potential partners in and around higher ed and that the role of his department is to facilitate those partnerships through “cutting regulatory burden.”

“We are all about breaking down silos,” Kent said. “We are all about doing things in a different way. We are all about questioning the status quo in this administration. We are breaking a lot of molds in the way that we do things, and we think for the betterment of students and taxpayers, and quite honestly, for the betterment of higher education as a whole.”

“P3s are something that Virginia embraces, and we're very excited about it, being able to put all stakeholders around the table,” Kaine said. “Because without that, it's really hard to do projects. And it's just a tribute to the fact that good things in life now hardly happen by the say-so of a dynamic president or the say-so of a dynamic governor. It takes a lot of people around the table.”

This initiative supports the Advancing 21st-Century Education for All solution of 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative

Explore Fuse at Mason Square

Topics

Campus News

Fuse at Mason Square

partnerships

Office of the President

GCI-Grand Challenge Initiative

GCI-Education

911�� collaborating with National Park Service to examine Revolutionary War from tribal nations' perspective

Katarina Benson — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:18:12 +0000

911�� collaborating with National Park Service to examine Revolutionary War from tribal nations' perspective Katarina Benson Thu, 03/12/2026 - 17:18

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, 911�� is collaborating with the National Park Service (NPS) to make sure the contributions of all Americans are being recognized.

Gabrielle Tayac, an associate professor in the Department of History and Art History in the College of Humanities of Social Sciences, has received a grant from NPS to lead Phase Two of Tribal Nations and the Revolutionary War, a community-driven research project that will examine the Revolutionary War and its aftermath from the perspectives of tribal nations.

Tayac serves as the principal investigator and will assist the NPS in facilitating educational and interpretive strategies that will be implemented in sites around the Mid-Atlantic region and throughout the Northeast.

Gabrielle Tayac has received a grant NPS to lead Phase Two of Tribal Nations and the Revolutionary War. Photo provided

“My hope is that it will help everyone get a sense of deep connection and relationship to the lands we live on now, to the people who are still here and maybe who are not here and wonder what happened to them,” Tayac said. “To be better caretakers of our communities and places.”

The NPS grant runs through 2027 and coincides with America’s semiquincentennial celebration. Tayac is working with fellow Department of History and Art History professors C. Joseph Genatin-Pilawa and George Oberle, BA History ’96, MA ’98, PhD ’16, who also serves as a history librarian and the director of the Center for Mason Legacies (CML). Digital Humanities Librarian Alyssa Fahringer, who collaborates with Oberle in the CML, will also contribute to the project.

Tayac, who served as the inaugural curator historian at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., and New York, will set up workshops in the Northeast region from the Chesapeake Bay up to Maine. These seminars will provide insight from historians, NPS park rangers, and Indigenous community scholars. Tayac and her 911�� colleagues will then produce digital work for historic sites and visitor centers.

Tayac, who collaborated on the 400th anniversary of Jamestown in 2007, hopes the project and the 250th celebration will serve as a focal point to “deepen those histories so that people can see them for a long time.”

“It is really critical it is done in a way that Native communities want their stories to be told,” said Tayac, who is an enrolled citizen of the Piscataway Indian Nation. “We also know that it has to be done in a way where the American public can really understand it, relate to it, and find the information relevant and intriguing to open up those conversations.”

911�� alum and NPS regional cultural anthropologist Noel Lopez, PhD Cultural Studies ’18, serves as a tribal liaison officer for the National Capital Region. He said previous interactions with 911��, such as collaborations on ecological study units with tribal communities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, have made the transition into the project easier.

“A lot of the work all of us do, whether it is anthropology or tribal liaison, a lot of it is around connections with people and connections with networks,” Lopez said. “All of this work we’re doing on both sides is relationship building. It is building trust with people.”

911�� students will also play a role. Tayac will offer training and hands-on opportunities, including through an undergraduate course, History 397 Public History in Action, which she will teach in spring 2027. Students will pull from the tribal communities’ stories and transform those into projects for museums, historic sites, a cultural center, or a website.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity for this project to not only workshop in the relationships with Native tribal community representatives but also to bring it back into Mason,” Tayac said. “In real-time, my students can also have a hand in it. I think that’s really important, and it tends to make them really excited about history work, too.”

Topics

Research

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

partnerships

innovative classes

Alumni

Center for Mason Legacies

911�� researchers put firefighter fitness to the test

Katarina Benson — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:25:07 +0000

911�� researchers put firefighter fitness to the test Katarina Benson Thu, 03/12/2026 - 12:25

With a new grant from Prince William County, 911�� kinesiology professor Joel Martin is leading a comprehensive yearlong study to uncover whether the Fire and Rescue Department’s Work Performance Exam (WPE) truly mirrors the grueling realities of firefighting. By tracking everything from metabolic strain to air consumption, the project aims to refine the test and strengthen the scientific foundation behind firefighter readiness standards.

The WPE is an occupational test to evaluate the fitness of an individual to the level required in firefighting. These functions include donning and securing a complete set of personal protective equipment; carrying, lifting, and extending a ladder; forcibly entering a structure with a sledgehammer; moving and lifting heavy loads from one location to another; and performing other essential occupational tasks in firefighting.

Firefighting tasks will be re-evaluated with the WPE study. Photo provided

The goal of the study is to determine whether the WPE accurately reflects the demands of real-world firefighting. Martin’s team also wants to see if they can predict the aerobic capacity of firefighters performing each task. They will generate evidence-based recommendations to refine the WPE while preserving its operational authenticity.

“We hope to support firefighter health and ensure that fitness standards are scientifically defensible and aligned with job demands,” said Martin, an associate professor in the Kinesiology Program of 911��’s College of Education and Human Development.

The WPE’s tasks are administered in a certain order and must be completed within specific time limits. These requirements were adopted as part of a previous validation based on interviews, conducted by a third-party research group, and an assessment of their test performance to determine acceptable time limits.

Martin’s project will expand on this work and evaluate the intensity of the physiological and metabolic requirements involved in performing each task to determine if the test accurately reflects demands.

Joel Martin leads the study. Photo provided

“While physical fitness does play a major factor in the time it takes to complete the test, it is not a physical fitness test per se,” Martin said. “There is a skill component to performing many of the tasks on the WPE.”

Also, while performing the WPE, firefighters are in full firefighting gear and breathing through a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), a specialized respirator worn in hazardous environments. “This adds additional challenges,” he said.

Approximately 100 medically cleared career firefighters will participate in the project, during which they will complete the tasks of the WPE and undergo laboratory-based fitness testing. These include calculating VO2max (amount of oxygen consumed), and strength and power assessments. During the administration of the test, wearable technology will be used to quantify the physiological responses of the firefighters, such as heart rate and estimated metabolic demand. In addition, VO2max levels will be assessed based on the amount of air firefighters consume wearing their SCBA.

The project team is also exploring a metric called “work efficiency,” which is computed based on the time needed to complete the WPE and how much air is consumed from the SCBA. Martin says this will provide further insight as to how capable firefighters are at their occupational duties.

“Understanding the overall levels of physical fitness that support safe and effective performance of firefighter tasks is essential,” Martin said. “Often the role of physical fitness components is studied from the perspective of individual fitness components. We are taking a more holistic approach in terms of considering all components of fitness in our analyses.”

Funding for this project is supporting the participation of Ramsey Zaytoun, a graduate student working with Martin who is pursuing a master of science in kinesiology through 911��’s accelerated bachelor’s/master’s program. Zaytoun will be using the data collected in this project as part of his MS thesis.

“This experience really helped me grow because it gave me hands-on exposure to the entire research process,” said Zaytoun.

This project will build upon the university’s prior collaborations with PWC Fire and Rescue and facilitate the implementation of an embedded research model in the future to support firefighter health and safety.

Topics

College of Education and Human Development

Research

partnerships

911�� researchers lead statewide study on ethical use of AI in higher education

Shayla Brown — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:07:37 +0000

911�� researchers lead statewide study on ethical use of AI in higher education Shayla Brown Tue, 02/17/2026 - 11:07

911��’s leadership in advancing 21st-century education took another leap forward this month when several university researchers were named to a statewide project exploring the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on teaching and learning in higher education classrooms.  

Funded by a State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) Fund for Excellence and Innovation grant, the cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional project aims to promote ethical integration of AI into educational settings. 

The initiative, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Teaching and Learning,” involves 80 faculty, graduate students, and staff from multiple Virginia institutions including University of Virginia, James Madison University, Roanoke College, Bridgewater State University, and Virginia Commonwealth University. 

Amanda Bryan, an assistant professor in 911��’s Department of English and co-lead on the study, said it is “designed to test onboarding activities in increasing students’ ethical and responsible use of AI tools.”

Amanda Bryan. Photo provided.

 The study is an example of a Mega Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, or SoTL, project. It’s one of 11 projects 911�� is involved in, generating evidence of learning from multiple institutions.

“The research team designed the activities, which we then make available to other professors to adapt to their own disciplines and provide us data on how effective the activities were in increasing ethical use of AI tools for the students,” said Bryan.

The team also considered different levels of activities to accommodate students who were inexperienced with AI versus those who had advanced skills. 

“We took the task on ourselves that we’re asking students to do because we actually used AI to revise the activities in the ethical, responsible way that we would want students to be able to do,” said Bryan, who is conducting this project with data from students in her ENGH 302 Advanced Composition course. 

“We asked students open-ended questions, including whether they think they’re over-reliant or under-reliant on generative AI tools. That feeds directly into the next activity, which is all about under-reliance, over-reliance, and the harm of being either. We want students to find a cushy middle,” she said. 

The team got their first round of data from students in spring 2025, which showed that just providing these discussion spaces has increased students’ ethical thinking about AI use in college by more than 60%, explained Bryan. 

“We went to the institutional review boards at all the different institutions to get permission to do the research,” said Breana Bayraktar, an educational developer with 911�� and one of the projects primary investigators.  

Students working on their laptops in class. Photo by Getty Images.

Bayraktar said thanks to the support of the SCHEV grant, they've been able to hire graduate research assistants and get undergraduates involved in organizing the collected data. 

“We support each of the institutional teams for their research objectives and collect data from students,” said Bayraktar. “There's a number of teams that have done presentations or have written projects that are either published or on the track to publication that have come out of the different research projects. With this data, we were able to make one coherent project with one survey.” 

Students in 911��’s Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP), and OSCAR Research Assistant (OSCAR-RA) Program also helped in the research. 

“The students really gain professional experience and exposure to real-world research practices. It’s very much a mentoring role with the students,” Bayraktar said. 

There is an Open Educational Resources (OER) portion of the study, “so even after this study is complete, all of the research methods and activities we’re using are being compiled into OERs for future use under a creative commons license,” said Bryan.  

Under this SCHEV grant, 911�� is hosting three conferences on AI, the last of which will be in May 2026. The grant funding goes through summer 2026. 

Learn more about AI at 911��

In This Story

Amanda Leigh Bryan

Topics

SCHEV

Artificial Intelligence

Office of Student Scholarship Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR)

Mason Korea partners with defense organizations to advance military technology

Katarina Benson — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:15:50 +0000

Mason Korea partners with defense organizations to advance military technology Katarina Benson Mon, 02/16/2026 - 17:15

Mason Korea's Industry–University Collaboration Foundation is taking its defense capabilities to the next level. They recently signed a memorandum of understanding with two major Korean players, the Association of the Republic of Korea Army and the Defense Information and Communication Association. Together, they'll work on developing advanced defense information and communications technology (ICT) and command, control, communications, computing, cyber, and intelligence (C5I) systems.

"Aligned with Korea's national objective of becoming a leading AI power by 2026, this collaboration will leverage the C5I Korea Center's strengths with the operational expertise of the Defense Information and Communication Association and the military practitioners of the Association of the Republic of Korea Army," said Insub Shin, who directs the C5I Korea Center and leads the Defense Information Communication Association.

At the heart of this collaboration is the C5I Korea Center, a local extension of 911��'s C5I Center in Virginia. The center will serve as ground zero for joint research, education, and industry partnerships focused on ICT, cyber capabilities, and artificial intelligence.

Mason Korea signed an MOU with the Association of the Republic of Korea Army and the Defense Information and Communication Association. Photo provided

The partnership's roadmap is packed: collaborative research on C5I systems tailored for Korea, a "C5I-AI Convergence" exhibit at next year's Korea Army International Defense Industry Exhibition, and building bridges between the military, industry, academia, and civilian sectors through professional education programs and workshops.

For Mason Campus Dean Joshua Park, the partnership represents a chance to blend the campus' strengths in data science and AI with real-world defense applications.

"Through practical training and partnerships across military, academic, and industry sectors, we aim to cultivate professionals who can support digital transformation and AI-enabled missions," Park said.

The opening ceremony for the new center will take place during Mason Korea’s spring semester, which begins March 3.

Learn more about Mason Korea

Topics

911�� named lead academic partner for Connected DMV’s spaceNEXT

Katarina Benson — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:19:04 +0000

911�� named lead academic partner for Connected DMV’s spaceNEXT Katarina Benson Mon, 02/02/2026 - 12:19

Connected DMV has announced that 911��, one of the nation’s most innovative and fastest-growing public research universities, will serve as the Lead Academic Partner for spaceNEXT, the inaugural global convening focused on the commercialization of space and a flagship program of Connected DMV’s Potomac Center for the New Space Economy.

Observatory on the Fairfax Campus. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The spaceNEXT event will take place February 18–20 at Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia, and bring together global leaders across industry, government, academia, and the investment community to accelerate what’s next in the space-for-space and space-for-Earth economy.

“911�� is the ideal academic anchor for spaceNEXT. Their leadership in space science, satellite engineering, and frontier research perfectly aligns with our mission to build Greater Washington into the global capital of the new space economy,” said George Thomas, president and CEO, Connected DMV. “This partnership brings world-class expertise, talent, and innovation to the main stage, and we couldn’t be prouder to shape this inaugural event together.”

911��’s collaborative and creative research strengths align directly with the new space economy

Advancing space innovation that serves life on Earth—through Earth observation, remote sensing, planetary exploration, and space weather research—is a core focus of 911��’s Grand Challenge Initiative, which aligns research, education, and partnerships around solving problems that shape the future of humanity. The university’s growing strengths in robotics and autonomy, artificial intelligence, quantum science, integrated sensing and communication, and sustainable cyberinfrastructure—anchored by Fuse at Mason Square—support next-generation capabilities such as autonomous spacecraft operations, in-space servicing, on-orbit manufacturing, and resilient space infrastructure that connect scientific discovery to real-world impact.

“Our future in space is a key component to solving humanity’s grand challenge of creating a peaceful, healthy, and prosperous future,” said Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact. “911�� is forging strategic partnerships and driving novel research across disciplinary boundaries to help shape and secure this bold future, recognizing that it will reach far beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, and we are proud to partner with Connected DMV to further these ambitious goals.”

The 911�� College of Science’s multi-million-dollar portfolio in Earth- and space-observation research gives the university the region’s strongest capabilities in satellite data, remote sensing, and climate-driven analytics. Home to the Center for Earth Observing and Spatial Research, the  Satellite and Earth System Studies Program, the Center for Geospatial Intelligence, and the second largest observatory on the East Coast, the College of Science maintains research collaborations with NASA, NRL, Department of Energy, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Army Research Office, as well as a recent $13M collaboration with the Department of the Navy to study increased solar activity. These fields underpin the expanding market for commercial Earth intelligence, environmental monitoring, and mission-critical geospatial tools, while offering immersive training for tomorrow’s scientists and regional workforce. 

"The future of space commercialization will be driven by institutions like 911�� that can bridge scientific discovery, facilitate industry collaboration, and drive real-world innovation,” said College of Science dean Cody W. Edwards. “For years, we have invested in the research, facilities, and workforce development infrastructure to become a valued partner in the emerging space economy. We look forward to bringing 911��’s research, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit to this global convening—and to helping chart the course for the next era of space exploration and economic growth in the region and beyond.”

911��’s College of Engineering and Computing is also a regional leader in workforce development for the new space economy. Its graduate Small Satellite Engineering program trains engineers in full spacecraft lifecycles—including design, power, communications, sensors, attitude control, and resilient architectures—while the university’s CubeSat Engineering Lab and satellite ground stations (including a 9.1-meter dish) provide students and researchers hands-on experience with small satellite buses, flight systems, and embedded software hardened for the realities of space.

“We find solutions to problems in aerospace engineering that advance the field,” said Kenneth Ball, College of Engineering and Science dean. “Our researchers make air travel safer, satellites smaller, and surfaces stronger. Our students learn to fly airplanes, launch satellites, and explore the multidisciplinary nature of aerospace and aviation from the capabilities of materials to the possibilities of space. Our alumni have traveled in space, driven the Mars rover, and held leadership positions at NASA.”

As part of its powerful portfolio, the university is leading the $19.5 million NASA Landolt Space Mission, which will place an artificial “star” into orbit to calibrate telescopes and significantly advance the precision of space-based observations—unlocking new discovery pathways and supporting commercial applications across astronomy, imaging, quantum materials, space weather, and navigation.

Advancing the mission of the Potomac Center for the New Space Economy

spaceNEXT is a core program of the Potomac Center for the New Space Economy, Connected DMV’s initiative to position the Washington, D.C., region as the heart of the global space economy. The center leverages the region’s unparalleled mix of assets—federal space agencies, aerospace giants, venture investment, world-class universities, national security infrastructure, and diplomatic reach—to build the partnerships, standards, workforce, and innovation pathways that will shape humanity’s next giant leap.

With 911�� at the helm of the academic program for spaceNEXT, the center strengthens its ability to:

Showcase regional leadership in orbital manufacturing, microgravity research, and logistics;
Bridge federal space policy with the commercial and investment momentum driving new markets;
Catalyze workforce growth through academic pipelines deeply tied to industry demand;
Accelerate commercialization of frontier technologies across satellites, AI, autonomy, Earth intelligence, and in-space services; and
Unite the region’s public, private, academic, and policy talent under one global platform.

911��’s expertise and programs embody the center’s mission: Turn bold ideas into market-shaping realities and ensure that the Washington, D.C., region captures a decisive share of the growing space economy—projected to top $1 trillion by 2040.

A launchpad for the next space economy

With 911�� as Lead Academic Partner, the inaugural spaceNEXT convening will demonstrate how universities, industry, and government can work together to accelerate the space-for-space and space-for-Earth economy—advancing national security, scientific breakthroughs, economic growth, and human progress on a global scale.

Learn more at spacenextglobal.com.

Learn more about 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative

Topics

College of Engineering and Computing

GCI-Grand Challenge Initiative

Walkability initiative is a win-win partnership for Alexandria City residents and 911�� researchers

Taylor Thomas — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:30:46 +0000

Walkability initiative is a win-win partnership for Alexandria City residents and 911�� researchers Taylor Thomas Mon, 01/26/2026 - 09:30

In This Story

Iulia Fratila, PhD

“Imagine living in a place where you can comfortably send your child and their friends on a safe route to your local library on foot or by bike. How about being able to engage in physical activity by simply accessing an expansive network of trails that might connect parks to local suburbs? This is what walkability looks like—and walkability is public health,” said social science researcher Iulia Fratila, an assistant professor in the Department of Global and Community Health at 911��.

Fratlia participated as a cohort member of the 2025 Virginia Walkability Action Institute (VWAI) and was awarded $9,000 in funding to enhance a local park in Alexandria, Virginia. In partnership with the City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA), Fratila and third-year undergraduate social work student Bryce Neuman devised the plan for the Alexandria City Ben Brenman Park project, which aims to encourage walkability, promote physical activity among community members, and improve access to fitness.

Fratlia emphasizes the role of partnerships in bringing sustainable change to fruition. “A partnership like this is a win for everyone involved," she said. "Academic researchers bring knowledge and expertise on the science that shapes health outcomes and the potential prevention efforts and the governmental agencies can bring resources and design structures that support health-promoting landscapes and decision-making.”

Assistant Professor in the College of Public Health Iulia Fratila (left) and Senior Transportation Planner at Equitable Cities Reba Oduro (right) standing in Ben Brenman Park currently, before enhancement. Photo provided.

The goal of the Ben Brenman Park project is to upgrade a trail segment in the south side of the park that has been underdeveloped and underutilized. The anticipated result is more walking and community engagement, healthier residents in the city of Alexandria and surrounding areas, and addressing health and recreation access gaps.

“We need to make sure we are creating and enhancing built environments and infrastructure that make healthier habits like walking and biking a possibility for all,” said Fratlia.

Neuman joined the Ben Brenman Park project to explore her interest in the built and natural environment as an important factor of public health as well as connections to macro-level social work dimensions. Together, Fratlia and Neuman developed the project’s action plan and strategic goals that guided them through the project proposal and implementation process.

Fratlia attended the farmers' market held at the park to distribute QR codes linking to the survey, and the RPCA emailed the survey to the city residents via their newsletter. These data collection methods garnered more than 400 responses. Based on the survey responses, the community identified priorities, including planting native trees and plants and installing adult fitness equipment in the park. Subsequently, the RPCA Urban Planning team created a plan outlining the proposed layout for exercise equipment and tree plantings.

“I am looking forward to being able to see the final product implemented at the park and see that positive change. I’m particularly excited about the addition of native wildlife around the park, and I hope the people who live near and visit the park also appreciate the changes,” said Neuman.

In addition to the pitch and execution of the Ben Brenman Park project, the VWAI program, in partnership with Equitable Cities LLC, involved attending distance learning modules and in-person workshopsfocused on topics such as Placemaking and Tactical Urbanism, the Economic Impact and Sustainability of Active Transportation Investment, Inclusive Community Engagement, Safe Routes programming, and Complete Streets initiatives. This experience allowed Fratila and Neuman to apply public health principles to a real-world built environment project while engaging directly with community members to address their needs and priorities.

The park enhancement project, which has officially been named a case study by the VWAI, is scheduled to be completed in early 2026 and will be installed by the City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities. The VWAI is a program of the Virginia Department of Health and is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Key Takeaways

911�� College of Public Health researchers are partnering with the City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities and the Virginia Walkability Action Institute to study and improve neighborhood walkability at Alexandria City's Ben Brenman Park, ensuring research is grounded in community-identified needs rather than academic theory alone.
The initiative provides hands-on, real-world research experience for College of Public Health students, integrating applied public health training with community-based data collection and analysis to inform local planning decisions.
911��’s involvement helps translate walkability research into practical policy insights, supporting Alexandria’s goals around healthier, safer, and more equitable streets while positioning the university as a long-term community partner.

Topics

College of Public Health

GCH Research

CPH research

In the George

Collaboration with Children’s National Hospital aims to reduce child mortality rates caused by Sickle Cell kidney failure

Katarina Benson — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 22:12:42 +0000

Collaboration with Children’s National Hospital aims to reduce child mortality rates caused by Sickle Cell kidney failure  Katarina Benson Tue, 01/20/2026 - 17:12

Children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), a genetic disorder affecting red blood cells, experience terrible bouts of pain when the blood cells contort into a sickle shape and block small blood vessels, hindering oxygen delivery to critical organs. Whenever these bouts occur in the kidneys, the filtration system of the kidneys can be irreversibly damaged. Kidney failure is associated with a 30% death rate in SCD patients. 

In partnership with Children’s National Hospital, scientists at 911�� have discovered a new way to detect early signs of kidney damage in childhood patients with SCD. A recently awarded two-year $200,000 grant from the Commonwealth Health Research Board will support a team led by 911�� systems biologist and research fellow Marissa Howard; Children’s National Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Program Director Andrew Campbell, MD; and urinary biomarker expert Oliver John Semmes, of Old Dominion University.

Marissa Howard with collaborator Andrew Campbell, MD, at Children's National Hospital. Photo provided

The multi-institutional trial leverages unique proteomic expertise blended within the Children’s National SCD Program’s ongoing clinical study of the progress of SCD within pediatric patients over time and will transform kidney disease detection in these SCD patients.

According to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, SCD is a global health problem that affects an estimated 100,000 people in the United States, with about 2,000 babies annually being diagnosed with the disease at birth. With each SCD crisis, kidney damage accumulates, increasing the risk of total kidney failure mortality for SCD patients. Early detection of kidney damage, especially in childhood, allows for rapid treatment and prevention of long-term kidney damage-related effects.

“Our team will analyze the actual damaged mitochondria, the power houses of the cell, that are crippled by lack of oxygen that occurs during each sickle-cell crisis,” said Howard, who first reported this pathway and methodology to rescue mitochondrially damaged cells in her prior National Institutes of Health-supported and published research.  

“We measure these damaged mitochondria shed by the kidney in a few milliliters of urine so we can develop an early warning system for the onset of kidney damage,” said Howard, an expert in isolation of extracellular vesicles (EVs), small packages of cellular information shed into the urine, and the methods required to complete this analysis. “Our partners at Children’s National are known for identifying innovative approaches to treat SCD. This exciting collaboration is collectively motivated by our ultimate goal of reducing the high mortality rate caused by Sickle Cell kidney failure in children affected by this disease.”   

 Children’s National Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Program, among the largest in the country, follows more than 1,500 patients from birth through age 21 and is one of the few centers offering gene therapy treatments for SCD. The program has amassed a large base of patient samples, some of which will be analyzed in this project.  

Campbell, a physician-scientist caring for SCD patients at Children’s National, will oversee the recruitment, consenting, and collection of biological samples throughout the study's duration, as well as coordinate the delivery of these samples to 911��’s CAP/CLIA certified laboratory facilities for analysis. 

While current screening methods rely on established urine tests for albumin, this groundbreaking research will use advanced proteomic analysis to detect kidney injury at its earliest stages—before conventional tests show abnormalities.

“We've watched as silent kidney damage progresses year after year, often going undetected until significant harm has occurred,” said Campbell. “By identifying kidney disease earlier, we can intervene sooner with more effective disease-modifying therapies and curative treatments, potentially preventing or slowing progression to kidney failure.”

According to Campbell, this grant is more than funding—it's a commitment to SCD patients and their families, a collaboration to build the next generation of diagnostics, which can fundamentally change how to manage SCD and protect the health of children and young adults living with this debilitating disease.

“This partnership leverages our collective strengths to address a compelling global challenge that might have a multitude of applications,” shared Lance Liotta, MD, codirector of 911��’s Center for Proteomics and Molecular Medicine (CAPMM), who will certify that all work performed is under CAP/CLIA compliance for the data to be presented to the FDA for future clinical application.  

911�� is highly regarded for offering real world, hands-on learning experiences for its science students, and this medical research project is no exception. As part of 911��’s Office of Student Creative Activities and Research Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, Honors College student Naureen Zahra, who had interned the previous summer at the National Institutes of Health on a project focused on curing SCD with bone marrow transplants, performed portions of this experimental study over the summer.  

 Naureen Zahra interned at the National Institutes of Health. Photo provided

“One of my educational goals was to become an expert in performing key molecular biology techniques such as western blots to analyze the presence of proteins like PINK1, which plays a key role in regulating mitochondrial health,” said Zahra, a neuroscience major. The team worked to isolate EVs from Children’s National patient urine samples and analyze protein data. “Working with these scientists on actual patient samples connected me to real-world outcomes, expanding my sense of empathy for what these children are going through.” 

In addition to its potential to improve the lives of those affected by SCD, this research effort may also have even wider impact.   

“These findings could also serve as a new marker for mitochondrial damage for a variety of diseases including Parkinson’s, heart disease, and diabetic kidney disease,” said Howard. “In addition, urinary biomarkers could offer a predictive tool to guide SCD therapy management and therapy effectiveness more holistically.”

Learn more about Research at 911��

Topics

College of Science

Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine - CAPMM

Office of Student Scholarship Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR)

partnerships

Research

Honors College

partnerships

Washington receives Incheon Mayor’s Award for contributing to a trusted Korea-U.S. global hub

Topics

Related News

In its first year, ACCESS Academy doubles applications and delivers strong academic results

Related News

Topics

Higher education institutions must evolve and secure mergers and partnerships to thrive, industry leaders agree

Related Stories

Topics

911�� collaborating with National Park Service to examine Revolutionary War from tribal nations' perspective

Topics

911�� researchers put firefighter fitness to the test

Topics

911�� researchers lead statewide study on ethical use of AI in higher education

Related Stories

In This Story

Topics

Mason Korea partners with defense organizations to advance military technology

Related Stories

Topics

911�� named lead academic partner for Connected DMV’s spaceNEXT

911��’s collaborative and creative research strengths align directly with the new space economy

Advancing the mission of the Potomac Center for the New Space Economy

A launchpad for the next space economy

Related Stories

Topics

Walkability initiative is a win-win partnership for Alexandria City residents and 911�� researchers

In This Story

Key Takeaways

Topics

Collaboration with Children’s National Hospital aims to reduce child mortality rates caused by Sickle Cell kidney failure

Related Stories

Topics

partnerships

Washington receives Incheon Mayor’s Award for contributing to a trusted Korea-U.S. global hub

Topics

Related News

In its first year, ACCESS Academy doubles applications and delivers strong academic results

Related News

Topics

Higher education institutions must evolve and secure mergers and partnerships to thrive, industry leaders agree

Related Stories

Topics

911���� collaborating with National Park Service to examine Revolutionary War from tribal nations' perspective

Topics

911���� researchers put firefighter fitness to the test

Topics

911���� researchers lead statewide study on ethical use of AI in higher education

Related Stories

In This Story

Topics

Mason Korea partners with defense organizations to advance military technology

Related Stories

Topics

911���� named lead academic partner for Connected DMV’s spaceNEXT

911����’s collaborative and creative research strengths align directly with the new space economy

Advancing the mission of the Potomac Center for the New Space Economy

A launchpad for the next space economy

Related Stories

Topics

Walkability initiative is a win-win partnership for Alexandria City residents and 911���� researchers

In This Story

Key Takeaways

Topics

Collaboration with Children’s National Hospital aims to reduce child mortality rates caused by Sickle Cell kidney failure

Related Stories

Topics

911�� collaborating with National Park Service to examine Revolutionary War from tribal nations' perspective

911�� researchers put firefighter fitness to the test

911�� researchers lead statewide study on ethical use of AI in higher education

911�� named lead academic partner for Connected DMV’s spaceNEXT

911��’s collaborative and creative research strengths align directly with the new space economy

Walkability initiative is a win-win partnership for Alexandria City residents and 911�� researchers